kscans

Chapter 159 - The Arts Theater and the Little One

"It is another fine day. Shall we be on our way, everyone?"

Little One wore a beaming smile, while the nobles' faces were stiff and tense. The princes and the others looked sullen.

The individuals who had caused a scene at last night's banquet were severely scolded, and the nobles who were ignorant of Frontier's customs hastily grabbed palace officials to inquire about the error of the incident.

And then, the truth came to light.

Frontier had established by law the freedom of its people who worked honestly and paid their taxes, and no interference whatsoever was permitted. The people had the right to refuse the tyranny and unreasonable demands of the nobles. Those with status also bore obligations corresponding to their privileges. They had to demonstrate abilities befitting their status. They could not simply rest on their laurels and lead a degenerate life. If they were to show such negligence, their privileges would be revoked immediately. However, among the nobles, status was respected, and disturbing the hierarchy was forbidden. The relationship between superior and inferior was properly maintained.

"...The rights of the people? What is that?"

"The common folk are like livestock that multiply on their own, are they not? We let them live on our lands, so it is only natural that they work themselves to the bone."

"Even for families with long lineages? Their status is revoked if they do not show ability? That is absurd!"

Romel looked down at the nobles tearing at their hair in anguish with a cool gaze and elegantly lowered his lashes. It was a sweet exterior that deceived those around him, but Marrow, who knew what lay beneath, was not fooled. He sounded a mental alarm, recognizing that as a face scheming something wicked.

"There is nothing so foolish as entrusting a domain to an incompetent. The people are not livestock to be exploited, you know?"

"Well said. Though, it is a bit much for me to say, as I had similar thoughts before I knew Frontier. Oh, but I am different now, yes."

Marrow flashed a cheerful grin, just like Little One.

Previously, when Little One visited Donautil, Marrow had the toes of a servant who crossed his path cut off and had him banished from the palace. When he heard that Little One had found the servant and healed him, he had genuinely asked, why would you do such a thing?

Marrow would never forget the girl's emotionless eyes at that moment. Even now, the memory made his hair stand on end.

A gaze as still as fine jade. Eyes that showed no emotion and felt devoid of warmth, like inorganic glass, were turned on him, and a chill ran down Marrow’s spine from the bottom of his heart. Flustered, he had sought help from Chihaya, who looked at Marrow with an exasperated expression and twirled his finger at his temple.

"You really don't get it, do you? Well, we learned that other countries are like that."

Learned?

Chihaya smiled wryly at the bewildered, blinking Marrow and explained. He explained the way of Frontier and its common sense. In Frontier, collected information was disclosed, and those with status learned it as knowledge, especially the royalty and nobility involved in diplomacy as a public duty.

Staring at the dumbfounded Marrow with an upward glance, Chihaya muttered in a low, piercing voice.

"'If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles,' you see. It's an old saying from Kilfan. Hiiro is voracious when it comes to learning. She messes up, stumbles, but gets back up and grows... What are you doing? Do you understand what you did in front of Hiiro?"

Frontier's upper class were protectors of the people. What had he done in front of such a noble?

In Donautil, it was a matter of course. Servants were punished for their mistakes. They were whipped for dropping dishes, and their meals were withheld if their bows were not to one's liking. Those who became useless were discarded, and slave-like laborers were treated as disposable.

But in Frontier, it was different.

Marrow's eyes widened in shock. Chihaya watched him quietly, then stood up and lightly patted his listless shoulder.

"Cultural differences can't be helped. The environment you grew up in plays a part, too. That's why Hiiro didn't say anything to you, right? ...Though she probably thinks it's pointless to say anything, anyway."

Marrow gasped.

So that was the reason for that frigid gaze.

Even if she thought it was pointless, it was hard to accept. The eyes say more than words.

"It is not wrong to be ignorant. But to not even try to learn when you are in a position to do so is just indulgence and negligence, isn't it?"

Chihaya's merciless words pierced Marrow's frozen heart.

From that point on, he turned over a new leaf. Marrow used the remainder of his study period in Frontier to cram as much knowledge into his head as he could. His schoolmates watched the younger prince, who had begun to study as if he were a changed person, with faces of disbelief.
And so the months and years passed, and the Marrow of today knew Frontier well.

That was precisely why he could not forgive Duke Andriew last night.

"You have changed as well."

"I am happy to hear that from you, Prince Romel. I still think I have a long way to go, but I intend to continue my efforts without neglect."

He had developed a fine expression. The shadow of the mischievous boy from a few years ago was almost gone.

Romel looked at Marrow's profile with great attention. Although a hint of mischief would occasionally surface, the current Marrow was becoming a respectable young man. Romel's eyes curved into arcs as he thought that he would not be unwilling to consider him as a candidate for Chihiro's hand in marriage. Unaware that the Prince Regent was sternly appraising him, Marrow was glaring resentfully at Katsumi, who was nestled close to Little One. Today was the tour of the academy city. It was a familiar city to the princes who had studied abroad in Frontier, but it was Katsumi's first time. Little One looked up at the excited newcomer and smiled innocently.

"This is your first time, isn't it, Katsumi?"

"Yeah. I'm looking forward to it, an academy city, huh. Is it like Harry Potter?"

"That's almost modern... It's more like The Ring of the Nibelung, maybe?"

"Wagner, huh. Nice."

"I'd like to stage that one eventually, too♪"

The two of them chattered happily, while big brother made a sour face at their as-usual incomprehensible conversation. Escorted by the Frontier knights, who watched them from behind with a sigh, the goodwill mission party made their way to the academy city.

The academy city, adjacent to the forest of the Arts Theater, was about a thirty-minute carriage ride away. Once the theater opened, Little One planned to run an omnibus that would circulate between the academy city and the forest park. A flat fare of two copper coins, one for children. She aimed to run them every thirty minutes, hoping to create something like a bus route from Earth. If it succeeded here, she planned to introduce it in the royal capital as well.

Nfufufun♪ My dreams are coming true one after another, nyon. All my hard work is paying off.

With a very pleased Little One on board, the carriage passed through the gates of the academy city. The outer walls were tall and imposing. Not only that, but they had also erected a physical barrier covering the entire upper section, utilizing the towers built at regular intervals along the walls. The academy city could only be entered through the front gate and was also designated as a refuge for the populace in times of emergency. It boasted a size rivaling the royal capital. The guests were stunned to see a city that also had the aspect of a fortress, with vast farmlands and pastures, making it almost completely self-sufficient.

"Is this... all within the grounds of the nobles' academy?"

"That is correct. It is a place where many students live and specialists engage in research. It is no exaggeration to say that the wisdom of Frontier is gathered here."

Indeed. The academy city, where most scholars resided as their base, was a treasure trove of all kinds of knowledge. Connoisseurs of the arts also gathered there, and the ancient and elegant streets possessed a fluid, stylistic beauty. There were many specialty shops, and a diverse array of items, from brilliant ornaments and daily necessities to suspicious medicinal herbs, chemicals, and magical tools, coexisted in harmony. Next to a cutting-edge hat shop might be an old bookstore, or a building with a restaurant on the first floor and an adventuring gear shop on the second. The guests were speechless at the overflowing cityscape, their eyes drawn in every direction even while just looking from the carriage windows. Carrying the people who sat with their mouths agape, the carriage entered the gates of the nobles' academy.

"A school... Huh? Is this an academy for the upper class?"

"One this large? Why?"

Upon disembarking from the carriage, the party's eyes were captivated by a cluster of magnificent buildings unlike any they had ever seen. The Frontier Nobles' Academy was lined with buildings larger than the mansions of many a high-ranking noble. There were school buildings for each grade level, each designed to suit the age of the students. Even a single desk was of a different size in the elementary and middle school divisions. It was said that bigger can serve for smaller, but a perfect fit was, of course, preferable.

"There are school buildings for each grade, and also specialized wings for each lecture. Those are the school buildings, and these are the specialized wings. Further in, you will find the training grounds. There are both outdoor and indoor types."

As they were guided by the pattering footsteps of Little One, the nobles' jaws remained agape. The schools in their own countries consisted of a schoolhouse, a training ground, and perhaps a large hall for events and a garden. While each country had its own character, they were fundamentally similar.

"This. I want to introduce this to my country. Schoolhouses and specialized wings for each grade. It was quite convenient. If the library is also divided by age, it saves a lot of trouble when looking for books and materials."

"I know, right? My country is also building an indoor training ground. The fact that you can train even in the rain was a blind spot. The snowy season is long in Donautil, so I think it would be a great help."

Crown Prince Marcello and Prince Marrow exchanged words with great interest. Masahad and the three Castrato brothers, who were visiting the nobles' academy for the first time, were speechless along with the other nobles.

"This is a school?"

"And it's only for the children of the upper class? Are there this many students?"

"School looks fun... I want to study abroad, too."

The group walked along the paved brick road, voicing their various impressions of the well-maintained buildings and facilities, and stepped into an open garden. Standing there was the familiar teaching staff. They greeted the goodwill mission with gentle smiles.

"Welcome. From this point on, our dedicated teachers will be your guides."

Introducing the teachers with the air of a kindly old man was the magic teacher, Teacher Yofas. As always, his potbelly jiggled as he laughed cheerfully.

For some reason, this smile gave Little One a strange sense of reassurance.

Thinking that everyone would have different things they wanted to know and places they wanted to see, Little One had requested that teachers from each specialty guide them. Most of them flocked to Teacher Yofas, wanting to learn about magic. Others showed interest in commerce, history, agriculture, and animal husbandry. One person even showed a rare interest in Frontier's specialty, honey.

"It is an essential ingredient for sweets, and how you maintain a close relationship with the Lord of the Forest... I very much wish to know."

This gentleman was a noble from Donautil, Marquis Zaire. Donautil had two Forests of the Lord on its borders, and he was surprised by the fact that despite the Frontier royal capital having a Lord's Forest nearby, there was almost no damage from monsters.

"The villages on our country's borders live in fear of monster attacks. How do you avoid this? I desperately wish to know."

He too knew the legend of the Golden King. But there should be no Golden King in Frontier now. So why were they still on friendly terms with the Lord of the Forest? Furthermore, hearing that a new Lord had established a forest in the capital of Flowers, he had been sidling up to Crown Prince Marcello, wanting to know the details.

"...That if there is a vast sea of trees, there is a possibility that a Lord will come... I learned that from the Golden King long ago... Yes."

Crown Prince Marcello answered while his eyes darted about nervously. Beside him, Little One pretended not to notice.

Well, he's not lying.

Their eyes met in a wry smile as they gave a noncommittal answer, but it seemed Marquis Zaire had not given up.

"Is it related to the Lord's Forest? There is a researcher in the academy city. Shall I introduce you to them?"

"Yes, please!"

As Little One saw the geography teacher leading the overjoyed Marquis Zaire to the carriage stand, she heard the voices of Marrow and Chihaya.

"The teacher is here, so how about we have a match for the first time in a while, Haya?"

"Oh, I would very much like to see that. You can leave the judging to me."

The dispatched knight and martial arts teacher looked at Chihaya with a bright face. Suddenly, the color of the surrounding guard knights' eyes changed to a glint. She hoped it was just her imagination. Being called out, Chihaya smiled for a moment, but then he glanced at Little One with an uneasy expression.

"Ah... but, I have to stay with Hiiro."

"I'll be fine, Nii-ni. You want to have a match, right?"

His sister waved her hand dismissively. It was endearing to see Chihaya's hands and feet itching for a fight.

There was no one in Frontier of the same age who could match Chihaya. His skill was enough to make him a knight apprentice. The only ones who could give him a proper fight were the professional knights. Marrow, despite having neglected his studies when he was studying abroad in Frontier, was at an intermediate level in martial arts. After he started learning seriously, he quickly progressed to the point of exemption and had been training with Chihaya in the knight order's exercises.

A natural-born warrior.

He was a person who had made even that Harold say as much. With magic added to the mix, the two of them, not yet adults, had become a duo that made the Frontier knights, each worth a thousand warriors, watch with great attention.

A match upon their reunion after a long time. They must be so happy.

"Well, just for a little while... I'll be right back."

No sooner had he said it than the two of them dashed off towards the training grounds. Their happy figures racing each other were a heartwarming sight.

Ah, this is what they call happiness.

Little One's eyes softened as she looked at the people going off to see what they pleased, and she savored the happiness of the moment.

Then she heard a carefree voice.

"Well then, shall we head out into the city too? There were a ton of things that caught my eye!"

Katsumi's eyes sparkled with excitement. Little One nodded enthusiastically and grabbed his finger.

"There are lots of recommended places, nyo. Let's go♪"

The thirty-something boy and fifty-something girl returned to the carriage stand with faint smiles. It was a given that Chihaya and Marrow, upon their return, would search frantically for the two who had disappeared at some point.

"This is why, Hiiro, honestly!"

"That guy is bad news! I have a really bad feeling about this!"

The unspoken understanding that flowed between Katsumi and Little One. A mysterious sense of closeness that suggested a world of their own that no one could enter. Chihaya and Marrow vaguely felt a similar unease, something they could sense but not fully grasp.

""Where are youuuu!""

While the two of them ran around roaring, Katsumi and Little One enjoyed the academy city.

"Whoa, this is fun! What is this?"

"It's an application of a jacuzzi, nyo. We're frothing up magical power instead of water♪"

In a container like a children's pool, the two of them floated gently. The fluffy bubbles that rose up supported them unsteadily. It was a plaything to attract customers, but Katsumi was having a blast.

By the time Chihaya and the others caught up to Little One and her companion, who were running around here and there, the sun was already setting.

Chihaya and Marrow could not help but feel drained at the sight of Katsumi and Little One, laden with a huge amount of shopping like a couple of tourists.

Katsumi stood by Little One's side as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Having found a natural enemy that should not be left unchecked, Chihaya and Marrow looked at each other and nodded.

And so the days passed, and Little One and the others greeted the opening day of the Arts Theater.

Of course, it was not going to end without incident. The usual Little One quality was about to begin.