The Extra Strategist’s Royal Road Chapter 136 – Part 2
As she returned to her place, the teachers officially began the event.
This exhibition, held under the pretext of welcoming new students, is said to be a notoriously harsh event.
As the 150 or so teachers and second-year students dispatched from various kingdoms began to evaluate each work one by one, the new students turned pale.
The work of the Svenner’s freshman who became the first sacrificial lamb received sharp criticisms.
“This is not good. The colours are faded. It’s a painting that hurts the eyes.”
“You need to study more about colour. This is below standard.”
Harsh criticisms followed one after another, as if to establish discipline. This is said to be the tradition here. Substandard works receive merciless evaluations.
This is why it seems a loophole has emerged allowing people to bring their teacher’s work.
It was obvious how hurt they would be if they claimed it was their own work.
For this reason, most brought their teacher’s work.
If not, they were either confident in their own skills or oblivious – one of the two.
The former was Erina, and the latter was Estelle.
Erina, confident in herself, removed the cloth covering her work.
Everyone gasped in unison.
“Oh! Excellent! Is this truly the work of Grancel’s talented lady?”
“The harmony of these colours. It’s flawless!”
Her skill silenced those who had prepared to criticise.
Estelle, on the other hand, was different. Without a particular painting teacher, her work was, how to put it… Free-spirited.
From the start, Estelle only thought of painting as a hobby, so she didn’t study it seriously. She had only come to this painting class because of her friendship with Erina.
A painting that wasn’t bad, but wasn’t particularly good either.
Negative critiques were unavoidable.
“…Ugh.”
Estelle, who had trauma from such scornful and mocking gazes, frowned and broke into a cold sweat.
‘This isn’t good.’
I tried to protect her. Erina seemed to feel the same way and was about to intervene, but just before that.
“Hmph! You’re all nothing but fools!”
Such a bold voice rang out. A graceful yet alluring beauty.
It was a woman with jet-black hair tied in a long ponytail. Her face was natural without makeup, and above all, she was wearing pants instead of a dress.
As she burst in, a commotion arose.
“Princess Melodie!”
“The Black Jewel of Crossing…!”
The students were startled.
Melodie stood protectively in front of Estelle.
“Art has always been a pursuit for self-satisfaction! If you’re satisfied with your own painting, there’s no reason for criticism! So, Estelle. Don’t be discouraged, stand tall with your shoulders back.”
“Melodie…! Yes!”
Estelle regained her spirits, encouraged by Princess Melodie.
The atmosphere changed with Melodie’s intrusion.
She took this opportunity to reveal her own work, presenting an amateurish painting.
It was crude, as if drawn by a child. Yet Melodie was confident.
She acted as if it didn’t matter what evaluation others gave, as long as she was satisfied with her own painting.
With this, the evaluation panel, losing steam, shifted their target to me.
I was the main dish from the beginning.
The painting Wade brought. Even the new students couldn’t contain their curiosity and gathered around.
A crowd of 300 people right in front of me.
“Ah… I’ll say this in advance, but I didn’t paint this. And please, try not to be too surprised.”
People’s eyes sparkled, wondering how amazing the painting must be for me to say such things. I carefully removed the cloth.
And for about 5 seconds, silence fell. There were no exclamations or sighs.
They were simply overwhelmed.
The content of the painting was simple. I was depicted in it. The problem was its realism.
If this painting were exhibited in modern times, everyone would have thought it was a photograph. That’s how realistic it was.
Even I still couldn’t believe it. I didn’t know that Eonia, a painting novice, could handle colours so well, even if she could sketch.
I heard she often watched the previous Valkyrie paint, but even so, it was astonishing.
“Un-unbelievable.”
“Wow…”
Even Erina was staring at the painting with her mouth agape.
Not only was it highly realistic, but its artistry was also unparalleled. Princess Melodie murmured in admiration.
“I can feel the affection for the subject. It’s a heartwarming painting.”
People were admiring the painting as if enchanted, without me needing to explain anything.
Eventually, someone shouted.
“W-would you sell this painting to me!?”
I’m not sure who it was, but they seemed to be a noblewoman of quite high status, judging by everyone’s surprised reactions.
“I’ll pay 20 million sillan! So please…”
“If that’s the case, I’ll buy it! I’ll pay 30 million sillan!”
A marketplace suddenly erupted.
Feeling anxious, Erina joined in. Estelle also seemed to want it, but the price level was far beyond what she could afford.
“Then I’ll buy it for 100 million sillan!”
It was the threat of a duke’s daughter, but here, the status of a duke from the Calliper Kingdom wasn’t that impressive.
However, Princess Melodie was different.
“In that case, I’ll buy it. Name your price, Ars.”
“You really…”
“Hehe.”
A blank check offered by the princess of Crossing. At this, everyone had to close their mouths.
I sighed and answered. “Who said I was selling? I have no intention of selling.”
If I carelessly sold it, my face would be exposed everywhere. That was the level of this painting.
So I decided to keep it safely in my mansion.
* * *
Fensillon Academy, boasting 103 years of history.
Its purpose was to provide equal education regardless of status or position, but that purity had long been tarnished.
This trend intensified especially after the fall of the Fensillon Empire.
Major kingdoms promised its position as a neutral territory by amicably dividing the shares of Platon,
where the academy is located, but this only intensified political confrontation.
It had become a kind of land grab, and there were open talks that the kingdom that dominates Platon, and further conquers the neutral kingdom of Balas, would become the master of the continent.
This was an awkward statement for the Kingdom of Balas.
The main reason they were able to maintain their position as a neutral kingdom was because of the existence of Fensillon Academy.
Therefore, they hoped that Fensillon Academy would be maintained forever.
But of course, there was an opposition.
It was the Balas Independence Force.
They thought the opposite. They believed that Balas couldn’t escape its status as a neutral Fensillon because of Fensillon Academy.
Duke Reginald Heimer of the Kingdom of Balas was at the forefront of this.
‘There is no future for a neutral kingdom in these turbulent times!’
They would eventually end up being swallowed by a major power. Rather than that, they needed to make the first move before a great power targeted Balas.
The plan was already in place. Although the timing had been greatly accelerated, they had found a reliable ally, so things could progress smoothly.
Knock knock. The door opens with a quiet knocking sound.
Duke Reginald sighs in relief when he sees the visitor.
“Princess Alicia. Welcome. I’ve been waiting for you.”
The princess of Balas, revered as a saint within the kingdom.
‘I didn’t expect her to readily offer help. It feels like I’ve gained an army of thousands.’
With Alicia’s assistance, even overthrowing the kingdom would be simple.
“What urgent matter did you want to see me about today?”
To Reginald’s question, Alicia frowns and says, “I want to eliminate a variable.”
“By variable, you mean…?”
“The mercenary Wade. If he intervenes in this matter, the situation could become complicated.”
Wade had been a hot topic since the first day of the academy.
They say he refuted a teacher in the military science class, presented a masterpiece of the century in the painting class, and achieved a perfect win in a simultaneous chess match against 50 people including the teacher in the chess class.
He was doing things that were hard to believe just by hearing about them.
“If he intervenes, he could certainly become a variable… But how do you plan to eliminate him? He’s under strong protection from Crossing and Calliper. According to spies, the level of his protection is beyond imagination.”
“Yes… It’s no different from a tiger’s den. So I’ve decided to go in directly to catch the tiger.”
“You mean!”
“I will make contact with him myself.”
“Do you intend to assassinate him?”
“If I did that, I would die too. So I plan to use another method. That method is…”
“You don’t need to explain further, I understand your determination well, Princess.”
Duke Reginald nodded deeply. Then he muttered in a resolute voice.
“Everything is for the revival of the kingdom, for Prince Arios…!”
“Yes, for Prince Arios.”
To establish Cassius Lloyd as the new king of Balas, to continue the legitimacy of the Fensillon Empire, and to revive Balas in a new form.
That was the goal of the Balas Independence Force.
TL NOTE:
Schedule: Everyday
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I knew it! The saint was the traitor!