Chapter 50: Knight Number 1

Chapter 50

Knight Number 1

Aria was already hot-tempered by nature, so when this situation arose, she reacted explosively, even threatening to hinder Nara’s studies, and vowing to prevent her from becoming a priest at all costs. Many students, witnessing Nara’s attitudes, decided to act as Aria did.

Ultimately, from being a golden swan, Nara quickly became a bird with broken wings. The situation regarding her status was so unexpected that even the Setter family was unaware of it before. Thus, it didn’t take long for everyone to talk about it extensively.

Professor Regan paid no mind to their discussions, simply ordering everyone to remain calm so the Setter family could transport them to the destination. Naturally, this didn’t take long. Ellie, having used the transport portals several times before, was becoming accustomed to them, while many students still felt disoriented.

"First-year students, gather here. Students from other years, follow the other professors," Regan signaled after their arrival, as the students from other years had more significant responsibilities. First-year students hadn’t yet entered real combat or practiced magic, so what they could do was simply lend their physical help.

Ellie and the others sat together, with only Professor Regan standing sternly in front.

"Today’s duty for everyone is to find a place to sleep. Those who brought their own special bedding, proceed with setting up. Those without should gather at the communal tent over there. For those staying in the communal tent, remember to mind your manners. This place isn’t just for you; volunteers helping the sick will also share it. If anything happens, the institution will not be responsible. Remember, this isn’t the institution, so follow the rules of coexistence."

"Those who want to stay elsewhere can use the area behind that large tent for setting up the tents. However, those who choose to set up their tents must take good care of their belongings and ensure their safety during rest. Although there are soldiers and senior students patrolling, it doesn’t mean they can protect you from all human actions."

"Food here will be available from dawn until the sun rises, but it’s also limited. Those who wake up late will miss that meal. You have to find your own food for lunch, or you can choose to skip it, but there’s another meal in the evening, again in limited quantities."

"And everyone must attend class at the usual morning time. After classes, you’ll assist the priests and apothecaries. Perform your duties well. During this time, the professors will monitor and record your scores daily," Regan reiterated the details everyone needed to know.

Ellie nodded in understanding. However, Nara did not react similarly.

"Professor, what do you mean we have to find our own food for lunch?" Upon hearing this question, every student wanted to burst out laughing.

“Your Revered Saint, surely you didn’t expect the soldiers to have prepared such a lot of food for you, did you?” Aria teased.

In fact, it was common for ordinary people to eat only two meals a day. Even in the village where Nara came from, people ate just twice a day. Only Nara, being the daughter of the village chief, had plenty of food to spare beyond what others had. Additionally, villagers often shared food with the village chief, thus they shifted to eating three meals a day.

Ellie shook her head at Nara’s ignorance. It wasn’t entirely true to say Nara didn’t know. How could the girl not know, especially when Ellie herself had eaten only once before? It was Nara who brought her food. No! Just scraps of vegetables early in the morning after harvesting, and then left without care, leaving her friend hungry all day.

Otherwise, how could a girl with a garden full of vegetables at her home look so gaunt as a skeleton?

“Actually, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that soldiers should prepare three meals a day for the Reverend, but that’s if you were actually a true priest, not a “prospective” priest like this. Ha ha.” Aria laughed mockingly, her words causing many students to laugh along.

Nara felt very angry at being mocked repeatedly like this, her eyes turning a deep red as if she was about to cry.

“Have you had enough? Why does everyone target the priestess so much?” Wint, unable to bear it any longer, his chivalry prompted him to step forward.

His red hair shimmered intensely just like Aria’s. Seeing the two of them clash like this, the laughter of others slowly died down, turning to focus more on the quarrel between the two members of the Femon family.

“Am I targeting? And you, being just a bastard, aren’t targeting at all? Stepping up for her like that, aren’t you just clinging to the greatness of a future priestess? When you can’t fight on your own, you want to cling to her greatness, right?” Aria’s words were seriously harsh, accusing Wint of using woman for power, and this made Wint even angrier.

“It has nothing to do with me being a bastard!”

“It doesn’t? Then what’s it about? You step up to protect her when she’s being bullied, but where do you go when she bullies others? That’s what they call clinging to a woman’s skirts.”

“You!! How can a priestess bully anyone? I only see you bullying others!”

“Oh, I bully others, but she can’t, is that it? Then look around, who isn’t oppressed by this woman here?” Wint followed Aria’s pointing finger, seeing the women nod vigorously in agreement. However, he still found it hard to believe that a lone woman like Nara could bully so many people. It seemed like these women were conspiring to slander her.

“Sob, I-I, I’m fine,” suddenly Nara, who had been out of the conversation the whole time, began to squeeze out tears. Anyone with a brain could clearly see that this was all an act.

Wasn’t she arrogant before? Strutting around with chin held high and almost stepping on others’ heads? And what’s this? ...Suddenly wanting to cry, and it came out so easily? Who would believe that!?

Yes! No one would believe it so easily, except for those who couldn’t bear seeing tears like Hero Number 1, the valiant knight, skilled in everything except foolishly naive about Nara.

“You see! She cries out from being bullied like this and yet you still claim she bullies others?” Wint defended her with such fervor, making all the students look at him as if he were incredibly foolish.

“Aria, you needn’t waste your time arguing with this blind man. We need to go set up equipment for relaxation,” Vida touched her friend’s arm, looking at Wint as if he were a mindless termite. Even if you win the argument, he’s too worthless to even speak of.

“Huh! I stopped because Lady Vida said so, you foolish bastard!” Aria turned away haughtily, and the other female students quickly followed Vida. In comparison...the social status of the Jarlon family was very high, so it was natural for these women to ingratiatingly tag along.

Ellie stood up to follow the others. She did not want to stay here and witness the dramatic scene of the heroine and Hero Number One. Otherwise, she might vomit blood in disgust.

It was clear that the Sage had regained his senses and changed his own story line, not accepting Nara as a disciple which forced her to join the Church instead, even going so far as to vow to become a priestess after finishing her studies. But with the other heroes, it remained the same.

Wint was truly a prime example, even after so much had happened, he still sided with Nara like a fool. It was hard to imagine how much more of a lapdog he would become after seeing Nara’s naked body.

Wint’s behaviors made Ellie feels that Nara had not truly escaped being the heroine, just that Lucien followed a different path, not his own. Perhaps the number of heroes might change from 4 to 3. Although Aman himself had a good attitude towards Ellie, he was not yet at the Chapter where he must fall in love with the heroine, so he hadn’t yet become a great fool. Not to mention the prince who had not yet appeared...

“Ellie,” Nara called out when she saw Ellie passing in front of her. Her voice sparkled with evident anger.

“What do you want with me?” The smaller girl raised her eyebrows slightly. She still used the high-class terms with Nara as she had been told in the dorm, which only angered Nara even more.

“Are you satisfied now!” Ellie sighed hearing this question.

Nara clenched her fists and trembled, while Wint still supported her, confused and bewildered. He did not understand what had happened between the two. It was no wonder that Wint, a muscle-headed man who cared about nothing but training, couldn’t keep up with the cunning of women.

“Satisfied with what?”

“About you seeing that I’m not a real priestess yet. Moreover, you’ve also threatened me with those stupid 4 rules. Are you trying to say that even if I become a priestess, you can still make me get stripped of the status?”

“I never said I would make the priestess get stripped of the status. It was just a reminder.”

"Reminder? You remind me in front of so many people, planning for others to take action instead! Isn’t it right!?" Nara shouted, tears streaming down her face. Wint immediately tried to console her.

"Calm down. Scholarship student...I think you should apologize to your friend. She’s very upset..." Ellie looked at Wint, who understood nothing, yet he asked her to apologize. The young woman shook her head.

"I’m sorry, Lord Femon, but I won’t apologize when I’ve done no wrong."

"But you..."

"Then, what exactly did I do wrong, Lord Wint? Please explain."

"Like your friend said, you shamed her in public, didn’t you?"

"When did I shame her? I informed her about the Four Torments. If I didn’t tell her now and she transgressed, she would have been deposed from the priesthood and died from terrible torments."

"Uh, I..." Wint was slightly confused, even he didn’t know the real reason why Nara was crying.

"Ellie, if you really see me as a friend, why didn’t you warn me later? Why did you have to let everyone know about those crazy rules? And then you sent that book to the people of the Setter family. It’s clear, isn’t it, that you want to ruin me?"

Nara accused her of this, and Wint, like finding a lifesaver, immediately nodded in agreement with Nara.

"Nara...what exactly are you afraid of? Those rules are already established. They are the immutable truth. Even if I didn’t speak today, someone would find out eventually. So, if Nara is confident she won’t do wrong, then she has nothing to fear, right? You are a priestess, loved by many for your abilities. By that time, who would want to plot against you? Or else, other priests would have been dismissed already?”

Ellie pointed out the logical conclusion, but Nara knew well that what Ellie said wasn’t true. From what she could see now, wasn’t it obvious? Many students despised her. It wouldn’t be strange at all if, when she became a priestess, they would definitely seek to dismiss her. Ellie made everything more difficult. Clearly, this woman had thwarted her plans countless times!