༺ Eyes of a Dragon and the Human Heart (56) ༻
Following the unprecedented incident where hundreds of demonic beasts attacked the Academy, significant changes swept through its halls.
Foremost among these changes were the protests of parents, led by high-ranking nobles.
For noble families, their children represented not only the continuation of their prestigious bloodlines but also potential alliances through marriage.
The students enrolled in the Academy were highly skilled and talented individuals, coveted by noble households.
However, the attack shattered the perception of the Academy as an impregnable sanctuary.
Though casualties were minimal, news of widespread damage and injuries sparked intense anger among noble families, undermining their trust in the institution.
It was inevitable that parents would aggressively demand their children be sent back immediately. It was to the extent that President Delemore, despite being known for rarely taking action, was compelled to personally address the aggrieved parents.
Despite understanding their concerns, the Academy found itself in a precarious position.
The infiltration of a member of the Dark Order, posing as a close associate of the Imperial Family, marked an unprecedented breach of security within the Academy. Concerns arose that there could be further conspirators hidden among the Academy’s ranks, orchestrating the recent attack.
As a result, the Academy opted to meticulously monitor the activities of its members, a decision deemed necessary in light of the unfolding circumstances.
However, the real reason behind this vigilance was classified. The Academy’s leadership wasn’t foolish enough to divulge the unsettling possibility that students could be unwitting minions of the Dark Order.
Instead, they simply repeated like a parrot that students could not be sent out yet because there might still be potential remnants of the demonic beasts. That it was all for the sake of safety.
The impact of these measures extended both within and beyond the Academy’s walls.
Despite the institution’s long history, such a crisis was unprecedented, contributing to a palpable sense of tension among the student body.
However, in crisis, heroes emerged; Students who had demonstrated exceptional courage and leadership during the attack garnered widespread acclaim.
Senior students like Delphine Yurdina and Elsie Rinella, already well-known within the Academy, further solidified their reputations as leaders by contributing significantly to reduce casualties.
Their actions earned them the title of the ‘Duumvirate of the 4th-Years’.
In addition, students from the Knight Division of the 3rd-Years, particularly the top-ranked individuals, gained recognition for their composed responses in the face of danger. The Academy eagerly anticipated the emergence of new heroes in the aftermath of the crisis.
And even among them, ‘Ian Percus’ stood out as the most prominent figure.
Ian Percus had already made waves at the Academy with his skills during the Hunting Festival, but his recent actions during the demonic beast attack catapulted him back into the spotlight.
Firstly, Ian’s skills, which had been shrouded in much speculation, were brought into the public eye during the demonic beast attack.
Until now, Ian had only fought publicly on two occasions, excluding training spars. The first was when he clashed with Elsie’s gang where the element of surprise undoubtedly played a significant role.
The second was a dispute with the princess’s party, an encounter so fast-paced and unrealistically recounted that few could accurately detail its events.
However, Ian’s display of skill during the demonic beast attack was unparalleled.
As most Academy students participated in the Homecoming Festival, countless witnesses observed him single-handedly slaughtering the beasts as though he was a machine, amidst screams of fear from the crowd.
While his response was swift and decisive, what truly captivated onlookers was Ian’s combat sense, akin to that of a beast.
Switching seamlessly through his weapons, from throwing hatchets to stabbing vital points with a sword, and even resorting to using his bare fists to crush the faces of demonic beasts,..
It was the moment when one of the countless rumors about him was confirmed as truth.
‘Ian Percus is twice as strong in actual combat.’
His actions on the battlefield, where he tirelessly slayed dozens of demonic beasts, served as living proof of this rumor.
Moreover, Ian’s actions drew attention due to the Academy’s attitude towards him up until that point.
For the past two weeks, he had been treated as a public enemy within the Academy.
After all, he dared to offend the Empire’s 5th Princess.
By audaciously spilling water on her, he had challenged the authority of the continent’s highest power. The consequences of such audacity were nothing short of misery. Soon, the majority of the Academy’s members turned hostile towards Ian.
The bullying escalated with each passing day.
It wasn’t limited to Ian alone but extended to those around him. Those times bore witness to both subtle and overt acts of violence being perpetrated without much concern.
Although the physical torment decreased once Ian started to retaliate, his status as a public enemy remained unchanged.
Psychological torment persisted unchecked.
Yet, Ian harbored no resentment.
He even came to the aid of those who had bullied him. There were testimonies of him offering healing potions to his tormentors, even while he himself was injured.
This turned the tables, leaving those who had mindlessly tormented Ian feeling ashamed.
Furthermore, it became widely known that there was justification for the “blasphemy” Ian had committed.
The revelation followed that the Dark Order was behind the deployment of demonic beasts to attack the Academy.
It was the most shocking news since the appearance of a demonic human at the orphanage. After all, it essentially implied the resurrection of the beings from the abyss, long forgotten even in name for millennia.
Of course, the Academy anticipated the ripple effect of such news. Hence, they carefully framed their statements to reassure that the Dark Order would never fully resurface; that they were not as omnipotent as feared.
And the emergence of the Dark Order cast a certain reflective and relativistic light on Ian’s perception.
The Academy wanted to underscore that the enigmatic ‘Dark Order’ was a manageable threat, with Ian being the linchpin in this narrative.
Not only had he single-handedly defeated a demonic human at the orphanage, but he also ventured into a tunnel to subdue a Dark Priest and rescue the princess.
His extraordinary feats proved two things.
Firstly, that Ian Percus’s accomplishments were not mere coincidences.
And secondly, that the machinations of the Dark Order could be crushed by the efforts of a solitary heroic figure.
From every angle, those who looked at Ian could only do so with admiration.
Furthermore, the revelation that the liquid Ian had poured over the princess was, in fact, ‘holy water’ triggered a dramatic shift in perception.
Though initially misunderstood, Ian emerged as a paragon of heroism.
Moreover, Ian had endured unwarranted violence and injustice in silence. As such, his actions of saving even those who had wronged him without discrimination, deserved praise.
The faces of all those within the Academy who had scorned and ridiculed Ian now burned with shame.
However, such a reversal in perception inevitably demanded another reversal.
If Ian’s status ascended from public enemy to universal hero, then someone else must endure a fall proportionate to his rise.
Naturally, the one who bore the brunt of Ian’s ascent could only be his former adversary—the 5th Princess of the Empire, Cien.
Every step she took felt like a descent into the depths of hostility, reminiscent of the nightmares from her childhood or perhaps even worse.
The dignity and momentum she once exuded were nowhere to be found as she cautiously navigated her surroundings, her spirit visibly broken.
Despite her desperate attempts to avoid gazes, Cien eventually resorted to tightly shutting her eyes, wishing she could block out the world and its judgments entirely.
“Is that her? The one who harassed the loyal subject out of a misunderstanding…”
“Shh, shh. Keep it down. She claims she didn’t know, after all.”
“Does making an excuse that she didn’t know erase the pain that person went through? A true leader should be magnanimous.”
Mockery and ridicule poured forth, triggering painful memories from the past, causing the princess’s breath to become labored. Despite hurrying her steps in panic, malice followed her like a relentless shadow.
Wherever she turned, she encountered nothing but tales of disdain.
Though spared physical violence due to her imperial status, the princess, with her ability to read people’s minds, found such hostility to be an explicit form of violence.
She was hurt. She was tired.
And deep down, she felt somewhat wronged.
Hadn’t everyone cursed at him? Insulted him?
Just as I didn’t know, didn’t you also unknowingly harass him? I am so sorry and grateful to him that I cry myself to sleep every night, wishing I could immediately kneel before him and beg for forgiveness.
Why then do you all shift the blame onto me, making me the scapegoat, without even considering begging the man for forgiveness? Why do you not feel guilty of what you have done?
Though she hated and resented them, unfortunately for her, the princess’s enemy was the entire world.
Each time she opened her eyes, an overwhelming hatred threatened to suffocate her.
The hostility from each passerby might have been bearable, but when compounded by the hundreds and thousands, it formed an unbearable torrent.
Running as if to escape, she could hear laughter that seemed to taunt her at every turn.
Tears welled up once again in Cien’s light gray eyes.
She wanted to collapse and weep her heart out, but she couldn’t just yet.
There was much to be done. Much to be rectified.
Ian’s sister’s trading company teetered on the brink of collapse, and whether it could be salvaged remained uncertain.
She intended to plead with her father, the Emperor, regarding this matter.
But aside from that, an overwhelming number of tasks demanded her attention. Gasping for breath, Cien pushed open the doors to the intensive care unit.
There, she found someone who was once her ally—Young Lady Lupesia.
As Cien’s rough breathing echoed in the room, she was met with a gaze, or rather an emotion, from Lupesia that was utterly devoid of warmth
“…Hello, Your Highness the Princess.”
Just so terribly cold, leaving Cien with no choice but to offer a strained smile.
There was no one on her side.
Just like how it was in her childhood, there was no ally to be found in this world.
Cien had become the enemy of all.
Already, she felt tears welling up.
