In the car on the way home.
Luke raised his tail in surprise as if he had heard something strange.
“Tigr Academy?”
At Yerna’s words, Luke raised his tail and displayed confusion.
“That’s right, Luke enjoys studying, doesn’t he? You can make friends too.”
“Well….”
To be honest, Luke found it uncomfortable that he had to become a ‘student’ at the academy.
What exactly was he lacking that required him to learn as a student?
Long ago, Luke had graduated early by stacking circles and acquiring knowledge at an unprecedented rate, even serving as the headmaster of the academy.
“To enter again with this body….”
While the academy then and now surely wouldn’t be the same, the thought of it being a waste of time wasn’t an unreasonable worry.
“If you really don’t want to go, you don’t have to, but… you need to graduate from the academy. That’s an obligation.”
“Is that so?”
Luke let out a deep sigh.
Reacting to that sigh, Py flew over, chiming in.
“Luke, school…?”
The word ‘school’ wasn’t present in the spirit language, so it was pronounced accurately in human language.
It must be asking if he was going to school.
“Well….”
As much as Luke thought about the benefits he could gain from attending the academy, he couldn’t think of any.
What was so appealing about sitting with children and attending lectures on content he already knew?
He could study at home, and unnecessary connections would only become an obstacle.
If he wanted to seek knowledge, wouldn’t it be better to go find Gerard?
“School, school!”
Py was dancing excitedly, drawing a figure eight with his body, but Luke had no intention of attending.
“Hmm….”
He was contemplating how to decline.
At that moment, Yerna, watching him, wondered if he was worried because money would be an issue.
Since Luke always felt guilty about Yerna spending money for him, it seemed like a plausible thought.
“If you go, Aunt Serena said she would provide your uniform, cane, and other school supplies….”
“Wait a second, Yerna. What did you just say? Cane? Are you saying I can use a cane?”
“Yes… right? If you’re going to school, it would naturally be necessary for class.”
“….”
A cane, a cane.
Luke definitely had academic curiosity about the cane.
However, since Yerna and the other Forest Keepers had dangerous equipment that Luke was absolutely forbidden from touching, he had no choice but to suppress his curiosity and desire for exploration, waiting for the future.
“If I can use a cane….”
Then the story would change completely.
As he thought for a moment, Yerna asked again.
“What will you do? Luke, you don’t want to go to school?”
“Even if Luke says he doesn’t want to go, that wouldn’t be strange….”
It would surely be more fun than just reading books alone at home.
Considering how much fun he had playing with Diana previously, it didn’t seem like he was averse to interacting with others.
At that moment, Luke shook his head and replied.
“No, Yerna. I’ll go to Tigr Academy. I’m getting curious.”
“Really? Hehe, then we must go get your uniform fitted!”
“Fitting a uniform…?”
Can’t one just go to school in the clothes he’s wearing now?
——–
Uniform regulations.
Luke couldn’t help but wonder who came up with such things.
That question was quite natural.
Was there a uniform 5000 years ago?
Standardizing clothing is one way to enhance a sense of belonging in groups like the military or sports teams.
But why would an academy, with at most three to four in a country, need to standardize clothing to instill a sense of belonging?
The uniform was not merely about going to school but referred to a specific type of attire.
“Why does something like a uniform exist in this era?”
It didn’t align with the intention of being a place of learning, and it was a waste of resources.
Clothing that exists only for attending school, it’s the epitome of unnecessary…
“Alright, the size measurements are done.”
“It’s done, Luke. Cheer up a bit.”
“Ah, I’m sorry. It was unintentional.”
Realizing that he had been frowning, Luke pressed his brow to smooth it out.
It was probably because he felt uncomfortable with the tailor’s touch and manner.
Yerna whispered in a lowered voice, so Luke wouldn’t hear her complaint about the tailor.
“So why do they say you’re cute?”
The tailor chuckled and replied in a lowered voice.
“Haha, I didn’t know a child would dislike being called cute this much.”
From the tailor’s perspective, it was just a small girl going to school for the first time, and he thought it was adorable to measure her—but for Luke, it was a rather creepy and unpleasant experience.
After all, within that body was an old man who had lived longer than the two combined.
From Luke’s standpoint, he was just an old man who was told he was cute, which was inappropriate for his age.
Meanwhile, Yerna thought there was an entirely different reason Luke was frowning.
“How long will it take to make?”
“Probably around a few days. If you give me your contact information, I’ll let you know when it’s ready. Or, can you leave an address? Then I can deliver it.”
“Then please deliver it to the address.”
“Understood! I’ll have it delivered!”
While Yerna was frantically scribbling the address, Luke was sitting in a chair at the corner of the uniform shop, grumbling.
“Seriously, Py. I don’t understand why there even is a uniform. Don’t you have any idea? You’ve seen the world for a while, right?”
Py spun around, making cheerful sounds as if responding to Luke’s words.
It resembled a spinning top.
“Luke, …school!….”
“I still can’t understand what you’re saying.”
Although he had listened to the spirit language for a long time, aside from one simple word that resembled a doorbell sound, meaning ‘fool,’ he couldn’t understand anything.
Seeing Luke mumble to himself, Yerna thought, ‘Ah, he’s chatting with his imaginary friend again,’ and said,
“Luke, I think Py is looking forward to you going to school.”
Py nodded in agreement with Yerna’s words, looking back and forth between Luke and Yerna while repeatedly making a music box-like sound.
“…,…,…,…,…,…!”
“Could it be that means ‘looking forward’?”
“…!!”
Py jumped up with enthusiasm, seeming to agree.
“Luke, I’m looking forward to school!”
Feeling the touch of mana against his face, Luke reluctantly replied.
“I get it, I get it.”
Since he had decided to give it a try, Luke hoped it wouldn’t disappoint him.
——
The enrollment process proceeded smoothly with Serena’s help.
“Yerna, the enrollment process is almost complete. Luke will be placed in the same grade as Shirud as a transfer student. Luke is one year younger than Shirud, but that’s okay.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, he scored perfectly on the entrance exam… So there should be no problem with classes.”
Although Luke had asked to be enrolled, Tigr Academy was a prestigious academy.
No matter how much Serena was valued, she couldn’t just admit a student of subpar performance.
So, reluctantly, they had Luke take an entrance exam, but the outcome was unsurprisingly perfect scores in all subjects.
What Luke submitted was a neatly organized answer sheet, complete with the solution process, making it indisputable that he deserved full marks.
“Honestly, I didn’t think that child would score full marks. How did you usually teach him? Which academy did he attend?”
“Haha… I really didn’t do anything….”
“Is that true? If it’s a secret, I’d feel upset.”
“Really! It was all Luke studying on his own….”
In reality, Yerna couldn’t help but be astonished at Luke’s grades.
While he usually enjoyed studying, she never expected him to score full marks on the entrance exam for Tigr Academy.
Receiving perfect scores in subjects like history, magic, math, and etiquette was not an easy feat.
Passing the entrance exam for Tigr Academy with perfect scores from self-study was undoubtedly challenging…
“I really hope Luke becomes close friends with Shirud!”
He’s good at studying and a cute child, right?
There’s no downside to becoming friends.
Initially, she approached him due to Shirud’s Circle issue, but the more she got to know him, the more she liked him.
“Oh, and I’ve requested that the teachers not ask about Luke’s family situation. So, I don’t think there will be any worries.”
“Thank you so much. You’re covering all the tuition… How can I repay you…?”
“Hehe, if Luke becomes close friends with Shirud, that will be a sufficient repayment.”
“Is that so? Ahaha….”
——–
The bag only contained notebooks, a handkerchief, and writing utensils, making it quite light.
The clinking sound it made suggested that it was quite empty.
Luke recalled the time long ago when he had embarked on adventures with Kail and Renie.
He remembered traveling with a similarly clattering bag.
Thinking back to that time made his heart flutter and feel somewhat sentimental.
“Looking back, it was a truly enjoyable time.”
Although it was a quite dangerous situation back then.
What made the clattering sound was the food bag.
Still, it was undeniably a delightful sound.
In a way, one could say this was his first adventure in this era.
What would they teach him? Who would be the educators, and what level of knowledge would they possess?
It was 5000 years in the future. Surely education had developed significantly, right?
While thinking that, he suddenly started to feel elated, wondering if his initial reluctance was right.
But at that moment, he also felt something that dampened his excited heart.
“Did you remember your mobile phone? Your wallet?”
“I’ve got the phone in hand and the wallet safely in my inside pocket, so don’t worry.”
“Luke, aren’t you cold? If you’re cold, just let me know; I brought an outer garment.”
“I’m fine, Yerna. This outfit is warm enough.”
“Then, do you want me to carry your bag? It’s not heavy, is it?”
“There’s nothing in it, so it’s light, and it’s okay.”
“Then, do you want me to take you to school?”
“Yerna, didn’t you say you wouldn’t come to school?”
“Oh right, I did say that. What am I thinking? Then, do you know how to take the bus? You take the 120 from here….”
“Yerna, I’m fine to go alone, so don’t worry and just stay inside.”
“Still….”
Luke sighed deeply as he thought.
“Yerna is really persistent.”
