[{"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-74":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},1531681,1990,"Chapter 74 : Imperial Summit (3)","i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-chapter-74",74,"\u003Cp>Chapter 74: Imperial Summit (3)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man who suddenly began spewing blood staggered backward until he hit the wall and slumped to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I stood there with a slightly bewildered expression, a voice echoed again from deeper inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>― “Seems a Geas related to access had been placed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Hmm.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most crucial elements in magic were ultimately information and records.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaving behind tangible records through books or scrolls was fine, but such records were prone to abuse or destruction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was why mages often made use of virtual libraries that only they themselves could read and record within.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A typical example would be the Akashic Records, said to have been constructed directly by ancient guardian deities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In modern times, the most renowned information archive was the Duelric Record, owned by the Duel Headquarters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These people, too, must have been recording and accessing their data through their own such archives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man, who had been bleeding tears of blood for a while, finally regained his senses with a ragged breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…My apologies. This was my limit. To access beyond this point, a higher code holder is required.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, that’s obvious just from looking.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, insisting that he would at least explain what he managed to read, the man leaned against the wall with a sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s impossible to lift that curse through ordinary means. That much is certain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I figured as much.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The important part is why that’s the case….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A grin twisted his lips, both curious and intrigued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Incurable Curse—strictly speaking, it isn’t a curse.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you must categorize it, it’s more akin to a tumor… or a doppelgänger. A symbiont that one must live with forever.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A symbiont, huh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Approaching it as a curse won’t do. That might just be the first step toward liberation, Eugene Carter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the last of the information he shared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And with that, our brief exchange came to an end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You haven’t told me about the Field Magic yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s fine. I haven’t given you enough information either.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying there was just one condition, the man raised his fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When the summit ends, would you come back? I’ll request the higher code holder to unlock all related records of Ain Kabbalah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll see how things go. No promises.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned to leave their hideout—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his voice stopped me once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aren’t you curious?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“About what.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why we’re being so amicable toward you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Does that matter?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Not particularly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then it’s fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because I already knew the reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creaaak—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stepping past the iron door, I soon found myself back at the mouth of an alleyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After confirming there was no one nearby, I quickly set off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While walking, I began organizing the information I’d gathered so far, piecing together my deductions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It bore the name Incurable Curse, but in truth, it was practically no different from a tumor—a clone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Just because it’s not a conventional curse doesn’t mean it isn’t curse magic.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, it was clear that treating it as ordinary curse magic would lead nowhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Clina White, one of the highest-ranked evil spirits, had admitted to knowing little about the Incurable Curse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A symbiont… huh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every curse or contamination spell within MAGA had a corresponding dispel or purification spell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The origin of all magic lay in beasts and evil spirits—and the range of their abilities was beyond human comprehension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Magic, as humans used it today, was simply a refined adaptation of those powers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given that, when I combined all I knew about the Incurable Curse, a single conclusion emerged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had never once been refined for human use.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which meant… in other words—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If one seeks liberation from the curse, they must ask the source itself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The source being a beast that had already perished, no longer existing in this world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just one mountain after another… damn it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Well, at least I’ve narrowed down the possibilities.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t time to despair yet. I hadn’t even compiled all the data.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ain Kabbalah archives weren’t the only place with relevant records—the Special Task Force had plenty as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And above all, there was a good chance that the lost fragments of my own memory held a definite clue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So for now….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d focus on the most immediate, top-priority task before me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a smile brimming with resolve, I fixed my gaze on the imperial palace’s distant spire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My legs had already begun to run.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The noise of chatter echoed from all directions, making it impossible to focus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I stepped through the grand entrance, countless servants bustled about, carrying trays of food and drinks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a banquet hall on a scale incomparable to that of Karbenna.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Glowing stones, imbued with floating magic, drifted between the soaring ceilings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over two hundred people were already seated and dining—yet that barely filled even a fifth of the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An endless line of tables stretched forth, laden with an overwhelming variety of dishes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the four who stood there half-stunned, half-hesitant, Michel Bernhardt sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go ahead and find seats. I’ll sit elsewhere.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, yes!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She headed alone toward the third table in the central eleventh row.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Rubia led the students toward the front table of the thirteenth row.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Barely two minutes after sitting down, servants arrived with water, wine, bread, and soup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Shall we eat first?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Francia and Rubia simultaneously reached for the bread.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Eric kept his head lowered, silently moving his spoon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Scanning the crowd, Francia murmured as if to herself, wondering if Instructor Carter might have arrived late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There are some oddly crowded spots.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To this, Lea, her gaze fixed on her soup, replied offhandedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’re gathering around the powerful noble families.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, Michel, seated alone across the hall, was already surrounded by numerous aristocrats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Looks like more than half of the Eight Great Houses are here, along with several newly risen high-ranking families… that area’s the Special Task Force and Defense Force… and at the far end, those seem to be members of the clergy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rubia nodded, impressed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You really know your stuff, Lea.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just got a good eye for things.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After throwing out the light joke, Lea poked Eric in the side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, Halenber. Eat up. Don’t worry. Looks like your family hasn’t arrived yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…They haven’t?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah. I don’t see that shameless face of Jeff Halenber anywhere, so, yeah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You’re right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why haven’t they shown up yet?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the agenda presentation starts, entry to the banquet hall will be restricted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before that question could fade from mind, dishes of fish and meat began to be laid out neatly on the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Eric continue glancing toward the entrance, Francia added softly,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Worrying won’t change anything, Eric.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s just eat our fill for now. The Instructor will definitely come back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That wasn’t what I was worried about, though…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not that I needed to say it out loud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead of replying, Eric grabbed a chicken leg and tore into it roughly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From that point on, the four of them focused solely on eating in silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their utensils came to a halt exactly ten minutes later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Diiiing—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A familiar chime echoed repeatedly through the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, people kept chatting, but once the bell rang more than ten times, all mouths shut tight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A solemn silence settled over the hall, deep enough that even the clink of silverware disappeared—yet the bell continued to toll.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the last lingering echoes finally faded—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A procession entered from the far side of the hall, striding in unison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second in line to the throne, the de facto heir to the Empire—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the appearance of Crown Prince Abel Ribenia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the prince’s arrival, everyone rose from their seats and knelt on one knee in salute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Servants hastily set down whatever they were carrying and pressed themselves flat against the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The attendants trailing behind fell to their knees on either side of the platform as soon as the Crown Prince reached the center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a light tap on the amplification orb placed nearby, all gazes in the hall turned toward the stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching that, Lea Bronte bit her lip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…A show of power, huh.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tomorrow morning’s opening ceremony would already require the attendance of every direct member of the imperial family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After that, they’d be confined within the palace for at least three days, no matter how short the summit ran.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially the royals—constantly surrounded by subordinates, too busy to rest—rarely left the Imperial Court except for formal meetings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was only the first day, with nothing scheduled besides the agenda announcement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet he’d dragged his royal self all the way to the banquet hall—the most violent man in the entire Imperial Household, the Second Prince himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I can feel it loud and clear even from here.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A body language screaming: I am the next emperor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Abel Ribenia, Crown Prince of Ribenia, looked over the bowing participants and nodded in satisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve told you many times before—there’s no need for such ceremony before me. Raise your heads. Is today not a day for joy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even after Abel gestured with his hand, it took quite some time before people began to lift their heads—starting with the Eight Great Houses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The servants, however, remained pressed against the floor, heads lowered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now then… before we announce the order of the agenda, allow me to offer a few brief words of advice. Listen well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Advice, my foot. He’s just going to brag about himself—and his faction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lea snorted inwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Emperor Ludwig had been in a vegetative state for quite some time now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, the Imperial Court had managed to keep running without much scandal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one could deny that First Prince Luel Ribenia had been at the center of that stability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after the death of that very First Prince—long considered the most promising successor—and with First Princess Elisabeth leaving to become Queen of the Kalte Federation, the once-stable Imperial Household began to waver rapidly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taking advantage of that chaos, Crown Prince Abel and the Bernhardt Family had grown their power considerably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the checks and balances gone between the Imperial Court and Parliament, those two forces now held near-absolute authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Truly unrestrained—no one could stop their tyranny anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Arta Family, supposed to be the nobles’ counterbalance, was too weak to stand its ground, and within the Imperial Court, only the Third Princess was considered capable at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, the only way to shift the tide was to wait for those in power to self-destruct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…At least, that’s how it was until recently.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lea clenched her teeth, casting a glance toward the prince who was spitting his rhetoric so passionately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There’s no escaping hierarchy, they said—and the Second Prince had clung to that logic, keeping real power in his grasp until now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But from this moment on, the tables would turn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When an overwhelming calamity arrived—one that no existing order could withstand—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would that arrogant prince be able to bear the weight of the throne?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Lea steeled her resolve with that thought,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tiresome speech finally came to an end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Abel cleared his throat twice, then gestured to his attendants on either side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ahem, ahem. I seem to have spoken too long. Then, let us proceed to the announcement of this year’s agenda.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, a massive banner unfurled in the air above.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>· 43rd Imperial Summit Agenda Proposals\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>― Refugee Measures and Prevention within the Empire | Nina Ribenia\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>― Current State and Countermeasures of Hockma Addiction | Edel Ribenia\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>― Report on the Current State of Imperial Academies | Alix Ribenia\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>― Beast Invasion Status and Response | Abel Ribenia\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>― Discussion of Seven Parliamentary Policy Issues | Imperial Household\u003C\u002Fp>",1949,"2026-06-06T06:11:51.334Z",1,"novelbin.me","67d182f9b0a1126800e4f80ad345637272dd13eaa7494c957eafcc71376d0421","i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-chapter-75","i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-chapter-73",163,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-cover.jpg"]