Chapter 49: Prince Ludwin Was Pompous!
“Good grief… all those incompetent bootlickers. Why do they keep ingratiating themselves with me like that? I am one of the chosen—mage and royal. We should be surrounded by more competent men, don’t you think?” Ludwin blabbed.
“Ahaha… but they are your loyal retainers, aren’t they?” Eli dodged the question. Denying him right now would only hurt his ego. Eli had seen this type in the previous world, though not as young and blunt as him. She needed to stroke his ego and acted meek.
“Loyal? Them? Hah! You’ve got to be joking. They pander to us mages only because they need us. They’re like leeches.”
“Well, as mages, shouldn’t we strive to better the lives of commoners? That also aligns with the crown’s ideals. A king—or any leader—should seek to improve the lives of their subjects.”
“Hmph! If they could prove their loyalty, then I wouldn’t mind. But most of them were Heracles’s subjects before he was exiled.” Ludwin scoffed.
Eli wanted to ask more, but she shut her mouth, forcing down the urge. She knew Heracles was exiled during Alicia’s trials, and the king had forbidden her from asking about the exile, and anyone who knew the truth was also forbidden to speak of Heracles.
“I see. Who is Heracles?” Eli smiled innocently, playing dumb. She was not supposed to know about him. If the prince was the one who told her, then the fault would lie with him—not her.
“Heracles is my brother. My father said he had been exiled to the western nation as a commoner because he harbored some dangerous ideals. Was it three? Maybe four years ago. A number of people were also executed when Heracles voiced those ideas in court.”
“I see.” Eli nodded. She was curious about what kind of ‘dangerous ideas’ the prince meant, but she let sleeping dogs lie. She might be the next to disappear if she pried too deeply. For now, she needed to focus on her own territory.
The Royal Academy followed a unified system, so all students wore the same uniform. Nevertheless, the mage course carried a distinct air. Their behavior, mannerisms, and arrogance set them apart. Because mages could instinctively gauge mana levels, Eli knew that when other students—especially the older ones—looked at her, they also knew where she stood. Here, the amount of mana determined rank. It was similar to the noble course, except that power here translated directly into status instead of bloodline.
Since Elidranthia was ranked sixth, the mages acted a little more deferential toward her group, so much so that even older classmates nodded their heads when she passed by them.
“Whoa… who is she? Her mana is insane.” Eli could hear whispers among the crowd as they spotted Alicia who trailed behind her. Ludwin, expecting the attention to be directed at him, followed their gazes—and froze when he realized they were staring at Alicia instead.
“Hi! I’m Alicia! The most prominent mage of Shadowstep! You don’t need to kneel, but I expect you to remember my name!” Alicia puffed out her chest proudly. The startled mages hurriedly bowed in respect.
Ludwin, who had never learned how to sense mana, looked on in bewilderment as mages honored Alicia over him. His pride took a direct hit.
Ludwin had always called others incompetent. After all, he was a rank six mage and a royal. There were five rank-seven royal mages in the court, all paid to tutor him. He had never encountered a mage of his age who outranked him, so he was sure that he was the best. For the first time in his life, he felt envy.
“Shadowstep is your territory, right, Elidranthia?” Ludwin whispered.
“Yes, she’s Alicia, my personal maid. We brought her in as soon as we saw her potential as a mage.” Eli nodded.
“I see. Just an illiterate commoner,” Ludwin muttered.
“Actually, Alicia has been studying with me in Shadowstep. Aside from etiquette, she excels in everything else. She’s quite remarkable,” Eli replied.
Ludwin gaped.
Eli didn’t mind Alicia being smarter than her—as long as she served Shadowstep. But she had forgotten that not everyone thought the same way. When Ludwin realized that this “commoner” outclassed him academically as well, he was shaken to the core.
Yes, Alicia could be foolish at times—but she had still been a college student in her previous life. While advanced calculus might have defeated her, the basic algebra taught here was effortless.
“I see…” Ludwin frowned, his mood clearly soured. “Let’s go to the receptionist.”
“Yes, Your Highness.” Eli nearly skipped a step as she followed.
I have grown rusty. I need to pander to him, not showing off.
“Greetings, Mage Elidranthia, Mage Alicia… and Prince Ludwin.” The receptionist hesitated. Despite trying to remain impartial, she clearly struggled to address a prince with nothing more than a mage’s title.
Eli chuckled quietly at the woman’s nervousness as their application was processed. Only Alicia seemed entirely unbothered by the attention.
“Is there anything we should know, Miss…?” Eli hesitated. The girl before her hadn’t introduced herself.
“Ah, you may call me Miss Safira. Um—please hold on a moment.” She shuffled through a stack of papers. “Here is your mage curriculum guide, and this is your class schedule.”
“Thank you, Miss Safira.” Alicia tilted her head slightly. The name felt familiar, yet she couldn’t recall where she had heard it before.
“Probably nobody important,” Alicia muttered to herself before lining up behind Eli.
“Alicia, let’s not waste Prince Ludwin’s precious time. Your Highness, if you would, please register first.” Eli glanced at the prince, who was glaring at Alicia. She nudged Alicia aside, trying to soothe his ego—but Ludwin instead motioned for Alicia to go ahead.
“No. You may go first. I’d like to see how things work here. I’ve never seen a high-ranking mage as young as either of you, so I’m curious,” Ludwin said.
“Alright. If you’ll excuse me, Your Highness.” Alicia curtsied and approached the receptionist.
After handing each of them their books, Safira began explaining the curriculum.
“For first-years, lessons will focus primarily on spellcasting and mana efficiency, especially when filling arcane stones. Then there will be beginner-level magical combat and an introduction to enchantment.”
Eli skimmed through her schedule and froze when she noticed that several classes overlapped with her nobility courses.
“Um… I’m also enrolled in the nobility courses, but some of my classes overlap. What should I do in that case?”
“In that case, you may choose to ignore e— I mean, you may prioritize either course. As long as you pass the exam, your attendance will not affect your grade,” Safira said.
Whoa… she was about to tell me to ignore the nobility course before realizing the prince was here, wasn’t she?
The tension between mages and the nobility was harsher than Eli had expected.
Eli held a rare and enviable status—both a noble and a mage—but that also made her politically dangerous. Personally, she preferred mages; they contributed far more to society than politicians ever did. Still, she knew better than to voice such thoughts aloud.
“Whoa! Seriously? Then I can just skip class as long as I pass the exam?” Alicia asked. “What’s the passing score?”
On Earth, attendance had always mattered. Very few college classes exempted them. Even then, classes were difficult enough that Alicia never dared to skip them. But here, she had cheat-like blessings from the goddess. She could skip everything and still pass based on her mana rank alone. And even if she failed, she could still earn a living as an arcane stone charger.
“Well… the tests may vary. The teachers are the ones who decide,” Safira replied. “I don’t recommend skipping lessons, Mage Alicia. We need every bit of knowledge we can gather in order to grow. Skipping the knowledge that your benefactors have so graciously provided would only hinder your development.”
“It’s fine! I’m level eight, after all!” Alicia declared confidently.
“Alicia, it’s not good to skip class unless you absolutely have to. Don’t be lazy,” Eli chimed in. She then turned to Safira. “Thank you, Mage Safira. I’ll keep the schedule in mind.”
“You’re welcome,” Safira said with a small bow.
“That’s all for today, Prince Ludwin. Thank you for escorting me to the mage building. I hope we’ll remain on good terms. Will you be returning to your tea party?”
“Nah, it’s fine. Not a big deal. I won’t be going back—I’ve got sword training this evening.” Ludwin scoffed. “You’re not returning either?”
“No, I won’t be returning as well. I’m still exhausted from my journey yesterday. I hope you don’t mind.” Eli bowed.
“Bye, then.” Ludwin waved and left.
Eli let out a quiet sigh of relief. She felt as though she had just danced across a minefield.
That prince was trouble. Arrogant, and despite claiming to value ability, he still refused to see Alicia as an equal. Hypocrites like him were the hardest to deal with. Eli wondered how she would manage him in the future. That kind of guy wanted to believe he was capable—but could never accept that someone else might be more capable than he was.
As Elidranthia mulled over her school life, a certain forgotten girl suddenly crashed into her in front of the dormitory.
“Lady Elidranthia! I’m so sorry! My carriage broke down in the middle of the road. I was supposed to arrive two days ago, but I was delayed because the axle on my new carriage came loose!”
“Who are you?” Alicia asked.
“She’s Leina, Alicia. You told her about our knight’s heroic deed for two hours,” Eli replied, half fed up. She had barely arrived—and already there was no peace and quiet. When would she ever catch a break?
“Yes! I’m Leina—your best friend and loyal vassal from the same duchy, milady! Have you registered yet? Should I introduce you to some staff? I know a few seniors who could guide us through the academy.”
“Well, I just finished registering for both the noble course and the mage course. What course are you taking, Leina?” Eli said and Leina gasped. Her raison d’être had vanished.
“Me? I’m on the scholar course,” Leina answered.
Eli’s eyes widened.
“Eh? You’re not taking the nobility course?”
“Well, I could introduce you to some girls, but unless you’re a direct heir, the nobility course is a pain. It’s basically a matchmaking den for students looking for partners. Since I already have a fiancé, there’s no reason for me to attend it. Mine’s a merchant, not a noble, so I was advised to strengthen my skills instead of my etiquette.”
“I see…” Eli cursed deep within her soul.
We’re not even in the same course. Then why did you offer to guide me in the first place? I thought we’d be classmates and enjoy school life together!
For the first time in this world, Eli felt truly betrayed.