Chapter 106

On Mondays, the schedule consists of Diplomacy, World History, Alchemy 2, and Herbology. The Middle School curriculum officially begins today.
“Lady Patience, let us walk to the Diplomacy classroom together.”
Phillips invites me.
“Thank you. This is my first time taking Diplomacy, so I am quite glad.”
Since I don’t even know where the classroom is, Phillips’s kindness is a lifesaver. Furthermore, unlike before, I don’t feel any adverse wind blowing against me when I step inside. Everyone has likely grown accustomed to my presence.
The Diplomacy professor speaks with a slightly pretentious tone.
“Oh, I see some faces I haven’t seen in this lecture before. Allow me to introduce myself once more. I am Oliver Fochtner, and I teach Diplomacy.”
As expected of a class recommended by Lord Rupert, it is fascinating. It is also delightful to learn about the various situations in foreign nations for the first time. This is definitely a good choice. On top of that, it seems there will be debates.
“After we have studied a little, I will have you divide into home and foreign nation teams to debate a commercial treaty. Of course, winning or losing does not affect your grade, but failing to utilize what you have learned so far will result in point deductions. Oh, there is no need to worry. I will give you time to split into teams and conduct research before the debate begins.”
This sounds rather exciting. I am glad to find that I don’t even have to change rooms after the lecture ends; the following World History class is in the exact same room.
“Lady Patience, how did you find Diplomacy? If you need the notes from the first lecture, would you like to copy mine?”
Phillips is incredibly attentive.
“Thank you very much. I would be most grateful if you would allow me to do so.”
I even got to copy his notes. Lucky!
“You copy very quickly. And your handwriting is beautiful. Would you like to copy the first World History lecture while you are at it?”
Wait, isn’t Phillips being a bit too kind? Well, I will gladly accept and copy them.
“Hey, Phillips. Are you trying to corner Patience all to yourself?”
The peanut gallery starts getting noisy, but I hurry to finish copying.
“Russell, I am merely letting a classmate who didn’t take the first lecture copy my notes.”
“I never knew you were so charitable. You haven’t shown me your notes even once in three years.”
Russell is another student I recognize. We also share Management and Economics.
“Lord Phillips, thank you very much,” I say, returning the notebook.
“Patience, won’t you join my team?”
Russell invites me to his Diplomacy team.
“Doesn’t Professor Fochtner assign the teams?”
“He places great value on autonomy. Students who aren’t in a team will probably be distributed randomly, though.”
Is that how it works? It might be less stressful to be with students from my own class rather than total strangers.
“Yes, Lord Russell, thank you for the invitation.”
“In that case, I shall join the same team as Russell.”
Just as Phillips decides to join, the number of participating students begins to multiply one after another. Well, Phillips actively asks questions in class and seems to have excellent grades. Being on the same team is definitely an advantage.
“Alright, that is enough sign-ups. It would be bad if we took up more than half the team limit.”
I am unfamiliar with the power dynamics of the fourth-year Class A. Back in our first year, Prince Keith was our brilliant leader, flanked by Ralph and Hugo, while Louise led the girls. In Middle School, the students divide into specific courses. Even so, Princess Margaret remains the leader of the girls, since most female students take the Home Economics Course. Benjamin leads the Mage Course, with Bryce right by his side, making Andrew likely the number two. The Civil Servant Course seems to have two leaders: Phillips, who speaks up a lot during lectures, and Russell, who enjoys chatting with his companions during breaks. I don’t know anyone in the Knight Course, so I can’t speak for them. While I am lost in these thoughts, World History begins.
“I am Donald Aust of World History. In the previous lecture, I spoke about the rise of civilizations, so any student who missed it should read the textbook. Well, it was a broad overview spanning from primitive lifestyles to the eventual formation of villages and city-states. You could say World History truly begins today. Now, open your textbooks to the page on the birth of the Casarian Empire.”
This professor’s lectures are easy to follow, and his digressions are entertaining. I have already read several history books in my family estate’s library. The Casarian Empire sounds exactly like the Roman Empire from my previous life. Back then, it seems the Kingdom of Lawrence was a remote wasteland ruled by barbarians. Yes, it was just like Barbary from my past life.
The religion of that era was polytheistic, and Estenism emerged during the decline of the Casarian Empire, suffering persecution at first—which is identical to my world. Yet, before anyone realized it, Estenism became the state religion.
Magic played a massive role in this. The Estenian Church spread magic to the masses. While people capable of using magic existed before then, they were legendary heroes or archmages; ordinary people who could use it were few and far even. There are plenty of heroic tales about shifting mountains, parting seas, and slaying dragons, but it is impossible to know if they are actually true.
I have already finished preparing and reviewing the general flow of world history. As the empire declined, it fractured into several countries, leading through a long, bloody warring states period to the present day. I am incredibly glad I wasn’t reincarnated into that warring states era. With only lifestyle magic, I would have been killed in the blink of an eye.
“For the next lecture, I want you to research the Four Wise Emperors who developed the empire during its early days. Let’s see… the students sitting by the window will take the First Wise Emperor, Flavio. The next column will take the Second Wise Emperor, Baburis. The center column and the one next to it will take the Third Wise Emperor, Lucius. The seats by the hallway will take the Fourth Wise Emperor, Maxim.”
I am assigned the Second Wise Emperor, Baburis. I believe there was a book about him at home, but I should check the school library as well.
“I have the First Wise Emperor, Flavio. There might be very few materials available on the Second Wise Emperor, Baburis. Russell is lucky since the Third Wise Emperor, Lucius, is famous.”
Phillips expresses his concern, but I will manage somehow.
“I shall investigate as thoroughly as I can.”
Since half of the students in this lecture belong to Class A, we move to the high-grade dining hall, the salon, together. I see; I can vaguely understand why Princess Margaret made the mandatory classes align with Class A’s schedule. It is so she isn’t left entirely alone.
The Civil Servant Course has many scholarly students, making the atmosphere wonderfully peaceful and pleasant. I am a little anxious about Alchemy 2 this afternoon, but having Benjamin there is a minor comfort.
Lunch proceeds as usual. It seems the troubles within the Knight Club haven’t broken out into the open just yet. Percival must be holding discussions with the members. I hope they don’t bicker too much; I would hate for Prince Keith to get dragged into it. Just as I am thinking this, Princess Margaret blurtes out something unnecessary.
“Patience, since when did you become so close with Phillips? He addresses you with such profound respect as ‘Lady Patience.’ Ordinary students use either last names or casual honorifics.”
As expected, being addressed with “Lady” stands out.
“Is that so? He started addressing me that way during our last Economics class when Lord Phillips offered me an apology. It makes me feel a bit ticklish, so I wish he would stop.”
Princess Margaret looks at me in exasperation.
“Did something happen in Economics that required an apology? What on earth occurred?”
“During Economics, the discussion turned to a Management assignment about starting a business with $10$ Roam gold coins. I asked the professor if I could use my family’s greenhouse, and upon receiving permission, Lord Phillips pointed out that $10$ Roam gold coins wouldn’t even cover the repair costs for the glass. However, when I replied that I could repair it with lifestyle magic and wouldn’t incur any expenses, he refused to believe me. So, after I repaired a crack in the blackboard right before his eyes, he apologized to me.”
“My word, so it was an apology for doubting your words. In that case, using ‘Lady’ might well be justified. To think the fiercely proud Phillips is so completely smitten with you.”
Prince Keith and the others at the adjacent table are listening intently. I wish she would avoid using such bizarre expressions.
“Furthermore, it seems you are also on good terms with Benjamin, Bryce, and Andrew. Benjamin is an eccentric, but he is highly capable in his studies. Though he is no match for you, he should have received completion certificates for almost all his mandatory classes. Yes, just like Keith, his classical studies are a bottleneck, which is why he cannot skip a grade.”
“I see. Since we are together for Alchemy 2 this afternoon, it is quite reassuring. However, it is a bit troublesome how aggressively he tries to recruit me to the Alchemy Club. He seems desperate to save it from being dissolved.”
Prince Keith, who has been listening nearby, chimes in.
“I see. I heard before that you skipped a grade in Alchemy. I find that quite difficult to achieve for someone who isn’t even in the Mage Course.”
“Yes, but that was because Professor Kubrick wished for me to understand more about alchemy. Alchemy 1 focused mainly on assembly, with the materials already provided. Since Alchemy 2 teaches us starting from how to create the raw materials themselves, I am a mix of anxious and excited.”
Ah, my blunder-radar flags that Prince Keith is about to say something rude like, ‘You are a strange woman.’
“Even so, the Civil Servant Course sounds quite interesting with assignments like that.”
Ralph, nice save. Yes, I feel like I am looking at the version of myself from a year ago. Back then, whenever Prince Keith was about to make a blunder in front of Prince Richard, I would divert his attention. Ah, since he actively stopped the blunder before it happened, Ralph is even superior. Good job!
“Prince Keith, do you truly intend to take both the Knight Course and the Civil Servant Course?”
Oh, Hugo has gotten skilled at changing the subject too. Give him a gold star.
“Naturally. Older Brother Richard took both as well.”
From there, the conversation entirely shifts into: If we are truly going to take both the Knight and Civil Servant Courses, we must obtain as many completion certificates as possible! Good grief.