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Chapter 232: A New Beginning

A year later, in the Country of Scholars...

It was springtime once more. The capital of Brolne, Leinster, was finally thawing from the biting winter’s frost. As the weather grew more hospitable, a visible tinge of green began sprouting along the streets, and the general streetwear became lighter and more casual.

As if mirroring the change in season, the city also gradually grew more bustling and vibrant... though the real reason behind it was the start of a new academic semester.

Every spring, Leinster would become the most bustling city in the whole of humankind. Youths across the Sia Continent, both nobles and commoners, would gather at this place, seeking to further their knowledge.

As the country that housed over 80% of the Scholar Guilds, Brolne boasted a diverse range of academies. Leinster was even dubbed as the Capital of Academies in honor of its position as the education hub of humankind.

Over 60% of Leinster’s land belonged to education institutions, and there were over twenty tertiary academies that accepted adults of fourteen years of age or above. Naturally, there was no reason for the academies to limit themselves to only taking in nobles. In fact, commoners made up the bulk of the student population in most academies.

The Leinster Tertiary Academy, the Cecilia Women’s Institution, and the Saint Weiss Academy were all well-known academies that were sponsored by some of the largest Scholar Guilds, and each of them had its own strengths. However, if one were to rank the academies in terms of influence, there was one academy that clearly topped the list—the Saint Freya Academy.

The Saint Freya Academy was founded nine hundred years ago. It was the very first academy in Leinster, established in the same year as Brolne. In fact, Leinster was a city built around the Saint Freya Academy, just that the number of students arriving in the city kept increasing over time until it eventually reached its current scale.

So, how large was the influence of the Saint Freya Academy then?

This was a question that wasn’t easy to answer, but a hint of it could be seen during the largest event of the Saint Freya Academy—its Centennial Academy Foundation Day.

Some of the renowned alumni of the previous Centennial Academy Foundation Day included the Austine Empire’s emperor, the Saint Mesit Theocracy’s Holy Eminence, Brolne’s speaker, and the Pendor United Kingdom’s king. If not for the fact that Rosa hadn’t been founded then, there would probably be the chief of the Rosa Merchant Confederacy in the list of guests too.

This was indubitably a powerful network of connections for the Saint Freya Academy, possibly the most terrifying one on the Sia Continent.

What made this even more terrifying was that the very act of graduating from the Saint Freya Academy could be said to be a legacy in itself. When generations of preceding emperors and kings had walked out of this academy, their descendants pretty much had no choice but to do the same too.

One must know that every single weakness revealed in politics would haunt you for life. If a successor of a major country was dumb enough not to attend the Saint Freya Academy, it was certain that his political rival would use it as a weapon to constantly cast doubt on his qualification and legitimacy, especially when he committed a major mistake.

And when the successors of the respective countries were attending a certain academy, it went without saying that the other young nobles would have to follow them too, or else they would risk being sidelined.

Such a feedback loop started several centuries ago, and it was reinforced time and time again over the years, strengthening its competitive advantage. But aside from its legacy, another key reason why the Saint Freya Academy had remained the definite number one was simply due to the fact that it was rich.

As years passed, the graduates who went through vile torture of society would inevitably recall their time in the academy, reminiscing the bonds they made along the way. The backstabbing and schemings one would face in society would only contrast sharply to the relatively peaceful and fun times in the academy, making those memories even fonder.

The only difference was that the ones reminiscing the Saint Freya Academy were the powerhouses of the Sia Continent, so naturally, the donations they offered were far more substantial too. In a sense, it could be said that the Saint Freya Academy was an educational institute that was nurtured by all of the Sia Continent’s nobles.

Even though the Saint Freya Academy was the indubitable number one powerhouse in Leinster, the students who joined its ranks every year didn’t number too much. Perhaps due to the rarity, students who donned the Saint Freya Academy’s ‘Book of Truth’ insignia naturally stood out in the crowd even though more than half of the Leinster’s populace were students too.

The black-haired young man sitting on a chair along the streets leading to the academy area at this very moment was a good example. His very presence had already attracted the gaze of many youths.

“It’s a male student from the Saint Freya Academy!”

“Shhh! You’re too loud!”

“... He seems to be a noble, a fairly high-ranking one at that.”

On the other side of the street, several ladies from the Cecilia Women’s Institution were gathered around a table, chatting intensely as they shot peeks at the black-haired young man. They weren’t the only clique in the area that was doing so.

Just like how there were students who worked hard in hopes of bettering themselves, there were also those who wished to share a budding romance with another while they were young. Many of those who arrived at Leinster had their own hopes and dreams, though the gathering of so many youths naturally meant that the secretion of hormones here was more than anywhere else.

It couldn’t be helped since humans were, to some degree, driven by instincts. It was natural for them to be attracted to the other sex, especially if the other party displayed outstanding traits. Leinster itself was a cradle for the future talents of the Sia Continent, and the students of the Saint Freya Academy were cloaked in a divine halo that made others naturally view them in a better light.

For the female students of the Cecilia Women’s Institution, who barely had any contact with men, they were naturally drawn to the male students of the Saint Freya Academy... and the black-haired young man’s presence only further accentuated the effects of their rose-tinted glasses.

In terms of appearance, he had a slender body frame and a well-defined face. He wore a dark-colored overcoat that gave off a mysterious vibe when paired with his golden eyes. In terms of disposition, he had a calming aura that naturally won goodwill from others. There was an air of nobility around him, but it was mellowed down by his gentle disposition, making him appear like a refined gentleman.

He was currently immersed in a book he held in his hand. Judging from the old exterior and yellowish pages, it should be an ancient record with quite some history to it. By his side sat an ancient staff. Despite the bustle arising from the crowds traveling to and fro in this start-of-the-semester season, there was a mystical feeling of serenity around him.

“Would I appear too forward if I approach him and ask for his name?”

“Is he a freshman or a senior?”

“Does that matter? Hurry up and make up your mind, or else the women from Saint Weiss Academy will be making a move ahead of us!”

The women looked incredibly nervous, worried that someone else would beat them to it. But at the same time, the culture in most parts of the Sia Continent was still rather conservative, especially for those who were new to Brolne. It would take a woman a great deal of courage to approach a man.

While they were still urging one another to make a move, the black-haired man on the chair suddenly moved.

Roel Ascart closed his book and raised his head. He felt exhilarated after having channeled his mana for a while. He took a look at his surroundings, and the women who were still looking at him a moment ago immediately averted their gazes.

He was completely oblivious to their shyness, though he was very aware that there were many people staring at him. But again, he was often in the center of attention as the successor of the Ascart House. Even in the Ascarts’ manor, the eyes of the maids and servants would often be focused on him.

He had already gotten used to it by now and could shrug off the attention from others. Nevertheless, he couldn’t help but think that the ‘Book of Truth’ insignia was simply too attention catching.

It really draws gazes no matter where I go, Roel thought with a deep sigh.

He raised his head to look at the sky before turning his attention to the watch in his hands. After a long moment of contemplation, he nodded his head.

It should be about time.

With such thoughts in mind, he stowed his book away before reaching for his staff. He didn’t come here early in the morning in order to bask in the warm glow of the sunlight; rather, he was waiting for a person and a carriage.

Soon enough, the person he was waiting for finally arrived.

At the end of the street, a young man with black hair and blue eyes was currently making his way over with a lowered head. He was holding onto a piece of paper as he trudged along the street broodingly. Not too far away, an elaborately adorned carriage bearing a platinum crest of the Sorofyas’ insignia glimmered under the sun.

“Everyone is here. Time for me to get to work,” murmured Roel under his breath as he finally rose to his feet.