Chapter 209

Words : 2123 Updated : Sep 23rd, 2025

When the practice duel was canceled, Ares headed toward the meeting room. As he walked down the hallway, he caught sight of Roan. It seemed like Roan intended to skip again. However, Roan looked unusual this time. His hand was wrapped in bandages, and he muttered something under his breath with a murderous expression. It wasn’t a common sight, so Ares stopped in his tracks. “I know you always make a fool of yourself, but this is the first time I’ve seen you like this.” “…Don’t provoke me, Ares.” Roan’s eyes flashed menacingly. They were filled with suppressed killing intent. Ares felt Roan might cause trouble any moment, so he gave him a warning. “Just go back quietly, Roan.” At Ares’ serious tone, Roan glared with bloodshot eyes. Ares took a step closer. A few seconds of silence passed. “Tch.” Roan turned his head sharply and walked away. It seemed like Ares had been waiting for a chance to deal with him. Watching Roan’s retreating figure, Ares wore a slightly puzzled expression. Deciding to investigate who had confronted Roan later, Ares entered the meeting room. As soon as he walked in, the attention in the room was focused on Saila and Selberton. “Are you saying that guy really managed to do this with just one finger?” “Yes, that’s correct.” When Saila answered indifferently, a man with a ponytail asked. “What level of aura does he have?” “I don’t know.” “You were there and saw it, right?” “I did see it.” A woman with wavy hair frowned, seemingly frustrated by the vague answers. “Stop being cryptic and answer properly. How much more aura did he release compared to Roan?” Saila hesitated before answering. “…I couldn’t feel any aura at all.” “What? Then… was it magic?” “No, it was the same with mana.” The woman with wavy hair glanced at Selberton’s expression. He also gave a bitter smile, apparently agreeing with Saila’s assessment. Ares became intrigued by their conversation. “You all seem quite worked up.” “Oh, Ares, you’re here,” Selberton greeted as Ares took a seat at the head of the table and spoke. “Sounds interesting from what I’ve heard.” What they were curious about was the nature of this power. Truthfully, they likely had some idea. They just didn’t want to admit it. “Who would have thought there’d be someone who reached that level.” Saila and Selberton were considered strong themselves. Yet the fact that they couldn’t even gauge the individual’s power meant his aura manipulation had reached an extreme level. With precision near perfection, it was possible not to leak even a speck of aura. “Ares, I don’t think that’s the case.” “Yeah, there must be some misunderstanding.” Their reactions were skeptical. It was understandable since even among the most skilled swordsmen, known as the professors of Valient, none had reached such a level. Moreover, someone that skilled would naturally have a well-known name, making it even harder to believe. To see if anyone would notice, Ares filled his body with aura imbued with killing intent. Though he concentrated to avoid any leaks, a tiny amount of aura escaped. Heads turned instantly. “What the hell, Ares?” “Why are you emitting killing intent out of nowhere?” The amount of aura Ares failed to suppress was about the size of a grain of barley. Instead of fear, curiosity began to surface. The fact that he hadn’t stood out in public until now only deepened the mystery. What could have caused him to stay hidden all this time? “I’m curious about his name,” Ares murmured. Selberton let out a long sigh and answered. “Hersel Ben Tenest.” Ares’ thoughts froze for a moment. The name was so unexpected that he was sure he’d misheard it. Either that or Selberton had spoken poorly. “Hmm? Mircel hasn’t reached that point yet.” “How can you confuse their names? Hersel. That scoundrel, Hersel.” Their companions stared at Ares’ face. Their expressions seemed to say, ‘You can’t believe it either, right?’ *** In Frost Heart, the season of freezing temperatures, The pleasant weather felt oddly out of place. I put on a thin coat and prepared to leave the dormitory. Yesterday’s incident had cost me the opportunity to spy on Ever Blaze. The only consolation was that I’d gained some insight into Fiona’s abilities, Ever Blaze’s strongest asset, and Scarlett still allowed observations. That was thanks to my sarcastic remarks, taunting them for being cowards like Ever Blaze. – “Surely, you’re not admitting to being on their level?” – “What?” – “Is that really the case?” – “Ah, no! We’re nothing like those pathetic fools!” Scarlett’s student council president was indeed dumber than Ever Blaze’s. “Hersel, what are your plans after today?” It was Limberton’s voice, waiting in the hallway. He wasn’t the only one looking lively. Everyone was enjoying the rare taste of the outside world, feeling like nobles again. “How about we visit the theater?” “Oh, Ricks has some good ideas.” “I’d like to visit a tavern. It’s been a while since I’ve had expensive wine.” Even Bellman, who rarely drank, seemed to have been through a lot. “In that case, we should split into groups. Mircel is here too.” “Why me? I can drink just fine.” “That’s too early for you, kid!” Erucel’s remark had my full agreement. You’re still too young. “It’s nice to enjoy ourselves, but you’re all forgetting why we’re here. We came to assess their strength. Let’s relax after we’ve completed our tasks.” I said this and began walking toward the Arcadia Hall. I had just stepped out of the dormitory building. Suddenly, a sensation I’d forgotten crept up my spine. ‘A chilling feeling… This sensation is unmistakable.’ ‘Hersel, your instincts have sharpened.’ There was no doubt. It was the faint killing intent I’d often felt back at the mansion. But here, in the academy, it seemed oddly out of place. A variety of piercing gazes fixed on my face. Judging by their expressions, their academy affiliations were evident. The main players from Wisdom and Valient Academy were glaring at me with hostility. “That’s an unfamiliar uniform. But doesn’t something feel off?” Limberton swallowed nervously and asked. Bellman adjusted his glasses and replied. “They must have decided we’re a threat after yesterday’s events. Hersel’s display of indomitability was far beyond a student’s level.” Of course, this was within expectations. From their perspective, it was natural to be suspicious of us since we hadn’t revealed our full strength. But none of this was worth paying attention to. “Just ignore them and move on.” I led the way, cutting through their stares. Then, Mircel’s eyes sharpened. Ares was approaching me. “Nice to meet you, Hersel Ben Tenest,” he greeted politely. Maintaining courtesy, I responded in kind. “A group gathering against weaklings like us? Are you here to mock us?” Ares blinked his dazed eyes. As if snapping out of his halted thoughts, he opened his mouth with a calm expression. “I don’t understand your meaning. But I do have a question for you. Why haven’t you applied for a duel?” I uttered a plausible excuse. “I’m here to sightsee. Frost Heart is too restrictive, you see.” “Hm, you don’t seem very interested in duels.” Feigning indifference toward the united duels didn’t seem like a bad approach. With Scarlett already on edge, less attention was better, and who knew? Perhaps even Ever Blaze could be swayed. I smirked and gestured toward my group. They were all wearing the new clothes they had purchased yesterday. Their expressions were a sight—despite the piercing gazes directed at them, they couldn’t entirely hide their delight. “We’re planning to visit the theater today. Once the observation is over, we’ll be leaving immediately, so I’d appreciate it if you could hurry along.” I said this as I moved to pass Ares. At that moment, he glared at me with a furrowed brow, as if displeased, and locked eyes with me. “So you’re the same type as Roan.” Though he appeared detached, there were things even Ares couldn’t tolerate. One was delinquent behavior, and the other was wasting innate talent. When those two traits combined, you had someone like Roan. For that reason, Ares didn’t even regard Roan as human. In his eyes, I must have looked no different. “Well, I’m far better-looking than him,” I quipped and tried to leave. It didn’t matter if I got on his bad side. We weren’t here to defeat the likes of Valient or the wizards glaring at us from the side. And if we ever crossed paths again in the story, I’d deal with it then. Ares wasn’t completely inflexible, befitting a protagonist, so I was confident I could eventually change his perception. Just as I relaxed, he spoke again. “To use a power you stumbled upon solely to inconvenience others—have you ever thought about how pathetic that is?” Ares’ words were the start of a cascade of criticism from Valient’s main figures. “I agree. Born into privilege, yet ending up like this? Clearly unworthy.” “I thought maybe he’d changed, but it seems his essence remains the same.” “With terrible conduct and even worse power, he might be worse than Roan.” Their disdain showed no sign of stopping. Honestly, I wasn’t fazed. After inhabiting this body, the first thing I experienced was the maids gossiping behind my back. Moreover, given that I had been deliberately acting like a scoundrel, their evaluations felt like applause for my outstanding performance. I shrugged and was about to walk past when a familiar voice stopped me. “That’s getting on my nerves,” said Ricks. I glanced at Bellman, standing beside him, hoping he’d intervene. But Bellman seemed to agree with Ricks, offering a reasonable justification. “Honestly, I think it’s justified. From the moment he effortlessly defeated Roan, it became clear.” Bellman adjusted his glasses, about to say more when Limberton interrupted. “He may have had his faults in the past, but he’s different now. Don’t compare our representative to some lowly thug like Roan. Neither his strength nor his character even comes close.” Bellman smirked and glared at Ares. “Seeing Ares in person after all the rumors is disappointing. I never thought someone so blind to character could exist.” Even Silla chimed in, mocking him as she wiped her face dramatically with her palm. “Face it, our representative is better than yours in every way.” Silla shot a sharp look. In this world, such a gesture would usually be considered vulgar, and she even added a finger gesture akin to an insult. “What are you going to do about it?” The observing nobles were horrified. “How could anyone use such crude gestures?” “Where did she even learn that?” Silla snarled. “Don’t act like you’re above it. You know what it is, so you must have learned it too!” Thankfully, Erucel covered Mircel’s eyes. “What’s happening? Let me see!” “Don’t look.” Even Leana, who usually pretended to be neutral, subtly sided with me. “He’s made many mistakes, but considering all he’s done, I believe he’s more than atoned for them.” “Whatever wrongs he’s committed must have been for a good reason. I’m sure of it,” Aslay added. “That’s not it,” someone muttered. This unexpected display of pettiness from Valient lit a fire in the room. Chaos ensued, and the only ones watching calmly from the sidelines were Wisdom’s representatives. Amidst the commotion, I tried to lead my group away to avoid further trouble. But then, Mircel… “Do you know why our elder brother isn’t interested in duels?” The person I thought was my ally dropped a bombshell. “It’s because none of you are worth his time. Even if all of you combined your strength, it’d still look like child’s play to him.” No, don’t say it. Please stop. “He’s surpassed even the academy principals.” A heavy silence filled the room. Thus, the madness of Frost Heart spread even further. To read Chapters ahead ???? CH 206-210 (Troublemaker Vs Troublemaker) $3 CH 211-215 (Graduation) $3 CH 216-220 (Integrated Academy Tournament) $3 CH 221-225 (The Underdog) $3 CH 226-230 (Who am I?) $3 CH 231-235 (Frostheart Vs Wisdom) $3 CH 236-240 (I want to lose) $3 Prev I TOC I Next Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Like Loading...

Chapter 209

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