Chapter 5

At Shu Ran Academy's Elementary Division, the results of regular exams are never announced.

By the time students reach the Middle Division, the top 20 students in overall and subject-specific rankings are posted, and their grade-level rankings are also notified to the students themselves, but in the Elementary Division, there is no such notification.

There is a report card, but it is based on absolute evaluation, so it is not very reliable.

As a result, it is difficult to understand how well the other students are performing.

And I don't really know how well I am doing in this school.

Most of the girls who attend the Elementary Division of Shu Ran end up getting politically arranged marriages upon graduating from university, or they get jobs through their parents' connections and look for a spouse during that time, so there aren't many who study hard to improve their academic performance.

But I am different!

So far, I haven't incurred the emperor's wrath, but if the protagonist enrolls and we happen to clash, there is a possibility that I could offend the emperor and my family could be punished.

Moreover, the pattern of my father being caught in a work-related scandal, being forced to resign, having his assets seized, and our family falling into ruin is still a lingering concern.

Oh, Father, please change your ways. (I don't even know if he is actually doing anything wrong. It could be a false accusation!)

If our family falls into ruin, I won't have a marriage prospect, and I will have to earn a living on my own.

For that, I need to study.

Thinking about what would happen if we can no longer afford private school tuition, I want to have the academic ability to enter a national university.

In the future, I want to earn a salary that can support not only myself but also my parents at the very least.

That's why I asked my parents if I could attend a cram school.

"Since you are a girl, you don't really need to work so hard at studying, do you?"

As expected, my mother was negative.

She even suggested that I take up the flute or the violin instead.

Incidentally, my father leaves all the children's education to my mother. He is of no help in situations like this.

"But Mother, I am really interested in studying."

Hmm, that might not be a strong enough argument.

So,

"When I move up to the Middle Division, excellent students from outside will join. I don't want to fall behind then."

To drive the point home, I added, "I don't want to embarrass the Pivoine members..."

My mother's eyebrows twitched. The Pivoine spell works well on her.

"Well, in that case, how about getting a private tutor?"

That would be a problem! I want to attend a cram school, not have a private tutor.

I have another ambition to achieve besides improving my academic performance.

"I want to go to a cram school. I also want to know what the students from other schools are like."

I leaned in and pleaded.

After all, you made me attend so many preschool classes before the entrance exam, so it's only fair to let me go to a cram school!

"But there's no need for a daughter of the Kichijōin family to be friends with ordinary children. Besides, there are children from public elementary schools there. If the lovely Reika gets hurt, it would be terrible."

There it is, the elitist mindset.

"You should be selective about who you associate with," she said.

As a result of being selective, you ended up with the hopeless and spoiled Kichijōin Reika, didn't you?

"It's okay, Mother. I'm just going to study. I will follow your teachings."

As a former public elementary school student, I was a bit irritated but I held back.

"Please, Mother, I'm begging you."

I clasped my hands in front of my chest in a prayer pose.

Come on, can you feel the adorable daughter's begging beam?

"It might be okay."

Oh! Suddenly, reinforcements from the rear!

My brother, who had been listening to my conversation with Mother, came to my side.

"Since Reika wants to study so much. How about the cram school I attended when I was in the Elementary Division? The classes there are thorough and easy to understand."

The cram school my brother attended! That sounds trustworthy!

What do you think, Mother? My brother is recommending it. Come on, come on, give us a favorable answer!

Mother looked at both of us and sighed softly,

"Alright. I'll let you go through the enrollment process tomorrow."

Yayyyyyy!!

I did it! I can attend a cram school!

"Thank you, Mother!"

I couldn't hold back the smile that was welling up inside me.

Now my ambition can be realized...

"Brother, thank you for your help just now."

As I left the living room and returned to my room, I chased after my brother in the hallway to thank him.

My kind brother, as always.

Hehe.

"It's no big deal. But you seemed unusually insistent about the cram school. Is there another purpose?"

Thump. Was I that obvious?

"Um, I just get lazy and lose the motivation to study at home. And I want to make friends with students from other schools."

I tried to come up with an answer, looking up diagonally.

"Hmm."

My brother stared at me for a while, but when I pouted,

"Alright, alright. Let's leave it at that."

He patted my head and laughed.

You understand, Brother.

"But, Reika,"

My brother leaned in close to my ear,

"When people lie, their eyes tend to look up to the right."

He then laughed and said, "Well, goodnight," before going into his room.

What was that just now?

No, that 13-year-old is scary. How does he know that?

Is my gentle and calm brother actually devious?

Knowing how to detect lies might be useful for when he lies himself.

I hope my brother remains my oasis of the heart.

And from now on, I'll be more careful when I lie...