When I was working as a civil servant, I was found out to be a muscle-brained knight by the princess knight and got sent to the front lines - Episode 136

Episode 136

With a single remark, the young alchemist of his day completely tanked the atmosphere in the room. His knack for stirring things up was impressive.

Erin smiled sweetly, while Miriam was on the verge of snapping. The entourage around them began to panic, concerned about their reactions. Meanwhile, Linnea, Ida, and Ole—hailing from the northern regions—were frowning at the disrespectful attitude Erin and her group were showing towards Jez. While they didn’t want to start any trouble with the capital’s main faction right off the bat, seeing Jez being looked down upon also angered them.

The room was already chaotic. Jez was exasperated by the whole mess and couldn’t help but shake his head. It was exactly what he had expected—too many kids in one place only led to trouble. He scanned the room, trying to figure out how to calm the situation.

There were 28 people in the room. Most of them belonged to Erin’s or Miriam’s factions. And since their leaders were upset, they weren’t going to make any moves. The smaller groups were also staying quiet for the moment. Jez gave Linnea and her northern group a look, silently signaling them to stay put, to which they reluctantly nodded. The students from the east, south, and the foreign exchange groups were remaining completely neutral, which seemed like a reasonable decision.

Then there were three loners. Two of them clearly didn’t care about what was happening, but one girl was smirking a little too much and stood out. She wore a distinct priestess outfit.

When Jez met her gaze, she stood up from a sofa a bit away from the others. She sighed as if to say, “Guess I have to do this,” and approached while clearing her throat.

“Hello, everyone. Nice to meet you. I’m Seraphina Lorentzi, a novice priestess as you can see,” 

She introduced herself with a friendly smile. 

It seemed she was a foreign exchange student from the Divina Papal State. With a slightly more mature air about her, she appeared to be a fitting person to step in and mediate, as she didn’t belong to any of the existing factions. Jez silently thanked her for stepping forward.

However…

“…Uh, aren’t ‘tomboyish priestesses’ a bit overdone as a character trope nowadays?” 

“Hey, Alchemys. Maybe keep quiet for a while,” 

Jez immediately responded, reacting to Victor’s usual inappropriate comment.

Seraphina, hearing the exchange, blinked in surprise before bursting into laughter. After a few moments of laughter, she calmed herself and said, 

“I get what you’re trying to say, Victor, but take it easy, okay?”

She brushed off Victor’s remark with ease. Watching her deftly handle the situation, Jez found himself reassessing her. She wasn’t just any ordinary student. It wouldn’t be surprising if she already held some kind of position back in the Divina Papal State. Every year, the Papal State sends a few exchange students, but this one might already be someone important.

As Jez quietly observed Seraphina, the mood in the room began to shift. Her lighthearted approach and how she laughed off Victor’s outburst helped defuse the tension. Sensing the right moment to intervene, Jez prepared to speak up when—

“Apologies for the wait! Students, please head this way!” 

A voice announced as the door to the VIP room opened, signaling that it was time to proceed to the main event.

Though still somewhat dissatisfied, Erin and Miriam left the room and rejoined their respective factions. Jez, by circumstance, ended up sticking with Victor and Seraphina as they exited together.

・　・　・

The entrance ceremony for this year’s class at the Royal Academy began in the grand arena. As the new students marched into the coliseum-like battlefield, thunderous applause erupted from the stands.

After most of the students had entered, the top 28 ranking students made their entrance. Their names and regions of origin were announced individually, and each was honored for their achievements.

The audience included upperclassmen, parents, faculty, military representatives, academy officials, diplomats from other countries, and even members of the business world. They were watching closely. It was the perfect stage for these young elites to make an impression.

As Jez’s name was called, he waved to the crowd and earned a strong round of applause. However, the loudest cheers came when Erin Saylor’s name was announced. It was clear that she was already quite well-known in the capital.

With the new students’ entrance complete, the next procession began. It was led by King Ramses of the Tashman Kingdom, along with the visiting royals, nobles, and senior academy staff.

The ceremony proceeded as expected. The headmaster of the Royal Academy delivered his address, followed by a rousing speech from King Ramses. Levius Tashman, a third-year student, student council president, and second prince, welcomed the new students on behalf of the current student body. Finally, Erin Saylor delivered a speech as the representative of the incoming class.

The ceremony itself was brief, lasting only about 30 minutes. Afterward, the academy’s faculty provided information on the upcoming schedule and orientation. With that, the entrance ceremony concluded.

That day, after the entrance ceremony ended in the morning, the students were free for the rest of the day. Actual orientation and class activities were scheduled to begin the following day. Jez, eager to avoid any troublesome situations, planned to leave as soon as the ceremony concluded. He intended to head home right after stopping by the restroom in the grand arena. However…

“…Hmm, I’m lost.”

The coliseum was a large and confusing facility, especially with so many people present that day. On top of that, Jez had been guided through the VIP route earlier. The route was different from the usual entrance, so he found himself lost when he tried to return to the dorms.

Thinking he might as well head back to the VIP room from the morning, Jez made his way there. As he approached, he overheard a commotion.

“René-chan!! We need to go back quickly, or we’ll get in trouble!”

“It’ll be fine! We’re just exploring the school we’ll be attending soon. A little adventure won’t hurt.”

Two girls, who looked to be about elementary school age, were noisily chatting in the VIP area. Jez thought they might be lost, too. Setting aside the fact that he himself was also lost, he decided to call out to them.

“Hey there, are you two lost? Are you alright?”

Startled by the sudden voice, the two girls flinched but immediately shifted into a defensive stance.

“René-chan, it’s a suspicious person. Should we take him out?”

“Lilly, permission granted. Let’s deal with him quickly and continue our exploration.”

Jez, 16 years old, had just encountered René and Lilly, who were 12. It seemed this unexpected meeting was the start of something interesting.