Chapter 13

I don’t know what kind of steep price Wyatt got for those restored antiques, but Eva no longer has to go work at the market. Furthermore, we can now purchase meat normally, and with the harvest of vegetables and beans from the greenhouse, our dietary situation has improved.

Mind you, things are still quite frugal. However, the soup is now full of ingredients and actually has flavor. The bread is a bit softer and sliced thicker. Besides ham, there are more days where roasted meat appears on the table. And since the vegetables are home-grown, they’re served as steamed or sautéed garnishes.

“With this, it looks like no one will starve.”

Now I can move into the dorms with peace of mind. We still can’t afford to keep our own horse, so we just rent one for the weekends. But don’t worry, Angels—Big Sister will be back every weekend! My farewell with Father was brief, but the parting with my brothers was not without tears.

“Sister, please stay well.” Oh, Nasius, I’m not going that far… you’re going to make me cry.

“Sister, will you really come home on the weekends?” …Henry, of course. I’ll come back even if it’s raining spears.

“You two stay healthy and take care of yourselves.”

Wiping away my tears, I climbed into the carriage. Naturally, Mary came with me. This lady’s maid system is incredibly inconvenient. I’d love to leave the Academy and check out the downtown area for a bit, but I wonder if that’s impossible? I might find a way to make money other than just darning work.

The carriage rattled through the aristocratic district. Somewhere among these mansions must be the relatives who gave me the Royal Academy uniforms I’m wearing. No one comes near the House of Viscount Granger while he is dismissed from his post. I’m very anxious about my upcoming school life. I’ll just try to stay quiet. While lost in these thoughts, the Royal Palace came into view.

“My, how grand!” It’s a good thing for “Patience-speech.” If I’d said, “It’s huge!” Mary would have been shocked.

So Father used to work here. I wonder what he blundered to get himself fired. Next time Wyatt asks me to repair a broken antique, I’ll try to ask him discreetly. Though he seems like a tough nut to crack.

The Palace was far too large. If the Royal Academy were right at the front, I might have been able to walk there every day, but crossing the Palace grounds looks exhausting.

“There is the Royal Academy, My Lady.”

Following Mary’s gaze, I was surprised to see what looked like a second palace. Well, it’s smaller than the actual Palace, but it’s much larger than my image of a school. I’m worried I’ll get lost; will I be okay?

I realized immediately why the gates and forecourt had to be so spacious. The carriages were in a total traffic jam.

“Surely today is only for students moving into the dorms? I wonder if they’re having trouble unloading their luggage?”

Exactly; if I were a day student, I wouldn’t have had to come until tomorrow’s entrance ceremony. I want that extra day with my brothers back. Poverty really stinks.

“Nobles from the provinces who do not have a manor in Romano stay in the dorms, you see.”

Hmph, so even wealthy provincial nobles don’t stay in the dorms? In other words, are the dorms only for poor students? I was thinking it might be a bit easier to live there then, but as the carriage moved forward, I started to get an ominous feeling from all the commotion.

“Everyone seems to have brought an incredible amount of luggage.”

The items being unloaded from the carriages were beyond the norm. Beds, tables—it was like a full-scale house move. Meanwhile, I just have one wardrobe trunk and one wooden box for school supplies. I’ve kept it compact! …No, that’s a lie, I just don’t have anything else. I hate being poor! But students have to wear uniforms inside the Academy, so I can’t imagine why they need so much stuff.

“Could that be… perhaps…”

Mary, don’t just reach a conclusion by yourself! She was looking at the carriages, huffing with excitement, “What shall we do! What shall we do!”

Every single one of these carriages is incredibly magnificent, so couldn’t they just commute?

It’s such a nuisance for rich people to barge into the dorm life of poor nobles. Besides, this traffic jam is entirely due to their excessive luggage. I was fuming with annoyance, but Mary suddenly grabbed my hand firmly.

“My Lady, please, you must mind your manners. I cannot believe that the Princes and Princesses are moving into the dorms. That must be why the prestigious families are moving in as well.”

Ugh, how tedious. Why are such high-and-mighty people entering the dorms? Well, I suppose their noble hangers-on are moving in too, but that shouldn’t have anything to do with me.

I “Googled” Patience’s memories. Let’s see… King Alfred of the Lawrence Kingdom has 15-year-old Prince Richard, 12-year-old Princess Margaret, 10-year-old Prince Keith, 8-year-old Princess Jane, and 6-year-old Prince Marcus. Queen Victoria sure worked hard. Since there don’t seem to be any concubines, she’s given birth to five children almost every two years. Clap, clap! Way to go, Big Mother of a large family!

“Why are the Princes and Princesses in the dorms? It was different before, wasn’t it?”

“Indeed, I have never heard of them staying in the dorms.”

Is it a whim of King Alfred’s, thinking they should learn about the lives of the common folk? Or is it a punishment because the Princes and Princesses were too extravagant and selfish? Either way, it’s a total pain.

“I wonder if we can take valets or maids into the dorms?”

House Granger only has Mary, so it was impossible for me from the start, but I don’t recall the rules saying you could bring maids.

“Well… I wonder if they can be considered the same as general students?”

Royalty might get special treatment, but what about their noble followers? While thinking idle thoughts like that, I waited for the carriages to unload. Complaining at a time like this won’t do any good. I won’t go against the big shots.

But if this takes too much longer, we’ll end up paying extra for the horse rental.