[{"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-88":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},1531695,1990,"Chapter 88 : Edel Ribenia (2)","i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-chapter-88",88,"\u003Cp>Chapter 88: Edel Ribenia (2)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I was too taken aback to say anything, Edel quietly smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Surely you don’t still have no grasp of the situation, do you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s not it… but, since when?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since when?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The moment you infiltrated Karbenna.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In that case, your question’s off. You should be asking until when I was infiltrating.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She raised two fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“March 2nd. After watching the duel between the two cadet candidates, I asked a question during orientation. That was the last time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It was a coincidence. When I was last inside, I just happened to witness all that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But you know what?’ she said, her eyes sharp even as she still wore Lea’s face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When coincidences keep repeating, that’s what you call fate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, as she raised her hand close to her face, I heard a soft click.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she peeled something off her face as if removing a mask, Edel’s true appearance finally came into view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In her hand was a semi-transparent mask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The highest-grade Artifact—Mask of Baudouin.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…So that’s what you used for your infiltration.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Correct.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Mask of Baudouin—an Artifact that could reproduce another person’s face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It extracted information from the target’s hair, so with just a single strand, one could perfectly impersonate that person’s appearance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, it didn’t alter one’s physique or voice, so there were clear limitations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, since Edel and Lea were similar in build and voice tone, they could easily alternate infiltrations between themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I asked cautiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But why go that far? Was it because Lea Bronte alone couldn’t be trusted?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s part of it, but…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Edel folded her arms and nodded after a brief pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, let’s be honest. Honestly, I just wanted to get some air.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because living the academy life meant you could get away from your busy official duties?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…There were things I wanted to try, too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes gleamed with lively energy as she said it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anyway, you’ve worked hard all this time. Now you can finally take a breather, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well… I wonder if they’ll really leave me alone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I averted my gaze and answered halfheartedly, Edel’s expression gradually turned serious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked me up and down before speaking in a voice filled with certainty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Colonel Eugene Carter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who are you, really?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before answering, I first went over everything I had done up until now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That way, I could tailor my reply to her intentions while keeping the truth hidden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Anyone would find it suspicious.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the past, I had indeed been someone who fought fiercely all across the Empire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether my purpose was the revival of my house, personal advancement, or mere self-satisfaction—no one could say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For over a decade, from Karbenna to the Special Task Force, Eugene Carter had lived a life more radiant than anyone’s, and everyone believed he would continue to do so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But arrogance and greed brought him to ruin, and he couldn’t withstand the fall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just when everyone had given up, believing Eugene Carter will never rise again, I returned, as if to deny that notion outright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In less than three weeks, I had accomplished countless feats—and acted as if this was merely the beginning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘How could anyone not find that suspicious?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regression, possession, reincarnation—none of those things could exist in reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even in this world where magic and guardian spirits were commonplace, that remained a universal truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So the only explanation one could reach was, “He’s changed after surviving a great ordeal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even that didn’t fully explain the strangeness of my actions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Francia Brida, Rubia Magnus, Michel Bernhardt—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each of them, too, must have harbored doubts about the man called Eugene Carter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, the reason they stayed with me despite those doubts was simple—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if they couldn’t fully trust me, they didn’t want to let this opportunity slip by.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A fallen noble’s survivor, a pariah from the lowest-ranked Magic Tower, a reformist dropout crying for change—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To them, I was an irresistible temptation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Edel Ribenia was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was a direct royal of the Ribenia Empire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her rank might have been lower in the line of succession, but she more than made up for it with her intelligence and public support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike the other three, who had reasons to ally with me, Edel didn’t need to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were plenty of others who could fill my role if she wished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So my usual approach wouldn’t work on her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I didn’t prove that I was more than just that, I’d never be able to stand beside her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…So in the end, I’ll have to gamble.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After much hesitation, I finally spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To be honest, I’m a little afraid.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I chose to drop a deliberate keyword—one that was false, yet cautious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t even know if I should tell you this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You might think I’ve gone mad. Or dismiss it as nonsense to hide the truth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But it’s the truth. As unbelievable as it sounds—even I can hardly believe it myself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t tell me, you…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You seem to have some idea already, so I’ll say it. I am—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was at that very moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swiish!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A projectile the size of a fist came flying from behind, aiming straight for Edel’s neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Get down!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I immediately drew my sword and slashed horizontally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The projectile, struck directly by my slash, shattered into nothingness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the attack didn’t end there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dozens of poisoned arrows followed, tracing arcs through the air as they poured down from every direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stay close to me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I channeled a small amount of mana, a translucent barrier spread out from my shield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shadow Shield. A high-grade Artifact that protected its user on all sides like a living shadow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was one of the most useful Artifacts I had ever acquired from the Magic Tower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After blocking the ambush and dispelling the barrier, a voice echoed around us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course, I didn’t think you’d go down that easily… but still, you’re impressive, Eugene Carter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From all around the alley, large, muscular men began to emerge one by one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each of them wore a uniquely designed mask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among them, the one who seemed to be the leader pointed at me while resting a huge mace on his shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you don’t want things to get bloody, back off now, Eugene Carter. You’re not our target.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So they were after Edel, as expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A princess wouldn’t normally come alone to a secluded place like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tightened my grip on my sword and glared at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…And if I refuse?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, a fierce killing intent surged from the man’s entire body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then there’s no helping it. We’ll just have to kill you together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You think you lot can kill me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your arrogance pierces the sky. Just as he said.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ll find out right before you die.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man swung his mace through the air with a heavy whoosh, then gave a subtle nod.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the signal, his comrades began taking positions around us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I leaned toward Edel and whispered,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You don’t need help, do you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No. I assume it’s the same for you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. Enemies of this level aren’t much.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Then let’s continue our talk after we deal with these fools.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve got quite the sharp tongue, Your Highness.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve been through far too much lately.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That ended our exchange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment the enemies charged at us, I struck first with a slash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of them barely managed to block it with a shield filled with mana.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unable to fully absorb the impact, the shield split apart with a screech and rolled on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That sound marked the start of battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they’d been weaklings, I would have butchered them in one blow and torn their leader apart within minutes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But they were far from ordinary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What stood out most was the precision of their teamwork and coordination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every time I tried to slip through a gap, another would counterattack as if waiting for that moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stalemate dragged on for more than five minutes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>— How about using it now? Limit Release?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed I looked like I was struggling, because Clina spoke first without me calling for her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>— The cost from the last use wasn’t that high, and you’ve recovered a lot since then, haven’t you?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No. I won’t use it here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>— Underestimating them, are you? They don’t seem that easy to deal with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>— Then why?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because there’s something I want to test…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More than that—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I trust her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that trust was already bearing fruit from an unexpected place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kh—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Next.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A dagger, no longer than a hand’s length, pierced clean through the enemy’s carotid artery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As blood sprayed everywhere, the man thrashed his hands in panic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment his comrades flinched from the sight, Edel’s hidden weapons flared to life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gaaah!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A throwing knife she flicked from her sleeve embedded itself straight into another enemy’s nape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the blink of an eye, two were down. Edel casually flicked the blood from her fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come on, you can do better than that, can’t you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The enemies, who must have assumed she was only slightly stronger than an average woman, began to falter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sighed at the sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You guys got the distribution wrong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You should’ve focused on stopping her, not me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Edel Ribenia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Third Princess of the Ribenia Empire, and one of the Empire’s top intelligence operatives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as a princess, she didn’t have access to every piece of information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most things she’d delegate to her subordinates, but that too had limits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone of her stature wouldn’t risk her subordinates’ lives for a single investigation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which meant that all those classified details—she uncovered them herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Edel Ribenia had personally gone into dangerous places where her life hung in the balance, and always came back alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How do you think that’s possible?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Edel felled her remaining opponents with overwhelming performance, I charged at the enemy leader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He barely managed to block my downward strike near the handle of his mace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thunk!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, blocking my follow-up thrust at the same time was impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“H-How…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You people should’ve done better homework.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Captain!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As his subordinates tried to rush to help him, I slashed again, cutting them off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seven enemies remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They exchanged panicked glances—and in the next instant, they scattered in all directions, disappearing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A disgraceful retreat after such a bold ambush.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Didn’t even count as a warm-up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Agreed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Edel and I approached the enemy leader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tried to muster his remaining strength to swing his mace, so I sliced off his left arm without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, he gave up and dropped to his knees, lowering his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It seems the captains always get the worst of it. Same with this one… and with Abattoir, too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…So it was you who wiped out Abattoir.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Someone hearing that might think I stormed their base myself. They came to me and got wrecked, that’s all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man leaned back against the wall, sighing bitterly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you can’t win, retreat and wait for the next chance—that’s common sense. My subordinates only followed that rule.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, I see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Edel drove her dagger deep into the man’s thigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kh—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who was it? Who sent you? Abel? Rachel? Or Bernhardt?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glared at him from the side and added, half-warning, half-advice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I haven’t hit a vital spot yet, so you can still live. Be honest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the man lowered his gaze, showing no sign of cooperation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Edel twisted her dagger harder, her intent to kill radiating out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ghhk…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, I won’t kill you. I’ll keep you alive and torture you until I find out who ordered this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So don’t you dare talk. Understood?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With an even colder tone, Edel tapped her dagger against his wound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man said nothing—only hung his head low.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as I reached out to force his chin up—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Foamy white bubbles began to rise from his mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>",1992,"2026-06-06T06:11:51.334Z",1,"novelbin.me","c67f39ca333365bd66be39514ca8f49b8b81e7fb9ea0196a69c089eed80f5f36","i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-chapter-89","i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-chapter-87",163,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-cover.jpg"]