I Became the Academy’s War Hero Chapter 69

Chirp, chirp-chirp.

The sparrows’ chirping sounded unusually loud that morning.

When I opened my eyes and casually checked the clock, it had just passed six o’clock.

“…I should hurry.”

The opening ceremony was at 3 p.m.

Technically, the summit would begin after lunch, but most of the key figures would start gathering from early morning.

Since it was a venue for socializing, exchanging opinions on various issues and policies, and conducting every possible discussion, there was never enough time.

Normally, only two or three representatives attended from each academy, but since Karbenna represented the entire Empire, more than ten participants would be joining.

That meant there was much to show and much to coordinate.

After a quick shower and changing clothes, I reflected on yesterday’s events.

My cooperation with Michel, and the addition of Lea and Francia.

‘Lea Bronte is one of Edel’s planted agents, so she won’t care about her future treatment in Karbenna.’

As for Francia and Eric, since I, their supervising instructor, had given permission, things would go smoothly as long as the Academic Affairs Department handled the paperwork properly.

After checking my attire and artifacts, I headed toward the main building.

In the center of the main plaza, from where Karbenna’s front gate was clearly visible, familiar faces came into view.

“Over here, Sir Eugene!”

“At least you’re not the last to arrive.”

Behind Rubia, Lea, Francia, and Eric, I also spotted the Imperial special carriage.

I loaded a few of the artifacts I had brought into the back seat of the carriage and joined their group.

“……”

A peculiar silence and tension followed as a bonus.

‘There’s no point in getting nervous from the start.’

Might as well lighten the mood and share some information while I’m at it.

“This is everyone’s first summit, right?”

They silently nodded.

I spread my arms and shook my head lightly.

“You might think it’s full of sly old politicians, but most of them are just harmless old men. No need to worry too much.”

Of course, there were definitely people we needed to be cautious of.

Especially the Bernhardts and the Imperial bloodline — it was best not to draw their attention unnecessarily.

At least not until we were well-prepared.

They’d all be busy chatting among themselves anyway, and even if not, I’d probably be the only one among us they had marked as noteworthy.

As long as no one caused a ruckus or got caught up in a major incident, we’d be fine.

‘In the end, I just need to be careful myself.’

I couldn’t let Rubia or Francia end up in danger because of me.

Michel and Eric were already deeply involved in the Hockma Incident — that couldn’t be helped.

While I was lost in those thoughts, a familiar voice came from behind.

“So everyone gathered here.”

It was Michel.

At the appearance of the Chairwoman, everyone immediately raised their hands in salute.

But she didn’t so much as glance at us and simply boarded the carriage.

“What are you doing? Get in already.”

The carriage was divided into two compartments.

The instructors sat in the front, and the students in the rear.

Rubia sat on the left, Michel on the right, and I sat in the center.

After checking Michel’s summit participation pass, the two coachmen immediately set the carriage in motion.

Since it was a carriage directly managed by the Imperial Household, the ride quality was leagues above ordinary ones.

‘Come to think of it, in the world of MAGA, automobiles haven’t been established yet.’

The current setting still revolved around carriages, trains, and ships as the main modes of transport.

Automobiles would probably be commercialized soon enough, but I doubted I’d ever get to use one.

‘After all, this world is under Apocalypse Mode right now.’

Before anyone could even talk about commercialization, humanity would be struggling for survival….

Just as I was having such grim thoughts—

“There seem to be two cadets I don’t recognize.”

Michel’s quiet voice came from beside me.

“Why are those cadets coming along?”

“Ah, those two are…”

It was easy to come up with reasons for Francia, but Lea was the problem.

Since Michel and Edel still had a strained relationship.

Should I be honest, or keep things vague?

While I was deciding how to answer—

“Well, never mind. If it’s something hard to explain.”

Michel spoke first.

“I trust they’re not the type who’d testify against me. They’re your cadets, after all.”

“…Yes. That, I can guarantee.”

“I’m tired, so I’ll take a short nap. Feel free to have your strategy discussions or whatever.”

And with that, Michel fell asleep in less than a minute.

Rubia, glancing at her, wiped the sweat from her forehead.

“Phew…”

“…Why are you nervous?”

“Ah, I just felt like I was being interrogated, hehe.”

“We’re all on the same side here.”

“Yes, of course…” she said, trailing off.

Meanwhile, the three in the back were already chatting away, seemingly much closer now.

After glancing between them and Michel, Rubia muttered softly.

“After the summit… do you think things will stay that way?”

“Of course they will—”

I started to reply instinctively, but stopped mid-sentence.

Because I immediately understood what she really meant.

“If someone other than Michel were the Chairwoman, Karbenna would never have helped Mallet. Even with external support, there’s a limit to how much we can protect them from Dellowell.”

That sharp insight was just like Rubia.

But hearing it from her lips still left a bitter taste.

“I heard the Bernhardts never fight losing battles. They say avoiding them is the wisest choice.”

“……”

“Can you be sure Michel wouldn’t make the same choice?”

“Of course not. No one can.”

“I thought so…”

As Rubia drooped her head, I gently placed my hand on it.

“What you see isn’t always everything, Rubia.”

Every powerful force had its weaknesses.

Even the Ribenia Empire, so mighty that none dared oppose it, had ultimately fallen to its own internal greed.

No one would deny that Dellowell was the Empire’s strongest military force, but that didn’t make them invincible.

“Dellowell versus Karbenna—Mallet alliance. It looks like we’re on the losing side for now, but there’s no guarantee it will stay that way in the future. Life’s always uncertain.”

I held Rubia’s right hand firmly and said,

“We only need to do the best we can right now.”

“…Yes. Really, that’s all we can do.”

We nodded and reaffirmed our stance.

Rubia closed her eyes with a relieved expression, and seeing that, I closed mine too.

It would take more than an hour to reach the Imperial Household, so I planned to organize the remarks I would make on stage during the summit in the meantime….

― Suddenly, but I have a message for you.

There was no way I could do that, damn it.

I tilted my head back against the seat and sighed.

‘What is it?’

― A huge lump of murderous intent was approaching you.

‘…What?’

At Clina’s voice I snapped my eyes open and scanned outside.

It was the Imperial Household’s highest-class carriage. Six horses drew it, and its speed had been boosted with artifacts and mana stones, so its average speed easily exceeded thirty kilometers per hour.

In this age, only the Empire’s transcontinental trains were faster than that carriage on land.

A lump of murderous intent aiming at such a carriage?

I cocked my head and wondered inwardly.

‘Can you tell the direction?’

― Not exactly… it seemed about five kilometers away. Head-on.

‘I have a rough idea. Thanks for the info.’

― Don’t mention it. We should help our comrades in fate.

As soon as Clina fell silent, I opened the partition and stuck my head out to the coachmen.

“Excuse me, could you stop the carriage for a moment?”

“Ah, yes. What is it?”

“I’d like you to stop the carriage for a moment.”

Seeing the bewildered looks on their faces, I added one sentence.

“It seems someone’s trying to attack this carriage.”

Whoa, whoa whoa.

The carriage rolled on a few hundred meters and then stopped.

The sudden halt woke everyone who had dozed off.

I took a sword and shield out of the large rear compartment, equipped them, and returned to the front compartment.

“What’s going on?”

“Could it be that time…?”

Seeing the two people with opposite expressions, I nodded.

Although the message had been meant for Rubia, Michel also quickly grasped the situation.

“…An ambush, then?”

“Go on ahead. I’ll handle this quickly and follow.”

“You can’t go alone! I’ll come with you—”

“No.”

“How do you know the same thing won’t happen again?”

“I can assure you it won’t.”

And then.

“This time I don’t want anyone to get hurt.”

Fighting together would increase our odds, but only marginally.

We were on a bridge spanning the Ardens River.

This wasn’t ordinary land, a thicket, or a mountain.

No matter how excellent an assassination group was, in such an open space their combat methods would be limited.

Besides, today was the day of the Imperial Summit.

As the Empire’s second- or third-largest event, countless people were heading to the capital.

An assassin’s basic rule was to minimize witnesses.

From that perspective, the attackers had already abandoned their principles.

‘They must have really wanted revenge.’

Exfiltrating to the Imperial Household might be effective, but if we left them be they would continue to pester me relentlessly.

It would be better to finish them off properly now.

“Quickly, now!”

As I kept urging, Michel tried to dissuade Rubia and poked his head out.

“Come back by tomorrow at the latest, Carter.”

His eyes were filled with conviction.

“You must be responsible for what you say. Isn’t that right?”

“…I promise.”

With that, the carriage left me and once again headed for the capital.

Standing tall in the middle of the road, I steadied my breathing.

‘I didn’t expect to get a field test this soon.’

Clina had said she could maintain maximum output for up to fifteen minutes, but if I pushed her to the limit and she lost consciousness, it would be disastrous.

For now, I would respond as best I could in the current state and only release the limiter at the decisive moment.

That would also unsettle the enemy.

‘Still, this is a perfect environment to test.’

Both sides were under a time constraint either way.

So I sharpened my senses and silently watched how the enemy would launch the assault.

And then, not long after, it came.

Clatter, clatter.

Rattle, rattle!

In the distance, a carriage was running backward.

A bad premonition made me send a signal to Clina.

‘If I signal you, can you unlock briefly and then lock again?’

― Do you think this is a faucet? Even for me, once I unlock I can’t control it for more than two minutes.

‘…No choice then.’

As expected, the carriage bore down on me at full speed without slowing at all.

I drew Lukezax, raised it, took a cutting stance, and shouted loudly five seconds before the collision.

“Now!”

At that moment.

Something inside my body snapped, and the familiar radiating pain greeted me.