Reborn as the General's Useless Daughter-Chapter 357: The Tri-Academy Exchange Arc (Part-49)

Cindral’s pupils shrank as his mind spun violently. He had seen countless talented students over the years, but never, not even in his dreams, had he seen someone as absurdly gifted as Zora.

It was no longer a question of talent.

It was an insult to common sense.

If Eamon and the others were the ones saying it, there was no possibility of falsehood. Those three old monsters had too much pride. They would never fabricate such a claim, nor did they need to.

The more Cindral thought about it, the heavier his heart became.

For the first time, a faint envy rose within him.

Envy toward Imperial Academy.

That academy had been weak for so long, mocked for so long, suppressed for so long.

Yet now, it had somehow recruited a student like Zora.

Was this heaven’s compensation?

Was this fate turning its wheel?

Even Malrick, who had always believed himself to be superior, couldn’t help but feel his throat dry. He had prepared so much. He had schemed so deeply. Yet in the end, all of it was meaningless in front of a single person’s overwhelming brilliance.

A person who could overturn the entire situation with her own hands.

For a moment, the two principals could only stare blankly at the white-robed girl on the platform, as if she were not human but a miracle that had stepped down from legend.

Even Cindral, who had once believed he understood everything, now felt a chill creeping up his spine.

He had only known Zora as a Spirit Warrior and Alchemist.

But inscriptions?

He had never heard a single rumor.

Not even a trace.

Her concealment was so deep that even he, the principal of Thunderclap Academy, had been fooled completely.

And if she had concealed this much, then what about her master?

Who could possibly teach someone like this?

What kind of terrifying existence could raise a disciple capable of shaking three fields at once?

Cindral’s mind turned heavy with unease, and for the first time, he realized he might have provoked something far beyond his control.

Reesa and the others were no less shocked. They stared at Zora as if seeing her for the first time.

They had walked with her, fought beside her, laughed with her.

And yet...

They never knew.

Even when Zora had displayed her understanding of inscriptions in Sapphire’s Exchange, they had only assumed she knew a little. They never dared to imagine she was an inscription master herself.

Because it was too ridiculous.

Too outrageous.

Too impossible.

But now, reality was forcing the impossible down their throats.

Only now did they realize how terrifying yesterday’s gifts had been.

The inscriptions she casually handed out... they were not treasures she bought with money.

They were treasures she created.

At that moment, their hearts trembled with disbelief, pride, and a faint fear.

How long had they been traveling with a beast disguised as a human?

Even Harold’s calm eyes flickered with an unusual light. His lips curved faintly, as if amused, yet the depth of his gaze grew darker.

He always kept high expectations of Zora, compared to others, but it seemed...

He had still underestimated Zora.

Meanwhile, on the high platform, Zora looked at the six seniors who were practically fighting over her like hungry wolves, and a rare helplessness appeared on her beautiful face.

She had already expected that today’s performance would attract attention.

But she had not expected it to explode into such madness.

She took a breath, her gaze sweeping across Eamon, Godfrey, Anselm, Tancred, Lionel, and Mariette.

Then she finally spoke, her voice clear and calm.

"Elders..."

The moment she opened her mouth, the quarreling instantly stopped, as if someone had pressed down a switch.

All six pairs of eyes locked onto her.

The crowd also held their breath.

Everyone wanted to know what she would choose.

Facing the overwhelming gazes, Zora could only brace herself and continue.

"Thank you for your great kindness, but I have no intention of taking a master."

The moment those words fell, the entire audience went silent.

A stunned silence.

A silence so heavy it felt like the world itself had paused.

Then, a wave of disbelief spread across every face.

Refuse?

She refused?

Master Tancred and Master Lionel were legendary figures.

Eamon and Godfrey were living gods in the inscription world.

And Zora...

She rejected them just like that?

For a moment, countless people stared at her, as if they couldn’t decide whether she was arrogant beyond measure...

Or confident enough to not need anyone at all.

Zora’s exquisite and stunning face carried a trace of apology, and her clear eyes revealed an unmistakable sincerity.

She understood very well what kind of opportunity she had just rejected.

If it were anyone else, they would probably kneel down on the spot and call Master without hesitation, afraid that even a moment’s delay would make the other party change their mind.

But she was not anyone else.

In her past life and in this life, her path had always been different from that of ordinary people. Whether it was alchemy or inscriptions, she had never lacked guidance. In alchemy, she had inherited countless profound potion formulas and techniques. In inscriptions, she had the old man within the Chaos Ring, a terrifying existence whose knowledge was far beyond what the world could imagine.

Moreover, these people, before her, no matter how respected they were, were rooted in the Leon Empire.

And she was not.

She had no intention of staying here, either.

After the Academy exchange competition ended, she would leave this Tempest city, leave this place full of scheming and filth, and walk toward a broader world.

Not to mention that she had never had a good impression of the Leon Empire in the first place.

From Dravenor Blackstar to Ragnor Blackstar, the royal family’s arrogance and hypocrisy had already disgusted her. The constant oppression and contempt aimed at the Imperial Academy had also made her feel cold inside.

This land was too small, too narrow, and too rotten.

How could she bind herself here by taking a master?

Once a master-disciple relationship was established, it was not something one could casually sever. Gratitude, obligations, etiquette, and responsibility would all follow, like invisible chains wrapping around her ankles.

She could not accept such chains.

That was why she refused.

However, just as the crowd was still drowning in shock, Eamon, Godfrey, and Anselm unexpectedly smiled, their expressions carrying not anger, but satisfaction.

"Zora girl, you did the right thing!" Eamon laughed loudly, his tone filled with approval.

Zora’s brows lifted slightly, and confusion appeared in her eyes.

Right?

She had just refused them. How could it be right?

On the other side, Mariette, Tancred, and Lionel all frowned. Their faces looked somewhat strange, as if they could not understand the development of the situation at all.

In their view, this was absurd.

A young girl had just rejected three of the most respected alchemy masters in the imperial city. This was not bravery, but stupidity.

It was like throwing away a golden mountain and choosing to hold onto a handful of dust.

The crowd below erupted into whispers again, and the Spirit Warriors from Thunderclap Academy were the first to sneer loudly, their jealousy and resentment almost overflowing.

"She’s too arrogant. Such a good opportunity, and she just throws it away. She’ll regret it sooner or later!"

"In my opinion, she’s not arrogant, she’s stupid!"

"She really thinks she’s invincible just because she got lucky in the competition. She doesn’t even know what kind of blessing it is to be accepted by Master Tancred!"

The ridicule was sharp, and the gloating was obvious.

Many people who had been burning with envy earlier now felt strangely satisfied. Seeing Zora refuse, they finally felt as if the balance of the world had returned to normal.

If Zora could really take everything, then what were they supposed to be?

But just as their mocking voices rose, Eamon’s next sentence smashed down like a thunderbolt, instantly silencing the entire crowd.

"The inscriptions of Zora girl are extremely exquisite," Eamon said calmly, his eyes shining with admiration. "Even the three of us cannot confidently claim we are superior. At most, we can only say we are of the same level."

The moment those words fell, the air froze.

Everyone’s expressions stiffened.

The Spirit Warriors from Thunderclap Academy, who had just been mocking loudly, looked as if their throats had been grabbed by an invisible hand. Their mouths hung open, yet no sound came out.

Even Cindral’s face twitched violently.

Malrick’s eyes widened.

The spectators were so stunned that some even forgot to breathe.

Same level?