"Expansion of enrollment"—this phrase is used so incisively. Indeed, you can't risk your reputation just for a mere pawn, which could jeopardize her plans.

Whether to kill or not, it all depends on her mood.

Three days later, at the entrance of Rose Saint Hall Academy, beside the circular flower bed, with sunshine, flowers, and fresh air—everything was so peaceful and warm, surrounded by laughter and joy.

Frank Walker felt as if he were in another world. He had transmigrated to a world exactly like the one he designed in "Royal Nine Heavens." This body was also called Frank Walker, a death soldier from the Nine Gods Empire, who was captured while carrying out a sabotage mission. Thanks to his quick thinking and silver tongue, Frank Walker finally avoided becoming a disgrace in the wave of transmigrators.

He survived, though only temporarily. He could sense a faint surveillance. With his current pathetic combat strength, anyone here could kill him ten thousand times over.

Thinking back to that dark, damp, and bloody basement three days ago, and then looking at the harmonious and bright Rose Saint Hall before him—

Pah! Damn, evil, barbaric, primitive society!

Today was the day for new students to enroll at Rose Saint Hall. One after another, vibrant and energetic young people radiated the charm and vitality of another world.

Damn, those legs look pretty good. It's great to be alive.

"Frank, it's good that you're okay. I told you, our principal is the most beautiful and kind person. She wouldn't blame you." Beside him, a chubby guy smiled with great warmth.

Beautiful? Kind? Blame?

She almost skinned me alive, broke three of my ribs. Even with magic potions and exorcist treatment, it took me two days to recover. If it weren't for putting on a full act, someone like me would be less than a dog in Carrie Dean's eyes.

This chubby guy was Vance Tracy from his predecessor's memories—over two hundred pounds, Tiger Soul, Frank Walker's best buddy at Rose Saint Hall, also admitted through expanded enrollment. With his qualifications, he wouldn't have had a chance with the academy in eight lifetimes. The only reason his predecessor chose him was to use him as cover, because this fat guy was dumb and cute enough.

Saint Hall Academy was a product of the post-war era, established in the major cities of the Blade Alliance's city-states. If you wanted to become a "hero," this was the only way.

Getting into the academy didn't guarantee you'd become a hero, but if you couldn't get in, you definitely couldn't become one.

They were in Aurora City, with the Nine Gods Empire to the north, the three major powers of the Blade Alliance to the south, the Sea Tribe to the east, and the Mandala Empire of the Eight Divisions to the west. Its geographical position was extremely important. During the war, the original owners of Aurora City were wiped out. After the war, all sides fought over it, and it eventually became a free city, known as the most democratic and free city on the Nine Heavens Continent.

Pah!

The two of them were at Rose Saint Hall. For commoners, only by entering the academy could they change their social class, while nobles and the wealthy used the academy to consolidate their power, wealth, and networks. After hundreds of years of development, the academy system had penetrated every corner of the Blade Alliance.

Rose Saint Hall had a long history and once had glorious achievements, but in the past twenty years, it had been heavily suppressed by the Judgment Saint Hall in the same city. Now, the new principal had decided to reform. All the Saint Hall academies in the Blade Alliance followed an elite path, only admitting the most talented students, with strict entry and exit standards. But Rose Saint Hall pioneered a new approach: easy entry, strict exit.

To put it bluntly, it was "expansion of enrollment." You could even get in through donations. Many conservative academy members saw this as a "desecration" of the academy's honor, but the new principal Carrie Dean still did things her own way.

So, people like Frank Walker and Vance Tracy managed to sneak in. It's said that this year it's even more extreme. Clearly, Carrie Dean is someone who loves chaos—either she turns things around in her hands, or she perishes with them.

A woman like that is not to be messed with.

"Frank, as long as you're okay. I still have to deliver lunch to Rachel at noon." At the mention of his goddess, Vance Tracy immediately put on a lovesick expression.

Frank Walker rolled his eyes. "Ace Baker, there's no future in being a simp."

Rachel was one of the most talked-about girls of their class of '97, from the Martial Arts Institute, a pure S-type, walking hormones. Clearly, according to his memories, Vance Tracy was just one of her backup options—maybe not even that.

"What's a simp, Frank? I feel like you've been acting weird lately. And you used to call me Ace, but now you suddenly added a 'ba' at the end. It feels strange."

Frank Walker patted Vance Tracy. "Bro, 'ba' is an exclamation from my hometown. I'm saying you're handsome."

Vance Tracy grinned, his eyes squeezed into slits by his chubby cheeks. Honestly, he truly believed he was handsome; it was just that ordinary people failed to see it. Birds of a feather flock together—brothers indeed.

(Notice a lot of brothers are concerned about the protagonist's name, thinking Skeleton has no talent in this area: Frank Walker, Mark Walker, James Walker, John Walker, Don Walker... Look at these, what the heck... Actually, I've held this in for a long time, but let me tell you a secret. Back when I first started first grade, my name was... Leo Walker. Isn't that a bit cool? But classmates and teachers always mispronounced it as "xiao," so I casually changed it to "晓." But then it often got written as "小," so I changed it again to "小." After going through all this in my naive and helpless youth, don't you think it's pretty awesome that I can come up with protagonist names like these...)

Chapter 5: A Puff of Beard, Ten Thousand Gold