TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 140
After finishing his conversation with Haring.
Kraush, who was waiting for Charlotte to arrive, was being scolded by Austria for some reason.
“I just treated you not long ago, and now you’re planning to go to such a place again?”
“I already explained the reason earlier, didn’t I?”
“You’re going to overexert yourself again, aren’t you? If you show up in the same state as with Agares, even I might not be able to heal you this time.”
That’s unlikely to happen.
Kraush, who was well aware of Austria’s healing abilities, knew she could handle even more serious conditions. However, he understood that she was speaking out of concern.
So, he decided to reassure her a little.
“It’s not like I’m planning to end up like that every time. Besides, this time, it’s not something I’ll recklessly handle on my own.”
On the surface, the Empire pretended to be pursuing the World Erosion Being that had injured the Poison King, but the reality was different.
There was undoubtedly another truth to uncover.
Kraush was heading to Hardenhartz to uncover that truth.
‘I plan to get Ebelasque’s help on this part.’
That guy wouldn’t want to be hunted down by both the Empire and Starlon, either.
One way or another, he would have no choice but to cooperate.
“So, there’s no reason for me to push myself as much as you think.”
Austria looked at him with skeptical eyes.
“Promise me.”
Then, she suddenly extended her pinky finger in front of Kraush.
He found himself wondering what meaning such a verbal promise could possibly hold.
Nevertheless, Kraush reluctantly raised his finger and hooked it around hers.
“Aren’t you worrying too much?”
“Who said I was worried about you? It’s just tiring for me to heal you, so I’m making you promise.”
Saying that, she bit her lip firmly.
“…I can’t move independently outside the Academy.”
She clearly had a strong desire to follow him.
However, she hadn’t yet fully resolved her matters with the Holy Kingdom.
The fact that she was attending Rahelrn Academy was itself a result of a significant confrontation with the Holy Kingdom.
If she acted independently outside the Academy, the Holy Kingdom wouldn’t just stand by and watch.
So, she was asking him to promise.
To promise that he would absolutely return to her.
“And, you know, you…”
Austria glanced briefly toward Haring, as if she had more to say, but then let out a sigh.
“How many times are you going to sigh?”
“It’s all because of you.”
Austria glared at Kraush with eyes full of dissatisfaction.
“…I didn’t think you’d only act this way toward me. Do you even realize you have a fiancée?”
Of course he did. There was no way he wouldn’t.
“You’re so mean.”
When Kraush just stared blankly at her, Austria snorted and walked away.
That reaction was one Kraush had often seen when Austria was upset.
[Who wouldn’t be upset when someone they care about is flirting with another woman right in front of them?]
Flirting? Honestly, her words were absurd…
Not to mention, she knew very well that he had no such intentions.
“You seem close with the Saintess.”
Meanwhile, Haring looked at Kraush with a hint of curiosity.
While Austria appeared like an ordinary person to Kraush, to others, she was a woman chosen by the divine, so such a reaction was natural.
At that moment, voices murmuring and children scattering quickly came from the direction of the Women’s Dormitory.
Seeing this, Kraush immediately realized who had appeared.
“Another one’s here.”
It was none other than Charlotte.
Just her presence alone drew everyone’s attention. Charlotte briefly glanced at Haring and then turned away.
“Follow me.”
She was probably implying that the topic of joining the group should be discussed elsewhere.
When Kraush signaled to Haring with his eyes, she promptly began to follow Charlotte alongside him.
Wherever Charlotte went, she captured the attention of those around her.
Just witnessing this reminded Kraush of Charlotte’s standing within Rahelrn Academy.
After following Charlotte for quite a while, Kraush arrived at a classroom located in the Martial Arts Main Hall.
A lion emblem hung on the door of the classroom.
The Lion Order.
It was a group centered around Charlotte.
Without bothering to knock, Charlotte swung the door open.
The people inside, who had been organizing documents, tensed up upon her arrival.
“Commander, you’re here?”
Among them, a man with glasses greeted Charlotte.
Exuding an aura of someone well-versed in literature, he was the son of Starlon’s Chancellor.
Since childhood, he had been cleaning up the messes Charlotte made and wasn’t on bad terms with her.
In fact, one could argue he was Charlotte’s only true acquaintance.
Naturally, he seemed to have joined the Lion Order this time as well.
“Delon, prepare the conference room inside. I’ll be using it.”
“Ah, as it happens, we already have a guest in the conference room.”
At the mention of a guest, Charlotte narrowed her eyes slightly.
“A guest?”
It was understandable, considering very few people would dare refer to someone as Charlotte’s guest.
Over the past year, Charlotte had practically destroyed anyone who came to see her.
It was hard to imagine anyone still willing to be called her guest.
She briefly glanced back at Kraush before striding inside.
As before, she opened the door without knocking.
She stared blankly at the interior of the conference room for a moment before tilting her head slightly.
“Kraush.”
Then she called out to him.
Hearing her call, Kraush stepped toward the conference room, where he saw two familiar faces.
“…Sizelry?”
“Greetings to the 4th Princess of the Ephania Empire.”
Even Haring, who followed behind, appeared slightly surprised as she greeted her.
The girl receiving the greeting, however, maintained a relaxed demeanor.
“You’re late. I’ve been waiting for quite some time.”
Inside the conference room was none other than Sizelry Ephania, the 4th Princess.
And her escort knight, Sera Benapoch.
“Why are you here?”
Kraush asked, his expression one of disbelief, to which Sizelry flashed a mischievous smile.
“Well, based on how things were unfolding, I figured you’d be heading here.”
She leisurely took a sip from her teacup.
Sizelry was a princess of the Empire.
She likely had ears providing her with information.
Using that information, she must have uncovered the truth of the matter and used her wits to arrive here.
Along with the conclusion that Kraush would inevitably seek out the Lion Order.
Kraush’s eyes narrowed slightly.
He wondered what mischief this tomboy princess was planning now.
“Don’t look at me like that. Believe it or not, I’m here to help with this matter.”
“You said you came to help.”
“You owe your life to them in your own way, don’t you?”
Kraush quickly realized who Sizelry was referring to as the person she owed her life to.
None other than the former Night Crow Unit, Ebelasque Benapoch.
Though Ebelasque probably never intended to have Sizelry indebted to her.
In the end, the result was that she had helped Sizelry.
And so, Sizelry had come here to return the favor.
“And symbolically, having me on your side would be far more beneficial. Having the Princess of Ephania and the Balheim Direct Line together would serve as the ultimate evidence of unity, wouldn’t it?”
Furthermore, Sizelry had already seen through the plan Kraush had been devising.
She was someone who always kept him on his toes.
Having explained all the reasons why she belonged here, she turned to Kraush.
Kraush clicked his tongue briefly.
As much as he hated to admit it, she was right—her presence would deter the Empire from making reckless moves.
“Kraush.”
At that moment, Charlotte, who had been silently listening to the conversation, turned to Kraush.
Her eyes, as lifeless as always, now carried a faint hint of displeasure.
“Explain it properly.”
She thought she was simply joining his unit.
But now, Charlotte had sensed there was another reason behind it, and her mood soured slightly.
* * *
Having heard the whole story except for the part about Ebelasque, Charlotte sat with her arms crossed.
In truth, without Charlotte’s permission, none of this could proceed.
After all, the entire plan hinged on the assumption that Charlotte’s Lion Order would take on the mission assigned by Hardenhartz.
After listening to Kraush carefully summarize the situation for a long while, Charlotte eventually uncrossed her arms.
Instead, she turned to Kraush.
“I understand the story. Since this is the first favor my brother has ever asked of me, it’s not difficult to grant it.”
Kraush let out a long sigh of relief.
He had been nervously worried that Charlotte might refuse.
Charlotte was the one person Kraush could never predict.
Her decisions were guided purely by her own will.
Thus, even explaining the potential outbreak of war, he feared she might respond indifferently.
“But precisely because she’s like this, her help is even more essential.”
Right now, Arthur and Sigrid were suspicious of Charlotte.
To amplify that suspicion, it was crucial to show them Charlotte in action as much as possible.
That was why Kraush had decisively chosen Charlotte.
“But there’s a problem with carrying out that task.”
At that moment, Charlotte brought up another issue.
“Rahelrn Academy hasn’t received any mission orders from Hardenhartz. More importantly, this matter involves the World Erosion Beings. There’s no way the Academy would approve such a mission.”
No matter how skilled a member of Rahelrn Academy was, they were still considered secondary to the main force.
World Erosion Beings were monsters completely beyond the reach of secondary forces.
Naturally, in the face of such formidable World Erosion Beings, it was unthinkable to summon secondary forces as the main strength.
“We can arrange for a mission if we contact Hardenhartz.”
Kraush was engaged to Hardenhartz.
Hardenhartz, wanting to maintain a good relationship with Kraush, would undoubtedly grant the mission if contacted.
The issue was whether Rahelrn Academy would initially accept it.
However, there was one peculiar rule at Rahelrn Academy that could force the approval process.
“You’re talking about submitting an opinion to the Chancellor.”
Charlotte had quickly caught on to Kraush’s intentions.
The Former Fighting Emperor, Durandal.
Rahelrn Academy had its distinct rule where anyone submitting a proposal to the school had to face the Chancellor in a direct challenge.
In other words, as long as the conditions were met, even a mission involving the World Erosion Beings could be approved.
“I’ve already submitted one under the Literature Department.”
Sizelry revealed that she had already filed a proposal in advance.
Unlike other departments, the Literature Department didn’t rely on physical challenges but instead presented their arguments through written submissions.
The strength of the Literature Department lay in its intellectual prowess.
However, both Kraush and Sizelry were well aware of the flaw in this approach.
“The Literature Department’s submissions take far too long to process.”
“Hmm, that’s the problem.”
When Kraush pointed this out, Sizelry responded with regret.
Submissions from the Literature Department underwent a lengthy series of intermediate procedures.
As a result, it took an inordinate amount of time for a proposal to actually reach the Chancellor.
With time being of the essence, they couldn’t afford to wait idly.
Thus, the fastest way to push the proposal forward was to challenge the Chancellor directly.
“I can’t challenge the Chancellor anymore.”
Charlotte clicked her tongue in disappointment.
Since she had already successfully submitted a proposal that created the new Special Class, she couldn’t submit another.
While there was no limit to how many proposals one could submit, each individual could only have one proposal accepted.
This meant Charlotte couldn’t assist with the submission process.
But Kraush had already anticipated this.
Historically, getting a submission approved was exceedingly rare, as Durandal was incredibly strict and demanded absolute power.
Only someone with talents on Charlotte’s level had ever managed to get a proposal approved, apart from those in the Literature Department.
Haring’s expression darkened.
She understood all too well that her abilities weren’t enough to see a proposal through.
However, in that room, there was one person.
Just one person who wore an expression of absolute confidence.
“It’s fine.”
As everyone worried, Kraush finally spoke, his azure eyes glowing with determination.
“I’ll do it.”
The World Erosion Beings Hunting Support Mission.
To push the proposal forward.
Kraush had to prove his strength to the Former Fighting Emperor, Durandal.