[{"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-95":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},1531702,1990,"Chapter 95 : Butterfly Effect (6)","i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-chapter-95",95,"\u003Cp>Chapter 95: Butterfly Effect (6)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the way back to the dormitory after leaving Building C.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dawn air along the empty street was still quite chilly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haah… damn it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I don’t know if what I did was the right thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eric had been agonizing over how he should tell Francia the entire walk back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dale Wedmeyer’s proposal was simple and clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was only one condition — to recruit Francia Brida.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they managed to win her over successfully, both of them were promised benefits unprecedented since the founding of the Ribenia Resistance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s a Resistance headquarters in Parcel. You’ll live there, Eric.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Miss Francia, I’d like you to move between Karbenna and headquarters for the time being. Even just staying at the Academy and keeping us informed of recent developments would be a great help.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s still more than a year left until the planned uprising. In the meantime, you’ll both be involved in various propaganda activities. Don’t worry, we won’t ask you to do anything too difficult.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You know time isn’t on our side, right? I’d like you to decide by tomorrow. We need to prepare the necessary procedures on our end.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Alright, after lunch then. Since your supervising instructor is Carter, explaining things shouldn’t be too hard. Let’s meet again here at exactly two o’clock.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how he looked at it, it was an irresistible offer for Eric himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Born as the disinherited son of the fallen Vergel Family, adopted into Halenber, and forced to commit vile deeds from a young age against his will.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With his precarious standing, he had no choice but to faithfully play the role given to him if he wanted to survive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then one day, he’d finally be acknowledged by his foster father and be able to live as a true member of the family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…That’s what he used to believe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Jeff Halenber was trash beyond even the boy’s imagination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, he chose to abandon the family and go into hiding, all to protect his own safety.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even a member of the so-called Eight Great Houses of the Empire like Halenber turned out like that—how different could the others really be?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…With the current system, everything just loops back to the same place.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything needed to be burned to the ground and started over from the beginning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, the cycle of corruption would only repeat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the conclusion the boy had reached after long deliberation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Francia probably wouldn’t oppose it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her pain was likely far greater than his own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And her determination to overturn the noble-centered Empire surely hadn’t changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what about Instructor Carter?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He might agree with the idea of reforming the Empire, but there was no guarantee he’d go so far as to support a revolution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which meant—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…It could end up being betrayal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing before the emergency exit he often used, the boy quietly looked over the peaceful scenery of Karbenna—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A peaceful sight he might never see again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath the warm sunlight of the newly risen dawn, training resumed after several days of rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Holding a sword with only its handle remaining, Francia Brida focused all her mind on the invisible blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fabric woven tightly from mana soon took the form of a crimson blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After swinging it a few times in the air, she thrust it sharply toward a wooden pillar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First strike at the waist, second strike at the neck—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slash!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thick pillar was sliced cleanly, like cutting through pudding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The severed upper piece hit the ground with a loud thump, its surface smooth as if polished with sandpaper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Still not enough.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She sighed and dispersed the mana she had poured into the sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crimson blade scattered like dust in all directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more she concentrated and compressed her mana, the sharper the Aura Blade became.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she couldn’t maintain that sharpness for the second strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Delivering two identical blows with exactly the same power—that was the essence of Illusion Swordsmanship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the first strike consumed most of its force, combining the Aura Blade with Illusion Swordsmanship was still beyond her reach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Is it a problem of mana capacity?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or concentration?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or perhaps it was impossible from the start.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Considering the terrifying cutting power of the Aura Blade, maintaining it for long was practically absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe it was best to accept it as a single decisive strike type of technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After coming to that self-assured conclusion, the girl began swinging her sword again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The difference from before was that she no longer focused on reproducing sword forms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even to Francia herself, this was an unbelievable change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She simply swung her sword however her heart desired—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>freely, following her own path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet her stance didn’t falter in the slightest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All the countless repetitions of fundamentals she had done before made even the smallest shake impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>About thirty minutes into her training—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Relentless as ever, aren’t you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eric Halenber entered the training ground, his familiar face wearing an unfamiliar expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing the strange aura surrounding him, Francia quietly lowered her sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Doesn’t look like you came here to train.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He slumped down on a bench.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m leaving Karbenna.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Straight to the point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…So it’s come to that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had expected it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She hadn’t thought it would take long—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>but she hadn’t expected it to be this soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feigning calmness, the girl asked the formal questions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re not going back to Halenber, are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course not. Those bastards wouldn’t let me live if I did.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then… where are you going?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Parcel.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gave a short answer, then extended his hand toward her with a resolute expression, as if he had already made up his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come with me, Francia.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Let’s go change the Empire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He told her everything— who the people recruiting him were, what kind of offer they made, and what the conditions of joining were.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Just from the proposal alone, it doesn’t sound too bad.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was Francia’s impression after hearing the whole story.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can’t be sure if they’ll really keep their promise.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But it’s a gamble worth taking, isn’t it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Francia clenched her fist and continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If we really want to change this rotten Empire… then maybe revolution is the only way.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then you mean you’ll join…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though she agreed with the boy’s thoughts a hundred percent, she couldn’t fully support him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There are still things I have to do here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What exactly she wanted to do, or had to do, she wasn’t sure herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, she didn’t want to leave Karbenna.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She hadn’t achieved anything yet—leaving now would just feel like running away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, so negotiations failed, huh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At her tactful yet firm refusal, Eric stood up, brushing off his hands as if shaking away dust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Since persuasion failed… does that mean I’m stuck now?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, he’d have to talk things over with Dale again anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve said all I needed to say.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tried to leave casually, pretending to be unfazed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The longer they talked, the harder it would be to walk away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then, I’ll get going.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But before he could force his steps forward—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“See you again, Eric Vergel.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the girl’s voice that stopped him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something about those words stirred something inside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he knew it, Eric bowed his head deeply before her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a gesture that carried apology, gratitude, respect, and hope all at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve saved me twice, Francia.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You broke the shackle that bound me to become part of a family— and cut away the curse that was my foster father, Jeff Halenber.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When that time comes—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’ll definitely—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Next time, I’ll be the one to save you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had said everything he needed to say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No other words were necessary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two exchanged silent glances—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and went their separate ways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Above the small training ground, another vow was etched into the air once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tuesday morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After quickly scarfing down breakfast, I was reviewing the day’s lesson plan when Eric Halenber showed up—an all too familiar visitor at this hour.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We seem to run into each other often at this time of day.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah… do we?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, anyway, what is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s something I need to consult you about.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Eric got straight to the point and recounted in detail everything that had happened since his return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, as of today, I’ll be leaving Karbenna.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…And Francia refused the offer, you said?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now this was quite an interesting situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I set the papers aside neatly and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dale Wedmeyer is probably the real deal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You really think I can trust him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He has no reason to lay out that much information for you otherwise.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he only wanted to recruit Francia, there’d be no reason to meet Eric separately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he just wanted to use him, there’d be no need to reveal his own identity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Above all, there’s no way that man didn’t know that I stood behind Eric.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which meant—he was fully aware that this story would reach me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Eric Halenber is worth that much to him?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or maybe… it was a show of confidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Either way, the Wedmeyer Family was one of the central pillars of the pro-Bernhardt faction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They probably thought they could smooth over whatever rumors spread.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if we passed this information along to them, the enemy faction wouldn’t believe our side anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Should I relay this through Michel?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it came from someone of the Bernhardt bloodline like her, it would carry far more credibility than if it came from us—even if her own position had weakened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After thinking through several possibilities, I finally grasped his intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He doesn’t care what happens to the pro-Bernhardt faction.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Wedmeyer managed to keep his standing, funds and intel would continue flowing to the Resistance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he lost it, the faction would take a major hit in the process.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, we’ve been neatly dragged into his game, huh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What I couldn’t understand, however, was why he was part of the Ribenia Resistance in the first place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had he merely switched sides from Bernhardt, or was he truly seeking to bring down the Empire?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Depending on which it was, my response to him would differ entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it were the former, he wouldn’t be much of a problem for me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, he might even be useful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wedmeyer’s defection would certainly accelerate Bernhardt’s collapse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if it were the latter—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Then I’d have no choice but to eliminate him.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The collapse of a nation through revolution and the rise of a new power— that was one of the most common routes and endings in MAGA.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Empire’s case, it was so common that there were over eighty different routes leading to it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And in every one of them— Edel Ribenia always dies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…So I have no choice but to stop it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After sorting out my stance clearly, I left Eric with a word of advice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When you get there, pay special attention to your safety.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since they’re the most radical among the secret societies, you’ll have plenty of enemies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You won’t just be another recruit—they’ll probably use you for propaganda.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’ll make you an even bigger target.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You’re right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One more thing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I added a suggestion—though not quite a request.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“From the inside, try to uncover Dale Wedmeyer’s weakness—if possible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Weakness…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That weakness will become your lifeline.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alright. The bait was set nicely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now the fun begins, Dale Wedmeyer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Let’s see who bites first.\u003C\u002Fp>",1924,"2026-06-06T06:11:51.334Z",1,"novelbin.me","b89c145fd2da0081fabc205c3220dd2af8cd4a6af9c0ce9095de9a3cc883376c","i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-chapter-96","i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-chapter-94",163,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-cover.jpg"]