I Became the Academy’s War Hero Chapter 74
The man who suddenly began spewing blood staggered backward until he hit the wall and slumped to the ground.
As I stood there with a slightly bewildered expression, a voice echoed again from deeper inside.
― “Seems a Geas related to access had been placed.”
‘Hmm.’
The most crucial elements in magic were ultimately information and records.
Leaving behind tangible records through books or scrolls was fine, but such records were prone to abuse or destruction.
That was why mages often made use of virtual libraries that only they themselves could read and record within.
A typical example would be the Akashic Records, said to have been constructed directly by ancient guardian deities.
In modern times, the most renowned information archive was the Duelric Record, owned by the Duel Headquarters.
These people, too, must have been recording and accessing their data through their own such archives.
The man, who had been bleeding tears of blood for a while, finally regained his senses with a ragged breath.
“…My apologies. This was my limit. To access beyond this point, a higher code holder is required.”
“Well, that’s obvious just from looking.”
Still, insisting that he would at least explain what he managed to read, the man leaned against the wall with a sigh.
“It’s impossible to lift that curse through ordinary means. That much is certain.”
“I figured as much.”
“The important part is why that’s the case….”
A grin twisted his lips, both curious and intrigued.
“The Incurable Curse—strictly speaking, it isn’t a curse.”
“…What?”
“If you must categorize it, it’s more akin to a tumor… or a doppelgänger. A symbiont that one must live with forever.”
“A symbiont, huh.”
“Approaching it as a curse won’t do. That might just be the first step toward liberation, Eugene Carter.”
That was the last of the information he shared.
And with that, our brief exchange came to an end.
“You haven’t told me about the Field Magic yet.”
“That’s fine. I haven’t given you enough information either.”
Saying there was just one condition, the man raised his fingers.
“When the summit ends, would you come back? I’ll request the higher code holder to unlock all related records of Ain Kabbalah.”
“I’ll see how things go. No promises.”
“Understood.”
I turned to leave their hideout—
But his voice stopped me once more.
“Aren’t you curious?”
“About what.”
“Why we’re being so amicable toward you.”
“Does that matter?”
“…Not particularly.”
“Then it’s fine.”
Because I already knew the reason.
Creaaak—
Stepping past the iron door, I soon found myself back at the mouth of an alleyway.
After confirming there was no one nearby, I quickly set off.
While walking, I began organizing the information I’d gathered so far, piecing together my deductions.
It bore the name Incurable Curse, but in truth, it was practically no different from a tumor—a clone.
‘Just because it’s not a conventional curse doesn’t mean it isn’t curse magic.’
However, it was clear that treating it as ordinary curse magic would lead nowhere.
Even Clina White, one of the highest-ranked evil spirits, had admitted to knowing little about the Incurable Curse.
“A symbiont… huh.”
Every curse or contamination spell within MAGA had a corresponding dispel or purification spell.
The origin of all magic lay in beasts and evil spirits—and the range of their abilities was beyond human comprehension.
Magic, as humans used it today, was simply a refined adaptation of those powers.
Given that, when I combined all I knew about the Incurable Curse, a single conclusion emerged.
It had never once been refined for human use.
Which meant… in other words—
“If one seeks liberation from the curse, they must ask the source itself.”
The source being a beast that had already perished, no longer existing in this world.
Just one mountain after another… damn it.
‘…Well, at least I’ve narrowed down the possibilities.’
It wasn’t time to despair yet. I hadn’t even compiled all the data.
The Ain Kabbalah archives weren’t the only place with relevant records—the Special Task Force had plenty as well.
And above all, there was a good chance that the lost fragments of my own memory held a definite clue.
“So for now….”
I’d focus on the most immediate, top-priority task before me.
With a smile brimming with resolve, I fixed my gaze on the imperial palace’s distant spire.
My legs had already begun to run.
The noise of chatter echoed from all directions, making it impossible to focus.
As I stepped through the grand entrance, countless servants bustled about, carrying trays of food and drinks.
It was a banquet hall on a scale incomparable to that of Karbenna.
Glowing stones, imbued with floating magic, drifted between the soaring ceilings.
Over two hundred people were already seated and dining—yet that barely filled even a fifth of the hall.
An endless line of tables stretched forth, laden with an overwhelming variety of dishes.
“…….”
Watching the four who stood there half-stunned, half-hesitant, Michel Bernhardt sighed.
“Go ahead and find seats. I’ll sit elsewhere.”
“Ah, yes!”
She headed alone toward the third table in the central eleventh row.
Seeing this, Rubia led the students toward the front table of the thirteenth row.
Barely two minutes after sitting down, servants arrived with water, wine, bread, and soup.
“…Shall we eat first?”
“Yes.”
Francia and Rubia simultaneously reached for the bread.
Meanwhile, Eric kept his head lowered, silently moving his spoon.
Scanning the crowd, Francia murmured as if to herself, wondering if Instructor Carter might have arrived late.
“There are some oddly crowded spots.”
To this, Lea, her gaze fixed on her soup, replied offhandedly.
“They’re gathering around the powerful noble families.”
Indeed, Michel, seated alone across the hall, was already surrounded by numerous aristocrats.
“Looks like more than half of the Eight Great Houses are here, along with several newly risen high-ranking families… that area’s the Special Task Force and Defense Force… and at the far end, those seem to be members of the clergy.”
Rubia nodded, impressed.
“You really know your stuff, Lea.”
“Just got a good eye for things.”
After throwing out the light joke, Lea poked Eric in the side.
“Hey, Halenber. Eat up. Don’t worry. Looks like your family hasn’t arrived yet.”
“…They haven’t?”
“Yeah. I don’t see that shameless face of Jeff Halenber anywhere, so, yeah.”
“…You’re right.”
Why haven’t they shown up yet?
Once the agenda presentation starts, entry to the banquet hall will be restricted.
Before that question could fade from mind, dishes of fish and meat began to be laid out neatly on the table.
Seeing Eric continue glancing toward the entrance, Francia added softly,
“Worrying won’t change anything, Eric.”
“……”
“Let’s just eat our fill for now. The Instructor will definitely come back.”
That wasn’t what I was worried about, though…
Not that I needed to say it out loud.
Instead of replying, Eric grabbed a chicken leg and tore into it roughly.
From that point on, the four of them focused solely on eating in silence.
Their utensils came to a halt exactly ten minutes later.
Diiiing—!
A familiar chime echoed repeatedly through the hall.
At first, people kept chatting, but once the bell rang more than ten times, all mouths shut tight.
A solemn silence settled over the hall, deep enough that even the clink of silverware disappeared—yet the bell continued to toll.
When the last lingering echoes finally faded—
A procession entered from the far side of the hall, striding in unison.
Second in line to the throne, the de facto heir to the Empire—
It was the appearance of Crown Prince Abel Ribenia.
At the prince’s arrival, everyone rose from their seats and knelt on one knee in salute.
Servants hastily set down whatever they were carrying and pressed themselves flat against the floor.
The attendants trailing behind fell to their knees on either side of the platform as soon as the Crown Prince reached the center.
With a light tap on the amplification orb placed nearby, all gazes in the hall turned toward the stage.
Watching that, Lea Bronte bit her lip.
‘…A show of power, huh.’
Tomorrow morning’s opening ceremony would already require the attendance of every direct member of the imperial family.
After that, they’d be confined within the palace for at least three days, no matter how short the summit ran.
Especially the royals—constantly surrounded by subordinates, too busy to rest—rarely left the Imperial Court except for formal meetings.
It was only the first day, with nothing scheduled besides the agenda announcement.
And yet he’d dragged his royal self all the way to the banquet hall—the most violent man in the entire Imperial Household, the Second Prince himself.
‘I can feel it loud and clear even from here.’
A body language screaming: I am the next emperor.
Abel Ribenia, Crown Prince of Ribenia, looked over the bowing participants and nodded in satisfaction.
“I’ve told you many times before—there’s no need for such ceremony before me. Raise your heads. Is today not a day for joy?”
Even after Abel gestured with his hand, it took quite some time before people began to lift their heads—starting with the Eight Great Houses.
The servants, however, remained pressed against the floor, heads lowered.
“Now then… before we announce the order of the agenda, allow me to offer a few brief words of advice. Listen well.”
Advice, my foot. He’s just going to brag about himself—and his faction.
Lea snorted inwardly.
Emperor Ludwig had been in a vegetative state for quite some time now.
Even so, the Imperial Court had managed to keep running without much scandal.
No one could deny that First Prince Luel Ribenia had been at the center of that stability.
But after the death of that very First Prince—long considered the most promising successor—and with First Princess Elisabeth leaving to become Queen of the Kalte Federation, the once-stable Imperial Household began to waver rapidly.
Taking advantage of that chaos, Crown Prince Abel and the Bernhardt Family had grown their power considerably.
With the checks and balances gone between the Imperial Court and Parliament, those two forces now held near-absolute authority.
Truly unrestrained—no one could stop their tyranny anymore.
The Arta Family, supposed to be the nobles’ counterbalance, was too weak to stand its ground, and within the Imperial Court, only the Third Princess was considered capable at all.
At this point, the only way to shift the tide was to wait for those in power to self-destruct.
‘…At least, that’s how it was until recently.’
Lea clenched her teeth, casting a glance toward the prince who was spitting his rhetoric so passionately.
There’s no escaping hierarchy, they said—and the Second Prince had clung to that logic, keeping real power in his grasp until now.
But from this moment on, the tables would turn.
When an overwhelming calamity arrived—one that no existing order could withstand—
Would that arrogant prince be able to bear the weight of the throne?
As Lea steeled her resolve with that thought,
The tiresome speech finally came to an end.
Abel cleared his throat twice, then gestured to his attendants on either side.
“Ahem, ahem. I seem to have spoken too long. Then, let us proceed to the announcement of this year’s agenda.”
At that moment, a massive banner unfurled in the air above.
· 43rd Imperial Summit Agenda Proposals
― Refugee Measures and Prevention within the Empire | Nina Ribenia
― Current State and Countermeasures of Hockma Addiction | Edel Ribenia
― Report on the Current State of Imperial Academies | Alix Ribenia
― Beast Invasion Status and Response | Abel Ribenia
― Discussion of Seven Parliamentary Policy Issues | Imperial Household