Book 1 Chapter 984
A strange atmosphere began to flow through the party hall.
Abard glanced at the whispering scions of prestigious families.
‘Should I say I'm lucky?’
Among those talking about Karl and Eliza, there were no scions from the western region's prestigious families.
More precisely, there were no scions from the Rodren Empire's prestigious families.
This was natural, as all prestigious families from the western continent were Rodren people.
Abard secretly let out a deep sigh.
‘I expected it to some extent, but… to talk about it so openly.’
It wasn't a day or two that the scions of prestigious families were arrogant.
With their history and tradition, merely being born into that bloodline would be enough for them to feel proud.
‘The problem is that their pride is excessively bloated.’
Even ordinary nobles, not from prestigious families, think they are noble, so how much more so for those born with the blood of heroes?
It's an undeniable fact that there's a high probability of a hero being born among the scions of prestigious families, as they can conquer Hero Records through the countless legacies built by their ancestors.
But that's all.
Ultimately, the unqualified cannot even enter the Hero Academy, let alone become a hero.
‘No. They're not even good enough to enter Ikot, Emerald, or Scaown, the three most prestigious academies.’
Nevertheless, most scions of prestigious families consider themselves seeds of heroes.
Even if they weren't born with the qualities of a hero.
Simply because their ancestors were heroes.
To put it nicely, it's a conservative and exclusive tendency.
To put it badly…
“Empty-headed fools.”
Abard sighed softly at Chelsea's fierce, whispered reaction.
Eliza wasn't the only one who was angry.
Everyone admitted to Lumen was feeling uncomfortable.
Karl was the one who rose to the position of a hero faster than anyone else here.
‘Though his combat ability might be lacking… No. There's a contradiction in that statement too.’
Although the terrain was advantageous to Karl, Karl possessed combat abilities that allowed him to toy with hundreds of Lumen freshmen.
There are still first-year students who tremble in fear at the mention of Karl.
He was not someone who could be ignored by those who had nothing to boast about except their lineage.
‘No, they're idiots who had no sense to begin with, picking a fight with Hergin.’
Just as there's a difference in class between a hero's prestigious family and a common prestigious family.
There's also a class system even among hero's prestigious families.
And Hergin is one of the top families among those hero's prestigious families.
Hergin, located in the northern continent, has a neutral stance.
It doesn't belong to any faction and plays the role of a third force, balancing the continental powers.
That is possible because Hergin is a family with such formidable potential.
Throughout the entire continent, only three families, excluding Hergin, enjoyed the same status as Hergin.
Those who mock and ridicule as they please seem to trust their affiliated nations and powers, but.
‘There won't be anything good to come from antagonizing Hergin.’
Abard was simply dumbfounded before he got angry, seeing them unhesitatingly act to antagonize a family that even the Rodren Empire treated with caution.
But anyway, Abard was the host of the social party.
He had to prevent the party itself from collapsing.
‘First, I need to calm Eliza down….’
Thinking so, Abard looked at Eliza.
Crackle-
At that moment, pure white sparks flew from Eliza's body.
Karl's and Abard's eyes met in the air.
‘We can't stop this, can we?’
‘Yeah. We can’t.’
They communicated with just their eyes.
Having been in the same dormitory in their second year, these three knew each other well.
A truly enraged Eliza could not be stopped.
Karl wore a resigned expression.
Abard was also worried about what would happen next.
Suddenly, silence fell over the entire social party hall.
Click-
And as if a drop of water had fallen onto a calm surface, causing ripples.
The clear sound of high heels echoed.
“Oh my?”
And a sweet, beautiful voice captivated everyone's ears.
“The party hall is a bit noisy, isn't it?”
Click- Click-
Golden hair, so dazzling it was more brilliant than pure gold.
Pink eyes that captivated people's gaze.
A tight-fitting, pure white dress that showed off the beautiful curves of her body.
A beautiful woman, who could literally be called the embodiment of beauty, appeared in the party hall.
The crystals decorating her dress sparkled, dispersing attention.
Everyone gasped at Helena's appearance.
Even Lumen students, accustomed to her appearance, were mesmerized.
‘Why did she put so much effort into her appearance?’
Karl wondered inwardly.
Helena had no interest in grooming herself.
More precisely, she didn't feel the need to.
Because she was already a transcendent beauty, there was no need to adorn herself.
But today, Helena had literally made up her mind and come out.
As everyone's gaze was fixed on Helena, her pink eyes glowed.
“Ah. I'm thirsty.”
Helena murmured, as if for everyone to hear.
As soon as she finished speaking, the scions of prestigious families who had been whispering about Karl frantically flocked around Helena.
“Here is some water!”
“I'll get a cool drink…”
“It's the finest wine!”
Helena accepted a wine glass in front of her.
It was the young man who had been enthusiastically disparaging Hergin just a moment ago.
Pour-
Helena poured the wine over the young man's head.
Then she smiled sweetly and said.
“Who told you to bring it to me?”
Although he was a mess from the spilled wine, the young man still just stared at Helena with a foolish grin.
“Brother! What kind of disgraceful behavior is this from the heir of the Weiyang family!”
A young girl shrieked, looking at the young man.
But the young man, as well as other scions of prestigious families, just grinned at Helena.
That's how Helena began to humiliate those who had disparaged Karl, using her demonic charm.
As Eliza herself looked at this scene with a momentarily bewildered expression.
“It's good to see that scoundrelly temperament again after a long time.”
“Senior Hark?”
Karl's eyes widened at the voice from behind him.
There stood Hark, as always… no, with even sleepier eyes than usual.
“Shouldn't we stop her?”
Hark chuckled at Karl's question.
“Why?”
Hark, who always stopped Helena's rampages, had a look of mockery on his face.
“Huh?”
“Karl. Those nobodies who couldn't even get into the three great academies, let alone Lumen, ignored you, one of the greatest masterpieces in our school's history. That's also an act of disrespecting our three families who support Lumen.”
Hark seemed quite enraged as well.
“But won't that cause problems?”
“Problems? What can those prestigious family brats do besides protest? No. Can they even protest?”
Helena, who unleashed her tyrannical tendencies without reservation, couldn't be stopped by anyone except perhaps one person.
“And it's better to be humiliated like this and end it, rather than antagonizing the Hergin family, wouldn't you say?”
Hark glanced at Eliza, who had a cold expression.
Meanwhile, Helena approached Eliza.
“Eliza.”
“Yes.”
“Won't you bring a cool drink for this senior?”
“Why should I?”
Eliza retorted with her characteristic rebellious voice, and Helena smiled sweetly.
“Because this senior took revenge for her cute junior.”
“I'll go get it.”
“No. I'll go.”
When Karl spoke, Eliza shook her head and went to get the drinks.
Even amidst that, those enchanted by her charm continued to behave disgracefully.
Chelsea looked at the scene with an incredulous expression.
“But to think that people from prestigious families are really like this. It's more shocking than I thought.”
Helena giggled at her words.
“It's the downfall of those who don't know the world and have become obsolete. People who only have the hollow shell built by their ancestors.”
Those who don't know the real world and think that what they see is everything.
“Well, you guys are different from them to begin with.”
Chelsea tilted her head at Karl's words.
“What?”
“Did you forget? Whose choice you received.”
The seeds of heroes who would lead the next generation, chosen by Leo, the Hero of Beginnings.
It wasn't to divide classes, but they couldn't help but be different.
Leo doesn't look at lineage or background.
He only looks at a person's qualities.
Chelsea crossed her arms at Karl's words.
“By the way, Senior Helena, why did you dress up so much?”
“Oh? Am I not allowed to dress up?”
“That's not it, but…”
Karl, feeling puzzled, suddenly realized something.
“Ah!”
As Karl exclaimed blankly, Helena whispered softly to Karl.
“Our Karl sometimes has unnecessarily quick wits.”
With a somehow displeased voice, Karl thought inwardly.
‘That Leo fellow. Is he really here at this party hall?’
If he thought about it, it was simple.
Leo was the only one Helena would try to look good for.
At that moment, Eliza brought drinks and handed them to Helena.
Afterward, the party resumed.
The scions of prestigious families, released from Helena's demonic charm, had red and blue faces.
But there was no one who dared to say anything to Helena.
No, rather, the majority of them were grinning foolishly again upon seeing Helena's face.
Some continued to make a spectacle of themselves, trying to get Helena's attention somehow.
Of course, Helena merely wandered around the party hall, not even glancing at them.
“Seriously. Where is this person hiding? Did he perhaps not come to the party?”
Helena showed her discomfort.
Karl shook his head, watching Helena.
“Where is this damned guy?”
“Senior Hark, are you also looking for Leo?”
“Oh? Did you notice?”
“Well… seeing Senior Helena. But why is Senior Hark looking for Leo?”
“Because of that guy, I haven't been able to sleep lately! I need to complain and ask him to reduce my workload!”
Resentment could be felt in Hark's eyes.
“My lady. Shall I clear the empty glass?”
At that moment, someone who appeared to be a servant spoke to Helena.
Helena handed him the glass with an unenthusiastic expression.
“Hey. Give me something to drink.”
“Here you are.”
At Hark's words, the servant handed him a wine glass from a silver tray.
“Seriously, where is this person? After I went to all the trouble to dress up.”
“Did he not come to the party?”
Helena grumbled, and Hark muttered irritably.
“…”
Karl looked at the gray-haired servant who was running errands around the two of them.
‘…No way?’
At that moment, the servant, whose eyes met Karl's, smiled sweetly.
‘It was you!’
Karl, who had seen through his friend's true identity, shouted inwardly.
***
“So. You mean I just need to get rid of this commoner?”
The man showed an uncomfortable expression, looking at the man in front of him.
Clink- Clink-
He frantically clinked the stones he held in his hand.
“That's right.”
“Ahem. Is this not a man who has risen to the position of a hero? Besides, isn't there a widespread rumor that he's deeply involved with the Hergin family?”
“Weren't you planning a political marriage with the Hergin family?”
“I was, but…”
“In that case, Karl Thomas will be an obstacle.”
The tall, skinny man curled the corners of his mouth.
“I will discreetly help you.”
“…”
“Shouldn't you form a political marriage with Hergin to regain the prestige of your heroic noble family?”
“Indeed. Our family certainly suits Hergin better than some commoner riff-raff.”
He grinned, nodded, and stood up.
Clink- Clink-
Toying with the pebbles in his hand, the King of Desire, Sigas, muttered.
“If all humans were like that, it would be quite easy to destroy the world.”