episode_0015

[Welcome to the Sacred Claro Empire.]

A voice filled the space.

This is the teleport station of the empire.

Among them, it is located in the capital “Montrea.” Escorted by soldiers guarding this place, or perhaps just cautious, I passed through the gate emitting light.

Teleportation… It’s unbelievably convenient. If I had come on horseback, it would have taken days, but just passing through the gate brought me directly to the empire. It was the product of magic engineering that I envied most while reading novels.

The imperial soldiers who escorted me stepped back, but they didn’t let their guard down. Of course, theoretically, a teleport station could be an excellent invasion weapon. It could aim for the heart of the enemy country in an instant.

So, the use of the teleport station is strictly restricted.

The number of people moved at once, soldiers placed to monitor the travelers during the teleportation process. Above all, the exorbitant cost was a problem, far beyond common sense. It was made so that even the nobles and lords overflowing with money couldn’t use it recklessly.

Thanks to this, even if all the teleport stations on the continent were combined, the number of users in a day would not exceed a hundred.

However, the Dalia family coolly paid the teleport station usage fee for both Beatrice and Yulia.

The gaze of the Primera Kingdom station managers was truly impressive. It was rare for them to move both a count’s daughter and even her maid at once.

The Montrea station managers, the capital of the empire, were the same. They approached, trying to hide their surprised faces as much as possible.

“We will proceed with the immigration procedures. Your name…?”

“Beatrice de Dalia.”

“Yulia.”

The manager, who seemed like a newcomer, searched through a leather file in his hand. Among them, he found the document containing our personal information. It must have been information received in advance.

“I’ve checked the list. Please show your mark.”

Yulia and I each took out a palm-sized stone we received at the Primera Kingdom Station. The administrator took out a magic tool resembling a scanner from his pocket and resonated it.

Zing-

With the resonating sound, the stones we were holding emitted light.

“Mark confirmed. Two individuals from the Primera Kingdom confirmed.”

“Thank you.”

As always, Yulia greeted kindly.

I, not feeling the need, walked ahead.

The administrators here, while maintaining courtesy as if to prove the importance of the teleportation station, were not servile, no matter who the other party was, be it nobility or royalty. I liked that about them.

This place is a precious asset of the continent that should not belong to anyone. The attitude of the administrators represents the importance and weight of the teleportation station.

Nevertheless, the new administrator couldn’t hide his surprised expression.

Even the young master who leads the family, bringing servants to teleport, how much wealth does he have? It seemed like he was having such thoughts.

“Hmph.”

Who am I… This is obvious.

If the Dalia family had been short of money, they would have sold off their mansion and land to pay for our teleportation costs, even if it meant doing so. To the guardian knights, I am such a presence…

*

Upon entering the main hall, people who had arrived from various stations on the continent were visible. Normally, there wouldn’t be this many passengers.

It was due to the opening of the Imperial Academy, attracting students in droves.

From a country’s royal family to high nobles, those who used to be respected everywhere they went. However, here, apart from the luggage to be used during their academy uniform and semester, they were alone. Most of them had come without even accompanying attendants.

If there were attendants, they had ridden horses and departed for the empire long before. It is common for them to take their seats early and wait for their masters’ convenience.

I’ll say it again!

My case with Yulia is special.

People who are not wearing academy uniforms must be new students like us. They haven’t even received their dormitory or uniforms yet.

I looked around, trying to remember as much as possible in case there were characters from a novel. There was a noticeable female student. Unusually, she was accompanied by attendants. She probably wasn’t a typical noble.

She was a new student like me, seen in a dress rather than a uniform. A beautiful, refreshing beauty with star-shaped decorations on her headband and aqua-colored hair.

She was definitely one of the heroines.

“Cloe…? Cloe Demi something, Demian? No, that’s not it…”

I brought my finger close to my lips and thought hard about her name.

“It seems like Lady Cloe is also entering the academy.”

“Oh right! Lady! Was it the Barcan Principality?”

As if scratching an itchy spot on my back that I couldn’t reach, I inadvertently let out a loud sound.

By the time I realized my mistake, Cloe was already walking towards us. As she got closer, a scene from an ion drink ad starting with “PokaX” came to mind.

Though I wouldn’t say it aloud, if I had to put it into words, if I had embroidered the night sky with stars, Cloe would have been an image of purity personified. In other words, it was an entirely opposite image.

“It’s an honor to meet you. Yes, I am Cloe Deminuus from the Barcan Principality. I am a lady who will succeed my father, the Grand Duke.”

Cloe bowed politely. Yulia also curtsied, holding the edge of her skirt.

“I’m Beatrice de Dalia, the successor of the Primula Kingdom’s Dalia Viscount. I’m also a new student entering the academy like you, so feel free to speak informally.”

“I’m Yulia. I am a maid who has been admitted to the academy thanks to Lady Beatrice’s grace. You don’t need to elevate your speech for me.”

Cloe blinked and looked back and forth between the two of us.

“You… brought a maid to enter the academy together…? No, you admitted her?”

Chloe seemed unaccustomed to speaking comfortably, perhaps because she had no interaction with her peers or because she felt uncomfortable talking to people she had met for the first time.

​

“That’s about it. “It would be a waste to let Julia’s abilities waste away in the territory.”

“Even though! “You just came out of the gate together. Could it be that you two teleported together?”

“huh.”

​

When he nodded, Chloe’s eyes, which were already big, grew even wider.

​

“wow! cool..!! “The Kingdom of Primira was truly a great country!”

“Ahaha… it’s nothing like that… .”

​

It seems that Charles’s deception was suddenly strengthened. The reputation of the Kingdom of Primira was his pride. I had just increased Primera’s reputation as a wealthy person. When I remembered that unlucky guy’s face, I regretted starting the conversation with Chloe.

​

“anyway! Nice to meet you Chloe. “Are you lucky that the first friend you met is from the same knight department?”

“uh? “How did you know I was in the knight department?”

​

When I saw the heroine, I unconsciously blurted out the setting of the novel.

​

“Huh? Oh, that… It’s famous, isn’t it? The little princess of Balkan is called the Sword Genius.”

“Really?! My name is known in Primula too??”

“Of course! I wanted to be like you, so I started learning the sword.”

Of course, it was a lie. Having uttered the novel’s setting, I surrounded her with the novel’s setting. Who would be interested in the fact that the princess of a distant kingdom had been good at handling a sword since she was young? I know she’s weak to compliments.

Still, some of it was sincere. Clove was indeed a genius with the sword. Beatrice was an exemplary student, but the top student in the Knight Department was Clove.

Clove twisted her body with a bashful smile. She’s indeed weak to compliments, just like in the novel. It seems my surrounding approach was successful.

“If I have time later, let’s go sightseeing together in Jedo, Clove.”

“Yeah yeah! I was worried about being alone after leaving the kingdom, so I’m lucky to have met you guys.”

We made plans to meet again soon and parted ways. Before the academy’s gates opened, we left to find a hotel in Jedo to spend time.

The night in the city of Montreaux was more splendid than any other city on the continent, even more so than the famous pleasure city of Lugo Union.

However, its splendor differed from that of Lugo Union. It was filled with diligent people day and night due to the gathering of merchants seeking opportunities, various administrative institutions, and guild headquarters, making it a city where there was no distinction between day and night. In other words, it was a city illuminated by the light created by people toiling into the night.

Glowing magical districts illuminated the streets, and torches and candles were placed throughout the city. It was a good city for strolling with a lover in the night air.

And yet, two men and women were walking through such a city…

Karl Mayner was not pleased with the man walking beside him. Even if he hadn’t been possessed by the man’s body, it would have been a decent sight… No, when he thought of the man’s naive appearance, he realized that his impression would have been the same if they had walked together when he was a woman.

“How long will you be by my side?”

“Darling… the streets at night are dangerous….”

“But isn’t being with the Director the most dangerous thing?”

As he said this, Louis cast envious glances around whenever couples passed by. He seemed ready to push anyone who showed even a hint of jealousy into the river.

“Surely you won’t stick by my side until just before entering the academy?”

“It’s the duty of a subordinate to see off their superior on their final journey.”

“Is there anywhere I won’t be able to return from?”

“The academy is a very, very… dreadful… place.”

Louis turned his eyes to Karl and spoke.

Even if he spoke seriously with a serious face, when this man spoke, nothing seemed serious. It was the same now.

“What nonsense….”

“Is it really? Darling, do you not know how frightening the academy is?”

Karl recalled the novel he had read. The academy had many secrets and legends, but none of them were as chilling as what he was hearing. Unless it was intruders or demons coming from outside.

“Well. I guess I’ll have to have a drink and explain it slowly~”

Louis pointed his thumb toward the tavern behind them.

It was the most famous and largest tavern in the capital. It was a place where many men and women gathered to find potential connections. To put it simply, it was like a hunting ground for relationships.

“Damn that rotten nobleman!”

Karl shook his head in disbelief.

He was trying to use his young and handsome subordinate to impress others. In truth, Louis was fairly good-looking, but his mouth was the issue; he had never been successful with women…

“You have an important mission ahead of you!”

“Just think of it as practice~ You’re already nervous thinking about it in front of noble ladies, aren’t you?”

“It’s not that bad, is it…?”

“Well, it’s not nothing. You get just as tense in front of a saintly lady.”

“T-That’s…”

The phrase “Because the other party knows” lingered at the tip of his tongue, then retreated. If he were to say those words, how much more would he be teased…

In the end, Karl resigned himself and let Louis push him towards the tavern. As he did, he saw two women walking in the distance.

“Beatrice!?”

Even from afar, Karl could recognize her. She was as impressive a heroine as any saint. With her silver-haired maid always by her side, she was unmistakable.

Though he was being led by Louis as if being pushed by the waves, Karl couldn’t take his eyes off Beatrice. He couldn’t understand why. For just one moment, the world seemed to stand still, and she was all he could see.

Was it because he was seeing a heroine instead of Lady Alana for the first time? Countless thoughts raced through Karl’s mind.

Yet none of them could distract his fixed gaze on Beatrice. It was as if he was trying to etch her image into his mind, savoring the fleeting moment as if it were eternal.

“…Hm?”

He heard someone calling.

“Hey, lad! Karl!”

Only then did he finally turn to look at Louis.

Karl was lost in thought even when Louis called his name.

“Why aren’t you going in? We’re here.”

“Oh! Yes… Let’s go inside, Captain.”

“Don’t call me that inside; we’re close, like brothers.”

“Hmm, I see.”

“Well, yeah, but why were you staring at them like that?”

“No, it’s just because I thought I knew the person.”

Louis opened the door and entered the shop, asking, “Where is the person you know?” Carl tried to follow him in, but turned back to see where Beatrice had been, only to find that she seemed to have gone elsewhere.

“It’s not time for us to meet yet….” Carl muttered to himself as if reciting a spell, feeling somewhat disappointed.

“Carl! You’re not running away, are you!?”

“I’m going in now! See you~!”

Leaving his disappointment behind, he moved on.

Inside the bar, the noisy chatter and loud music filled the air. The commotion seemed to dispel the distractions that had been lingering until just a moment ago.

With such expectations, Carl gulped down the beer Louis handed to him.