episode_0080

“Yugram, what is that document?”

As I was lying in bed lazing around, I saw Yugram quickly waving his quill pen and writing some documents. At my words, Yugram stopped moving his hands for a moment, looked at me, and answered.

“Documents to attend the banquet to celebrate the Academy’s return to normal semester.”

“Um.. Yugram, is there something wrong with my ears?”

I think I heard something I couldn’t understand. I nodded and put my finger in my ear. Yugram, who was looking at me, sighed.

“Please refrain from such informal behavior, and… Unfortunately, you heard correctly. It seems like there’s going to be a celebratory banquet.”

“..This is like a crazy academy.”

I was dumbfounded. Well, suddenly, the remnants of the Shinigami cult within the academy had seduced the students and caused chaos. To be honest, up until this point, it was almost certainly not the academy’s fault.

Conflicts that arise from students in the academy fighting each other based on their class differences? Is that only the academy? If you go to an academy where everyone’s class, family, and real name are known, then wouldn’t there be such discrimination? That couldn’t be the case. In fact, it was virtually impossible to prevent this unless it was an academy where only certain classes could attend.

So up to this point, the Academy can be seen as an ordinary victim.. It is commendable that they worked hard to quell the chaos within the Academy and repair the damage to the buildings, etc. But they are holding a banquet to celebrate it..

It was a school where I was always curious about where the tuition money was going, but I didn’t know they would waste money so extravagantly. I stood up from my seat in amazement and approached Yugram’s desk. The documents were quite simple. It seemed like they were just writing down my and Yugram’s personal information.

“If it’s to this extent, isn’t it something you just submitted as documents when you entered the school?”

“Yes, but I think it’s probably because the employees only had to report the number of people without any other documents.”

Yugram moved his hands quickly while speaking. Of course, even so, there were more than one or two strange things. Judging from the fact that Yugram didn’t ask me if I wanted to participate, it seemed like it was a forced participation, and I wondered if it was a banquet. And why were they needlessly asking for my personal information in the first place?

Well, are you investigating because you’re afraid that there might be remnants of the Shinigami cult hiding there? But who would think that you could catch the Shinigami cult with such simple documents? It was an administrative process that was beyond irrationality. It wasn’t something I ordered or did, but it was very absurd.

I glanced at my documents. Under the name Leah Baker, written in a long line, was a fake identity I had prepared to enter this academy, but the identity itself was not particularly suspect. Fourth year, fifteen years old. Hmm, I’m already fifteen. Since I became aware of my past life when I was four, I’ve already lived for more than ten years.

It was a tough but enjoyable 10 years.. I praised myself and looked through Yugram’s documents this time. Yugram Trident. Unlike me, it was his real name. Well, since it was Yugram’s job, there was no problem using his real name, right? I wasn’t particularly curious about the reason. Attending physician and employee. 24 years old.. Huh?

I blinked. Oh, it’s already been 6 years since I’ve seen the world with only one eye, but I still occasionally see things like this. I can’t help it since I often have trouble focusing and things like that. Maybe I misread the 34-year-old. Right. Yugram Trident, attending physician and employee. 24 years old.. 24 years old.. 24 years old..? No matter how hard I rub my eyes, I’m still 24?

“..Yugram, isn’t this a bit too much?”

“What are you talking about?”

I handed over Yugram’s documents. It was a situation that was so funny that it broke through my iron-clad poker face. That Yugram was so embarrassed about his age that he lowered the age of his fake identity like this!

If I ever had the chance to meet my brothers again, I felt I couldn’t help but tell them this news. I confidently pointed to Yugram’s age on the document with my finger.

“This part! 24 years old? No matter what, isn’t that too short? It’s true that Yu Gram looks younger than his age, but you have to have a conscience! Make it around 29 years old!”

I shouted proudly. However, unlike me who expected that his expressionless face, which was like an iron wall, would waver a little in embarrassment, Yu Gram’s face was completely expressionless.

..No, according to my observation of Yugram, which has a 50% chance of being correct, the emotion Yugram is currently feeling is about half pitiful and the other half absurd. Yugram put down his quill and slowly crossed his arms. Under the immense pressure, I quietly put down my documents. For some reason, I felt like I was scolded by Yugram when I was young.

“How old do you think I am, Miss?”

“..Uh, maybe thirty-six..? Well, I thought you weren’t over forty!”

At my answer, Yugram briefly raised one hand and placed his hand on his forehead. It was the kind of gesture that Yugram would make whenever he thought, ‘I’m going to get really angry, but I have to hold back, and I don’t know where to start explaining.’ It was clear that my words had offended Yugram..!

“I’m sorry, but… my age is exactly as it is written on this document. This identity is not a fake identity that I made up, but it is my real identity that I only lied about my real origins. I’m a little curious as to why you thought my age was like that. ”

The real origin probably refers to royalty. It seemed that only that was hidden in documents or administrative matters, so there was no problem filling out everything else correctly.

That aside, it was really scary to see Yugram mutter his last words in an eerie way. But… 24 years old doesn’t make any sense…!

“Isn’t that obvious.. Yugram was an adult when I was 3 or 4 years old..”

“I don’t remember saying that I had my coming of age ceremony with my own mouth..”

“No..! He’s so tall! He’s smart enough to teach me, and he’s so strong at swordsmanship. Isn’t it natural to think of him as an adult?”

Even though I’m a bit short, I have to look up at him because he’s tall enough to hold my head up high, and he teaches difficult classes and practices swordsmanship with the Commander of the Knights… Looking at him like this, how can you possibly think, ‘Aha, our age difference isn’t that big?’

I felt very wronged. However, after hearing my protest, Yu Gram said something like, “What on earth are you talking about?”

“I’m sorry, but… Don’t all of your brothers fall into that category? You may have grown a little slower than others, but even your youngest brother, who is the closest in age to you, is as physically fit as me, and he has also been able to follow all of your classes well.”

“Huh..?”

“Of course, my skills are better, but the difference in talent is not limited to age. Don’t you know this well, young lady?”

I couldn’t help but be dumbfounded when I heard Yugram’s words. Now that I think about it, I was the only one among the royal family who had grown up unusually slowly, while the rest of us all had similar physiques to adults. Even in swordsmanship classes, I was the only one who used specially made items.

And what about studying? Although we didn’t have much contact because he was attending the academy, I met my second older brother who always used to call himself an idiot, but I remember him solving the homework that Yugram gave me in a flashy way without much thought.

For royalty, that terrible study was a basic requirement..!

“..You look like you just realized it now..”

I was startled and touched my soft face with my hand, but my poker face did not break. However, it seemed like Yugram had completely understood the embarrassment and shock I felt.

“But, isn’t Yugram a little different from his brothers? Wasn’t he like that from the beginning?”

When I said something like, “How can you grow so fast even though you’re not a direct descendant?” Yugram nodded slowly, his brows furrowing slightly.

“I can’t say in detail, but I received that grace postnatally.”

“Then, isn’t it possible that I didn’t know?”

How on earth did I know that Yugram grew so quickly thanks to the power of the oath!

I glared at Yugram with that thought in mind, but it didn’t work. Yugram looked at me with cold eyes and said.

“I’m sorry, but… Since I clearly postponed class for the sake of my coming-of-age ceremony, the fact that the princess doesn’t know my age means that she either doesn’t remember the story or didn’t care about it in the first place.”

“Ugh..”

Did that happen? I don’t remember at all!

I felt a cold sweat running down my back. As I slowly avoided Yugram’s cold gaze, Yugram let out a sigh.

“If you’re done with your business, can you continue working?”

“..Yes, I’m sorry..”

I had no choice but to quietly go back to bed and lie down again. Yugram… is actually only 9 years older than me…

For some reason, Yugram’s face seemed to shine even brighter than usual. Was this the power of youth…?