Chapter 240: Meeting Eyes
Chapter 240: Meeting Eyes
There was still another hour to go before the academy’s entrance ceremony. The grass field in front of the assembly hall was buzzing with voices as thousands of freshmen gazed upon the beautiful scenery of the Saint Freya Academy with hearts beating with anticipation. Yet, there was an area on the field where the atmosphere felt a little off.
“Why are you kneeling? Stand up.”
Roel Ascart supported Paul’s kneecaps with his staff as he spoke with a nonchalant yet authoritative voice. While Paul was still in a daze, the heavy pressure weighing down on him abruptly vanished, and he immediately raised his head in astonishment.
“Roel…” muttered Paul in bewilderment.
The vibes he was receiving from Roel were very different from usual. The Roel he had known was a gentle and graceful noble who was fond of books, but the one that was standing before him was imposing and powerful.
His golden eyes gleamed brightly under the glow of his mana, and his black hair and overcoat fluttered along with the wind. The composed but stern expression of his face showed that he was someone who had braved through true storms, unlike his peers.
Roel’s powerful entrance silenced the crowd. Cron and Lyte traded horrified glances as they assessed the unfamiliar face before them. Meanwhile, Roel himself sighed deeply in his heart.
I didn’t think that the plotline would change here too.
In Eyes of the Chronicler, Paul Ackermann pretended to go along with the demand of the two Austine nobles, agreeing to drop out of the academy. However, right after he gave his word, he dashed right into the assembly hall shouting for help.
Such behavior was apt for Paul’s current strength. After all, what else could an Origin Level 5 do against two Origin Level 4s except to run away? His actions would attract Nora’s attention, who then stood in and protected him. This was also how the two of them first became acquainted with one another.
If things had gone according to the plotline, the ideal position for Roel to take would have been just slightly ahead of Paul. The moment Paul called for help, he could step in right away and support him. That would have allowed for a logical flow of events without him standing out too much.
Yet, for some reason, Paul lost his temper and confronted the two lackeys directly, blowing the matter up. With this, there was no way Nora would have remained oblivious to the happenings here.
Forget it, it doesn’t really matter anyway. It’s just an additional layer of security.
Roel sighed once more before turning his gaze toward Cron and Lyte, who were staring at him warily. Cron hesitated for a brief moment before questioning Roel’s identity carefully.
“You must be a freshman, right? May I know who you are?”
“Saint Mesit Theocracy, Roel Ascart.”
“The Theocracy? Why are you butting into our affairs then?”
Upon hearing Roel’s background, their hearts immediately calmed down. No matter how powerful the Saint Mesit Theocracy was, they couldn’t possibly stretch their hands into the internal affairs of the Austine nobles. So, their tone became far ruder right after Roel’s self-introduction.
“Brat, I advise you not to get involved in things that don’t concern you. This is an internal affair of our Austine Empire.”
“Don’t put your head into places where it doesn’t belong. Hurry up and leave!”
Cron and Lyte issued their warnings, and the nearby students also began gossiping amongst themselves. One must know that the Austine Empire wasn’t on good terms with the Saint Mesit Theocracy, and Paul was a prince of the Austine Empire.
Some distance away, a crowd of students surrounding a golden-haired young woman also frowned upon seeing this.
“Your Highness, what in the world is Lord Roel…”
“It’s fine, just continue watching.”
Nora looked at the fond silhouette of the black-haired young man in front of her as the furrow on her forehead gradually relaxed. With a smile on her lips, she silenced the doubts of the crowd around her.
At the same time, Roel also shot a glance in Nora’s direction, and her reaction put his heart at ease.
While the change in the situation meant that Paul wouldn’t run in Nora’s direction anymore, Roel still chose to intervene in this farce for two reasons. The more important reason was that he believed that Nora wouldn’t turn a blind eye to this ruckus even if Paul hadn’t asked for help.
Having known each other for several years now, Roel knew far too well what kind of person Nora Xeclyde was. Putting aside her minor flaw of being unable to keep her sadistic desires in check, she was a kind and righteous person whose nature reflected her Origin Attribute well. There was no way she could turn a blind eye to such hideous oppression, regardless of whom the victim was.
As for the other less important reason, he was simply acting on how he felt about the situation.
“You disgust me.”
“What did you say?”
Faced with the hostile duo, the black-haired young man revealed an expression of revulsion, as if he was standing before something utterly revolting.
“Pandering to the strong and oppressing the weak; the two of you have wonderfully demonstrated the tradition of the Austine Empire. Pureblood, huh? You make me retch.”
“… I never thought that I would be provoked here. Brat, have you thought of the consequences of your actions?”
“Be careful!”
Upon hearing Roel’s provocative words, Cron couldn’t tolerate it anymore and manifested his mana into the sharp claws of a massive beast and swiped it in Roel’s direction. Paul immediately shouted out a warning, but to everyone’s astonishment, Roel didn’t bother moving an inch at all.
“You wish to challenge me with a fight? Very well, but I shan’t be your opponent…” sneered Roel disdainfully.
He channeled a huge amount of mana into his staff, and the earth immediately began rumbling furiously as an explosion shook the whole field. Everyone felt their vision blurring as they vaguely saw a black stream gushing into the sky.
The nearby students were unable to see the full form of the being, but those standing a bit further away were able to see the beast in its full glory.
It was a black nine-headed serpent, an incarnation of fear in the ancient era. Under the stimulation of Roel’s mana, this ancient beast had reappeared in the world under the effects of Relentless Regeneration.
It covered the sky from the moment it appeared, and its terrifying heads gazed down on the surrounding crowd with their golden snake eyes. Horrified cries filled the field. Without any hesitation, two heads swiped down toward the two enemies who were trying to attack its master and swallowed them whole.
Paul’s mouth fell agape in the presence of the towering snake right in front of him, feeling as awed as Roel was when he witnessed Ponte flitting across an army with his powerful spells back then. This unbelievable sight gripped Paul’s heart at its very core, imprinting a vivid image in his mind that he would never forget.
Meanwhile, Roel watched the sight with nonchalance, looking as if he had merely swiped off two specks of dirt. All of a sudden, he turned his head sideward and directed his golden eyes toward a tower constructed along the walls surrounding the field.
As if reacting to his gaze, a figure stepped out from the shadows, gradually appearing in his view. He found himself met with a pair of cold purple eyes that induced deference as her name did.
Lilian Ackermann.