[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero":3,"chapter-i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-chapter-114":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","I Became the Academy’s War Hero",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1531771,1990,"Chapter 114 : Declaration of War (2)","i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-chapter-114",114,"\u003Cp>Chapter 114: Declaration of War (2)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The special announcement declaring the start of war ended in less than twenty minutes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The citizens who had gathered throughout the city were left speechless by the sudden, grand proclamation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after a long silence did murmurs begin to swell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What the hell is going on?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dellowell… is attacking Karbenna? Why on earth?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, didn’t you hear? They said Karbenna committed blasphemy and even stole holy relics!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But they didn’t even show any evidence!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come on, you think Dellowell’s stupid? You think they’d attack the Imperial Academy without solid proof?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you yelling at me, then?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because I can already hear the prices rising, you idiot!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop saying such ominous things! Karbenna’s not that foolish! Of course they’ll surrender!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know. These days, who can tell what the nobles are thinking? For all we know, they might actually fight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some citizens began arguing back and forth, while most others hurriedly left the area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were even those who shrugged it off, thinking nothing serious would come of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Karbenna and Mallet were, after all, closed groups by nature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They believed such matters had nothing to do with ordinary people like themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those directly involved in the situation reacted far more urgently and violently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Are we going to issue a statement too, Colonel?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wasn’t the Special Task Force created to hunt Beasts?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No one said we’d be fighting Dellowell fanatics!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Watch your mouth when talking to the Colonel, you bastard!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But Major…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As heated voices rose among the soldiers, Belfor—the highest-ranking officer present—drew his spear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kwaaaang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey. You idiots planning to lose your minds? Did you forget your place?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he himself still couldn’t make sense of the situation, he scolded the troops without changing his expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re soldiers, aren’t you? Since when do soldiers get to choose their enemies, huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldiers fell silent and lowered their heads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the tense faces, a faint breeze stirred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their eyes seemed to say, ‘Still, shouldn’t we avoid fighting our own people?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ignoring those expectant gazes, Belfor lowered his spear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Remember your duty to obey orders. The schedule will be announced through the administration soon, so stay alert. Got it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No answer?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, sir!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You lot have gotten soft… Move it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At their superior’s outburst, the soldiers scattered from the lobby in a panic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Phew…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Scratching his forehead, Belfor headed alone toward the Special Task Force Commander’s office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The discussions would have ended that morning, so he figured he could finally hear the details.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, Lieutenant General Alvin was inside the commander’s office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his response was quite different from what Belfor had imagined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’ll be deploying just over two hundred men.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had expected an answer like: ‘We’ll discuss things further with Dellowell’ or ‘We’re still deciding whether to side with Karbenna–Mallet.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why? Are you scared now that it’s actually happening?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s not it, sir…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, a sliver of doubt lingered in his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing was ever absolute in a human war.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter who the opponent was, victory or defeat could never be guaranteed until the battle began.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, it was hard to ignore the subconscious weight of a certain name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The influence carried by Dellowell within the Empire was immense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If we were to lose… the casualties would be massive. Our reputation and standing would take a huge blow as well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then what you’re really asking is why we’re going this far to help that Carter kid, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Yes, sir.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Belfor averted his gaze slightly as he spoke his honest thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To be honest, it doesn’t sit right with me. Things have gone smoothly so far, but we can’t keep giving him everything he wants forever.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s no need to.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The commander, after scanning the documents on his desk, lifted his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In the future Carter envisions, there may be no place for us to stand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If that Eugene Carter was the one who spoke of loyalty, then isn’t this level of risk worth taking?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…He really said that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The same man who once said he didn’t care about comrades or anything else, so long as he could lead a revolution.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So don’t question me any further about this, Colonel. The decision’s been made.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Understood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll summon the officers at four. Don’t be late. Dismissed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Yes, sir. Excuse me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Belfor quietly exited the commander’s office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A man who once only cared for his own safety and reputation… now fighting for loyalty, huh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why, though?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had he realized something after those long, wasted years?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it atonement for the countless lives he had taken?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or perhaps… simply a sincere desire to protect the few bonds he had left?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I suppose I’ll find out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that things had come to this, he’d make sure to dig deep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To uncover just what it was that Eugene Carter wanted to protect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that thought, Belfor began walking toward the administration office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a strange sense of exhilaration in his step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, inside Karbenna’s main building—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All departments, including the Academic Affairs Office, had cut off every line of communication under the Chairwoman’s orders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Sunday, and barely any time had passed since the declaration, so almost no outsiders had shown up yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, chaos was brewing within.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While trying to calm the anxious cadets who feared the worst, the faculty and most of the staff gathered at once in the J Hall’s main conference chamber.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over three hundred people had already packed the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait, are we seriously fighting Dellowell?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you insane? You want us to commit suicide? The smart move right now is to raise both hands and pretend we don’t know anything!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We didn’t do anything wrong in the first place.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How can you be so sure of that? Who knows what might’ve happened behind the scenes!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, that I don’t know either.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know everyone’s still angry about the recent embarrassment, but I didn’t think it’d come to this…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come on, when were those bastards ever not shameless? Just say we’re out of luck and forget about it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But still…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As various opinions flew among the teachers,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the Chairwoman, along with the heads of each department—and at the center of it all, Eugene Carter—appeared on the platform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pro-Bernhardt faction teachers, who had been waiting for the perfect time to speak up, immediately started shouting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What on earth did you do for Dellowell to react this strongly?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Beg for forgiveness now, Chairwoman!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you just going to stay silent, Professor Carter? This whole mess started because of you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“See? This is why you never should’ve accepted such a troublemaker in the first place…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A blast echoed through the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kwaaaang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The deafening roar silenced the hall in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the quiet, Michel Bernhardt, standing on the platform, spoke firmly into the orb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you all really think this situation is normal? We’ve done nothing wrong, yet here we are—ready to kneel, bow our heads, and beg for mercy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And then, pathetically, we cling to a sliver of hope—telling ourselves, ‘Maybe they’ll forgive us. Maybe they’ll let us live.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sharp truth pierced the room, and one by one, the professors’ expressions began to change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After watching in silence for a moment, Michel concluded,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since they’ve already defined us as enemies, there’s only one option left if we wish to survive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that option was never submission.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Remember this well—expecting mercy from Dellowell is the height of foolishness.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that, a professor sitting in the front row, an eight-year veteran, shouted in protest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We can’t expect mercy, sure! But standing up to them won’t do us any good either, will it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now it was Eugene’s turn to respond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you really believe that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…The difference in strength is too great. Even if we join forces with Mallet, I doubt it’ll change the outcome…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If that’s what you think, then you may leave.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The professor fell silent, bewildered by Eugene’s calm yet resolute expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The same goes for the rest of you. If you disagree with the Chairwoman’s decision, resign. Karbenna has no need for such professors.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, there had been murmurs of anxiety and fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then came shouts soaked in blame and defeatism.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And finally, futile outbursts from those desperate to preserve their authority and pride.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who the hell are you to tell us to resign, Carter?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve barely been at Karbenna for three months, you fledgling brat…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re no better—a coward just trying to survive among the other professors!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve trusted and respected the Chairwoman until now, but I must say—her decision to take you in was the worst mistake she’s ever made!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the few professors who vented their rage with such vigor, I couldn’t help but laugh quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Finally showing your true colors, you small-minded cowards.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Opportunists who ride the tides for their own gain, yet spew sophistry when called out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cowards so terrified of death that they tuck their tails the moment danger approaches.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, they can’t stand anyone touching their bowl of rice—hence their furious tantrums.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We don’t need people like that in the coming fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Put them in the front lines, and they’ll flee in panic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leave them at your back, and they’ll stab you, pretending they didn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Better to weed them out now—even at the cost of some manpower—than let them fester and become a nuisance later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such people are not the kind who can be inspired or changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other hand, the more than half of the professors who hesitated, watching the shouting crowd in silence, were still worth persuading.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, turning to them, I continued my argument.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tell me, is the book ‘Basics of Divine Magic’ really a heretical text? Are all mages heretics, as they claim? Is the world beyond the Empire truly an illusion, and are their so-called guardian gods false idols?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If we can’t even call falsehoods false, then what purpose does education serve?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The room, once filled with protest, fell silent. My voice echoed with an appeal that bordered on a plea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Though I stand here as an instructor, in essence I’m still a soldier—one who tears apart Beasts for the sake of the Empire.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But you, as educators, should know better than anyone… the fate of a nation that abandons education.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Karbenna has already made its stance clear. We will join forces with Duel—Mallet and the Imperial Special Task Force to stand against Dellowell’s tyranny.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If even Karbenna—the Empire’s only Imperial Academy—were to be crushed without mercy, there would no longer be a place for any academy in the Empire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the sake of both my own survival and theirs, the academy’s continued existence was essential.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was why, with a firmer expression, I struck the podium and declared:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The academy is the cradle that raises those who will lead the future. Without roots, no prosperity can endure.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, we will fight—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>not to lose,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>but for the future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Those willing to join this journey, stay. Those who are not, leave. I won’t resent you. Life is precious to all, even if it means abandoning pride and conviction.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So then—what will you choose?”\u003C\u002Fp>",1870,"2026-06-06T06:11:51.613Z",1,"novelbin.me","ce7293a2584e4bfbb83a410acdf9e32ddffd53a89b03c96456fd7ddd47be7ca7","i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-chapter-115","i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-chapter-113",163,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-cover.jpg"]