I'm an Ordinary Returning Student at the Academy

[Translator – Angel Dust]

[Proofreader – Prototype]

Chapter 45

After the festival ended, for several days, I inevitably had to endure all sorts of rumors.

What could have driven such a seemingly ordinary schoolboy to such murderous behavior.

Who was the unidentified man I was being beaten to death, and where did he go?

If the Academy had any answers, why wouldn’t anyone speak up?

There was actually no need to speak up. It was enough to just wait.

But curiosity began to creep up on Selena and the four protagonists who were with me.

I didn’t want anyone to feel embarrassed or tired because of me. It would be a nuisance.

It was time to start thinking about how to handle this situation.

< Saviour of the Battlefield, Karl Adelheit. Preventing terrorism and now even the academy? >

It started with newspaper articles that seemed to suddenly burst out as if by agreement.

< Shocking! It has been revealed that there were those who targeted students from the Kingdom of Lasker and the Kingdom of Abilestti. >

< The one who acted before the empire! >

< In-depth investigation. Why can't Luzernes give up the fight against the Empire? >

If one had a certain level of perceptiveness, they would have already roughly guessed from there.

Not what they were trying to say, but what they were saying it for. Why such articles suddenly burst out simultaneously?

But what came next was even bigger, to the extent that it would bury even the strange atmosphere.

“Karl Adelheit. I commend you for your courage and sacrifice and beg you to do me the honor of having tea with the Medal of Honor recipient.”

It was none other than the Crown Prince of the Empire who sent these words.

With that, all the doubts and curiosity of the entire academy were neatly resolved.

The Medal of Honor recipient who saved hundreds of Imperial soldiers in the blood-soaked battlefield, prevented terrorism after discharge, and now even blocked the dagger aimed at the students.

While everyone was immersed in the festival, only one person wasn’t.

“He’s a hero! A hero!!”

“The empire has such a great hero! You barbarian Kanfras! You fucking bastards!!”

* * *

It’s been said that the only thing worse than drugs is national pride.

And that’s what I was experiencing right now.

“Senior!”

“Junior!”

“Look, it’s Karl!”

News that the Crown Prince wants to meet me spread throughout the entire academy.

At this rate, wouldn’t that message spread throughout the entire empire within the next week?

I never expected things to turn out like this when I tried to inquire about the academy’s affairs.

Before the kingdom side could protest, the empire preemptively stated, ‘The Empire did its best.’

It’s hard to bet on whether a returning student like me ‘accidentally’ stepped forward.

Moreover, even the Crown Prince, while expressing gratitude to the Medal of Honor recipient, is subtly pressuring those under his protection to remain silent.

As a result, Lasker and Abilestti officially expressed their gratitude to the Empire and me for protecting their students, openly displaying their displeasure towards Luzernes, who was identified as the suspect.

‘I hear the Empire, the two kingdoms, and Hyzens are even working together to form an anti-terrorism alliance?’

Even though the empire knew, they hid the fact and proceeded with the operation.

It wasn’t that they didn’t inform the kingdoms, it was that the event occurred before they could, and it was coincidentally stopped.

In the eyes of the people of the empire, the picture of ‘even though they’re foreigners, they bravely stood up with courage and sacrifice!’ is drawn, naturally leading to the thought ‘the empire is indeed the best!’ …that’s the point.

It’s amazing. Those playing politics are different. They’re even exploiting this situation like this.

“Student Karl Adelheit! Look over here, please!”

Oh… I like that journalist. He refers to me not as a Sergeant but as a student!

The sincerity of it makes me favor him, so I push aside other people and agree to the interview.

“Student Karl. How exactly did you come to know about the attack on foreign students by the Luzernes?”

“It was truly a coincidence. I was helping with the booth, but when I went out for a moment of rest, I saw some non-academy people gathering and doing suspicious things.”

“Were you sure they were terrorists?”

“Since I’ve already experienced stopping them once, it wasn’t difficult.”

I don’t feel guilty because I’m not blatantly lying.

They were the terrorists, and I stopped their terror. Ultimately, it’s a happy ending.

Isn’t that sufficient reason not to inform the kingdom side and proceed with the operation?

“There are also discussions about the possibility of multiple Medal of Honors.”

“I simply did what needed to be done. And the medal already hanging on my chest is too heavy, so I don’t need another one.”

I hope they don’t add another one here. This alone is burdensome enough.

Even after scouring the empire’s history, there isn’t a crazy person who has been awarded two medals of honor.

Not someone who has killed more enemies than me, not someone who has achieved more victories than me, from soldiers like me to the Imperial Army’s supreme commander. No one!

I don’t want to be the first. If I have to, let it be the second.

It may sound glorious and honorable to others, but I don’t feel that way at all. It’s burdensome.

And embarrassing. Above all, I never wanted the medal.

“Karl Adelheit ha… No! Student! News just arrived! There’s a major announcement from the Ministry of justice!”

“A major announcement?”

“It’s about the issue of receiving multiple honors that haven’t been explicitly specified! It’s impossible to receive multiple honors in the same major. However, it is possible to receive the same medal in different majors. And that includes the Medal of Honor., they said!”

Fuck. Apparently, I was the first recipient of multiple the Medal of Honors.

‘This is a really big deal.’

Why do they keep doing this? Why all the fuss about me receiving awards for my accomplishments?

Are you calling it an overacted performance? Are you saying I’ve been consumed by the concept of being just an ordinary returning student?

I wish it were that way. I wish my current actions were for that reason.

[ Karl. ]

“…Yes, Mother.”

[ You hardly ever contact me. Is this how you convey news to your mother? ]

“I-I’m sorry.”

I was wrong, Mother. I’m sorry, Mother.

So please, don’t open your eyes. If Mother sees the truth, there will be trouble…!

My sister Rika is called the Blade Queen, a terrifying nickname.

And the fact that I was able to survive on the battlefield fighting like a madman.

Perhaps there’s something inherited from Mother that made it possible.

Oh, and if you ask if Father is weak, that’s not it either. Didn’t they say that similar people end up marrying each other? Father is definitely not less than Mother.

Anyway…

“I really couldn’t help it, Mother. Things just happened to overlap and unfold. Whenever I tried to contact you, I got busy, and when I tried to contact you again, something happened and I got distracted.”

I desperately tried to prove my innocence to Mother.

Even if it looks like an excuse, I can’t help it. I don’t want to see Mother’s eyes open.

The moment she sees it, she’s going to throw her head on the ground and beg for help!

[ Sigh…. ]

Fortunately, it seemed like Mother didn’t have any intention of scolding me.

She just seemed upset with her son, who didn’t contact her properly.

[ You’ve worked hard, my son. I heard that you’ve really worked hard for our family and the empire. ]

“It wasn’t a big deal, Mother. It just happened that way.”

[ Don’t say that. I know better than anyone about your efforts. ]

Even though I’m communicating through a magic communication device, Mother’s warm encouragement still reaches me.

Is it the sense of security that comes with the name ‘Mother’? Or is it the understanding felt as a senior, an experienced person?

Whatever it is, it makes me feel better. While others may not know, Mother’s approval meant a lot to me.

“Is Father doing well?”

[ Yes. Karl, you’re making your father the most restless with your recent actions. ]

“Ahaha… Please apologize on my behalf.”

[ Apologize? On the contrary, your father’s face is beaming with smiles. He says if you’re a man, that’s how you should be. You should make your name known and receive everyone’s praise. ]

Well, Father is the one who didn’t oppose my enlistment as a soldier.

Honestly, it would have been much better if you had stopped them back then, you know.

Hmm, it’s almost time for class. I should start greeting and end the magic communication.

[ Karl Adelheit. ]

Suddenly, my mother utters my full name, and I automatically switch to alert mode.

[ Still, you need to tone it down a bit. I just want you to live quietly as a student. There’s no need for you to take on troublesome tasks. ]

“Yes, I understand, Mother.”

[ Please do so. Besides, your sister has insisted on returning to the field. ]

…Huh?

“Mother, what do you mean by that? Does that mean…?”

[ She’s temporarily returned to the Special Operations Execution Department. ]

My sister probably heard about me. And she strongly desires to return to the field.

There’s only one thing this implies. She intends to fight against the Luzerne bastards, against the Kanfras.

My heart pounds fiercely, and my stomach churns like it’s boiling.

That time it was my comrades, then Selena not long ago. The bastards who hurt them.

This time, it might be my sister. And it might be because of me. If, by some chance, my sister gets hurt….

[ Karl. ]

“Yes, Mother.”

[ Take a deep breath. Slowly, deeply. ]

Following Mother’s instructions, I regulate my breathing. I calm my chaotic mind and chest.

[ Let me ask you something, my son. Is your sister the type to be defeated by mere Kanfras? ]

I lowered my head. The sister I know is never that kind of person.

She’s a strong person who’s incomparable to someone like me. Really, someone who never wavers.

[ Yeah. So, don’t worry about anything, my son. I hope your sister won’t bring back Kanfra heads as souvenirs. ]

In response to Mother’s words, I found myself nodding involuntarily.

By the way, there was a time when Mother actually gave Kanfra heads as gifts when she was dating Father…

[Translator – Angel Dust]

[Proofreader – Prototype]

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