The Status Window Opened on the First Day of School (1) At the end of February, the streets around St.
Jansk University were packed with people.
The greatest educational institution established after the war by order of the late king was finally holding its entrance ceremony.
The entrance examinations had been held back in November of the previous year, so the new students had waited a very long time for this day.
As merchants from Prizhenkaya schemed to empty the pockets of freshmen and their families who had traveled from distant foreign lands, and every sort of “traditional pastime”—pickpocketing included—ran rampant…
Despite the biting chill of an early spring morning, freshmen who could barely contain their excitement and happiness filed through the gates of St.
Jansk University, while upperclassmen watched them with pitying eyes.
“What’s that?” Everything had been normal until someone pointed at the sky in confusion.
One after another, more and more people began pointing upward.
Then, as a massive shadow blotted out the dawn light and stretched across the university campus…
“An airship…?” “A…
flying…
battleship…?” “Are you insane?!
T-That’s the Kalion national flag, isn’t it?!” The crowd gathered before the campus instantly fell into panic.
“Y-Your Excellency!
A Kalion warship is flying over Prizhenkaya’s airspace…!” “Hmph.
I have eyes as well.” A silver-haired Minister of the Imperial Household clenched his hair in frustration.
“…Didn’t Elpihera say she would travel overland through Thyles?” “W-Well…
hahaha!
That’s right!
But they concealed themselves above the clouds with a camouflage barrier, so…” “Indeed.
The weather has been poor lately.
Naturally, we failed to determine whether Kalion’s distinguished guests were arriving by land…
or crossing our airspace aboard an armed warship.
A perfectly reasonable explanation.” “N-No, Senior!
Be realistic!
How are we supposed to plant agents inside Kalion?!
It’s an elven nation!
How are we supposed to hide humans there?
We’d be exposed immediately…” As one officer of the Counterintelligence Command broke into a cold sweat, repeatedly muttering that he was doomed once he returned to headquarters…
In an age where peace had become nothing more than a vulgar joke…
A warship descended from the sky.
It was early spring.
*** I just hope Elizaveta doesn’t kill any elves.
Ignoring the chaos around him, Ivan walked on while pondering the situation.
He could already imagine what they were thinking.
‘Funny, isn’t it?
It looks like only members of the Hero’s Party keep getting targeted by terrorists.’ ‘How incompetent must your border security be for this to happen?’ ‘Elpihera is the treasure of our archipelago.
How could we possibly entrust her safety to you?
From now on, we’ll protect our own.
Thank you for your cooperation.’ It would have been difficult to argue with that.
Isabelle and Esidisi had both been caught in the train derailment, and the fact that everyone had survived was little short of a miracle.
Elizaveta had even received Ivan’s warning beforehand.
But who in the world would dare provoke the Krasilof of this era?
A nation locked in a vicious succession struggle between the princess and the crown prince, whose military had remained almost entirely intact after the war because of that very political deadlock.
What foreign nation would dare challenge them?
Not unless they had a death wish.
Elizaveta must have felt unfairly blamed.
She probably never imagined there were lunatics capable of something like this.
In any case, the incident would most likely be treated as little more than an unfortunate misunderstanding.
The elves of Kalion were unlikely to commit a diplomatic offense greater than this display of military intimidation.
If I told her the academy would become the target of countless terrorist attacks in the future, she’d probably lose her mind.
The thought of seeing Iron-Blood Liza cry again was admittedly tempting.
Still, he decided against continuing his habit of insulting his superior.
To begin with, he wasn’t eager to meet Elizaveta.
Things between them were…
awkward.
Hmm.
Elizaveta had written to him often.
Ivan had returned every single letter unopened.
Partly because he had no desire to have personal conversations with his superior, and partly because he wanted nothing to do with royalty.
Had he known she would become his commanding officer only a few years later, he would have behaved more carefully.
That was something worth reflecting on.
She had been only fourteen when she first wrote to him.
Who could have predicted that, a mere five years later, she would become an officer in the Extermination Unit?
At the time, Ivan had been serving in the late king’s Imperial Guard division.
If anyone had seen him casually chatting with the princess, he could easily have become entangled in political intrigue.
He absolutely had to avoid giving anyone the impression that the great late king had secretly dispatched him to support Elizaveta…
“Huh?
Mister?” “…Hm?” Lost in thought, Ivan suddenly heard a familiar voice.
Someone dashed over and swung a hand toward his shoulder.
Ivan instinctively twisted aside to evade the blow while his hand shot toward his waist.
His fingers found nothing.
Only then did he remember he had left his axe in the Headmaster’s office.
“Come on!
What’s with that killing intent?
Can’t I even say hello?
You’re terrifying!” “So the greeting customs of Thyles have changed considerably.” “I saw your hand go to your waist!
Is that how people greet each other in Krasilof?
By burying an axe in someone’s head?
Is that how you treat a comrade who’s fought alongside you?” It was Isabelle.
Without a single attendant accompanying her, she approached him with a bright smile.
“You don’t look like you’re here as a student.
Are you an instructor?
A professor?
Not with the Knight Faculty, right?
You don’t really look like someone who’d become a knight.
Ah, don’t tell me.
Let me guess.” “I don’t remember you having this kind of personality.” “You told me to smile more, remember?” Isabelle smiled cheerfully.
It was an expression so much like her father’s that Ivan found himself smiling back without thinking.
“I still can’t stand Sir August, and I still absolutely hate people who fake smiles.
But…
well…
if everyone else is fake, then maybe I should be fake too.” “Excellent.” Ivan meant it sincerely.
To begin with, she had always been like an under-socialized puppy.
The type to bark at anyone, and bare her teeth whenever she felt even slightly threatened.
The fact that she’d changed so much after only one night made Ivan privately congratulate himself on having unexpected talent as an educator.
(From Isabelle’s perspective, however, that “one night” had involved the massacre of roughly eighty civilians and a desperate life-or-death battle against the Demon Race to save the dozen or so survivors.
She found his evaluation rather bewildering.) “Anyway!
Mister—no…
hmm…
with your skills, you must be a professor, right?
Which department?
Physical Education?
Definitely Physical Education.
It can’t be the Knight Faculty…
hmm…
Does St.
Jansk University even have an assassination curriculum?” “Do you truly believe an educational institution that teaches such things would have any value in this world?” “It’s always good to learn everything!
Well…
except magic.
Magic’s seriously way too hard.” “It’s a bit troublesome if a Hero can’t use magic.” “Hahaha!
I told you, I’m in the Knight Faculty!” Ivan continued walking while watching the lively Isabelle chatter away.
As she continued talking nonstop, another group approached from the distance.
“Milady!” “Eek.” Isabelle’s face instantly turned cold.
Then, after stealing a quick glance at Ivan, she hurriedly composed herself.
“Ahem.” She straightened her expression and answered brightly.
“Oh my, Young Master!
Fancy meeting you here!” “I’ve told you that you may speak more casually, Milady.
Please, simply call me Oscar.” “Sure…
next time!” Oscar.
Ivan’s eyes narrowed.
A strikingly handsome blond young man emerged from a group of female students, smiling warmly as he approached.
Good heavens.
He looks exactly like his father.
Ivan couldn’t help admiring the resemblance.
Not only his appearance—even that smug expression of someone completely enamored with himself.
The only real difference was the crowd surrounding him.
Gilles Vert’s romantic exploits had always been remarkably…
discreet.
To be fair, opportunities to meet women had been scarce back then.
The Hero’s Party had only two women.
Patricia was barely in her early teens.
Enrique was a vampire over a hundred years old.
“Hmm.
It’s a pleasure to meet you.
I am Oscar de Sation of Thyles.
And you are?” “Ivan Petrovich.” “If you don’t mind my asking…
what is your relationship with Milady?
Ah, forgive me.
You may not know this, but Milady is an honored state guest of my country.
I’m afraid I must ask, even if it seems rude.” Anyone seeing a suspicious-looking bearded stranger walking beside the Hero’s daughter would naturally think the same.
Ivan himself didn’t agree with the assessment.
From Oscar’s perspective, however…
This man was suspicious.
Especially considering what had happened during the train terrorist attack.
Oscar had departed three days after Isabelle.
Because Isabelle had stubbornly refused to travel with him.
And when news of her accident reached Thyles…
Advance!
To Prizhenkaya!
Let’s tear apart the paws of those Krasilof brown bears!
A nation that forgets history has no future!
People of Thyles, never forget the Hero’s sacred achievements!
The streets of Saint Matilene had been packed with demonstrators carrying banners like those.
After all, the Hero’s daughter hadn’t merely suffered an accident abroad.
She had disappeared in a terrorist attack.
What else could the people have done?
Fortunately, urgent news soon arrived that Isabelle had returned alive and completely unharmed, and the demonstrations dispersed.
But the distrust and suspicion Thyles held toward Prizhenkaya soared to unprecedented heights.
To make matters worse, Oscar had received a stern lecture from his father, the Defender of the Realm, Gilles Vert.
“Once you enroll, make absolutely certain that not a single hair on Isabelle’s head is harmed.” “Even if it costs me my life?” “No matter how I think about it, her life is worth more than yours.” “Wow.
You’re unbelievable.
Why didn’t you just swap us?
Weren’t you close friends with the Hero?” “If I could have, I would have done it twenty years ago, my son.
Your mother Yulia and I always wanted a daughter.” “…That’s honestly terrifying.” Remembering that solemn lecture from the model knight of Thyles, Oscar involuntarily frowned before quickly smoothing his expression.
“So you’re a member of the university staff.” “Please forgive my discourtesy.
There have been far too many unfortunate incidents lately.” “Hm.” “If I may ask…
which faculty do you belong to?
I don’t recall seeing your name among the professors.” At those words, Isabelle’s ears perked up.
So…
he isn’t a professor?
“I’m the gardener.” “…Huh?” “…What…?” A gardener?
With those skills?
Isabelle stared at him in utter disbelief.
Those deep eyes that never revealed what he was thinking.
That thick beard hiding every trace of expression.
I really want to shave that thing off…
The thought crossed her mind before realization suddenly struck.
“…Aha?” Grinning oddly, she jabbed Ivan in the side.
Ivan reflexively reached for his waist before remembering once again that his axe wasn’t there, and calmly lowered his hand.
“You’re a government agent, aren’t you?
A secret agent or something?
Wow…
university life is already getting exciting.
Just what are they hiding here that they’d station a government operative on campus?” She whispered before immediately clearing her throat and restoring her cheerful expression.
“Our little secret, okay?
Don’t go telling anyone.” “If it’s our secret, I think you should be the one watching your mouth.” “Come on!
I’m the Hero’s daughter.
Dignity, secrecy, justice.” “Was the Hero really like that?” As the two continued whispering to each other, Oscar’s expression gradually became strange.
“Milady?” “Ah!
Right, Young Master.
Ahem.
Mr.
Petrovich?
Thank you for showing me around.
Wow~ The campus is so huge I almost got lost.
See you later!” Does the Faculty of Arts at St.
Jansk University happen to have an acting department?
Ivan seriously considered recommending an introductory acting class as one of Isabelle’s electives before walking away.
*** At that very moment, inside the grand auditorium where preparations for the entrance ceremony were in full swing…
One person stood staring blankly into empty space.
“What is this…?
A status…
window?” [Congratulations!]