About half a month later, the results for this year’s [Grace] were announced.
Thanks to the combined efforts of Sang and Kevin, not a single person from Dilelo Town had been selected.
One night, Sang had just finished practicing his swordsmanship and was lingering alone in the courtyard. The Little Chicken was also wandering around the yard. As he read the report that had come back, he muttered to himself, “So polluting the blood samples with urine really works…”
Last time, Sang had only tampered with the samples from a few kids at the orphanage, so there might have been some element of luck involved. But after this round, he was all but certain of one thing—contamination really did the trick.
“Then… why don’t the other lords do the same?”
As the young man sat in the courtyard, lost in his mumbling, Aisha Hodhua’s voice suddenly came from behind him. Devoid of emotion, she said, “Perhaps… I can answer that question for you.”
“Ah… you scared the hell out of me. When did you get there?”
Sang felt a bit exasperated. Why did people keep sneaking up on him from behind lately?
“Starting from the moment you started wondering why the other lords don’t use this method to protect their people…”
“Ah… so you heard everything!?”
“Yes…”
“Well… whatever. It’s not like you’re going to rat me out…”
At those words from the young man, Aisha Hodhua fixed him with a look that was hard to read. After a long moment, she let out a deep sigh and said wistfully, “Watermelon, has anyone ever told you that you’re way too trusting? Anyway, back to the point… [Grace] is an honor for every lord. As for the shady tricks you’re pulling—as far as I know, some lords do the exact same thing. But not to protect the children. They charge exorbitant fees to tamper with the blood for profit…”
“Oh… I see. Still, that really caught me off guard…”
“Caught you off guard how?” Aisha Hodhua asked, puzzled.
Sang smiled and said, “You’ve been holed up in [Heavenly Key] all these years, cut off from the outside world. You shouldn’t know about any of this… Thank you for going out of your way to research this world for my sake.”
Because the Blood Race had skin several shades paler than ordinary humans, Aisha Hodhua had no way to hide the flush creeping across her cheeks.
Her face red, she said, “What kind of weird nonsense is that? I didn’t investigate for your sake. I did it for myself. If you get in trouble and end up executed, I’ll be dragged down with you…”
With that, Aisha Hodhua hurried off toward the house.
Halfway there, she seemed to remember something. She stopped in her tracks and turned back. “Stinky Watermelon, there’s one more very important thing…”
“What is it?”
“The business with you beating the Montgomery Family in Rita has caused a huge uproar in the Dark World. A lot of families in the black market trade see you as a thorn in their side now. There’s already a bounty on your head in the Dark World—two thousand gold coins. I wrote in my letter asking the higher-ups to keep quiet about you heading to Knight Academy City, but there’s no guarantee there aren’t moles… So I suggest you disguise yourself completely for this trip. Don’t even let anyone see your face…”
As expected.
The young man let out a long, plaintive sigh on the spot.
Aisha Hodhua assumed he was worried about assassination attempts. To her surprise, he grumbled indignantly, “Ah… what the hell? I, your father’s head is only worth two thousand gold coins? Not even a super double!? Looking down on me, huh? Pisses me off.”
Aisha Hodhua: “…”
He really was one of a kind.
Watching Aisha Hodhua’s retreating back, Sang finally let his true feelings show. He let out a long sigh. He’d been planning to sneak back to Kaen Town during the semester abroad, but now that he was a wanted man, he probably couldn’t risk going back there casually.
Killing Morton Montgomery had felt great at the time, but the fallout was unavoidable, just as he’d feared.
Don’t forget, he’d taken the organization’s mission to Rita not to wipe out the Montgomery Family or free the slaves, but to break away from the [organization]. And now the Dark World had him in their sights.
He’d veered off course again…
Life really was full of surprises… the kind that left you helpless.
…
Early spring, the third month.
Sang had settled the kids from Dawn Academy. Amid a chorus of reluctant goodbyes, he set off for Knight Academy City with Shika and Aisha in tow.
Oh.
And don’t forget the Little Chicken.
The little thing might not have much presence, but she made a fine mascot—or emergency rations.
“Cheep cheep~! (I’m not human, but you’re a real dog!)”
With the Dark World’s bounty on Sang already posted, he had no choice but to disguise himself for the journey. He’d dyed his hair blue and was wearing a mask. Ever the optimist, he’d decided that if he was heading to Knight Academy City, he might as well do it with a positive attitude.
All smiles.
“Ah… I can’t wait to get back to my college life.”
Yeah.
That’s right.
This was the guy who’d died in a freak accident on his way to university and ended up transmigrating. Now he could think of it as picking up where he’d left off, spiritually speaking.
Aisha Hodhua and Shika both had black lines on their foreheads. “College? What’s that?”
“Hee hee hee. It’s fun stuff, anyway.”
At that, Aisha Hodhua and Shika exchanged a glance and sighed in unison. “Sometimes, I really have no idea what’s going on in that head of yours…”
Sang just kept grinning like an idiot.
This was a world of swords and magic, where the average person’s physical abilities far outstripped those of modern society. Productivity wasn’t as backward as one might think, either. There were currently two railway lines under construction: one from Central to Rita, and another from Central to Knight Academy City.
The tracks from Central to Knight Academy City were already a third complete and in use, which shaved a full day off what used to be a three- or four-day trip.
As a gray wolf from the Northern Region, it was Shika’s first time seeing a steam train. Devout believer in the Ancient Titan that he was, he immediately pegged it as some kind of steel behemoth, his eyes filled with awe.
“This… is this some rare high-level Titan?”
“Shika, I never knew you were such an idiot…” Sang trailed off, a black line forming on his forehead.
Aisha Hodhua looked at him with disdain. “Shut your mouth, you stupid wolf. Stop embarrassing us.”
Shika: “…”
As they spent more time together, the bonds between Sang, Shika, and Aisha Hodhua grew stronger. At times, it even felt like they were family… though they still bickered constantly.
Sang loved living with them. Even if they would part ways someday, he intended to cherish every moment for now.
Compared to the trains in the city, the ones heading out were packed several times over. Fortunately, as an earl, Sang could ride in the near-empty VIP section without rubbing elbows with the common folk.
Everyone hated privilege.
Everyone craved it.
Pretty much.
Before boarding, Sang noticed a table on the platform stacked with leaflets—promotional flyers for the steam train. He grabbed one on impulse and flipped through it once he was seated. The principles were much like those back in his old world; nothing special. The only thing that caught his eye was the “S” logo in the bottom right corner.
“What’s this?”
Aisha Hodhua replied, “That’s the Academy of Sciences’ mark…”
“The Academy of Sciences? This world has one of those? Did they invent the steam train?” In his words, Sang sounded just like any curious student, eager to learn.
Aisha Hodhua thought for a moment. “The Academy of Sciences is located at the border between the First and Second Districts in Central’s outer ring… It’s an organization started by a group of humans. They’ve come up with a fair few inventions, but they’ve never really gotten any recognition.”
Sang couldn’t help but feel a twinge of disdain at that.
They were clearly following the steam train as a model for progress, yet they wouldn’t even offer a word of praise. The Blood Race sure were arrogant…
