[{"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-64":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},1531671,1990,"Chapter 64 : Three Hands (1)","i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-chapter-64",64,"\u003Cp>Chapter 64: Three Hands (1)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been thirty minutes since Michel sent the two of them out of the Chairwoman’s office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Waiting in the corridor felt awkward, so the two had moved to the Dean’s office for the time being.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Phew…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Walter tapped the desk for no reason, trying to calm his confused mind for quite some time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frederick, on the other hand, maintained a relatively composed stance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if it had been long ago, he had firsthand experience of the battlefield—death didn’t shake him much anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you think is happening right now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Walter’s question finally came after a long hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Let me ask you one thing first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead of answering, Frederick asked back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Which side are you on?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No matter which side you choose, I won’t say a word. Everyone has their own position and goals.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can’t show all my cards to someone who’s not on my side, can I?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was Frederick’s honest feeling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew well that Michel Bernhardt wasn’t as bad a person as her reputation suggested.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Eugene Carter—after returning, he had shown a completely different side of himself, one that even made Frederick want to root for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that was as far as it went.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neither of them were stable enough to follow unconditionally without any compensation or reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I’d like to ask something as well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, Walter was the one to start.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dean, are you on Carter’s side?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have no intention of taking anyone’s side.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then why did you ask me that question? Don’t tell me someone like you is still testing the waters?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…However.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People should listen until the end—Frederick brushed a hand over his lips and continued,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At least for now, I want to be on Carter’s side.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that answer, Walter let out a sigh and stared into the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…It’s not that I have any good feelings toward that guy. But this isn’t right. This time, I intend to help Carter too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then there was no need to lay all their cards on the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whatever cards they held, their current stance—to join forces with Carter—wouldn’t change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Frederick abruptly stood up from his seat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No need to waste any more time. Let’s go together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where to?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Chairwoman’s office. She told us to come back in an hour.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then that means the Chairwoman also…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She might’ve been doubtful until yesterday… but now, she probably has no choice.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the two men returned to the Chairwoman’s office, they found an unexpected figure standing there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Dale Wedmeyer, the Director of Planning and General Affairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The head of the Bernhardt faction within Karbenna.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the last special Faculty Meeting, his relationship with Eugene Carter had also turned rather sour.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Director!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Walter snapped to attention in surprise, Frederick strode forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What brings you here so early, Dale?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With such a serious incident, I couldn’t just sit still, could I? You must’ve had a rough time too—especially being on the scene.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But what were you doing there, anyway? I doubt you had any reason to visit the servants’ rest area at that hour.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He struck right at the core, but Frederick didn’t even flinch as he crafted an excuse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For the same reason as you. I came to the Chairwoman’s office to make my report, but she wouldn’t open the door. I thought something might’ve happened, so I went looking for a servant.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Dale still looked full of suspicion, he couldn’t press further and held his tongue for now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as his gaze shifted toward Walter—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Click.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The locked door swung open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So it was the Director who came.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Michel’s firm voice resonated from within.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, Chairwoman. You were inside.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ignoring Dale’s formal greeting, she gestured coolly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All three of you, come in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This development was unexpected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frederick quickly scanned the three people in the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Walter tried hard to keep a poker face, but he couldn’t completely hide his confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Michel, in contrast, looked as if nothing had happened from the very beginning—though her weary eyes betrayed her fatigue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lastly, Dale was glancing around the room with a suspicious expression, suppressing a gulp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first to break the silence was Michel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll speak with you two later. Director, what brings you here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wanted to ask what he had discussed with the other two, but now wasn’t the time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Better to get to the point before the atmosphere turned strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fact that a servant of the Bernhardt family had chosen an extreme act implied orders from the main family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And since the allied houses hadn’t received word of it, the plan must have been meant to proceed in secret.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Whatever they were scheming, it doesn’t look like they achieved their goal.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just from Michel’s composed expression alone, that much was clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If things had gone awry, that meant their preparations had been insufficient—and that suggested the whole thing was planned on impulse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compiling all of this information, one could reach only one conclusion—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…It must have been Chloe Bernhardt’s doing. And her target… was Michel.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that was the case, it was easy enough to infer why the two men were here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frederick wasn’t exactly on good terms with the Chairwoman, so it was quite possible he’d simply been caught up in the mess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he’d said earlier, he probably came to make a report and got involved by accident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The real problem was Walter Clark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t a participant of the Imperial Summit, nor did he have any particular connection to the Chairwoman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘A middleman… that’s what he must be.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d been serving as the bridge between Michel Bernhardt and Eugene Carter all this time—no doubt about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was, after all, a former Special Task Force member and a classmate of Eugene Carter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Being well-versed in herbology, he would also be familiar with emergency response methods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fact that things had gone wrong probably had a lot to do with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And behind him, of course, stood Eugene Carter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Have you heard the news?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words he threw out were meant to turn his hypothesis into fact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Michel would naturally deny it, but the rest could be deduced just by observing the reactions around her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her answer turned out to be the complete opposite of what Dale had expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You mean the news that my servant committed suicide?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah… you already knew?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With all that noise outside, how could I not?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t expected her to admit it so easily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was almost enough to make him feel flustered instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Trying to maintain his composure, Dale subtly glanced to both sides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other two showed little change in expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s strange. Only two hours ago, she brought me some tea, and now she’s suddenly dead by suicide?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Did you happen to speak with her about anything?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nothing at all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After giving that curt reply, Michel took a quiet sip of coffee from her cup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire exchange felt strange to Dale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was she admitting everything so readily? She even volunteered the fact that she was the last person to see the servant alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the investigation began, that would put her as the primary suspect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Could she actually be doing this on purpose?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was she implying that once the investigation started, the situation would actually work in her favor?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lost in thought, Dale fell silent for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Michel gestured to Walter, handing him the envelope that had been sitting atop the desk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was her written reply—to be sent back to Eugene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve organized my stance. Please make sure it reaches him as soon as possible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, yes! I’ll see to it right away!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Walter hurriedly tucked the envelope into his coat and stepped back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Director, do you have anything else to say?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I’ll return another time. Please stay safe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Those words carry a sting, Dale.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, he didn’t want to withdraw like this, but he couldn’t read what Michel was plotting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he acted carelessly and their own plans were exposed, it would be disastrous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the Imperial Summit just around the corner, he had to proceed with caution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Dale left the Chairwoman’s office after a brief farewell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment he stepped out, Michel immediately locked the door again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As expected of the Director—he does have a sharp sense about him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had he stayed a little longer, they would’ve been forced into sharing the same fate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she muttered to herself, magic circles began to bloom all around her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both men flinched as Michel raised her wand toward them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Geas of Silence.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment the word “Geas” left her lips, the two instinctively stepped back—but there was no room for refusal now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“From this moment, you are forbidden to speak of what will be discussed here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Michel smiled faintly at their uneasy faces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The term is two weeks. Do you agree?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I’ll take it that matter’s settled. Don’t change your tune later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Same goes for you. Don’t go back on your word about providing support when Dellowell is invaded.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded, stuffing my mouth full of meat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gustav sighed lightly and filled his glass with wine once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all the training earlier, my body was exhausted, and no matter how much I ate, I couldn’t seem to get full.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the long banquet table, no one sat beside me except Rubia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rubia, too, had an uncomfortable look on her face throughout the meal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Is it because of the fasting rule?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Glancing sideways, I asked carefully, and she slowly shook her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My current affiliation is Karbenna. There’s no reason for me to observe fasting days… but I can’t help feeling bothered by it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Magic Tower under Duel’s jurisdiction required one fasting day each week.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Mallet’s case, it coincided with Sunday—the Sabbath of the Ribenian Orthodox Faith.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only difference was that Imperial citizens celebrated the Sabbath with a feast rather than a fast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turning my chair slightly, I said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll be returning to Karbenna tomorrow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Because of the Summit?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was about time I shared my plans with Rubia as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had Mallet not chosen to cooperate with Karbenna, she would have had no reason to concern herself with the discussions at the Imperial Summit—but things had changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, we couldn’t afford to be unprepared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mallet was her spiritual homeland and her first foundation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the Inquisitor who would one day become the greatest threat to Mallet was a person entirely incompatible with her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the very least, I needed to awaken the talents that had been suppressed within her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So that when the time came, Rubia Magnus could stand against Karen Rosefield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Setting down my knife and fork carelessly, I rose from my seat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Before I leave, come with me for a moment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, yes!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stood up reflexively at my words, then belatedly asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Um… but where are we going?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You remember when I said you had an aptitude for something?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You mean aptitude for Combat Magic?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A frail constitution and a gentle nature—both were disadvantages in combat magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if those qualities were channeled not “to kill the enemy” but “to protect allies,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>then she could become a formidable combat mage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I quickened my pace, I added,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The simple test I mentioned back then—let’s do it now.”\u003C\u002Fp>",1899,"2026-06-06T06:11:51.334Z",1,"novelbin.me","2102ab17eedab34cfd85e74b2d33cd17466793025036b334ee59860624796732","i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-chapter-65","i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-chapter-63",163,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-cover.jpg"]