New Year's Greeting Ceremony? Or Something Else?
I looked up and scanned the right side. Nothing. Then I checked the left side. Still nothing.
Where are our magnificent young masters? My dear friends! Where have you all gone!
Schlipen! Wilhelm! Alexander! Joachim! Come out already! I was all wrong!
Damn it. Damn it. My pride is going to kill me. Kraaaah! My pride is too much!
But what can I do? If I'm suffering alone like this, it's too hard! Hydra! You damn Four Idiots! Where are you all! Save me! Please save me!!
The Emperor, in his wisdom, gave the New Year speech in place of praising the Empire's heroes, including me and the other Medal of Honor recipients.
Originally, each noble would have prayed for the Empire's prosperity and the Emperor and imperial family's well-being, but this time, they put the praise for the Empire's heroes ahead of that.
The problem here is that unfortunately, most of the Medal of Honor recipients are too old to be active. And since I'm not a noble like them, they found the New Year's Greeting Ceremony uncomfortable!
This way, with the Emperor's praise, those who were highlighted as Empire's heroes mostly left the New Year's Greeting Ceremony hall, saying they're too old and tired.
Due to this, the spotlight that should have been divided among me and my seniors as "Medal of Honor recipients" all focused on me. It poured in even more.
It was less when the Emperor was there, but after he left, it became unbearable.
“Karl Adelheit, Prince. It's been a while. Seeing the Empire's war hero like this—”
“It's amazing, isn't it? Those proud elves actually gave the Legion of Honor!”
“I heard. The Adelheit family is going to have the Crown Princess. Congratulations.”
Kraaaah! That's for my father to hear about the family! Why are they all coming to me like this!
I'm not the young master. I'm not Count Friedrich Adelheit yet. Someday, but not now.
Father is over there. If you're going to give congratulations, go over there. Hey, go!
... I wanted to say that, more precisely, I tried to.
“Hahaha! Thank you all. Really, thank you.”
“Hmm. Should I brag about my son or my daughter…”
“Indeed. Now, I suppose we should call her Her Highness the Crown Princess. Hehe.”
“...”
Father. Our young master seemed quite busy. With so many people crowding him, without exaggeration, his face would twitch from the business smile hanging on his lips.
In that situation, tossing the nobles who came to me to my father? Even if you give him the young master position, it's innocent. Goodbye everyone! I'm throwing off all the chains and shackles of this world and going to find my happiness! You all be happy too!
Thanks to this, I had to become the glorious sacrifice of the event written as New Year's Greeting Ceremony and read as the worship service for the two-time Medal of Honor recipient.
“Is this the medal? Yes, that's right. Hahaha! This is exactly what the Gganf— no, what the elves gave…”
“Thank you. But I really didn't do anything amazing. It's not false modesty!”
“A signature? Is this a joke? ... Ah, you mean it. Yes, on the glove. Yes. Yes. I have to give it.”
Without exception, they just poured out congratulations, and my hands were shriveling up as if dying.
If I could, I would have run away. But because of the request from the Emperor, not a request, I became the protagonist of this New Year's Greeting Ceremony, and considering the future as Adelheit young master, I have to adapt.
“... But I can't take any more! Please stop!”
If I have to pick a lucky part, it's that the Counts, Marquises, and Dukes, those terrifying people, went to my father. Of course, that doesn't mean it's good, but at least I don't have to worry about the 'court' part, so I can sigh in relief.
For this reason, I'm looking for our Four Idiots. Each is the successor to the Marquis and Imperial Count territories, so they must be here. I should find those guys and hide in the gap.
If I suffer more like this, I might even hide somewhere outside the New Year's Greeting Ceremony hall.
“Found them.”
After an agonizing search, I finally found the Four Idiots. Far away, peacefully chatting with someone, holding a wine glass, laughing with haha ho ho.
... Damn it. Suddenly irritated. This guy is suffering, but they look happy?!
“Hey.”
“Eh, Karl. You're here?”
How am I supposed to hit these bastards' heads. Should I pin them down or knock them down— seriously considering—
“Allow me to introduce. This is Remus, the young master of the Bernstorf County.”
“...”
I turned my body and tried to flee. No, damn it! I finally found a place to hide, but why is there a big shot here!
Moreover, who? The young master of Bernstorf County!? If I knew there was such a person, I wouldn't have come!
“Finally, we get to exchange greetings. Karl Adelheit, Prince. Remus Bayern of the Bernstorf County.”
“... Karl Adelheit of the Friedrich County. It's an honor to meet you, young master Remus.”
A duke's house. One of the nobles among the nobles in the Empire. A political partner beyond simple military relations with the imperial family.
And in my view, just as high as royalty.
“... Why is the young master of such a duke's house talking to those guys...”
Ah, ah. Right. They were all young masters of Marquis and Imperial Count territories.
The things they do are so strange that I sometimes forget. That those guys will one day become the best nobles among the Empire's nobles, renowned.
“The honor is rather on my side, isn't it? Meeting someone who has received the Medal of Honor twice directly. A hero praised by His Majesty personally. This is something I would want to keep as a memento, whether it's a picture or a photo.”
“...”
We only exchanged a short conversation, yet this Remus young master's character seems visible.
He seems very friendly with our Four Idiots, and what he's saying now. Somehow... he seems quite similar to those guys.
“The person who donated the largest sponsorship to the Mint Chocolate Foundation this time. Karl.”
“Ah! Is that so? Thank you, young master.”
“No. As an Empire noble, it feels like I've done something I should have done earlier. It's a bit sorry.”
The young master Remus answered that and abruptly changed the topic with “More than that!”
“That mint chocolate, I really like it. How about you all? Are you not thinking of expanding the business more seriously? Since there are several companies under our Bayern, producing and distributing won't be difficult.”
“If the young master helps, it would be truly wonderful.”
“My body is itching to have a serious discussion with you all soon. Hahaha.”
“...”
Even like them, he's a mint chocolate fan. The world. Mint chocolate fan.
“Right, Karl. I heard something from the young master earlier.”
“If it's about mint chocolate, why not when I'm not around.”
“No, it's related to the Academy.”
“... Academy?”
An Academy-related topic from the duke's young master. Suddenly interested.
I quietly sat down next to him, and Schlipen continued.
“Just like with Heigens, this time too, there are rumors that students will be sent from the Lasquer and Abillesti sides. But among them, there's a new student from the Lasquer royal family?”
“If it's royalty, they've always been among the students. Why make it sound new.”
Of course, it was collateral, but it felt strongly like a student and hostage. Anyway.
“That's right? But this time it's different. It's a direct royal family.”
“... Direct?”
Wait a minute. This is a bit surprising? The direct royal family is entering the Imperial Academy?
“Does that make sense? Why would the Lasquer side do that. Not collateral, but direct.”
“I’ll explain that to you, Prince Karl.”
The young master Remus sitting quietly on the opposite side drank a glass of mint chocolate (...) drink.
“He seems like a person who has been pushed out of the succession.”
“Pushed out?”
“Yes. After the Crown Prince of Lasquer fell ill three years ago, there was a fight over the throne among other successors. Especially, the fight between the second princess and the fourth princess was the most intense. And the result was that the second princess succeeded in pushing out all the other competitors, including the fourth princess.”
According to the continuation of Remus young master's words, the second princess devoted herself to taking away all the power of her siblings who could threaten her even a little and tearing them apart.
She exiled them to the most remote places in the kingdom, and even sent them outside the kingdom. And the direct royal who entered this time at the Academy was also such a person who came for that reason.
“The fifth princess of the Lasquer royal family…”
Still, the Four Idiots who couldn't graduate. The heroine who can graduate but chose grad school. Suddenly, the special forces elf who became a student. And now, half-exiled princess of another country.
“And the two-time Medal of Honor recipient.”
What the hell is this? What is this? Not a mixed academy story. I'm really going crazy, I'm going crazy.
“So it happened. Ah, Prince Karl. Would you like a glass of mint chocolate?”
“... It's fine. Young master. Really fine. Really.”