Chapter: 137
Thanks to the clash between the Imperial faction and Staron, chaos ensued for quite a while.
Naturally, the arena in the training grounds was wrecked, so the faculty heard about it.
However, the faculty didn’t particularly scold the students.
Such incidents happened quite frequently at Munhak.
They simply received a light reprimand.
“Kraush, I know how things unfolded, but I would appreciate it if you could hold back a bit.”
The one delivering this reprimand was none other than the associate professor, Kairan.
The Pirate Empress, Kairan.
After being defeated by Kraush during the entrance exam, she looked at him with a fatigue-laced expression.
It made sense, considering that she had been pushed by her fellow professors to ask Kraush for restraint after he had wrecked the arena.
Since she hadn’t seen him since the entrance exam, Kraush awkwardly scratched his head.
He roughly understood how much trouble the people below endured because of the foolish actions of those above.
“Yes, I will,” he replied promptly, causing Kairan to look at him in surprise.
At the entrance exam, Kraush had displayed a dominating spirit and provoked even the associate professor.
Of course, she later realized that his arrogance was intended to catch his opponents off guard.
Still, he was the younger brother of Charlotte.
She assumed he wouldn’t care about the hard work of others, but he certainly acknowledged the struggles of those around him.
That demeanor was something mature not typical among kids his age.
Children at that age often prioritized their self-esteem and pride, and would grumble about such matters, especially if they were from noble families.
Especially since Kraush had literally defeated Associate Professor Kairan.
They figured his pride would be sky-high, making him dismissive of the professors.
Indeed, other professors had pushed Kairan into this because she had once lost, asking for leniency.
But Kraush showed a maturity different from his peers.
He could admit his mistakes and consider the efforts of others.
“Kraush, did you, by chance, enter while deceiving your age?” Kairan asked absentmindedly.
Kraush blinked in confusion. He then swallowed a laugh and asked, “How old do I look to you?”
For some reason, Kairan imagined a senior professor playfully asking her newly appointed junior professor about his age.
“I was just joking because you seemed so mature.”
What a strange student.
“Anyway, thank you. Everyone knows Kraush is sincere in his studies, so if you just keep that in mind, I’m sure the professors will regard you highly.”
“That’s a relief.”
“Well, I should be off… ah.”
As Kairan turned to leave, she suddenly recalled something else to say.
When Kraush looked at her quizzically, she cautiously added, “Also, please be mindful of your relationships with women. While it’s common at your age, such a lifestyle can lead to trouble.”
And the next words were enough to leave Kraush dumbfounded.
“…What?”
“It’s quite natural for a man to like a woman, but there’s a saying: ‘too much of anything is bad.’”
Kairan was already firm in her stance.
Thus, Kraush shook his head, quickly recovering and replied, “I don’t know what misunderstanding you might have, but I’ve never lived like that.”
“Huh? But the associate professors said you change women daily… and I heard you even brought another student’s maid into your room.”
Kraush felt a light headache coming on.
While it was true there were many women around him, that was somewhat unavoidable, but the latter part was definitely about Lirina.
With a short sigh, Kraush looked at Kairan with pained eyes.
“I assure you, that’s not the case. More importantly, I have an engagement.”
Kraush thought seriously about marrying Bianca while recalling recent events.
Since she’d be 15 next year, there wouldn’t be any issues with holding a ceremony.
‘But she has to want it too.’
Asking for her thoughts without pressure should be fine, right?
[ The thought that marriage will solve this is just hilarious. ]
At that moment, he heard Crimson Garden’s mockery ringing through his mind.
[ Even if you do marry, people will still judge you as a womanizer if women keep flocking around you. Your infamy will only increase, won’t it? ]
Kraush’s expression hardened.
So, did that mean that marriage wouldn’t solve anything after all?
[ That’s why I keep telling you to cut it off. ]
He could never understand why the conclusion always turned out that way.
[ You shouldn’t be flirting around in the first place. For someone with your looks and background to be so accustomed to women is just… tsk tsk. ]
Listening to Crimson Garden’s words with half an ear, Kraush turned back to Kairan.
“Anyway, I truly appreciate your concern. If talk like that is going around, I’ll be careful moving forward.”
“I apologize for the misunderstanding. Thank you for being understanding.”
After parting ways with Kairan, Kraush began walking down the corridor.
He was thinking of returning since it was almost time for the Munhak class.
As he walked, Kraush’s expression became quite troubled.
So, there really are troubles created by relationships.
‘Should I seriously reflect on my usual conduct?’
If he were a real playboy as the rumors suggested, that would be one thing, but Kraush had no clue how he should improve his behavior.
‘If Bianca were around, would it be a bit better?’
With Bianca around, nobody would say anything no matter how much time they spent together.
For some reason, he found himself missing his fiancée.
Such situations rarely occurred when he was with Bianca.
[ If your fiancée sees you living your academy life, she might just kill you. ]
Crimson Garden was absolutely no help.
“I’d prefer for you to tell me who the spy you’ve planted in Rahelrn Academy is.”
[ It’s a secret. Find out on your own. ]
So many secrets indeed.
Ugh!
At that moment, Kraush spotted some people at the opposite end of the corridor who turned tail and ran upon seeing him.
They were none other than the Imperial faction members who had picked a fight with him that day.
Kraush regarded them coolly.
This was because ever since that day, they had been having panic attacks and fleeing whenever they saw him.
The memory of that day was unforgettable for them.
Thus, they had engraved in their minds that Kraush was a demon who would turn everything upside down if provoked.
Consequently, rather than facing their wrath, they fled with their tails between their legs.
On top of that, Kraush had heard one bit of gossip.
It seemed that Pandora had holed himself up in his dorm room.
Given that he had just gotten wrecked by Kraush and even humiliated himself to the point of peeing his pants, he couldn’t show his face at Rahelrn Academy.
Even now, just hearing Kraush’s name made him irritable.
‘Serves him right.’
At the same time, the outlook of the other children changed as well.
Before Kraush defeated Arsoldar, there were those who felt a sense of competition and displeasure.
But those looks were no more.
This implied that they subconsciously recognized that Kraush was someone you shouldn’t mess with, just like Charlotte.
The significance of defeating Arsoldar was immense.
While they had previously tended to disregard professors, they had all directly experienced Arsoldar’s power.
Moreover, someone’s attitude had particularly changed since that day.
“Kraush, you’re here. I’ve saved you a seat.”
As Kraush entered the classroom for Munhak, one guy sprang up enthusiastically, sending sparkles of admiration his way.
That guy was none other than Glen Diana, Meri’s cousin.
Kraush stared at him blankly while massaging the back of his neck.
Since that day, Glen had shown unwavering loyalty towards him whenever he saw Kraush.
Although it wasn’t to the extent of Arsoldar, he certainly had a habit of idolizing strong figures.
Natural admiration arose whenever one encountered a strong opponent.
Thus, Glen had once eagerly followed Meri, who was known as a genius.
But Meri was no longer the admirable figure she once was.
Not only had she attempted to assassinate the Crown Princess, but she had also lost the bold demeanor, turning into a crumpled version of herself.
Maybe that’s why Glen had begun to dislike Meri.
During this battle, Kraush had displayed the nobility of fighting for the weak and an unparalleled mastery of combat.
He was someone who was capable of standing up against injustice for those he was with, offering words of encouragement.
And he proved his convictions through his strength.
Whatever the reality, this was how Glen perceived him.
Despite being of the same age, Kraush’s actions were more than enough to ignite admiration within Glen.
I want to be like that.
I aspire to become that kind of person.
The moment that thought crossed his mind, Glen’s admiration for Kraush hit him like a ton of bricks.
As a result, every time Glen saw Kraush, he would light up with that sparkling gaze.
At 15 years old.
It was precisely the age when one’s sense of admiration blossomed.
“Kraush, sit here, not there.”
And oddly enough, there was someone competing with Glen at this moment.
“…Haring Ragren, what are you saying? I spoke first.”
That person was none other than Haring.
Waiting for Kraush’s arrival, she had been stealing glances at the door, and as soon as Kraush appeared, she lit up with joy.
However, when Glen beat her to the punch, she raised an eyebrow slightly.
“Kraush is closer to me.”
“Is that just your opinion?”
“I went on a mission with Kraush.”
“That’s…”
Glen opened his mouth to retort but bit his lip in frustration.
Seeing that, Haring straightened her back proudly.
Kraush, on the other hand, felt an inexplicable weariness settle in.
What on earth are these fools doing?
At the same time, Kairan’s advice flashed in his mind.
She told him not to get involved with too many women, right?
But this time, one of them was a guy, so it shouldn’t be an issue, right?
[ You reap what you sow. ]
Having grown tired of the antics of these youths, Kraush just plopped himself down anywhere.
He couldn’t sit next to those two.
But unfortunately, he underestimated them.
No sooner had Kraush taken another seat than both Haring and Glen stood up and sat right next to him.
In an instant, he was wedged between the two.
“Haring Ragren, don’t you think Kraush is uncomfortable?”
“That’s just because you’re next to him.”
As their competitive energy clashed, Kraush began to feel a faint headache creeping in.
At that moment, he heard a commotion outside the classroom.
Turning his head towards the noise, he saw a familiar figure standing there.
As soon as their eyes met, she flashed a bright smile, placing her finger to her lips and then blowing a kiss toward Kraush.
“Yo, my boyfriend.”
Darling Danphelion.
As soon as she spoke, the children began to whisper amongst themselves.
And hearing their whispers made Kraush recall the implications of Kairan’s advice.
In truth, most of the rumors stemmed from this girl’s title.
Kraush stood up from his seat and confidently strode over to Darling, grabbing her by the lips.
When Darling looked up at him with wide eyes, Kraush locked gazes with her.
“Call me by the right title.”
“Ueeh, eek!”
As Darling was about to say something, Kraush released her lips, and she began fiddling with them.
“My first kiss was just forcibly stolen. How am I ever going to get married now?”
Kraush realized it was impossible to silence Darling’s mouth.
Thus, he decided to just pull her along instead.
She typically wouldn’t come all the way to Munhak.
There must be some important discussion she wanted to have.
With a little time left before class began, Kraush quickly navigated to a secluded spot.
Once there, he let go of Darling and turned to face her.
Darling stood there with a shy expression, wrapping her arms around herself and swaying slightly.
Her fidgeting was strangely unsettling.
“Why did you bring me to such an isolated place? Trying to do something inappropriate with your boyfriend, huh?”
“So, why did you come find me?” Kraush asked, not letting Darling finish her thought.
But she gave him an unimpressed look.
“I’ve completed the first refinement.”
Upon hearing those words, Kraush’s face lit up.
The instant-enhancing elixir made from the mix of curses and poisons he had asked Darling to create was finally finished, at least in its first stage.
“Here.”
Knowing Kraush would be curious, Darling promptly pulled out a small vial from her pocket.
Inside the vial were about five tiny lumps resembling Haring’s poison.
“There’s plenty of room for improvement, but it’s usable right away. The effects, as I mentioned before, will work like that, and the penalties are similar.”
She really managed to whip this up.
Kraush clenched the vial tightly, beaming with pride at finally seeing Darling again.
“Darling, you truly are a genius.”
“Fufufu, keep the compliments coming.”
“The Grandmaster of Alchemy, Darling Danphelion.”
“Haha!”
Covering her mouth with both hands and smiling broadly, Darling nodded with satisfaction.
“You came all this way to deliver this. You must really be pleased with your creation.”
“Of course. It was my first time mixing curses in the creation process. I wanted to show it off. And aside from that, I also wanted to tell you something else.”
Kraush looked at Darling curiously. What could be more important than this?
“One of our alchemy members was summoned by Sigrid Ephania.”
Upon hearing Darling’s words, Kraush’s expression shifted instantly.
Darling had somewhat sensed that there was a connection between Kraush and Sigrid.
She was well aware of the situation between Sigrid and Charlotte.
For whatever reason, Kraush was bound to be intertwined with Sigrid.
“The person who was called back sneaked a look at what I was brewing.”
Darling confidently admitted to stealing a glance at what was being created.
“Are they making a poison or something?”
“No, it’s a different kind entirely.”
Darling smiled meaningfully and asked Kraush to lean in close to her ear.
He wondered why she wanted him to do that when no one was around, but he complied.
At that moment, Darling whispered softly into Kraush’s ear.
“It’s a potion. Moreover, they peeked at my recipe too.”
Kraush stared at Darling in disbelief.
In addition to being a potion, this girl had also come up with her own recipe?
“Are you interested?”
Her eyes were glimmering as if offering him a chance to have it.
“Not really.”
Even if it existed, it had no relevance to him.
“Anyway, I tried to make it as a playful experiment, so it might not be very effective, but I’ve heard that the friend called Balian is quite adept at alchemy.”
As soon as he heard Balian’s name, Kraush frowned.
The infamous alchemist, Balian.
The guy who was second to Darling and always ended up inventing peculiar concoctions.
No matter how grand his pursuit, it would never surpass Darling.
However, he surely had talent.
Back then, Darling had held Balian in high regard too.
‘The pinnacle of alchemy, created “Alixir,” was a collaborative product of Darling and Balian.’
Commonly called the Philosopher’s Stone, it was the ultimate substance.
It was those two who had created that.
“So it seems he’s making quite an improvement. He even went as far as collecting my boyfriend’s hair to ensure it’s absorbed effectively enough when drunk?”
“Did you leave the hair as it was?”
“Yeah, I was going to use it once it was completed.”
Kraush gave her a bewildered look.
What kind of person would leave their hair lying around?
“Just kidding. I didn’t touch it in case it caused any suspicion. Just letting it be.”
As expected of her response.
“…But what are you going to make with that?”
“I have no idea.”
Darling shrugged her shoulders.
She only wanted to inform Kraush; she had no answers beyond that.
“Kraush, wouldn’t they be trying to charm or tempt you using that?”
Kraush covered his mouth.
He felt a wave of nausea wash over him momentarily.
“There’s absolutely no way that’s happening.”
There was no way he would allow that; he might actually end up taking Sigrid’s life.
“I’m finished with that part of my visit.”
Darling said that and let out a long yawn.
From the sounds of it, she must have been tirelessly concocting the instant-enhancing elixir overnight.
“You’ve worked hard. I’ll repay you later.”
“Then could you set up a bridge with Charlotte?”
“Think of something else as a repayment gift.”
Such ridiculous requests were often denied.
With a playful smile, Darling waved goodbye to Kraush as she walked away.
Once he returned to the classroom, he heard faint footsteps moving away.
As Kraush looked over, he saw a flash of short black hair contrasted with some purple peek out.
“…Haring?”
Just before the professor arrived, he noticed her rush out in haste.
At that moment, Glen appeared just outside.
“Kraush.”
“What’s up? Is something wrong?”
Kraush wondered for a moment if there had been a fight.
Glen, looking a bit pale, replied.
“The Poison King has reportedly sustained severe injuries against the World Erosionist.”
