Chapter 66
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: Where New Culture Sprouts (2)
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"If it's a limited edition, does that mean you have to line up to buy it?"
Muttering to himself, the Old Lord let out a quiet sigh that Ian caught without him noticing. From far off, the murmurs of excited students reached Ian's ears.
"A celebrity's coming."
"Looks like it."
There was no way the Old Lord, a swordmaster, hadn't heard what Ian had.
Rubbing his chin beard and chuckling heartily, the Old Lord glanced toward one side of the main street.
At the end of that road stood Dominic, walking with an awkward expression amid the students' fervent cheers and blazing gazes, as if trying to slink away unnoticed.
"Ah, Old Lord—no, Dean!"
"You're late."
"Sorry. There were just too many documents."
"Heh heh, you need to put some spit on your lies at least. Word is, Karim and the administrators are losing sleep over your slippery ways."
"Aigoo, don't say such disastrous things. How hard do I work?"
"...Maybe wipe the drool from your mouth before saying that."
"Suck—! Ah, this isn't from napping..."
"Hahaha! In this city, the mayor's probably the idlest one around."
The Old Lord clapped Dominic on the shoulder—playfully enough to leave another bruise—as Dominic startled at Ian's remark and wiped his mouth.
Of course, Dominic whined about getting yet another bruise.
"So, what brings you here?"
"Thought we could grab a meal together."
"Then why not just come to the kitchen..."
"I've set up this academy and never visited once, so I needed an excuse like this."
"Come on, what's there for you to see? The dean and professors have it all under control."
"Sheesh. Can't tell if you're greedy or not."
"Pardon?"
"No ambition at all? Look at the students passing by. Isn't this all your doing?"
The Old Lord was right.
The area around the academy brimmed with students burning with scholarly zeal.
It had only been a month since opening, but the Old Lord was certain no academy on the continent—not even in the Empire—had such fervent passion for learning.
He'd regretted taking the dean's position at first, but now not a trace of that lingered. In fact, he thought handing it off to someone else would've left him with terrible indigestion.
'The future of our South looks bright indeed.'
Inside and outside the school, students sprawled anywhere, reviewing lessons, debating, and sharing ideas.
Balancing work and study should've been grueling, yet in their spare time, they flocked to the library unprompted, devouring books until seats ran short.
The students were desperate.
Most were commoners from modest backgrounds, knowing full well that without Evergreen Academy, they'd never get this education in their lifetime.
"Be proud."
The Old Lord's gaze on Dominic overflowed with warmth.
"Eh, sure."
But Dominic still looked uneasy.
'It's great that it's going well, but those students' stares are too intense—like they're sticky and burning.'
He deliberately avoided the academy vicinity because of the way students gawked at him.
From their perspective, knowing who'd founded the academy, Dominic was a benefactor. But he had no taste for one-sided attention from strangers.
'Wish no one knew me but I still had money. Too late now? Tsk.'
With three hundred students, that dream was impossible.
Considering academies boasting history and tradition admitted barely over a hundred students a year, three hundred was staggering.
Initially, many opposed the enrollment quota.
[You really planning to go through with this? Don't you think the number's too high?]
Even Ian cautiously voiced doubts at Dominic's stubborn cry of "Three hundred!", but no one could rein in his manic determination.
Dominic even grumbled it was too few.
Ian, the Old Lord, Karim, Perot—all urged caution, warning of scandals if spots went unfilled. But Dominic saw it differently.
[With money no issue, how many families wouldn't want their kids educated?]
That silenced Ian and Perot at least.
They recalled pre-urban Evergreen, when Dominic gathered village kids to teach letters and numbers.
This time, he even lined up jobs for study-work balance and offered free dorms.
[Inquiries are flooding in!]
While Dominic and crew headed to the desert, letters and crowds swamped administration. Perot and staff pulled all-nighters for rigorous interviews to select students.
Dominic had nixed entrance exams from the start.
'He ran off to the desert to dodge this!'
Administrators unaware of the real reason briefly misunderstood.
Still, they couldn't slack on interviews.
They deeply agreed with Dominic's rationale for forgoing exams' simplicity.
[This academy's for commoners. Unlike nobles with tutors, they couldn't prep. Judging by test scores is absurd.]
[But taking every applicant isn't realistic. Some might apply lightly since we offer jobs.]
Perot fretted, but Dominic held firm.
[Interview everyone who wants in, thoroughly. It'll be tough on interviewers, but think of it as mining gems. Pick students burning with real desire to learn.]
[What about smooth talkers?]
[Announce upfront: after a semester of grinding studies, there's a test. Fail the benchmark, and they're out.]
[......!]
Easy entry, brutal graduation.
Clear flaws, but best for Evergreen Academy.
As the Empire's first such system, it shocked Karim and staff anew.
[And give completion certificates to dropouts.]
One more twist.
Certificates served as a safety net for the diligent but untalented—those who'd aced a semester of theory and practice in various fields, qualifying for better jobs and pay than non-grads.
'Even dropouts might only curse once instead of three times.'
Dominic thought lightly, but listeners differed.
'He's beyond me! Caring for students this much!'
Administrators' misconceptions deepened daily.
"Decent restaurants are popping up around the academy too. Not many yet, but merchants moved fast for just a month."
Dominic nodded at the Old Lord's words.
Sure enough, new shops caught his eye.
"Was gonna bring the mayor there."
"That one? What's good?"
"Food's just okay. But I'm hooked lately."
"...Let's check it out."
Wondering if a waitress matched his tastes, Dominic followed to the spot the Old Lord indicated.
Nothing special from outside.
The menu board offered no standout dishes—just safe, inoffensive noodles, a few soups.
"Huh?"
But inside, it teemed with patrons.
Scarce empty tables.
"Dean!"
"Oh, my reservation still open?"
"Of course. This way. With another today... Gasp!"
The waitress guided the Old Lord familiarly, then spotted Dominic and clapped a hand over her mouth in shock.
"Mayor! Is it really you? Oh my god! No wonder I slept so well last night!"
"Aha... ha..."
"The mayor? The real mayor's here?!"
Waitstaff and student patrons shrieked, forcing Dominic to squeeze his eyes shut.
'This is why I hate coming.'
Clearly no celebrity fate for him.
"Ian! Kyaaah! He looked at me! What do I do?!"
"Just one glance here, Professor! Aaaah!"
But Dominic's face crumpled soon after.
Spotting Ian lurking quietly behind, girls went wild.
"...Menu, please."
Cheers for him had faded long ago.
A twinge of bitterness hit. 'Yeah, what was I thinking, celebrity? Real stars are over there.' He eyed Ian.
Handsome more than usual today, annoyingly.
"Your order's up. H-hope it suits your taste!"
At least the waitress stuck with Dominic.
He'd gotten ragù pasta: finely chopped pork, beef, onion, carrot, celery sautéed, simmered in tangy tomato sauce—classic meat sauce, basic basics.
"Not bad."
Faithful to basics, but exactly that: nothing special.
'Does he fancy some lady staff here?'
No clue why the Old Lord raved about this place.
Clack, clack!
Suddenly, waitstaff raised wooden panels over windows.
"Huh?"
Room plunged into darkness sans light.
Dominic paused mid-bite, flustered.
Shrrrk—.
Thick curtains—thought decorative—parted, revealing a stage.
Elevated above tables, visible from anywhere; clearly well-planned.
"Woooaaah!"
A woman with long brown hair, slender build, stood boldly in a butterfly mask.
Half-face hidden, but exposed half screamed beauty.
Patrons erupted in applause and cheers at her entrance.
As if responding, the masked butterfly woman began singing slowly.
'...Jazz bar?'
Interest lit Dominic's face.
She sang staring piercingly at one spot.
Dominic sat at her gaze's end.
And unlike dodging countless students before, Dominic held her stare.