Lying on his patient bed, Roel was stunned by the System’s notification. He didn’t think that the Goddess of Fate’s Guidance would work its wonders at the very last moment before its expiry.
It had been a massive help to him in building up friendly relations with the transfer students from the Knight Kingdom. He quickly turned his attention toward the System, and the new guidance started to surface.
【Ding!】
【Goddess of Fate’s Guidance
Quietly stare at William for over fifteen seconds during the celebratory party with her being aware of your gaze.】
“Hm? Stare at her for fifteen seconds?”
Roel was perplexed by the guidance. He would still follow it since the guidance had proven to be credible from previous experiences, but it was still pretty weird to quietly stare at someone.
It’s already awkward to be caught staring at someone, but I’ve to do it with her being conscious about it? It’s one thing to do it with a guy, but to be caught ogling at a woman… Ah no, it would actually be worse if the other party is a guy.
Roel shook his head and closely examined the guidance once again.
It looked like he could carry out the task whenever he wanted during the celebratory party. Given the crowded surroundings, it shouldn’t be too difficult for him to find an opportunity to stare at her for fifteen seconds.
He had activated the Goddess of Fate’s Guidance with the goal of saving Astrid. Despite the bumps along the way, following the guidance had always brought him positive outcomes that pushed him closer toward his goal. Now that he had already won the Challenger Cup, it was time to wrap things up.
Having confirmed his goal, he began making preparations for the celebratory party.
…
It was a tradition for Saint Freya Academy to hold a celebratory party after clinching the Challenger Cup. After three days of building anticipation, the students couldn’t wait for the party to commence.
It was going to be a large-scale party with an estimated of several thousand participants. The venue extended from the banquet hall to the grassfield. It was going to be a night of wild fun.
Before evening time, a carriage specially prepared by the academy stopped outside the Azure Manor. Several minutes later, a suited up Roel walked out with Paul and Geralt, and the three of them boarded the carriage and began making their way to the banquet hall.
Saint Freya Academy had declared today a rest day, allowing the students to do whatever they wanted. Some students chose to lay in bed and rest up, but most were infected with excitement and wanted to participate in the celebrations.
As Roel’s carriage throttled down the streets, he could hear loud applause and shouts of his name. He parted the curtains and looked out of the window; many were waving at him. As much as he appreciated the friendliness, it was too much for him to bear.
I guess the Challenger Cup does hold great influence amongst the youths.
It was normal for hot-blooded youths to be unwilling to lower their heads to others. While Roel enjoyed considerable fame as a Ringbearer, he had never been this warmly welcomed by his peers.
His fame was still swiftly growing even at this very moment. Spectators of the Challenger Cup were bound to share the exciting fight between Roel and William to others when they returned to their respective countries, thus bringing their names to a greater height.
On top of that, he was the youngest-ever champion of the Challenger Cup. This record-breaking feat would tie his name to Saint Freya Academy, Leinster, and the Challenger Cup.
This was the critical acclamation that would come with winning the Challenger Cup, as well as the reason why Nora, Charlotte, and the others wanted to win the tournament despite their already lofty positions.
That being said, the speed at which Roel’s reputation was growing far surpassed that of the previous victors. At this rate, it would only take a few days before the results reached Nora at the Saint Mesit Theocracy.
He was glad that he had managed to accomplish the mission Little Miss Angel had entrusted to him before her departure, but he couldn’t help but worry if things were proceeding smoothly over on her side.
The surroundings grew more packed the closer the carriage approached the banquet hall, such that Roel’s carriage had to stop at the banquet hall’s side entrance instead. For the first time, under the lead of a staff member, Roel was granted the right to enter the banquet hall from the internal entrance, which had always been the exclusive privilege of the academy’s top brass.
The celebratory party had yet to officially commence, but there was already a bustle in the banquet hall. The challengers from Saint Freya Academy started to arrive at the venue, including the seeded challengers.
The four Ringbearers—Edward, Glint, Lilian, and Charlotte—arrived one after another, and they swiftly formed their own social circles with their own supporters. The nobles from the Saint Mesit Theocracy looked lost in contrast, having lost their central figure.
Despite the clear segregation in the banquet hall, the limelight naturally gravitated toward Roel the moment he entered the room.
The Theocracy’s nobles immediately swarmed him as if they had found their leader.
Following that, Charlotte headed over and asked about his health, to which, Roel earnestly answered her question to allay her worries.
In a rare expression of goodwill, Lilian also walked over to greet him. She had to maintain a formal front with so many eyes on her, but those who were truly close to her would have noticed that her amethyst eyes were seeping with gentleness.
Possibly due to Lilian taking the lead, Greenrose Ringbearer Glint also took the initiative to approach Roel for a chat, although his demeanor still remained awkward. In contrast, Greyrose Ringbearer Edward was clearly much more skilled in social interactions.
“Senior Edward, you’re intending to join the military after your graduation?”
“That’s the plan. Due to the ongoing fight at the eastern border, most countries are raising the benefits they offer to soldiers to encourage transcendents to join their ranks. It’s the opposite for Leinster. There are plenty of graduates in Leinster, so there’s rife competition for work here.”
It somehow reminded Roel of his university days in his previous life, where he and his pals would often talk about the job market.
On the whole, he thought that it was good that the benefits offered by Leinster were lower in comparison. Leinster was the academic hub of the Sia Continent, so it took an advisory role in the war. As a result, Leinster wasn’t expected to send soldiers to the frontlines.
Humans were naturally averse to risk. If Leinster was offering higher benefits despite its safer conditions, it was obvious that high-level transcendents would choose to join Leinster instead of fighting on the frontline.
This adjustment in benefits was likely to have arisen from an agreement amongst the countries so as to encourage more transcendents to join the frontlines. It would be disastrous if there was insufficient manpower to guard the borders of humankind’s territories.
“But surely Leinster would spare no resources to recruit a transcendent of Senior Edward’s caliber?” asked Roel.
The implicit compliment made Edward laugh in embarrassment.
“Hahaha. To be honest with you, I’ve received several good offers from various armies thanks to the Challenger Cup. You know the situation at the eastern border; there should be room for upward mobility in the military at least for the next few years. I’m also starting to feel suffocated after holing myself up in Leinster for the past four years. I want to head to more places and see the larger world out there.”
“It sounds like joining the military would indeed be a good option for you.”
Roel found himself smiling at Edward’s words. It was rare to see someone harboring romance for the greater world out there despite the unsettling times they lived in. Edward had the luxury of choice because he had no territory to inherit, which was proving to be a good thing since it would only shackle his free soul down.
Chatting with the carefree Edward lifted Roel’s spirits.
Time swiftly passed amidst their conversation. Soon, another important group of figures for tonight’s celebration arrived at the venue—the transfer students from Knight Kingdom Pendor.
The reputation of the transfer students had improved greatly due to their outstanding performance in the tournament. In particular, William, Teresa, and Kurt had built up a fairly huge fan base around them. Their entrance was warmly welcomed by the students,
Looking at them from afar, Roel was relieved to see that his frost aura didn’t appear to have left any lasting traumas on William. However, he was intrigued to see that she was still dressed in her usual full armor that concealed her face.
It was just that no one appeared to be particularly bothered by her appearance, and Roel eventually decided not to think too much into it too.
His goal was to release William from her fate as a scapegoat, not to change her dress-up. She could have just grown fond of her armor over the years. Besides, she probably felt awkward without her armor after so many years of wearing it. It would take a lengthy transition period for her to get accustomed to going without her armor.
Roel took this opportunity to stare at William, hoping to accomplish his mission here. However, the latter was chatting with Teresa about something, resulting in her not noticing his gaze.
It was only when all of the transfer students entered the venue that she finally met eyes with Roel and nodded slightly as a gesture of acknowledgment.
By this point, it was no longer possible for him to accomplish the mission. The two of them were close enough that staring at her would make things awkward for the two of them, not to mention that there were many eyes on him. As much as he wanted to complete the mission from the Goddess of Fate’s Guidance, he didn’t want to risk appearing as a creep.
Thus, he decisively gave up on his mission for the time being and engaged the transfer students in a conversation instead.
It was often said that bonds that had survived conflicts were stronger.
The first one to greet him was none other than the orange-haired Selina. Different from before, she appeared to be in greater control over her emotions.
Roel hadn’t heard anything from her since their fight in the top 32, and he was worried about her for quite a while. He wasn’t in a good position to visit her at Panoply Manor given his tense relationship with the transfer students back then, and she hadn’t appeared in public either.
He only managed to catch her on the day of his showdown with William, but he wasn’t in a good condition to be holding a conversation with her. This was their first conversation since their fight in the tournament.
He shot a glance at Selina’s head, only to sigh lamentably at the absence of her beast ears. His visible disappointment brought a frown to the latter’s face.
“You rascal, what are you looking for?”
“Hahaha, it’s nothing much. Miss Selina, it looks like you have managed to control your bloodline?”
“… It’s not to that extent yet, but yeah, it’s much better than before.”
“That’s good to hear.”
Roel nodded earnestly in response before casually taking a few steps sideward to glance at Selina’s bottom, but there was no beast tail there either. Selina immediately figured out what he was up to and shot a sharp glare at him. She hadn’t forgotten how he had toyed with her using Peytra’s bloodline suppression back then.
Roel could only laugh awkwardly in response.
“Cough. Miss Selina, it’s joyous news that you’re now able to control your bloodline, even if just to a limited extent. I’m earnestly happy for you.”
“Hmph. Trying to act prim and proper now?”
“Don’t say that. Feel free to look for me if you ever face any difficulties with your bloodline. In some ways, you’re the descendant of my companion. I’m glad that you’re liberated from the restraints of your bloodline.”
“… Mm, alright. T-thanks.”
It took quite a bit of effort for Selina to mutter her thanks under Roel’s earnest gaze.
For a moment, it looked like something had moved in her hair, but before Roel could take a closer look, the young lady had already ran off with a reddened face.
T-that is!
Roel quickly tracked the profile of the escaping Selina with his eyes, but before he could take a closer look, his vision was blocked by a towering human wall. He recoiled in shock before slowly raising his gaze. It was Kurt.
“Kurt? Is something the matter?”
“Well, about that…”
The towering man looked at Roel hesitantly, uncertain of how he should approach the topic. He remained in a dilemma for a long while before he finally lowered his head and apologized.
“Mister Roel, I’d like to ask for your forgiveness for my ignorant remarks regarding Lord Grandar.”
“Ah, you’re talking about that matter. Didn’t we already reconcile after our fight?”
“I lost consciousness before I could properly apologize to you. I wanted to make up for that.”
“I see…”
Roel was surprised. He had thought that Kurt was a rude oaf due to their unpleasant first encounter, but it looked like his perception of the latter was mistaken. It would be much more appropriate to describe Kurt as an inflexible academic instead.
In their following conversation, he learned the reason behind Kurt’s sudden change in attitude. It turned out that the crimson plain manifested by Grandar was a land of glory, where the souls of respected warriors of the giant race rested in the afterlife.
Only a Sovereign acknowledged by the giant race would receive such resounding cheers in that place. Naturally, this meant that Grandar couldn’t possibly be a Fallen, thus disproving the historical records of the Gustav House.
That had plunged Roel into deep thoughts. He had no idea whether there was a mistake with the Gustavs’ records or not, but Grandar had been a little different since that battle. He had a feeling that Grandar had recalled something, but he chose not to ask about it since he believed that the latter would talk about it on his own accord once he was ready.
“I’ll inform my clan about this when I return for the holidays. I’ll try my best to right Lord Grandar’s name as soon as possible.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Tell me if you need any help. Our goals most certainly coincide on this matter.”
Roel was gladdened to have resolved this issue.
There were many others who had witnessed his fight with Kurt, so there were plenty of eye-witnesses who could testify to what Kurt saw. The circumstantial evidence should be enough to plant a seed of doubt in the Gustavs.
As for what the truth was, that would have to wait till Grandar was finally willing to talk about what he had remembered.
After bidding Kurt farewell, Roel heaved a sigh of relief and prepared to head off. Before he could turn around, someone grabbed his sleeve and stopped him. Following that, a familiar notebook appeared right in front of him.
Lying on his patient bed, Roel was stunned by the System’s notification. He didn’t think that the Goddess of Fate’s Guidance would work its wonders at the very last moment before its expiry.
It had been a massive help to him in building up friendly relations with the transfer students from the Knight Kingdom. He quickly turned his attention toward the System, and the new guidance started to surface.
【Ding!】
【Goddess of Fate’s Guidance
Quietly stare at William for over fifteen seconds during the celebratory party with her being aware of your gaze.】
“Hm? Stare at her for fifteen seconds?”
Roel was perplexed by the guidance. He would still follow it since the guidance had proven to be credible from previous experiences, but it was still pretty weird to quietly stare at someone.
It’s already awkward to be caught staring at someone, but I’ve to do it with her being conscious about it? It’s one thing to do it with a guy, but to be caught ogling at a woman… Ah no, it would actually be worse if the other party is a guy.
Roel shook his head and closely examined the guidance once again.
It looked like he could carry out the task whenever he wanted during the celebratory party. Given the crowded surroundings, it shouldn’t be too difficult for him to find an opportunity to stare at her for fifteen seconds.
He had activated the Goddess of Fate’s Guidance with the goal of saving Astrid. Despite the bumps along the way, following the guidance had always brought him positive outcomes that pushed him closer toward his goal. Now that he had already won the Challenger Cup, it was time to wrap things up.
Having confirmed his goal, he began making preparations for the celebratory party.
…
It was a tradition for Saint Freya Academy to hold a celebratory party after clinching the Challenger Cup. After three days of building anticipation, the students couldn’t wait for the party to commence.
It was going to be a large-scale party with an estimated of several thousand participants. The venue extended from the banquet hall to the grassfield. It was going to be a night of wild fun.
Before evening time, a carriage specially prepared by the academy stopped outside the Azure Manor. Several minutes later, a suited up Roel walked out with Paul and Geralt, and the three of them boarded the carriage and began making their way to the banquet hall.
Saint Freya Academy had declared today a rest day, allowing the students to do whatever they wanted. Some students chose to lay in bed and rest up, but most were infected with excitement and wanted to participate in the celebrations.
As Roel’s carriage throttled down the streets, he could hear loud applause and shouts of his name. He parted the curtains and looked out of the window; many were waving at him. As much as he appreciated the friendliness, it was too much for him to bear.
I guess the Challenger Cup does hold great influence amongst the youths.
It was normal for hot-blooded youths to be unwilling to lower their heads to others. While Roel enjoyed considerable fame as a Ringbearer, he had never been this warmly welcomed by his peers.
His fame was still swiftly growing even at this very moment. Spectators of the Challenger Cup were bound to share the exciting fight between Roel and William to others when they returned to their respective countries, thus bringing their names to a greater height.
On top of that, he was the youngest-ever champion of the Challenger Cup. This record-breaking feat would tie his name to Saint Freya Academy, Leinster, and the Challenger Cup.
This was the critical acclamation that would come with winning the Challenger Cup, as well as the reason why Nora, Charlotte, and the others wanted to win the tournament despite their already lofty positions.
That being said, the speed at which Roel’s reputation was growing far surpassed that of the previous victors. At this rate, it would only take a few days before the results reached Nora at the Saint Mesit Theocracy.
He was glad that he had managed to accomplish the mission Little Miss Angel had entrusted to him before her departure, but he couldn’t help but worry if things were proceeding smoothly over on her side.
The surroundings grew more packed the closer the carriage approached the banquet hall, such that Roel’s carriage had to stop at the banquet hall’s side entrance instead. For the first time, under the lead of a staff member, Roel was granted the right to enter the banquet hall from the internal entrance, which had always been the exclusive privilege of the academy’s top brass.
The celebratory party had yet to officially commence, but there was already a bustle in the banquet hall. The challengers from Saint Freya Academy started to arrive at the venue, including the seeded challengers.
The four Ringbearers—Edward, Glint, Lilian, and Charlotte—arrived one after another, and they swiftly formed their own social circles with their own supporters. The nobles from the Saint Mesit Theocracy looked lost in contrast, having lost their central figure.
Despite the clear segregation in the banquet hall, the limelight naturally gravitated toward Roel the moment he entered the room.
The Theocracy’s nobles immediately swarmed him as if they had found their leader.
Following that, Charlotte headed over and asked about his health, to which, Roel earnestly answered her question to allay her worries.
In a rare expression of goodwill, Lilian also walked over to greet him. She had to maintain a formal front with so many eyes on her, but those who were truly close to her would have noticed that her amethyst eyes were seeping with gentleness.
Possibly due to Lilian taking the lead, Greenrose Ringbearer Glint also took the initiative to approach Roel for a chat, although his demeanor still remained awkward. In contrast, Greyrose Ringbearer Edward was clearly much more skilled in social interactions.
“Senior Edward, you’re intending to join the military after your graduation?”
“That’s the plan. Due to the ongoing fight at the eastern border, most countries are raising the benefits they offer to soldiers to encourage transcendents to join their ranks. It’s the opposite for Leinster. There are plenty of graduates in Leinster, so there’s rife competition for work here.”
It somehow reminded Roel of his university days in his previous life, where he and his pals would often talk about the job market.
On the whole, he thought that it was good that the benefits offered by Leinster were lower in comparison. Leinster was the academic hub of the Sia Continent, so it took an advisory role in the war. As a result, Leinster wasn’t expected to send soldiers to the frontlines.
Humans were naturally averse to risk. If Leinster was offering higher benefits despite its safer conditions, it was obvious that high-level transcendents would choose to join Leinster instead of fighting on the frontline.
This adjustment in benefits was likely to have arisen from an agreement amongst the countries so as to encourage more transcendents to join the frontlines. It would be disastrous if there was insufficient manpower to guard the borders of humankind’s territories.
“But surely Leinster would spare no resources to recruit a transcendent of Senior Edward’s caliber?” asked Roel.
The implicit compliment made Edward laugh in embarrassment.
“Hahaha. To be honest with you, I’ve received several good offers from various armies thanks to the Challenger Cup. You know the situation at the eastern border; there should be room for upward mobility in the military at least for the next few years. I’m also starting to feel suffocated after holing myself up in Leinster for the past four years. I want to head to more places and see the larger world out there.”
“It sounds like joining the military would indeed be a good option for you.”
Roel found himself smiling at Edward’s words. It was rare to see someone harboring romance for the greater world out there despite the unsettling times they lived in. Edward had the luxury of choice because he had no territory to inherit, which was proving to be a good thing since it would only shackle his free soul down.
Chatting with the carefree Edward lifted Roel’s spirits.
Time swiftly passed amidst their conversation. Soon, another important group of figures for tonight’s celebration arrived at the venue—the transfer students from Knight Kingdom Pendor.
The reputation of the transfer students had improved greatly due to their outstanding performance in the tournament. In particular, William, Teresa, and Kurt had built up a fairly huge fan base around them. Their entrance was warmly welcomed by the students,
Looking at them from afar, Roel was relieved to see that his frost aura didn’t appear to have left any lasting traumas on William. However, he was intrigued to see that she was still dressed in her usual full armor that concealed her face.
It was just that no one appeared to be particularly bothered by her appearance, and Roel eventually decided not to think too much into it too.
His goal was to release William from her fate as a scapegoat, not to change her dress-up. She could have just grown fond of her armor over the years. Besides, she probably felt awkward without her armor after so many years of wearing it. It would take a lengthy transition period for her to get accustomed to going without her armor.
Roel took this opportunity to stare at William, hoping to accomplish his mission here. However, the latter was chatting with Teresa about something, resulting in her not noticing his gaze.
It was only when all of the transfer students entered the venue that she finally met eyes with Roel and nodded slightly as a gesture of acknowledgment.
By this point, it was no longer possible for him to accomplish the mission. The two of them were close enough that staring at her would make things awkward for the two of them, not to mention that there were many eyes on him. As much as he wanted to complete the mission from the Goddess of Fate’s Guidance, he didn’t want to risk appearing as a creep.
Thus, he decisively gave up on his mission for the time being and engaged the transfer students in a conversation instead.
It was often said that bonds that had survived conflicts were stronger.
The first one to greet him was none other than the orange-haired Selina. Different from before, she appeared to be in greater control over her emotions.
Roel hadn’t heard anything from her since their fight in the top 32, and he was worried about her for quite a while. He wasn’t in a good position to visit her at Panoply Manor given his tense relationship with the transfer students back then, and she hadn’t appeared in public either.
He only managed to catch her on the day of his showdown with William, but he wasn’t in a good condition to be holding a conversation with her. This was their first conversation since their fight in the tournament.
He shot a glance at Selina’s head, only to sigh lamentably at the absence of her beast ears. His visible disappointment brought a frown to the latter’s face.
“You rascal, what are you looking for?”
“Hahaha, it’s nothing much. Miss Selina, it looks like you have managed to control your bloodline?”
“… It’s not to that extent yet, but yeah, it’s much better than before.”
“That’s good to hear.”
Roel nodded earnestly in response before casually taking a few steps sideward to glance at Selina’s bottom, but there was no beast tail there either. Selina immediately figured out what he was up to and shot a sharp glare at him. She hadn’t forgotten how he had toyed with her using Peytra’s bloodline suppression back then.
Roel could only laugh awkwardly in response.
“Cough. Miss Selina, it’s joyous news that you’re now able to control your bloodline, even if just to a limited extent. I’m earnestly happy for you.”
“Hmph. Trying to act prim and proper now?”
“Don’t say that. Feel free to look for me if you ever face any difficulties with your bloodline. In some ways, you’re the descendant of my companion. I’m glad that you’re liberated from the restraints of your bloodline.”
“… Mm, alright. T-thanks.”
It took quite a bit of effort for Selina to mutter her thanks under Roel’s earnest gaze.
For a moment, it looked like something had moved in her hair, but before Roel could take a closer look, the young lady had already ran off with a reddened face.
T-that is!
Roel quickly tracked the profile of the escaping Selina with his eyes, but before he could take a closer look, his vision was blocked by a towering human wall. He recoiled in shock before slowly raising his gaze. It was Kurt.
“Kurt? Is something the matter?”
“Well, about that…”
The towering man looked at Roel hesitantly, uncertain of how he should approach the topic. He remained in a dilemma for a long while before he finally lowered his head and apologized.
“Mister Roel, I’d like to ask for your forgiveness for my ignorant remarks regarding Lord Grandar.”
“Ah, you’re talking about that matter. Didn’t we already reconcile after our fight?”
“I lost consciousness before I could properly apologize to you. I wanted to make up for that.”
“I see…”
Roel was surprised. He had thought that Kurt was a rude oaf due to their unpleasant first encounter, but it looked like his perception of the latter was mistaken. It would be much more appropriate to describe Kurt as an inflexible academic instead.
In their following conversation, he learned the reason behind Kurt’s sudden change in attitude. It turned out that the crimson plain manifested by Grandar was a land of glory, where the souls of respected warriors of the giant race rested in the afterlife.
Only a Sovereign acknowledged by the giant race would receive such resounding cheers in that place. Naturally, this meant that Grandar couldn’t possibly be a Fallen, thus disproving the historical records of the Gustav House.
That had plunged Roel into deep thoughts. He had no idea whether there was a mistake with the Gustavs’ records or not, but Grandar had been a little different since that battle. He had a feeling that Grandar had recalled something, but he chose not to ask about it since he believed that the latter would talk about it on his own accord once he was ready.
“I’ll inform my clan about this when I return for the holidays. I’ll try my best to right Lord Grandar’s name as soon as possible.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Tell me if you need any help. Our goals most certainly coincide on this matter.”
Roel was gladdened to have resolved this issue.
There were many others who had witnessed his fight with Kurt, so there were plenty of eye-witnesses who could testify to what Kurt saw. The circumstantial evidence should be enough to plant a seed of doubt in the Gustavs.
As for what the truth was, that would have to wait till Grandar was finally willing to talk about what he had remembered.
After bidding Kurt farewell, Roel heaved a sigh of relief and prepared to head off. Before he could turn around, someone grabbed his sleeve and stopped him. Following that, a familiar notebook appeared right in front of him.
