Chapter 25

"That's right. In Korea, there's a culture where girlfriends make and give their boyfriends a kimbap lunch box."

Bella says in a calm voice.

Olivia's face turns bright red up to her ears.

"That kind of unnecessary talk is not needed!!!"

Olivia closes her eyes and shouts loudly.

"Being lovers is out of the question. I can't even imagine it. A shameless commoner and a noble princess of France dating...! It's impossible until the end of the universe!! I'll have France turned upside down!!"

It's absurd.

Even though she acknowledged him.

Sometimes, she sees her brother's figure overlapping with his...

"Anyway, no. It's completely wrong!"

Olivia shakes her head.

It must never happen.

She places her hand on her chest and takes a deep breath.

"Never talk about such nonsense again! Bella!"

Olivia, who is hugging a pillow like a doll, looks at Bella with teary eyes and says,

"Understood, Princess. So, how will you decide the menu?"

Back to the menu.

Olivia tightens her lips.

She buries her chin in the pillow she is hugging.

"Ughhhhh..."

Olivia groans.

Her pretty eyebrows furrow.

No matter how she thinks, she can't come up with a good idea.

"Then, how about kimbap? In Korea, it's a popular lunch box menu that is often exchanged not only between lovers but also among family and friends."

"You should have said that earlier!!"

Olivia glares.

She mutters softly.

"I worried for nothing. I was afraid of causing some unnecessary misunderstanding... Ugh... "

Olivia's cheeks turn red.

"Then, I'll decide on kimbap."

"Do as you please, Bella. Hmph."

Olivia's harsh reply makes Bella laugh.

Olivia, who has buried her face in the pillow, searches for kimbap on her phone.

'What kind of food is kimbap, anyway?'

Her gaze is fixed on the kimbap photo on her phone.

Bella, watching her, smiles quietly.

*

What nonsense.

She shakes her head to clear her mind of unnecessary thoughts.

With each day since her enrollment being spectacular, she feels her idle thoughts have only increased.

She takes out her phone and sends a text to Han Seojin.

[Did you call me, candidate?]

As always, a quick reply comes.

[I have a favor to ask.]

[Please tell me.]

[Olivia and I are going to a cherry blossom viewing. I want you to spread this rumor within the academy. That we're going to Inokashira Park to see the cherry blossoms. Is that possible?]

Nishizawa Eri.

To catch her, a rumor is needed.

Specifically, a rumor that Olivia and I are going to a cherry blossom viewing.

When she hears this, Nishizawa Eri will surely follow me.

It means one more person to deal with Gate and Virtue.

The more power, the better.

Because it means less work for me.

'Let's see how they all roll.'

I can't be the only one to suffer.

The others should roll in the mud fairly as well.

[It's entirely possible. Trust me.]

[You also come as a guard. Stay far, not close, like a shadow.]

[Understood. It's an honor, candidate!]

After reading Han Seojin's last message, I put my phone away.

The pieces are all in place.

All that's left is the duel with Shinazaki Rin and the cherry blossom viewing.

Again, he does it.

Shuei Hero Academy.

Main Arena.

At the top of the giant circular stadium, which resembles a soccer field, is the Sky Lounge.

A special seat where only the academy's distinguished guests can sit, with a clear view of the students' sparring matches.

A man enters the lounge, which is equipped with high-end sofas, a wine cooler, and various beverages.

A middle-aged handsome man with green hair and melancholic eyes.

The president of the Japanese Hero Association, Kenkai Shinazaki Ichiro.

A seductive voice whispers in his ear.

"It's been a while, Ichiro."

Ichiro's gaze turns to the source of the voice.

There, a girl is sitting.

A young girl, around 15 years old, wearing a black gothic lolita dress, a frilly headband, and holding a black lace umbrella in her left hand.

Her face is adorned with a seductive smile that doesn't match her youthful appearance.

Her white hair sways.

Her blood-red eyes fixate on Ichiro.

Ichiro bows respectfully to the white-haired, red-eyed girl.

"Have you been well, President?"

"This body has rarely been well since that day ten years ago. Did you know this and say it?"

The white-haired girl, the president of Shuei Hero Academy.

'Snow Queen' Yoshizaki Seira.

The only surviving member of the Five Crowns, her gaze sweeps over Ichiro.

She takes a sip of wine from the glass in her right hand.

Though she appears to be in her teens, Seira is actually over 60 years old.

In front of the ancient monster who has lived since before the Great Disaster, even the great Shinazaki Ichiro cannot act rashly.

"That was not my intention. I apologize."

To Ichiro, ten years ago is almost a taboo word.

That day, she was betrayed by a disciple she cherished and trusted like a child, nearly dying.

The reason Seira has the appearance of a 15-year-old girl is because she hasn't fully recovered her peak powers due to the trauma from that day.

"It was a joke. Come and sit."

"Yes, President."

Ichiro takes his seat.

The plush, high-end sofa envelops his back.

Seira flicks her fingers, and the black lace umbrella in her hand floats in the air.

With her hands free, Seira fills the wine glass in front of him.

"Drink."

"Thank you, President."

Ichiro drinks the wine.

The hot alcohol fills his stomach.

"So, what wind brought you here today? I had to come here myself because of your request to observe the match."

Seira clicks her tongue.

"Tsk. These young people these days, they don't know how to respect their elders."

She rarely shows her face at the academy except for important events.

There's no reason for her to observe a mere first-year sparring class.

Of course, there are external observers for the first-year class.

Shuei Hero Academy is Japan's top, world-class prestigious hero academy.

Scouts from numerous defense companies and clans around the world are currently watching from the stands to assess the first-year students' skills.

But it's unprecedented for the president of the Japanese Hero Association to personally attend.

She had to step in to match the status of the observer.

"I apologize."

"Hah, it's spilled milk now. Just answer my question. Is it for your daughter? Or Akira's son? Or both?"

"I'm not sure."

Ichiro bursts into a hollow laugh at the sight of Seira casually mentioning the name of the great hero of Japan, the Sword Saint, whom he admired and hated all his life.

"I'll just call it a whim."

"Honest, aren't you?"

Seira clicks her tongue and sips her wine.

She presses a button on the remote control on the desk.

"Akira's son's match just started."

Click.

The large monitor in the lounge turns on.

A scene of a blond thug with a pistol, Ishihara, and a black-haired young man with a katana, Kurosawa Yuji, facing off appears.

"Who do you think will win?"

Seira asks Ichiro.

Ichiro closes his eyes.

"If he loses to a mere nouveau riche thug, he doesn't deserve to call himself the son of the leader of the Five Crowns, the Sword Saint Kurosawa Akira."

To Ichiro, the Sword Saint, Kurosawa Akira, was such a figure.

A sky above the sky, unreachable no matter how hard he tried.

An unbreakable wall he couldn't overcome, no matter how many times he tried.

It irked Ichiro that the only surviving heir of such a great hero was merely an F-rank.

"Akira's son will win."

"Think what you will."

Considering that Shinazaki Rin has defeated her, she has potential.

But she hasn't reached the level to call herself the daughter of the Sword Saint.

Ichiro cannot yet recognize her as the successor of the Kurosawa Shinken-ryu.

He cannot yet accept a world overshadowed by the Kurosawa name.

'The Sword Saint was a great man, but a star that has already fallen. I must erase all his shadows from the world.'

The future will be the era of the Shinazaki clan.

Ichiro vowed this.

It was the last desperate act of a second-in-command who could never surpass the Sword Saint, whom he admired and hated.

"The match is over. Akira's son won."

Ichiro's eyes open.

His eyebrows twitch.

"The next match... is between your daughter and the Korean student. I heard a lot is at stake in this match. Is that okay?"

"It's just the recklessness of the young. I don't care much."

"Hmm, is that so? Even with the Togezas at stake?"

Seira asks with a playful, seductive smile.

Togezas.

Ichiro has heard such reports about Shinazaki Rin.

Though she is an adopted daughter, she is still a member of the Shinazaki clan.

If she loses a match with the Togezas at stake, it will damage the clan's prestige.

But.