[{"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-81":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},1531688,1990,"Chapter 81 : Bombshell Declaration (3)","i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-chapter-81",81,"\u003Cp>Chapter 81: Bombshell Declaration (3)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the complete opposite of the first agenda item, which had been so calm it was almost boring. The second agenda item was chaos from the very beginning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching all sorts of incidents unfold in less than thirty minutes, I had to keep swallowing down a broad grin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, I even wanted to give them a standing ovation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘No matter how much of a schemer Jeff Halenber is, he never would have thought his plan would fall apart like this.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew all too well the reason behind the attempted murder case that had happened earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Countless nations—including the Empire in the past—had used this ability to exploit countless lives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since then, the ability had been placed under strict restrictions, and those who abused or misused it beyond acceptable standards were sentenced to no less than a mid-tier felony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jeff, who had been struck by Eugene’s sharp rebuke, stared blankly into the air, utterly devastated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Permanent Imprint.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stepped back onto the platform to regain control of the chamber.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In common terms, it is more often called a Code.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment the word Code left my mouth, the murmurs inside the hall grew even louder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To the one who grants it, it is a whip. To the one who receives it, it is a brand. Despite its well-known dangers, for the sake of affiliations, organizations, or secrecy, it is still used covertly even today—this is Class-1 magic.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now then, let’s return to the story left unfinished earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Eric Halenber regained his senses, I asked him once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What was that item?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eric barely steadied his breathing before he answered briefly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It was Hokhma.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Murmurs spread.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Speak more concretely. What exact mission were you given?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I was ordered to bring the Hokhma I received at the Western Port of Raus into Karbenna.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And who assigned this mission?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It was Marquis Jeff Halenber.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the revelation that a father had given such a mission to his own son, the uproar among the attendees intensified further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Letting the noise run unhindered, I continued my questioning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since when have you been carrying out this mission?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since I enrolled as a first-year last year, I have been performing it continuously—at least once every month.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And how was the Hokhma smuggled in used?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It was processed and distributed throughout the Empire, and some of it was supplied inside the Academy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So you’re saying there are Hokhma users even within Karbenna?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that same moment, I snapped my fingers to signal the maids who had been waiting on standby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, the maids entered the stage with additional witnesses who had been waiting outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are those the users?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“From here on, we’ll hear directly from them. Well done, Cadet Eric Halenber.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I am honored.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without looking back, Eric returned to his seat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the resumed testimony time began, and what the users confessed was nothing short of shocking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I was born frail… so I thought nutritional supplements were essential if I wanted to survive in Karbenna. They said there was something good for revitalizing the body, so I took it without suspicion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It definitely made me feel more energetic, so I think I kept taking it continuously. Sometimes I saw hallucinations, but the frequency wasn’t that high, so I just tolerated it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My physical test scores kept improving, my head felt clearer, and for a while, Academy life was actually really fun.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But at some point, I couldn’t even function on campus without it because of fatigue. That’s when I realized it was Hokhma, but by then I couldn’t stop anymore.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Later on, they sold additional drugs that lessened the side effects. They tricked us, turned us into addicts, and then called it a remedy—damn it, it’s like giving someone an illness and then selling the cure.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So then, where is the Hokhma you were supposed to receive?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hurry! Hurry up and give it to me! I’ve been holding out for a whole week!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey! Eric! If you kept your promise, shouldn’t you bring the stuff first?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“N-no way… d-did you… did you trick us?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You bastard… did you think you’d get away with deceiving me? Stay right there! I’ll rip that disgusting mouth of yours apart!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who had first testified calmly soon lost control as their agitation spiked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their addiction symptoms were so severe they couldn’t even hold themselves upright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They hurled curses until the blood vessels in their necks bulged, then broke into full-body spasms, screaming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After they thrashed about for quite some time, they were forcibly calmed and carried back outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To be honest, you probably thought it didn’t matter. It wasn’t your business, nor something that would affect those around you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surveying the somber chamber, I continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hokhma is something only poor commoners would take, so of course the elite children of noble families like ours would be safe. That’s what you all believed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But this is the reality. Even Karbenna, the Empire’s premier educational institution, is not free from Hokhma.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This current situation—I will never overlook it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, I shot a sharp glare at the opponent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was time to press Jeff Halenber again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Head of House Halenber, step onto the platform and explain the testimonies given earlier.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At my gesture, Jeff clenched his teeth and staggered out onto the platform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced at the members of the Bernhardt side visible from the stage, then shut his eyes tightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…There is no way out.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All documents related to trade in Raus had already been swapped out, so there was no risk of being caught there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But nothing done within Karbenna could be excused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment Eric defected, this side’s defeat was already sealed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he somehow wrapped this situation up nicely, Bernhardt would never stay quiet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They would demand he take responsibility for the losses caused by this incident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One option would be to drag down all internal parties within Karbenna with a drowning-man tactic to reduce his sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But those people also held many cards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this situation, having already lost Bernhardt’s favor, he had no need to make more enemies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then perhaps—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Giving the Imperial Court a justification to strike Bernhardt would be more advantageous for Halenber’s survival.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…So in the end, things went exactly the way Eugene Carter wanted?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From where had that man begun reading the board?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had he anticipated all this from the moment he chose seclusion?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whatever the case, all of this worked out in his favor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reaching his conclusion, Jeff let out a long sigh and spoke in a subdued voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I only made the best choice I could in order to survive, Your Highness.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So that means someone threatened you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It finally feels like all the pieces are falling into place.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded as if satisfied, then looked toward the Bernhardt side and asked softly,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who was it? The one who threatened you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For his very last answer, Jeff looked at the foster son he had wished to kill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a bitter expression, he confessed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It was Lady Chloe Bernhardt.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>* * *\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bomb Edel and I had fired had passed squarely into Jeff Halenber’s hands, and in the middle of the explosion, he poured an extra bucket of oil onto the flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Returning to my seat with Eric, I nodded as I watched the scene unfolding before me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no way that Jeff Halenber would obediently admit his crimes and choose imprisonment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until now, he had been promised prosperity as compensation for carrying out Bernhardt’s dirty and troublesome work, which was why he had sworn loyalty to them in the first place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the moment cracks formed in that prosperity, the loyal subordinate became a rabid dog that bit its master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that rabid dog was the one who knew Bernhardt’s darkest secrets best.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Jeff voluntarily spilled every atrocity Bernhardt had committed over the years,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I fixed my gaze on the Bernhardt seats on the opposite upper side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chloe Bernhardt, seated in the front row, had a face twisted with complete bewilderment and fury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A faint smile naturally curved over my lips, and I let out a quiet snicker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘You should’ve chosen your opponent more carefully, Chloe Bernhardt.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did she think I would stay docile forever?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did she think that if she threatened and intimidated me under Bernhardt’s name, I would cower and obey?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not a chance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d make her understand exactly whom she had tried to point a blade at.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While I was burning with fierce resolve toward my opponent,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Edel listened quietly to Jeff’s flashy excuses and justifications, waiting for the right moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His desperate struggle to save at least himself was pitiful to watch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wiping away forced tears, Jeff finally wrapped up his story.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…That is the reason I had no choice but to make such a decision, Your Highness.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With her arms crossed, she lifted her chin slightly and observed the crowd’s reaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More than half of the attendees kept their mouths shut, watching Bernhardt’s reaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rest trembled at the pathetic sight of a man completely devoid of redemption.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After surveying the atmosphere in the hall for a while, Edel let out a deep sigh, as though regretful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It is the duty of the Imperial House to ensure the peace and well-being of all subjects… How dreadful this is.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she pointed sharply toward the Bernhardt side and continued in a firm tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I wish to call forth the involved party and interrogate their entire involvement, but… there is a more urgent matter. I will conclude that one first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Edel lifted the gavel on the platform with solemn posture and lightly tapped it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The trading rights of the Albe Sea, previously held by Halenber, are hereby revoked. The rights will be transferred to Altenbach. I postpone objections to this ruling until after the summit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang, bang, bang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Edel’s fierce declaration of war against the Bernhardt faction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because far too much had happened early on, a break was declared unusually quickly—only one hour in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swept into the center of the incident in an instant, Jeff Halenber requested protection from the Imperial Household and left alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I leaned against a corner seat, quietly observing the surroundings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…As expected, nothing ever goes exactly one hundred percent according to plan.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was prepared—Michel and I were famous figures in the Empire to begin with—but I hadn’t expected Eric and Francia to draw this much attention this fast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of butterfly effect this change would bring… that was something only time would tell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But one thing was certain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We could no longer return to our lives before the summit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While I stared into empty air lost in thought, a familiar face entered my vision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So you were here, Instructor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Speak of the devil and he appears.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Francia, who had rejoined us at some point, leaned beside me with a sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Instructor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did something… happen to me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm… who knows.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stared down at her hands as though still haunted by what had happened earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I only thought that I had to save him… but before I knew it, my body was already running. My sword was wrapped in an aura I had never seen before….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That is the Blade of Exorcism.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Blade of Exorcism, also called the Exorcise Blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A blade that tore apart impurity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It always activated together with the Eye of Exorcism, and once it consumed a certain number of uses, the ability automatically dissolved regardless of the user’s will.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You can sever curses or corruption—cutting only the concept itself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Blade of Exorcism….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It is in the same realm as the Aura Blade, but its users are overwhelmingly rare. Only three users have appeared in the last two hundred years.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…So that’s why people were watching me so much.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was also the dramatic impression of a girl who had saved a boy that even the Empire’s top talents had failed to rescue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You still won’t be able to manifest it at will. But when you truly need it, it will lend you strength.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, use it as carefully as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After offering that small advice, I lifted my head to locate the hostile gaze I had been feeling for a while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…So it was that one.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, it didn’t take long to identify the source.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The summit will resume soon. Return to your seat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What about you, Instructor?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have a guest looking for me. I’ll speak with them briefly and come back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After sending Francia off,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I strode up the stairs beside me and faced the primary culprit behind this incident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her youthful beauty didn’t even register compared to the sharp killing intent pouring off her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Honestly, I’m quite surprised, Eugene Carter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A figure deeply entangled in most of the recent events, the greatest troublemaker of the Bernhardt Family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of Michel’s mortal enemies, and the mastermind of the Hokhma Incident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chloe Bernhardt looked up at me with an arrogant expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shall we have a little chat?”\u003C\u002Fp>",2175,"2026-06-06T06:11:51.334Z",1,"novelbin.me","a2bd955a47edadb0bd2490ad15ef7bdb877ca048455396d678fbb02280b8ea4b","i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-chapter-82","i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-chapter-80",163,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-cover.jpg"]