Subscriber of the Gods Chapter 406 - Master

Ivecar Academy’s victory.

The students of Ivecar Academy cheered for their long-awaited win.

The event staff momentarily halted their cheers. The ranking announcement was still pending.

Freya and Vogue academies held their breath, focusing on the director’s words.

“Second place goes to Freya Academy!”

The two academies’ reactions diverged at the announcement of second place.

Despite a glimmer of hope,

There were no additional points, and Freya Academy’s second place was confirmed.

Automatically, Vogue Academy took third place.

Disappointed by the results, Vogue Academy students gritted their teeth. Their heads bowed involuntarily at the difficult-to-accept outcome.

It was their first exchange, but they had come with high expectations.

They thought their skills could aim for the top spot.

But not only was winning out of reach, even second place proved impossible.

Third place.

This was the objective measure of Vogue Academy.

Broken pride and humiliation weighed down their heads.

But then,

Boom-!

Wigen stomped his foot loudly.

“Don’t hang your heads! You all did well enough. So don’t hang your heads. And don’t forget today. That’s all that matters.”

At Wigen’s words, the Vogue students raised their heads straight.

As he said, opportunities still lay ahead.

It wasn’t the time to be mired in humiliation and despair.

“Well done.”

Wigen praised them.

Then, the final rankings were announced in full.

Final Rankings:

1st place, Ivecar Academy.

2nd place, Freya Academy.

3rd place, Vogue Academy.

……

……..

After the announcement, cheering was unrestricted.

Freya Academy erupted in wild cheers while Vogue Academy further digested this result.

And Ivecar Academy, the winner of this Kabak inter-academy exchange, let out even louder cheers than Freya.

“We won!”

“We actually won!”

“Long live Teacher Ethan!”

“Long live Ivecar Academy!”

Even Claudie Hyde, whose expressions rarely changed, was smiling quite deeply.

It felt like last year’s humiliation was being washed away.

“Teacher Ethan.”

Claudie Hyde approached Ethan.

And for a moment, he showed a slightly surprised expression. In the elation of victory, he had unknowingly addressed Ethan.

“We did it together, Teacher Claudie.”

“……”

Claudie took Ethan’s outstretched hand.

“I learned a thing or two.”

This time, it was Ethan who looked surprised.

To think that Claudie would say he learned something.

‘That’s the highest praise Teacher Claudie can give.’

Ethan bowed lightly with a cheerful smile.

“We will now proceed with the final order of business.”

After the ranking announcement came the official closing ceremony.

“Along with the closing ceremony, there will be one announcement. And that announcement will be made by Princess Evangeline, who gave the opening speech.”

Princess Evangeline, who had said she would leave early, took the podium.

‘Could it be.’

Ethan’s eyes met the princess’s for a moment.

‘Is she going to give it now?’

There was only one reason why the princess might have stayed until now.

“It’s Princess Evangeline.”

“Didn’t she say she had to leave?”

“It seems Demon God Spear has already left.”

Demon God Spear had already departed. Similarly, Princess Evangeline had said she needed to leave early, but for some reason, she had remained until the closing ceremony.

“Was she… much more impressed than expected?”

“Somehow, I feel proud.”

Although they didn’t know exactly why Princess Evangeline had stayed until the end, the students happily imagined that it must be because they had made a strong impression on her.

“I had planned to leave early, but this exchange was so interesting that I ended up staying until the end. Everyone, you were truly amazing. I saw skills, talent, and passion that I couldn’t believe belonged to academy students.”

And that imagination became reality.

“I mentioned during my opening speech, didn’t I? That I was thinking of choosing someone from this exchange to become my subordinate. Even now that the exchange is over, that thought hasn’t changed. I was truly satisfied.”

The princess said.

“Today, at the end of the exchange, I plan to leave separate letters for the students who made it onto that list. It’s not compulsory. If you want, if you desire, bring that letter and seek out my guard, Black Sword.”

At those words, the students looked at the princess with excited expressions.

It wasn’t just empty talk.

They might really have a chance to work under the princess.

The students began to indulge in happy fantasies.

The princess looked around at the students’ expressions before continuing her closing remarks.

“You were truly amazing, students of the academies. I saw with my own two eyes your passionate demeanor over these four days, the way you clashed with everything you’ve learned so far and ran forward without fearing failure. My heart raced at the thought that you will become the future of our Holy Empire.”

At Princess Evangeline’s closing remarks, the students unknowingly reddened their eyes.

This exchange, they really gave it their all.

The training they underwent in preparation for the exchange was extremely tough, but thanks to that, they were able to finish the exchange without regrets.

Each grade level felt something different.

The fourth-year students were the most disappointed, but being in their fourth year, they took some comfort in knowing they could act immediately if they received the princess’s offer.

Of course, no one knew who the princess would choose, but hope is always a good thing, isn’t it?

“Congratulations to Ivecar Academy for winning. It was truly impressive. Freya Academy, who narrowly took second place, was also excellent. Your refusal to give up until the end was admirable.”

Princess Evangeline made sure to praise even Saturn Academy, who came in last.

It was just a few words of praise, but the students were so enamored with Princess Evangeline that they felt they could walk into fire if she asked.

‘As expected, she’s more than qualified to become emperor.’

To think that such a Princess Evangeline had been disqualified from the successor race due to illness.

‘The one who became emperor instead of Evangeline was also excellent, but…’

He had some weaknesses when it came to leading the empire.

Despite his outstanding combat skills, he lacked ability in domestic governance.

‘That came out as a quest, and if you followed the right route, you could become the empire’s second-in-command and run the empire alongside the emperor.’

But thanks to Ethan saving Princess Evangeline, everything had changed.

‘Originally, it would have gone through a more complicated process.’

“And there’s one more reason why I’m giving the closing remarks.”

She said with a smile.

“Count Ethan Whiskers, please step forward.”

When Princess Evangeline called for Ethan, everyone began to murmur.

Why suddenly call for Ethan Whiskers?

Everyone thought the princess might be calling him to directly recruit him.

While everyone was confused, not knowing what was going on, a sudden round of applause was heard.

Clap-. Clap-.

It was Claudie Hyde. Claudie applauded as Ethan ascended to the podium.

Then Ethan’s favorite disciples started clapping, and soon everyone gathered there began to applaud.

“Teacher Claudie, why is the princess calling for Teacher Ethan? Could she be trying to take him under her wing? That would be a huge loss for Ivecar, wouldn’t it?”

To Max Jurod’s question, Claudie gave a brief answer.

“It’s not like that, Max. He just achieved it before me, that’s all.”

“Achieved… N-No way.”

At those words, Max’s eyes widened so much they looked like they might tear.

The favorite disciples listening beside Max were also greatly surprised.

They realized that the princess wasn’t simply giving Ethan an award or proposing that he join her.

“Master, the title?”

Claudie silently nodded.

At that response, the favorite disciples’ expressions brightened considerably.

They thought it was confirmed, but to think she would bestow the title of master right here!

Mason, in particular, was so excited that his face turned bright red.

“You, are you crying?”

Yuna, who was next to him, looked at Mason as if she couldn’t believe it.

“He might be crying because he’s frustrated about losing to me, junior Yuna.”

“That might be true, senior.”

“N-No! That’s not it, Yuna!”

Mason raised his arm, embarrassed, and wiped his tears naturally.

“I’m not the type to cry easily.”

Next to him, Ron clapped with a broad smile.

Bang-! Bang-! Bang-!

“Senior Ron, there’s smoke coming from your hands.”

Roanna said, looking at the smoke rising from Ron’s clapping hands.

“This is the first time I’ve seen someone try to use a fireball through hand friction.”

Yuna looked at Ron incredulously, as if he was doing something outrageous.

The favorite disciples were each rejoicing in their own way at Ethan’s achievement of the master title.

And there were those who were as happy as the students.

Ivecar’s principal, Ghost Sword, was clapping so fast and powerfully that he was barely visible, true to his alias.

“Oh, come on. Who uses sword techniques to clap?”

Mad Sword, who was next to him, frowned.

“It’s such a joyous occasion. Don’t be jealous, Mad Sword.”

Clap-clapclapclap-!

Amidst the grand celebration, Ethan stood before the princess.

“This is an exceptional and unprecedented event. I’ve already received permission from His Majesty the Emperor, but I had to see it with my own eyes, and the magician who would be the Emperor’s eyes also had to see it for everything to be proven.”

The princess hadn’t come with just her guards.

She had come here with a magician from the Emperor’s knights.

Perhaps Princess Evangeline had been planning from the beginning to bestow the master title on Ethan at this exchange.

Originally, it was a title the princess could bestow directly, but giving the master title to a first-year teacher who hadn’t even shed his rookie status was quite exceptional, so she sought the Emperor’s permission.

“I have been delegated authority by His Majesty the Emperor and have closely observed the count’s activities as His Majesty’s eyes. To be frank, before coming here, I thought we needed to observe a bit more. But seeing it in person was truly different.”

The Emperor’s magician who was standing behind spoke.

“It’s not that it’s too early, but rather, it might be too late.”

Then he smiled at Ethan.

“It seems Her Highness the Princess has a truly remarkable eye. Congratulations.”

After saying that, he naturally stepped back. As he retreated, Princess Evangeline spoke in a loud voice.

“In the name of His Majesty the Emperor, and myself as the Princess, I hereby bestow the title of Master upon Count Ethan Whiskers of the Whiskers family of the Holy Empire and teacher of Ivecar Academy.”