#034 Model Student of the One-Eyed Nation (1)

For Kaspar Hundert, a new student at the Academy, the Barhart Royal Family was the embodiment of divine untouchability.

In the past, the Hundert family served as knights, protecting the citizens and defending the kingdom from foreign threats.

During the hegemonic wars when the four kingdoms vied for supremacy, his great-grandfather lost his life, and his grandfather faced the misfortune of losing an arm. But what tormented them even more was the royal family’s indifference.

At that time, the Barhart kingdom was rife with corruption, and no matter how diligently one fulfilled their duties and showed loyalty, true recognition was only granted to those who offered bribes.

Despite his young age, his grandfather was cast aside as no longer useful, wallowing in despair and drowning his sorrows in alcohol. It was then that the young king, who had recently ascended to the throne, called upon him, and the fate of the Hundert family changed forever.

The boy king, who would later be known as the Great Emperor, transformed the kingdom into an empire; the corrupt noble advisors were ousted, and their vacancies were filled by passionate and virtuous individuals.

Growing up listening to his grandfather’s stories, Kaspar viewed the Great Emperor Ludwig as a legendary hero, and his desire to become a cornerstone for the empire by the emperor’s side only grew stronger with time.

Just being able to study at the academy personally established by this celestial figure was an immense honor, but realizing that he would spend time as a student alongside members of the royal family, flesh and blood of the emperor himself, felt beyond description for Kaspar.

Layla Everblaze Barhart.

She was the ideal princess Kaspar had envisioned in his youthful mind.

A beauty fitting the term “peerless.” A charisma that could overwhelm even nobility in an instant. Unmatched elegance and talent.

Having enrolled in the “Martial Arts” course, his time with her in the “Magic” course was extremely limited, yet just hearing news about her brought Kaspar immense joy.

Thus, it was no small fury when he heard from a friend, with whom he had shared a bond since before entering the academy, that such a shining star had a pesky fly buzzing around her.

Chrome Midas.

A commoner, not a noble.

A citizen of Spero, one of the minor duchies, not an imperial dweller.

Not even the child of any renowned figure, but the son of a vulgar merchant condemned by the populace.

Had he learned about this outside the academy, he wouldn’t have given it a second thought—he was just another forgettable nuisance. Thus, the very idea that such a being dared to laugh and chat with the ideal princess was an insult and a humiliation he could not bear.

The only reason he didn’t draw his sword immediately was his shred of pride; he couldn’t tarnish the ears of the noble princess with such indecent matters. The faint self-restraint not to spill blood among students in the great academy established by a heroic figure held him back.

But now, that pride and restraint were being yanked from their roots.

“…What did you just say?”

“He said it was just like yesterday. During the break, that guy shamelessly clung to the princess and babbled on. Even when he received the disdainful glares from those around him, he didn’t even flinch. Does he lack the ability to read the mood or just doesn’t know how to be ashamed?”

His friend, from a prestigious magical family, remarked with an expressive click of his tongue.

The nonchalant attitude to this situation, which could be construed as enviable, pushed Kaspar over the edge. He couldn’t contain his temper.

“And you just stood by and watched!”

“What was I supposed to do? Should I have told him he can’t be talking to someone like the princess while she’s smiling and conversing?”

“If the princess being seen with him is the problem, it wouldn’t hurt to quietly help him understand during times they’re not in the classroom!”
Kaspar’s friend looked at him as if he were absurd.
“Are you out of your mind? You can’t possibly not know why everyone is so hesitant to approach Her Highness. Do you have any idea where the maturing royal siblings are glaring from as they accompany their peers? Would you be so careless as to step forward, afraid of being singled out?”

“……”

“Princess Layla’s position is unstable, you know. And she is likely the one most aware of that. Right now, since she is alone in the classroom, she’s using Chrome Midas for conversation—but trust me, as time goes on, she’ll handle it on her own. So—hey, where do you think you’re going? Hey!”

‘Outrageous!’
Kaspar’s chest was burning with rage.
What? Her status is unstable? She’ll take care of it as time passes?

How is it honorable for a noble to have their loyal subject wipe away the dirty filth with their own hands?

At the same time, he was filled with disdain.
‘How dare he ignore my warnings? You’re just a commoner from a duchy, not even an imperial citizen!’

To begin with, the message contained no information about himself, so Chrome had no way to discern whether it was sent by an imperial noble or a roadside beggar—a reasonable judgment that did not function here.

Logic or reason become significant only in the face of an equal or superior opponent; they should not be the standard applied to an unworthy pest.

Unreasonable or absurd, whether venting anger or not, for Kaspar, Chrome was something to be crushed beneath his boot.

He didn’t realize that this mindset, so similarly reflected in the arrogant and corrupt nobles of his grandfather’s era whom he despised as a child, was the very same he was now adopting.

Murderous intent flickered in Kaspar’s eyes.

Walking along the path created within the academy, Fiore spoke up.
“Hey, Ligret. Has something happened recently?”

Ligret answered.
“What do you mean, something?”

“Are you going to play coy? The person who always stays by your brother’s side has been circling around me all day today. It seems like something might happen.”

Ligret shrugged.
“If you know that much, you already know everything. No need for more.”

Fiore tilted her head in confusion.
“Is it someone from the Spero Kingdom? At least, I thought they weren’t stupid enough to openly use force within the academy.”

“Then it must be one of two possibilities: either the culprit is dumber than you thought, or he’s just a boastful windbag.”

“The culprit, the culprit? Did your brother receive some kind of threatening letter? One that mentioned me?”

“…Are you kidding me? Did you get everything from Chrome and are just messing with me?”

Ligret was astounded as Fiore hit the nail on the head after just a few exchanged words, and quickly explained the situation.
“Uh— but if that’s the case, shouldn’t it rather be my brother who you ought to protect? Because that message clearly expresses ill will directly towards him, and I’m just an innocuous mention on the side.”

“He said if I stay next to him, it’ll ruin the picture.”

“What picture?”

“The picture of pulling up a fish that took the bait.”

“Usually, you say it’s a big catch in such cases, right?”

“I guess he didn’t want to treat me as a big catch.”

Just as Fiore sat in silence, contemplating something, she was about to speak again when—
“R, Ligret! Fiore! This is bad!”

Roto came running from afar, gasping for breath as he shouted.
“K, Chrome is dueling with some noble right now!”

Ligret and Fiore exchanged glances.
It seemed like this little guy was making quite a commotion for himself.

[Stop clinging to the noble; you pest. If you ignore this warning, both you and your little sister will regret it.]

When I first checked the message, I thought to myself,
‘Well, it seems this isn’t someone too high up.’

If the intention was just to warn, there was no need to poke fun at me like a pesky fly; and if it was meant to be a threat, then the content was far too shabby for that.

Perhaps it was the foolish act of a hotheaded moron who couldn’t control his feelings, or maybe someone who didn’t want to reveal their identity took a shot in the dark.

The problem was that, no matter which way I looked at it, it wasn’t exactly a pleasant situation for me.
I get it, though. They probably found it irritating seeing a clueless commoner like me hanging around a princess they had to approach with caution.

But that was their problem; why were they threatening me over who I wanted to meet?

I ignored the warning and waited for the response, and it came quicker than I expected.
Well, that’s good, I guess.
“Get away from Her Highness immediately, you garbage.”

“And why should I? The fact that a commoner like you is lurking around is an insult to Her Highness and the imperial family! Know your place!”

“Are you assuming Her Highness’s feelings? How dare you! Do you want to die?”

Whispers filled the air.
In the middle of a corridor frequented by students, I felt like a stunned fool, watching this gramophone shoot off its mouth without caring what anyone thought.

What the heck is this guy?
What could possibly be the benefit of a noble dragging a commoner into a public brawl?

And aren’t you supposed to be an academy student? Is it acceptable to openly call someone a commoner like that?

Suddenly I felt wronged.
No, logically, regardless of status, a noble should have enough sense instilled from childhood education to think twice before causing a scene, right?

Sneaking up in a secluded area to launch a surprise attack, or putting pressure on my home side to make me flinch, or at the very least making up some reasonable excuse to corner me—that’s the standard playbook for villains, isn’t it?

Charging at me like a wild boar kind of threw out the window all the countermeasures I had prepared, like my filming magic tools, poisons to trap attackers, or drawing Ligret away on purpose to induce carelessness.
As I thought about that, I realized a fundamental misconception I had.
I knew I was being underestimated. No, I thought I did.
But it seemed like there were people who looked down on me far more than I had anticipated.

“What are you stalling for? Hurry up and confess your crime—”

“Oh, shut up! You’re just a loudmouth; what sort of nonsense do you want me to respond to your rambling with?”

“W-what?!”

I shot back at the blushing fool before me,
“If you don’t like me that much, why don’t we settle this with a duel, you so-called noble knight?”