Chapter 169 — Rising to Hero Status Again: Rumors Decide It All

1

Monday.

Even before classes began, the academy was buzzing with chatter.

The results of the disciplinary committee were displayed on a massive banner.

The outcome was posted in the lobby for all students to see, leading to mixed reactions.

Manus had been cleared of all charges, and the maid Siren was found guilty of slander.

Once the truth was revealed, those who had previously badmouthed Manus turned pale and clammed up.

Especially those who had secretly hoped to surpass him in grades.

The students who had always felt inferior to Manus wore the expressions of the defeated from the early morning.

In the end, they were faced with the outcome they least wanted to see.

“What are we supposed to do now?”

“What can we do? Just lay low.”

“Ugh… Seriously, why did this have to happen? You mean to tell me he achieved all that without any cheating or enhancement?”

“Right? Oh, by the way, did you hear? A graduate from the Caesar family is here.”

A graduate.

That word carried a significant weight.

Not only had they survived the intense competition for four years, but they had also passed all the graduation exams and completed their thesis.

It’s often said that many enter the academy, but only a few manage to graduate.

And if it’s a Caesar family graduate, they were undoubtedly the top graduate.

A legendary figure among the academy’s alumni.

The third and fourth-year students already knew who she was.

Invidea.

To them, she was a senior like an idol, so naturally, she became a bigger topic than Manus.

Manus, too, was sitting in his usual spot, unbothered, when Nia approached him.

“How are you feeling?”

“The same as usual.”

“Oh, I figured as much. Think we’ll get to see Senior Invidea again?”

“No reason why not.”

“Uh… Could you introduce me?”

Manus let out a small chuckle.

She sounded like someone asking a close friend to introduce them to a famous idol’s family member.

Nia looked at Manus with eyes full of hope.

What should he do?

Now that he thought about it, he hadn’t seen Invidea this morning.

Where could she be?

Perhaps she was feeling nostalgic and wandering around the academy reminiscing?

He’d find out after classes were over.

As he was thinking this, a commotion started at the back of the classroom.

“Kyahhh! Senior!”

“Senior! I’m a huge fan!”

“…What’s going on?”

Nia turned her head to see what was happening.

There was a powerful presence at the center of the crowd.

Invidea wasn’t hiding her aura at all.

That’s why it was so easy for everyone around her to notice her arrival, including Manus.

Seeing the crowd she attracted, Manus couldn’t help but think how much the Caesar family enjoyed attention.

He stood up.

If his older sister had come to the academy, she was likely here to see him.

And it must be something important.

“I need a moment with my sister. If you’ll excuse me, everyone.”

“Oh, of course!”

“By all means, please go ahead!”

The response was enthusiastic.

The crowd parted as if the sea itself had split, and Manus walked through, coming face to face with his older sister.

Invidea spoke to her brother the moment she saw him.

“I’ve heard everything from the Chairman. We’ll talk after classes when things calm down.”

“Understood.”

“There are too many eyes on us right now. I’ll save the details for later… By the way, Mother will be returning soon.”

“What about the situation? Are we making any progress in tracking it?”

Invidea didn’t respond to that question.

She simply waved her hand dismissively as she began to walk away.

“We’ll talk about that later too. See you after class.”

And just like that, Invidea disappeared as swiftly as she had appeared.

Manus turned to Nia, whose eyes were shining with admiration behind him.

Her eyes were filled with awe, and her wide smile was so bright it almost ruined her usual composed image.

“Was she always like that, even as a student at the academy?”

“…Probably?”

“…”

Manus silently watched his sister’s retreating figure.

As expected from a Caesar.

She must have had an extraordinary school life, just like him.

Of that, Manus was sure.

2

After class.

Manus moved to meet Invidea, as promised.

What kind of conversation awaited him? What events would she reveal this time?

And what changes would come from their discussion?

“Oh, you’re early. I spent some time browsing the new books that came in. They were quite interesting.”

“This is a good place for a private conversation.”

“Shall we get straight to the point? I’ve heard about the Erosion Zone you’re exploring.”

She’d already found out that much?

The Chairman must have been the source.

Recalling that no one else had contacted her, Manus nodded, piecing the situation together.

Things were spreading faster than he’d expected.

In that case, he could use this opportunity to accelerate their efforts.

Plus, he could seek help for the upcoming battle in June, against the minions and Eresis forces.

After organizing his thoughts, Manus began speaking.

“That’s right. We’re currently working on conquering a place called the Ziggurat within the Erosion Zone.”

“I’ve heard there are demons involved. You need to stop them from escaping. If they do, will the world really be destroyed?”

“There are only a limited number of people who can see them—like you and me. Even Father wouldn’t stand much chance against an invisible enemy.”

“Hmm… I see.”

Honestly, his father, Labeth, didn’t seem like the type to lose to a demon.

If they could somehow push him into the tower like they did with Nia, the situation might be solved in an instant.

But Manus chose not to voice that thought.

The side effects of such a thing were unknown, and who knew how the world might change as a result?

And if their father somehow turned against them, could they handle it?

Manus wanted to avoid any situation that spiraled out of his control.

While his companions could probably manage to persuade or subdue him, there was no way to control his father.

“As I’ve told you before, we can’t let the family’s ambitions interfere.”

“That would indeed be the start of a world war. I’m well aware of that.”

“At least for a year. We plan to advance on our own until then.”

Manus’s firm words were met with no argument from Invidea.

She was prepared to respect her brother’s decision.

After all, she had made a promise to him and wanted to keep it.

Manus.

For the Caesar family to become the greatest on the continent, his power needed to grow steadily.

And while they were at it, it would be helpful if her brother, Tyrannis, could be kept in check.

Hiding her true thoughts, Invidea smiled.

The stronger her brother became, the closer her dreams would come to reality.

Her smile deepened.

“I respect your decision. But… don’t push yourself too hard. Understood?”

“Of course. By the way, I’d like to participate in the territorial battles.”

“I’ll mention it to Father. Well, I’ll be heading back now, since we’re done.”

Manus walked with her to bid her farewell.

Given the unpredictable nature of her interventions, this development was something he could welcome.

Many people watched the two of them walking together.

The tyrant and the empress.

It was truly a sight to behold, seeing the two of them walking side by side.

By now, they were used to the many gazes that followed them.

As they entered an empty hallway, Invidea stopped and spoke her final words.

“I’ll leave it here. Do you need anything else from me?”

“June 3rd. I’d like you to stop by the academy that night.”

“June 3rd? That’s the night of the full moon… Alright, I’ll clear my schedule for that evening.”

With a smile, Invidea turned and walked away.

She had gained quite a lot from this visit.

She wasn’t ready to share everything with the family yet, but she had acquired a piece of information that even Tyrannis didn’t know.

Considering the amount she had gained in just a couple of days, it was certainly worth visiting again.

She had learned that gathering information wasn’t something that could be done in an instant.

And in that sense, Manus was the perfect source of information to tap into whenever she needed.

After all, they were helping each other.

“Well then, take care. Stay healthy.”

“You too, sister.”

“…Yes.”

Invidea’s eyes widened briefly before returning to normal.

With a warm smile she hadn’t shown before, she waved as she left.

Manus stood in place, watching her until she was completely out of sight.

Now that her involvement was confirmed, some of his worries could ease.

May was a busy month.

There was the empire’s founding day, the academy’s anniversary, and the sports festival—all packed into one month.

Amidst all those packed events, he needed to build up his power as much as possible.

If they could push through to the 4th sector within the year, the next two years would be much smoother.

‘Santo Leo isn’t quite ready to join yet…’

The world had already changed quite a bit, so that time might come sooner than expected.

In any case, now was the time to level up as much as possible with the current forces.

Soon, the grueling section of progress would arrive.

From level 50 to 70, it could take two years, or even three.

“Is it finally over?”

Chesthip had given quite a substantial reward before departing.

A heap of L-Class mana stones and an artifact seemingly received from Andrea.

And even [The Recluse’s Heart].

If he brought it to White, he could craft a variety of items.

Once Andrea was defeated, it would be time to begin crafting artifacts.

At the very least, he needed to make mana-related items to smooth the journey ahead.

Thinking of the tasks ahead, Manus began to walk.

For now, his focus would have to shift toward preparing for the midterms.

3

After class.

Nia returned to her dormitory and began scribbling something down fervently.

What could her family be preparing for right now?

She would find out during the midterms, but gathering some intel ahead of time wouldn’t hurt.

If her family was up to something foolish, she needed to inform them immediately.

As she scribbled away, she paused and hesitated.

The feeling that had been plaguing her lately was starting again.

She set down her pen with a sigh, feeling it wash over her once more.

“It’s happening again.”

The feeling that she had forgotten something, but didn’t know what.

The sensation that everything around her was slowly fading away, even though nothing seemed wrong.

She clasped her head in her hands and rested her forehead on her desk.

She shuddered at the thought that she might lose something truly important.

“Ugh… I really have to do something about this.”

She couldn’t afford to lose what was dear to her, all because she was so focused on growing stronger.

After all, the reason she was pursuing strength was for the sake of her beloved family.

‘I need a plan.’

Abandoning her letter for the moment, she pulled out a different sheet of paper.

From her pile of notebooks—purchased to last her from her first to fourth year—she picked the one sitting furthest back.

She recalled Manus’s words from a few days ago.

[The world will reject you.]

No, she would never allow herself to be rejected.

She would survive to the end and achieve the dreams that had been left unfulfilled.

Gritting her teeth, Nia began to write rapidly.

Her hands moved desperately, trying to hold onto the things that were slipping away.

–TL Notes–
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