Chapter 5
***
Simon had exactly 20 gold coins.
It was no small sum, even pushing Richard's limits, but if it wasn't enough...
"Since you're Lady Lorain's guest, I'll be upfront with you, no discounts,"
Stephanie said politely.
"5,000 gold coins."
"...What?"
Simon felt his world crumble around him.
That was Leshill's budget for several years...
"I'll pay."
Lorain took out her wallet.
A bright smile spread across Stephanie's face, and the two began to move towards the counter.
"Wait a minute!"
Simon exclaimed.
"What's wrong?"
"Y-You don't have to do this! It's 5,000 gold coins! I can't accept such a huge gift!"
Lorain tilted her head.
"Didn't Mom tell you? She's buying this for you."
"...Lady Nephtys?"
"Yeah. What did she say again?"
Lorain put her finger to her lips, lost in thought for a moment.
"I don't know the details, but Mom said she owes your parents a great debt. She said it's something the adults have agreed upon, so you don't have to feel burdened."
"Oh..."
After some back and forth about whether or not he should accept it, Simon finally agreed to receive the subspace.
"Thank you, sir! And miss! Please visit us again!"
Stephanie and the staff bowed deeply as Simon and Lorain left the store.
Back outside in the sunlight,
Simon stared, mesmerized, at the gleaming ring on his finger.
'This is mine.'
He was so happy he could barely contain his expression.
"That happy?"
"...Haha."
Simon chuckled awkwardly.
"I'm so indebted to you. I don't know how I'll ever repay Lady Nephtys..."
"Don't worry about it. If there's anything our Mom wants, I think it's for you to do well at Kizen."
"Yes! I'll do my very best!"
Their shopping spree with Lorain continued.
They purchased not only necessities like stationery, notebooks, and lighting for his future life but also skeleton sets and various potion ingredients and stored them all in his subspace.
Lorain explained that while he could buy ingredients in the town adjacent to Kizen, they were much more expensive there.
"Simon! Let's go do that!"
"...Is dart throwing also part of the entrance preparations?"
"It's just for fun!"
Although she occasionally got sidetracked... she was still a competent guide.
"Then I'll light it now."
"Okay! Now's the time!"
At the Langerstein observation deck, Simon and Lorain released their sky lanterns simultaneously.
The people around them were also releasing lanterns.
The night sky was painted in a dazzling crimson, a beautiful spectacle of lights unfolding.
People, caught up in the atmosphere, cheered and clapped, and couples began to kiss as if on cue.
"This is 'A Thousand Lights,' a must-see tourist attraction in Langerstein."
Lorain put her hands on her hips and smiled confidently.
"What do you think, Simon?"
"Can I be honest?"
"Of course."
Simon, his eyes fixed on the lanterns adorning the night sky, replied,
"I'm just thinking there are a thousand suckers spending 200 silver on flammable paper..."
"...."
She looked at him, dumbfounded.
"You'll fit right in at Kizen."
"Thank you. I'll do my best..."
"That wasn't a compliment!"
Their final destination was a restaurant with a view of the ocean.
Luxurious chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, sparkling tableware, and waiters in ties and uniforms serving them.
It was Simon's first time in such a restaurant.
The food was exquisite.
The moment the glistening steak entered his mouth, his body trembled with indescribable bliss.
Moreover, when he turned his head, a picturesque night sea unfolded, and the sound of crashing waves filled his ears.
It was a near-perfect setting.
"You handle the fancy cutlery well. A noble is a noble, after all."
Lorain smiled, resting her chin on her hand.
"My father was strict about etiquette."
"You learned well. Oh! Just in case you didn't know, about 30% of Kizen students are commoners."
She wiped her mouth with a napkin and continued,
"You can't pull rank on anyone. Kizen has a strict meritocratic culture, and even a duke's daughter would bow her head to a senior commoner. It's best to think of everyone as equal first-year students."
Simon nodded, saying he would keep that in mind.
He had always gotten along well with everyone in Leshill, regardless of whether they were barons or commoners, so he wasn't worried about that.
"Tomorrow's the entrance ceremony. Ask me anything you're curious about."
"Um... Ah! I met a fellow enrollee this morning, and we talked about majors."
"Majors? Good question."
Lorain smiled and continued,
"There are nine subjects in the first semester of the first year, right? From the second semester, you can choose the classes you want to take, and when you become a second-year, you have to choose a major."
"I need to quickly figure out what I'm good at."
"Exactly!"
Her eyes gleamed like a strategist's as she twirled her fork.
"Even in the first semester, it's good to decide on your specialty in advance and focus on studying that. Students with clear specialties are popular in group classes."
"I'll definitely keep that in mind."
"Do you have a major in mind?"
Simon recalled the events of the morning.
The bone fragments emerging from the trash pile and assembling themselves into undead.
The sight was so striking that it was deeply etched in his memory.
"...I think I'm a little interested in Summoning."
"Summoning is good! You're aiming for the orthodox path."
Lorain talked about various subjects, and Simon listened intently, with shining eyes.
They connected well.
Of course, Simon was mostly listening, but Lorain also appreciated his attentive attitude.
Even after dinner, they continued their conversation and moved to a nearby pub for a second and third round of drinks.
It was Simon's first time drinking alcohol.
He hesitated at first, being underage, but Lorain said drinking was allowed for Kizen students.
Still, since tomorrow was the entrance ceremony, they only drank until they both felt a pleasant buzz.
Their conversation stretched on, and Simon finally arrived at his accommodations a little past midnight.
"Thank you for escorting me, Lorain."
"No problem, it's nothing."
"Well..."
Simon blushed, scratching his head.
"I should be the one escorting you..."
"Huh?"
Lorain blinked, confused, then smiled mysteriously.
"You're aware of that, huh?"
"...Ahem."
"I appreciate the thought. Langerstein is a complicated city. Never mind escorting me, you'd probably get lost trying to get back to your accommodations on your own."
He couldn't deny it.
"Go inside and get some rest. If I hear you were late because you were hungover, Mom will kill me."
"Yes, thank you for today! I really enjoyed it."
Simon bowed his head deeply.
It was more than just enjoyable.
Simon felt like he would never forget his first day in Langerstein.
Lorain, who was walking away waving, suddenly stopped and turned to Simon.
"Oh! Simon, I have a confession to make."
"Yes?"
Lorain, uncharacteristically shy, tucked her hair behind her ear.
"I didn't mean to deceive you, but I somehow missed the timing to tell you. Well..."
"...?"
As their eyes met, she winked playfully.
"Actually, I'm a first-year student too!"
"...W-What?"
"So, let's drop the formalities when we meet at school. Bye!"
She waved and disappeared into the darkness.
"...."
Simon stared blankly at the spot where she had vanished, then chuckled and entered his accommodations.
***
Morning arrived.
Lorain had told him to rest well, but Simon couldn't sleep properly due to his excitement and anticipation for his new life.
He woke up early, got ready, and left his accommodations.
Lorain was taking a different route to Kizen, so Simon had to find the meeting place on his own.
Of course, he had the location firmly memorized.
The spot visible from the restaurant he had visited with Lorain yesterday.
The pointed piece of land jutting out towards the sea.
As he approached the meeting place, the number of people on the street gradually increased.
Most of them were children around his age, each with their own unique characteristics.
A fairy student applying makeup while walking, a male student carrying twenty swords as if his entire body were a storage space, and a female student strolling leisurely with a large case bigger than herself strapped to her back.
'I'm the most normal one here, after all.'
Simon thought to himself as he walked, but in reality, everyone there was thinking the same thing.
He soon arrived at the meeting point.
Kizen's dispatched minions were controlling the area, and a ship was docked at the edge of the protruding land.
Presumably, they would be taking this ship to Kizen.
"Please hurry. We will be departing for Kizen shortly!"
Simon joined the line and waited to board the ship.
One peculiar thing was that the hull was facing the land, not the sea.
He couldn't understand why.
"Please present your admission certificate."
It was Simon's turn. He presented the letter he had prepared.
The minion checked the letter and the list in his hand, marked it with a quill, and returned it.
"Mr. Simon Polentia. Confirmed."
"Thank you."
As Simon, having successfully passed through, was about to board the ship...
"This is wrong!"
A loud protest erupted from the line next to him.
"I'm candidate number one, and you're saying there isn't a single spot left?"
"I apologize, but Mr. Lucius is not on the admission list."
"Damn it, are you going to handle things this way? Contact Kizen! There must be some mistake!"
A small commotion broke out beside him. Several students boarding the ship murmured.
"It's an annual event."
"There are always those who can't accept the results."
"Candidate number one? He's a bit pitiful. Heh."
The students chuckled and boarded the ship.
Crack!
As if foreshadowed, trouble finally erupted.
The agitated Lucius pushed the minion to the ground.
"I am Lucius Karol, heir to the Earl of the Dresden Kingdom! This is an order. Contact Kizen headquarters immediately!"
"Please leave. Mr. Lucius is not on the admission list."
The minion repeated the same words in a firm tone. Lucius, his face red with anger, grabbed the minion's hair.
Murmur. Murmur.
The atmosphere grew tense.
Students stopped and watched, some even channeling their Jet Black.
Just as Lucius, his eyes bloodshot, raised his right arm...
Grab.
"Stop it."
Lucius's head snapped around.
Simon, who had moved behind him unnoticed, was holding his arm.
"Who are you? Let go of me!"
"...."
Simon smiled and tightened his grip.
Crack!
"Aaargh!"
Lucius screamed and writhed in pain from the unbelievable force.
There was no way a pampered noble boy could withstand Simon's strength, honed by years of hard labor on the territory.
Push. Push.
Lucius's body was gradually forced down until he was kneeling on one knee.
Finally, his left hand, which was gripping the minion's hair, loosened its hold, and Simon released his right arm.
Lucius scrambled back, then, his face still red, clutched his wrist and shouted,
"What the hell do you think you're doing?! Damn it, do you want to die?!"
Swish!
When Simon didn't respond, Lucius drew the sword from his waist.
The murmuring grew louder as the situation escalated.
"What's going on here?"
At that moment,
A man approached from the ship.
He had a pale face, like a patient battling illness, hollow cheeks, gray hairs scattered throughout his hair, and yellowish hands.
The students gasped softly when they saw him.
"P-Professor Silaji!"
"...Silaji is a faculty member! As expected of Kizen."
Even the arrogant Lucius flinched and backed away as he approached.
Silaji slowly surveyed the scene.
A minion lying on the ground with disheveled hair.
A student who had intervened.
And a noble shouting about being candidate number one.
Silaji looked at Lucius with an indifferent expression.
"Any last words?"
***
@ChaoticTL
Read chapters in advance in - patreon.com/ChaoticTL
Join Discord - https://discord.gg/pU6yqVTadm