Chapter 276: Adel Sylvain D’Aubermont [2]

Chapter 275

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Episode 72 - Adel Sylvain D’Aubermont [2]

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Clana rose in surprise at the Prophet’s sudden appearance.

Her bright emerald eyes (Note: golden → Emerald) settled on the man standing before her.

"Have you enjoyed your stay in the Preserver Islands?"

The Prophet asked her again, causing Clana to quickly compose herself and put on a serious expression.

"Yes, this place is... very beautiful, although it isn’t that big."

Normally, Clana wasn’t an overly prideful person, nor did she have a particularly large ego.

However, in front of the Prophet, she felt the need to respond that way.

It was simply a way of teasing him.

Clana didn’t know that the Prophet could easily see through her intentions. For his part, he let out a soft laugh.

"Haha, so you liked this place."

"......."

"That isn’t what I said. I only said it was beautiful, and that’s all."

"Mhm, that’s basically admitting that you loved this place, isn’t it?"

"......."

Clana couldn’t help but refute his words.

To be honest, the Preserver Islands weren’t simply a place that had everything.

There were also things Clana had never seen before.

The Mana was strangely dense, the air was different, and the atmosphere was pleasant in a way that was difficult to explain.

So far, every place she had visited had felt pleasant to her.

And if anyone ever said they didn’t enjoy exploring the Preserver Islands, Clana would probably punch them in the face.

’Ugh, but it annoys me to admit it in front of this guy.’

It was strange, considering this was only the second time she had met the Prophet face-to-face since what happened in Black City.

"Then I hope you enjoy the rest of your day."

The Prophet turned around, but Clana naturally had no intention of letting him leave so easily.

"Hey, wait a second."

The Prophet stopped and turned back toward her.

"Yes, what do you need, Princess?"

"What do you mean by enjoy the rest of the day? Are you kicking me out or something?"

The Prophet looked confused for a second before waving his hands in denial.

"No, that’s not what I meant. The Academic Exchange begins tomorrow and will take place over the next three weeks."

"......."

’I forgot there was something like this.’

Clana felt embarrassed internally when she realized she had forgotten something so important.

The Academic Exchange was held every three years, and missing the opportunity to participate, especially for someone like Clana, wasn’t a good idea.

Of course, she wasn’t interested in the prizes or anything like that.

There was another reason behind her interest.

"Looks like you forgot."

Clana snapped out of her thoughts and quickly denied the Prophet’s words.

"No, of course not... How could I forget something important? I think you’re overthinking it."

However, the Prophet simply stared at her in silence with his arms crossed.

"......"

It was obvious that he didn’t believe her.

And no matter what excuse she used, he seemed determined not to believe her.

"If that’s all you wanted to ask, then I’ll be leaving."

The Prophet was about to leave, but Clana stopped him again.

"No, wait, wait. I want to know something."

The Prophet studied her carefully before asking:

"And that is...?"

"You said you’d always save me if I were ever in danger, right?"

"That is correct."

"Then my question is... Why do you do this?"

The Prophet remained silent for a few moments, as if carefully considering his answer.

However, it didn’t take him long to respond.

"The Emperor will die one year after your graduation from the Holy Academy, and according to the future, the Crown Prince will kill you."

"......!?"

Clana’s thoughts came to a halt for a moment.

Die...

The thought flashed through her mind like lightning.

’I’ll die at the hands of that damn bastard.’

Clana remained silent, staring at the Prophet as he continued explaining:

"The Crown Prince will become the next Emperor, and since he is allied with the Black Dawn Church, the entire Holy Empire of Ordeal will fall under the Black Dawn Church’s control."

"However, if I prevent that future, there is a future in which you become the Empress. My objective with you is to change the future in which the Crown Prince becomes Emperor. That answers your question."

"......."

Rather than simply answering her question, the Prophet’s explanation actually answered many of the doubts that had been lingering in Clana’s mind for a long time.

Clana sank into her thoughts.

If everything the Prophet had said was really going to happen, then...

’I have to prevent it at all costs.’

Clana raised her gaze toward the Prophet and, after thinking for a few seconds, spoke:

"If you’re going to change that future, then..."

"Don’t worry. I already have the plans prepared. We simply have to wait for the right moment, and I’ll put my plans into action."

Clana was pleasantly surprised by his words.

’He already has it planned.’

Perhaps it was actually quite normal.

If the man standing before her could truly see the future, then he had probably already prepared a plan to change it.

And considering his ability to predict what would happen, it was probably a highly detailed plan designed to account for any possible failure or unexpected anomaly.

"Then I’ll be going. See you soon, Princess Clana."

This time, Clana didn’t stop him.

The Prophet left, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

Her mind was racing faster than ever as she tried to imagine what would happen the day after the Emperor’s death.

She had spent years preparing herself to become Empress and prevent her brother from becoming the next Emperor.

But if everything she had planned ultimately led to her death...

It was only natural that she would become lost in her thoughts.

"Ah, and there’s something I want to tell you."

Suddenly, the Prophet stopped and addressed Clana:

"During this Academic Exchange between the two Academies, the villains will make their move on the final day, so make sure you avoid any danger."

Without offering any further explanation, the Prophet simply disappeared from Clana’s sight.

’An attack on the final day of the Academic Exchange.’

Clana frowned, her expression becoming completely serious.

The Academic Exchange was important not only to her, but also to the high-ranking nobles.

After all, it wasn’t simply a competition between two Academies.

Politics, connections, and, above all, the relationships between the successors of each Noble House were also at stake.

---

After walking around for a while, I returned to the Island where the temple was located.

In fact, the place was also known as the Prophet’s Temple, although at first glance, it looked more like an extraordinarily large mansion.

Zas!

As I stepped into the Teleportation Circle, I returned to the temple.

The day was coming to an end after I had wandered around the Islands a couple of times and eaten sandwiches whenever I found a different one.

At that moment, I had a cup of coffee in my hand, and I took a sip as I walked down the halls.

When I reached the end of a hallway, with another corridor branching off to the left, I was about to turn when, suddenly...

"....."

"......"

A pair of pale pink eyes appeared in my path.

It was none other than Rinna.

Since that day, she hadn’t left the Preserver Islands.

And since the Academic Exchange would begin tomorrow, I told her:

"Weren’t you supposed to return to the Academy tomorrow..."

However, before I could finish my sentence, Rinna walked around me and hurried away down the hallway, her steps quick yet somewhat clumsy.

".......!"

I remained silent as I "watched" her back quickly disappear down the long hallway.

Honestly, her reaction didn’t surprise me.

Ever since the day I regained consciousness after coming close to death and tried to ease Rinna’s guilt, she had started avoiding me whenever our paths crossed.

And that had continued over the following days.

Even now.

"Aah, I didn’t want to use it, but..."

At that moment, my vision changed, and the Mana floating through the air took on different colors.

However, it wasn’t the Mana I was observing.

I directed my gaze toward Rinna, intending to look at her emotions.

And when I discovered the only emotion present within her, I was simply bewildered.

’Embarrassment...?’

Why was she suddenly feeling embarrassed?

I stared at that emotion in obvious confusion.

I didn’t understand why she was avoiding me, only for her to suddenly feel embarrassed the next second.

"..."

’Mhm, whatever. Maybe she’s embarrassed with herself for causing such a huge scene.’

That was my initial thought.

Without even remembering the time I had interrogated Lumina several months ago.

In any case, the day ended quickly, and the next one arrived before I knew it.

As soon as I woke up early the next morning, the System Window appeared before me.

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■| Chapter No. 4: Academic Exchange.

Category: Main Story.

Difficulty: ★★★|★★★|★★★

Description: The Holy Academy and Elvenheims Academy have always shared their knowledge and traditions with one another since the founding of both Academies. However, the Academic Exchange does not always end without incident.

∆ Time Limit: Three weeks.

∆ Reward: Unique Trait: Dark Heaven.

∆ Failure: Death of the Main Characters.

∆ Status: In Progress.

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Upon reading the Quest Window, my attention immediately focused on the reward.

It was a Unique Trait.

Judging by its name, I honestly had no idea what kind of powers it might possess.

’Since it has the word Heaven in its name, it could be related to Traits that originate from the Nine Heavens Plane.’

Traits originating from a Plane, such as the Nine Heavens Plane, tended to be unpredictable.

’On the other hand, the difficulty is the same as Chapter Three’s.’

Honestly, I wasn’t surprised.

After all, the villains this time would be exceptionally powerful.

’Well, I have everything prepared, so...’

I had prepared for Chapter Four a long time ago.

In fact, I had started preparing for it right after finishing Chapter One, Part One, at the beginning of the year.

Without further ado, I got out of bed and prepared to enter the Academy.

Since the person known as "Adel" had not only been expelled from the Academy but was also known as a villain throughout the Sacred Continent, I couldn’t enter the Holy Academy with my current appearance.

’Mhm, let’s see. My new identity is that of a First-Year cadet from Class B-2...’

As I went over the plans in my mind, I was convinced that no one would discover my true identity.

However, then something happened that I could never have imagined, not even in my wildest dreams.

I was adopted.

And not by just anyone.

But rather by Director Bernice herself.

The strongest Ten-Star Awakened in the entire world.

And the sole descendant of the Great Ancients.