Chapter 386

Being dragged by Kara, I found myself arriving at the lodging before I knew it.

While I was being pulled along, I briefly glanced at Kara’s red hair and whispered among the other students, but it quickly faded away.

Everyone was too focused on their own tasks due to the busyness of the capital, making our journey to the lodging quite pleasant.

“You’re here! I didn’t think you’d pull this on the first day…”

As we reached the lodging, Godin was waiting for us, looking a bit tired.

Knowing my guilt, I silently munched on pancakes. They were really sweet and delicious.

Although I feared they might get tiresome if eaten too often, they were enough for a snack.

“This is the male lodging. Will Academy Student Kara be staying here?”

“When does free time end?”

“There are quite a few who get motion sickness, so it seems free time will last until lunchtime.”

“Got it. I think I might go back to the palace during free time.”

Godin nodded at the mention of returning to the palace, as if he anticipated it.

Afterward, Godin went inside, and I followed him into the lodging. Kara warned me not to cause any trouble before heading off on her own.

“Oh, right. Kara.”

“Yeah?”

“This.”

I pulled out Ragnarok before Kara could leave.

I had been carrying it on my back, hidden under my clothes, so nobody noticed.

Kara glanced between Ragnarok and me, then nodded and accepted it without hesitation.

“Your father asked me to return it when he came to Tartar?”

“Yeah.”

“But, unlike before, it’s now combined with the Usuk Blade…”

Kara stared thoughtfully at Ragnarok. Currently, it was a weapon fused with the Usuk Blade.

It felt a bit sketchy to take it back so easily. Coincidence or not, the Usuk Blade wasn’t something you could easily come across.

“If it doesn’t work out, I’ll just ask my dad to make a nice weapon. I could melt down my own blade too.”

“You should use that.”

“No, I received that as a gift. I should at least show some sincerity. I’ll head off first. Bye!”

Kara dashed away before I could say anything. I reached out to her but stopped.

Seeing her run away probably meant she had made up her mind about something. No matter what I said, she probably wouldn’t be listening.

‘I just wish Kara would use the Usuk Blade.’

There probably wasn’t anyone who could use the Usuk Blade as well as her. On the contrary, there was Luna.

Luna usually received lessons from Rod, but she had been scolded several times for relying too heavily on her sword.

In fact, she frequently ended up injuring herself with her own blade due to her inexperience. That’s why Rod advised against using it.

‘He did say to only use it in a real crisis, right?’

Well, that didn’t mean I planned to take Luna’s sword away from her.

After all, it’s always said that taking back what you’ve given is the most unpleasant thing.

Moreover, since Luna was destined to go through hard times ahead, it would be better for her to have one hidden card up her sleeve.

‘At least Tartar has been somewhat easier for her, right?’

The Tartar part primarily affected Hector, Kara, and the Tartar itself through various episodes.

Tartar was currently in a transitional period, and how they resolved this situation would determine the future.

Among other things, Tartar would be in charge of the ‘supply route’ during future wars. Once they entered a closed-door policy, the difficulty would double.

In the worst case, there’s a high chance that even Kara might deviate from the story, so I had to steer things in a good direction somehow.

‘I should check the schedule.’

I entered the lodging. Thanks to the developed inn culture, the inside was very neat.

There wasn’t a single dirty spot, and the floor was marble. The best part was that it was quite cool indoors.

Surprisingly, Tartar was quite a magical nation. With nothing but desert surrounding it, they had to be strong in magic.

‘The person selling the pancakes even lit the fire using magic, right?’

The amazing part was that all of this had been achieved within a decade. You could glimpse Hector’s capabilities in that.

While he undoubtedly had the potential as a king, his identity still seemed hazy. You could say he was lacking in what you might call ‘philosophy.’

In fact, considering the number of barbaric customs still existing in Tartar, philosophy was probably the most crucial thing.

‘My room…’

Room assignments were posted on the bulletin board on the first floor. Just to note, it’s a two-person room.

I searched for my name with my finger. The number 401 was written, so I was on the fourth floor.

‘Looks like I’m in the same room as Antonio.’

That was a relief. If it had been someone unknown, it might have been awkward.

Karas would have been worse. He probably would have just rambled on about weird stuff, making it quite burdensome.

I headed straight up to the lodging. Upon arriving at the assigned room, I found it to be a quite pleasant space.

“Oh, you’re here?”

“Hey.”

As I entered, Antonio was lounging on the bed, looking relaxed.

While the other students were suffering from motion sickness, he seemed completely fine.

The general from the Granadian Empire and brother of Kronos seemed familiar with warp travel.

“Isn’t it pretty cool here? I thought it would be shabby since they said it was just established.”

“… …”

Antonio chuckled. I was relieved to be alone; otherwise, it might have been awkward for a Tartar person.

However, Antonio’s prejudice might not even be considered prejudice. Tartar’s rapid growth was unexpected for anyone.

Even back on Earth, there are many countries that have stagnated for decades. Especially in Africa, it goes without saying.

‘The potential looks good.’

I sat on the bed by the window. After taking off my outer clothes, I glanced outside the window.

While most of the people were Tartars, quite a few foreigners were also passing by. This was likely Tartar’s biggest feature.

‘They said we have free time until lunchtime, right?’

I looked at my watch. The current time was 10 o’clock, and lunch was until 1 o’clock.

Since lunchtime was essentially free time too, that meant we had up to three hours of free time.

“Oh, right. The schedule came out, so read this.”

“Thanks.”

“No problem.”

While I was planning in my mind, Antonio handed me the schedule.

Looking at the schedule, it turned out the first day was mostly theoretical classes, while the real experiential learning would start the next day.

‘Day two will be an exploration of the capital and gathering supplies. This is when the accidents will start.’

What kind of accident? It’s simple. Dunderheads exist everywhere in the world, and students are no exception.

Students gossiping about Tartar in their native language ended up getting caught by a merchant. They’ll get an earful of insults for that.

From this point on, the perception of Academy Students will change significantly. After all, rumors spread quickly, don’t they?

‘The mouth is the problem.’

After various incidents occur, it will eventually reach Hector’s ears. And severe political issues will pop up too.

How Hector reacts will change the future. I needed to meet Hector before that, no matter what.

‘There is an easy way, but…’

That method is quite… barbaric.

So, I’m quite satisfied. As long as the timing is right, it should be fine.

I thoroughly checked the schedule, nodded, and then started moving.

“Where are you going?”

“Just taking a look around the neighborhood.”

“It’s hot outside; why not just stay in?”

“I’m bored.”

“Alright then. Have a good time.”

Antonio didn’t seem to care at all when I headed outside.

Feeling like it would be easier without the burdens of luggage, I stepped outside.

As luck would have it, I ran into Malboro.

“Hmm? Sivar student.”

Malboro had an odd expression when he met my gaze.

“Where are you headed?”

“Outside.”

“Outside? Isn’t it really hot out there?”

“Just looking around.”

“Hmmm…”

Upon hearing I was just looking around, Malboro made a humming sound, seeming unsure if he could believe me.

After a moment’s hesitation, Malboro nodded and spoke.

“Alright, but make sure to come back in time for lunch.”

“Yes.”

“But you only know the common language, don’t you?”

Just as I was about to step out, Malboro asked me with a tone of suspicion.

I maintained a poker face and lied.

“I know common language, yes.”

“A local knows the common language?”

“Yes.”

“Hmph. I hadn’t heard that before… but it should be fine. Just don’t cause trouble and come back.”

It seems my default setting is that I’d cause trouble. Given the past precedent, I had no rebuttal.

And honestly, I didn’t intend to cause any trouble at all. With Malboro’s approval, I stepped outside the lodging.

‘Oh, right. My clothes.’

It wasn’t until I felt the scorching sun that I realized I had come out without stripping down first. I squinted at the blazing sun and shrugged my shoulders.

‘I’ll get a bit of a tan.’

Not that my pale skin would likely tan much anyway. I’d probably cover for it with my regeneration ability.

Besides, since I was wearing a dress shirt, it wouldn’t be too bad. Though I might get a slight tan on my face.

Reflecting on my memories, I headed straight for the place where I first bought pancakes.

“So, Princess Kara…”

“Hello.”

“Whoa! There he is! This guy!”

“This guy?”

Upon arriving at the store, the owner was in conversation with another person.

The owner had wrinkles all over his face, indicating he was quite aged, but not below the neck.

Despite his age, he must have maintained his training, as he had some well-defined muscles, almost resembling a seasoned veteran.

The old man looked me up and down, stroking his scraggly beard, muttering quietly.

“Hmm. Your face seems dull, but your aura is remarkable. Broad shoulders and a well-toned body, huh?”

“Thank you.”

“Hmm? Do you understand me? Wait a moment. Did you just speak in our language?”

“Yes. I understand everything. I can even speak Tartar.”

At that, the old man’s eyes widened. The shop owner chuckled lightly, as if he was familiar with this situation.

After a while, the old man looked me up and down again, tilting his head, then opened his mouth.

“Are your parents Tartars?”

“… …”

“Hahaha!!!”

The shop owner burst into laughter.

******

“Your Majesty, the princess has returned.”

“Let her in.”

In the Tartar palace’s office, Hector replied to the messenger’s words in a monotonous tone.

At that moment, the office door slowly opened, revealing a familiar face.

Hector paused his paperwork and glanced at her. She bore the unmistakable traits of red hair and green eyes passed down from him.

She was quite tall for a woman, exhibiting the qualities of a warrior that were perfectly developed, and her name was Kara Meyer Hectorsdottir. Hector’s daughter and princess of Tartar had returned.

—CLACK

As the office door shut, a moment of silence fell between father and daughter.

They weren’t engaging in a search for information but rather simply stood still, unsure of what to say to each other.

Kara seemed aware of this too, as she smiled warmly and opened her mouth.

“I’m back, Father. It’s been a while.”

“Ahem. Yes. Have you been well?”

“Although a lot has happened, I’m doing well.”

Hector gazed at Kara’s face. She certainly didn’t look like she was burdened with worries.

Contrary to his concerns, it seemed she was satisfied with her life at the academy. Hector’s expression eased a bit.

He had no idea how heartbreaking it was every time Kara caused a violent incident when she first enrolled. Most of these incidents stemmed from racial discrimination.

However, as time passed, the number of disciplinary actions decreased, and recently she hadn’t caused any trouble at all.

He was curious about that. What kind of change in mindset had she experienced, and what had happened during that time?

‘That wild boy might have had a big influence on her.’

Hector also thought that Kara and Sivar seemed to be quite close.

Perhaps they clicked well due to their similar situations.

Even though Hector messed things up at one point, their relationship was not bad.

“Alright. Can you tell me what has happened?”

“Yes. Here’s what happened…”

Kara explained everything that had transpired during her time away. Hector listened carefully.

However, as she continued, his expression became increasingly complicated as several specific names came up in almost every incident.

Was there even a point where someone could be mentioned this much unless they were a life partner? Hector started to wonder.

“Sivar even broke Ragnarok while fighting with the saint, right?”

“W-what? He broke Ragnarok?”

“Ah, it’s fine now, so you don’t need to worry. It actually turned out better!”

Kara tried to calm the flustered Hector and showed him Ragnarok on her back.

Unlike its past appearance as a ceremonial sword, it now had a sharp blade. Hector stared at it in awe.

“It looks amazing. Can I hold it?”

“Well, it was originally yours anyway. Here you go.”

“That’s true…”

—THUD!

Just as Kara handed Ragnarok to Hector, it fell from his grip immediately.

Hector blinked in surprise, staring at Ragnarok that had clattered onto the desk. Not only Hector, but even Kara looked equally bewildered.

“…Father? Have you been slacking off on your training lately?”

“Do you seriously say that after looking at this arm?”

Indeed, Hector’s arms were the size of a woman’s waist, even when exaggerated. They weren’t muscles from neglecting training.

Feeling a sense of oddity, Hector grasped the handle of Ragnarok tightly. He pulled on it hard.

—CRACK!

“Ugh…!”

Ragnarok didn’t budge at all. In desperation, Hector pulled with both arms, but it remained immovable.

His robust arm muscles bulged, and even his expression contorted, yet Ragnarok did not flinch.

“Huff! Huff!”

Once Hector stepped back, Kara cautiously grabbed Ragnarok.

Unlike Hector, it slipped into her grasp with ease. Kara stared in shock between Ragnarok and Hector.

“W-What in the world is going on?”

“… …”

“Why is Ragnarok rejecting me?”

Ragnarok wasn’t rejecting him.

It also wasn’t Gulrak rejecting him.

If it were Gulrak, a lightning bolt would have struck him by now, making it clear he shouldn’t handle it too carelessly.

‘This is certainly…’

Chaos. Chaos was rejecting Hector.

This phenomenon simply couldn’t be explained otherwise.

‘Why on earth?’

Kara’s green eyes filled with confusion.

A grim omen hung in the air.

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