Chapter: 416
Amidst the chaos brought on by the Academy’s selection process, the prevailing power was none other than the First Queen’s faction.
To put it simply, their strength was the greatest, and their qualifications were excellent. Thus, no matter how much the Second Queen’s forces and the scholars within the Academy tried to resist, they stood no chance against the First Queen’s faction.
Consequently, those who had gained the most significant power among the Academy’s professors devised a strategy to achieve what their master desired without hesitation.
Of course, they didn’t act openly.
Even if they had a substantial force, they were still outsiders who had squeezed their way in. Aware that even a small provocation could turn public opinion against them, they cautiously held discussions in private.
Their defenses were quite thorough. If it weren’t for a variable like Adri, no one would have caught on to what they were plotting.
Conversely, one could argue that their incompetence to foresee Adri’s involvement led to the current situation.
“I don’t know why, but those guys wanted to test your skills and talents.”
The First Queen’s faction purposefully created a crisis for me to evaluate my abilities.
It wasn’t hard to guess why they had such thoughts. The only reason their attention focused on me, an individual, was rather simple.
Why were the medieval trumpets targeting me?
What was their intent? It’s true my confidence has been soaring lately, but surely they wouldn’t show such interest in the Academy while risking various protests?
Could there be another motive? Is there something I don’t know?
Surely, the medieval trumpets wouldn’t have grasped the hidden secrets of the Academy yet?
I was thinking about this and that, but an answer didn’t come easily. I still lacked information.
“That’s all I’ve heard for now. If I probe any further, I think it could put me in danger.”
“Truly, that old hag is just like a cockroach, always good at self-preservation.”
“…Why is someone like you receiving the Lord’s love!”
True. I’m honestly a bit curious about that too.
I believe it’s just the taste of the perverted god, but on the other hand, it feels like even a god in the gutter wouldn’t be that bad.
It wasn’t something I could discuss with the current commander, so I laughed at the grumbling Adri and asked her to keep trying before sending her off.
*
This year’s entrance ceremony at the Soul Academy went on dryly without any incidents.
New students who had heard of the Academy’s traditions or were re-enrolled didn’t let their guard down until the very end, but even with their caution, nothing happened.
What could be done? Days before the ceremony, all golems had been smashed to bits.
As even the graduate students responsible for creating those golems were affected, the entrance ceremony was bound to be quiet.
After the quietest day came to an end, when it should have been the loudest, I gathered my friends in the private room.
It was to decide what classes they would take.
“You look more troubled than usual today, Lucy Allen.”
“If you know, wouldn’t it be better to read the atmosphere and stay quiet?”
“You’re a bit too sharp. Well, can’t we take our opinions into account?”
“Hmph. Since the pitiful prince is so eager, I’ll increase the credits more than before.”
“…What?”
“I was going to give you a little consideration, but if the pitiful prince insists, I can’t help it.”
“W-wait a second. Lucy Allen, I never said anything like that…”
Ignoring the sweating Arthur, I turned my gaze back to the class schedule.
He was right; today, he really seemed troubled.
When I had decided on their classes in the first year, I hadn’t thought twice about it.
I just needed to jot down the most efficient routes I had researched in the game, so there was no room for worry.
But it was different now. The courses listed had changed so much from what I knew, starting from the instructors to the content and timings.
Because of that, I found myself in a position where I had to start planning from scratch, erasing everything I previously knew.
It wasn’t all that difficult to outline a basic framework; the stagnant water’s remnants hadn’t just disappeared.
By combining names I knew well with those still at the Academy, I could achieve a degree of efficiency.
The problem was that I wasn’t confident it would be the maximum efficiency.
Ugh. If this were a game, I would have studied the guides to calculate the best efficiency, but in reality, that was impossible.
What to do? At this point, should I just give up on efficiency?
But my pride as a stagnant piece of water wouldn’t allow me to abandon my stubbornness.
“Lady Allen, is there really a need to decide right now?”
Perhaps worried about my inability to respond, Joy carefully spoke up.
“After all, we only have to submit it within a week. Why not check out the classes taught by new professors first and adjust accordingly?”
Hmm. That makes sense.
It would be better to decide after experiencing the classes firsthand than making a hasty choice now.
There aren’t that many classes to attend anyway. Most of the crucial ones are already decided; I just need to figure out the smaller ones.
“Did something go wrong today? Why are you suddenly making sense?”
“Hmph. It’s just because you always ignore me that I keep good thoughts to myself, you know?”
Joy grumbled, but a faint smile appeared on her face.
“Hey! Lucy Allen! Isn’t your attitude too different? I wanted to say the same thing, so why am I the only one getting scolded!”
“Well, the pitiful prince isn’t cute at all.”
“What?”
“Do you want compliments like a fool? Then be cute. Be cute, and I’ll say ‘Well done!’”
“…A cute thing?”
Seeing the flustered expression on Arthur’s face, I burst into laughter.
“Pffhahaha! Were you really agonizing over that?! You wanted compliments that bad? The pitiful prince has surprising aspects of cuteness and foolishness!”
“T-that can’t be true! I just took a moment to think about your really rude remarks!”
“Now that’s quite persuasive~ Yes~ I’ll believe you~”
“Stop! Don’t twist my words!”
With his face burning red and shouting, Arthur suddenly quieted down when he was caught off guard by Frey, who popped up beside him.
“…What are you doing, Frey?”
“Isn’t this what you wanted?”
As she tilted her head while petting her own head, Arthur sighed and sat down.
“Not at all. I wasn’t feeling upset, which is why I didn’t express any unfairness!”
“Is that so?”
“It is.”
“But you calmed down with the prince’s head pats.”
“…It was just so ridiculous that I couldn’t help it!”
As usual, watching Arthur and Frey bicker, I shared some class lists with Joy and Phoebe, asking them to report back on how the classes went.
If it were up to me, I’d want to attend them all, but there were aspects like Divine Magic and various magical studies that I couldn’t grasp.
It was better to leave the evaluations of those classes to the two of them.
In the same vein, I informed Karl about the classes he should check out.
“Lucy. I… I?”
The last one remaining, Frey, looked up at me with expectant eyes, but I didn’t offer her anything.
“You dense swordsman, just stay by my side.”
Asking for her evaluation would only give me a headache.
It was better to have her accompanying me.
After all, the classes we both needed were probably similar.
“Okay! I will!”
Though it was a declaration of her incompetence, Frey looked oddly happy.
What’s going on? Why is she so delighted? Is Frey awakening some strange taste…
No, that’s not right. Her sense of taste has always been odd. Just the other day, she was sulking because I didn’t insult her.
Are there no normal people around me?
Watching Frey with mixed feelings, I commanded my friends to disperse and set out to check the classes of various professors.
First up was the Dungeon Studies class. I wanted to see what the new instructor’s skills were like.
“As you can see, within the dungeon…”
Naturally affiliated with the First Queen’s faction, the professor’s class was decent enough.
He had a tendency toward somewhat rigid thinking, but given that dungeon strategies were reality here, it was typical to think like the professor.
However, it didn’t seem worth attending the class. What this new professor thought was merely a tedious matter to someone like me who was filled with stagnant water. Attending his class would only waste my time.
“Lady Allen. Since it seems you already know all this, could you perhaps give us an answer?”
The professor seemed to be irritated by my overt indifference.
“That’s fine. I can say whatever you need. The level is pathetically low after all.”
“…You seem quite confident.”
“More importantly, are you confident, professor? I wouldn’t want to see a grown man tear up after being pointed out.”
“Feel free to proceed. Receiving questions is also part of a professor’s role.”
By giving me an opportunity to speak, it was no different than inviting me to point out the gaps in the professor’s explanations.
“First, let’s point out how much of a complete idiot you are for being out of touch with reality.”
The professor’s pride didn’t last long.
When it came to dungeons, even the academy’s professors had to step aside for me; there was no way an outsider could defeat me.
“Well, it wasn’t entirely bad. If you keep improving, you should be fine. Just not better than me.”
After making the new professor’s face turn red, I headed next to the Combat Studies class.
I wanted to see what kind of person the newly appointed assistant professor was to take over the class that Karl had a good reputation for.
The assistant professor didn’t say much during the theory, but when it became time to apply that theory in real combat, he stepped forward subtly.
“Considering the talents that Lady Allen of the Allen family and Young Lady Kent possess are among the best in the continent, would you demonstrate for the other students?”
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