episode_0022

Academy admission D-1.

Finally, the academy’s entrance exam is just one day away.

“Theo, are you sure you’ve packed everything? Are you leaving anything behind?”

Even though the luggage was all packed in the evening, my mother seemed anxious for some reason and kept checking and rechecking the luggage.

“I told you, it was packed very well. And if there’s something missing, you can buy it at a nearby convenience store or DaXso.”

“But even so, it’s better to take things you’re familiar with.”

It seems that he is very worried about sending his son to the capital, which takes more than three hours by car.

“Son.”

And while Mom is fumbling around, looking for more things, she hears Dad calling her name and goes outside.

“Yes, Dad. What are you doing here? It’s cold outside.”

When I go outside, I feel a bit strange because I think that it will be difficult to see the snowy fields for a while.

As if this were my real home.

Actually, I’ve never once thought about going back to the real house I lived in before I became a nerd.

“I put some pocket money in here for you to use.”

Inside the paper envelope, which was quite heavy and thick, were the worries of Mom and Dad.

“Ah, you don’t have to give me this much. I have some of the money you gave me over the years, and I heard that I will receive a sufficient living allowance if I go to the academy.”

The Academy basically provided several support programs for commoners. First of all, everyone was exempted from tuition and meal fees.

In addition, considering that people who were originally supposed to work were coming here and not earning money, they were providing money under the name of living allowance, and since it was about the same amount as most people’s monthly salary, it was possible to receive money while taking classes.

One of the places that treated you really well if you could just get in was the Academy.

“I just saved up some money with your mom since you said you were going to the academy. We just made you do farm work all day, we didn’t do anything for you properly, so I’m proud of you for working so hard on your own to get into the academy and study.”

… In fact, it’s more of a road to prevent the destruction of the world than a road to study.

In a way, that’s one of the great things… isn’t it? Isn’t it?

I just stare at the envelope of money filled with my parents’ warm heart, and eventually I accept it.

“Eat lots of delicious food and see lots of nice things. Dad has lived in this countryside his whole life, so send me pictures sometimes.”

“Yes, Dad. Next time I can invite you to the capital, I will invite you then.”

There was actually a game that had something like a night out with parents, which was often held right before school breaks.

Of course, there was no case of Estelle or Iris calling their parents.

The two people feel a greater sense of kinship because they have no one to call each other, and their feelings for each other grow.

Even in that event, Lina von Maria, who was the closest friend in the original Les Mode, called her parents, which created an even more special sense of kinship between the two.

So, if a similar event happens, I definitely plan to call my parents and make sure things go the same way.

Anyway, I’m the one filling the gap that arises from not being able to meet Lina von Maria.

***

D-1 to the Academy.

While Theo was having a nice time with his parents, Iris was busy working again today.

“I have already organized all the luggage you need to bring to the entrance ceremony tomorrow.”

“We won’t be able to see each other for a while.”

As the crown princess, she could have taken as many maids as she wanted, but Iris chose to go alone.

The external reason was that it was not right for an academy, an institution for growth, to have maids around and enjoy luxury, and the aim was to give the image of an academy where everyone receives equal education.

But that was the reason the emperor put it first externally.

Even if the Emperor had told him to take her, he had no intention of taking her with him. In order to be at least a little more comfortable with Theo and Estelle, it was much better to not have someone around to serve her.

“Yes, I will make sure to handle Your Majesty’s work well.”

Seo Jin-hee was not only a dedicated maid, but also someone with a depth of learning that could take over Iris’s duties.

In fact, when Iris entered the academy, there were voices saying that she should go back and forth to the palace and handle things herself, but Seo Jin-hee proved her ability and ended up taking over Iris’ work.

“I’m sorry for leaving you with such a difficult task.”

“No. I will do my best not to bring shame on Your Majesty’s name.”

Although the Crown Princess’s duties were not as important as those of the Emperor, there were many things that could not be handled properly.

“Well, actually, you’re already doing well.”

Iris is currently working, but Seo Jin-hee has already been handling the work in her stead during the half year she was away, and I have never heard or seen anything about any accidents.

“Don’t worry, Jinhee will do well. Actually, I’m the one who’s worried.”

Seo Jin-hee opened his eyes wide at Iris’ words.

“Your Majesty, you are good at everything, so what are you worried about? I am sure you will do well there too.”

People around her always said this, and since Iris had never had any trouble since she was little, she had confidence in herself.

Until I met Theo.

“… I wish I could do that too.”

Theo was a strange man.

I keep thinking about it and want to see it, but when I try to catch it, I feel like it will suddenly disappear.

A person who makes you feel like you have to try to ignore those feelings and just stay by their side as a friend.

I don’t know how Estelle feels, but to Iris, Theo was that kind of person.

Such a difficult person.

A type of person you meet for the first time.

He is not intimidated even when meeting tall people.

I think that’s cool, but at the same time, it makes me wonder how that’s possible.

It was even more so because I felt like I couldn’t do it myself.

“… I miss you.”

Still, I’ll be able to see it tomorrow when the entrance ceremony is held.

Taking comfort in that, I slowly closed my eyes.

***

While the other two were having a peaceful, uneventful day, Estelle was having a tough time.

“You’re sure you’ll be able to arrive on time, right, Bessie?”

A procession of cars carrying luggage, a car carrying the saint, a car carrying the Pope at the back, and a line of cars following behind.

The road leading to the empire was a congested road with many merchants, and the road conditions were just terrible due to their line.

But since the Ingrid symbol was ornately engraved on every car, people just looked at it and prayed to the god, and no one complained.

“Yes, Saint. Don’t worry. You will be able to arrive before the entrance ceremony, so rest comfortably.”

The car Estelle was riding in was made so that one could lie down or go about one’s daily life while driving, and it was protected by magic, so not even a single bump was felt.

“Now that I think about it, it’s almost time to eat. Let’s make some rice.”

Bessie walked out with her hands out.

“Oh, Bessie. Could you teach me how to cook?”

“Suddenly?”

“Yeah, I have someone I want to cook for.”

“Oh, really? Then come here, Saintess. I will teach you everything from how to use the ingredients to how to prepare them and how to cook them.”

Estelle jumps up from her seat and runs to Bessie’s side.

“That’s great. I was almost bored the whole way there. If I keep learning like this, I won’t have time to get bored.”

“Okay, I’ll start by explaining the basics. How much do you know?”

“I know the names of cooking utensils. I know how to use fire.”

The reason I know it is probably because of what I learned during my adventurous life with Duncan and the others.

At that time, I went on adventures under the name of adventurer, cooked for myself, and made my own bed.

Because I went around doing all sorts of things to defeat demons.

“Have you ever tried cooking?”

Bessie was a maid who came in after the runaway incident, so she had no idea what she had learned from the runaway incident.

“Yeah, I tried cooking. I just did some simple baking, though?”

And it was cooked using magic, not a gas stove.

“You can do anything with that. Have you ever handled materials?”

Estelle nods when I take a piece of meat out of the refrigerator and show it to her.

“Then would you like to try it yourself?”

“Huh? Already? It’s been a while, so I might do it wrong.”

“Originally, you learn things like this by doing them yourself, Saintess.”

Estelle, who had received the kitchen knife from Bessie, began to prepare the meat, recalling in her mind the things she had learned at Duncan’s party when she was much younger.

Bang! Bang!

Contrary to the image of a gentle and affectionate saint that others always see, her hands could not help but be very rough.

Since it was something I learned from traveling with Duncan, it had to be an adventurer’s style.

The adventurer style was basically very rough.