Chapter 116: Chapter 116

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Translator: Vine

Chapter Title: Unyielding Azure Flame

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Unyielding Azure Flame.

Eve.

She was the one I had left in the dust at the International Solo Exhibition.

She had tried to put an end to my Ancient Dragon's Remnant during the solo exhibition.

But after a spectacular blaze with Isabel in the Round of 64, I was apprehended.

From her perspective, it couldn't have been more absurd.

'Considering the image I'd projected to Eve all this time.'

It was a clear provocation.

A deception, implying that no matter what she did, I would effortlessly slip away.

Enraged by my provocation, she fought fiercely throughout the solo exhibition.

And in the end, she fought her way up to secure second place.

Then came the awards ceremony.

There, she announced her intention to transfer to Jerion Academy.

Her transfer announcement was followed by a rumor.

The commotion Eve had caused during the solo exhibition.

It was concluded that the reason for the uproar was Eve's love confession.

To make matters worse, I, the person involved, had been taken away by the Imperial Family.

Throughout the solo exhibition, Eve seemed absolutely fuming.

She looked as if she were enraged that the person she loved had been captured.

As a final flourish, she declared at the awards ceremony that she would transfer to Jerion Academy.

People didn't know the truth.

So everyone interpreted it as they pleased.

That Eve was so hopelessly lovesick, she would even go abroad to study, just to chase after love.

'I wonder if she regrets it now.'

She might be blaming herself for making a rash decision, blinded by her intense emotions.

She might even be huffing and puffing, wondering why things turned out this way.

Of course, from my perspective, it was all intentional.

'It couldn't have been just because of me, though.'

Her Azure Flame is extremely sensitive to evil.

The opponent she faced in this final match was Iris.

Originally, according to the main storyline, Eve wouldn't have noticed the power of the Evil Lord emanating from Iris.

After Nikita's incident in Act 3.

Lucas, realizing he could truly suppress Iris's nightmares with the Flame of Fighting Spirit, stays by her side.

The Flame of Fighting Spirit melts away Iris's nightmares, and the Evil Lord's power gradually diminishes.

This further strengthens Lucas and Iris's relationship.

As a result, even if Eve were to compete against Iris, she wouldn't notice anything unusual.

However, this International Solo Exhibition was different from the original storyline.

When she clashed with Iris in the finals, she must have realized.

The power of the Evil Lord residing within her.

That this power was inadvertently leaking out.

'She must have realized that something was wrong with Iris.'

Following her instincts, she would have sensed that her Azure Flame could suppress it.

That's why Eve made her declaration after the finals.

Since Iris, the Third Imperial Princess of the Empire, couldn't come to the fallen kingdom of Prelize, she decided she would go instead.

'Anyway.'

The act of just doing something if it means helping.

Even in a side story, it's a protagonist-like action.

For me, who was scrambling to stick to the main plot, it was an impossible path to follow.

Jerion Academy would welcome Eve's transfer more than anyone.

Although Ordo, the academy in Prelize, would strongly protest, Eve is a commoner, not a noble.

Ironically, her commoner status made it difficult to bind her by rules.

Because she had no obligation to be responsible for Ordo Academy.

'More than anything, the students at Ordo don't exactly like Eve.'

They would actively welcome Eve's departure.

It was only natural, as these were people who believed their own achievements had been overshadowed by Eve's.

So, ultimately, Eve's transfer would be confirmed the moment she declared it.

'This somehow covers Lucas's absence.'

Even a twisted main plot had begun to progress as the main plot.

'The immediate problem is...'

It must be the Vinesha issue, of course.

She's a figure connected to Grantony of the Special Studies Department.

And she's also a mid-boss level character for this Act 4.

'Besides, Vinesha's real problem is something else.'

That is, Vinesha is affiliated with the Mysticism.

Vinesha serves as a stepping stone for the scenario after Act 4.

'Because the Mysticism is where Lucas obtains the Veil Bandages from Vinesha and infiltrates.'

During the winter break after Act 4.

During that time, Lucas infiltrates the Mysticism and gathers various information.

In the process, he officially enters Act 5.

Additionally, Lucas loses his ability to love as a consequence of overusing the Veil Bandages.

So, I had expected this to happen ever since I stole the Veil Bandages from her.

But I never imagined that the relationships surrounding me would become such an obstacle.

'Even if the romance with Hania was somehow resolved.'

I truly never even considered that I would become engaged to Sharin.

Why are the stakes of these relationships getting higher and higher?

Is this really something I brought upon myself?

For me, who had struggled to follow the main plot, I felt complicated emotions in many ways.

"Hanon."

At that moment, a voice reached my ears.

Following the familiar voice, I turned my head, and there, black hair fluttered.

It was beautiful black hair, though I say it myself.

That is, if the ruby-colored eyes revealed beneath the flowing black hair weren't so emotionless.

"Why did you proceed with the engagement without telling me?"

The Third Imperial Princess.

Iris Hysirion.

Now, after afternoon classes had ended.

I was being interrogated by her about the engagement.

Hania, standing behind Iris, quietly sighed.

She already knew this would happen.

Seron tried to talk to me but then saw Iris's mood and bolted.

I'd definitely flick her forehead later.

"Princess Iris, this engagement was something I didn't anticipate either."

I honestly confessed to Iris.

There was no intention of mine involved in this engagement.

It was merely a temporary measure taken by the Azure Archmage to keep me alive.

It was a problem I hadn't expected at all.

"Was the engagement forced?"

"Not exactly, but there were reasons I couldn't entirely refuse."

Iris's eyebrows furrowed slightly.

It was a habit she sometimes had when faced with a situation she didn't like.

"It's because of the Ancient Dragon's magic, isn't it?"

I understood why Iris was upset.

I had faced Nikita, who possessed the Ancient Dragon's magic.

Although I had asked to join her team.

From Iris's perspective, she thought I had faced Nikita because of her.

After the Nikita incident ended, it somehow fizzled out.

Iris must have seen it as me having been branded by the Ancient Dragon's magic due to that battle, and struggling to prevent it.

And all this, without revealing any of it to Iris.

Iris is a person with a strong sense of responsibility.

Her silent ascent to the imperial throne, despite her dissatisfaction, isn't solely because of Duke Robliaj.

She has taken on the responsibility herself, for those who support her and genuinely wish for her to become Empress.

For someone like her, I didn't need to ponder long to know what she must have thought on the day I wielded the Ancient Dragon's magic.

"Hanon."

Iris had somehow approached me.

She gracefully raised her hands and firmly gripped both my cheeks.

"I don't dislike people who care for me."

A deep warning flickered in her red eyes.

"But I hate it when things that happen because you're trying to help me are kept a secret."

Iris began to knead my cheeks, pressing them this way and that.

I felt her firm resolve that if it happened again, she'd just pop me.

"Do you understand?"

"Yes, Princess Iris."

Although it was more something I brought upon myself rather than something done for Iris, I had no choice but to answer this way now.

Iris released my cheeks with a satisfied expression.

"Sleep with me tonight."

An attachment doll again today, huh.

Iris said that, then turned sharply and walked away.

As I massaged my cheeks, Hania subtly approached.

"She may seem like that, but she was really worried. Don't worry Princess Iris anymore in the future."

"I won't."

"It's a shame for an ex-girlfriend when her ex-boyfriend gets scolded too much."

"Thanks for the advice, ex-girlfriend."

Hania also left, following Iris.

What a hassle this unexpected engagement has turned into.

It was a headache-inducing day in many ways.

***

Time always flies.

After receiving worried calls and greetings from acquaintances about being taken away due to the Ancient Dragon's magic, a week had already flown by.

It struck me anew that I had built relationships with so many people.

That meant I had deeply infiltrated their daily lives.

Apart from that routine, a rumor began to spread rapidly within the academy.

The rumor's subject was none other than my engagement to Sharin.

I had just recently been dating Hania.

So, with the sudden news of my engagement to Sharin, Jerion Academy was in absolute chaos.

I, who was infamous for my notoriety at school, had consecutive incidents involving the most beautiful girls in the province.

It would have been strange if it hadn't caused a commotion.

Amidst those rumors.

"I broke up with him first."

Hania made a very clean exit.

My infamy was already as high as it could get.

So, everyone seemed to understand why she had dumped me.

The problem was the rumor that followed.

"That guy always has women around him."

"Right. I've never seen him without a girl."

"Then, just how dissolutely does he live?"

"He lives so dissolutely, yet women never stop flocking to him. What on earth does he have? Could it be..."

"Card keeps calling him 'Wangnon'."

"Damn it, I'm jealous."

In an instant, I had become a notoriously dissolute figure.

'Are they idiots?'

Just think about the women I've been involved with.

Which one of them would dare to live a dissolute life?

Every single one of them, by status and personality, wasn't the type for such things.

It felt like now, they were just attaching anything to insult me.

'Well, I did bring this all upon myself, but...'

I'd feel less wronged if I had at least lived up to the "dissolute" label.

The peak of my debauchery was nothing more than Seron's surprise cheek kiss.

"By the way, are you okay?"

"About what?"

I asked Seron, who was diligently eating lunch in front of me.

There was tomato sauce near Seron's lips, as if she planned to eat it later at the dorm.

"You have tomato sauce on you."

"Oh, thanks."

Seron wiped the tomato sauce off in front of me, completely unconcerned.

She seemed to be embarrassed by other things, but not this.

"About me getting engaged to Sharin."

"That?"

Seron took a bite of meat, a blissful expression on her face.

"It's just an engagement, anyway."

My head tilted.

What did she mean by that?

"I'm the one marrying Prince Sweet Potato."

This crazy girl.

Seron's face turned beet red, as if she knew what she had said was embarrassing.

And then she sucked on her fork, humming through her nose as if feigning innocence.

Seron was becoming more and more a sight to behold.

"You're engaged to Lyn, I hear."

After that, during morning training, Isabel also brought up the engagement.

I worried she might react like Hania did, but Isabel just gave a short laugh.

"It's the same as with Hania. I know that much."

Isabel didn't think for a moment that I would genuinely get engaged to Sharin.

"Well, you said it yourself, didn't you? That you wouldn't get into a relationship."

"An engagement seems different, though."

"It might be different. But it's still you."

Isabel said that, then ran ahead of me.

"Because if you genuinely liked someone, I think it would be incredibly obvious."

I don't know what she's talking about, since she's never seen me like anyone.

Unfortunately, thanks to the Veil Bandages, I had already lost the ability to love in the first place.

'Everyone's surprisingly quick to understand my engagement, albeit in a strange way.'

It was truly baffling.

In addition to that, another rumor started.

It was about Vinesha, the newly appointed Associate Professor of Magitech.

Her outstanding beauty instantly made her a hot topic among students.

Moreover, her cheerful personality made everyone like Vinesha.

And that's where the problem arose.

"Darling, I brought you lunch!"

"Darling, you've worked hard today!"

"Darling, this maiden has brought you a snack!"

Vinesha started appearing everywhere.

And every time she appeared, the students' gazes grew increasingly strange.

Vinesha is an Associate Professor of Magitech.

It was only natural, as an associate professor was clinging to a single student.

Generally, an associate professor clinging to a student would be criticized.

However, the problem was that the associate professor was clinging to *me*.

The one with the worst reputation in Jerion Academy.

Who is that?

That's me.

Rival, Isabel Luna

Crush, Seron Parmia

Attachment Doll, Iris Hysirion

Ex-girlfriend, Hania Lepiddaia

Fiancée, Sharin Sazaris

Fake Crush, Eve

Affair Partner, Associate Professor Vinesha

By anyone's standards, it was an impressive track record.

"Hanon Airey."

And consequently.

"I hear you've been corrupting the academy's moral atmosphere lately. What do you have to say about that?"

I even ended up having a private interview with Professor Veganon.

I feel like crying from the injustice.

I'd rather get cursed at after actually doing something.