Birthday Banquet Preparations (1)
“Welcome, Count Yulian!”
“Hello!”
“A pleasure! Count Yulian!”
The noble cadets bowed in unison toward me.
More than thirty cadets from noble families. There were heirs from prestigious houses and children from obscure rural barons.
But no matter the family, none could claim a higher status than I—the margrave's successor and a count in my own right. So they all showed me proper respect.
Back in my first year, Yulian had skipped Alchemy Order classes on his own.
But now that I was consistently attending Istia Hall, the noble cadets couldn't possibly ignore me.
Still, it's been a month since I started these lectures. They could tone it down a bit.
These Alchemy Order cadets acted superior back home or around commoners. But as nobles, they were rigidly hierarchical.
Even the arrogant Chloe, Marchioness of Aiterne who lived off her family's prestige, couldn't stand up to me. The cadets in this lecture hall wouldn't lift their deeply bowed heads without my permission.
They were usually so stiff-necked. Holding their heads down like that must hurt.
But no need to be overly kind to them.
A margrave's heir must maintain proper decorum. I had to accept their greetings as my due.
I raised one hand and spoke.
“Pleased to meet you all. I return the northern courtesy.”
At my acknowledgment, they sat in unison. Still, they stole glances at me, gauging my mood. The cadets whispered in low voices.
“I can't believe it every time I see him. Count Yulian was officially named the margrave's heir last winter, right?”
“Yes. And he's transformed into someone so fitting for that position—looking that handsome...”
The flattery was embarrassing, so I hadn't meant to eavesdrop. But the sylph I'd summoned brought their words to me anyway.
“I heard in the recent combat evaluation at Goldlight, Yulian took first place.”
“Really? That means he beat Chloe and that insolent witch. Chloe's renowned not just for alchemy but for her combat skills too. The Reinhardt blood can't be denied! Maybe those first-year rumors were all nonsense...”
“Could be. Anyway, we need to build some connection with the count while he's at the Pantheon. Our family's territory is close to the north. We absolutely must.”
“Hmm. True. Unless we're tied to the southern Orhain ducal house, aligning with Margrave Reinhardt is the smart move. Honestly, our house is closer to the south, but I want to connect with him too. As the second son, I'd rather join the White Night Knights as an alchemist than go to Centiaque for a freer future...”
The noble ladies gazed at me with admiration. The noble youths clearly wanted to forge some tie with me.
Of course, I had zero interest in them. Unless they were key figures in Demon King Slayer, I had no time to spare.
Still, no need to treat them poorly.
From Demon King Slayer Part 2 onward, the continent plunged into chaos. As noble heirs, they'd play some role in that turmoil.
So it couldn't hurt if they held a favorable view of me—or at least of Essemont territory.
Especially since one noble youth had just mentioned the southern Orhain ducal house. Aligning with them would do me no favors.
Duke Pedro de Orhain of the south. Ruler of the empire's south and lord of the mighty Centiaque Knights alongside the White Night Knights.
And Pedro, Lucia's birth father, became the epicenter of the great chaos in Demon King Slayer Part 2. Compared to what he unleashed, even Cardinal Grius seemed laughable.
Demon King Slayer Part 2...
After conquering the nests, Demon King Slayer Part 2 would begin. I briefly recalled its events.
For me and most players, Part 2 might as well not exist.
Part 1 was like a gal game, enjoying academy life with beautiful heroines.
But from Part 2, after the nest conquest failed, it shifted to a dark fantasy RPG with a completely grim atmosphere.
So players stuck to Part 1. Collecting the heroines' adult illustrations was most players' goal.
Part 2 had no such illustrations. No reason to play further.
And every ending was a bad one.
I'd skimmed Part 2 for that reason too. Saw a bad end, reloaded Part 1 for heroine routes. That was my pattern.
But now it was reality, not a game. I had to anticipate not just Part 1 but Part 2 as well.
To do that, I'd been far busier than during my playthroughs. Diligently attending Alchemy Order lectures was part of it.
And proof of that effort sat right here in this lecture hall. The villainess heroine who always failed in Demon King Slayer but whom I'd successfully conquered.
“Glory to the lion's valor that tames the north winds. Chloe of House Aiterne greets Count Yulian.”
Chloe descended from the top seat in the lecture hall toward me.
***
She offered her customary archaic greeting.
Chloe wasn't in her cadet uniform but a noble dress—an extravagantly luxurious one to flaunt her house and wealth.
Such formal greetings were reserved for high nobles. Including house symbols in the salutation required at least a prominent count's status.
In this lecture hall, only Chloe, heiress of the renowned Aiterne marquisate, could offer me such ceremony.
Even if anyone else could, she'd crush them first. She hates anyone stealing her spotlight.
I returned her greeting.
“The abundance of ripened wheat in the Rocern Plains. Pleased to see you, Chloe.”
Chloe's face flashed surprise. Understandably—I'd responded in kind with Aiterne's formal phrase for the first time.
Before, I'd always cut her off mid-greeting and berated her. Even the shrewd Chloe hadn't expected this normalcy.
“Y-Yes? Yes!! It's an honor...”
Her face flushed as she stammered. Surprised herself, she quickly fanned to hide it. A shy maiden reaction uncharacteristic of Chloe.
A good response.
Well, time for me to pull her in a bit. Or maybe push? No, pull.
Push-pull was key with Chloe. She was a marchioness's daughter loaded with value to extract.
I knew she turned masochistic around me. No need to be as harsh as before.
If she craved verbal abuse inside, I had no intention of indulging her so easily.
Call it push-pull technique to fully subjugate this insolent lady. Her reaction suggested I was on the right track.
“Come up, Chloe.”
“Y-Yes... Right away!”
I headed up with Chloe.
Tiered lecture hall. Cadets sat by rank in Istia Hall custom. Our seats were at the very top.
I sat in the cadet representative seat she'd yielded and pulled out my textbook.
“Chloe. You did the assignment, right?”
“Of course! As the Order's representative cadet, I must always set an example.”
Chloe handed me a thick stack of papers.
“Oh? If the count forgot his... you could copy—er, reference mine...”
As she spoke, she pressed close. Her expensive perfume wafted strongly. She'd loosened her dress top to subtly expose her cleavage.
Too blatant.
Not as bold as Lilia groping my cock outright, but still. I gently pushed Chloe back and examined her assignment instead of her chest.
Flawless, as expected.
Neat handwriting befitting high nobility. She'd solved the difficult assignment from Alchemy Order luminary Professor Elmaier with ease.
The topic: Examples and Applications of Multi-Elemental Material Transformations.
A key assignment on multi-elemental changes, core to the second-year advanced Alchemy Order curriculum.
“Multi-elemental conversion differs from first-year single-element mutation. A 3rd Tier alchemist must freely convert at least three elemental attributes.”
Water, fire, earth, wind—the four elements. Three meant three variables.
Formulas for transformation types and quantities. To execute instantly in alchemy...
Required prior study of material properties and flawless formula computation practice. Chloe's paper brimmed with computations.
“Professor Elmaier assigned three-elemental changes this time. Of course, I'll reach 4th Tier soon, so it was basic for me. But a nightmare for average cadets.”
By standard alchemist metrics, Chloe's work was near-perfect. Any ordinary cadet would kill for it.
So she eyed me, expectant.
She wants me to ask to see it.
But I had no intention of owing her. The opposite, maybe.
I pulled my own stack from my textbook.
“Fine work. Though it might not match the Order rep's. I've done mine too.”
“Really? Oh my...”
Chloe peered at it with interest. I handed it over.
“Professor Elmaier will take a bit. Mind checking it?”
Chloe couldn't hide her smug confidence.
***
Professor Elmaier droned on in his flat, toneless voice—dull as ever.
“...You've done the assignment yourselves, so you know. It's nothing like two-elemental changes with just two variables. Three-elemental demands vastly complex computational formulas. And it's not just formulas. Implementing them in alchemy requires deep understanding and repetitive computation. In short, massive study and effort. Though that hardly suits you nobles.”
His lecture was in full swing. I'd pulled an all-nighter on my assignment and now followed eagerly, textbook open beside it.
No flaws Chloe could pick at. Worth the sleepless night.
Chloe had squinted for weaknesses but found none. I'd poured real effort into it.
...Professor Elmaier's theory explanations and examples are done. This should be spotless.
Felt like my old transmigrated self after ages. All-nighters cranking reports. Though incomparable to my plain engineering student days.
Traits let me grasp alchemy theory instantly and compute flawlessly. But true to his reputation, Elmaier assigned mountains of tough formulas.
Had to turn down Eirin's nighttime service for this.
Still, my alchemy trait proficiency rose nicely. And post-lunch, stuffed with Lilia's milk, I was as rested as if I'd slept.
“Now, for the remaining time, an example with real materials... Hold on! Doze off if you want. But no snoring—it disturbs others. Wake them up!”
I poked Chloe's side—my neighbor, dozing away.
“Eek! Count... if you touch me like that!”
Chloe jolted awake with a loud yelp.