[{"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-121":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},1531778,1990,"Chapter 121 : For Whom the Bell Tolls (2)","i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-chapter-121",121,"\u003Cp>Chapter 121: For Whom the Bell Tolls (2)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That dawn, inside the Flavia Cathedral of Dellowell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right below the altar of the main hall, a woman sat upright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She held her head high and stared straight ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There, the emblems of the Ribenian Orthodox Faith and the Dellowell Diocese were displayed side by side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman was in prayer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That those who were to be judged for this incident might yet be granted salvation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That she herself would not hesitate, even for a moment, in her duty to bring that salvation to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That, as the result of all this, this rotten world might be drawn closer to God.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she immersed herself in her fervent intercession, eyes wide open, a familiar voice reached her ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your prayer seems longer than usual today, Executor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before she realized, Director Heinrich Peregrine of the Inquisition had approached her side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Karen Rosefield replied curtly,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am casting off hesitation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was dressed not in her usual full armor but in monastic robes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hesitation… I didn’t think such emotion existed in you, Executor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am still but a feeble human before God.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The change in attire altered her very presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where once she radiated the madness of a warrior possessed by battle, now she moved with the pious composure of a devoted believer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Karen slowly rose to her feet, her sharp gaze unwavering as she spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please, speak.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The keen light in her eyes remained unchanged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Straight to the point, as always…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing no reason to delay, Director Heinrich spoke in his usual stern tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…The bell will toll a day earlier than planned, Executor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Karen’s head snapped to the side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You mean to sound the Bell of the Holy War at dawn on Thursday?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heinrich silently nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Karen pondered for a while, then asked sharply,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t quite understand the reason for this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was rare for her to question an order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It is the Archbishop’s command, Executor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heinrich’s firm reply, however, did not persuade her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There must be a reason behind it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What else? It’s because of Duel.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You mean we must render Mallet incapable of recovery before the Duel Headquarters’ reinforcements arrive?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You understand well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If that is the case, there is no need to rush. Even if the bell tolled at dawn on Friday, they would still collapse completely.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That would be true—if Mallet were our only opponent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Director scratched his head, looking troubled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The problem lies with Karbenna and the Special Task Force. We need to crush Mallet as quickly as possible and move to subdue the remaining factions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With new variables, our plan must naturally adapt to them, don’t you think, Executor?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heinrich knew full well that this predicament was partly his own doing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because Archbishop Dominico had so brazenly invoked Karbenna, their options had dwindled drastically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there was no undoing what had been set in motion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if they had to employ underhanded means, maximizing their chances of victory was all that mattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Executor’s reaction was entirely different from what the Director expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Unusual of you to hesitate, Executor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether she agreed or not, Karen Rosefield was the sort to obey any command once it was given.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re not… thinking of opposing the order, are you, Executor?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To his surprise, Karen began speaking firmly, her tone resolute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…The Holy War is for us a glorious duty, a sacred struggle. The declaration of war was a promise we ourselves made.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now they were breaking it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To stab an enemy in the back while he stands defenseless—such acts belong to traitors. How could those entrusted with God’s name commit the deeds of apostates?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She tilted her head slightly, unable to accept it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We who preach the teachings of God cannot adopt the ways of the unbelievers outside…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A blinding flash erupted before her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Director, having struck her full-force across the face, glared at her with open fury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who are you to lecture me, insolent woman?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This decision was made by the Archbishop, God’s representative on earth. It is not for the likes of you to question it, Karen Rosefield.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? You think being called Executor and Messenger makes the world yours now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He jabbed her sharply in the collarbone, sneering with contempt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re a hound, Karen. You kill those God commands you to kill, and spare those He commands you to spare. You are the sharpest blade the Orthodox Church has forged.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since when does a mere tool presume to speak its will? Hm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He leaned closer, his face twisting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Karen, don’t tell me—you wish to go back to the old days?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flinch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time, Karen’s expression wavered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That village was a living image of death—no one could survive, and no one should have. A true hell on earth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Have you forgotten who pulled you out of that hell?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The small mountain village that had worshipped a being other than God had been struck by divine wrath, turning into a scene of utter carnage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The people devoured one another and offered their corpses to beasts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who resisted had their limbs severed and thrown to wild dogs; those who obeyed went mad soon after.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the center of that nightmare, she had stood—alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those horrific memories she had sworn never to face again now rose mercilessly, gnawing away at her once steadfast body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching her face go pale, Heinrich sneered faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You should’ve listened while I was being nice…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The corner of his lips twitched in smug relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tap. Tap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He patted her cheek lightly, his voice a mix of warning and threat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you have claws to bare, pull them out. Any doubts, complaints, or objections—erase them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You could do it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For you were a seeker born from the grave of a martyr.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Remember—everything is for the Orthodox Faith.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I will keep that in mind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your unit’s deployment will proceed as planned. It wouldn’t look good for the Executor to intervene from the very beginning. You understand what I mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. I’ll do as you say.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Director Heinrich lightly patted Karen’s bowed head a couple of times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve gained another sin to repent for. Take time for confession, Executor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I will.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her strong body wavered slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling a twisted pleasure at the sight, Heinrich strode away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chirp, chirp-chirp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The morning birds sang sweetly in the distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Around 10 a.m. on Wednesday, two days before the scheduled date.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before departing for Mallet, I visited the Chairwoman’s Office one last time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were reports to deliver—and I also wanted to see her once more before the war began.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the real clash started, even I would inevitably lose sight of the bigger picture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a player, I could once oversee entire factions while analyzing and fighting simultaneously—but that was no longer possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The same applied even after the war would end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This man, Eugene Carter, was a broken character who could top the charts both as commander and warrior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But public perception still leaned heavily toward the latter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘And, realistically, that’s the side I’ll likely be seen acting in.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, I had to showcase my capability as a commander to the select few strong ones who mattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My foremost task now was their salvation—but I could not neglect preparing for the Apocalypse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially the outdated, human-centric military systems—they needed to be overhauled fast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If my strategies didn’t earn the support of powerful figures, the Empire might fail to form ranks properly when the great hordes of Beasts erupted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given this was a stage watched by all the Empire’s key forces, I had to demonstrate every ounce of my ability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In any case, after this battle, the Empire’s future would shake violently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At its center would, of course, be Bernhardt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Michel, the central figure of Bernhardt, would inevitably be caught in that vortex of change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Noon on Friday… is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tap, tap-tap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Michel rhythmically tapped the table as he asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Isn’t that a bit too late of an arrival?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You think so?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I doubt they’ll quietly begin their assault at the scheduled time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A fair observation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Orthodox Church had long cloaked its endless persecutions beneath the banner of a holy war.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had broken promises and forsaken ethics more times than one could count.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that had only been when their enemies were truly evil—or severely weakened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they tried the same trick against the Mallet–Karbenna Alliance and failed to win—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The backlash would be unimaginable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, since the one holding authority was Archbishop Dominico…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no harm in preparing in advance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even so, moving it a day earlier would be the best course.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they had already accounted for the possibility of the Centre Agreement collapsing, then it wasn’t impossible they might strike much sooner than expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But they—Archbishop Dominico especially—had grown complacent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was blinded by his faith in his own superiority, and his arrogance in their enemies’ weakness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even worms squirm when stepped on—such was the law of the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After decades of near-dictatorial rule, Dominico had grown ever more arrogant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To the point where he could no longer think rationally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though my actions and the current situation had no doubt influenced him,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was his own blundering that allowed things to unravel this far.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enduring a full day with Mallet’s forces alone—that will be the key condition to not losing this war.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that, Michel’s gaze sharpened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…With Mallet’s forces alone, they’ll never be able to stop her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Karen Rosefield won’t deploy early.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your basis for that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because I’ve seen it hundreds of times in-game—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—but of course, I couldn’t say that. So instead, I gave another reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In any case, they’ve already broken the agreement. If they’re going to be condemned regardless, they’ll send out someone expendable to take the fall.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most likely candidate right now was Torquemada of Velut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would launch the invasion prematurely of his own accord, and the Church would strip him of his Apostolic title for his “sin.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That way, most of the blame that should’ve gone to the Archbishop would be diverted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Well, even if the Executor of Blood steps onto the field from the start, I’ll deal with her myself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So don’t worry too much, Chairwoman.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I smiled confidently, she smiled too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not worried. Because this is what you want.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, let me ask you one thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Don’t die, Carter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her smile wavered with unease, but the resolve in her eyes shone clearer than anyone’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have no intention of fighting alone on a battlefield without you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that heartfelt voice, which bordered on a confession, I rose silently instead of answering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I’ll do my best.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then I walked out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her gaze followed me from behind, and I answered it with the sound of my steps.\u003C\u002Fp>",1804,"2026-06-06T06:11:51.613Z",1,"novelbin.me","65c9d6323275eb16d21b572aaa22af74d94a2603006c125355deca5ab10c4d0a","i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-chapter-122","i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-chapter-120",163,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-cover.jpg"]