That evening, I knocked on Shayden’s door. I had only intended to tell him to be aware, but as he listened to my carefully laid-out plan, Shayden’s expression hardened.
Shayden was good at seeing what I missed. I looked at him for a long time, worried.
Shayden tilted his head, pondered for a while, and then gave me a very troubled look.
“If you had told me before telling Jenny… I would have told you not to do it.”
“…Why?”
“It’s a pretty flimsy plan. It doesn’t do Jenny any good, and it just heaps responsibility on her. I don’t like this approach. Jenny… doesn’t necessarily have to be on the Second Prince’s side, does she?”
“…Huh?”
I didn’t immediately understand what Shayden was saying.
With Luber and me hanging around together, and my friends hanging around together, everyone naturally ostracized the First Prince and hoped that the Second Prince would be the next Emperor.
I had placed my family and even my mother’s family on Luber’s shoulders.
But why Jenny?
Shayden easily noticed that I wanted a more detailed explanation and continued in a soft voice.
“Jenny is already a third-year. She’s been in high society for three years, and around her… besides us, there are only commoner members of the academic society or ordinary officials introduced by the Servel family. They don’t need to get caught up in the fight for the throne.”
“…Why?”
“Because whether Richard becomes Emperor or Luber becomes Emperor, they’ll receive roughly the same salary and do the same work.”
“…”
“Jenny has lived diligently. She knows a lot of people in high society. A close younger sibling from her hometown whom she hasn’t contacted in a while? Of course, that will be suspicious. How are you planning to explain that away?”
“…Ah.”
“You didn’t think that far, did you?”
That was right. I hadn’t considered Jenny’s position at all. I just thought it was okay because she was a close friend. I was only now realizing that it wasn’t okay, and I was flustered and didn’t know what to do.
“If Luber becomes Emperor, what benefits will Jenny receive?”
“…”
“But because of this, what disadvantages will Jenny face if Luber fails to become Emperor? Can you compensate her for that? As a friend, without crossing the line?”
“…”
I opened my mouth, then closed it again.
What Matt Nico wanted to protect was the heir to Grimbsvein. How much help would it be to Matt if I said just one word about taking care of Jenny as well?
I also hadn’t thought deeply enough, so I hadn’t considered that Jenny would be in danger at all.
“The deed hasn’t been done yet. Perhaps, even now…”
“Yes, let’s think of another way together. Before that, you need to properly talk to Jenny and apologize.”
“…Okay.”
That was right. Shayden and I hurried toward the girls’ dormitory.
I asked a servant at the dormitory to call for Jenny. She came out wearing comfortable clothes with a thick cloak over them. It was the outfit that her mother had proudly embroidered herself.
Seeing that my expression wasn’t good because my heart was heavy, Jenny asked several times if I was worried.
Because it was late and the weather was cold, we headed to a small conference room in the library to talk.
However, after listening carefully to Shayden’s and my explanations, Jenny smiled and replied in a light voice.
“Thank you for your concern, Shayden. But I thought about that much myself.”
She knew everything. She knew it and still willingly agreed.
I stared at Jenny. I couldn’t read any anxiety or dissatisfaction on her kind face.
“That child, Wendy, has already entered Shierun Academy. Everyone who needs to know probably already knows that Wendy is the heir to Grimbsvein.”
“…How?”
“When a commoner enters the Academy, they have a total of three interviews. Did you happen to know that the second interview is conducted non-face-to-face?”
It was the first time I’d heard that. Shayden also didn’t know, and he shook his head with a bewildered look. Jenny shrugged with a calm smile. Instead of me, who was silently keeping my mouth shut, Shayden cleared his throat and asked cautiously.
“…No. Would you explain?”
“To see if this commoner’s family has ties to a noble family. The Noble Yearbook Management and Inspection Department conducts a three-day investigation of the surroundings. If the student agrees on the first interview day, they will be observed on a day within a week.”
“…”
“The house they live in, the neighborhood they live in, family relationships, close neighbors. All of that.”
“…”
Shayden was surprised, and so was I. Jenny was still smiling.
“When you graduate from the Academy, you receive the Dansung title. If you are a descendant of a noble family, you can even aim for the position of heir. Someone who hasn’t been verified can’t enter. A commoner entering the Academy is like that, Shayden.”
“…”
“It’s a process of constantly verifying and testing whether I can join this group, whether I’m qualified. I still often dream that someone is watching me.”
“…”
“That might not be a dream.”
“…But.”
“Yes, you guys didn’t treat me that way, though.”
Shayden, who was about to protest, closed his mouth. From the moment she opened her mouth until now, I had been staring at Jenny without even breathing properly.
“I’m a prodigy. I might even be a genius. At least no one in my village had ever won an argument with me, and I get almost perfect scores on the exams at the Academy. That’s why I was able to enter the Academy. I’m just an ordinary commoner here, but in my own way… I know and think about everything within the scope that I’m allowed to know.”
“…Then, why.”
“I wanted to help, even knowing that. Because you guys were good to me. Because you saw me as a person.”
Ah. I sighed. Shayden stared at Jenny with an astonished look. I had seen her as too young. Even though I thought I knew that Shierun’s children matured early, I hadn’t really felt it.
“I wanted to repay you too. How could it be friendship if I was only unilaterally receiving favors? I know that you guys naturally take care of me, but I mean, we’re friends, and I’ll give as much as I can give.”
“…”
“Of course, if I think something is too difficult, I’ll refuse. After the Second Prince ascends to the throne, I might ask for a real title, an inherited title, instead of the Dansung title. I might become more greedy than I am now…”
“…”
“But, that’s not why I said I would do it.”
Jenny’s gaze turned directly to me. Her dark navy eyes shone wisely.
“I’m okay. Wendy’s bloodline from Grimbsvein has probably already been revealed. Even so, she survived and entered the Academy, and a commoner who played the role of a close friend on the surface won’t be killed.”
“…Jenny.”
“What I said is still valid, Michael. You can ask me for favors like this anytime.”
I was speechless. All three of us sitting in the small conference room didn’t say anything.
After enduring a moment of silence, I stood up and bowed politely to Jenny. It felt like I had to.
“I was short-sighted. I’m sorry.”
“Instead of saying you’re sorry in times like this, please say thank you.”
“…Thank you.”
“Good.”
Jenny smiled and pulled my sleeve to make me sit down. I didn’t resist and sat back down. Jenny smiled brightly and asked Shayden.
“So, the cute blind date is tomorrow at lunch, but do you want to come too, Shayden?”
Shayden, who had been staring blankly at Jenny, burst out laughing and shook his head.
“No, no. Let’s send the contract dating couple and we’ll hang out by ourselves. That sounds more fun.”
“Okay! Then, let’s have dinner together tomorrow. It’s Friday, so let’s do it together.”
“Yes. Think about what you want to eat.”
“I’m going to eat something expensive. Michael is paying tomorrow. Should we call Marianne too?”
“Sure.”
The two young boys and girls laughed like cute troublemakers. I laughed along with them.
I was pleased, amazed, and surprised. I also came to respect Jenny. I couldn’t help but do so.
❖ ❖ ❖
So, on Friday morning, after taking a circle understanding class with Marianne, I called Matt Nico and sat with him in the dormitory cafeteria.
Jenny said she would introduce her friend and brought Wendy, a first-year, all the way to the third-year boys’ dormitory cafeteria to greet me and Matt.
Wendy blushed and bowed a few times, acting shy as if she was meeting Matt for the first time. Matt Nico smiled affably and acted simple.
The four of us sat across from each other, ate, chatted, and then went to the cafeteria, saying it was a shame to leave so soon, and spent time there.
Many people saw that scene.
Those who didn’t think deeply might just think that Jenny was introducing a younger sibling she knew to her connections. What would those who thought deeply think? I couldn’t figure it out with my head.
After laughing and talking for a while, Matt offered to walk Wendy back. I left the cafeteria with Jenny. Jenny smiled and rattled off various stories.
Stories about the neighborhood she wanted to live in, the country she wanted to live in, and the world she wanted to create.
The story about class came out of her mouth several times. I listened carefully to all of it. I wanted to be like her wisdom.
As I listened carefully to each word, Jenny smiled brightly and looked up at me.
“You don’t have to think too seriously. If it seems like Michael doesn’t know something he needs to know, I’ll tell him like today.”
“…Like today?”
“Yes. I’m better at this kind of thing. We help each other by doing what we’re good at.”
That was indeed the right thing to say. I nodded in admiration. When I vowed to quickly become a Grand Sword Master and write her a letter of recommendation, Jenny showed an uncharacteristic hearty laugh.
The same day in the afternoon.
The upgrade of the Great expansive divine skill of azure sky with Douglas Mustang, Mage Boulder, and Blanc Cooper still hadn’t shown great results.
Just last week, we talked about doing something about it, and after testing two of the four plans they brought yesterday, it was time to test the remaining two today.
It wasn’t an easy task.
To circulate aura to the Middle Dantian while circulating internal energy to the Lower Dantian, and to operate the internal energy like divine power to prevent the collision and repulsion between them.
It was easy to say, but it wasn’t much different from using a sword with your right hand, fishing with your left hand, and writing with a brush with your toes.
I had to practice how to hold a brush with my toes first, or rather, how to operate internal energy like divine power.