All-Master Player Of The Academy [EN]: Chapter 225

113. The Resistors – 1

The soldiers frowned.

After all, this was the man who had fought not only the Imperial Prince but also the students of the Imperial Academy.

Therefore, they had to arrest him immediately.

As they raised their weapons, Ian said calmly, “I am Ian Brandon.”

“……Huh!!”

The Dragon Shield Knights had issued an order earlier.

Ian, the Count of the Scarlet Kingdom, had entered the capital.

They had heard he was going to the Imperial Academy, but they didn’t expect him to be here.

The soldiers hesitated, then cautiously stepped back.

Seeing this, the Imperial Academy students and Otal gnashed their teeth.

“Still not loosening your expressions?”

“Huk.”

“Why? Do you want to order them to capture me right now? You’re welcome to try.”

“Kuh…….”

“You think I’d be afraid of taking your heads when I even broke through the Imperial Gate?”

Ian grinned and moved his hand to the sword hilt.

It was Charles who stopped him.

“Stop! Stop it! All of you!! Take Otal away! Now!”

“Tsk.”

The moment they grabbed Otal, Ian gripped his sword hilt.

Everyone’s face turned pale at the sight.

“It’s fine to leave, but shouldn’t you at least offer a word of thanks?”

“Wh-what?”

“She saved your lives, you know.”

Then he grabbed Charles’s shoulder.

They bit their lips slightly.

Having to bow their heads to someone they usually treated with near contempt.

It was quite a blow to their pride.

But the person in front of them was not someone they could simply ignore because of pride.

In the end, they slightly bowed their heads to Charles.

“Th-thank you, Princess.”

But was it because of their pride?

Eventually, one of the students spoke sullenly.

“……Even though it wasn’t her own power.”

Charles’s expression darkened at those words.

She knew that the reason they were offering thanks was because of Ian.

It was merely a single instance of borrowing someone else’s authority.

Without even looking at Charles, who was lamenting about it, Ian lightly waved his hand.

The internal energy moved, and the grumbling boy was knocked back into the wall.

-Thud!!

“Kuh-uh-uh!!”

“As if he doesn’t borrow authority himself.”

“Y-you… Count Ian……!!”

“Why? What? Got something to say?”

He looked at Ian with a gaze full of humiliation.

But that was all.

In the end, he chose to yield and averted his gaze from Ian’s cold eyes.

As they fled, the soldiers also saluted Ian and retreated.

Looking around at the surroundings that had become quiet in an instant, he picked up Myaene.

“Why did you come here? Were you hungry?”

“Myaa~.”

“When are you planning to speak?”

“Myaa~ Myamyaa~.”

Myaene, waving her front paws, climbed onto Ian’s shoulder.

Watching this, Charles let out a heavy sigh.

“……I showed a pathetic sight.”

“What’s so bad about that? You’re still resisting and living, aren’t you?”

“Resisting…… It’s just that there’s nothing else I can do.”

The arrogance and haughtiness from before were nowhere to be found.

As Charles muttered softly, Ian chuckled.

“But don’t give up resisting.”

“……Sometimes, I wonder what it would be like if I wasn’t a princess.”

The weight of the title of princess.

Her inability to keep up with it.

And the surrounding neglect.

Charles was still too young and weak to resist all of that.

Right now, she was enduring it with arrogance.

But it was questionable how long that would last.

“Anyway. It seems that cat is hungry, so how about having a simple meal here?”

Charles forced a bright smile and said, and Ian nodded.

After filling their stomachs simply at the cafe, the two headed straight to the Temple of the Moon.

When they arrived at the Temple of the Moon, they were told that Celestia had not yet returned.

“By the way, what promise did you make with the Saintess?”

“It’s something related to demons, so you don’t need to worry about it.”

Charles’s expression darkened.

She seemed to have taken it as if he was saying she was useless.

“I say this to everyone, so I hope you don’t think too deeply about it.”

“Ah, is that so? Hehe! Then is there anything you would like this princess to do for you?”

“Not really.”

Ian said bluntly, and she became gloomy again.

At that moment, Celestia was seen walking towards the temple with two beastkin priests.

“Oh, have you already arrived?”

“Yes.”

“And the person next to you is…… Oh my? Isn’t that Princess Charles?”

Celestia smiled brightly and greeted her.

As Charles accepted the greeting and stepped back, Celestia opened the bag she was holding.

“Could you take a look at this?”

“What is it?”

Ian glanced at the documents she had taken out of the bag.

It was a map of the capital.

Pointing to several marked areas in the outer and central districts, Celestia said seriously.

“I heard that followers of the Red Moon are increasing within the capital. These are the places where their traces remain. Of course, I went there, but there were no significant traces.”

“This is suddenly spreading?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Well, it hasn’t been many days since I started investigating, so it’s difficult for me to say anything.”

Celestia wore a troubled expression.

Charles, who was listening to their story, tilted her head.

“Red Moon?”

“Yeah. Do you know anything about it?”

“The children who spoke to me before mentioned such a story.”

“Huh?”

As Ian and Celestia looked at her, Charles hesitated.

“It was about a month ago. I was in the Imperial Academy’s library. A few kids came to me.”

At that time, she was reading a book alone in the corner.

They approached her, asking if she was bored being alone and invited her to join them.

“It was said to be a small gathering…….”

“But why didn’t you go?”

“I wasn’t close to them in the first place. And I didn’t like them because they were Otal’s followers.”

“Followers? So, one of those guys from before?”

“The one who was defeated by you earlier. He is Essir Towan, the heir of the Towan barony…… He suggested it. To go together.”

‘The connections are starting to form.’

“Is that gathering perhaps a Red Moon gathering?”

Charles nodded.

As Charles nodded in response, Ian stared at her intently.

“You’re wondering how I knew? This princess always spends time in the library. I saw it then. That child was inserting something into a book.”

So she saw it, and on that note, along with the Red Moon symbol, some unknown letters were written.

“Wow. What a coincidence! Princess Charles. Do you remember those letters?”

She nodded and quickly scribbled something down.

Celestia tilted her head as she looked at the note she showed her.

“Are there such characters?”

“It’s a script used by monsters.”

“Huh? What do you mean by that? Monsters writing? Monsters don’t use writing.”

Charles laughed and shook her head as if she couldn’t believe it.

But Ian didn’t change his expression, and Celestia also became serious.

“R-really?”

“Such things have been happening recently. Especially, there are traces of monsters having faith……. But unfortunately, I cannot interpret those characters. The priests of the main order can, so I will send it there…….”

“’A night when the moon does not rise. We hope everyone will gather as a meeting is scheduled.’”

“……Yes?”

“I can read this.”

Ian put the paper Charles gave him into his pocket.

Celestia looked at him strangely and wondered.

“How do you know?”

“It’s not a difficult script. Once you figure out the rules, you can easily interpret it.”

“You’re amazing as expected!”

Even at Fredon Academy, Ian’s knowledge was well-known.

So she just admired him, and Charles was amazed.

She thought he was just strong, but he even had that much knowledge.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Ah, no. I’m just a little envious. You are strong, and you have many talents…….”

Celestia also smiled bitterly and nodded.

Ian always says that what he does is nothing, but to others, it’s just enviable.

Even she, as a saintess, thinks he is enviable whenever she sees Ian, so how would Charles feel?

“If only this princess could be even half as strong as you…….”

“Becoming strong isn’t that difficult. The important thing is the spirit.”

“What do you mean?”

“There is nothing stronger than a strong heart that wants to resist adversity, hardship, and injustice.”

“I didn’t know you would talk about spiritualism.”

Charles muttered in disbelief, and Ian shrugged.

“Strength is easy to obtain with a little opportunity and help.”

She looked at Ian with wide eyes.

Ignoring that gaze, Ian said to Celestia.

“Since tomorrow is a night when the moon does not rise, let’s investigate one more time.”

“Then I will join you then.”

As Celestia clenched her fist and spoke, Ian shook his head.

“There’s no need for you to do that.”

After finishing the meeting with Celestia, Ian headed to the Imperial Academy.

Charles, who hadn’t said a word the whole way back, suddenly asked.

“Hey. Is what you said earlier true?”

“What? That it’s easy to gain strength? It depends on the extent, but reaching the Master level is easy.”

Since he created the potion manufacturing room at Fredon Academy, making spirit medicines is a piece of cake [very easy].

Besides, he has most of the necessary ingredients.

As Ian nodded, Charles clenched her fist tightly.

But she didn’t say anything.

She hesitated and wavered several times, but she maintained her arrogance until the end.

As if that was the only shield protecting her.

“……That must be nice.”

Desperately suppressing her desire, she forced a haughty smile.

“What’s so great about this? Anyway, thanks for the guidance.”

“Okay. Be careful going in.”

She spoke primly and entered the academy.

Shortly after she left.

The instructors of the academy rushed to greet Ian.

“Count Ian!”

“We’ve been waiting for you! Let’s go to the lab right away!”

“Isn’t the lab the problem?! We have to go to the training grounds first…….”

“The president of the academy said he wants to meet you first!!”

Quite a few people rushed to gain even a little of Ian’s power.

Facing the desire that filled their eyes, Ian nodded and said.

“First, there should be a lab here, right? I’d like to see it and then go to the dormitory.”

“Ah. Ahh. Yes. Y-yes, let’s do that.”

The instructors personally stepped forward to guide Ian.

Not only the lab but also the library and other facilities in the training ground.

After showing him various things, the last place they went was the Imperial Academy’s dormitory, where the students of Fredon Academy would stay.

Arriving in front of the splendid dormitory, the instructors rubbed their palms together.

“If you wish, we can prepare a better accommodation in our magic building.”

“The combat training building isn’t bad either.”

“Or how about my mansion in the capital?”

While they were talking.

Ian glanced at the dormitory.

Otal and his followers could be seen entering there.

It seemed they had received separate treatment for the injuries they had sustained from Ian earlier.

‘That’s certainly true. Then what method should I use? Should I just torture them?’

At that moment, his gaze fell on…

Charles, who was trudging into the dormitory.

Ian shook his head as he saw her hesitating to enter the dormitory, yet forcefully opening the door and trying to maintain her arrogance.

‘That doesn’t seem right.’