prologue 4 (1/2)

Hi folks!

Nothing much. Just helping Cnine post his chapter today.

There has been a few changes that we’ve made in Chapter 2 and 3 after discussing with Shasu:

Honfrieth = Hohenfried

Ign.a.z.io = Ignaz

Name changes were made to streamline them to fit with the German theme. Do note that some names that we’ve gone with are based off the official light novel’s “Engrish” wording for the names. You’ll be able to see them once the light novel ill.u.s.trations are posted up.

Thanks.

Prologue 4: The Golden Generation

TL: Cnine

TLC: Krrizis

Editors: Me3, Momielxai, Elha.s.san, Puissansan

The Imperial Academy Schutzlehren – the Empire's imperial academy located in the capital of the Schutzarten Empire – is an integrated school that begins from primary up to junior high, and is the largest school in the empire.

In the past, it was said that many of the academy's graduates would continue on to high school at the Imperial Knights school or Imperial Government school; so for the sake of nurturing personnel who would carry the weight of the Empire's politics and military affairs in the future, only the best students in the Empire were selected to study in this school.

Although it was certain that graduates will a.s.sume an important position within the Empire in the future, it was not because they were outstandingly talented.

Most of the students were young n.o.bles and were merely permitted entry into the academy based on their status.

There are excellent students among them, of course. However, despite the request of the first Schutzarten emperor – the founder of the Empire and the academy –  the image of the academy which was supposed to cultivate talented people regardless of their social position has since been distorted into a mere shadow of its former self.

There are hardly any commoner graduates to be seen in the academy. Even if there was that truly rare occasion that an excellent student was admitted from another school, the student himself will eventually become aware that the dreams he had would not come to fruition, and that student will transfer out again.

From the start, the case of a commoner graduate advancing to the Imperial Knights school and the Imperial Government school would not have been tolerated.

The Schutzarten Empire, which boasts of having the largest territory in this continent due to its strength and wealth, consequently lost its former broad-mindedness.

Over the course of many years, this distortion gradually consumed the Empire with hardly anyone noticing it.

Spring, the season where new students enroll, has come again this year. Although this should be a happy season for the teachers that watch the figures of the innocent students – it was a bit different this year in particular.

Specifically, the teachers looking at the middle school section did not even bother hiding their depression.

「Is that the golden generation?…… 」

「What do you mean？」

「That's what this year's middle school freshmen are called」

「Golden, huh. Well, it goes without saying but it'll be a headache for us who will be taking care of them」

The golden generation. There was a reason why this year's middle school freshmen were named that. In the group admitted into middle school, a distinguished lineup had gathered together.

The first in line was Hildegard Eisenberg, the eldest daughter from the house of the Earl of the East. Possessing excellent swordsmans.h.i.+p despite being a woman, she was referred to as the strongest woman in her generation.

Her rival is the eldest son of the captain of the knights of the Empire, Oskar Fullheim. Since his father is the captain of the knights, that placed his skills on the same rank as Hildegard Eisenberg.

Furthermore, there is the second son of the house of the Earl of the West, Diefried Oppenheim. Although his swordsmans.h.i.+p skills is one level below those two, it was only by a small margin. On the contrary, his skill in magic was a level above the other two and that was why he was deemed strong.

And then there is Mary Kostol, the eldest daughter of the leader of the Imperial Mages. It is undeniable that she is skillful with magic – so much so that her magic is considered to be the superior by far compared to the others.

Furthermore, there is another person but this was not publicized as he was a key figure. Not only is this person excellent in swordsmans.h.i.+p and magic, he is also excellent in his studies.

In addition, there are a lot of extremely talented people amongst the students accompanying these people. This lineup is certainly worthy of being called the golden generation that will bear the future of the Empire. However, the problem lies in  that their houses are violently contesting amongst themselves in order to become the most influential house within the Empire.

There is a high chance that they would bring conflicts from home into the academy. Even the teachers became depressed over this matter.

「There’s no mistake in the cla.s.s division right？」

In the staff room, the person in charge of the grades was verifying it with the teacher who was in charge of the cla.s.s allocation.  Lately, this scene has occurred many times.

「Yes. I have already checked it many times over」

「Did you also check the n.o.ble's subordinates too？」

A n.o.ble's subordinate refers to n.o.ble households that accompany a prominent n.o.ble.

The Empire appointed four earls – the highest rank of the n.o.bles – and endowed them with a vast territory of their own. The empire placed them in the north, south, east and west respectively.

As it was an extremely wide territory. It was impossible for an earl's house alone to govern it without feeling extremely worn out. For that purpose, the land was further split into several more territories, each entrusted to a lower-ranking n.o.ble to govern.

As a result of the earls having the power of authority over their fellow n.o.bles, there are more n.o.ble's subordinates than there are emperor's retainers. Being a n.o.ble's retainer meant better circ.u.mstances as well. For the sake of being rewarded for their merits, there were many n.o.bles that had been created by the Empire's distortion that were present.

Naturally, the children of the n.o.ble's subordinates were allowed to enrol into the academy. Moreover, their enrollment was deliberately arranged to match with the enrollment of the children of their affiliated higher-ranking n.o.bles.

Essentially, the enrollment age for middle school should be twelve years old but there were plenty of students who falsify their ages when they enroll.

As far as the n.o.ble's subordinates are concerned, it’s all for the sake of deepening their relations.h.i.+p with the household of the the higher-ranking n.o.bility.

Whereas for the higher-ranking n.o.bles, along with a.s.sisting their children with their lives at the academy, this would also serve to clarify and emphasise the pecking order.

Even the academy could not object against this sort of inclination from the n.o.bles as this results in the agreeable position of mutual interest.

It was the same for the chivalric order and mage division. Basically, statuses in the Empire has changed and is now almost always hereditary.

「It’s fine. I’ve already a.s.signed them properly into the same cla.s.s」

「What about the other students？」

「As you would expect, I didn't go that far and pay it any heed. There wasn't enough students in the cla.s.ses that I could suitably allocate them to」

「Will that be alright？」

「I've only verified that they're people from the remote territory household. Though the people who hold such territory won’t cause problems, just in case, I've placed them into another cla.s.s」

「Is that so? And what about the other person？」

「That person will be in the cla.s.s with the people from the remote territory household. That’s fine since it's as per their instructions」

「EEEEEEH!? Is that right? 」

The person in charge of the grades raised his voice in astonishment. The remote territory was the source of trouble for the Empire. He could not understand why this student would wish to be placed in the same cla.s.s as the youths from the remote territory.

「Consider it as none other than a meager attempt to carry a relations.h.i.+p with a special prominent house」

「Are you really sure the remote territory household won't become a problem？」

The anxiety of the person in charge of the grades only grew stronger. Even if he understood about it at this point, he could only give a reminder.

「I won't say it will never happen. I am fully aware of the rebellious spirit the remote territory household holds against the empire」

Just hearing the situation made him fed up.

「There's also that. By the way, who did you look for? 」

「It was Millea-sensei … 」

「Isn't there a better sensei?」

「That excellent sensei was taken already by that other cla.s.s. That other cla.s.s couldn't possibly have thought Millea-sensei was the best indispensible sensei they've had, did they?」

This too, reflects the intentions of the household of the previous four people. They wanted their own children to study under an excellent teacher. Though that can easily be declared as parental love, but where the influential houses are concerned, their intentions are reflected in the teachers that they nominate from the academy.

「That is true, however …. 」

「Millea-sensei is a bit stubborn but that's the flip side of her seriousness」

「That’s true.  She’s a good teacher if you exclude her being slightly hysteric」

「Though that's a problem too. She should be okay if there isn't a problematic child」

「That would be down to luck. I understand. Nothing can be done even if we’re to worry about it now. It’s almost the time for the entrance ceremony. Shall we head to the a.s.sembly hall?」

「Yes. Alright」

Luck couldn't be blamed for the results that occured; though the poor teachers that were criticizing them could not be blamed as well.

Left on top of the teacher's desk was the middle school cla.s.s division list.

Written on it was first year cla.s.s E, attendance number three, Kamui Kreutz.

◇◇◇

The school entrance ceremony was being held at the auditorium. In the woods slightly separated from the back of the school building, the figure of a student walking could be seen.

The student dressed in a brand new middle school uniform was Kamui.

For Kamui, this was a place he once knew. Without losing his way, he moved deeper into the woods. It was certainly not a place he had fond memories of. Rather, it was the place where his cla.s.smates used to bully him countless times.

Nevertheless, since he was re-enrolling into the academy, Kamui wanted to visit this place first. This location which held his bitter memories was also the place where he began anew.

It’s been two years since he was adopted. That meant it's been close to three years since Kamui dropped out of the academy's primary school.

Kamui who had dropped out from the academy as Kamui Hohenfried was returning to the academy with a different name, Kamui Kreutz.

Though honestly, he had slightly hesitated over this choice earlier. To succeed the territory, it was important for him to redo his studies again properly. After his parents' persuasion, he decided to re-enroll into the academy's middle school.

This was not Kamui's intention. There were various things that he wanted to prepare for the sake of his future. Actually, although he said it was to study, Kamui thought the subjects that he took lessons in at the territory were far more useful.

And even his parents were aware of that. Because the people that a.s.sembled all of those excellent tutors, even if they were absurdly strict, were none other than his parents.

His parents' greatest wish was for Kamui to be cured of his hatred for n.o.bles, even by a little. For that purpose, they wanted him to make friends with one or two people among the n.o.bles who are of his generation.

Though he understood how painful it was for his parents, Kamui himself did not have those feelings. Kamui was quite mature compared to others of his generation; but nonetheless he is still twelve years old, still just a child. When it comes to the topic of n.o.bles, his feelings took precedent.

Kamui finally arrived at his destination and he sat down on the ground, looking up at the blue sky spread out above him. The moon which appears against jet-black darkness, like that time, was not visible at this time of the day.

「 …  How nostalgic. It’s just like how I remembered it」

「Really? That's great. It feels nostalgic to me too. After all, three years has pa.s.sed since then」

Although Kamui was speaking towards the sky, there was a voice that was answering him.

「Was it three years?」

「Master's and my perception of time is different. You know that, don't you?」

「Yeah, well … This is where it all began. My life」

「Isn't that an exaggeration?」

「I mean I thought I was dead」

「Honestly, I also thought it was over. But, master is alive. Furthermore, we were able to meet again in that country」

「Did you feel that it was fate?」

「It can't be helped if I feel that way, can I? No, the fact that I met you here was already the work of fate itself. Is there even such a thing as coincidence? Risking my life, only for the person with the calibre to use it appearing before my very own eyes」

「Who knows. Thanks to that, I obtained power」

「And at the same time, it was also a trial」

「… That was inevitable. That was my destiny. My mother once said that. … Or maybe mother was able to predict this?」

The words thathis mother left behind hinted remarkably of Kamui's future.

「That's not it. Even if she does not have the power of foresight, it's relatively easy to make a prediction」

「I see, that is true … Although that doesn't mean that my path has already been decided」

「Then, that's fine. I'm grateful to fate for meeting master but nothing has been decided by it」

Even if someone was around to hear their conversation, they would not have comprehend what those two were talking about.

「Me too. Though it’s more like a little selfish request. G.o.d probably would be angry with me」

「Even though you don't believe in him?」

「I do believe in him. G.o.d exists. Simply for the sake of watching over us. Am I right?」

「Indeed. It’s a mistake to depend on something like G.o.d.  The surface world exists for the sake of the ones who live on it. They have the freedom to live on the ground and are even free to choose the way they lead their lives」

「Excellent words. My apologies to bishop-sama but those words leave a better impression compared to the church's teachings」

It was a subject that church officials absolutely cannot overhear. He may or may not  be called an apostate or heretic, but certainly those words will be viewed as a problem.

「Is that so? That’s a bit embarra.s.sing」

「Oh, really? It's rare for Auel to be this embara.s.sed」

「What do you think I am? 」

「A cat, for now. And my benefactor, my precious comrade」

「As expected, you're shy! Now then, it's about time we head off now. The school entrance ceremony should be over by now. Also, wouldn't those two be absolutely furious?」

「I did more or less tell them that I would be coming here」

「Wasn't that right before the ceremony began? To those two, it's like you left them behind」

「… Right, there's that too. Then, let's go. My anxieties have disappeared and I have no business with this place anymore」

Quietly getting up, Kamui moved towards the school building. Das.h.i.+ng as it followed his footsteps was a black cat.

◇◇◇

It was not his first time in the academy, but it was his first time entering the middle school building. a.s.suming that the structure was identical, Kamui made light of it as he hurried.

Arbitrarily deciding that the first year's cla.s.ses were on the first floor, he entered the E cla.s.s and looked. There was nothing different about its appearance. There were a lot of students that he couldn't consider as freshmen and they were looking at Kamui suspiciously.

Confused, he ran out of the cla.s.sroom and when he looked at the cla.s.sroom sign hanging above, he saw 2E written on it. He had entered a second year cla.s.s by mistake. Catching hold of a student who was walking in the corridor, he inquired where the first year cla.s.ses were and was surprised to find out that they were on the third floor.

There were no cla.s.s shuffling in middle school. Hence whenever it was a new academic year, to omit the ha.s.sle of moving students to another cla.s.sroom, every year the cla.s.sroom signs would be switched.

He ran up the stairs, but by the time he opened the cla.s.sroom door, the homeroom teacher, Millea-sensei was already standing in front of the cla.s.s.

「Uhhhm …」

「State your name」