Chapter 75

<074. Romantic>

The Jefrin Public Department!

An enormous campus. Countless buildings. And a dormitory area capable of accommodating 40,000 people!

Most freshmen are awestruck by the sheer size of this academy compared to their hometowns.

Such a world exists!

My hometown is truly narrow and small!

This is Jefrin, the pinnacle of global education! A breeding ground for talents that dominate the entire continent!

Here, freshmen can choose between the Knight and Magic departments and are diligent in their studies every day!

Surrounded by tens of thousands of peers, all of whom are friends and rivals!

However, after just two months, freshmen realize:

Everything is great.

Everything is great, but...

There's no time to play at all.

In fact, considering the average age of Jefrin's first-year students is sixteen, it's a time when they really want to play.

At an age when they would find it fun to just pick fruits from the trees in the neighborhood forest, the 24-hour boarding system of the academy is incredibly boring.

So, the first-year students, who initially marveled at Jefrin's grandeur, soon realize how utterly dull the pattern of class-meal-class-return-self-training-sleep is, and come to accept that they have no freedom.

However, humans always find a way to play.

During their rookie days when they couldn't bring any toys, the most fun game was right next to them.

That game was called 'Rumor.'

There are many first-year students.

Each class has 80 students, and there are 50 classes spread across 10 buildings.

Even if they are very close in the dormitory, if they attend different classes, they will naturally be in different classes, which can be a bit disappointing. However, thinking about it, rumors like "someone in Class 1 did something amazing in swordsmanship" or "Class 7 has a future ace in the Magic Department" circulate through the dormitories.

Every day, they receive information from their peers in the dormitory, create rumors, inflate them, and turn them into gossip.

And within this, celebrities are born.

Among those who are now second-year students, there are celebrities from their first-year days.

For example, 'The Light of the Future,' 'Our Hero,' 'The Princess in Myth,' Yve von Loengrin, and

'The Belief of All,' 'Recognized by All First-Year Students,' 'The Best Friend,' 'Dear My Friend,' Nefterian.

As you can see, those who achieve good grades in class or are expected to be the top or second in the year often rise to the position of 'celebrities chosen by students.'

However, this year was a bit different.

The main rumor among first-year students was the top student's disqualification.

Kelters, a commoner who entered as the top student, was disqualified for not meeting the criteria, and the question of who would be the next top student became a hot topic among first-year students.

And... the duel challenge by Milmea von Sabre.

The Sabre family. They are mainly cattle farmers in the grasslands at the eastern end, a noble family that is close to their subjects and has a very long history, but not much else to boast about.

However, the eldest daughter of that family, Milmea von Sabre, had a completely different and bold approach that was entirely separate from her background.

Her initial image in the class was that of a lucky underdog.

When the top student, Kelters, was absent due to personal reasons, it was thought that she would win by default and earn credits. However, it seemed that her luck had run out, and a rematch was arranged.

Everyone expected Milmea to be thoroughly defeated, but an unexpected event occurred.

Just as the top student was about to switch to a magical attack, she lunged in and delivered a clean blow.

After that, Milmea's reputation among the first-year students, especially among the underdogs, gained momentum.

Rumors that she was a member of the former student council president's faction, the 'W.R. (Wolfram cRew),' began to circulate.

And in her duel with the second-in-command, she set up a member of W.R. as the witness, proving her connection to the group.

Milmea, who applied for a duel with the second-in-command and belonged to the most mysterious and dangerous faction in the 300-year history of Jefrin Academy.

Now, all eyes of the first-year students were on the pink chick.

How much of it was true, and how much was false?

Was she really connected to Wolfram von Loengrin's faction?

All these questions were amplified on the day of the duel when Wolfram and his companions arrived on a black giant, along with their core members.

***

A weekend morning.

I decided to attend Milmea's duel as a witness.

"Let's go if you're ready. Go, Partas."

"Hmm. I understand."

"Ah, senpai! Did you bring snacks?"

"Oh, Wolfram. Are you going?"

The carriage was as noisy as a bus full of kids on a field trip. Originally, it was made to accommodate about ten more people in two carriages, but if we did that, it wouldn't be a field trip, would it?

I sat at the front, and Ayla was right next to me.

"Hmm. This regular service is really good. It's called the Wolf Carriage, right?"

"Hmm."

"Is this the beginning of the train plan Wolfram talked about?"

"…Yes. I keep improving it. Making the armor thicker, painting it darker, or making it bigger."

"Really amazing and impressive modifications! The craftsmen of the family are very happy with the progress in handling madongseok and golem cores."

"Hmm. They've developed enough to attach a small engine using madongseok."

"Yes! It will develop even more. But why did you focus on defense?"

Although it has only been a few days since it was assembled, the Wolf Carriage has undergone many changes.

I ordered processed metal from the Trista family and started assembling it with Partas's strength. To be honest, … I've almost given up on speed and focused only on durability and size.

"This train will eventually go outside. …And going outside means that there will be times when it has to defend against monster attacks with just the train."

"…Yes. If it travels between borders or territories, there will be monster attacks."

"That's what the modifications are for."

Of course, it's overly large and overly impressive. Covered in black iron plates, with spikes protruding everywhere, and the sound of magical power is incredibly loud. Even I think this black carriage is pretty cool.

"Isn't the name Wolf Carriage a bit lacking?"

"Do you have a better idea?"

"Black King. How about it?"

"Hmm."

What is that?

Not like a villain from the end of the world.

Really...

"I like it. From today, this will be the Black King."

"I knew Wolfram would understand!"

It's pretty cool.

***

In a duel, it is a rule that the witness must attend and add dignity to the event.

Since the witness is the backer of the parties and the duel can lead to retaliation or dissatisfaction, they usually choose someone of higher rank. However, the witness Milmea von Sabre chose was of an exceptionally high rank.

Wolfram von Loengrin is coming as the witness!

This fact ignited the hearts of the first-year students.

To the first-year students, the most dangerous, most mysterious, and most admired faction.

The 'villains' led by the former student council president, who rebelled against the current system, were objects of admiration, envy, and reverence.

"…Ah. That's it."

"…Ugh. Ugh. Ugh…!"

The first-year students who gathered in the training ground in small groups could not control their shivers.

The strong magical power dominated the surroundings and brought pressure to the minds of all those with magical power.

And that enormous, monstrous carriage.

Or rather, I'm not sure if it should be called a carriage. That giant emitted a magical power wave that was too strong for the young students to withstand.

Squeak. The carriage stopped, the door opened automatically, and the figures inside began to appear one by one.

"Hmm. The Black King is really comfortable! Isn't it?"

"Hmm… A vehicle like this would be convenient in Rudica's hometown."

"My hometown… I'm not sure where to put it."

Madongseok. The Dagger of the Abyss. The Knight of Belief.

The legends of the upper class, none of whom can be overlooked.

The first-year students nearby dared not even look at them, bowing their heads deeply, while those at the back trembled with the magical power.

And the person everyone was looking forward to appeared.

Next to him, a man in a black uniform with a wolf.

His brilliant golden hair and sharp blue eyes clearly indicated his direct royal lineage.

With a cold, expressionless face, he was the iron-blooded ruler.

Despite being deposed, he became an even more fearsome figure.

Wolfram von Loengrin appeared in the public department.

Amidst the trembling and bowing first-year students, only one approached them.

With a pure and gentle smile, she naturally spoke to the most feared man.

"Senpai Wolfram. You came."

"Hmm. You said there was a duel today. As a witness, it's natural to come."

"I'm sorry for the trouble. But I couldn't think of anyone else to be the witness."

"Oh, Piyak. It's fine to cause a little trouble anytime."

"…Hehe. Thank you, Sen