Free Web NovelChapter 27: Principal Merlin
So, she saw herself as a burden to me? Should I comfort my wife?
No.
I simply wasn’t that kind of person. Besides, she was mentally strong enough to recover soon. So, I just let her dwell on those painful thoughts before heading to the hall, where the principal would give a few speeches.
Thirty minutes later, a shadowy figure appeared out of nowhere.
Everyone began to pay attention to the old woman wearing a well-outfit embroidered with silver patterns, symbolizing the highest position of a noble in the world.
Despite being old, she still retained the charming traits commonly seen in women. Combined with her nebula-silver hair flowing down to her legs, it only increased her mystery.
’’Principal Merlin.’’
I knew her. She had been the tutor of King Uther’s children for around ten years.
My wife hesitated for a moment before revealing some information.
"She’s very strong. She may be the only person in the world with an affinity for all elements at once. Not only that, she’s also a scientist."
I asked.
’’Do you learn something interest from her?’’
My wife replied,
"Other than her crazy experiments, everything she teaches is worth learning. She has a different mindset."
Merlin stared at everyone indifferently before speaking.
’’No need to beat around the bush. I know all of you came to this place for the same goal – to become stronger, better, and earn a powerful position in society. I won’t disappoint you. My academy will be a launchpad for you.’’
"First, I want to congratulate all the candidates who passed the academy’s entrance examination, especially those of you who made it into Class S."
She added,
"Your future is very promising. A privileged program has been designed to help you become the strongest and the future leaders of humanity. As soon as you graduate, each of you, regardless of your final results, will be guaranteed a place in any powerful guild in the land of humanity. And the ten luckiest students will receive a one-year exchange scholarship to an academy of the ancient races."
I frowned.
A place in any powerful guild wasn’t necessary for me or my wife. That place was usually meant for people without a powerful background, such as lower nobles or commoners.The number of monster gates in my family’s territory was enough for us to clear, and cultivate . After graduating, we would return to our family, not join any guilds.
Our true target was the scholarship to the academy of the ancient races. The ancient races’ martial arts manuals could only be learned by humans through that legitimate path. There was no other way.
Well, maybe there was one – stealing them. But if I did that, I would be hunted down by the entire world for violating the Alliance’s rules. Even my father wouldn’t be able to save me.
Moreover, the Eryndor Continent, home to the ancient races, lay very close to the Demon Continent. We had to help them fight the demons during this time. It was one of the mandatory conditions of the treaty for us to be allowed to study their martial arts.
I nodded to myself before continuing to listen to the principal’s speech.
Merlin said,
"Second, I’d like the first student to reach 100 points in the examination to come up here and give a speech. You will be speaking on behalf of your generation."
She grinned as she glanced at my wife, who merely grimaced in discomfort.
"Student Arthea, please come up here."
A wind seemed to appear out of nowhere around my wife and me. It lifted her and wheelchair into the air before carrying her toward the stage.
Soon, she stood at the center of the hall.
She glanced at me as if she wanted some help, or at least some comfort, but I just stared into space as usual.
After a few minutes of silence, my wife said only one sentence.
"I’m Arthea Albert... I’m not a Pendragon."
Silence.
No one said anything, but over time, the chatter spread through the crowd.
A student nodded in understanding.
"So, she has put an end to her relationship with her family."
...
"For sure, if she said it in front of everyone, it’s for one purpose: she wanted everyone to stop calling her Arthea Pendragon. She has accepted the Albert family as her house. She has nothing to do with Pendragon anymore."
Another student sighed.
"I understand it. After all, what they did to her – throwing her away like trash – it would be strange if she were still happy with people calling her Pendragon."
Merlin grinned, using her wind to return my wife to my side before speaking.
"1000 students will be granted 50 credits for completing the examination excellently. The 40 Class S students will receive an additional 50 credits for their outstanding performance."
"Use them properly, because credits will determine whether you graduate or are expelled from the academy. Plus, they are the main currency in the academy, only earned by completing missions from the academy, and the standard achievements."
She glanced at everyone several times and nodded.
"Now, let’s disperse."
...
I blinked for a moment before pushing the wheelchair toward the academy cafeteria, weaving smoothly through the crowd that was dispersing in all directions.
My wife didn’t refuse my idea. Anyway, she needed to get used to the academy grounds and some important places.
30 minutes later, I sat on a chair while drinking a glass of lemon water. My wife was drinking a cup of milk tea.
Ting!
[Congratulations! You have completed the mission.]
[Support Level: High.]
[Processing standard rewards...]
Ting!
Items:
– Spiritual Water Wine Flask: Restores a shattered mana core.
– (x30) Primal Blood Crystal Stones: Capable of healing any injury and temporarily boosting mana.
My pupils widened for a moment as I stared at the virtual screen in front of my eyes.
"Blood Crystal Stones?"
They were a forbidden creation of the worshippers, used to increase their strength. In exchange, it caused horrifying side effects and an addiction that could never truly be cured. Worse still, its creation method was monstrous – ten thousand liters of pure human blood were condensed into a single gram of the stone.
