Tomorrow... There's An Unscheduled Exam, Everyone Must Take It! Including Me!

When Young Master Naiye arrived at Train Station No.1 that was nominally under his control.

He first swept his eyes around to check the surroundings.

There wasn’t really much to inspect, after all he had only just begun to reassume management.

It would take at least a week or two before things could really restart, and even when they reopened they’d still need to wait a bit.

Because repairing Train No.1 would take more than a week! Until then they could only tidy up the station.

Although it was only management, ownership still belonged to the Elemental Knight Order.

But Naiye didn’t mind; after all this Train No.1 was originally a gift from his father to the Queen and everyone for their use.

This train carried great significance, so Naiye Lycoris had to take responsibility and make sure it was properly repaired.

He had come to the station today to fix the Train No.1 and take it back first.

And the person he had summoned had also arrived.

“Young Master Naiye.”

A middle-aged man with a neatly groomed beard bowed and saluted Young Master Naiye.

The trustworthy man Naiye had called was the conductor who had driven Train No.3 when Naiye had ridden it to the Academy.

Naiye had called him over to hand Train No.1 to him so it could be taken back to the family for repairs.

Young Master Naiye had specifically summoned him because the conductor was an elder who had served three generations of the Lycoris family heads.

When he was very young, when Naiye’s grandfather had just created magical technology, he had been an ordinary soldier of the family.

Later, when Naiye’s father built Train No.1, he became its guard.

After several years, he rose to become the administrator of Train No.2 thanks to his experience.

And in his later years, when Naiye had just inherited the family, he was appointed conductor of Train No.3.

So Young Master Naiye trusted him greatly.

“I’ll leave Train No.1 to you—take it back and repair it well.”

“Yes, please rest assured and leave it to me!”

The conductor and Young Master Naiye looked together at the very old Train No.1.

By the count of years it was already forty or fifty years old—an unusually old veteran among magical technology products.

The conductor was especially emotional; he had watched the birth of Train No.1 in his youth and had guarded it for many years.

He still remembered its original design, which looked very different from its current appearance.

The conductor looked around to make sure there was no one else nearby.

He took out a cigarette and began to smoke.

The conductor was a very disciplined man and normally would not smoke.

Only after confirming there was no one else around did he dare to smoke and then speak to Young Master Naiye.

“Young Master, on my way here I noticed several small maneuvers by the Caesar Federation.”

“Hmm. After the war at the Academy ended, they finally had a chance to infiltrate.”

“Don’t worry about them for now—if they get close to the train, deal with them directly. I’ll have a magical automaton knight accompany you back.”

“Yes. Also, is that person looking for the Young Master?”

Naiye looked back; it was someone he had just met who had already become a friend.

He had dragon horns on his head and solemn dragon-like eyes, yet his gaze was pure; he now sat upright waiting for Young Master Naiye.

He was very rare—a male in the Academy like Naiye, and also of noble young master status.

Even rarer than Naiye: he was a true male knight.

“This is my friend. The train is in your hands.”

This time the conductor smiled with gratification.

“Young Master, you’ve made a friend so quickly—if the old master heard he’d be so pleased.”

Young Master Naiye ignored him, leaving him to smoke alone over there.

He turned to find Eren Dragonborn; it was indeed rare for this kid to come look for Naiye.

“Eren, what’s wrong, did you come to see me about something?”

Young Master Naiye led the fellow young master from the Dragon Knight family to a table that had just been set and made very clean.

The chairs had also been newly purchased and were comfortable.

But Naiye was actually puzzled, because he and Eren didn’t have much of a relationship; there shouldn’t be any reason for him to come.

Unless………

“No, Naiye, I didn’t come for you—it’s my grandmother who hopes you’ll have time to see her.”

“Eiru Dragonborn, no, I’m not free, at least not right now.”

Young Master Naiye refused very decisively, which Eren hadn’t expected, and it made him look distressed.

After all, according to his grandmother’s calculations, the duel a few days ago and the current end of the war matched exactly.

“Uh… Naiye, if you don’t go, I’ll get scolded by my grandmother.”

“That’s not my problem. In any case I’m unavailable today or tomorrow; I’ll be free in a few days.”

“Alright then, you must come in a few days.”

The message had been delivered; Eren wasted no time and prepared to get up and leave.

But he was stopped by Young Master Naiye.

Young Master Naiye bought quite a few snacks and drinks from a vending machine upgraded from a beverage dispenser nearby.

While entertaining him, he intended to extract some information from Eren.

“Take these barbecue chips and the soda back—Eiru won’t be angry! Eat the rest as you like.”

“……….”

Eren glanced at Naiye, then surrendered with a rueful smile and lowered his head.

“Alright, what do you want to say?”

“Why is Eiru looking for me? And why at this point in time?”

“Um… I don’t know. My grandmother did specifically name you.”

Eren pushed aside the tomato-flavored chips and, after a taste, his dragon eyes even widened.

“Forget it, I’ll go see her in a few days. How is she doing now?”

“To be honest she’s quite busy, staying at home handling family affairs; she even had me manage the Knight Order to train me, but to be frank several veteran members are not pleased.”

“Hm? The Dragon Knights aren’t united? That’s surprising.”

Although Young Master Naiye said that, his tone sounded more like he already knew something.

“No, even if I’m not up to it, Grandmother is still around! They just see me as too young—after all, I’m indeed the youngest now.”

“And a male knight at that! That’s truly once-in-a-century!”

Young Master Naiye suddenly said it in an exaggerated tone, and when he said that line.

The two burst out laughing!

The Auriel Kingdom had always been dominated by female knights, especially the Auriel Knight Academy—where powerful female knights were everywhere.

In such a place, one could never be just an idle young master!

So Naiye and Eren quickly became friends, largely because they shared similar fates.

“By the way, I think I heard some rumor about tomorrow, but it’s vague—Naiye, do you know anything?”

“Looks like President Meiyu hasn’t notified yet; then I can tell you first.”

Young Master Naiye leaned in mysteriously and whispered.

“Tomorrow… there’s an unannounced exam, everyone must take it! Including me.”

“…!”

Eren’s dragon eyes immediately opened wide!

Three years had passed; during the war there were no exams, but that didn’t mean the Academy had no exams.

After all, this was the world’s top Academy, and most people here were students—though combat and strength were paramount.

But that didn’t mean they couldn’t be utterly absent-minded and foolishly treat fighting as everything.

“So………. how are your grades?”

Young Master Naiye laughed, wearing the expression of someone enjoying the spectacle.