The small floating island didn’t have anything particularly remarkable about it.
It had a little mountain, a forest, a river, and a wide stretch of flat land.
When I found it, the island seemed too plain for anything, but I decided to settle independently and make it my domain.
One reason was its size—no matter how much it developed, it would never amount to more than a baronetcy—but it was also an uninhabited, deserted island.
For the future, or rather, for spending the rest of my life, isn’t it just about perfect?
After graduating from the Academy and becoming a feudal lord, I’ll hole up here under the pretense of pioneering. I’ll have my family house act as my patron and look after me while I take it easy.
Inside a cave on the island.
That’s where I’d stored Luxion.
Covered in a gaudy, papier-mâché-looking armor, Luxion was now using that same fake exterior as a model to build a new airship.
The ones doing the construction were the work pods.
Near me floated a sphere with a gray metallic body and a single red eye.
It was about the size of a softball.
“You really needed to make a fake?”
“Preparations are necessary for anything. And I can’t deny the possibility that this woman Zora might try some scheme.”
Luxion had said it would self-destruct, but once it learned I could speak Japanese, it decided to follow me—out of curiosity, it said.
I don’t get it, but as long as it follows orders, no problem.
“More importantly, how’s the island looking?”
“There’s a heat-retaining ore in the floating island. By running the water we’ve drawn up through it, we can make hot springs. In the future, it could earn money as a tourist spot.”
“Not like I’m interested.”
More than that, the big thing was that with Luxion around, there’d be no worries.
This thing could apparently provide its own resources.
With cheat-level performance like that, I can’t help but wonder how the Old Humanity lost to the New Humanity.
Still, the fighting was over before it woke up, and no detailed records remain. The mystery just keeps piling up, but honestly, I don’t care if there’s some mystery in an otome game world.
It doesn’t matter.
“Construction of the mansion has begun, and we’re also improving the harbor. In about a year, the surface should be comfortable to live on.”
An unmaintained territory is a sorry sight.
But to fix that in a single year—Luxion’s capabilities are something else.
I can’t believe it was only two thousand yen in my previous life.
“I’m counting on you. I’ve had my fill of adventuring. For a mob like me, just searching for you was enough excitement to last several lifetimes.”
“I have to express my respect for a Master who, having obtained my performance, decided to shut himself in with all his might. No ambition, and thoroughly self-centered. You’re so human it’s admirable.”
“Is that sarcasm?”
“It’s irony.”
I flicked Luxion away with a finger flick.
Its surface must be made of a fairly soft material, because it didn’t hurt much.
“Are you ready for enrollment at the Academy in the capital?”
At Luxion’s question, I answered with a shrug.
“I’m ready. Thanks to you, my family’s freed from debt and right in the middle of all the territory maintenance they’d been putting off. A merchant we do business with got all sorts of things ready for me.”
I used most of the treasure I’d obtained to spread money around on harbor improvements and territory maintenance.
I bought up materials to build a new village and started tackling things we’d never touched before.
Over these past few months, the territory has really come to life.
“Still, does the Academy even mean anything?”
This time Luxion answered my question.
“Ostensibly, it’s meant to improve the quality of the nobility’s children through education. Many of those noble children, like Master, hole up in their territories and never leave. So it seems there are many who lack common sense as nobles, and I suppose they want to gather them in one place to educate them. Also, I suspect they want to show off the greatness of the capital to those narrow-minded provincial nobles and crush any rebellious spirit. For the provincial nobles, the students become hostages. But the young ones are happy to study abroad, and thanks to getting an education in the capital at a very low cost, they’re grateful too—that’s the truth of it.”
“…You know an awful lot.”
“The biggest reason, I think, is to instill a sense of belonging to the same country. Being able to unite in a crisis is a powerful thing. And according to Master’s account, there seem to be other continental nations as well.”
If you tried to find meaning in the Academy, was that about it?
I’d honestly just assumed it was an academy provided because it’s an otome game setting and the story calls for a school.
“Come to think of it, the Academy is also a place to find a marriage partner, they say. Since it’s also a social venue, try not to do anything too reckless.”
“I’m not going to do anything. In the first place, how much difference can a mob like me make by kicking up a fuss?”
“A mob, you say. I understand what you mean, but that judgment is—”
I cut him off.
“Well, I just need to find a reasonable partner. Not some unattainable nobleman’s daughter, but a knight family’s daughter, and go independent in the future. That’s fine, right?”
Truly a life of smooth sailing.
I’ve no business taking a wife of high status for no good reason.
◇
“…Huh?”
Summoned to my father’s study, I went in to find a topic that far exceeded my imagination waiting for me.
“Why are you so surprised? You discovered an unexplored dungeon and conquered it. On top of finding a Lost Item, you discovered a new floating island.”
There before me was a letter from the royal palace addressed to me.
For my achievements as an adventurer so far, I was to be granted, provisionally, the rank of baron.
Not just going independent as a knight—they were giving me a baron’s title too.
“W-Why!”
“I just told you the reason. After you graduate from the Academy, you’ll be the head of a baron household. So you can’t become a dependant house of our family.”
The Bartfort family—my family home—is itself a baron household.
If I wanted to become its dependant, I could only do so as a knightly house or a baronetcy. For a house of the same rank to become a dependant is, honestly, unthinkable by this country’s common sense.
“I don’t have a domain on the scale of a barony!”
“You think I know? The letter from the palace said they recognize your independence and elevation of rank in light of your achievements!”
It seems my old man was just as surprised.
Apparently he’d figured that at most they’d recognize my independence and make me a knight.
“…So does that mean, at the Academy…”
“You’ll be in the class for heirs of baron households and above.”
The majority of nobles attending the Academy are children of knight houses. But you can’t give them the same education as the heirs of baron households and above. Second and third sons are one thing, but I, slated for independence, was now slated for the advanced class.
Second and third sons of wealthy families also want to pay their way into the advanced class. So it’s not like the class is only heirs, but… anyway, it’s a class I don’t want to be in.
“I want the regular class.”
“That’s impossible. You’ll be the head of a baron household. You need a suitable education.”
“Then what about a wife!”
“…Naturally, you’ll have to take one from a baron household or viscount household in the same class.”
Despairing, I collapsed to my knees.
“I don’t want that!”
“Idiot, don’t cry! There aren’t that many women like Zora. And the Academy has better women than you think…probably.”
My old man actually said “probably.”
Which means the reverse could also be true—it might be a situation with nothing but duds.
“The daughters of baron to count households are the biggest landmines! I’m telling you I don’t want it. I absolutely don’t want it!”
My father panicked.
“Stop calling noble young ladies landmines! If anyone hears you, it’ll be a disaster. Besides, your own older sister and younger sister are daughters of this baron household too.”
“That’s exactly why I’m saying no! Those two are seriously the worst!”
If possible, a woman of lower status would have been much better.
“Nooo! I want a woman who’s more quiet and gentle. A daughter from a baron household or above is unthinkable!”
My father covered his face with both hands.
He probably can agree with some of it.
In fact, even though we’re country nobles, from my perspective, my sisters are kind of “uh, seriously?”
When my younger sister said with a straight face, “A man’s value is in his ability to provide, you know. For a good-looking man, I’ll look elsewhere. Or a slave! Hey, Papa~, I want an elf mistress—I mean, a servant slave too,” I was utterly taken aback.
My older sister had bought a slave with my money and was showing him off, and apparently my younger sister was jealous.
My mother was flustered watching her daughters, while me and my father—and my second older brother who’d come back to the family home—looked on with a jaded feeling.
Older sister, younger sister—nothing but harmful.
“In any case, the class you’re advancing to is the advanced class.”
The class for heirs and wealthy nobles, and the class for the rest of the many students. The Academy had two classes.
Well, daughters of baron households and above get into the advanced class for free.
Speaking of the advanced class, I wondered if I’d meet the protagonist and company, but… I have no attachment to them, so I’m not interested.
“On top of that, this year His Highness the Crown Prince and the heirs of prestigious houses are also enrolling. It wouldn’t hurt to build connections.”
“No, from their perspective, people like us aren’t even on their radar.”
The princes in otome games like ordinary-seeming girls and absolutely hate the nobles who gather around them. That’s the biased way I see it.
“…I know that, but don’t say it so bluntly. Thanks to you, our territory has gotten a little better, you know. In another two years, even our family will be living a wealthier life.”
As I apologized to my dejected father, I still felt weighed down thinking about the future.
◇
The royal capital of the Kingdom of Holfart is located in the center of the continent.
In that place, a dungeon has existed since ancient times, spawning monsters. But at the same time, the dungeon contains ores like magic stones.
Those serve as the kingdom’s financial and material resources, and became one of the factors pushing it to become a powerful nation.
The continent is vast, and there isn’t just one or two places drawing water from the sea. Water is drawn up from many locations, making the land rich.
It’s a beautiful continent in harmony with nature, but the capital’s scale is enormous.
The urban area alone must have a million people.
A modern city with sewage systems and electricity provided.
In such a place existed the Academy where nobles attend.
A small floating island a little removed from the urban area serves as the airship port, and that’s where the airship we came on from our territory is docked.
It was an airship my family bought, about fifty meters in size.
The latest model airship has a deck on the top, but the rest is covered in armor. Its shape resembles a submarine.
My second older brother, carrying a travel bag, yawned.
“It’s nice to be able to come straight here from home.”
Before, they used to have to transfer to get back to the family home, and during their first and second years, my second older brother and second older sister didn’t come back.
My second older sister, Jenna, is a second-year at the Academy. With her brown hair and affected city-girl ways, the moment she found out money had come into the family, she bought a slave.
That beastman demi-human slave with cat ears, a lean-muscled type, was dressed in a finer suit than the clothes we were wearing.
“I want a more luxurious airship. My friends have airships on par with luxury liners, and I hate that I’m the only one with this poor-looking thing.”
It’s not your airship, and I wanted to tell her if you don’t like it then don’t ride.
My second older brother seemed to be thinking the same thing, as he averted his eyes.
“Mom is decent, but when it comes to the women of our family…”
Together with my second older brother, we carried our travel bags toward the boarding area for the shuttle airship down to the urban district. My second older sister, having her slave carry her luggage, followed behind us.
“Hey, are you two listening? Lyon, if you still have assets, fork some over. An older sister’s social expenses are no joke either.”
Ignoring the noisy creature called an older sister behind us, I talked with my brother.
“Brother, aren’t you unhappy that only I’m going to the advanced class? If you want, I could say my achievements were yours?”
“I’m not so down and out I need to take credit for my little brother’s achievements. I don’t want to go to the advanced class anyway. After all, it’s nothing but women like that.”
When we both looked behind us, there was the figure of my second older sister still grumbling.
“…She went and bought an expensive slave with my money. Damn it.”
As I muttered resentfully, my second older sister’s slave glared at me.
He must have heard with those twitchy cat ears.
My second older brother put a hand on my shoulder.
“She got infected by the advanced class. Try to understand.”
In the advanced class, things like what you wear and what slaves you have become status symbols to an extreme. Because of that, the young ladies from wealthy families dress up and parade around with slaves to show off.
And yet if a guy were to dress up unnecessarily and walk around with a female slave, he’d get cold stares…
My second older brother gave his thanks a little bashfully.
“Well, thanks to you, I was able to focus on my studies without having to work part-time jobs. Looks like I’ll find a partner too, so I’m grateful.”
“Then, think of it as helping me out—”
“Can’t grant unreasonable requests. Whoops, the boarding area here is easy to get lost in, so make sure you remember it properly.”
Led by my second older brother, we moved to the shuttle boarding area, where I saw many other students heading to the Academy.
The airship port was used mainly by houses ranging from knight families to viscount families. Houses of count rank and above apparently have their own exclusive ports in the city, embarking and disembarking there.
In terms of my past-life image, something like a station or bus terminal feels closer.
It didn’t feel much like a port.
After waiting, the shuttle arrived.
When my second older sister, sulking behind us, tried to stand up, she suddenly became flustered.
My second older brother had his hand to his forehead too.
“What’s wrong?”
My second older brother pointed into the crowd.
“The entourage of a ducal house.”
Looking, a group brazenly cutting in line caught my eye. Led by a pack of young women, beautiful slave men behind them. Then the young men of the group followed.
My second older sister made a disgusted face.
“Well, this year His Highness the Crown Prince and heirs from famous places are coming. Can’t be helped.”
The princes are coming. And with them, their fiancées.
Which means lots of well-known nobles are coming—lots of students from prestigious noble houses.
And their entourage acts all high and mighty with that prestigious backing.
“I see… Cocky underlings because the boss is here.”
At my words, my second older brother and second older sister panicked.
“Y-You idiot!”
“Are you an idiot?! Hey, are you stupid?!”
Once they confirmed no one had heard, they breathed a sigh of relief.
“There might’ve been demi-humans with good hearing listening. Have a little more awareness.”
I silently nodded a few times as the entourage boarded the shuttle airship and descended to the capital.
◇
The Academy is located inside the royal capital.
In a place with high population density, it secures an absurdly large plot of land. The school building is big, but the scale of the dormitories is incredible too.
My second older brother headed to the regular class dormitory, but I’m in the dormitory used by the advanced class.
It weighs on me.
The luxury was beyond what you’d expect of a student dorm; the first-floor lobby was like a hotel.
There were people at the reception desk, and the people actually working there were like hotel employees.
“Whoa—it’s exactly like how I saw it in the game.”
A luxurious student dorm. That’s about the extent of my reaction. If this were “The academy I’ve been waiting for!” then the story would be different, but to me, it’s like a prison.
In contrast, the protagonist gets shoved into a plain dormitory, so this scenery is unfamiliar to me as someone who played the game.
At reception, they tell me which room is mine.
If my status were higher, they’d apparently carry my luggage, but since I’m at the very bottom of the class caste, they politely told me to find it myself.
A real caste system exists—it’s astonishing.
Popularity within the class plays a part, but here the scale of your family home and your actual ability have huge influence.
“I want to go home already.”
Taking the key and heading to my room, I found other students like me. The location was a place with not-so-great sunlight.
It’s cleaned, and the room is probably smaller compared to others, but at least it’s a single room—that’s a saving grace.
The luggage I’d sent ahead seemed to have arrived; when I opened the boxes, my things were inside.
As I set them out in the room, I noticed textbooks and notebooks had been placed on the desk.
Almost everything was already prepared.
“They really do everything for you. Well, I guess I’ll put in the effort until graduation.”
It’s only three years anyway.
Honestly, I have strong resistance to taking a nobleman’s daughter as a wife. However, if after marriage she’s like Zora and wants to live in the capital or the city, then I can just find a wife—a concubine—back in my hometown, in my family’s domain.
She probably won’t be too happy about it, but.
If I just keep sending money home like my old man does, there probably won’t be many women who complain.
I know full well most women won’t give a country noble the time of day.
In terms of income, in terms of looks, I’m not the kind of man women want. To begin with, like my second older sister, a lot of them are like “country nobles are a bit…” because they want to live in the city.
Well, I’m the same in preferring the easy life of the city.
Finally, when I opened my travel bag, Luxion popped out from inside.
“If we’ve arrived, I’d like you to let me out more quickly, please.”
“Ah— sorry. Forgot.”
“…As expected of Master. A memory truly worthy of praise.”
Listening to its sarcasm, I continued unpacking.
“So, how was the voyage?”
“Nothing but primitive airships. The magical technology leaves me astonished, but it’s at a level reproducible by science. Well, I thought I’d continue gathering information from now on.”
So there were things worth seeing, I suppose.
“You’re a pretty dishonest AI. A tsundere?”
“Oh? Are you seeking a romantic partner in me? Unfortunately, I lack the concept of gender, so I cannot return Master’s feelings.”
This thing was starting to tick me off.
I made a fist to hit it, but it kept its distance, so I went back to unpacking.
Just then, I heard a knock.
◇
Leaving the dorm—or rather, the upperclassmen rounded up the new students and took us out to a stylish tavern outside the Academy.
“Ahh—, to welcome new students in the same position again this year, it truly fills me with joy.”
The one giving the address was the heir of a baron household from the same countryside as us.
I spoke to another new student nearby, Daniel Fou Durland.
Daniel is a healthy-looking guy with wheat-colored skin. Short hair, tall, muscular—he seemed like a fine young man.
“Hey, why are we having a welcome party like this?”
“You don’t know? We gather in groups like this to share worries and exchange information. You know, marriage and such—it’s important.”
It’s certainly easier being in a group, but I thought when a girl with good prospects appears, wouldn’t it become a competition?
As I tilted my head, the guy with glasses sitting across from me, Raymond Fou Arkin, pushed up his glasses and looked exasperated.
Unlike Daniel, he’s the intellectual glasses type with a slightly twisted personality.
“Even if it turns into a fight over a woman, being in the same group means we have a relationship and won’t do anything reckless. If a dispute comes up, we’ll settle it within the group. Well, I hear it rarely turns into a fight anyway.”
As I was accepting that as how it works, the upperclassman’s address ended and the party began.
This welcome party was apparently the upperclassmen’s treat.
And next year, it seems we’ll be the ones doing the treating.
One of the upperclassmen came over to us.
“Man—, I’ve been looking forward to this because there’s that knight who made a huge name for himself this year. Oh, my name’s Rookle. Nice to meet you.”
Rookle-senpai seems to be a third-year.
He’s already found a marriage partner and is just about set to return home.
“That hugely successful knight?”
When I tilted my head, Raymond clicked his tongue.
“I wish you wouldn’t play dumb. You’re the third son of a baron household who pretty much succeeded as an adventurer before enrolling, right? The stories reached even my family home, let alone the capital.”
Daniel was shocked.
“So you’re that knight from the rumors?!”
I hung my head.
“I didn’t have a choice. If I didn’t earn money, I was on a course for an arranged meeting with some perverted old hag.”
At my words, everyone seemed to understand, and no one pressed further. As expected, having the same troubles makes it easier to talk.
Rookle-senpai laughed and told us about the Academy.
I asked about something that was on my mind.
“Come to think of it, in my family the eldest son inherits… Was he in this group? Oh, his name’s Lutoart.”
Rookle-senpai is a third-year, same as my second older brother.
I thought he might know him.
“Lutoart-senpai who graduated last year? He wasn’t in our group. Said something like ‘the lowest of the school caste isn’t wanted.’”
And you’re in that lowest caste yourself.
Rookle-senpai told us about those days.
“How to put it—he hung around with the rich-money group. It looked like he was straining to keep up, but if that’s what he himself wanted, nothing to be done. Were you close?”
When I shook my head, Rookle-senpai said “Figures,” and brought his mug to his lips.
Daniel and Raymond peppered the senpai with questions about things they were curious about in academy life, and the senpai answered with humor.
While listening to those conversations, Rookle-senpai said to us:
“There are a few days until the entrance ceremony, so I’ll show you around the capital during that time. Don’t have too much fun and ruin yourselves.”
When the three of us nodded, Rookle-senpai added:
“Also, it seems one scholarship student will be enrolling in your year. Something about picking up talented individuals, so they’re letting in students who aren’t nobles too, they said.”
Hearing that, Raymond made a sour face.
Daniel also looked displeased.
For children of nobles, this reaction is probably normal.
“A scholarship student? She’ll be in the regular class, right?”
At Raymond’s question, Rookle-senpai shook his head.
“The advanced class. With His Highness the Crown Prince enrolling, it’s a nuisance. Oh, and let me know if anything happens. Also, rumour has it this scholarship student is a commoner with no connections at all.”
Since I know the scholarship student is a commoner, I wasn’t surprised, but it seemed shocking to the other two.
I just pretended to be surprised too.
In the future, it turns out she’s the Saint or something? Anyway, it’s discovered she carries an incredible bloodline, and the nobles all do an about-face—I should probably keep quiet about that.
Even if I said anything, no one would believe me.
◇
The day of the entrance ceremony.
Is it called a great hall?
At any rate, the ceremony began in a place that looked like a theater.
I stifled a yawn and attended, only to be stunned at the sheer number of nobles present.
For some reason, the mingling scents of women’s perfume had turned into something awful.
Amid all that, His Highness the Crown Prince, Julius Rapha Holfart, with his short navy-blue hair, was giving an address.
Visibly handsome. His tall, well-toned body had perfect balance.
His fair skin and navy-blue eyes seemed to shine beautifully.
I could understand the sighs leaking from the female students around.
He’s on a whole different level.
Daniel and Raymond were sitting nearby, but it seems even they won’t complain about the Crown Prince. They listened to the speech in silence.
Then, from behind us—
“He’s finally here. Honestly, that prince kept me waiting ten whole years.”
I turned toward the voice, but I couldn’t tell who spoke. Everyone was muttering about the Crown Prince’s beauty and chatting with those around them, so I couldn’t pick out who it was.
However, there was one girl—for some reason, she bothered me.
Golden hair and blue eyes.
Her features felt more cute than beautiful, and she was directing a different kind of gaze at the Crown Prince compared to the other girls around.
Daniel looked at me.
“What, already found someone? Oh, the cute type. Is she your type?”
As Daniel teased me, I silently shook my head.
“No, if anything… I hate her.”
“I-Is that so. I think she’s cute.”
The first thing I felt when I saw that girl was anger. I don’t know why she made me so angry, but I just disliked her.
It wasn’t hatred. How to put it—something more complicated… In any case, I thought she wasn’t someone I could ever see as a member of the opposite sex.