Once I'd calmed down, I decided to take a look around.
Just as the flight attendant had said, there were plenty of students. It wasn't just because of the season—exchange students came regularly too, so roughly twenty percent of Magic Sky Airlines' passengers were students.
The exchange student program had been started with the idea of revitalizing talent exchange and letting each institution absorb what the others did best.
After all, each academy had its own educational philosophy, so it was decided that exchange was the best way to broaden one's horizons.
Tempest Human Resource Development Academy ran a practical curriculum aimed at forging not just academic knowledge but also body and spirit, producing graduates who could hit the ground running.
Inglassia General Academy, in addition to the world's existing learning programs, focused heavily on aristocratic social norms, culture, and economic activities. If you wanted to study foundational fields like Spirit Engineering or magical mechanics, this was the place.
NNU Academy of Magical Science Research was primarily about serious research—daily investigations aimed at fusing the concepts of science and magic that had flowed in from other worlds to establish new technologies. The academy was famous for its ruthless standards: students who were judged to lack talent were expelled on the spot.
The reason Mai belonged to NNU was that it was officially announced as the most cutting-edge institution for technology development. The real cutting edge was developed at research facilities deep within labyrinths, never made public, but only a tiny handful of people knew that.
Now, with these three academies available, the typical path was to learn the basics at Inglassia and then advance to a specialized field that suited you.
If you wanted to train your body and be of use to the world, you went to Tempest.
If you wanted to dive deeper into a specialized field, you went to NNU.
If you wanted to manage people and keep the world running smoothly, you simply stayed on at Inglassia.
Honestly speaking, Tempest and NNU had no age limits and only accepted the gifted. The reason was simple: if you didn't have the ability to keep up, you couldn't follow the coursework.
That was precisely why the exchange student program existed.
Before students had finalized their future choices, they were given the chance to experience each academy.
The program had one additional purpose: students at Tempest or NNU who could no longer keep up were to be re-enrolled at an Inglassia academy.
You could buck up here, or you could go downhill.
If you bucked up and redoubled your efforts, re-enrolling at Tempest was possible.
But if you let yourself fall, that was that.
Inglassia's academies had a repeating-year system, but it was limited to just two rounds. The nation covered full tuition in exchange for having no patience with unmotivated students—they were simply shown the door.
Once you graduated, no academy could claim superiority over the others, but in terms of reputation, Tempest was recognized for producing physically capable graduates while NNU was known for its intellectual heavyweights.
Given all that, the general consensus was that Inglassia's academy was the easiest to graduate from.
For these reasons, students used the airship route between Tempest and Inglassia on a monthly basis.
I was being mistaken for one of those students, which was convenient right now. So I put on a blank face and kept observing.
"So, why is it that I—a noble—have to spend my time sitting in the same seats as these commoners?"
"Indeed, Lord Julius. However, this is an academy-mandated arrangement, so I would ask you to bear with it this once—"
"Hmph, I know. But still, really? The academy couldn't manage anything better than this low-class airship?"
"You're quite right, Lord Julius. This is clear proof that the academy looks down on us nobles. You should ask your father to put pressure on them!"
"Exactly! And when you do, I would be happy to contribute as well!"
Glancing toward the rear seats, I spotted a noisy group that had spilled into general seating.
They were dressed in what looked like expensive clothing, so they were probably from Inglassia General Academy.
The Kingdom of Inglassia had been renamed the Inglassia Academy City, but there were still plenty of former nobles who hadn't shed their old-world mentality gathering there.
It wasn't just members of the Inglassia royal family—young heirs from royal houses and noble families across the Western Nations predominantly enrolled at Inglassia General Academy.
They still looked down on Tempest as a town of demi-humans and monsters, or dismissed NNU as a bunch of barbarians from the Empire. That kind of attitude was still a problem…
A tall, pretentious young man named Julius appeared to be the noble in question. Since he was still a student despite being a noble, he was probably a second son or something rather than the heir who had inherited the family headship.
Keeping Julius in good spirits was a well-dressed guard knight. The man was plain-looking but seemed earnest—likely a retainer assigned to attend to a noble scion now enrolled as a student.
From his bearing I could tell he was a knight, but he wasn't carrying any visible weapons. Passengers were required to surrender all weapons when boarding an airship.
There were loopholes, of course, but I wasn't going to make a fuss over every little thing. If something happened, the flight attendant would deal with it, but in principle you had to be able to protect yourself.
So long as they didn't inconvenience other passengers, I was willing to turn a blind eye.
There were also two noble young ladies, each accompanied by a single butler.
The young ladies wore female student uniforms, but the butlers each wore custom-made combat attire.
At first glance it looked like an ordinary butler's outfit, but like the flight attendants' clothing, it was woven from special fibers. They'd presumably been ordered to protect their respective mistresses. Their strength was probably around rank C+.
Quite the upper-class children.
But butlers for students? They were supposed to be leaving home to become independent, and having bodyguards seemed overly protective. Then again, the world could be a dangerous place, and you could understand a parent's worry.
Opinions on the matter had been divided, but the academies had ultimately decided to quietly allow it.
But set that aside for the moment.
These students were calling this airship "low-class"?!
Furthermore, they were openly insulting the academies—what a bunch of brazen brats.
Three academies were funded with tax revenue from Tempest, and students were taken care of. The nerve of them to talk like that.
I glared at the group of students, irritation building.
When I did, I noticed that the other students—不只是我—were also avoiding the group with distaste.
Well, of course they were. Complaining without paying a single coin—that was the worst possible combination.
Inside the academies, there was an ironclad rule that everyone was equal regardless of background. While bringing along guard knights or butlers was tolerated, giving certain students preferential treatment over others was absolutely forbidden…
Yet these people just couldn't shake their sense of being a chosen elite.
"Hey! You guys, cut it out already! 'Wealth and poverty are matters of family circumstance and must not determine a student's individual worth'—that's the common principle all three academies stand for!"
A hot-blooded redheaded young man had apparently reached his limit and raised his voice in protest.
The青年 named Julius directed a contemptuous sneer at him.
"Hmph, a smelly beastman. How dare you address me directly—how insolent."
"Hah!?"
Several students rose from their seats in reaction to Julius's words.
They were apparently Tempest students, each bearing prominent features of monsters or demi-humans.
Their anger was justified, but what should be done about this? It had been eight years since the academies were established in each city, yet there were still people making idiotic remarks like this. Nothing about this had come up in my reports—I might need to conduct an internal audit.
"What do you think you're doing?! Sit down immediately!"
Just as I was considering how to handle the inspection, a balding man entered the cabin and barked an order.
He appeared to be one of the accompanying teachers—an Inglassia instructor, it seemed. He apparently hadn't been able to ignore the commotion.
I thought the teacher at least had some sense, but…
"Lord Julius, I shall speak sternly to these people on your behalf, so please do forgive them. Additionally, a vacancy has opened up in the upper-class cabins, and I have arranged for you to be moved there. Please, make your way up."
He began fawning on Julius.
The moment this teacher appeared, the Tempest students resigned themselves and quietly sat down.
They'd apparently given up immediately, realizing they couldn't win against the authority of a teacher.
"What the hell is that guy…"
I couldn't help letting a voice of exasperation escape my lips.
"Oh my, how accommodating. But I can't say I have high expectations of a cancellation opening up in advance."
"Well, it is what it is. It would certainly be better than staying here."
"Hahahaha. If Lord Eugelas says so, then let's honor that. Everyone, let's go."
Saying that, Julius and his entourage departed.
That "cancelled room" was probably the one I was supposed to be staying in. Since I hadn't shown up by the designated time, it had apparently been treated as a cancellation…
In cases like this, it was clearly stated that it was at the guest's own risk—I wouldn't be getting a refund of ten gold coins.
Should I go there now and throw them out? The thought crossed my petty mind.
But doing so would create a troublesome situation, and more importantly, there was a risk of my identity being exposed, so I wouldn't.
Still, Lord Eugelas, was it? That man was fired.
Inglassia General Academy's administration wasn't directly under my authority, but Tempest was a major contributor. Firing one insolent teacher like that was well within my power.
"Excuse me, is this seat taken?"
Someone had spoken to me while I was stewing over the blatantly biased teacher.
"Hm? Yeah, it's free."
I said, sliding further in to make room.
The person sat down next to me with a cheerful smile.
"Well then, nice to meet you! Sorry about that spectacle just now. You're someone I haven't seen before, so you must be entering this year, right? Not all of the academies are like that—there are still some people clinging to outdated mindsets in a few places. It's a headache for us too. But it's not all like that, so I'm sure there are plenty of fun things waiting for you! So please don't let that give you a bad first impression."
The moment he sat down, he launched into conversation.
This student was wearing an NNU uniform, so he was from a different academy than Julius. They seemed to know each other, though.
He'd apparently overheard my muttered remark earlier and was trying to smooth things over.
"Is that right? And you're enjoying yourself?"
I'd been about to introduce myself, but using my real name would be bad. As long as he didn't introduce himself first, I could just leave it at that. With that in mind, I tossed out a casual question.
I was partly doing research, trying to get an honest take that might be useful later. If he thought I was a fellow student, he'd be more likely to speak freely.
My question seemed to catch him off guard, and he gave me a blank look.
"Ahaha, ahahahaha! You're an interesting one. My name is Magnus. I'm a fourth-year at NNU Academy of Magical Science Research."
I don't know what he found so funny, but he suddenly burst into laughter.
Since he'd properly introduced himself, I supposed I should give a name.
"Yeah, I'm Satoru. I've got some business, so I'm heading to Inglassia."
"Hmm, Satoru, then. Or maybe Satoru-chan?"
"If anything, 'you' would be more appropriate."
"Got it! So you're also heading to the academies—"
The student calling himself Magnus was chatting with me in a very familiar tone.
He had a refreshing enough vibe, but he was a bit too casual for my liking. He was breezing right through my personal space, which was mildly unpleasant. I had an unconscious 'Multidimensional Barrier' up, so there was no risk of him physically touching me, but still…
How to put it—he had that kind of "I'm the man" energy, pushing forward aggressively.
He was clearly talented enough that he probably wasn't used to being rejected by others.
"Excuse me, you're being far too familiar with Lord Magnus!"
I'd felt it too, but apparently it looked familiar to outsiders as well. Still, I didn't appreciate the implication—that it was me being overly forward when he was the one coming on to me.
"There, there, Rosalie. This is Satoru-chan. Apparently a new student entering next term. I was just about to ask which academy they're planning to attend."
Don't play dumb—you were the one being overly familiar.
He seemed like the confident type who didn't really listen to others.
"But this person… they're not even a full student yet and they're not being at all deferential to a senior?"
A female student named Rosalie had cut into our conversation, apparently judging me to be cheeky.
Fair enough, I supposed, but I didn't think it was fair to start throwing around seniority when I hadn't even enrolled yet.
"Cheeky, she says…"
"Hmph! You may only address me if you are a fourth-year or above, and even then, only those who have achieved a rank within the top one hundred. Someone who isn't even a proper student like you is not someone I need to converse with. If you understand, then give up that seat at once!"
She clearly had no intention of listening to me, waving her hand to shoo me away like a stray dog.
Her target was apparently the seat next to Magnus.
It seemed Rosalie was infatuated with Magnus, and I was in her way.
What an enormous pain.
"Even if you call me 'senior,' I'm not a student, so it doesn't apply to me. Besides, whether you're a fourth-year or whatever, I couldn't care less. I'm not giving up this seat, so why don't you disappear instead."
When I fired back like that, Rosalie began trembling with rage.
Muttering "You'll regret this," she shot me a demonic glare and left.
The average age for academy enrollment was around fifteen, just as the body finished developing. Before that, students typically attended the nearest educational institution to build foundational academic skills and conduct aptitude assessments.
There were entrance exams, of course, but anyone who passed was eligible to enroll.
The highest grade was sixth year, so by the fourth year you were genuinely skilled…
I could understand why she acted superior, but looking down on others was still inexcusable.
"Heh, not bad, you've got guts!"
"First that noble idiot, then that girl acting superior for no reason—what's going on with these academies?"
"Ahahaha. Well, that does sting a bit. You see, once you graduate from the academy, you're automatically treated as an elite. So top-performing students inevitably tend to become arrogant. They're not bad people, mind you."
"Hmm, that definitely needs improvement."
"Huh?"
"Forget it."
I sidestepped the conversation.
These students were problem cases in their own way.
My own Tempest Human Resource Development Academy was probably dealing with similar issues if this was the state of things.
The redheaded young men from earlier had seemed decent, though perhaps a bit too passive. But the fact that even teachers held such discriminatory views was a serious problem.
If this was what the academies were full of, I could only assume someone who knew my identity was deliberately letting me see all this so I'd crack down.
Yes, for example— "You need to stop suspecting me! It's always something—I'm always being accused of scheming. Hmph, hmph!"
No, "hmph hmph"…
I had indeed suspected
But I was learning. The way she put it, she hadn't actually denied anything.
She hadn't said she wasn't doing it. That moment marked a surge in my suspicion of Ciel.
"No. I'm exercising my right to remain silent."
Wait, what!? You had a right to remain silent? First I was hearing of that…
Oh well.
Silence was its own answer.
Besides, this wasn't something I could just ignore.
"Then what?"
Yeah, this might be rough medicine, but I probably needed to give them a jolt.
"The forum is scheduled for ten days from now. There's plenty of—"
Then, were there any uninhabited islands of roughly appropriate size along the flight route? Preferably one with a lower danger rating.
"I've searched. There appears to be an island called Maldland Island. Ninety-nine percent of its resident magical beasts are below rank A, with B through F making up over ninety-eight percent. There are a few rank-A-plus creatures, and some degraded Demon Lord species as well. It's an uninhabited island, so it should meet the criteria."
Degraded Demon Lord species!? I'd wanted something with lower danger, but…
Then again, Ciel was probably angry on my behalf over the students' behavior.
Fine. That island would do.
I began planning a way to whip them into shape.
Arrogant noble brats who couldn't shed their airs.
Overconfident youngsters.
Youngsters with a sense of justice but far too passive.
Every one of them had problems.
The teachers were beyond redemption, so I'd already decided to deal with them. But I wanted to believe the students could still be corrected.
For that…
I'd request cooperation from someone who probably had a handle on my current situation. And while I was at it, I'd rope in a few of the people who looked like they had time on their hands.
"Understood. I'll make contact right away—"
And so I learned the true state of affairs within the academies and resolved to take action to set things right.
Ten days until the forum.
Could I correct these people without revealing my presence?
This was the first time in a while that my role as a teacher was called for.
As I devised a plan to straighten out these twisted students, I found my blood boiling and my heart racing.
Then I reached out to the only person who knew what I was up to.