Just then, Celia’s gaze swept across the room, yet the person she longed to see remained absent.
“Where is the Silverbloom Sword Princess?”
“She messaged me,” Sharlene explained, pulling out her communicator and giving it a slight shake. “She’s investigating a demon-related matter and won’t be able to make it.”
“Oh?”
Isha appeared visibly crestfallen. Had she known earlier that the Silverbloom Sword Princess wouldn’t attend, she certainly wouldn’t have rushed to organize this celebratory banquet.
Channeling her disappointment into an insatiable appetite, she seized a chicken leg from a nearby platter and took two ferocious bites.
Meanwhile, Celia lowered her head, murmuring softly, ‘Could that demon incident be so perilous? Dangerous enough to keep her from the banquet…’
Over the past six months, they had come to understand that the Silverbloom Sword Princess’s nature was as gentle as the legends proclaimed. She always considered others, loath to witness any trace of disappointment on their faces.
Thus, her absence from the banquet could only signify that the demon affair was exceedingly dangerous, demanding swift investigation and resolution without a single moment’s delay.
Perceiving Celia’s train of thought, Lena offered reassurance. “Don’t worry,” she said. “She’s incredibly powerful; she’ll undoubtedly be fine.”
“Mm.”
Celia nodded, yet an inexplicable tightness settled in her chest.
‘The Silverbloom Sword Princess was investigating the demon incident alone precisely because they were too weak, utterly incapable of assisting her, wasn’t she?’
While they had indeed vanquished a fourth-tier magical beast and earned the title of true heroes, they remained far too distant from the Silverbloom Sword Princess’s level.
‘If only they were stronger, perhaps then they could offer her aid.’
‘She… desired to grow stronger as quickly as possible.’
Taking a sip of the red wine on the table, Sharlene inquired, “What are your plans moving forward? Do you intend to continue serving as heroes in Vidona?”
“I’m not sure…”
Confronted with the question, Celia found herself adrift, unsure of her next step.
As the eldest daughter of the Fiona family, her mind was well-versed in the intricate politics of various nations and the delicate etiquette of noble society. However, her practical experience outside these domains was woefully lacking, leaving her utterly clueless about her next course of action.
It was then that Sharlene, having anticipated this very moment, put forth her own suggestion.
“Why not enroll in the Rune Hero Academy for further studies?”
“Rune Academy?”
Aurora gasped, covering her mouth in surprise. “Is that the most prestigious hero academy in the world?” she asked, her voice laced with doubt. “Can we truly get in?”
Her self-doubt was understandable. Since the very dawn of heroes, Rune Academy had stood as the most celebrated institution for heroes in all of humanity.
Each year, countless heroes journeyed to its gates seeking knowledge, yet the rigorous entrance examination alone proved sufficient to deter ninety-nine percent of them. Furthermore, annual internal assessments awaited those who did enroll, with expulsion being the fate of any who failed to meet the demanding standards.
While Rune Academy’s system might have been deemed cruel and arrogant, it undeniably possessed the qualifications to justify such an attitude.
Its faculty boasted extraordinary prestige. Even its regular instructors were all sixth-tier heroes, with seventh-tier sages occasionally arriving to impart their wisdom. Remarkably, a small number of its listed teachers were even eighth-tier council members.
Heroes who successfully graduated from Rune Academy were, by and large, renowned figures today, coveted by major empires and exceptionally active throughout the human world.
Hailing from a remote region, Aurora naturally harbored a touch of inferiority when contemplating such a prestigious academy.
Sharlene merely scoffed, deftly spearing a piece of beef with her fork.
“You truly underestimate yourselves, don’t you?” she challenged. “With third-tier strength, you effortlessly defeated a fourth-tier magical beast—an feat even many heroes within Rune Academy would struggle to accomplish.”
Sharlene felt a certain exasperation. Perhaps because Vidona was so secluded, lacking other heroes of their age for comparison, these young women simply didn’t grasp the sheer impressiveness of their accomplishments.
Three third-tier heroes had fluidly defeated a fourth-tier wyvern, even going so far as to decapitate the enraged beast afterward. Such a feat, presented during Rune Academy’s entrance examination, would undoubtedly secure them a spot within the top three.
“But, um, we have the Silverbloom Sword Princess, don’t we?” Isha mumbled around a mouthful of chicken leg, her curiosity piqued. “Um, do we truly still need to attend an academy?”
Sharlene patiently offered her explanation.
“As formidable as the Silverbloom Sword Princess is, she isn’t omnipotent,” Sharlene clarified. “There will always be knowledge she hasn’t encountered. Moreover, Rune Academy is home to many other brilliant heroes; don’t feel inferior, but also don’t underestimate them. Pressure, after all, is what fuels motivation.”
At this, she suddenly leaned forward, bending low and cupping a hand over her mouth, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.
“And, I’ll let you in on a secret: the Silverbloom Sword Princess herself studied at Rune Academy, too,” she divulged slyly. “Legend has it, the academy holds quite a few embarrassing stories from her younger days!”
Lena’s grip on her fork tightened noticeably at these words. She fixed Sharlene with an impassive stare for a moment before silently averting her gaze.
Imagining the chunk of magical beast meat before her was Sharlene’s backside, she plunged her fork in with savage force, golden fat oozing from the puncture.
For some inexplicable reason, Sharlene felt a sudden, phantom twinge in her posterior.
Leaning back in her chair, she waved a dismissive hand. “Of course,” Sharlene said, “I’m merely offering a suggestion. The ultimate decision rests with you all.”
“We’ll go!”
Celia agreed with an immediate, fervent enthusiasm, her expression alight. It was unclear whether her excitement stemmed from the prospect of growing stronger within the academy or the tantalizing promise of uncovering the Silverbloom Sword Princess’s youthful indiscretions.
Afterward, she turned her head to face Aurora and Isha.
“What are your thoughts?”
Tucking a strand of pale blue hair behind her ear, Aurora’s brilliant eyes gleamed with a touch of longing. “Of course, we’ll go together,” she affirmed.
“Mm-hm!”
Seeing Isha nod in agreement as well, Sharlene clapped her hands, a bright smile gracing her lips. “Perfect!” she exclaimed. “In just one month, it will be Rune Academy’s spring enrollment period. You all must bring great honor to the Vidona Hero Guild!”
“We will!”
Celia nodded with emphatic resolve. Meanwhile, the smile on Sharlene’s face had not faltered since the very beginning of the banquet.
Gradually, however, her attention shifted to Lena, who had remained remarkably quiet throughout the entire evening.
Noticing Lena’s distracted demeanor, Sharlene asked with genuine concern, “What’s wrong, Lena? Aren’t you feeling well, or have you lost your appetite?”
Lena shook her head, then rose to her feet.
“Forgive me,” she said. “I need to visit the washroom. I’ll be back shortly.”
Under the collective gaze of the others, she stepped into the private room’s washroom and made her way to the sink.
The mirror on the wall above the basin gleamed with a brilliant polish. Gazing at her own reflection, Lena fell into a momentary daze.
Her thoughts drifted to her time at Rune Academy, recalling her journey from a newly admitted student to becoming the academy’s most brilliant hero upon graduation. This period, though relatively brief, remained one of her most cherished memories.
Unlike Vidona, Rune Academy had been the crucible of her youth. Thus, years after her own graduation, she had returned to the institution as a listed instructor, having taught countless students.
By now, those students must have long since graduated from the academy, transforming into formidable, independent heroes.
Beyond that, many of the teachers who had once guided her remained a mystery; after so many years, she wondered if they still taught at Rune Academy.
A gentle wave of nostalgia washed over her. She had indeed promised Celia to leave Vidona with them, yet at this very moment, a distinct unease began to settle within her.
‘Having suffered defeat in the Demon Lord’s castle, would Rune Academy still welcome her back?’