It's been a month since I shopped in Murteu.
　I had come to the royal capital with Dia and Tart.
　They had already sent most of their luggage to the school dormitory and we were dressed lightly.

''It would have been better if Maha-chan was with us, though.
'She told me that being in Murteau would help me the most. I want to respect that intention.

It was definitely reassuring to have Maha around, and she had the qualifications to attend the Knight Academy.
　However, it was Murteau who could make the most use of Maha's power, and he was still making certain requests.
　Tart repeats once again that he is sorry, and looks at the scenery of the royal capital with Dia.

''Hmm. The royal capital of the Arvan Kingdom isn't flashy, but it's neat and clean.''
'Well. Murteu is much better than Murteau in terms of economy and bustle, but in terms of class, the royal capital is superior.

The reason why the royal city is neat and orderly is because its inhabitants are bound by many rules.
　For example, the land on which buildings can be built is predetermined so that the flow of people does not stagnate, and it is a clean grid with wide passages.
　There are also restrictions on the materials and even the colors of the buildings that can be used to keep the landscape intact.

Moreover, the buildings are regularly checked by inspectors, and if they are found to be dirty or deteriorating, they are obliged to repair them within a month, and if they are ignored, they will lose their residency in the capital.

If you ignore this, you will lose your residency in the capital.
　However, living in the capital is a kind of status, the security here is very good, and the outer wall that protects the city is thick and safe.
　Hence, it is popular and has a large population.

''I might prefer Murteau or Touahade. It's kind of hard to breathe here.
'Me too. Even if it doesn't look good, it's free and hot Murteu, no matter how bad it looks. I'd rather be in Touahade, where I'm one with the richness of nature.
I agree!

I'm not sure if all three of us don't like King's Landing very much, but I can't blame them because they really mean it.
　We'll just have to get used to it while living there.

◇

The Knight Academy has an exam in the afternoon, and since there's still time, we decided to go into a suitable restaurant and eat lunch.
　We all ordered the recommended daily pasta. This time it's seafood pasta with shrimp and squid.
　Tart has a difficult look on his face as he eats his meal.

''Delicious is delicious, but I'm concerned about the price. With Murteau, you can get a large portion for half the price.'
'Yes. But, despite the taste, the vessel is a nice one.
'That's the way the land works. I'd expect the food in the dorms to be good.

We went into this restaurant at random, but it had a good amount of customers and a good number of locals, so we didn't pick an outlier.

The restaurants in Wangdu are good for what they do, but they are pricey.

The cost of living in King's Landing is high.
　Well, it can be said that it is terrible to compare it with the port city of Murteu or Touahade, which is self-sufficient in food.

In the inland cities, you have to go through a number of checkpoints before you can get to your food, and each time you do, you have to pay taxes, and it costs money to transport it in the first place.
　Even in the interior, if the self-sufficiency rate is high, the cost of living won't be that high, but King's Landing is not like that.
　Moreover, there are a lot of wealthy people in the city, so they have to stock up on good quality ingredients, so it costs extra money. This is also the reason why they pay so much attention to the quality of the dishes at such a popular restaurant, and this is reflected in the prices.

'Mr. Lugue, leave the food to me!　If you cook for yourself, you can do it a little cheaper and tastier. I've brought all the cooking tools with me. If I can use the garden in the dormitory, I'll grow vegetables too!
Thank God. Life in King's Landing is expensive. We should save a little money.

.........To be frank, I'm earning a disgusting amount of money in Murteau, so even if prices are a little high, as long as I don't ruffle my feathers too much, I can handle it.
　However, Touahade is only a baronial family.
　In a manner of speaking, it's known that he earns money from his doctoring business, but if he spends lavishly at the level of a baronet's family, there will always be rumors, which will create suspicion.

At the Knight Academy, tuition and dormitory fees are free, but the rest of the living expenses are self-financing, and if you're not a high-ranking nobleman, it's a big burden in its own right.
　The poor aristocrats have no choice but to live modestly, while the wealthy aristocrats try to show off the power of their families. Perhaps that's why everyone is interested in other people's wallets in their own way.

'Saving money is good, but making money is good too. Because saving money is, after all, patience.
I've heard that there are many students like that. If you can't live off the money your parents send you, you have to earn it. ........Fortunately, there are a lot of jobs in the royal capital, and there are jobs that make use of your magical powers, so those are good rates.
Wow, that sounds interesting. Let's do it together when you're settled in as a student.
'Well, that's good too. Life in King's Landing, which can be done with the barons' general allowance, is too cramped. But that's a long way off. Right now, the entrance exam at noon is the immediate problem.

I don't want to live in extreme poverty, even if it's to keep a low profile.
　On that point, if the money is earned in a student-like way, I can spend it proudly.

That's it. I was surprised to hear you say that out of the blue just now. Mr. Rougues, what do you do with the exams?　I've been admitted to the school, and I'm not going to take an entrance exam.
'It's a test for classification purposes. There is a difference in the quality of the child and the environment in which he or she was raised. They are placed in the right class according to their abilities. This is what some of them put their lives on the line for.

Although the knight academy is compulsory for nobles with magical powers, graduating with excellent grades will give them all sorts of tasty treats.
　In addition, for the nobles who believe that leaving strong blood is the meaning of their existence, it's a place to show off the excellence of their bloodline that couldn't be better.
　This kind of, candy is why the nobles follow.

Although it is only important to graduate with excellent grades, the higher the class, the more advanced the education and the better treatment you will receive.
　There is a class change every six months, but if you don't get into a higher class first, the gap will be even wider after six months and it will be difficult to get into a higher class later.
　Starting out is important.

''Master Roug, it's terrible. Why didn't you tell me that!　It's a given that Rouge-sama would definitely be the top of the class. But I have to study a lot to get to a class like that.... I don't want to be in another class.

Tart is depressed.

I see, I haven't told you about that one yet.

''In Tart's case, he was admitted under my servant quota, so regardless of the results of the entrance exam, he's in the same class as me, his master.
I'm so relieved.
So I guess that means I'm going to have to pull myself together.
Don't worry about it. I've spent the month focusing on the parts of the exam that will be on the test. I don't have any problems with the practical side of things, either.

With the Balor Chamber of Commerce's information network, this kind of information could be obtained.
　It was half a cheat, but for some reason, the three of us needed to join the upper class.

''Then it's safe. Now we just need to make sure we can get our strength out.''

With that said, I bring the pasta to my mouth.
　Dia has rather a lot of nerve.

'Dia, can you use this?'
That's a pretty hair clip.
'I don't know if anyone else might know what Dear looks like. Let's change her hair to make a different impression.

The interaction between the Kingdom of Arvan and the Kingdom of Soonger is rare.
　First of all, there are very few that are acquainted with Dia, and even those that are acquainted with her, I've only seen her dressed up with makeup and other things.
　Even if you take off your makeup and change your hair, you look like a different person.

''I don't know.''
You look good with your hair like that.

Dia put it in a so-called ponytail.
　The nape of her neck is dazzling.

'It's pretty, even from my point of view. Plus it looks cool and easy to move around in.'
'Yeah, I like it too. Thanks, Roug.

I'm glad you like it.
　........This is also for disguise, but at the same time it is a magic tool to protect Dia, and it has a certain function.
　However, rather than protecting yourself, I'm happier if you like it purely as an ornament.

◇

And finally, the school is coming.
　I arrived just in time because I was too nervous to arrive too early.

"Wow, there's a lot of people here.
It's a big deal for a kid. Some parents will want to see it happen.

I say guests, my parents and their attendants.

There are far more people who have come to witness this than students.
　They worry about their children, but at the same time, it's also about looking good.
　Nobles are bloodthirsty to produce stronger children.
　Great aristocrats get stronger blood mates and do things like breeding, and they also pour money into education.

The strength of a child is the value of the family.

The results of class placement by entrance examinations are directly related to the evaluation of the bloodline's excellence.
　Any self-respecting aristocrat would want their children to get excellent grades.
　I understand that, but it's pathetic to put that much pressure on them. If that's the case, the children won't be able to produce even half of their abilities.
　The buzz gets louder.
　A ridiculous guy appears and Tart and Dia are stunned.

'Whoa, that was too much.'
It's a bit of a stretch.

A boy on a white horse appeared.
　He may have been dressed to match the white horse, but even his clothes were pure white and decorated with gold thread.
　Everything is flashy.
　However, he seems to have magic power that matches his flamboyance, and his face is shimmering and well-groomed, and this kind of joking outfit suits him well.

I could tell from the crest on the harness, that's the heir of the Gephis family.
　He was one of the three people my father told me I had to be careful of in the school.

One of the dukes, second in rank to the royal family.
　He winked at us as we passed him.
　As usual, I thought it was aimed at the two beautiful girls, Tart and Dia, but no matter how I look at it, it was aimed at me.
　I get goosebumps.
　What on earth is the heir of the Duke of Gefis family thinking?

There was a great murmur that exceeded even the murmur of such a white horse prince's appearance.
　There is only one person who is greater than the duke.
　I've been hearing gossip that seems to confirm my prediction.

''That's the brave one?''
"If he likes you, you'll be one of the brave men.
"If I get the honor of saving the world...

It was a brave man who showed up.

It wasn't that he had introduced himself. But looking at his overwhelming magical power, one could be sure that it couldn't be otherwise.
　After all, it was at a level that even the nobles who didn't have the Eye of Touahade would notice.
　He's short, neutral, a guy who can't even tell if he's a man or a woman, and he's lumbering around. ....He bears no resemblance to the Setanta who fought to save Dia. And yet, why is that?　I smell the same.

People flock to someone who seems to be a brave man.
　In this entrance examination, various feelings are intertwined for the future, for the prestige of the family, and for the sake of joining the brave. Of course there are people who want to join the brave, and I am one of them.

If you are a brave man, you will definitely be sorted into the top class, the S class.
　You must be a top class.
　Then I'll approach the brave man and search for his weaknesses.
　.........The S class, the highest class, is only eight out of the seventy people gathered here. They compete for seven slots, as the brave man will take one slot away from them.
　Winning it against a thoroughbred from a famous family is no mean feat.

And I'm at a disadvantage.
　I can't show my hand to a brave man.
　For that reason, I, of course, have told Dia to never use original magic, and I plan to only show her the amount of magic power within a common sense range and not wield Touahade's assassination techniques.

''That's quite a hurdle to overcome, isn't it?''

I'll get the highest grade possible while hiding my abilities. It's a bit of a hassle, but I can do it.
　In addition to the knowledge and experience from my previous life, I have accumulated things over here.
　Even if you don't use any special powers, I'm strong enough.