The Illusion of Equality
The closer we drew to Grancia Academy, the more clearly I could picture what lay ahead.
Just like at the social gathering hosted by the Crown Prince, the female lead, Alice, would undoubtedly start triggering romantic flags with all sorts of men.
Should I just let it happen? Or would it be better to stop it?
Resting my chin in my hand inside the rattling carriage, I pondered what to do about Alice targeting the other male characters.
Ultimately, this world was inside Royal Child. If I wanted to reach the ending, the logical choice was to help Alice.
But was the ending reached that way truly the right one?
A mere commoner like Alice becoming the Empress, or marrying the Northern Grand Duke to stop the monsters... That would turn the Empire upside down.
No matter how much female-oriented romance fantasy novels prioritized emotional chemistry over social status, I was just Extra A trying to survive in this world, unlike the main character.
If Alice seduced a horde of men at this academy and triggered a massive love war among them, it would be a disaster.
Besides, there was no guarantee that reaching the ending would return me to my original world.
I hope you will protect the world of Royal Child as well, Guardian.
After all, those were the only words left by the person who had summoned me to this world of Royal Child.
To protect this world.
In that case, the right move was to prevent a commoner like Alice from becoming Empress or seducing every noble man in sight.
Sorry, Alice, but you only have your own low birth to blame.
She was someone who didn't understand the weight of social status, a girl who had literally charged at the Crown Prince on a magic-infused broomstick.
Naturally, she knew nothing of international relations or politics, meaning she could easily become the spark that ignited a war.
She would easily shatter the delicate balance of power. It's obvious what happens to powerful men when they lose their minds over a woman.
Just as Cleopatra did to Egypt and Yang Guifei did to China, a nation could easily crumble when its rulers were blinded by a beautiful woman.
Alice might find her happy ending, but I had to keep living in this world.
I had to stop a commoner girl with no political leverage or noble bloodline from bewitching high-ranking men.
"We have arrived, Young Master."
How much time had passed while I hardened my resolve?
The carriage wheels ground to a halt, and the grand, imposing sight of Grancia Academy loomed before my eyes.
Grancia Academy's motto was equality, but the reality was anything but.
In truth, nobles and commoners stayed in different dormitories, associated with different crowds, and spoke on entirely different wavelengths.
It was impossible for commoners, who had spent their lives holding farming tools instead of swords and following in their tenant-farmer parents' footsteps, to understand nobles.
Naturally, the reverse was also true.
Someone who had never held a sword could never comprehend the heavy responsibility of taking another person's life.
That was why I thought I wouldn't run into certain people in this class, of all places.
"You are taking the same class as me, Brother. It seems the guidance of the Lord has brought us together."
An uninvited guest stood right in front of me, blocking my path with absolute confidence.
"...Why are you in the swordplay class?"
I stared in sheer bewilderment at Saintess Astoria, who was clasping her hands together in delight.
Currently, I had registered for all four major classes to be of use to the Baskerville family.
Specifically: swordplay, magic, social etiquette, and spirits.
While both nobles and commoners were technically free to sign up, attending a class and actually understanding and applying the material were two entirely different matters.
"To protect myself, of course. Just as you warned me, Brother, my life might be targeted even within this academy!"
"..."
Great. I shouldn't have said anything.
The Saintess placed a hand over the center of her chest, explaining with utmost gravity why she needed to learn swordplay.
"But don't you have a bodyguard? Wouldn't it be better to take a different class without exerting yourself?"
"Even within the academy, there is a limit to how much Sigrid can protect me. Besides..."
The moment I suggested she take another class, Astoria adjusted her veil and spoke.
"I believed you would definitely attend the swordplay class, Brother."
Was she staring intently at me?
Even though her entire body was transparent, she wore clothes that covered her from head to toe, making her movements easy to track.
Feeling her gaze on me was strangely uncomfortable.
"Do you... perhaps dislike me? I recall you approaching me first when I had not yet revealed my identity as the Saintess..."
Astoria wasn't wrong.
I had shown her kindness at the Crown Prince's social gathering solely to build connections with the nobility.
The consequences of that action had now snowballed, coming back to weigh heavily on me.
"I'm just a bit of a snob, you see. I never imagined you were someone as noble as the Saintess."
"Ah, I shall take that as a compliment."
Does this woman not understand sarcasm?
She let out a pure, soft giggle and walked toward the swordplay lecture hall, looking very much like an innocent child.
Her slightly low, husky voice was quite distinct, making it easy to read her emotions.
"You must have lived a very comfortable life, Saintess."
"Yes. Though I am humbled, it is all thanks to the grace of the Lord."
I dropped hints to the Saintess right up until the class started, but the thought of leaving my side didn't seem to cross her mind at all.
"Look, there are two empty seats over there. Let us sit there."
Astoria lightly tugged on my sleeve, pointing toward the empty seats with her gloved finger.
It was a request from the Saintess, and there were far too many eyes watching for the mere third son of a Marquis to refuse.
Sometime after we took our seats, the instructor arrived.
"I am Gideon Caliber, and I will be teaching you swordplay. Nice to meet you all."
An elderly man with white hair limped onto the platform.
One look at his calloused, twisted hands from years of holding a sword, and the aura radiating from his body, made it immediately clear that he was no ordinary man.
Gideon Caliber. One of the heroes who achieved great feats in the war before the founding of the Empire.
I observed the man closely, recalling what I had read in the library.
Even though I only had limited knowledge of Royal Child from not playing it much, the information I had gathered after reincarnating was a different story.
Besides, it was rare for any noble not to know of the war hero Gideon Caliber.
"If I were an ordinary teacher, I would start by teaching you how to grip a sword, how to swing it, and how to apply force."
Gideon tapped his fingers against the hilt of his sword as he scanned the students before him.
His gaze swept across the crowd from left to right—before stopping dead on me.
"However, this is Grancia Academy. A place where academic knowledge is shared, regardless of whether you are a commoner or a noble."
I had a bad feeling about this.
Gideon stared at me with burning, intense eyes, like a beast that had just spotted a fresh piece of meat.
"You there. What is your name?"
"...Theodore Baskerville, sir."
"You possess the largest and most refined aura among everyone here. Have you been training for a long time?"
"I believe I have trained no less than anyone else."
"Hahaha! Indeed, indeed! A greenhorn who has barely passed his coming-of-age ceremony possessing this level of skill...!"
I had answered as humbly as possible, but my attitude seemed to backfire as he let out a boisterous, hearty laugh.
I couldn't tell if he was genuinely delighted or if he was mocking me in a roundabout, noble fashion.
"A sword is a weapon meant to clash with an opponent. No matter how important the basics are, you will quickly lose interest if you only swing it alone."
Gideon clapped me on the shoulder as if we were old friends, while the Saintess watched intently from the side.
"Theodore Baskerville! Is there no spirited youth willing to spar with this young man?"
It seemed Gideon intended to put me on display, having me spar with others to demonstrate the essence of swordplay.
He likely wanted to pique the students' interest first and show them the appeal of the sword.
But I was the third son of a family renowned for its swordsmanship in the Empire. No matter how ignorant of the world the other students were, they had to know they couldn't beat me.
"..."
A heavy silence filled the spacious hall. Everyone exchanged glances, creating a tense, chilly atmosphere.
"What, no one? The youth of today lack grit."
Gideon Caliber clicked his tongue in disappointment.
Just as I had sensed Gideon's aura, he had likely gauged my strength as well.
Otherwise, there would have been no reason for him to single me out so precisely.
Seeing that no one wished to fight me, I let out a sigh of relief. But just as I was about to sit back down—
"...I will volunteer."
A familiar voice suddenly echoed from the back.
"I find myself wanting to personally test the skills of the Baskerville family."
Sheint Lionheart.
The Crown Prince of the Empire, and one of the main culprits behind my enrollment in this academy, was smiling brightly at me.