Though they grandly call it an ‘academy,’ the truth is that the academies depicted in games, manga, and light novels bear a striking resemblance to regular high schools.
In fact, the Imperial Capital Academy has a completely Japanese high school-style curriculum. The classes are quite different from what you’d see in an ordinary high school, but the schedule follows a similar pattern.
Of course, this year, the schedule has been thrown off considerably due to a big event. They shortened the winter break dramatically, and even crossed into the new year still stuck at the academy.
Originally, the culture festival was slated for the end of October, but it got pushed back and only normalized in November, so it was unavoidable.
And since it was delayed anyway, the student council even proposed starting the culture festival at the end of December. Since it was going to be cold winter regardless, they figured they might as well align the schedule with the time of year when most people celebrate.
In simple terms, the culture festival is now set to run from December 30th to January 2nd.
Even if Amuria Academy is practically a high school, there are hardly any ‘high schools’ in this world due to its lore. Put simply, the high schools that can execute a culture festival are few, including the Imperial Capital and Rondarium. Even the places that resemble schools are really just slightly enlarged tutoring centers.
Thus, the culture festival at the Imperial Capital Academy is essentially a festival for the entire capital. Well, there’s a caveat that only invited people can attend, so it’s technically not a festival for ‘everyone,’ but the streets around the academy get filled with festive vibes, and students often join in on the fun, so you could say that’s about right.
In reality, Alice and I have never attended it. Of course, we could have gone if we’d wanted to, but neither Alice nor I had the luxury of time.
Culture festivals in typical Japanese subculture content are depicted far more extravagantly than actual school festivals, but in this world, it stretches even further.
Plus, the organizers are the kids of the nobility.
Since the era still clings to aristocratic and macho culture, many noble families believe that not contributing a penny to such a festival would be a blow to their pride. There are differences depending on the noble class, but generally speaking, parents who send their children to the academy would make substantial donations to make the festival more lavish.
And managing and efficiently distributing the enormous funds that come in is also the student council’s responsibility.
“This year’s donations are especially high. Compared to last year, there’s almost a 40% increase. With this amount, we could expand the scale significantly and still have plenty left over!”
One of the student council members said excitedly. She wore round glasses and looked a bit plain, but she was also the child of a high-ranking noble. After all, only those recommended by other students could join the student council.
“We don’t have to use the entire budget. We can save some and allocate it elsewhere,”
The student council president shrugged and said that.
“It’s better to keep some as a reserve since we’re overlapping right at the year’s end. Unexpected additional expenses may come up, you know?”
Another student at the table raised a hand and chimed in.
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
And Alice, Charlotte, and I just sat there in silence, not saying a word.
Even though it’s called a ‘noble society,’ it generally just lumps everyone together as ‘nobles,’ meaning it doesn’t exclude royalty and imperial family members. In terms of words, nobility, royalty, and imperial family have separate meanings, but in reality, it’s not uncommon for members of royalty or the imperial family to become separate noble branches through titles, and on the flip side, nobles can also marry into royalty or the imperial family.
Moreover, when you look at the concept of a ‘society,’ it would be too small a framework to separate royalty and imperial family. Naturally, they have to mingle with the closest class, which is the nobility.
And if you were to consider who must preserve their ‘pride’ among them, it would undoubtedly be royalty and the imperial family.
The imperial royal family contributed a massive amount of donations. They were already managing the operation of the academy with royal funds, but they put in even more money. Saying, “We can’t provide this year due to lack of funds,” would simply not be an option pride-wise.
The pride being referred to here isn’t just a personal feeling I have. The emotions of nobles are calculated like math. They’re not perfectly quantifiable or visible; it’s more of an implicit understanding.
And the pride that royalty and the imperial family must uphold falls under that category too.
Both the imperial and Velbur royal families have taken quite a hit financially lately, but to maintain their pride, they’ve offered significant support.
Additionally—
“……Do you have any thoughts regarding the budget?”
After finishing their discussion among themselves, the student council president cautiously directed the question toward us, who had remained silent until now.
The reactions of the student council members, including the president, had grown extremely cautious lately. They were careful even in eye contact, with some not daring to look at us directly.
Well, considering Alice isn’t just any princess, but the Crown Princess, and I am the second in line for the empire’s throne. It’s likely to remain that way until Alice has children of her own.
“……I’m fine, so you can use it as the student council needs,”
However, at least here, we kept our silence.
We mustn’t appear ‘out of touch.’
If the giver of the funds takes an active role in deciding what the money is spent on, it could look bad. It’s much easier and more advantageous to maintain silence instead.
If Alice were simply a ‘Princess’ instead of a Crown Princess, maybe she could contribute opinions here and there. She would be the daughter of someone who merely provided support. In that case, her situation wouldn’t be that different from the others present.
But Alice is the head of the royal family now. She’s the one who determined the amount of the donation.
“I don’t know how the academy held last year’s culture festival, so I’ll leave it up to you all,”
Charlotte also said that.
Charlotte might not be the head yet, but she’s here representing Velbur. Being a student and not contributing the funds herself allowed her some room to speak, but she’s probably holding back because she sees herself as somewhat of a ‘representative’ of her nation.
“…….”
As for me, even if I had the right to speak, I wasn’t going to say anything.
The festival runs smoothly in the original work anyway. I don’t need to come up with some grand plan; they’re bound to come up with something ‘manga-worthy’ on their own.
“Then, we’ll proceed according to this plan.”
Perhaps thinking we would sneak in some comments, the student council president looked as if a huge burden had been lifted from his shoulders as he replied with a sigh of relief.
*
“Sometimes, I envy the Iberian way of dealing with things.”
“You guys say it’s dirty, so you dislike it, right?”
“Isn’t it the same for the Empire?”
Charlotte countered Alice’s words and let out a light sigh.
“Still, I can’t deny that sometimes their approach seems more efficient.”
“……I can agree with that.”
Following Charlotte, Alice also gave a light sigh.
Unlike the Empire and Velbur, where making a scene and fighting back when wronged is the norm, in Iberia, it’s considered admirable to do whatever it takes to achieve one’s goals. It seems that people who keep pushing forward, even if they aren’t getting their due respect at the moment, are respected for their single-minded pursuit of a goal. While in the Empire or Kingdom, a man using deception to kill someone becomes the ultimate loser, in Iberia, as long as you ensure your target is dead, it doesn’t matter how you go about it.
They call it vendetta, maybe.
And this cultural atmosphere also applies to money; offering funds beyond one’s means is simply regarded as foolish.
“But in the end, we’re in the Empire, so we have to follow the Empire’s laws.”
“Are there people opposing that idea and wanting to apply Velbur’s laws?”
Charlotte’s words refer to the still-ongoing issues surrounding the previous emperor’s circumstances.
“…….”
Alice quietly averted her gaze from Charlotte’s eyes.
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