The Academy’s Weakest Became A Demon-Limited Hunter
chapter-264

A day had passed.

Grand Regent Richard had given me a rough idea of what to do during the coronation ceremony. After a light rehearsal that wasn’t even worth calling practice, they seemed intent on letting me rest.

I had no intention of resting. If there was nothing specific to do, I headed to the royal palace’s training ground.

The facilities were decent, but unlike the academy’s training ground, it was hard to train in peace. The attendants had to watch my training. Even though I threw a fit and drove them away, at least two attendants always had to stay behind.

The same was true in the palace. The attendants always waited in the hallway, and they followed me everywhere I went. It seemed it would take some time to get used to this.

This is complicated.

Meanwhile, my mind was cluttered with other thoughts. It was because of the Primordial Ice Sovereign and the message left by Dorothy from the first round.

…Let’s try to keep our minds as clear as possible. Getting lost in unsolvable worries and losing focus on what needs to be done now is a huge loss.

That night.

I was leaning on the balcony railing of the royal palace, looking at the scenery of Düpfendorf. The view was so beautiful that my feet moved without realizing it.

Thanks to the clear sky, I was told that a record number of citizens were out enjoying the northern lights dancing in the night sky.

Even from this distance, the large-scale festival was visible, so it must have been quite something.

At that moment, I sensed someone approaching from behind.

“Senior?”

“Nihi…”

As expected, I heard Dorothy’s flustered voice.

What’s with the “Nihi”?

When I turned my head, I saw Dorothy standing awkwardly.

“Your sneaky approach doesn’t work anymore.”

“You’re not as fun as before… You could at least pretend not to notice.”

Dorothy sighed disappointedly and stood next to me, leaning her arms on the railing.

It seemed she had left her witch hat in her room, as her face was clearly visible. The glow of the ice mana emitted by the palace contrasted with the night scenery, enhancing Dorothy’s already enchanting appearance.

For a moment, I was mesmerized by Dorothy.

She’s so pretty.

“Huh? What is it?”

“I was just wondering what you came to say.”

“I don’t have anything particular to say.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh, okay.”

She probably just came to enjoy the view and maybe play a little prank on me.

“The coronation ceremony is tomorrow, right?”

“Yes, it’s in the morning.”

“You’re finally going to be an Elemental King. The kid who was once called the Academy’s Weakest has quickly become a big shot~.”

I chuckled.

“Yeah, I guess I really am becoming an Elemental King.”

“How do you feel, Your Majesty, Isaac?”

“Huh? Hmm? Nothing in particular…?”

“Aren’t you happy?”

“I’m happy, I guess.”

“See, that’s a feeling, you fool.”

That’s true.

“Have you decided what you're going to say in your speech tomorrow? Oh, do you even give speeches?”

“That’s up to me.”

“Are you going to?”

“Probably not.”

“Ugh, you’re so boring…”

Dorothy stood on her tiptoe and hooked her arm around my shoulder.

Hey, Isaac. Becoming the leader of a country is a big event. It’s a rare, once-in-a-lifetime experience that not everyone gets to have. You should give a heart-pounding speech, move the people, you know? Don’t you have any romance?”

“Well… I don’t know. I don’t think I’m the type to be moved by that sort of thing.”

I adjusted my glasses.

“And, Senior, you’ve been calling me boring a lot lately. If you keep saying that, I might actually become boring. People tend to perceive things the way they’re often told…”

“Yeah, I’m not listening. I can’t hear you~.”

I explained earnestly.

To my dismay, Dorothy stepped away from me, tapping her ears with her palms and saying, “Lalalalala,” blocking out my explanation.

Aren’t you just blatantly hearing what you want to hear?

“Uh…”

“Nihihi. By the way, it’s soooo pretty here~.”

In the end, when I gave up explaining, Dorothy quickly changed the subject.

Leaning on the railing and stretching her arms, she gazed at the sky with an awed expression, like it was a scene from a movie.

“...Indeed.”

I also looked at the scenery of Düpfendorf.

The Ice Kingdom. The ground was white, and the northern lights flickered in the night sky.

It felt like being in an expensive resort that would cost tens of millions of won in my previous life. Such places have incredibly beautiful scenery.

“This place has a mood. If you try to woo a girl here, most of them will fall for you!”

“Isn’t that thought a bit indecent…?”

Not that I, a scoundrel pursuing a harem, had any right to say that.

“It just means that it’s that beautiful, you rascal.”

Dorothy nudged me and laughed.

“I’m only telling you this because it’s you. I lived in a really shabby place before coming to the academy, you know? I often imagined living in a place like this and being called a Princess. I guess everyone has those dreams. Anyway, it was a fantasy of mine. Standing here like this makes me feel fulfilled. Nihihi.”

“Do you feel like a Princess now?”

“Of course. Don’t I look like a Princess? With this face, wearing a beautiful dress would make it perfect.”

“You’re so full of yourself.”

“Yeah, you’re cocky, and that response is asking for violence.”

It was a joke.

Obviously, I wouldn’t disrespect my Goddess by calling her a mere Princess.

If I let my guard down, I’d end up spending all my time praising Dorothy’s appearance. I needed to keep a semblance of sanity.

“Isaac, will you live here after you graduate?”

“If all problems are resolved and nothing unexpected happens.”

This was the best answer I could give.

The future was still uncertain.

“All problems…”

Dorothy propped her chin on her hand and looked at me.

“You know.”

“Yes.”

“Is there something you’re not telling me?”

Huh?

“ What do you mean?”

“…”

Dorothy stared at me intently, as if trying to probe my reactions.

I didn’t question why she was asking. Dorothy could read emotions. Even if I managed to keep a straight face, she had the ability to see through the gaps in my mind.

I planned to search for Dorothy from the first round. It was bound to be incredibly dangerous, and I wouldn’t have the capacity to take care of anyone else, nor could I take anyone with me. This included the Dorothy in front of me.

If I told her my plan, she might try to follow me no matter what. I couldn’t predict what kind of trouble that might bring.

“I’ve already told you everything important, haven’t I? You probably know me better than anyone else.”

I feigned nonchalance.

After staring at me for a while, Dorothy turned her head back to the night view.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“...Liar.”

Dorothy murmured quietly, with a hint of dissatisfaction.

Pretending not to hear, I continued to look at the night view with Dorothy.

If I recall the explanation from the first rounds Dorothy, going to the Ice Lake seemed no different from a moth flying into a flame.

However, both the game developer Higgs and the first Dorothy seemed to believe that reaching the Ice Lake was not entirely impossible for me.

If it were impossible, they wouldn’t have mentioned it in the first place.

***Brilliant sunlight shone down on the land surrounded by white snow.

The coronation ceremony proceeded grandly and magnificently with music.

The citizens gathered in the square focused their eyes on me, standing on the wide balcony of the palace.

The four Legion Commanders, Düpfendorf’s soldiers, and numerous attendants lined up in orderly ranks.

I walked slowly towards an elderly woman who stood overlooking the people from the railing.

I was dressed in luxurious attire of white and gold, adorned with elegant decorations. A grand cape draped over my shoulders was fluttering in the wind.

I was trying to look serious and dignified, but inside, I was quite nervous.

The cheers and applause of the citizens greeted me.

Dragon Maiden…

The elderly woman was Millie, the Ice Dragon Maiden.

Dressed in white, she was known as a religious authority in Düpfendorf.

She was forbidden from any contact or communication with the outside world unless it was related to duties or rituals involving the Ice Sovereign.

She was a symbol of asceticism and sanctity, so much so that even I, the Ice Sovereign, had not met her before the coronation.

I knelt on one knee before the Dragon Maiden Millie.

Millie opened a beautiful case held by the ice knight beside her. Inside was the ceremonial silver dagger, Blade of Frost Flowers.

For the ritual, I would borrow it temporarily and return it during the coronation. This was the proper order.

With a kind smile, Millie carefully held the Blade of Frost Flowers with her gloved hands and respectfully offered it to me.

Dorothy and Alice watched the scene from a distance.

Radiant ice mana fluttered around Millie.

I received the Blade of Frost Flowers and infused it with ice mana.

My ice mana mixed with Millie’s, spreading beautifully like a blossoming flower.

As I stood up holding the Blade of Frost Flowers, all the attendants and soldiers simultaneously saluted me.

Millie cast an amplification spell and spoke.

“Here and now, we welcome Isaac, the second Ice Sovereign, who inherits the authority of the first Ice Sovereign, Veronica Aslius.”

Millie bowed her head.

I took two steps forward, standing at the edge of the balcony, and looked out at the citizens.

Then I drew the Blade of Frost Flowers and held it high for all to see.

Behind me, beautiful white jade-colored magic surged, and a giant white dragon soared, displaying its grandeur.

The citizens of Düpfendorf stared at me and the white dragon in awe.

They no longer cheered. Their faces were filled with reverent awe. They all knelt and bowed to me as if it were prearranged. Everyone paid their respects.

I lowered my arm holding the Blade of Frost Flowers.

For a while, I had to navigate through a sea of emotions.

***“My baby, you seem to be deep in thought.”

We were traveling across Düpfendorf’s territory by carriage.

Alice, sitting opposite me, spoke in a gentle voice.

“Yeah…”

At some point, I had forgotten to train with the magic tool in my hand and was just staring out the window.

All I could see was the vast white snowy fields known as the harshest land.

The attendants wished me a safe return, but everyone wanted me to reign over Düpfendorf as soon as possible.

Even though they didn’t show it, many felt resistant to my confident declarations of return.

Considering the position of Elemental King, and the responsibility of ruling Düpfendorf, it was natural for my emotions to run deep.

Moreover, the mysteries surrounding the Primordial Ice Sovereign added layers of complexity. A moment’s carelessness could cause everything to unravel like a tangled thread.

However.

“There’s no need to overthink it, yet here I am.”

One way or another, my priorities were clear.

Thanks to Alice, I regained my composure, organized my thoughts, and gripped the magic tool tightly to continue training my mana mastery.

For now, it was time to struggle for survival.