Chapter 52

I apologize for any typos.

Thank you for reporting the typos.

"‘I’m so tired…’"

William and Joshua are slumped over their desks.

"I didn’t expect we’d have to run for two hours…"

William, whose breathing has finally steadied, looks around the classroom and whispers weakly. Many of the students in the room look even more exhausted than the two of them.

"Something about 'Hunters live by their stamina!'... That teacher must have muscles even in his brain."

Joshua has been training a bit since last year, but he can’t hide his fatigue.

"But, in reality, stamina is necessary, isn’t it?"

Georg answers with a completely calm expression. The beginner Hunter practical class ended after two hours of running around the school grounds. Since it didn’t require much thinking, it was a win for Georg.

"... Is Emma still not here?"

Joshua, straightening his disheveled clothes, looks at the classroom entrance.

"Did she... cause any trouble again?"

"Ah, Prince!"

Prince Edward, the second prince, is standing at the entrance. Noticing William’s call, he approaches with a tall boy.

"From the looks of it, the beginner Hunter practical class is still just two hours of running, isn’t it?"

He stops the students from bowing with a gesture and speaks to Georg and William.

"Was the Prince in the intermediate class?"

Georg asks in response to the Prince’s words.

"I started last year. I chose Monster Studies this year. ... Running for two hours at your age must have been tough, William?"

The Prince sympathizes with William, who is the youngest among the students. There are no age limits for admission to the school, but the content of the classes is not adjusted based on age or gender, nor by social status.

"The Prince struggled a lot last year too."

The tall boy with the Prince teases with a mischievous smile.

"Arthur, you don’t need to say that. Georg, William, let me introduce you to my classmate, Arthur Bell."

Arthur, the boy called by that name, introduces himself with the same mischievous smile.

"You’re Georg and William from the Stewart family, right? The Prince has told me a lot about you. ... Well, compared to the Princess of the Stewart family, it’s only about one-tenth of the amount."

"Arthur!!!"

He’s clearly teasing the Prince. Arthur, who is the same age as the Prince, already has a physique like an adult and stands out. The Bell family has a long lineage of knights, so Arthur is also the Prince’s classmate and bodyguard.

"Ah, right, Prince, can I introduce someone too? This is my childhood friend, Joshua Rothschild."

Joshua, who had been hiding behind Georg, smoothly performs a bow.

"I am Joshua Rothschild, Your Highness. I have been granted the title of Baron this year and am now a part of the noble ranks."

With the Prince’s permission, Joshua raises his head.

"Hmm... So you’re the freckle-faced Joshua..."

The Prince had remembered the name from a game of make-believe a year ago, where the strict Jadwiga had played a role.

"Yes, I am on good terms with the Stewart family, especially with Lady Emma."

Joshua smiles and responds, and a tense atmosphere suddenly fills the room.

... Amazing! That Joshua! Is he declaring war on the Prince?!

A former commoner, now a Baron, challenging the Prince?!

No, wait, didn’t he say Rothschild? If he’s the son of that trading company, his wealth rivals the nation’s?

The students in the classroom, who unfortunately happened to be there, start communicating with their eyes.

The Prince’s affection for Emma was well-known from the royal ball, where the usually expressionless Prince had acted completely different in her presence.

The lethargic atmosphere after the Hunter practical class changes abruptly, and no one can move. Despite the warming weather in the capital, the classroom feels cold.

"Hehe, this classroom seems lively, doesn’t it?"

"I was worried I wouldn’t make it because my embroidery teacher was rushing me."

"I’m looking forward to Monster Studies, Caitlin."

"I’m looking forward to Monster Studies, Catherine."

"The Monster Studies classroom is large, so securing seats shouldn’t be a problem."

The tense atmosphere in the classroom is broken by the voices of girls, which are rarely heard in this class.

"Ah, Joshua! How was the Hunter practical class?"

Joshua, who was facing the entrance, is called by Emma. The students, who can’t move, communicate with their eyes.

... Why are girls in the classroom?

Is that voice Lady Emma? She called Joshua before the Prince?!

What’s going on? Has there ever been such tension on the first day of school?

The Prince turns at the sound of Emma’s voice.

"Oh, it’s the Prince, Caitlin."

"Oh, it’s the Prince, Catherine."

Francesca and Marion, holding the heads of the twins, bow.

"Emma! Why are you here?"

The Prince’s voice is lively. He didn’t expect to see her today since all the classes are mandatory for boys.

"I came to attend the Monster Studies class. Is the Prince taking Monster Studies too?"

Emma answers with a soft smile. Unlike at the ball, she isn’t wearing a veil, and the large scar on her right cheek is noticeable, but for the students who were under extreme tension, her smile is a source of comfort.

... ...

Cute...

Good...

Despite the silent communication, some students’ eyes are filled with heart marks... The young nobles in this world are easily swayed.

"Brother and William were here too. And...?"

Emma tilts her head at the unfamiliar Arthur near the Prince. Looking around, Arthur, with his mischievous smile, extends his hand to Emma.

"Nice to meet you, Princess! I’m Arthur Bell. The one over there is my sister Marion, and it seems you two are getting along well?"

He tries to kiss the hand he’s shaking, but Marion stops him.

"Brother, you’re going too far."

"Why are you stopping me, Marion? You do it all the time."

"No noble lady would be uncomfortable with a kiss from me, but that’s not the case with you!"

Brother and sister are both true to their nature.

"Hehe, you two get along well, don’t you?"

Emma smiles softly again, and Arthur leans in.

"So cute, this is a one... two... three..."

He is pulled by the Prince and loses his balance.

"Cut it out, Arthur! And let go of her hand."

The Prince frees Emma from Arthur’s hand and shields her behind him. His actions are those of a real prince, but he takes the opportunity to hold Emma’s hand.

"William... why is my sister so unnecessarily popular?"

"Her personality is like a middle-aged woman, so she’s not even aware of it. Her mother’s perspective is adding to the confusion..."

Georg and William whisper to each other, holding their heads.

...

Among the pitiful students communicating with their eyes, Francesca’s brother should be there...