It wasn't until Monday, May 10th, that the school closure finally came to an end.
True to its reputation as an academy boasting the Empire's most advanced technology, only two weeks had passed, yet every building that had been half-destroyed or damaged was already completely restored. There wasn't a trace of the attack left anywhere.
Whether something like that was physically possible, Ex had no idea, so all he could do was marvel at it.
‘Magic really is amazing.’
Darius, Beatrice, and Ex, who had been staying at the Imperial Palace, moved back onto the academy grounds.
Darius and Beatrice, neither of whom lived in the dormitories, headed to their private residences as usual.
And now that Drakan had publicly proclaimed Ex an Imperial Prince before the entire Empire, Ex wasn't returning to some shabby dorm room either.
“…This place is freaking huge. I'm supposed to live here by myself? Seriously?”
An entire mansion reserved for the academy's most distinguished guests had become Ex's personal residence.
The mansion was roughly the size of four five-story villas put together.
For someone with the heart of a commoner, it was absurdly large for one person.
Imperial butlers, servants, and maids had already finished preparing everything and were waiting for Ex when he arrived.
“Um… do all of you live here too?”
“Your Highness. Please speak more casually to us. To answer your question, how could we dare sleep beneath the same roof as Your Highness? Separate accommodations have been prepared for us.”
“No… I live alone, so you really don't have to go that far…”
“The Imperial Bodyguard will maintain a constant watch over the residence day and night to ensure Your Highness's safety. You need not concern yourself with security.”
That wasn't the only thing that had changed after he became an Imperial Prince.
-Hey, isn't that the Scream…
-You idiot! He's an Imperial Prince now!
-No, seriously, how is that even possible…?
The way the students and professors looked at Ex had changed completely.
Ex, the infamous Screamweed, had somehow become an Imperial Prince.
On top of that, he was also a Hero chosen by the Goddess.
Whether any of that should have been possible was beside the point. It was the reality in front of them, so even if they couldn't believe it, they had no choice but to accept it.
Given the circumstances, Ex hadn't even managed to sit down after arriving at the academy before he was summoned to meet the Headmaster and Chairman.
“So you really… became an Imperial Prince…”
“…That's how it turned out.”
“Please speak more casually to us, Your Highness…”
“That's… easier said than done…”
Confucian values were deeply ingrained in Ex.
Speaking casually to an older man whose hair was already streaked with white simply didn't come naturally to him.
An awkward silence settled over the Chairman's office.
The Chairman and Headmaster kept watching Ex, waiting for him to say something.
“…Ah.”
Only belatedly did Ex realize that he was apparently supposed to speak first.
What an annoyingly complicated class society.
“So, um… what did you need to see me about?”
“Ahem. We called you here to discuss your class placement, Your Highness.”
Only then did the Headmaster finally begin.
“Your current abilities can no longer reasonably be considered F-Class level. You're both a 4-Star martial artist and a Tier 4 mage, and you can wield divine power on top of that. After discussion among the faculty, we've determined that you can be transferred to A-Class. However, we wanted to ask for your wishes before making the decision.”
“There is also the matter of the other F-Class students feeling intimidated by your presence. Furthermore, F-Class is, crudely speaking, known as the class for hopeless cases. Remaining there may tarnish Your Highness's reputation.”
The Headmaster nodded in agreement with the Chairman.
Even Ex had to admit that their reasoning was perfectly sensible.
“No, that's fine. I'll remain in F-Class.”
Of course, sensible was all it was.
“It's not simply because I've grown attached to F-Class or anything like that. This decision is closely connected to the reason I became an Imperial Prince in the first place. It's largely political. The matter has already been discussed and settled within the Imperial Family.”
“Ah… if that's the case…”
“As for the other students feeling intimidated… they'll get used to it somehow. It's not like I'm going to eat them or anything.”
The Chairman and Headmaster accepted his explanation.
Come to think of it, there was no way Ex would suddenly become an Imperial Prince one day without some political reason behind it.
No matter how reckless Emperor Drakan could be, even he wasn't the kind of man who would do something that insane for no reason.
“Next, regarding the promise made during the disciplinary committee hearing…”
The Headmaster trailed off.
Even he could tell how ridiculous it sounded now.
“Does that promise even mean anything anymore…?”
“…”
“Even if the academy disregards social status to a considerable extent, expelling an Imperial Prince simply because he failed to place first academically would… place my personal safety in considerable danger…”
As the Headmaster began trembling, the Chairman stepped in to support him.
“Furthermore, there's the Ancient Ruins expedition and the Tournament incident to consider. If we count bonus credits alone, Your Highness is currently the undisputed number one student. That promise has effectively become meaningless.”
“Come to think of it, what happened with the Tournament results?”
“We can't exactly hold the Tournament again, so it was decided that Imperial Prince Darius and Imperial Prince Ex would share the championship. We aren't in any position to hold an awards ceremony anyway.”
The Chairman wasn't wrong.
There was no way they could invite the Pope under the current circumstances, and even if they did, there was no chance he would actually come.
Holding a celebratory event at all after demons had attacked the capital, the very heart of the Empire, would be absurd.
Ex let out a long sigh, sounding thoroughly unimpressed.
“There are still two months left in the first semester, though?”
“Please, have mercy on our lives. If word got out that we were deciding whether to expel both an Imperial Prince and the Hero based on their grades… someone would stone us in the street.”
“…Yeah, that wouldn't be good. Let's just pretend the whole thing never happened…”
And just like that, the promise made at the disciplinary committee hearing vanished.
Thinking back on how serious it had seemed at the time, it all felt strangely pointless now.
* * *
The students of F-Class found it incredibly difficult to breathe.
Ex de Dritania, the newly appointed Imperial Prince.
A man who belonged in A-Class was sitting right here among them.
The students who had previously scorned him, looked down on him, or openly ignored him were now living in terror.
If Ex suddenly changed his attitude and ordered their executions, there was a very real possibility that they'd die without being able to do a thing about it.
Ex made no effort to correct those grim fantasies.
Partly because it was a hassle.
And partly because the little bastards deserved to sweat.
“You're seriously evil.”
“You knew exactly what would happen if you came back to F-Class, didn't you?”
“They're merely reaping what they've sown, Miss Circe, Lady Lola.”
Circe and Lola clicked their tongues and gave Ex disapproving looks.
Ex had already told Circe to speak to him the same way she always had.
Thanks to that, Circe continued speaking naturally without using formal language around him.
“Do you really have to stay in F-Class? The facilities are worse, the classes get treated differently, and there are a million little annoyances.”
“Honestly, anywhere except A-Class would've been fine with me. But this is also for F-Class's benefit.”
“What are you talking about?”
“What do you think happens the moment people start saying the academy is discriminating against the class an Imperial Prince belongs to? Unless someone wants to lose their head, they'll fix things pretty quickly.”
“Ah…”
Circe and Lola nodded in understanding.
Now that they thought about it, neither of them particularly cared what the atmosphere in the class was like anyway. If Ex's presence improved things, that was only a benefit.
Some time passed, and morning homeroom began.
Everyone expected the strict Amanda to walk through the door.
“Hey. Sit down.”
“Huh… Professor Roxwell…?”
Contrary to the students' expectations, Roxwell entered the classroom.
“What? Got a problem with me being here?”
The students immediately shook their heads.
They did have a problem with it.
None of them were stupid enough to say so.
“Professor Amanda was only your temporary faculty supervisor. She's been moved to assistant supervisor now. My leave is over, so I'm simply back in charge of F-Class.”
Amanda was strict, but she was still easier to breathe around than Roxwell.
At the very least, she didn't try to kill them out of nowhere like Roxwell did.
Roxwell completely ignored whatever complaints the students might have had.
“As all of you already know, the academy was attacked by demons. Security is going to remain heightened for the foreseeable future. You'll see more guards patrolling than usual, so don't concern yourselves with it.”
It was exactly as he said.
With another Imperial Prince now attending the academy, the number of Imperial Bodyguards had increased as well.
Far more guards than usual could be seen constantly patrolling the grounds.
Judging from the atmosphere alone, security was nearly as tight as it was at the Imperial Palace.
“That doesn't mean I'll tolerate any bastard using this as an excuse to neglect your studies. You've only got two months left until the first-semester evaluations. So by all means, keep screwing around playing noble. I sincerely hope I catch you. I'll make sure to give you the special noble treatment, my way.”
The students of F-Class trembled regardless of rank.
When Roxwell said something like that, it was never an empty threat.
After all, he was one of only two 7-Star martial artists in the entire Empire.
“Um, Professor Roxwell…”
“What?”
“Does that mean you'll be teaching us personally?”
Several of the more perceptive students asked the question.
They had realized that Roxwell's attitude wasn't coming from some hostile desire to drive them out of the class at all costs.
If Roxwell genuinely intended to teach them, this was an extraordinary opportunity.
They would be receiving personal instruction from a 7-Star martial artist.
Roxwell remained silent for a moment before answering.
“…I suppose I have to teach you.”
— Whoa… Professor Roxwell is actually…
— We're going to be taught by a 7-Star martial artist…?
— I heard he's a Knight Commander…
The students murmured in awe and anticipation.
Whatever Roxwell's infamous reputation might suggest, he was still the man who had taken Ex from the days when he was Screamweed, a boy who wasn't even a martial artist, and raised him to 4-Star in a remarkably short period of time.
Reaching 4-Star meant someone could at least be regarded as a properly trained martial artist.
At the very least, it meant they possessed enough skill that they probably wouldn't starve to death.
Naturally, the students in the class who hadn't even reached 3-Star were thrilled.
Maybe Roxwell could make them 4-Star too.
‘What a nice dream they're having…’
Ex didn't bother correcting them.
They'd learn the truth soon enough anyway.
* * *
Some time later, during fourth period Physical Training.
Rumble-
Clatterclatterclatter-
“Put one on each wrist and ankle, then run.”
Roxwell pointed to a pile of weights that looked like something meant for shackling prisoners.
They looked so heavy that just seeing them was exhausting.
The students stared blankly at the weights for a while before someone finally asked.
“Professor, weren't you going to teach us swordsmanship?”
Roxwell frowned as though the question itself annoyed him.
“What swordsmanship do you expect to learn when you don't even have the basic stamina for it? Did you think this was swordsmanship class? Build up your physical conditioning first. Ex, you're wearing five on each limb starting today.”
“Yes…”
Without a word of complaint, Ex strapped five weights onto each wrist and ankle and began running with obvious difficulty.
He knew exactly what would happen if he protested that he couldn't do it, so he kept his mouth shut.
Watching him brought back memories the other students had conveniently forgotten.
Only then did cold sweat begin trickling down their backs.
Until now, they'd always been too occupied with their own training during Physical Training to pay much attention to Ex.
But now that they thought about it, Roxwell's training methods were downright brutal.
Why had Ex earned the nickname Weed in the first place?
Wasn't it because he'd managed to survive Roxwell's hellish training without breaking?
Several students carefully gauged Roxwell's mood before timidly speaking up.
“P-Professor. What about the magic and sacred arts students…?”
“Do mages and priests not have arms and legs?”
“No, sir. We do…”
“Then put them on and run.”
The students specializing in magic and sacred arts strapped weights to their hands and feet with expressions full of despair and started running.
Lola and Circe looked like they were about to say something too, but when they saw Ex silently running, they immediately understood the situation and followed suit.
The only students left were those specializing in martial arts.
“Professor! We already have a decent level of physical conditioning! We can handle one of those without any trouble! So couldn't you teach us swordsmanship…”
“Then the lot of you can wear three each.”
“…What about swordsmanship?”
“You're nowhere near that level yet. And don't even think about reinforcing your bodies with internal energy. I can see every movement of your internal energy the moment you circulate it, so you'd better hope I don't catch you trying.”
In the end, the martial arts students started running as well, twelve weights clattering around their limbs in total.
Anyone who tried to slow down to catch their breath was immediately dealt with by Roxwell.
With Control Blade and the Nine Swords of White Light at his disposal, he didn't even have to walk over to them. He could monitor every student from where he stood.
Of course, not every student quietly accepted his methods.
“I-I am the son of a Count! I refuse to participate in such barbaric nonsense! I demand a more systematic and civilized lesson!”
Excluding Ex and Lola, one of the highest-ranking noble students in the class made a final desperate stand.
“Do members of a Count's family not have arms and legs?”
Naturally, his resistance was futile.
“Quit whining, put the damn weights on, and run. Rank means nothing here. The only people allowed to defy me are people stronger than I am.”
“T-This is tyranny…!”
“An Imperial Prince is already running with five on every limb, so who the hell are you to complain? You want me to actually break your arms and legs?”
Social status was important in this world.
But something else mattered just as much.
Power.
In a world where strength itself was authority, even a high-ranking noble couldn't defy someone like Roxwell.
Before long, the outdoor training grounds were filled with the relentless clattering of weights and the screams of students in agony.
Ironically enough, they had brought this fate upon themselves.
F-Class's suffering had only just begun.
–TL Notes–
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