Chapter 67. Sorry for Teasing You for Being Ugly (2)
‘Wow, it's really spacious.’
The Royal Academy.
It was said to be a place operated by the state with a huge budget to nurture all the talented individuals of the Kingdom of Atronia.
Every young noble wished to enter this Academy.
Just by being admitted to the Academy, one could be evaluated as a talented individual, and upon obtaining a diploma, one's life could be said to change.
The story of a son from a poor baronial family graduating from the Academy with excellent grades and then marrying into a high noble family to rise in status was not uncommon among the nobility.
That's how high the status of this Academy was.
Students entering such a place would always have their hearts swelling with anticipation and would look around the Academy with a flushed expression, but….
“Wow…. Look at those training ground facilities. They just poured money into it. They really did. Why do they have so much equipnt to teach so brats?”
‘What's with this guy?’
The guiding guard looked at Patrick with a dumbfounded expression.
“How much money would it cost to build a building of this size in the capital? Ahem…. They should have just given
that money. This is all a waste. A waste. I swear, the things politicians do…”
“……”
Having worked as a guard at the Academy for over ten years and seen countless students, this was the first ti he had seen a guy like this.
“Are you perhaps applying for the Administration Faculty?”
If it were the Administration Faculty, his endless interest in money wouldn't be entirely incomprehensible. But….
“Administration? I don't think so. ?”
After pondering for a mont, Patrick said to April.
“Hey, which departnt am I applying for?”
“The Knight Faculty.”
“Ah, so it is.”
“You didn't even know which faculty you were in?”
“Hehehe. It happens. You know.”
“……”
No, it doesn't happen.
Does it make sense for a student who has entered the Academy through fierce competition not to even know which faculty they are in?
‘He said it was a special admission, so did he use money? No, I've never even heard of the Baron Schneider family, so how could they afford to get into the Academy with money.’
He had heard that there were sotis students who entered the Academy through imnse wealth and power.
For example, kids who would build a library and get admitted, or completely renovate the training ground equipnt and get admitted.
But those kids were even more obsessed with the Academy.
Having paid a hefty price to get in, shouldn't they enjoy the privilege of being a student of this Academy in any way possible? But….
“Wow, now that I see them, even the streetlights are all magic tools. They're really rolling in money.”
This guy seed to have no fantasy, no, not even the slightest expectation of the place called the Academy.
‘How could a person like this be admitted to the Academy?’
* * *
Andrea Mayer Cardios.
The forr head of the Cardios family, the only ducal family in the Kingdom of Atronia, he was originally the kingdom's pri minister.
But after turning 90, he passed on his title and position to his son and was now serving as the chancellor of the Academy.
At an age where others would have retired and lived out the rest of their lives in comfort, he took on the role of chancellor, saying he would do what he could for the future of the kingdom until the mont he died.
A voice was heard from outside his office.
“Chancellor, a visitor has arrived.”
“Hmm, let them in.”
As the door opened and the person entered, the forr Duke Cardios smiled brightly and stood up from his seat.
“Hahaha. Welco. You must be that Patrick Schneider. The genius of the sword whom Count Parmas of the East praised so highly.”
Count Parmas had already introduced Patrick separately.
It seed he was concerned that sending just a letter of recomndation for admission might be misunderstood as favoritism.
So, he had at least briefly explained Patrick's skills to the chancellor, forr Duke Cardios.
“I heard that despite your young age, you wield the sword like a ghost and caught the Black Mage that appeared in the East. It was a splendid achievent.”
At this, Patrick also responded politely for the first ti in a while.
“Thank you for your praise.”
It was rare for Patrick to be so polite.
Considering that it was their first eting and that this was the decision-maker of this wealthy place called the Academy, this was a very special occasion. However….
“Ahem! Where does a servant dare to interject in a conversation?”
“…Yes?”
“No matter how proud you are of your master, do you not know the minimum etiquette? This is not your place to speak.”
“…Yes?”
And the forr Duke Cardios looked at April, who was standing behind Patrick, and said with a bright smile.
“Not only are you good with the sword, but you are also very handso. Hahaha. Thanks to you, the female students of the Academy will have a feast for their eyes. Yes, they will.”
“Ahem, Chancellor.”
“Ooh, speak.”
“I am Ace, the butler who has accompanied the Young Master as his attendant.”
“…Butler? Uh…. Co to think of it…”
Only then did the forr Duke Cardios look at the clothes April was wearing.
It was definitely a neatly worn butler's uniform.
Because his face was so handso, it hadn't been noticeable, but this was a butler's uniform, and the clothes the guy with the sullen expression next to him was wearing were a nobleman's attire. If so….
“Are you Patrick Schneider?”
“Yeeeees.”
“Not the servant.”
“Nope.”
“Hahahaha…”
“……”
“Why do you look like that.”
“……”
‘Hyeon. I'm really, really sorry.’
It was Patrick, who desperately missed his friend from his past life.
After the brief misunderstanding was cleared up, the forr Duke Cardios and Patrick sat facing each other.
“Hahaha. My apologies. But it's not entirely my fault. Isn't it a misunderstanding anyone would make looking at you two?”
“What a fiiiine apology. Yes, it is.”
“Still, I am the chancellor of the Academy, so this is quite unconventional. Isn't it?”
“……”
Patrick's lips protruded a good five inches.
‘If it weren't for his position, or at the very least, if he weren't an old man who looks like he'd fall over with a poke, I'd just charge at him…’
Even Patrick couldn't grab the collar of an old man who might die if he was hit and shake him.
“So, I've greeted the chancellor, so can I go now?”
“Hmm, you could, but…. You're quite peculiar.”
“What is?”
“Do you know who I am?”
“A retired old man.”
“……”
Uh, that's right. He is right.
He had passed on both his dukedom and his position as pri minister to his son, so he was a retired old man. He was right, but….
“What a fresh feeling. I've never heard that before.”
Although he had retired, this was the first ti soone had said it to his face like this.
Patrick was treating him, who had once held the second-highest position in the country and was the forr head of the only ducal family, with genuine ease.
“Ahem, let's get to the point. First, how old did you say you were?”
“Fifteen.”
“According to Count Parmas, your realm is quite high.”
“Well, sothing like that.”
“What star? If you're entering the Academy mid-term at that age, you must be at least 3-star, right?”
“A little higher than that.”
“Hohoho. Really? Then 4-star?”
“A little higher.”
“Surely not? Are you trying to say with your own mouth that you're 5-star? At your age?”
“A little more?”
“Hohoho. 6-star? You?”
The forr Duke Cardios said with a disbelieving laugh. And pointing at April behind Patrick, he said.
“You might as well say your butler behind you is 6-star.”
“You have a good eye.”
At Patrick's nonchalant reply, the forr Duke Cardios shook his head and said.
“At this age, there is no greater pleasure than seeing spirited young people.”
“I haven't lived to that age yet, so…”
“But.”
The forr Duke Cardios cut him off and said with a stern gaze.
“There is a difference between being full of spirit and just being full of bluff and rudeness. Do you know that?”
“Why do you beat around the bush so much?”
Patrick said as he picked his ear with his little finger.
“In the end, I just have to prove whether I'm the real deal or not, right?”
“That is true.”
“Then it's settled. Just send soone over. I'll prove it.”
“Hooo…”
“Anyway, you'll have to do a skill test to decide which grade to place
in, won't you?”
“No, as for your placent, you'll naturally be in the 1st grade.”
“Yes? Why?”
This ti, it was Patrick who was flustered.
“You just got admitted, didn't you? It's natural to start from the 1st grade.”
“No way. Really? ? From the 1st grade?”
He had heard it was a mid-term admission, but he hadn't heard that he would be starting from the 1st grade.
He had heard that the Knight Faculty was a 5-year course, so he had planned to enter the 3rd or 4th-grade course and graduate quickly.
But entering as a 1st grader?
He would have to be stuck here for 5 years, even if he was promoted every year without being held back?
“Wow, if I had just stayed put without knowing, I would have been so screwed.”
“Young Master. You must watch your language in front of the chancellor.”
“Why? Why should I?”
To Patrick, who thought that being the chancellor or whatever was not a reason for him to mind his language, April said.
“I will tell Madam.”
“I will use proper and beautiful words.”
It was a quick submission from Patrick.
And the forr Duke Cardios looked at Patrick intently and said.
“To be honest, I was planning to do a skill test.”
“You said I'd be starting from the 1st grade even if I win, didn't you?”
“But we still have to evaluate your skills. If your skills are lacking, we may have to refuse admission altogether.”
The mont he heard that, Patrick's eyes sparkled.
“Wait, Grandpa Chancellor. Just a mont.”
“Huh? What did you say?”
It was a day where the forr Duke Cardios heard many things he had never heard before in his life.
Grandpa Chancellor?
He had never thought the day would co when he would hear such a novel title.
It was said so naturally that he felt more hollow than angry.
To such a forr Duke Cardios, Patrick said.
“So, if my skills are terrible, I can't get into the Academy. Is that right?”
“That is so.”
“…That ans…”
“It ans your admission is not yet decided. Are you feeling a sense of crisis now?”
“Hahaha…. Haha…”
He didn't feel a sense of crisis. Instead….
‘Count Parmas, you incompetent and foolish man. You talked about a recomndation and all that, but you have no power, do you?’
He felt pissed off.
* * *
The Knight Faculty of the Academy.
In its training ground, students were diligently swinging their swords again today.
“Hah!”
“Haaap!”
The iron swords, specially made heavy for training, cut through the air, drawing clean lines.
Although they were only 1st graders who had just entered, their skills seed to be above average.
“Number 35, your lower body balance is crumbling.”
“Yes!”
“Number 47, your gaze is not following the sword. Can't you get a grip?”
“I'm sorry!”
The seniors who were acting as instructors supervised the 1st-grade freshn one by one and corrected their posture.
Amidst such diligent training, the professor in charge of the class was watching the students with sharp eyes.
‘This year's level is just so-so. Tsk, at this rate…’
Each of them was a freshman selected after overcoming a competition of hundreds to one.
But in the professor's eyes, they were not satisfactory.
They weren't bad. If trained diligently, they would beco knights who could do their part.
But considering the budget the kingdom poured into the Academy and the goals they had to achieve, this was far from enough.
‘Talent is not enough. We need a genius. Otherwise…’
Just then, the professor's eyes caught sight of people entering the training ground.
A young man who still looked young, a handso man in a neatly worn butler's uniform. And….
“Chancellor. You've co.”
“Hmm, I've intruded. Professor Leyte.”
There was the forr Duke Cardios, the chancellor of the Academy.
“I'm sorry for suddenly visiting during class.”
“Not at all. But what is your business?”
To Professor Leyte, who directly got to the point, the forr Duke Cardios said with a smile.
“I've co for the matter of the transfer student I ntioned before.”
“Ah. The one recomnded from the East…. Is it this child?”
He said, glancing at Patrick.
“Hmm, he received a recomndation from Count Parmas for his great contribution in the East this ti.”
“I heard he caught a Black Mage. He's lucky.”
At the blunt words, the forr Duke Cardios smiled bitterly.
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