I’m an Ordinary Returning Student at the Academy
Chapter 75

[Translator – Angel Dust]

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Chapter 75

I looked up and scanned to the right. Nothing. This time, I looked to the left. Still nothing.

Where are our esteemed lords? My friends! Where on earth are they?

Shulifen! Wilhelm! Alexander! Joachim! Please come out now! I’ve done it all wrong!

Damn it. Damn it. My pride is hurt so badly. Argh! It hurts too much to be so prideful!

But what can I do? It’s too hard to endure this alone! Hydra’s! Damn the Four! Where are all of you! Save me! Save me, please!!

“Oh, have you heard the news, Karl Adelheit? Among the exchange students this time—”

“…from the Lasker’s side, surprising news about His Highness the Crown Prince and Lady Rika’s engagement—”

I’m going insane. No, maybe I’m already insane.

Incredibly, instead of the usual New Year’s greetings, the Emperor gave praise to the recipients of the medal of honor, including me. Normally, the nobles would have wished for the prosperity of the Empire and the well-being of the Emperor and the Royal family, but this time they praised the Empire’s heroes first.

The problem here is that unfortunately, most of the recipients of medals are old and replace it difficult to be active for long. And since I’m not just any noble, I found this New Year’s ceremony uncomfortable!

As a result, most of the honored heroes, along with me, felt it was too much and left the New Year’s reception hall. They apologized for their age and tiredness to the distinguished guests.

Thanks to that, the spotlight of being a ‘recipient of the Medal of Honor’ that should have been divided among me and the senior members ended up focusing solely on me. It even doubled and poured in more.

It was less burdensome when the Emperor was still there, but since he stepped down, it has become unbearable.

“Sir Karl Adelheit. To see an Imperial War Hero like this―”

“Isn’t it wonderful, those self-respecting elves would award you the Legion of Honor!”

“I have heard the news. There will be a crown princess from House Adelheit. Congratulations!”

Wow! You should go talk to my father about our family! Why is everyone coming to me like this!

I am not the head of the family. I’m not Count Friedrich. Maybe someday, but not yet.

My father is over there. If you want to say that kind of congratulations, just go over there and say it. Oh, go away!

…I felt like I wanted to say this. To be more precise, I tried to do that.

“Hahaha! Thank you, everyone. I really appreciate it.”

“Hmmm. I don’t know if I should brag about my son or my daughter….”

“I see. I guess I’ll have to call her the Crown Princess from now on, Haha.”

“….”

My father seemed quite busy. The crowd was so big that it seemed like his face was going to convulse due to the business smile he had on his face without any exaggeration.

I’m not guilty of giving my father a toss for the nobles who flocked to me in that situation. Farewell, gentlemen, I throw off all the constraints and shackles of this world and go in search of my happiness, and you too!

Thanks to that, I had to become the glorious sacrificial victim of an event written as a New Year’s Eve ceremony but read as a ceremony of worship for recipients of theMedal of Honor (twice).

“Is this the medal? Yes, it is. Haha! This is what the Kanf—no, the elves gave…”

“Thank you. But I really didn’t do anything great. I’m not modest!”

“A Sign? You’re kidding, right? …Ah, you’re serious. Yes, on a glove. Yes. Yes. I’ll do it.”

I thought I was going to die of cold feet from the sheer volume of praise.

If I could, I would have escaped. But because of the Emperor’s request, not a request but an order, I became the protagonist of this New Year’s Eve ceremony, and I had to get used to thinking about the future of the Adelheit family.

‘…Please, no more than this! Stop it!’

If I had to pick a fortunate part of this misfortune, it would be that the terrifying figures like the Duke, Marquess, and Viscount went to see my father. Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s good, but at least I won’t have to worry about the ‘political’ part.

That’s why I’m looking for the Four. They are the future lords of the marquisate, the duchy, and the viscounty, so they must be here.

I need to replace them and maybe hide among them for a while. If I keep suffering like this, I might really sneak out of the New Year’s Eve reception hall and disappear somewhere.

‘Found them.’

After an anxious search, I finally found the Four. Someone was there, so calm, even holding a wine glass and laughing heartily.

Damn it. Suddenly, I feel disgusted. I’m here suffering, but they look so happy?!

“Hey.”

“Hey, Karl. You’re here?”

How should I smack these fuckers’s heads? Should I punch them, or should I knock them down? I seriously need to consider—

“Greetings. This is Lord Remus, Duke of Bernstfall.”

I almost turned my body to run away. No, damn it! Why are these giants here again?! And who? The Lord of Brenstfall Duke?! If I knew someone like that was here, I wouldn’t have come!

“At long last, we greet each other, Karl Adelheit. I’m Remus Bavaria, Duke of Brenstfall.”

“…I’m Karl Adelheit of the County of Friedrich. It is an honor to meet you, Lord Remus.”

Dukes. Among the nobility in the Empire, they were one of the three dukes, beyond just a simple military ally to the imperial family. And in my view, just as high-ranking as the royal family.

‘…Why is the Duke of Brenstfall talking to those guys…’

Ah. Right. They’re all soon-to-be lords of marquisates, duchies, and viscounties. They’re doing such strange things sometimes that I forget. They’re becoming the most prominent among the nobility in the Empire.

“It’s more appropriate for me to say the honor is on my side, isn’t it? Meeting someone who has been twice honored with the Medal of Honor in person. Your Majesty has personally commended you as a hero under his reign. This, I’d like to preserve as a memento, whether it’s a painting or a photograph.”

“….”

Even with just a brief conversation, I can sense the character of this Lord Remus.

He seems very friendly with the Four, and even the way he speaks now. Somehow… he seems quite similar to those four.

“He is the person who gave the biggest donation to the pension foundation this time. Karl.”

“Oh! Really? Thank you, Lord Remus.”

“No, it’s I who should apologize for not having done this earlier as a noble of the Empire.”

Lord Remus replied and abruptly changed the subject by saying ‘More than that!’

“That mint chocolate, I really like it. How about this, gentlemen? Do you have any plans to expand your business? We have a number of merchants in Bavaria, so production and distribution shouldn’t be too difficult.”

“It would be a great help if you could assist us.”

“I’m eager to have a serious discussion with you all as soon as possible. Haha.”

“…”

They’re even into mint chocolate. Seriously. Mint chocolate.

“Oh, Karl. I heard something from the Lord just now.”

“If it’s about mint chocolate, it shouldn’t be discussed when I’m not around.”

“It’s not that. It’s related to the academy.”

“…The academy?”

The topic about the academy from the Lord of the Duchy. Suddenly, I’m interested. I quietly sit down to listen, and Shulifen continues.

“Just like Hyzens, this time, Lasker and Abileshti are planning to send exchange students again. But this time, there’s a new member from the Lasker royal family among them?”

“The royal family has always had members among the exchange students. What’s the big deal?”

“Is that so? But this time it’s different. It’s a direct royal.”

“…Direct?”

Wait a moment. Isn’t this a bit surprising? A direct member of the royal family enrolling in the Imperial Academy?

“Does that make sense? Why would Lasker do such a thing, rather than just a distant relative?”

“I’ll explain that, Karl.”

Lord Remus, sitting across from me, takes a sip of his mint chocolate (…) drink.

“It seems she’s been pushed out of the succession.”

“Pushed out?”

“Yes. Since the Lasker Crown Prince fell ill and collapsed three years ago, there has been a fierce struggle over the throne among other successors.

Especially between the second and fourth princesses. And as a result, the second princess succeeded in pushing out all the other competitors, including the fourth princess.”

According to Remus, the second princess had been busy taking away and tearing apart any siblings who posed even the slightest threat to her.

Even sending them to the farthest corners of the kingdom, or even outside the kingdom altogether. And the reason the direct successor enrolled in the academy this time was for the same reason.

“The fifth princess of the Lasker Royal Family….”

The four still haven’t graduated. The heroine who could have graduated but chose graduate school. An elf from the special forces who became an exchange student. And a royal princess from another country who is now halfway to being kicked out.

‘And a two-time Medal of Honor recipient.’

What the hell is this? It’s not even a mishmash academy story. I’m going crazy, I’m really going crazy.

“That’s how it is. Oh, Karl. Would you like a mint chocolate drink?”

“…No, thank you. Lord Remus. It’s really fine.”

[Translator – Angel Dust]

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