Battle Race in the Fantasy World

EP.122 A Coincidence Disguised as Inevitability

The Imperial Academy is where the future leaders of the empire are nurtured.

It is undoubtedly the finest educational institution in the empire, no, on the entire continent.

The place where new students go for their academic field trip must be an incredibly important location.

Naturally, the chosen location becomes quite busy preparing to welcome the new students.

Some do it out of genuine gratitude for the empire’s future talents.

Others do it as an investment in them, or in hopes that some of their wealth might trickle down to themselves.

For various reasons, they meticulously prepare for the two-week academic field trip.

As the teleportation magic completes, the most influential lord in the area steps forward.

After briefly greeting the supervising professors, he stands before the new students.

“We’ve been waiting for you, Academy students. I sincerely welcome you to the South.”

There are commoners mixed in here and there, but he pays no mind to that.

After all, they too will each hold a position in the empire someday.

If they go even further, they might receive noble titles, so it’s best to treat them well.

“The weather is so beautiful now that you’ve all come to visit. We’ve cleared out entire villas nearby for the Academy students. They’re the ones we southern nobles were using until recently, so you needn’t worry about the facilities. I hope you have a delightful academic field trip.”

Clap clap clap!-

The students applaud the southern nobles’ hospitality.

Both the lord who speaks as if offering the villas out of goodwill, and the students who applaud in response.

It could be seen as their way of creating a mutually beneficial, pleasant image.

‘What a load of crap. Utter nonsense.’

To Kyle, it was just a play, or rather, a show.

The Ministry of Education would have already arranged everything while preparing for the field trip,

So why are they going on about showing goodwill and being generous?

In fact, it wasn’t a request for cooperation; the Ministry of Education would have simply informed them.

And when they’re informed, the nobles who receive the notice must comply with a ‘Yes.’

If they oppose, next time it won’t be a request from the minister, but an order from the emperor.

Would that imperial order be delivered pleasantly? Absolutely not.

It would express deep regret, asking why they didn’t cooperate and took a contrary stance.

The emperor expressing regret? What could that mean?

It means you’ve been marked, so watch your step from now on.

It means if they catch you slipping up even once, they’ll wipe out not just you, but your entire family!

What noble would welcome such a bloody future?

Even in this academic field trip, there’s an evaluation of the nobles’ attitude towards imperial authority.

Inwardly, Kyle understands his father’s, Jonathan’s, way of doing things.

Indeed, politics and power are such troublesome things.

If only it could end with one big bang, that would be nice.

“Wow… Kyle! This place is even better than the Academy dormitory!”

They arrived at the villa where they would stay during the field trip.

Tisha, looking around, was so excited she didn’t know what to do with herself.

Until now, she had thought the Academy dormitory was the best place.

To her, the nobles’ luxurious villa must be a whole new world.

Add to that the warm and livable southern environment, unlike the harsh north.

Tisha couldn’t help but clap her hands in delight.

“It seems so. It really is a nice place, Tisha.”

This wasn’t just a polite response. It was an honest assessment from the heart.

They even made a spacious open area behind the villa as a sort of training ground.

Of course, the people who came to the villa for leisure wouldn’t have been crazy enough to train there.

Looking around, it was glaringly obvious that it hadn’t been used at all.

Anyway, this worked out well. He had been wondering where to exercise.

He planned to tell Nel, Ian, and Leto to train here during their spare time over the next two weeks.

If possible, it would be good for Tisha and Elga to join in the training without fail.

‘What could be a more pleasing sight than that? Ah, just imagining it makes me feel proud.’

The protagonists of a romance fantasy novel working out. It makes his heart swell with pride.

Other readers should see this sight. They would all give a standing ovation.

…Or would they? Maybe not.

‘I should start getting ready too.’

As they say, strike while the iron is hot – hesitation doesn’t suit Jonathan.

He heard that there wasn’t much of a schedule planned for the day of arrival.

They were free to wander around the area and enjoy the southern sunshine.

While the students were immersed in the dazzling sun and blue sea,

Kyle planned to quietly seek out certain individuals and head to a particular place.

Kyle, carrying his bag, headed towards his room.

As he grabbed the doorknob to enter, his eyes suddenly sharpened.

Unconsciously, he applied force, and the doorknob crumpled with a crunch.

“Sigh.”

Kyle sighed and pulled out the completely crushed doorknob.

Better to say ‘The doorknob came off!’ than ‘The doorknob suddenly crumpled!’

As he roughly opened the door and entered, he saw several figures come into view.

“…Haaah…”

It was a sight that drew an even deeper sigh than before.

“I’m sure I told you. To stay put.”

“Sorry. But I had no choice.”

The first to reveal herself was, once again, the 5th Imperial Princess Yurika.

Beside her, two imperial knights and two special operations agents were on standby.

When on earth, and how, did they manage to enter his room first and wait?

He felt slightly irritated. He had clearly told them to wait.

He had even set some good conditions before leaving, so why did they follow?

Could it be that they intended to keep pestering him even here?

“…”

“…”

Turning his head, he saw the tense looks on the faces of the knights and agents.

Only then did he realize that he had failed to contain his irritation and hadn’t suppressed his aura.

That’s probably why they were sweating profusely, preparing for any possible situation.

In truth, even if they prepared, there wasn’t much they could do.

But what could they do? That was their job. A duty they had to perform even at the cost of their lives.

“…Why exactly did you come?”

He imagined himself lifting weights alone in a quiet gym.

As he did so, his irritation vanished instantly, leaving only a calm mind.

Indeed, there’s nothing better than imaginary weightlifting to calm one’s mind and body.

“I received an imperial order, Kyle.”

“An imperial order?”

“Yes. An order from His Majesty the Emperor. You know it can’t be refused. I had no choice either.”

At this timing, the princess suddenly received an imperial order and came here in secret.

And she was saying this in front of him, of all people.

He was currently in the south for an academic field trip, yet here she was.

‘…I see what’s going on.’

Kyle, sitting opposite the princess, parted his lips.

“So His Majesty the Emperor already knows? About those drug dealers being on some island in the south.”

The princess smiled and nodded in response.

“Of course. The Special Operations Department has already completed their investigation. The Foreign Affairs Department has been busy too.”

“…Perhaps, is the academic field trip’s destination being the south part of this plan?”

“That’s not the case. Really. Let’s just say it’s a coincidence that you came to the south.”

Is this what they call a coincidence that feels like destiny?

Well, I suppose such things are supposed to happen in novels.

“Kyle. Let me ask you one thing.”

“Is this Your Highness’s question, or is His Majesty asking?”

“…The latter.”

If it had been the former, he might have stalled a bit, but since it was the latter, that was unfortunate.

“You’ve received the information too, right?”

“Are you asking who I heard it from?”

“No. Something else instead. Are you going to do it?”

“Do what?”

“Why act like this when you know everything?”

Kyle and the princess’s gazes intertwined in mid-air.

A man pretending not to know, and a woman asking why he’s avoiding when he knows everything.

In the end, it was Yurika who spoke first.

“You’re going to go find them, aren’t you?”

Snicker-.

Instead of answering Yurika’s question, Kyle smiled.

A mere noble’s son, laughing when a princess asks a question.

The surrounding knights could have reprimanded him for being disrespectful, but none dared to open their mouths.

Having just experienced that terrifying aura with their whole bodies, how could they dare to step forward?

“No.”

“No?”

“Yes. That’s not it.”

At that answer, the princess looked at Kyle with an expression of utter disbelief.

She had already received a detailed report of everything that had happened in the Western Alliance.

How had Jonathan dealt with those who used that drug? He had thoroughly crushed them.

The Three Heroes of the Alliance, said to be on par with the Empire’s Top 10. They were completely demolished.

He even left them room to stand up again, as if daring them to try.

That wasn’t mercy. It was the ultimate punishment for those who dared to cross them.

That’s how great Jonathan’s anger was. Against those who became strong without any effort or price.

The hostility he held towards them couldn’t be measured by mere emotion.

“I heard the academic field trip was set for the south. Arrive before the Academy and greet Kyle. And confirm. What he intends to do. Whether he’ll truly remain silent, or if he plans to take action.”

“Originally, this is a matter our Empire should handle, but if that young man has made up his mind, we’d only be getting in the way. We can’t have that. Instead, we should cooperate as much as possible.”

The Emperor’s cooperation meant, of course, an order of silence to the professors.

From now on, no matter what Kyle did, even if he suddenly disappeared, they were not to pay any attention.

Furthermore, if he tried to go somewhere, they were to lend him a ship or provide him with navigation routes.

‘But he says no?’

Unable to understand at all, the princess stared at Kyle once more.

Then Kyle burst into laughter again and finally gave his answer.

“I’m not going to find them, Your Highness.”

That’s right. He’s not going to find them.

It’s wrong. The purpose of the visit is entirely wrong.

“To make it as if nothing ever happened. That’s why I’m going.”

Shiver-!

For a moment, an indescribable chill swept through the room.