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Chapter 35: A Fun Kindergarten

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Spring has arrived.

The entrance ceremony for kindergarten was more subdued than I had imagined.

I had heard that there would be many noble children gathered from all over the empire.

So, I thought they would hold a grand entrance ceremony in a building that could hold tens of thousands of people, but they were holding separate entrance ceremonies for students divided into certain ranks.

--That's why it was very subdued.

The first school building I will attend is a prestigious academy, even among kindergartens.

As expected from the large donation, I was given preferential treatment right away.

"As expected, money is everything in this world."

A man who probably also made a large donation to his family's side noticed my muttering.

He is Kurt, the heir to Baron Exner.

"Liam, if you're not quiet, you'll get in trouble."

"You're as serious as ever."

Kurt and I trained together at Viscount Reiser's, and since we are the same age, we are classmates.

He aims to be a serious villainous lord, a strategist who thinks about how to squeeze every last drop from his citizens.

He is also a master of a major swordsmanship called Aren Swordsmanship.

He has good looks and is tall.

He had grown taller again in the few years I hadn't seen him.

He looks like a fine young man, but he's a villain inside—an interesting guy.

I look around at my surroundings.

"Still, everyone here looks so arrogant."

Everyone around me looks rich.

Kurt says it's natural.

"Just being able to enter the first school building is amazing. I heard there are many students who can't get in here, no matter how much they want to, due to their status or talent."

How wicked of me to get in through money, surpassing all those people.

Well, so what?

In this world, if you have money, most things can be managed.

Amidst this, my eyes fall on a certain girl.

"Oh, a real blonde with rolled hair."

There was a girl with long blonde hair whose ends were rolled into a spiral.

Her back was straight, and she gave off the impression of a young lady.

She had slanted blue eyes.

She had a small face, moist lips, and a strong-willed expression.

Her chest was also large for her age, and she seemed promising for the future.

Her waist was cinched and firm, and she had a good build.

She had flesh where it should be.

"She's a... Duchess."

"A Duke?"

"Ah, she's famous, but you don't know her? Rosetta Sele Claudia. She's famous for being a matriarchal noble family. Though, I don't know much more than that."

There are so many nobles in this world.

In the empire, dukes are branches of the imperial family, but their numbers are also very large.

I can't remember them all one by one—but I knew her name.

"Claudia... I remember the name."

"It's a family that makes women the head of the household, and she's their only daughter."

"Only daughter, huh?"

Being an only child is very dangerous in this world.

Why?

If they die, the bloodline easily ends.

Of course, if they have parents, they can just have more children, but even considering that, being an only child is dangerous.

"Then, she's about second in rank here? The first is that guy, right?"

I shift my gaze and see a man with straight, long blue hair.

He looks like a noble prince.

His name is Wallace—the 120th Imperial Prince.

--This guy, on the other hand, has too many children.

What is the 120th?

The Duchess is an only daughter, and there are at least 120 princes.

There's no way they need that many.

It doesn't concern me, so I won't comment on it.

However, with so many important figures gathered here.

It's good that the effect of the large donation is already showing.

The problem is that I can't bring servants from my home.

I'm starting to get homesick, missing Amagi.

Kindergarten's Second School Building.

This is the building for students who receive special treatment.

It's separate from the other buildings, almost like a place of isolation.

Near this second school building, a welcome party for the new students was being held in the student dormitory.

However--.

"Good, dance more!"

"Bring more alcohol!"

"Hahahaha!"

--They were calling prostitutes to dance and being served by servants brought from their homes.

Luxurious food and drinks were laid out on the tables.

Upperclassmen were eating and drinking with the new students, making a racket.

The central figure is a third-year student at kindergarten—Derrick Sera Barkley.

He has brown hair, a flashy appearance, and his skin tone looks unhealthy.

He has a thin body.

Only his stomach is protruding.

He was drinking alcohol as if he were bathing in it.

"Hey, you first-years! If you follow me, I'll give you a good time."

Derrick, like Liam, is the head of his family with a noble title.

He is a baron, a frontier lord.

However, he had a lot of money.

After all, he is a member of the Barkley family.

He is a student with the same noble title as Liam, but unlike Liam, who hunts pirates, he is also known as a pirate noble.

"Derrick-san, you're the best!"

"I'll follow you forever!"

"Cheers to Derrick-san!"

When the first-years responded like that, Derrick drank his alcohol with a good mood.

"Still, it's pathetic how poor they are. They can't even come to the second school building and are diligently studying at kindergarten."

He made a remark that belittled studying at kindergarten.

The second school building is where students like Derrick, who have made large donations for special treatment, are housed.

Forcing them to be educated with other students was a measure taken due to the many troubles involved.

It is one of the problems that the empire is struggling with.

One of Derrick's followers reports about the new students.

"Derrick-san, I heard Liam has enrolled as a first-year."

"Huh? Who?"

"Liam. Don't you know him?"

Annoyed by the follower's words, Derrick grabbed a bottle of alcohol and swung it down on the follower's head.

The bottle shattered, and alcohol and blood splattered around.

"You bastard, who do you think you're talking to so arrogantly! Hey, beat this guy up. He's the target for our next game."

He was bullying under the guise of a game.

The targeted student, crying, clung to Derrick's leg.

"I-I'm sorry, Derrick-san! Please forgive me!"

"Shut up!"

Derrick kicked the student and sat on the sofa, panting.

As the student was taken away, the surroundings became quiet.

While the servants began cleaning up the broken bottles, Derrick looked displeased.

"It's ruined the mood. Hey, someone tell me about that Liam."

"Y-Yes!"

With music playing, only the voices of the students explaining could be heard.

"He's Liam of Count Banfield. He's taken down pirates like Goaz and earned the epithet 'Pirate Hunter.'"

Derrick raised an eyebrow.

"Pirate Hunter? Is he... my enemy?"

For Derrick, who is called a pirate noble, Liam, who made a name for himself hunting pirates, was nothing but an enemy.

Other students tried to appease Derrick.

"N-No! He's not your enemy, Derrick-san."

Hearing that, Derrick laughed.

"Right! He's just some country noble getting ahead of himself."

Then Derrick remembered.

"Come to think of it... His Highness also enrolled this year."

"Yes! His Highness Wallace has enrolled!"

Derrick grinned.

(It would be fun to make him kneel before me.)

Derrick, who harbored disrespectful thoughts towards royalty, thought that this year's first-years would be fun to play with.

First School Building Classroom.

The entrance ceremony was over, and it was time for homeroom.

"I am John, and I will be your homeroom teacher starting today! Call me Mr. John!"

Standing at the podium was Mr. John, who could easily be called a drill sergeant.

Isn't my homeroom teacher clearly unsuited for special treatment?

As I was thinking this--.

"Hey, you there!"

"Me?"

His Highness with blue hair—Wallace—stood up.

Upon closer inspection, he was wearing something like an earring.

"What is that accessory you're wearing on your ear?"

"This? I bought it in town before the entrance ceremony. Doesn't it suit me?"

The prince gave a foolish answer.

His head attendant had told him to be careful, but... he seemed to be a troublemaker.

"Student Wallace, this is a place to learn the basics as a noble. Do you truly believe such accessories are necessary?"

"Huh?"

His Highness looked around—there weren't many people wearing earrings, but many were dressed in ways that made one want to tilt their head.

Tom, the student with the tornado-like hairstyle, made me question if he was sane.

Looking at them made me incredibly irritated.

However, Mr. John did not pay attention to them.

--Could it be the power of money?

His head attendant had said that princes around the 120th rank were of questionable value.

Honestly, aren't there still many princes and princesses?

There are so many that they feel unappreciated.

"Student Wallace, 100 push-ups."

"W-Wait! It's just an accessory! Besides, I'm--"

"I know. You are His Highness. However, you should understand that you are expected to behave in a manner befitting royalty. Now, 100 push-ups!"

Is this military-style education?

However, he says nothing to me.

He doesn't say anything about Tom's hairstyle either.

--As expected, money is great.

"This is wrong!"

Mr. John was cold to Wallace, who was doing push-ups while complaining.

"You are the one who is wrong. What do you think kindergarten is? Now, let's continue with homeroom. First, there's something I need to tell you all. This is not your home. Life in the student dormitory is communal living. You will do your own chores."

Although everyone around looked displeased--this is a world with fully automatic washing machines.

With performance incomparable to my previous life, if you put laundry in, it will wash, dry, and even iron it.

Once you put it in, you just take it out.

In such a situation, even if you are told to do everything yourself, it's not strict at all.

"Indulgence is not permitted here. What we expect from you is to become nobles worthy of carrying the future of the empire."

It's impossible to become a great noble with just this.

Is kindergarten only this much?

"During homeroom, we will teach you the basic life here. Irregular lifestyles are not permitted here. Be prepared."

Let's live a regular life—are we elementary school students?

However, it might be a bit difficult for the people here.

"First of all--"

However, I was surprised by Mr. John's explanation that followed.

The life at kindergarten was different from what I had imagined.

Wallace Noah Albaret is an Imperial Prince.

However--he was just one of hundreds of princes.

Returning to the student dormitory, Wallace collapsed onto his bed, his whole body aching.

"All of them, they look down on me."

Princes like Wallace, who are treated as part of the masses, have no backing.

If their mother is a high-ranking noble, or if they are in the top ten for succession, there might still be a chance.

Up to the thirties, they can somehow get support.

However, for those beyond that—from the hundredth rank onwards, they are treated carelessly.

Wallace himself doesn't have much awareness of being a prince.

After all, he has only met his father, the Emperor, a few times.

He was also treated as one of the masses in the harem.

"S-Still, kindergarten is a much tougher place than I thought. I feel like giving up."

Wallace had received an education, but kindergarten was still strict.

A few days after the entrance ceremony.

Wallace, who had caught Mr. John's eye, was being scolded for everything he did.

"Waking up at five in the morning is absurd."

Upon waking, there was training from the morning, and by seven, they had to be ready and go to school.

Their schedule was packed from morning till night, and they returned exhausted.

Above all, the martial arts training was tough.

They learned the basic martial arts of the empire, but the content was difficult even for Wallace, who was studying Aren Swordsmanship.

"--Can I achieve my goal in this environment?"

Wallace has a dream.

That is—to become independent and be free.

To do that--.

"I can't give up. I will definitely succeed in picking someone up here!"

--Picking someone up.

Wallace was serious about picking someone up, not as a joke.

That's because it's a way to get closer to his dream.

Brian: "--My turn."

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