Chapter 279: Academic Exchange [1]

Chapter 278

───────────

Episode 73 - Academic Exchange [1]

─────────────────────────────────

It was around noon. The Academy campus was completely empty, and there wasn’t a single person to be seen anywhere nearby.

The reason was simple: all the cadets had made their way to the plaza in front of the main building of the Holy Academy.

A crowd had gathered there, leaving the space directly in front of the Academy entrance clear.

Multiple groups chatted among themselves while watching the Academy’s open gates, waiting for the guests to arrive.

"Hey, I heard they already arrived, right?"

"I think so. They came through a Teleportation Circle, but for security reasons, they couldn’t use the one that connects directly to the Academy."

"Ha-ha, so they used the Imperial Capital’s Teleportation Circle instead of the Academy’s."

"Ugh, yeah. Some of them are probably pissed. You know, those guys have egos bigger than the sky."

"I’ve heard they consider themselves the superior race among all races."

"Pfft, that’s exactly what I’m talking about. Their egos are so huge that if you humiliate them, they’ll probably react just like those damn nobles."

"Well, I don’t care about that. I want to know if their beauty really lives up to the rumors. They say they’re the most beautiful race of all, especially their princess."

The last words spoken by one of the cadets caused several people nearby to turn their attention toward him.

Even some of those farther away began paying attention to the conversation.

"The princess’s beauty is a mystery. According to the rumors, no one has ever seen her."

"Well, today we’ll get the chance to find out. Anyone want to make a bet?"

"A bet?"

Several pairs of eyes turned toward the cadet who had mentioned the bet.

"Yeah. A bet on whether our princess is more beautiful than the Elvenheims’ princess."

"I’m in. Maybe her beauty isn’t all that impressive. Easy money, ha-ha."

"Same here. Unless, of course, she’s Miss Lumina. There’s no one more beautiful than Princess Clana."

"I’ll take my chances and bet on the Elvenheims’ princess."

Similar conversations began breaking out among the various groups of cadets.

Meanwhile, the professors had gathered at the top of the plaza, standing on a podium specially prepared for the occasion.

From there, they would officially begin the Opening Ceremony of the Academic Exchange.

The three head professors, one representing each year, were present.

Professor Ashly glanced at Professor Lunia, who was standing beside her, and warned her:

"I’ve already told you, you pervert. Don’t throw yourself at Professor Lorien Aethalas, understood?"

Professor Lunia looked at Ashly with an expressionless face before replying:

"What kind of woman do you think I am?"

"A pervert obsessed with appearances who drools every time she sees a handsome or beautiful man."

"...!"

Professor Lunia opened her mouth, but she couldn’t come up with a response.

Professor Lorien Aethalas was in charge of the Royal Class at Elvenheims Academy.

The Academic Exchange would pit the best classes from each year of both Academies against one another.

For example, in First Year, Classes B-1 and B-2 of the Holy Academy brought together its most outstanding cadets.

In Second Year, only Class B-4 would participate.

On the other hand, Elvenheims Academy had the Royal Class and Astral Class in First Year.

In Second Year, there were the Emperor Class and Empress Class.

For three weeks, all of these classes and classrooms would compete against one another in different types of events.

Each week would have a completely different focus.

The first would be more academically oriented than practical.

During the second week, various types of "games" and competitions would be held.

Finally, the third week would be dedicated to a tournament in which only the ten best cadets from both Academies would participate.

"Professor Ashly, I recommend you hold Professor Lunia back right now."

The Second-Year professor, Alan Everhart, spoke while pointing a finger into the distance.

In the distance, a carriage procession far too ostentatious even for a Duke was advancing toward the Academy.

The carriages were escorted by horseback riders carrying a flag, followed by a long line of equally extravagant carriages.

Among them all, the most elegant carriage stood out, surrounded by numerous guards.

".....!"

"Those people never change, do they?"

Professor Ashly muttered those words as she watched the procession.

Even she found it difficult to understand why the Elvenheims had to be so damn annoying.

If a noble or a prince could already be a nuisance on their own, the Elvenheims were, at the very least, five times more insufferable.

"Hey, I told you not to do that."

Professor Ashly grabbed Professor Lunia before she could move from her spot.

"Agh, damn it! Let go of me, Ashly. I want to go with my prince!"

"Damn it, are you a child or what? You’re like forty years old, even though you look twenty, and you still act like such a brat."

"And what’s wrong with that?"

Several veins appeared on Professor Ashly’s forehead.

Meanwhile, Professor Alan let out a sigh as he watched the two best friends argue over something so pointless.

’These are going to be three long, grueling weeks.’

He thought as he watched the line of carriages begin entering the Academy plaza.

***

I took a seat and then let out a heavy sigh in the middle of the completely empty campus.

’What a strange day.’

My master’s voice echoed in my mind, and at that moment, I couldn’t help but nod in agreement with her words.

The day itself had started in a completely unexpected way, at least as far as my sanity was concerned.

And it was all because of one simple reason.

"Adel Sylvain D’Aubermont and Veronica Sylvain D’Aubermont. Ha-ha-ha, I told you, Older brother. We’d be siblings very soon."

"...."

Sitting beside me, Veronica wore a huge smile as she continued spouting nonsense.

Although, now that I thought about it, what she had said was actually true.

’It still feels strange.’

I had become Director Bernice’s adopted son, something that still felt far too strange to me.

In both my previous life and this one, I’d never had parents. Or, at the very least, I’d never had either a mother or a father.

And honestly, I didn’t even know how I was supposed to feel about it.

It just... felt strange.

’Although I didn’t exactly accept her offer to adopt me right away.’

Memories of the conversation I’d had with Director Bernice slowly returned to my mind.

— —’Wait, this is way too unexpected.’

It was as if a little girl had suddenly appeared in front of me and said:

"I’m your daughter."

Director Bernice said.

— —’I’m not forcing you. You can take as much time as you need to think about it.’

— —’Come on, Older brother. I’ve already accepted it. Besides, it’s not like you have anything to lose.’

Veronica was certainly right about that.

However, this wasn’t something that could simply be reduced to benefits and losses.

— —’That’s not what I meant... It’s just unexpected.’

— —’That means you accept.’

Faced with Director Bernice’s question, I "looked" at her and, after thinking for a few moments, replied:

— —’I have two conditions.’

— —’Two conditions?’

I nodded slightly before continuing:

— —’First, I want you to keep my adoption a secret. I can’t explain the reasons right now.’

— —’Oh, of course. Actually, I’d planned to tell everyone that you two are my disciples.’

— —’And lastly, I want you to adopt a girl named Astrid. She’s my biological sister. However, I don’t want her to know that I was adopted as well. I want her to simply believe that Veronica is her sister, while I have no connection to her.’

The reason I’d said that was the same reason I hadn’t told Astrid that I was her brother.

I didn’t know whether I’d actually survive the Day of My Death six years from now.

For that reason, it would be better to keep her from discovering our relationship, at least until I managed to survive the Day of My Death.

— —’I don’t mind, so I accept both of your conditions.’

Remembering the conversation, I couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed.

’Damn it... that adoption was a lot stranger and more embarrassing than it sounds.’

After all, from another person’s perspective, it looked like I’d been negotiating with Director Bernice.

Wouldn’t that look bad in the eyes of others?

But it was the only way I’d come up with to handle the situation.

I had no other way to explain it, and besides, I didn’t really have any reason to refuse becoming Director Bernice’s adopted son.

’In any case, I’m not officially her son yet.’

The adoption papers would be completed in two days. So, for now, my name was still simply Adel, without a surname.

"Um, hey, Older brother, I think Elvenheims Academy has already arrived."

Veronica’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

’So they’ve arrived already, huh.’

A race known for its arrogance, enormous ego, and supposed superiority over all other races.

In theory, they were the most hated race on every continent because of their personalities.

They had a reputation for being even worse than a noble or a high-born prince.

"We need to go to the Opening Ceremony."

I told Veronica, to which she responded with a nod.

Shortly afterward, the two of us headed toward the plaza.

As we walked, Veronica lightly bumped me with her elbow and said:

"Oh, and remember, you shouldn’t get too close to the Elvenheims’ Princess."

"...!"

I tilted my head slightly, confused by her words, but didn’t give them much thought.