Chapter 95

I had lunch in the upper salon with Princess Margaret, Prince Keith, Ralph, and Hugo. Since it was an eight-person table, Princess Margaret and I could eat separately from Prince Keith and his classmates. It saved us from feeling stressed around each other.

“We take Cosmetology together after lunch,” Princess Margaret said. “But I’m a bit worried because so many classes have changed their curriculum this year. The teacher mentioned incorporating practical work into Nutrition as well. I’m anxious about what we’ll have to do.”

Domestic Mathematics had become much harder, and Sewing—which used to require making a simple dress in the fourth year—now required a formal gown. On top of that, being forced to wear it to the Aoba Festival dance party was going to be brutal.

“Practical work for Nutrition? I wonder if we have to create a menu or something. Business Management has also integrated practical applications into its curriculum. Apparently, we have to launch a business with 10 loams and aim to turn a profit. I’m struggling because I don’t really understand the value of 10 loams.”

I did some side jobs at home, but the pay was incredibly low, so I had no concept of what 10 loams was actually worth. The only gauge I had for the value of money in this fantasy world was the price of strawberries I had once looked up at a shop. I wondered what a standard wage looked like. My father mentioned that Lady Attendant Charlotte was a civil servant, but I had no idea how much her salary was. As I thought, I really wanted to go out into the city. I’d have to find a way to convince Mary.

While we were discussing the changes in the curriculum, Prince Keith chimed in from the other side of the table.

“Oh, so the domestic science track and the civil servant track have increased their practical coursework as well. An upperclassman in my club mentioned that the knight track has changed significantly too.”

“My word, is that so? I wish they would change Childcare a bit as well. That class is tedious and utterly ridiculous.”

We were having such a carefree conversation, but the Cosmetology class turned out to be an absolute ordeal.

“I am Maria Despal,” the teacher announced. “In cosmetology, practical application is vital. Now, please make these children beautiful.”

A number of children were seated on chairs inside the classroom. No one knew where they had been brought from, and the room buzzed with unease.

“Ms. Despal, who are these children?” Catherine asked, furrowing her brow. By all appearances, they did not look like the noble-born.

“There are numerous orphanages in the royal capital of Romano. These children normally live lives completely estranged from beauty, but once they turn ten, they must go out into society. They will be blessed with far better employment opportunities if they look as neat and presentable as possible. Now, do your best to make them beautiful.”

From that moment, it became a fierce competition. Everyone scrambled to grab the cleanest-looking children. Princess Margaret managed to secure a cute little girl. That left only two children. Both of them had horribly tangled hair and looked quite filthy.

This fantasy world is incredibly harsh. Is it really okay to use children as raw materials for a class? While I was lost in these thoughts, I lost my chance to pick.

“You two, come over here. I am Patience. What are your names?”

They answered timidly, “Carrie” and “Mimi.” Yes, neither Carrie nor Mimi had bad underlying features at all.

“Looking clean and presentable will give you an advantage when looking for a job. Don’t worry, I will make you both beautiful. And I’ll teach you how to style your own hair too.”

Brushes and ribbons were readily available in the classroom. This was going to be a breeze.

First, I cast lifestyle magic on both Carrie and Mimi.

“Become clean!” Lifestyle magic really is incredibly convenient.

Even the clothes they were wearing became spotless. Their faces and hair were now sparkling clean.

“First up is Carrie. Please sit in this chair. What kind of hairstyle would you like?”

Fidgeting bashfully, she replied, “I want to be a maid, so I want my hair tied up neatly.”

“I see. Well, I’ll demonstrate it first, but you’ll need to learn how to do it yourself too.”

I showed her how to make the simplest hair bun, securing it with just a single hairpin.

“See? It’s easy, right? While I’m styling Mimi’s hair, I want you to try doing it yourself.”

Mimi mentioned that she wanted to be a maid as well, so I gave her the exact same hairstyle.

After letting the two of them practice, they were able to master it in no time.

“Well then, shall we challenge ourselves with an advanced style?”

The two nodded enthusiastically. There were plenty of ribbons laid out, after all. It was only natural that their eyes would be drawn to them.

“You can choose whichever ribbons you like.”

Carrie picked a red ribbon that complemented her brown hair beautifully. Mimi had red hair, so red or pink ribbons were out of the question.

“Does Carrie’s ribbon not suit me?” Mimi asked, holding a red one against her hair. It barely stood out.

“Let’s see. How about a green ribbon?”

The green ribbon looked absolutely magnificent against Mimi’s red hair.

“If you want a style you can do by yourself, you start by parting your hair into two sections and making two braided plaits. Then, you bring them together at the back and tie them with a ribbon.”

Mimi watched with single-minded focus as I braided Carrie’s hair and pinned it together.

“Mimi, do you want to try braiding it yourself?” If I didn’t make her do it, she would never learn to do it on her own.

“Yes!” she replied energetically. Carrie also unraveled her hair and began braiding and pinning it up by herself.

“You both did a splendid job,” I praised them.

Just then, Ms. Despal called out from behind me, “Patience, I shall grant you your completion certificate.”

“Teacher, what is to become of the other children in this class?” I asked.

While I was happy to receive the certificate, some of the children had been left with absolutely disastrous hairstyles. Since noble young ladies always had their hair styled by maids, they couldn’t do a single thing themselves.

“Yes, indeed. I honestly didn’t expect them to be quite this dreadful,” Ms. Despal sighed. “Patience, surely you can do something about this? I’ve heard about you from Mr. Jefferson. If we send them home like this, it’ll be at a level where the orphanage will lodge a formal complaint.”

That wasn’t what I meant; I wanted to ask what was to become of the children’s human rights, but I suppose such concepts simply aren’t taken into consideration in this fantasy world.

“Understood. Please gather the remaining children over here.”

I used lifestyle magic on all fourteen children, commanding them to “Become clean!” The hair that had been left a disheveled, messy clump by the other girls instantly became glossy and smooth. As a bonus, their worn-out clothes were restored to a like-new condition.

“Alright, watch closely.”

I taught the entire group the method for the simple hair bun.

“You all did it wonderfully. Carrie, Mimi, help them out this time, please.”

Next, I demonstrated the advanced braided style on the smallest girl as an example.

“Everyone, give it a try. Raise your hand if you get stuck. Carrie and Mimi, please help teach them too.”

In the end, every single child learned how to style their own hair into buns and braided updos. Phew, what an exhausting task.

Even though they had been used as tools for such a troublesome class, the children looked incredibly happy to be clean and presentable. That was my only consolation. They were also overjoyed to receive combs and ribbons as souvenirs to take home. This fantasy world, with its rigid class system, really is a painful place to live.

While I was reflecting on this, Princess Margaret—who sat near the absolute apex of that class system—began to grumble.

“Patience is always grabbing completion certificates and leaving me behind.”

Instead of focusing on her grumbling, I turned to address Ms. Despal. “Teacher, is this method truly acceptable?”

Ms. Despal also grumbled, admitting she hadn’t realized the students would be so entirely incapable.

“I thought it was a marvelous idea. I intended to introduce volunteer work into the Cosmetology class, but at this rate, it only inflicts harm. Starting next class, you shall practice on each other’s hair.”

Screams immediately erupted across the classroom. The noble girls flatly refused the idea of having their own hair left a disheveled mess by their classmates. How incredibly selfish. Though, I suppose I could understand why they wouldn’t want to walk around the academy grounds with a bizarre hairstyle.

“Listen, Patience. Hand that completion certificate back to Ms. Despal at once. Then, pair up with me,” Princess Margaret commanded.

However, Princess Margaret’s unreasonable demand was flatly rejected by a smiling Ms. Despal.

“Patience styles Princess Margaret’s hair, does she not? Her proficiency is absolutely magnificent. Everyone, listen closely: if you cannot manage to style hair to at least this standard, you shall fail the year!”

A chorus of shrieks echoed through the classroom once more.

“Should we switch to a different elective subject?” the girls began discussing frantically with deeply serious expressions.

I felt a distinct sensation that a massive wave of change was surging through the academy like a tsunami. However, Law and Administration remained completely untouched. And, of course, so did Childcare.