Huh? Now I'm Pissed?
After the long, drawn-out vacation finally came to an end, the day of Sunrise Academy's reopening arrived.
"This feels kinda nostalgic."
"What do you mean, Young Master?"
Leaning back in the carriage heading toward the academy, I muttered softly under my breath. Kania, sitting beside me, tilted her head with a puzzled expression and asked her question.
"Just a few months ago, we took this same carriage to the academy, didn't we?"
"Now that you mention it, you're right."
"Back then, you were glaring at me like you wanted to kill me."
I flashed a smile as I said that, and Kania quietly bit her lip.
"I'm sorry."
"Just kidding, kidding. Anyway, how are those kids doing?"
"You mean Lulu and the others?"
Kania and I turned to look behind us. A smaller but quite ornate carriage was rattling along, following ours.
"They're still showing signs of unease."
"Yeah, I figured. After years sunk in despair, living like vegetables, it can't be easy to snap out of it overnight."
I replied glumly to Kania's answer, and she smiled faintly before adding,
"But there have been some changes."
"Changes?"
"Yes. It's subtle, but they've started harboring a bit of hope."
Hearing that, I finally let relief show on my face.
"Good. At least they still have the strength left to cling to a shred of hope."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. To avoid breaking completely, holding onto even a tiny bit of hope is the most important thing. I know from experience."
I smiled contentedly as I said it, and Kania stared at me intently before asking,
"They won't know about your arrangements until everything's over. They'll keep hating you without understanding. And yet, you're smiling like that because you're truly happy?"
"Of course I'm happy. I gave hope to people who had nothing but despair. And I'll turn that hope into reality going forward."
"You're truly remarkable, Young Master."
Kania pouted and grumbled a bit as she said that. A few months ago, she would have locked away her emotions no matter how much I asked, but lately, she'd been showing these cute sides more often.
Of course, I preferred this version of her. She was great as my maid, but even better as my friend.
"By the way, Young Master, is it really true that you bought the market alley under a disguised identity?"
"Yeah. Gotta make a bold first move to smooth out everything ahead."
"But... can you handle it?"
I tilted my head at her words, and Kania looked anxious as she continued,
"You know what it means to dominate the market alley, right?"
"Sure. Dominating the market alley means... having a massive influence on the Back Alley. Those two are inseparably linked, whether we like it or not."
With that, Kania sighed and spoke up.
"I'll help."
"Nah, I'll handle this one myself."
"But..."
"You'll burn out and drop dead."
I gently stroked her eyes, shadowed with dark circles, my face full of worry. Kania stared blankly at me.
"You've got so much on your plate already. I'll take care of this, so no need to help."
"I'm your confidante..."
"Plus, I want to handle it all myself for some healing."
"...Healing?"
"Yeah. Can't live a life of villainy forever."
Kania, who had been looking at me like I'd lost my mind, eventually sighed and replied,
"Understood."
And for a while, silence filled the carriage.
"Oh, looks like we're almost there. I can see the academy."
In the quiet atmosphere, I peered out the window, scratched my head, and broke the silence upon spotting Sunrise Academy in the distance.
"Well then, good luck this semester too—"
"Young Master, we need to implement the operation we planned in advance."
"...Ah."
I was about to shake hands with a smile when Kania mentioned the 'operation' with a serious expression.
"You sure you're okay? It's gonna hurt..."
"If it's to hide your identity, Young Master, a little pain is nothing."
With guilt in my eyes, I reached out to her, and Kania quietly began unbuttoning her suit.
"Then, as always, I appreciate your— Ngh!"
"...Just bear with it a bit longer, Kania."
Kania really was loyal to a fault. Willing to endure pain for me and even let me leave marks on her body.
"Haaah..."
Yeah, I definitely need to treat Kania better.
......
"Hey, your complexion looks way better."
"Yeah... I got treatment over the break."
"For real? That's great!"
The commoner students in Class A were chatting brightly in the classroom about how they'd spent their time.
"I used it all on treating my parents and siblings—barely had enough left for living expenses."
"Still better than nothing. I blew it all paying off debts."
"You too? Same here..."
Most of the commoners chatted with bright faces but wore subtly regretful expressions. They'd touched more money than ever before in their lives, but nearly all of it had gone to treating family or paying debts.
As a result, though the chains and reasons that had kept them scraping by were gone, the commoners remained poor.
"Still, it feels good, right?"
"Obviously. My bratty little sibling who always acted up started calling me 'big bro'? Money really is the best."
"No more debt collectors or sick family... Now I can work part-time jobs freely. What a relief."
But they decided to think positively. Just shedding those shackles felt like a breath of fresh air.
And they now had hope for a better life.
Creeeak...
The commoners, smiling for the first time in ages as they chatted away, absentmindedly glanced toward the slowly opening classroom door—and soon wore shocked expressions.
"Why's the professor like that?"
"Dunno. Did someone tease her about being an old maid again?"
"Shh! You'll get yourself killed!"
Isolet entered the classroom amid the children's stares, her face furious, hair disheveled, eyes hollow. She reached the podium and let out a deep sigh.
Creeeak...
"I have something to tell you all..."
"Shut your mouth and sit down, Frey."
Isolet, sighing for a long while, snapped with killing intent as Frey entered with Kania and tried to say something to the commoners.
"...What?"
Frey, who had been smugly signaling Kania, froze in confusion and hesitated.
"I said sit."
As Isolet glared coldly and toyed with her sword sheath, Frey scowled briefly before trudging to his seat.
"Young Master, why's Professor Isolet acting like that all of a sudden?"
"Beats me... What's her deal?"
Kania and Frey, slumping dejectedly without even getting to execute their carefully prepared plan from the carriage—faces still flushed—whispered to each other but couldn't figure out Isolet's anger.
"...There's some bad news."
As the class buzzed with wild guesses about Isolet's foul mood, she finally spoke from the podium, head bowed.
"Starting this semester, the scholarship system is being abolished."
"What!?"
The commoners shot to their feet in shock, and Isolet continued grimly.
"I only learned this morning myself. I'm as stunned as you are, but it's confirmed."
"W-Why all of a sudden?"
"The scholarship system's been tradition for a thousand years! Abolishing it now...!"
The commoners erupted in protest. Not a single one could pay tuition on time.
"Simple reason. The imperial family and church have slashed funding and support to the academy in half."
The classroom fell silent at Isolet's gritted words. The commoners shut up under the weight of those institutions' authority; the nobles, overflowing with money, watched indifferently like it was someone else's fire.
Only Princess Clana ground her teeth in fury.
"What kind of nonsense is that!"
But one student shattered the suffocating silence.
"Class A at Sunrise Academy is the empire's top elite force. Cutting funding instead of supporting it? That doesn't add up!"
Aris, the commoner representative, scowled and shouted. Most commoners—and even some nobles—nodded in agreement.
"...Regarding that, I'll explain now."
Isolet glanced at Aris, then signaled stiffly with her hand.
Creeeak...
The door opened, and people with sleazy smiles filed in.
"Who are those guys...?"
Aris eyed them warily—they were leering greedily—and asked. Isolet ground her teeth and answered lowly,
"Sponsors."
"Huh?"
"According to the official notice, the new sponsor system will replace the scholarships."
Isolet glanced at the greedy-faced men beside her.
"Handpicked by the imperial family and church... supposedly trustworthy people. Students interact freely with them, prove your worth and investment value... damn it."
Struggling to suppress her rage, Isolet finally spat a curse.
"...Frey, to the faculty office. Now."
In the chilled atmosphere, Isolet chewed her lip, shot a word at Frey—who'd been quietly watching—and stormed out with killing intent.
"Hm..."
Frey rose silently under the stares and headed for the door.
"Ahem, no helping it. We'll take over the introductions."
With Frey gone, one noble with a greasy face waddled to the podium and spoke in an oily voice.
"Pleased to meet you, Class A. We're your new 'sponsors' from today."
"........"
"...No applause?"
Sporadic claps echoed here and there. The noble licked his lips and continued.
"Well then, shall we start the meetings?"
......
"So, why'd you drag me here mid-explanation?"
Led by Isolet to the faculty office, Frey slouched crookedly in a chair and asked.
Grind... Grriiind...
Isolet just knelt Frey in front of her, seething in rage, grinding her teeth.
"Nothing to say? I'm outta here."
As Frey started to rise, Isolet suddenly grabbed his arm.
Thud.
"What the—"
Startled by Isolet's sudden move, Frey's face twisted. Then she dropped to her knees, still clutching his arm, looking flustered.
"Please. Be the kids' sponsor."
"What?"
Isolet begged desperately.
"If those sponsors take them... you know what'll happen."
"Dunno, not really..."
"Girls get forced into sex. Boys become slaves."
Frey scowled.
"How can you say that so certainly? Sure, they don't look great, but they're vetted by the imperial family and church..."
"Class A students are pawns in the power struggle between the imperial family and church."
Isolet continued somberly.
"Once the Demon King's existence went public, the feuding imperial family and church went all-out to secure talent. You know that."
"And?"
"So they both targeted Sunrise Academy. Even if it's lost some glory, Class A—and even C—is full of talents who outclass average soldiers."
Isolet clenched her fists.
"Instead of compromising, they each sent their own people as sponsors to pull more students to their side."
"That's it?"
"Also to check Dean Lionel. He's been abusing his authority lately, so they see him as a thorn."
Frey scowled at the mention of the dean's corruption, then asked calmly,
"Evidence they'll mistreat the kids?"
"You really asking 'cause you don't know? The tendencies of high-ranking imperial and church officials? Just the knights they've sponsored number dozens to hundreds."
"But these are empire-recognized talents?"
"If they spared talents, they wouldn't touch knights. They just assume students will bend eventually."
Isolet finished, then pleaded in a trembling voice.
"The problem is, that baseless confidence might come true. Innocent young sprouts caught in adults' power games, about to be broken. I can't watch that with my eyes open."
"So what do you want from me?"
"Please be their sponsor."
"Hah, what's so great about those brats?"
As Frey replied coldly, Isolet whispered shakily,
"I'll give you anything you want."
"What?"
"So please, Frey. For old times' sake."
Isolet prostrated before him.
"Professor Isolet? A word, if you please."
"...Tch."
Imperial aides and a church priest called her. She ground her teeth.
"Regarding your position—nobles have raised many objections. It'll be a long talk."
"Performance review, basically. You know the outcome."
They smirked and beckoned. Isolet bowed her head and left the office dejectedly.
"............."
Silence fell over the office.
"Huh?"
Until Frey, frozen staring down at the kneeling Isolet, muttered softly.
"Now I'm pissed?"
......
"Ahem... There, that's the story. Satisfied?"
'Disgusting.'
At lunch that day, commoner rep Aris was talking with some students and the greasy-voiced noble from earlier at a restaurant near the academy.
"Your hands are quite delicate...?"
Finishing the sponsorship talk, the noble grabbed Aris's hand as she rose, fondling it.
"Eek."
Aris yanked back in shock at the oily touch. The noble rose and said,
"Don't be like that..."
"...You'll get used to it soon enough."
The noble left, and silence lingered.
"Hello?"
"I'm... done with this. If we don't do what they want, no money anyway. Might as well drop out."
As someone approached, one girl, fed up with the nobles' sleaziness, bolted up.
"Hear them out first?"
"No need, I—"
The girl tried to refuse coldly as the person sat, but...
"...Gasp."
She froze at the piles of gold pouches on the table.
"This is an advance... Care to talk?"
The black-robed figure spoke kindly. The girl pondered briefly, then sat demurely.
It was too much money to refuse.