I Became the Academy’s War Hero Chapter 81

It was the complete opposite of the first agenda item, which had been so calm it was almost boring. The second agenda item was chaos from the very beginning.

Watching all sorts of incidents unfold in less than thirty minutes, I had to keep swallowing down a broad grin.

Honestly, I even wanted to give them a standing ovation.

‘No matter how much of a schemer Jeff Halenber is, he never would have thought his plan would fall apart like this.’

I knew all too well the reason behind the attempted murder case that had happened earlier.

Countless nations—including the Empire in the past—had used this ability to exploit countless lives.

Since then, the ability had been placed under strict restrictions, and those who abused or misused it beyond acceptable standards were sentenced to no less than a mid-tier felony.

Jeff, who had been struck by Eugene’s sharp rebuke, stared blankly into the air, utterly devastated.

“Permanent Imprint.”

I stepped back onto the platform to regain control of the chamber.

“In common terms, it is more often called a Code.”

The moment the word Code left my mouth, the murmurs inside the hall grew even louder.

“To the one who grants it, it is a whip. To the one who receives it, it is a brand. Despite its well-known dangers, for the sake of affiliations, organizations, or secrecy, it is still used covertly even today—this is Class-1 magic.”

Now then, let’s return to the story left unfinished earlier.

As Eric Halenber regained his senses, I asked him once more.

“What was that item?”

Eric barely steadied his breathing before he answered briefly.

“It was Hokhma.”

Murmurs spread.

“Speak more concretely. What exact mission were you given?”

“I was ordered to bring the Hokhma I received at the Western Port of Raus into Karbenna.”

“And who assigned this mission?”

“It was Marquis Jeff Halenber.”

At the revelation that a father had given such a mission to his own son, the uproar among the attendees intensified further.

Letting the noise run unhindered, I continued my questioning.

“Since when have you been carrying out this mission?”

“Since I enrolled as a first-year last year, I have been performing it continuously—at least once every month.”

“And how was the Hokhma smuggled in used?”

“It was processed and distributed throughout the Empire, and some of it was supplied inside the Academy.”

“So you’re saying there are Hokhma users even within Karbenna?”

“Yes.”

At that same moment, I snapped my fingers to signal the maids who had been waiting on standby.

Seeing this, the maids entered the stage with additional witnesses who had been waiting outside.

“Are those the users?”

“Yes.”

“From here on, we’ll hear directly from them. Well done, Cadet Eric Halenber.”

“…I am honored.”

Without looking back, Eric returned to his seat.

Then the resumed testimony time began, and what the users confessed was nothing short of shocking.

“I was born frail… so I thought nutritional supplements were essential if I wanted to survive in Karbenna. They said there was something good for revitalizing the body, so I took it without suspicion.”

“It definitely made me feel more energetic, so I think I kept taking it continuously. Sometimes I saw hallucinations, but the frequency wasn’t that high, so I just tolerated it.”

“My physical test scores kept improving, my head felt clearer, and for a while, Academy life was actually really fun.”

“But at some point, I couldn’t even function on campus without it because of fatigue. That’s when I realized it was Hokhma, but by then I couldn’t stop anymore.”

“Later on, they sold additional drugs that lessened the side effects. They tricked us, turned us into addicts, and then called it a remedy—damn it, it’s like giving someone an illness and then selling the cure.”

“So then, where is the Hokhma you were supposed to receive?”

“Hurry! Hurry up and give it to me! I’ve been holding out for a whole week!”

“Hey! Eric! If you kept your promise, shouldn’t you bring the stuff first?!”

“N-no way… d-did you… did you trick us?!”

“You bastard… did you think you’d get away with deceiving me? Stay right there! I’ll rip that disgusting mouth of yours apart!”

Those who had first testified calmly soon lost control as their agitation spiked.

Their addiction symptoms were so severe they couldn’t even hold themselves upright.

They hurled curses until the blood vessels in their necks bulged, then broke into full-body spasms, screaming.

After they thrashed about for quite some time, they were forcibly calmed and carried back outside.

“To be honest, you probably thought it didn’t matter. It wasn’t your business, nor something that would affect those around you.”

Surveying the somber chamber, I continued.

“Hokhma is something only poor commoners would take, so of course the elite children of noble families like ours would be safe. That’s what you all believed.”

“…….”

“But this is the reality. Even Karbenna, the Empire’s premier educational institution, is not free from Hokhma.”

This current situation—I will never overlook it.

With that, I shot a sharp glare at the opponent.

It was time to press Jeff Halenber again.

“Head of House Halenber, step onto the platform and explain the testimonies given earlier.”

At my gesture, Jeff clenched his teeth and staggered out onto the platform.

He glanced at the members of the Bernhardt side visible from the stage, then shut his eyes tightly.

‘…There is no way out.’

All documents related to trade in Raus had already been swapped out, so there was no risk of being caught there.

But nothing done within Karbenna could be excused.

The moment Eric defected, this side’s defeat was already sealed.

Even if he somehow wrapped this situation up nicely, Bernhardt would never stay quiet.

They would demand he take responsibility for the losses caused by this incident.

One option would be to drag down all internal parties within Karbenna with a drowning-man tactic to reduce his sentence.

But those people also held many cards.

In this situation, having already lost Bernhardt’s favor, he had no need to make more enemies.

Then perhaps—

Giving the Imperial Court a justification to strike Bernhardt would be more advantageous for Halenber’s survival.

‘…So in the end, things went exactly the way Eugene Carter wanted?’

From where had that man begun reading the board?

Had he anticipated all this from the moment he chose seclusion?

Whatever the case, all of this worked out in his favor.

Reaching his conclusion, Jeff let out a long sigh and spoke in a subdued voice.

“I only made the best choice I could in order to survive, Your Highness.”

“So that means someone threatened you.”

“Yes.”

“It finally feels like all the pieces are falling into place.”

I nodded as if satisfied, then looked toward the Bernhardt side and asked softly,

“Who was it? The one who threatened you.”

For his very last answer, Jeff looked at the foster son he had wished to kill.

With a bitter expression, he confessed.

“It was Lady Chloe Bernhardt.”

* * *

The bomb Edel and I had fired had passed squarely into Jeff Halenber’s hands, and in the middle of the explosion, he poured an extra bucket of oil onto the flames.

Returning to my seat with Eric, I nodded as I watched the scene unfolding before me.

“Of course.”

There was no way that Jeff Halenber would obediently admit his crimes and choose imprisonment.

Until now, he had been promised prosperity as compensation for carrying out Bernhardt’s dirty and troublesome work, which was why he had sworn loyalty to them in the first place.

But the moment cracks formed in that prosperity, the loyal subordinate became a rabid dog that bit its master.

And that rabid dog was the one who knew Bernhardt’s darkest secrets best.

While Jeff voluntarily spilled every atrocity Bernhardt had committed over the years,

I fixed my gaze on the Bernhardt seats on the opposite upper side.

Chloe Bernhardt, seated in the front row, had a face twisted with complete bewilderment and fury.

A faint smile naturally curved over my lips, and I let out a quiet snicker.

‘You should’ve chosen your opponent more carefully, Chloe Bernhardt.’

Did she think I would stay docile forever?

Did she think that if she threatened and intimidated me under Bernhardt’s name, I would cower and obey?

Not a chance.

I’d make her understand exactly whom she had tried to point a blade at.

While I was burning with fierce resolve toward my opponent,

Edel listened quietly to Jeff’s flashy excuses and justifications, waiting for the right moment.

His desperate struggle to save at least himself was pitiful to watch.

Wiping away forced tears, Jeff finally wrapped up his story.

“…That is the reason I had no choice but to make such a decision, Your Highness.”

“I see.”

With her arms crossed, she lifted her chin slightly and observed the crowd’s reaction.

More than half of the attendees kept their mouths shut, watching Bernhardt’s reaction.

The rest trembled at the pathetic sight of a man completely devoid of redemption.

After surveying the atmosphere in the hall for a while, Edel let out a deep sigh, as though regretful.

“It is the duty of the Imperial House to ensure the peace and well-being of all subjects… How dreadful this is.”

Then she pointed sharply toward the Bernhardt side and continued in a firm tone.

“I wish to call forth the involved party and interrogate their entire involvement, but… there is a more urgent matter. I will conclude that one first.”

Edel lifted the gavel on the platform with solemn posture and lightly tapped it.

“The trading rights of the Albe Sea, previously held by Halenber, are hereby revoked. The rights will be transferred to Altenbach. I postpone objections to this ruling until after the summit.”

Bang, bang, bang.

It was Edel’s fierce declaration of war against the Bernhardt faction.

Because far too much had happened early on, a break was declared unusually quickly—only one hour in.

Swept into the center of the incident in an instant, Jeff Halenber requested protection from the Imperial Household and left alone.

I leaned against a corner seat, quietly observing the surroundings.

‘…As expected, nothing ever goes exactly one hundred percent according to plan.’

I was prepared—Michel and I were famous figures in the Empire to begin with—but I hadn’t expected Eric and Francia to draw this much attention this fast.

What kind of butterfly effect this change would bring… that was something only time would tell.

But one thing was certain.

We could no longer return to our lives before the summit.

While I stared into empty air lost in thought, a familiar face entered my vision.

“So you were here, Instructor.”

“Speak of the devil and he appears.”

Francia, who had rejoined us at some point, leaned beside me with a sigh.

“…Instructor.”

“Mm.”

“Did something… happen to me?”

“Hmm… who knows.”

She stared down at her hands as though still haunted by what had happened earlier.

“I only thought that I had to save him… but before I knew it, my body was already running. My sword was wrapped in an aura I had never seen before….”

“That is the Blade of Exorcism.”

The Blade of Exorcism, also called the Exorcise Blade.

A blade that tore apart impurity.

It always activated together with the Eye of Exorcism, and once it consumed a certain number of uses, the ability automatically dissolved regardless of the user’s will.

“You can sever curses or corruption—cutting only the concept itself.”

“The Blade of Exorcism….”

“It is in the same realm as the Aura Blade, but its users are overwhelmingly rare. Only three users have appeared in the last two hundred years.”

“…So that’s why people were watching me so much.”

There was also the dramatic impression of a girl who had saved a boy that even the Empire’s top talents had failed to rescue.

“You still won’t be able to manifest it at will. But when you truly need it, it will lend you strength.”

So, use it as carefully as possible.

After offering that small advice, I lifted my head to locate the hostile gaze I had been feeling for a while.

‘…So it was that one.’

Fortunately, it didn’t take long to identify the source.

“The summit will resume soon. Return to your seat.”

“…What about you, Instructor?”

“I have a guest looking for me. I’ll speak with them briefly and come back.”

After sending Francia off,

I strode up the stairs beside me and faced the primary culprit behind this incident.

Her youthful beauty didn’t even register compared to the sharp killing intent pouring off her.

“Honestly, I’m quite surprised, Eugene Carter.”

A figure deeply entangled in most of the recent events, the greatest troublemaker of the Bernhardt Family.

One of Michel’s mortal enemies, and the mastermind of the Hokhma Incident.

Chloe Bernhardt looked up at me with an arrogant expression.

“Shall we have a little chat?”