“No, that’s not what I meant…”
The dean’s voice, flustered, followed in haste. However, Cherrya Emblem coldly interrupted, as if there was no need to hear any more.
“Although I’m young, I am the commander leading the Emblems. If there’s one thing I do know, it’s how to judge a sword properly.”
“I’m not talking about his sword right now. Cain—despite being a commoner—doesn’t know his place….”
“I’m talking about swords, but it seems the dean is not. If so, further conversation seems pointless. I will excuse myself.”
Cherrya Emblem turned, apparently intending to leave. Her angry footsteps could be heard heading towards the door. Kane, startled, froze in place. Just as her footsteps halted, her voice rang out again.
“What makes the Continental Academy special, I thought, was that its graduates guaranteed exceptional skills.”
“…Isn’t that obvious? The standards of our academy are very high.”
“If I were looking for someone exceptional only in status, I could have easily found my adjutant in Lutinas. After all, there’s no shortage of heirs from noble families who have no need for skills or talent to justify their place in this academy.”*
Cherrya’s outright sarcasm brought a sharp edge to the dean’s voice.
“Are you insulting the academy?”
“Oh, certainly not. I am praising the academy, aren’t I? I have always admired the Continental Academy’s philosophy of valuing skill over status.”
“Then what’s with that attitude? You seem determined to insult someone.”
“And who else would I be insulting, if not the academy?”
Cherrya Emblem’s pointed statement clarified her target of mockery: not the academy itself, but the dean.
“This—this arrogance! Both your mother and grandfather studied at this academy! How could you show such disrespect?”
“My grandfather and mother studied at the academy, but they certainly didn’t study under you. You weren’t even the dean back then, so why are you acting so proud?”
“Cherrya Emblem!”
“Oh, my ears! For someone so obsessed with status and rank, you’re shouting without any dignity…”
The dean’s voice, heated and on the verge of breaking, contrasted with Cherrya’s composure, which remained unshaken.
“With those dull eyes incapable of recognizing who truly upholds the honor of the Continental Academy, you dare judge my arrogance? You should know that such judgment is, in itself, arrogance.”
She sighed deeply and continued.
“The reason King Pavan bowed his head to you was not out of respect for you as the dean, but as an excuse to request the aid of the Emblem Knights during the Continental Academy’s graduation exam.”
“…….…”
“He has already incurred significant debts to Lutinas. The peacekeeping treaty led by His Majesty, our emperor, was only successful because he wielded the sword known as the Emblems.”
Cherrya’s voice carried an eerie calmness, chilling yet graceful. Even from outside, Kane felt an inexplicable pressure emanating from her tone.
“W-What are you implying…?”
“King Pavan bowed not to you, but to the Emblem Knights who stand behind you, and ultimately to His Majesty, the Emperor of the Lutinas Empire.”
“…You!”
“Since you were unaware of this and yet remain so conceited, I felt pity and decided to enlighten you. It would be wise to remember this.”
Cherrya came across as someone well-versed in veiled threats. Her words carried an ominous undertone, contradicting the noble image associated with her name.
“If I were to leave the academy now, offended by the dean’s remarks that insult my future adjutant, do you believe your position would remain intact?”
“Are you threatening me?”
“Oh, you just realized that? I’ve been doing so for quite some time now.”
“You—such insolence!”
The dean could only let out gasping breaths, unable to find the words to retaliate. The only sound that filled the room was the light tapping of Cherrya’s foot on the ground, as if she were controlling her patience.
“…….…”
Kane swallowed hard without realizing it. His perception of Cherrya Emblem flipped completely.
She wasn’t just a simple, cheerful swordsman with no deeper thoughts, as he had initially imagined.
‘She has a precise grasp of the continent’s political dynamics and fully understands the extent of the Emblem Knights’ power.’
Righteous Emblems. Kane had thought that such a title would become a shackle for the knights. To be righteous meant that any slight deviation from that ideal could lead to their collapse. But now…
“So… what… what do you want me to do?”
In the end, the arrogant dean lowered his head, unable to find a single fault in the Emblems.
“I made it clear that I wanted Kane to be my adjutant. That means, in my heart, he is already one of the Emblems.”
“…………”
“And yet, you insulted someone who is already part of the Emblems, while addressing me, the commander of the Emblems.”
“I… I was wrong, terribly wrong. I will summon Kane and apologize personally!”
“It’s good that you understand now.”
“Th-Thank you!”
Kane found himself reconsidering everything about Cherrya. Not only had she remained firmly righteous, but she had also succeeded in extracting an apology. It was clear that she wasn’t the Emblem Knights’ commander merely because of her noble birth and exceptional swordsmanship.
“Ha-ha. This was an enjoyable conversation, Dean. I will consider your permission regarding Kane’s future as granted.”
“Y-Yes, of course! No one will dare raise any objections!”
“You’d better. If even a fraction of the complaints you just voiced reaches my ears again, the Emblems will have no choice but to express serious regret towards the Continental Academy.”
“I’ve been a poor administrator of students! From now on, I’ll manage them properly!”
“Oh, I look forward to witnessing just how capable the dean truly is. I’ll be watching carefully.”
The door swung open with a bang. Before Kane could react, his startled face was reflected in Cherrya’s amber eyes.
“Oh? Hey, what are you doing here?”
The cold and chilling voice that had just been threatening the dean moments ago now seemed like a distant lie. Cherrya greeted Kane with a radiant smile.
“You couldn’t possibly have business with the dean. Were you looking for me, by chance? What’s this? Have you changed your mind? Thinking of joining the Emblems now?”
“That’s… not the case.”
Kane’s face turned bright red without him realizing it, and he quickly turned away.
He recalled how he’d arrogantly judged Cherrya as someone who simply benefited from being born into a good family, with both noble status and talent handed to her on a silver platter.
His assumptions about her being a shallow and simple leader mirrored the prejudices of nobles who dismissed Kane for his common origins. Kane suddenly felt ashamed.
What made him any different from those who had looked down on him?
“Well, that can’t be true. But ever since you saw the Emblems’ demonstration during training, your gaze seems to have shifted a bit.”
Completely unaware of what Kane had been thinking, Cherrya cheerfully and obliviously continued to chatter.
The more genuine her transparent admiration shone in her amber eyes, the smaller Kane felt. He couldn’t bear to meet her gaze directly.
“…What do you mean my gaze has changed? It’s the same as always.”
“From ‘Oh, they’re hopeless,’ to ‘Oh, they’re somewhat decent,’ that’s what it changed to.”
“It’s not like that!”
“Yes, it is.”
Cherrya smirked, lifting one corner of her mouth.
“You’re perfect for the Emblems. So stop wasting time and come to me. I’ll treat you well.”
Her casual yet suggestive tone made Kane flush even more. He raised his arm to hide his reddened face and shouted.
“Stop saying things that could be misunderstood! The matter will be decided after I think it through carefully!”
Feeling like he might expose his conflicted emotions if he stayed any longer, Kane fled the scene as if running away.
“Wow, he runs fast,”
Cherrya watched his retreating back with an expression that seemed almost predatory, as if eyeing prey.
🍓; *Emphasizes that not everyone with a high status possesses the skills or talent necessary to belong in the academy, so status alone is not enough to justify their position. This suggests that a person’s value or ability is more important than mere lineage or social status.
