CH 53

“Oh, no! It’s almost time! I’ve got to get to class!”

I got up from my stylish wooden chair, left my teacup on the circular table, and hurried out of the dorm cafeteria. The reason why I was so late was because I had spent too much time in the dorm cafeteria.

In the dormitory, a buffet-style meal is prepared in the cafeteria every morning at the appointed time. The main dishes include boiled sausages and fluffy omelets. The food served in the dormitory where the aristocrats live is all very delicious.

Of all the items served in the cafeteria, what I like the most is not any of the food, but the tea that is brewed immediately upon request in the morning. Every day, different kinds of top-quality tea leaves are prepared and brewed by professionals with sophisticated techniques.

I’ve never been much of a tea drinker, but the soothing sweetness of the tea and the elegant aroma that goes around my body has me hooked. That’s why I drank so much and ended up being late. I hurriedly made my way to the classroom.

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“Our kingdom is located in the extreme western part of the continent, and it was originally a small country, but a hundred years ago, the king of that time annexed the neighboring countries and now we are a great country that reigns over the continent. So, Chris, what can you tell us about the history of warfare after that?”

The old history teacher asked me, stroking his long white beard. I sat up and answered, having sat through the last class of the morning.

“Yes, sir. Fifty years ago, the war with the neighboring Topo Empire was dominated by our country in the early stages, but when the king of the time passed away, we hastily made peace and called a truce. After that, since the king at that time had no relatives, the royal power was transferred to the current Gumodo royal family, who were influential nobles.”

“Hmm. Very well. Then what is our relationship with the current Topo Empire?”

“At present, our relations are extremely friendly, as there is a marriage between the current Duke of Orar, Friedrich Orar, and the Fourth Princess of the Topo Empire.”

“Perfect score! That’s our top student, Chris! You may sit down.”

The history teacher smiled with satisfaction. Seeing the teacher’s reaction, my classmates shouted in admiration.

I sat down comfortably in my chair, letting the respectful glances from my classmates fill my small ego. However, while they were looking at me with respect, a beautiful girl with pink hair poked a disgruntled gaze at me from right next to me with her big eyes narrowed.

Yeah. I’m afraid of Mist, so let’s pretend I haven’t noticed.

“I know you’re not as good as Chris, but you’ve got a midterm coming up! If you don’t study, you may fail, so study hard!”

When I heard the words “as good as Chris”, the gaze from next to me pierced me even more sharply. Ugh, you don’t have to be in such a bad mood, you know. Mist’s frustration must be mounting because she can’t tell me anything now that she’s heard that I’m being looked at positively.

“Any student who gets a red grade will be sent home without question! Don’t take it lightly or you’ll get in trouble!”

The teacher intensified his words and threatened the students.

However, the students were unconcerned about the teacher’s threats. It was no wonder. The students who had enrolled in this school had come to establish connections with the powerful nobility. In order to connect with these powerful nobles, they need to show that they are capable and get noticed.

Therefore, the test is the perfect opportunity for them to do so, and they are more concerned about their ranking than worrying about a red grade. In such a situation, there is no one who would be scared by the teacher’s threats…….I looked around and saw Alice with a pale face and her eyes looking down at me.

You can’t be serious, you’re in trouble!

“Gong, gong, gong.”

Just then, the bell rang to end the class. After the bell rang, the old teacher gave the standardized greeting to end the class, and it was time for the lunch break. I drank so much tea this morning that I had to go to the bathroom.

I headed for the bathroom as soon as I could. The toilets in the school are flush toilets. When the faucet next to the toilet seat is pulled, water comes out through a pipe from a water tank that has been filled with water beforehand, and the waste is poured into the basement, where it is later collected and disposed of.

It takes a lot of space to set up such a device, and rather than having several in a small space like in modern Japan, it is more like having dozens of multi-purpose toilets. Therefore, if someone was using it, I couldn’t use it, so I headed for the bathroom in the back of the school building, which was rarely visited by people.

I walked down the stairs, past the front door, and around to the back of the school building before I found the remote bathroom. I was about to go into the bathroom when I was suddenly yanked from behind and almost fell.

“Come here!”

“What do you mean, Miss Americia?”

“There’s no one else around, so Alice will do!”

Alice blushed and replied with a heated look on her face. I was so focused, I didn’t even notice who was behind me.

I lowered my voice so that no one would hear me, just in case.

“Well, take my word for it, Alice. I have to go to the bathroom, so wait for me.”

“No! That’s what you said last time and you ran away!”

I’m sorry I had to run away from you last time.

“What do you want?”

“You have to teach me how to study!”

Alice stepped back and said crisply. I could almost hear a bang in the background.

“I’ll pass.”

I can’t be bothered to do this! If I don’t get out of here and go to the bathroom, I’m going to shit my pants!

“Why? Why? Please, tell me!”

“Don’t cling to me! You’re a princess, for God’s sake! Consider what others think of you!”

Alice clutched me tightly around the waist. I try to untie her, but I don’t know where she gets this kind of power from, and I can’t untangle her at all.

“Don’t worry! There is no one here.”

“Let me go! There are plenty of people who want to teach Alice how to study!”

“No! I don’t want people to be disappointed when they see me not being able to study! On the other hand, Chris knows me, so it’s easier for me, and I’m happy to have you teach me.”

“Then study yourself, or hire a teacher! You’re a princess, you can do that! Let me go! I’m at my wits’ end!”

“I don’t want to! I want Chris! I’m not letting go until you teach me!”

“What?”

I tried desperately to find a way, but there was no sign of a breakthrough.

“All right! I’ll teach you! Just let me go!”

“Really?”

“Really! Seriously! For real! True! True!”

When I said that, Alice slipped her hand away.

“Thanks. I’ll see you here after school!”

“Yeah!”

I responded to Alice’s words as I ran to the bathroom, narrowly escaping a crisis.