kscans

Chapter 49 - Little One's New Daily Life, Three

"Welcome to the Frontier Noble Academy. I am Hubert, and I will be your homeroom teacher for the next three years. Next to me is your assistant homeroom teacher, Jessica-sensei. Let us all do our best to make this a nourishing experience for our lives."

After the welcome reception ended, the new students moved to their classroom and received an explanation of what was to come. The spacious room contained five rows of long desks. The tiered seating was reminiscent of a lecture hall at a university on Earth. The twins sat next to each other in the very last row, and once the teacher confirmed everyone was seated, he stepped onto the dais. Their homeroom teacher, Hubert-sensei, was a man with light green hair and grey eyes. He looked to be in his mid-thirties, with the energetic air of a large dog. The assistant teacher, Jessica-sensei, was a gentle, elderly woman with soft brown hair. It seemed the academy had a rule that homeroom teachers must be a male and female pair, likely because there were matters students would find difficult to discuss with someone of the opposite sex.

"For the most part, you will be studying with this group. Your placement will be decided by tomorrow's proficiency exam, after which you will learn in classes appropriate to your respective skill levels."

The students began to murmur restlessly. Well, for seven year olds, this was to be expected.

The teachers watched over the young children with warm gazes.

According to the explanation, while basic homeroom and group activities would be conducted with this class, academic studies and training would be done in groups of students at the same level, regardless of age.

"The academy does not exist to make capable students review what they already know. Those who can should push ever forward. Of course, it is good to look back once in a while. But abilities grow only when you challenge one another. Please give tomorrow's academic and practical exams your all."

How very rational, I thought. It seems Frontier has been blessed with wise rulers for generations.

As the twins nodded in understanding, a female student in front of them raised her hand. When the teacher permitted her to speak, the student stood and swept her extravagant curls over her shoulder.

"I am Aristea La Cartiña. I have a question. Will respect be paid according to our station?"

At her words, a brief stir went through the classroom. Aristea, who had reddish brown hair, sniffed with a smug fun and looked around at the others.

"It will not. Are you implicitly suggesting that we should take your status into account and evaluate you more highly than your abilities warrant? If we were to do that, you would have a very difficult time here, you know."

Hubert-sensei grinned and cut her down with a single stroke. Aristea's face, once a mask of astonishment, rapidly turned beet red. Giving her a glance, Hubert-sensei explained in a way that was easy to understand.

"Are you listening? Dividing students based on ability means that if someone who doesn't measure up gets mixed in, they will stand out in a bad way. The things other students can do, that person cannot. As a result, that individual will be demoted to a lower class, ending up as nothing more than a nuisance to their former classmates. Frankly, it would be a public disgrace."

To give a high evaluation to someone who was clearly inferior would cast doubt on the teacher's own qualifications. It would benefit no one.

"So let me make this perfectly clear. There was a time in the past when such injustices were tolerated. We are talking hundreds of years ago. But things are different now. We operate on a system of pure meritocracy, to the point that we even accept scholarship students from among the commoners. Is that understood? Do not bring up such fossilized ideas again."

Hubert-sensei narrowed his eyes sharply, silencing Aristea. Her face still crimson, she looked down and quietly returned to her seat.

"Why do you think we teachers do not use our family names here? Because they are meaningless. In academics, a family name is worth less than a scrap of paper. Does a family name polish what's inside a person? It may provide an environment where one can receive a higher education. However, if the person's own qualities do not measure up, such things are meaningless. In the same environment, what matters is one's own aptitude and effort. That is what an academy is. Do not mistake the meaning of status."

Little One almost let out a whistle and hastily zipped her lips. Not only was the fundamental concept sound, but the education provided to the teaching staff was thorough as well.

Not bad at all.

Twitching her lips, Little One couldn't stop the fluttering in her chest. It seemed her time at the academy was going to be fun. After a few more questions and answers, the students were told they were free to go home or tour the campus. The twins eagerly slipped out of the classroom.

"Nice, nice, this school seems fun, nyo."

"What should we do? We need to match up with the princes' schedules. I think we have about another hour. Shall we look around?"

Just as they were discussing their plans, someone called out to the twins from behind.

"Hey, you're new students, right? My name's Takt. What about you guys?"

A boy with short, slightly unruly dark grey hair and brown eyes flashed them a grin and introduced himself.

"I'm Chihaya. And this is my little sister, Chihiro. It's nice to meet you."

"Chih-haa-ya? Chii-hii-ro?"

The boy pronounced their names slowly and deliberately. The twins shared a wry smile at the familiar reaction.

"It's the Kilfan language. You can call me Haya or Hiro, whichever is easier."

The little girl smiled sweetly, and Takt's face relaxed in relief as he nodded vigorously.

"It's just, everyone here seems so amazing. They're all nobles, right? I was so scared I was out of place. What academy did you two come from? I heard it's rare for students to get recommended to the Noble Academy from the elementary division, so I was relieved to see you guys."

Ah, the two of them exchanged a look.

It seemed Takt was mistaken. Traces of a commoner's disposition were seeping through his words.

"Sorry, we're nobles too, technically."

"What? But, your hair is black and dark brown... Ah, ahh! My deepest apologies!"

The higher one's status, the lighter their hair and eye color tended to be. Most commoners had colors close to black. It was no surprise that Takt had made a mistake upon seeing the twins. He recoiled for a moment, making himself small. Seeing this, the twins laughed brightly.

"Don't worry about it. Our dad is a chef at the royal palace. He was originally a commoner, you know. He just earned his title by working his way up with his cooking skills."

"That's right. He's the head chef. His name is Drago. He's a huge guy, like a bear."

"Drago...? You mean Count George? What? Ah, then, does that mean you're Little One?"

Little One was more famous among the common folk than in high society.

"Whoa, no way! When I go home for the holidays, I'm gonna brag to everyone! I'll tell them I'm classmates with Little One!"

Little One tilted her head, puzzled by the meaning behind his words.

"Little One was someone from long ago, right? Why am I Little One?"

That was the nickname she had when she was Fatima. She understood why the older Fatima was no longer called that, but she now realized that the nickname had somehow slid over to her. Chihiro placed a hand on her cheek in a cute gesture.

"Uhm? I don't really know the details either. Soul? Heart? Something like that? I heard what's inside is what's important. And they say the current Little One is Count George's daughter, you know?"

It was a vague explanation, but she understood its meaning. The common people recognized the black-haired Chihiro, not Fatima, as Little One. The twins couldn't help but look at each other.

'Does this mean my identity has been exposed?'

'I don't know, but it feels like they haven't figured out the whole truth yet, maybe?'

Their eyes said more than words ever could.

Communicating beyond mere eye contact, the two nodded in agreement to consult Romel about this later.

"Well, I don't really get it, but Hiro is just a normal girl... I think."

Why did you correct yourself, Nii-ni?

She gave her quietly faltering brother a lukewarm smile, then wrapped up the conversation with Takt, saying she looked forward to seeing him tomorrow. The two then asked for directions and made their way to the martial arts training grounds. They had heard Theodore would be there. Fatima and Miltisia also had classes only in the morning and had promised to meet at the training grounds later. After passing through several buildings, the two found their eyes widening at the sight of an open area. It was as spacious as the Knight Order's training grounds, marked with blue lines. Many people were diligently training in their respective sections. The academy had nearly three hundred students, including those from abroad. Among them, all but the upperclassmen who chose a specialization were required to learn martial arts as a basic skill. Some of the middle school female students already had arranged marriages, and it seemed those who would marry immediately after graduation were exempt. For the twins, who were training as apprentices with the Knight Order, it was a familiar scene, but the other new students were excited to see a real mock battle for the first time.

"So cool! I'm going to learn the sword!"

"I'm good with a spear. I'd love to have a match."

The children watched intently, their eyes sparkling. As if flustered by their ardent gazes, the upperclassmen's movements became a little sluggish. It was a minor awkwardness, but a man who appeared to be an instructor shouted encouragement.

"They're your future juniors! Don't show them such a pathetic sight that'll disappoint them!"

The man, grinning as if half-joking, slung a large wooden sword over his shoulder and winked at the new students. Perhaps fired up, the upperclassmen's movements became sharper than before. While captivated by the sight, the twins' hands and feet began to itch with anticipation.

That's not right. That's not how you handle a spear.

Noticing the twins' unconsciously twitching fingers, the man who had shouted encouragement approached them.

"Are you interested? From the looks of it, you're no amateurs. Want to have a match?"

The twins' faces lit up, and they looked at the man, whose lips were turned up in a grin.

"What's your weapon of choice? I'll be your opponent. Don't hold back!"

""Yes, sir!""

The man's name was Andrius. He was an active knight from a border count's domain. Who could have imagined that he would be brought to his knees by the twins? He would never forget his choice that day. In a good way.

"I give up..."

Andrius raised his hands lightly in surrender. Chihiro's wooden sword was at his neck. Chihaya's wooden spear was at the small of his back. The match had been decided in an instant by the twins' furious, coordinated assault. The small twins' movements were fierce, a flowing and elegant display of martial arts that left Andrius bewildered. He hadn't even had a chance to properly cross swords before his greatsword was parried by Chihaya's spear. Seizing the opening, Chihiro's sword knocked the greatsword from Andrius's hand.

What in the world just happened?

As he surrendered, Andrius swallowed hard, a cold sweat beading on his brow. Their speed was too fast to follow, they deliberately crossed paths to divide his focus, and their thrusts and withdrawals were timed so he could not concentrate on one opponent. What's more, many of their moves were from the Knight Order's forms.

""Thank you very much!""

Standing with their feet slightly apart and hands clasped behind their backs, the twins straightened up with a sharp zan and bowed respectfully. The entire sequence of movements was perfectly synchronized. That, too, was a Knight Order custom. It was not something widely known to the public.

"Where did you two learn martial arts?"

He knew without asking, but he couldn't help himself. He had to confirm it. To the sullen Andrius, the two answered without pretense, their smiles carefree.

""From the Royal Knight Order.""

While the onlookers were left speechless, the story of that day swept through Frontier, and it was a charming outcome that a flood of applicants came knocking on the doors of every knightly order.

It is but a side note that a few days later, a letter arrived for the twins from the martial arts class, exempting them from lessons. The contents were more of a plea, begging them not to come lest the other students lose their confidence, which brought wry smiles to the faces of Romel and Harold.

Causing a storm from the very first day, the Little Ones are full of energy today.♪