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127th Chapter: Joint Training (1)

Despite being the Emperor’s bloodline, no one looks up to him.

It’s unimaginable for ordinary people, but anyone who has experienced even a little of the world’s realities should be able to sense it to some extent.

The royal family flaunts its luxuriousness more than anyone else, yet it is also the coldest and most ruthless place of all.

The Design Empire, which cultivates more than half of this continent’s territory, is no different.

Isn’t there a saying that lukewarm blessings can become curses?

Mirona, born as a princess, received the blessing but inherited only half the bloodline, making her mediocre. Despite being born with a golden spoon, she couldn’t escape the piercing gazes.

Compared to the siblings who thoroughly studied imperial studies, she was bound to lag behind academically. Except for the one field of “swordsmanship”…

It was unclear whether that was a blessing or a curse.

At first, she struggled to keep up with sword training too. The incident occurred during a sword match between siblings.

A personal match where only one out of three contestants could survive. But the sister and brother exchanged glances and attacked Mirona together.

They transformed it into a 2-on-1 situation, laughing while excluding Mirona. Overwhelmed with fear, Mirona desperately swung her sword, and that was the moment.

The screams of her sister and brother echoed, the faces of the watching knights were frozen in shock, and an odd energy flowed through her sword.

From that day on, the First Princess lost the use of one arm, and the Second Prince became unable to run. This was the birth of the Monster Princess.

There was no major incident, but Mirona was not expelled from the royal family because the Emperor noticed her useful talent.

However, in exchange, the sharp gazes intensified. Particularly the anger of the Empress was not trivial, and such injured children were even more unforgivable.

Guilt over that day was etched in Mirona’s mind. She chose to attend Aligieri to become a sword that protects, not one that harms…

“Ah…”

Mirona accidentally hit Jason in the head.

As drool flowed from her mouth… blood trickled down Jason’s head.

When fighting, he suddenly becomes serious and fierce, yet now, he is trembling and mumbling in fright.

“Are… are you okay? Jason…”

Jason, who seemed like he had taken a shower in red, still tried to maintain a smiling face.

“I’m… fine…”

Though he was trying to reassure the princess, in the end, he couldn’t withstand the intense shock and collapsed.

Only the whites of his eyes were left as chicks flew around his head.

And the entire gymnasium fell into chaos.

*

‘C-Could have been really bad!’

When the referee collapsed from the student’s attack, everyone was in shock.

While the reasons differed, I was equally shocked. I managed to avoid seeing blood, but my heart felt like it was shriveling up, as if I’d cheated death.

‘Is this what it’s like from the perspective of the villains and monsters that will soon be slaughtered by the princess?’

I observed the destruction she left behind. The massive fences surrounding the arena were neatly cut down and the terrifying sword trails left by her strikes.

The students had caused no damage before, but now look at this mess.

“Are you alright, Instructor?”

“Is it really acceptable for an instructor to go down like this in one hit?”

“Is that really the issue now? Get him to the infirmary! Quickly!”

Faculty members and some students rushed out. After performing first aid on the collapsed Jason, they carried him outside on their backs.

‘If the timing of the Trans Card had been off, I might have ended up like that…’

No, I could have ended up in a coma, depending on my luck.

Typically, referees are higher-ups like professors. They intervene directly when a match spirals out of control.

Yet, such a referee collapsed from a student’s strike.

Of course, if Jason hadn’t let his guard down, he could have blocked it.

But given that he was the commander, it ended up like this; if it were me… ugh! Just imagining it is terrifying.

“You took quite a beating.”

Nebia approached me as I sat down. Due to the chaos, attention was focused on Mirona, and Nebia went unnoticed.

So, she seemed to have come to me without care.

“I’ve never seen a senior take such a severe beating before.”

“You didn’t laugh at this in your heart, did you?”

“….”

Nebia remained silent, and when she didn’t respond, I began to suspect her silence was an affirmation.

Suddenly, I heard a sweet melody from her lips. It was a sound that could enchant anyone from afar, yet no one aside from me could hear it.

The melody allowed me to heal my wounds without needing to consume alcohol.

“What’s this?”

“Don’t you know? I’m healing you. You had a fracture from that elbow strike.”

“There was no need to go this far….”

I didn’t really need her help.

If it was the blessed raindrops from the cardinal, it could heal me completely over time.

Besides, Angela’s healing abilities were at a level that didn’t fall short of hers. Of course, if I asked, I’d have to offer her some rice balls in tribute.

“Still, thank you. But you’re not trying to use this as a way to gain my favor, are you?”

“Thoughts are free. I still intend to have you on my side. Didn’t you say this to me recently?”

—I will help you.

I had indeed said that before.

However, considering Nebia’s villainous actions in the main story, it was quite a dangerous statement.

To become president, she will stop at nothing.

She spreads rumors about the weaknesses of other candidates or the unsavory pasts of their supporters to incite them. Then, by knocking them down herself, she gains charisma and creates followers.

Using them to alienate and torment other supporters are acts she commits.

‘Thinking about it, she’s a villain who’s not even worth chewing on.’

But the ultimate fate of such a villain in the power fantasy genre is predetermined.

Others may win through calculated plans, but before the protagonist Lyman, those plans are nothing but chewed gum.

Most importantly, Lyman wouldn’t show her any mercy just because she was a woman. I can clearly imagine Nebia, terrified, trying to flee from someone she cannot defeat.

“Your seniors, your friends, even the followers adoring me, all belong to me. They must act according to my command.”

You little rascal. If you keep that mindset to the end, your fate will surely be…

“However, you were the first to fail to be tamed. I can’t forget how you ignored my enticing offers.”

Perhaps because he was once the benefactor of Rotas. It seems she is obsessively trying to pull me into her ranks.

“But because of that…”

“….”

“It’s nothing.”

Nebia’s expression appeared somewhat bitter. It seems it relates to the Blood Parasite she was injected with.

Someone who has to manipulate others has fallen to the position of being manipulated.

Of course, considering the actions she will take later, she’s reaping what she sowed. If she weren’t a clue to breaking this curse, I would have left her to her own devices.

“Are you harboring any strange feelings towards me?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“….”

I kept silent and stared at Nebia. It was a question to provoke a response, so I needed to gauge her reaction.

In truth, because of the butterfly effect caused by me, she ended up this way.

So, there’s a good chance that her pitiful side might hold a grudge against me.

“If those strange feelings are ill will, I wouldn’t have gone through the trouble of healing you without any price.”

————

-Emotion towards the user: Favorable (Neutral)

————

It seemed I couldn’t detect any lies with my eye.

But why is she being so favorable? Someone who views others as possessions shouldn’t feel kindness towards anyone.

“Then is it the opposite?”

“What are you talking about?”

“What’s the opposite of ill will?”

When I spoke again, as if testing her, Nebia showed a moment of surprise.

“Speak logically! I think I went through the unnecessary trouble of healing you.”

Pouting her lips and slightly turning her head, Nebia

I wasn’t particularly interested in your healing, you know?

“Speaking of which, the full-blown election will start now. It’s going to be a bloody month ahead.”

True to her words, it would be a tumultuous month. Various events of bickering between supporters would unfold countless times.

The only ones who would see less blood would be the rare abstainers.

“I’m saying this for your sake…”

“….”

“Don’t support anyone, just abstain.”

Her unexpected words caught me off guard. I added quickly.

“Even if you have a candidate with ties to you, find any excuse to abstain and keep quiet. It would be the safer choice.”

Nebia, with that final remark, turned her back. No matter how much I tried to say something, she had already vanished with her voice.

‘That wicked girl actually suggested abstaining.’

It was quite unprecedented. Was this really the same person who’s aiming to devour a vote in the main story?

I couldn’t be sure just how heavily my influence had been.

However, just from that fact, I had come to a realization.

Nebia still had… the one possibility of avoiding becoming a being that deserves to die.

*

“Ugh…! Damn it!”

Jason groaned in pain. He was receiving first aid from the medical department’s students in the infirmary.

‘That damned princess! How dare she…!!’

Silent screams echoed in his heart.

Such words should never escape the mouth of one who was close to the royal family and also serving as the princess’s guard.

Yet, to him, the princess and even the Emperor were nothing but bugs.

Everything should move according to his desires — neither more nor less.

“Hang in there, Instructor.”

“It might hurt a bit.”

“Ugh!”

With bandages wrapped around his head, the students tied it tightly.

Another wave of pain surged. He was filled with the desire to knock these fellows down.

It wasn’t really their fault. They merely couldn’t close the wound painlessly.

“Take it easy!”

“Ah, I’m sorry!”

Adding to that, it was disgusting being helped by bugs.

They felt like completely incompetent trash.

Then, at that moment, a shining figure appeared behind the bugs.

“Right, take it easy. Have you forgotten what I taught you?”

As Stella emerged, the students stepped back.

Gently stroking Jason’s head, she took charge of the infirmary.

“Ah…”

As he felt her warm touch, a complex stimulus surged in Jason’s mind.

That stimulation flowed down, quickening his heart.

Thump thump—

His heart pulsated like a pendulum, striking against the lining of his chest. The trembling that couldn’t be calmed persisted.

The pain that had been nagging his head and the intense emotions faded like bacteria neutralized by a drug.

It felt as though all the lingering frustrations floated away without needing to consume alcohol.

“There shouldn’t be any more bleeding.”

“Y-yes…”

“To think the commander had your body trained well. Thanks to that, you avoided a fatal wound.”

“Thank you very much.”

The grim expression from before quickly vanished upon her arrival.

Stella Vermillion, indeed, she is the only one capable of stirring his heart.

Only she stands as his equal. If they could join forces and eradicate all the pests in the world…

“Uh… Professor Stella.”

“What is it?”

I know that hesitating like this is not like me.

But sometimes I have things I want to say, even if it requires facing that risk.

“If you ever need anything, just let me know anytime.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll help you whenever you need.”

“That’s really kind of you.”

The day when cherry blossoms fully bloom is gradually approaching. However, asking for a date right now is premature.

One step at a time, I intend to capture her heart.

But Stella merely took it as a light gesture in return for her healing.

And…

‘Soon, when the cherry blossoms bloom, I will be with Professor Lyman… Heeheehee.’

She was already filled with excitement reminiscing about the promise made with the chosen one.

The trees in front of the window started to sprout pink petals.

Whether they would drift in the warm spring breeze or be scattered by a bloody storm, nobody knew yet.

Surviving as the Academy Scammer.

 

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