By Zephyria 
Wednesday, the second week of October.
It was lunchtime. I gratefully accepted the book that was suddenly thrust in front of me.
Jenny, who had just handed me the book, was trying to look at my face with an expression that suggested she was about to die of laughter. I roughly waved my hand to block her gaze and returned the book I had already finished reading.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Oh, I was just wondering if you found it interesting. Daisy specifically asked me to ask you.”
“It was better than the last one. Although, I still can’t understand the feeling of deliberately tormenting someone you like…”
I had been taking the time to read romance novels for the past few days.
It was because I was worried about Rubel after making him cry last month. I knew I was very clumsy when it came to romance, but there was no need to repeat the same mistake over and over again.
Even though I felt like I was barking up the wrong tree, I occasionally looked through the books Ivan gave me, thinking that I might have close contact with Rubel sometime in the future.
I still had to cover the illustrations because they made me blush, but it was clear that I wouldn’t have time to read leisurely after climbing the Yuil Mountains. Therefore, I was determined to learn as much as I could before the end of the year, whatever it may be.
In any case, it was very impressive that many romance novels unanimously sang about the hundreds of problems that arise from not speaking honestly.
I was also able to comfort Rubel, that child, by speaking my mind right away without hiding my thoughts. Although I had a hard time cleaning up the mess afterward, it felt like I had done a good job.
I even secretly copied a few romantic phrases in advance to prepare a reply to Rubel’s next letter.
Ivan would often suppress his laughter until his jaw rippled when he saw me like that. Every time I told him to just laugh, he would let out a small chuckle and reply, “No, it’s nothing.” The guy was very annoying. It was even more embarrassing because he usually had a calm and indifferent expression on his face.
I glanced across at Marianne, who was happily smiling as she piled her favorite side dishes high.
“Did Marianne see it too? The Celine Duke…”
“The Celine Duke wants to live again? Of course, I saw it.”
The novel I read this time was about a violent Young Lady Duke who was born as the daughter of an enemy and treated like a madwoman, solving various incidents to find her original place. How surprised I was when I opened the first page of the book.
Even if I didn’t come from another world, I wondered if reincarnation was a common occurrence. I had hoped that if I could find out about the situation of people like me, I might be able to get some help.
I casually brought it up as if it was nothing, as if I was just curious.
“From what I’ve seen, romance novels often involve turning back time or being born into another body. Is this something that is possible with magic?”
But Marianne laughed and waved her hands as if it were absurd.
“Oh, it’s just a novel! There’s no magic related to time. While magic related to space and area is allowed up to the boundary contact line, it is an established theory that time cannot be turned back even by 1 second, or 1/100th of a second.”
“…Hmm.”
“Even the Ninth Shinui couldn’t turn back time when he lost his loved one, right? So, we have to live our lives without regrets. Do you understand, Mika? Without regrets.”
“…Don’t say it so meaningfully. I understand.”
I awkwardly replied, but I couldn’t give up and asked again.
“But what about reincarnation…? Didn’t the Ninth Shinui say that he was waiting for his love to be reborn? If mythology and magic are so close, then perhaps…”
“That hasn’t been proven either. Mythology is a story, but magic is proof. After all, no one who has been reborn has ever appeared in Sierran history.”
“…Hmm.”
…No one in history?
I don’t know how I ended up being transplanted to this land. But now that I have learned about the Sierran Empire and Wizards, I don’t want to open my mouth and be dragged to the Magic Tower. Before my head became too complicated with these thoughts, I shook them off.
That afternoon, during class, Calypse Agrigent stood in front of the podium with his usual demeanor.
Knowing the meaning of the scarf around his neck, I buried my nose in the handout and only listened to the lecture.
Professor Calypse, who couldn’t possibly know why I was acting like this, didn’t seem to care at all, but Shayden was worried about me and sent me notes several times to check if I was sick.
No, I’m fine, I replied politely and put the notes away.
Usually, in Calypse’s class, he would simply hand out a few handouts about the Imperial Council, explain unfamiliar words or laws, and then move on to the main lesson. But today was different.
Calypse stood in the middle of the podium and erased the letters he had written densely on the blackboard several times. Since the letters on the blackboard had never been erased before the end of the semester, I became nervous and sat up straight.
“At this Imperial Council, the Second Prince proposed a groundbreaking agenda. It concerns the establishment of five new academies and the amendment of laws related to the right of movement and choice of residence for the people of the territory. The reason why these two agendas are groundbreaking is clear.”
A precious name was written in the middle of the blackboard.
Rubel Anti Searon.
Calypse underlined Rubel’s middle name, ‘Anti,’ twice to emphasize it.
“This is because Rubel Anti Searon, the Second Prince, is a figure with true blue blood, inheriting the blood of the legitimate Emperor and the Antiess Marquess family.”
A breath, a moment of silence. All one hundred or so children in the lecture hall did not waste a single breath. After confirming that all the children were focused, Calypse opened his mouth again.
“The only Crown Prince candidate who has ever set a policy of favoring commoners and new aristocratic forces to this extent was John Sheeran, who was born about 370 years ago to a Mother who was a court maid at the time. But.”
John Sheeran’s name was written directly below Ruben’s name. He had no middle name. Calypse tapped the empty space twice with chalk and then looked ahead again.
“As you all know, John Sheeran died 84 days after declaring his candidacy for Crown Prince. After that, many people received new titles, but there was never enough room to seek the well-being of the whole, rather than individual success.”
Another breath. Calypse Agrigent’s voice was consistently calm.
“Until now, the Empire has considered the Crown Prince’s place of origin as the top priority in the process of selecting the Crown Prince. The current Emperor Beneto Loki Sheeran can be seen as the biggest beneficiary. He ascended to the throne with a strong support base based on the wide network of the Loclem Marquess family. The current Emperor takes a ‘benevolent’ attitude towards the economic activities of the commoners, but there is a clear limit to the benevolence that comes from above.”
Calypse, in a rare fit of excitement, placed his hands on the podium and leaned forward. If he had wings, it looked like he would fly away. A clear voice, with each syllable and phrase distinct, echoed clearly in the large lecture hall.
“The Second Prince is now trying to reform this structure itself. Whatever the main purpose may be, this is an innovative attempt and a choice that will be recorded in history.”
Three-quarters of the students in the classroom were from commoner backgrounds. I noticed the remaining quarter of the students exchanging glances with each other. The desire, expectation, and excitement in the gazes pouring onto my cheeks and the back of my head were clear and brilliant.
Calypse Agrigent’s gaze was not directed at me. He looked at the children who were looking at me.
“Those with Single rise titles have gone through several generations. Although the perception of commoners has changed a lot thanks to the activities of the existing graduates of Shierun Academy, the financial resources they can mobilize are very insignificant. Rubel Anti Searon is able to come up with these policies because he is relying on Valentia’s support.”
The explanation that followed was about the financial support that Valentia had offered for this agenda.
Before I knew it, the story had progressed that far. Only about half a month had passed since Jenny had brought it up to Rubel. It would not have been possible at this speed if he had not prepared in advance.
I glanced at Jenny, who was sitting a little further away, her eyes shining. The child’s eyes were burning brightly. Rubel’s voice seemed to tickle my ears.
Mika, you think that’s right, don’t you…?
…Was this new world what the child wanted to give me?
Calypse’s explanation continued. The First Prince, in contrast to Rubel, had raised the issue of the monitoring system of the current Department of Noble Lineage Management.
This was triggered by the fact that a Count who was born and raised in the Kingdom of Floyd was pursued by the Department of Noble Lineage Management for almost three months due to a report from another Count who harbored resentment, and eventually attempted suicide, complaining of mental distress.
Some nobles began to refuse to disclose their lives to the Department of Noble Lineage Management. They argued that the monitor should only be able to monitor if they are granted reasonable rights and qualifications.
Even those who had nothing to hide had the same discomfort as all the nobles of Sierran, who had to be conscious of the gaze of others from birth. They had simply endured it naturally because everyone else was the same, because even the Emperor was under someone’s gaze.
They said that such a thing does not happen in other kingdoms, that commoners are not placed under such surveillance. The resentment that started in that way was flaring up like wildfire.
Calypse Agrigent devoted the entire class time to explaining the conflict expressed by the two Princes in detail and meticulously. In most of the legislative proposals, there were traces of many people having pondered for a long time. He looked at all those agendas several times.
Only seven pieces of paper were extremely heavy.
“After this, the Imperial Council will review these agendas a total of three times in accordance with the legislative procedure, and then take the necessary steps for legislation. Whether either side’s opinion will prevail depends on the next 10 years. Therefore, instead of a pop quiz next month, I will be accepting a final report.”
Calypse erased the name written on the blackboard and wrote in neat letters.
“You can number the thirty agendas in outline form, present positive or negative opinions, and explain the reasons for them. We will provide you with handouts at this time every week, depending on the progress of the Imperial Council.”
“…”
“That’s all.”
After the class, some of the children who got up from their seats asked me to spare them some time. I thought it was my duty to endure and readily agreed.