Chapter 24: Cadet Social Gathering (1)
The first day’s schedule proceeded without incident.
Since all new cadets took the sa common subjects, there was no need to worry about courses.
After a few announcents, the orientation ended, and students who had been instructed to disperse got up to go about their own plans.
Carl blended in with the other cadets and looked completely natural.
Once all the day’s events were over, he returned to the dormitory and stood before a mirror.
The exchange eting was to take place over dinner.
Before departure, wanting to tidy his appearance, he looked at himself reflected in the mirror.
The Bayern uniform had a luxurious design in shades of black.
Here and there were gold ornants, and the collar was a red lapel that added a point of color.
Tapping his shoe heels lightly on the floor, Carl smiled in satisfaction.
‘Not bad.’
He personally liked this Bayern uniform.
They said it was an age‑old design dating back to the academy’s founding, and now he understood why it had never changed.
He chose not to wear any accessories.
It wasn’t really his style to drape lots of trinkets around.
“Hmm.”
If Queen had been present, she might have made him look a bit sharper, but sadly he had to be content with combing his hair just a bit neater.
“Face is acceptable too.”
Carl stroked his chin and wore a pleased expression.
Back when he was Mu‑ak of the Unkillable, he couldn’t even be called handso, even as a complint.
But in this place, Artenia, with many people of mixed ethnic origins, having above‑average looks was typical.
In any case, it was a good thing, so once he was ready, he stepped outside.
There, Maximilian awaited him.
“They said the others already went separately. Only we need to go.”
Maximilian tapped Carl’s shoulder and pointed ahead.
Whether it was his mood or not, Carl felt his hair seed more moisturized than before.
At least his build was fine, so he looked quite decent.
They imdiately left the dormitory and headed toward the banquet hall where the exchange eting was being held.
For sothing said to be lightly organized, the atmosphere was rather serious.
Glimpsing inside, he saw at least dozens of people circulating within.
“So cadets from other classes arrived too. There are more people than planned, but that’s not a bad thing.”
It was a chance to naturally close the distance to them.
Just as Carl and Maximilian were about to join the event, their group who had already secured a spot greeted them.
“Carl!”
Amy waved at Carl with a bright expression.
Her red hair swayed with her motion.
It seed more waved than before—she had dressed up as much as she could manage.
“So it hasn’t started yet?”
“I guess not. Who’s hosting? Was it Neriann?”
“I heard it’s not Neriann.”
“Oh? Then who could it be?”
At Gail’s words, Rien tilted her head.
To summon a new cadet exchange eting implied a certain level of clout.
If not Neriann, then who…
Clack.
The banquet hall lights dimd.
At the sa ti a spotlight focused above the stage, drawing the cadets’ gazes there.
The cadet ascending the stage via the steps was not the face most had expected.
‘I see. It’s that guy.’
Carl narrowed his eyes.
Few nas carried the status to host such an exchange eting.
Among the candidates who applied for this entrance exam, Neriann wasn’t the only one from a ducal household.
Like Hopfenheim, the Wolfsburg Ducal House, with its long tradition and prestige, had Louis Wolfsburg take the test.
Before Neriann received attention for the exam’s terrorist incident and the emperor’s award, their fa had been roughly equal.
But right after the exam the gap sharply diverged.
‘Is he stepping up personally to close that gap?’
Louis Wolfsburg looked out at the audience with a favorable smile.
His lustrous gray hair and handso features suited the title of aristocratic young lord perfectly.
Raising the glass in his hand, he began to speak.
“Today, I express my gratitude to everyone gathered at this aningful occasion. Especially to my closest friend Neriann.”
Clack.
The spotlight illuminated one side of the banquet hall.
Leaning against the wall with arms folded, Neriann quietly raised his head, his expression cold.
Though his face showed no emotion, Carl—having spent so ti with him—noticed that he was displeased.
“He’s not the type to enjoy occasions like this and even refused, but still responded to my persistent invitation, and for that I truly thank him.”
Carl sipped his cocktail and watched Louis.
‘That brat is clever.’
He was so close with Neriann, who had received the emperor’s dal firsthand.
It was the easiest way to borrow his prestige and elevate himself.
After that, the rest was just ordinary courtesy.
Having completed his self‑promoting remarks, Louis snapped his fingers at the audience with a pleased expression.
“Then let’s leave the trivial talk behind.”
Snap!
The banquet hall lights brightened once more and refined music began to flow.
“Everyone, please enjoy the exchange eting to the fullest.”
In response to elegant Louis’s departure, the gathering applauded.
The exchange eting had officially begun.
Carl also mingled among the cadets, eting new faces and using his looks as a weapon in conversation.
Only after completing one full cycle did he step aside to catch his breath, coming to a corner of the hall to refresh himself with a cocktail.
Clink.
The banquet hall wasn’t filled only with cadets.
Staff were also present in considerable numbers to clear empty glasses and set up food and refreshnts.
One staff mber approached Carl, cleared his empty glass, and replaced it with a fresh one.
Carl smiled slightly at that natural gesture and spoke in a low voice.
“Nine, is the work manageable?”
“…I said I would do it thoroughly, but deceiving even the Master’s eyes is difficult indeed.”
“Ten years is still too soon.”
Disguised as a waiter, Nine casually arranged refreshnts on the table while responding to Carl’s words.
“As instructed, we’ve been slowly infiltrating the academy from the outskirts. Events like this are too good of an opportunity to pass up.”
“A good judgnt. I comnd you.”
“Thank you.”
Nine bowed slightly with a faint smile.
Having inherited high-level martial arts from the Killing Veil, she had now beco a specialist in infiltration and espionage.
Despite the tension due to the terror incident, securing a place within the academy wasn’t all that difficult.
“Currently, thirteen organization mbers have entered under disguised identities. We’ll gradually increase that number.”
“Make security your top priority. It seems the academy is trying to implent several reforms after the terror incident.”
“Understood.”
Nine soon took her leave.
It would be suspicious to linger in such a corner for too long.
anwhile, Carl, who had completed his goal of making acquaintances with various cadets, allowed himself a bit more leisure.
“...?”
Then, sothing unusual caught his eye.
Tap.
Inside, a small pill was dropped into a drink a cadet had montarily set down.
It produced tiny bubbles before vanishing without a trace.
The waiter who passed by as if in passing moved away with a blank expression, as if he had simply completed his task.
‘Pulling a stunt like this at an exchange eting?’
Carl was puzzled.
The targeted cadet was the son of a regional Count’s household.
Academically ranked around the middle, 30th place.
He rembered him as a rather ordinary man, so what had been slipped into his drink?
Snap—!
Carl flicked his fingers lightly.
The wind force created a small crack in the glass.
The cadet who had reached for the drink to sip again was startled as it crumbled in his hand.
“What the? Why is it like this?”
“Hahaha! Are you drunk?”
“You think I’d get drunk from just a few cocktails? Tsk, this is annoying.”
The cadet wiped his hand with a napkin and called over another waiter to get a new drink.
“……”
The waiter who had drugged the glass glanced sideways to confirm the scene, then quickly walked away.
Carl, who had been quietly stationed in a corner, began to follow slowly.
‘It’s not NOX. They never issued an order like this.’
They were instructed to blend into the surroundings until their identities were secure.
Spiking a cadet’s drink under such circumstances?
Even the lowest-ranking mber wouldn’t dare attempt sothing so reckless.
“Carl, where are you going?”
“Just stepping out for so air.”
Though briefly stopped by Maximilian, he casually excused himself and followed the waiter out of the banquet hall.
He walked down a hallway filled with soft ambient noise.
The waiter had already passed the far end.
Beside it stretched a garden.
The academy did not forbid romantic relationships.
On the contrary, it actively encouraged such connections.
The presence of those who had snuck out from the exchange eting for a stroll or so privacy could be felt throughout.
“……”
Carl hid his presence as he walked down the corridor.
He considered putting on the Black Label mask but thought that might draw more suspicion and decided against it.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a hand shot out at the corridor’s end.
It was a rough movent aiming to grab him by the collar.
Tap.
Carl struck it aside with the back of his hand.
As he looked ahead, a nacing gaze flashed from the tilted shadows.
Shhh!
The struck hand turned into a sharp knife-like chop.
Carl twisted his upper body slightly to dodge the trajectory and instead reached for the attacker.
No ordinary person could escape this monstrous grip.
Whoosh.
But the opponent slipped free from Carl’s grasp far too easily.
“……”
A strange glint passed through Carl’s eyes.
The footwork suggested professional martial arts training.
...Then what was this faint awkwardness that he sensed underneath it all?
Shhh!
Perhaps giving up on grabbing Carl, the waiter swung a leg like a whip.
Carl extended his hand and easily grabbed the ankle, neutralizing the force.
He tried to twist it and strip away the attacker’s mobility, but the opponent used their remaining leg to leap into the air and spun in the sa direction.
Whoosh.
Harnessing that montum, they added power to the movent and sharply kicked again.
It was a fairly powerful strike, so Carl released the ankle and stepped back, clenching his fist.
Boom.
Fist and foot collided.
Naturally, the one pushed back was the opponent.
Using that recoil, the waiter flipped midair and regained position, charging forward again with half a beat quicker speed.
Boom.
Fist t fist.
The opponent confidently threw a punch, but their sleeve burst apart like torn cloth.
It ant they hadn’t completely dissipated the force from Carl’s attack.
“……”
Carl’s eyes moved to the now-exposed wrist.
It was an utterly ordinary arm.
Far from looking like one trained in martial arts—the shape and density of the muscles were lacking.
They had only endured Carl’s strength thanks to the mana running through them.
‘Could it be brainwashing?’
Carl narrowed his eyes.
The waiter’s gaze toward him looked abnormal.
A dull color tainted his eyes, suggesting he wasn’t moving of his own will.
‘...Interesting.’
Which ant others besides their group had also extended their reach into the academy.
In a far more sinister and troubleso way.
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