Bzzz- Bzzz-
Amidst the cicadas’ cries resounding here and there.
There was someone swiftly wielding two daggers.
A hint of violet glinted through her short black hair as she thrust her daggers forward.
A water shield cast before her blocked the attack.
Bang!
As the poison coating the dagger exploded, splashes of water scattered,
but the water shield stood firm, holding its ground.
Beyond the water shield stood a woman with healthy-toned skin beneath red hair.
The identities of the two were Haring Lagrin and Karandis Poseus.“That’s enough.”
One of the professors, Kairan, instructed them to stop the battle, and the two immediately disengaged.
Both catching their breath, they slowly descended from the arena.
“You did well.”
As Haring wiped her sweat with a towel after stepping down, Karandis approached and spoke.
Karandis’s expression, gazing at Haring, was unusually stern for her.
Her demeanor had changed since the midterm evaluation, and Haring knew the reason behind it.
“…You did well.”
As Haring replied, an awkward atmosphere lingered between them.
Haring, except for Kraush, was typically reserved.
And with Karandis falling silent as well, the conversations between them had dwindled.
How long did the silence continue like that?
“Haring, you don’t know when Kraush is coming either, do you?”
Eventually, it was Karandis who broke the silence first.
She, too, didn’t find the quiet entirely pleasant.
Haring looked up at the World Tree, feeling the sunlight filtering through the leaves.
“No, he didn’t tell me.”
Haring’s eyes carried a hint of regret.
Seeing that, Karandis also glanced up at the World Tree.
“…Haring, what kind of relationship do you want to have with Kraush?”
A question she had long suppressed without asking.
As Karandis brought it up, Haring looked at her.
“Now that Kraush isn’t around, it seems like the only time I could even ask.”
Karandis awkwardly tapped the ground with her foot.
“…What kind of relationship.”
Haring mumbled, her lips twitching slightly.
When it comes to the person who has built the closest relationship with Kraush after coming to Rahern Academy, it is undoubtedly Haring.
She had constantly spent time with Kraush, after all.
But if someone were to ask her what kind of relationship she wanted with Kraush,
her desires, so strong they could overpower her reason, would push their way to the forefront of her mind.
It was such a significant ambition that Haring even questioned whether it was something she could dare to say aloud.
“I’ve said it several times already, but I want to become Kraush’s wife.”
Karandis spoke with more confidence than anyone.
Haring found herself somewhat envious of that aspect of Karandis’s personality.
“Is that because you’re the 9th Princess of Poseus?”
Perhaps because of this, Haring was curious.
She wanted to stay by Kraush’s side, so she wondered what Karandis, who shared the same goal, truly thought.
“Of course, that’s part of it.”
Karandis revealed herself without any pretense.
The position of the 9th Princess of Poseus was exceedingly ambiguous.
Certainly, she could live comfortably in the kingdom, but Karandis was an ambitious person.
She was the kind of person who would strive to climb higher, even if it meant overturning her current status.
That’s why she chose Kraush.
She was convinced that he would ascend to a position admired by the entire world.
“I don’t have a romantic and sweet love story like other people.”
Like a princess saved by a prince and falling in love.
Such a story didn’t exist for Karandis.
In reality, being a princess was the position least likely to find oneself in danger.
“But because I prioritize myself, I can love and follow someone who can elevate my value more than anyone else in the world.”
In this regard, Karandis had absolute confidence.
If she were asked to dedicate her entire life to someone, she could genuinely do so without hesitation.
For that reason, Karandis always did her best to prove her love.
“Because I believe someone who can love themselves the most can also love others just as much as they love themselves.”
“…But if Kraush were to falter, wouldn’t that love become meaningless?”
As soon as she heard those words, Karandis’s lips curled into a confident smile.
Her expression radiated a self-assured confidence unmatched by anyone.
“How could the person I love falter?”
She puffed out her chest and raised her chin high.
“Preventing such a thing is the wife’s role, my role. Supporting and helping the one I love so they never collapse is what I’m most confident in.”
Karandis beamed brightly, as if to show she hadn’t endured all the hardships of being the 9th Princess for nothing.
“And I don’t doubt my own eyes.”
Kraush would never falter.
She could confidently believe that.
Of course, she could.
After all, the man she had chosen as her husband was Kraush.
“Of course, I don’t expect my way of loving to be understood by everyone.”
As she said this, Karandis let her smile fade, turning to look at Haring.
“That’s why I’m curious. Haring, how do you love?”
Calculated love, romantic love, love at first sight.
Karandis was asking what made Haring come to like Kraush.
Hearing the question, Haring hesitated, averting her gaze.
Before long, the tips of her ears had turned red.
Just the thought of it had made her like this.
Seeing that, Karandis thought that Haring must have truly fallen deeply for Kraush.
“…I don’t know. I just can’t see anyone but Kraush.”
Haring placed her hand on her chest and pressed down firmly.
Even just speaking those words made her heart race uncontrollably.
“At first, I only thought about repaying my debt. But before I knew it, I ended up like this. And that scares me even more.”
If she had known why she came to like him, she could have avoided that reason and escaped.
But now, Haring no longer understood why she liked Kraush.
She simply liked him.
She wanted to be by his side.
That was all she could think about.
Watching the love-struck girl quietly, Karandis let out a short laugh.
“You’re lovely.”
And she spoke honestly.
A girl in love was the loveliest thing of all.
Looking at her like this, Karandis realized something.
Compared to Haring, her own way of loving might seem rather unrefined.
It was true that her love was grounded in pragmatism.
But Karandis didn’t think it was wrong to strive to be loved.
She could proudly say that this, too, was part of her love.
Still, she couldn’t help but feel, in the back of her mind.
That if she were a man, she wouldn’t be able to help but fall for someone with a heart like Haring’s.
‘Is this love?’
Even as she asked herself, Karandis quietly thought that sometimes she wasn’t sure.
“In that case, both you and I are in pretty big trouble, Haring.”
Since it had come to this, Karandis decided to have a proper talk with Haring.
When Haring gave her a puzzled look, a sharp gleam appeared in Karandis’s eyes.
“Well, after all, there are plenty of rivals besides us vying for Kraush’s side.”
“…Rivals?”
Haring tilted her head in confusion.
Since Haring could only see Kraush, she lacked such information.
“Yes, rivals. To start, there’s one particularly fearsome and monstrous individual.”
“There’s someone like that?”
Haring looked a little surprised.
At that, Karandis let out a long sigh and gestured for Haring to lean in closer.
When Haring brought her ear closer, Karandis took a breath and spoke.
“None other than the Saintess, Astria Stigma Freeman.”
“…The Saintess?”
Surprise flickered in Haring’s eyes.
It was because this was someone she hadn’t even considered.
At the same time, Haring recalled the relationship between Kraush and Astria.
Now that she thought about it, it was true that the two seemed quite close.
“But the Saintess…”
“Yes, ordinarily, she wouldn’t be associated with something like romance. She’s a woman blessed by the gods, after all.”
Karandis nodded in agreement with what Haring was thinking.
However, she considered that very aspect to be a significant problem.
“But people are often more drawn to forbidden love.”
“…Is that so?”
“Just think about the countless love stories told by bards. The love they narrate often ventures into forbidden territory. Especially tales about a hero and a Saintess who has devoted her body and soul to the gods—those are classic.”
Haring recalled Astria, who had been close to Kraush.
And now, for the first time, she began to see it too.
Indeed, as Karandis said, Astria’s gaze always seemed to be fixed solely on Kraush.
“Not to mention that violent figure of hers—that’s not something women our age should have.”
Karandis clenched her fists tightly, as if frustrated.
“No matter how indifferent Kraush may be toward women, even he could be swayed if confronted with such a figure.”
Looking at Karandis, Haring realized how much attention she had been paying to Kraush all this time.
Her persistence was truly remarkable.
“And that’s not all. There’s also the matter of a certain maid who frequents Kraush’s room every day, Aslan Igrid’s personal maid.”
“A maid?”
“Yes, there’s a maid who is close to Alicia, Kraush’s personal maid. For some reason, Kraush can’t seem to treat her harshly.”
Even though he’s always so cold to me.
Karandis grumbled, touching her cheek as if sulking, calling Kraush unfair.
Meanwhile, Haring realized just how blind she had been to those around Kraush.
She never would have guessed that even someone else’s maid might harbor feelings for him.
As she wore a hardened expression, Karandis let out a deep sigh.
“There are quite a few more, actually. Like Darlene Danphelion, a senior and master alchemist from the same kingdom as Kraush, or Dorma Lacroix, the apprentice of Curse Master Veltua Lacroix. Then there’s also Vioren Sedney, the top student in Special Studies, who’s been acting rather suspicious lately.”
“There are that many?”
“Yes, a lot. Way too many. I know it’s natural for women to gather around a good man, but with Kraush, it’s on another level.”
“Well, that’s because Kraush is kind.”
Karandis turned to look at Haring.
To others, it was hard to categorize Kraush as “kind” by any standard.
But for a girl in love, even the actions of a so-called “bad boy” could seem kind.
So Karandis decided not to correct her. After all, she also wanted to become Kraush’s wife.
“But the biggest problem of all is one we can’t do anything about.”
Karandis sighed as though resigned.
“Bianca Hadenhartz.”
“Kraush’s fiancée.”
“That’s right. Someone we’ve never even seen in person.”
Shadows crossed Karandis’s face.
“One thing is certain, though. Kraush has her in his heart. And it’s not just a little.”
“…”
Haring stayed silent.
She wasn’t unaware of this fact.
It was just that being reminded of it again pricked painfully at her chest.
“Even if we climb every other mountain, it’s meaningless if we can’t overcome that one.”
Karandis thought of the most troublesome obstacle and ran a hand over her forehead.
She even regretted not having proposed to Kraush herself sooner.
While she swallowed that bitter regret, Haring, who had been staring blankly, murmured.
“…There doesn’t have to be just one wife.”
Karandis blinked in disbelief.
She turned to Haring with a look of shock, as if to say she couldn’t believe what she had just heard.
Haring flinched and quickly covered her mouth, startled by her own words.
She hadn’t expected herself to say something like that either.
Was it because of what her father had said about engagement months ago?
Perhaps she’d been influenced by that.
While Haring blushed deeply, utterly flustered, Karandis stared blankly for a moment before breaking into a chuckle.
“Well, you’re not wrong.”
Even her own father had taken multiple wives.
Honestly, was there any reason someone as exceptional as Kraush, far greater than her father, shouldn’t do the same?
“Once you’re part of the wives, the real battle begins—fighting for the position of the main wife.”
Karandis reignited her determination.
Meanwhile, Haring, who had uttered those words, was still frozen and unable to say anything more.
“I just hope the number of rivals doesn’t grow even more.”
The moment she said this.
Booooooooooom!
A sudden explosion roared from a building outside the Martial Arts Hall.
Startled, both of them turned to look in that direction.
The location was none other than the Theology Hall.
Something had happened there.
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