Chapter 314 Class Observation ②
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Good grief, you really aren’t honest, are you?” Haruma said. “Even though Queen Cecile used to be such a darling child, just like Prince Roland… the throne is a heavy burden, isn’t it?”
”I’m telling you, you’ve got it all wrong!” Cecile snapped.
Old man Haruma wouldn’t budge an inch. I mean, setting the ‘spouse’ label aside, our physical relationship is a cold fact, but he has to know how disastrous it would be if that ever got out. He’s definitely just enjoying the sight of a flustered Queen….
”Haruma-sensei, that’s enough of the rumors about the Queen and me,” I said. “Can you please get back to the lesson?”
”Oh, that was it, that was it,” Haruma replied. “I was going to talk about Ferguson ¹.”
Apparently, he has no interest in teasing men; the moment I stepped in, Haruma settled back into his rocking chair. He really does have quite the personality. Honestly, this is exactly the kind of old guy I want to be in the future.
”I’ve never seen my sister raise her voice like that…” Roland muttered.
Prince Roland was left in the dust. He sat there with his mouth hanging open, watching his sister catch her breath. I always felt like Queen Cecile was the type to lose her cool easily, but I guess she plays the ‘Dignified Elder Sister’ role in front of her brother. Or maybe I’m just the only one who pushes her buttons this hard.
”Ugh…. It’s—it’s only because this old fool says such stupid things!” Cecile grumbled.
”Ho ho ho! Well, it just goes to show that Roland doesn’t need to be so stiff all the time, does it?” Haruma laughed.
”Why, you…!” Cecile started.
”Now, now, easy does it…” I said, stepping between them.
The conversation wasn’t going anywhere, so I played mediator until the Queen finally settled into her seat. Haruma started smirking again—which made me nervous—but for some reason, Roland’s eyes were sparkling. I think I might be racking up some ‘Respect Points’ here.
”Now, regarding Ferguson,” Haruma began. “This might bring back some memories for you, Cecile. It’s the same story I told you back when you were a young princess, right after your engagement to King William—who was only a prince himself back then—was decided.”
”……”
As the old man began to speak seriously, both the Queen and the Prince fell silent. They watched him with rapt attention as he sat in his rocking chair, eyes closed in concentration. The lesson had finally begun.
”It goes without saying that our kingdom and Ferguson have been close since their founding; we are ‘Twin Kingdoms ²,’ as they say. I have traveled those lands many times, and my memories are endless. But today is special—the story of my very first visit.
Even a withered old man like me had his younger days. I had a childhood once, and at that time, I was roughly the same age Cecile used to be. Actually, I was about the same age as Roland is now.
I visited that land with my uncle, who was an adventurer. He’d say things like, ‘You’ll be a man soon enough, so you’d best see how wide the world really is.’ My parents were simple farmers and worried themselves sick, but my heart was racing with excitement.
Even back then, the highways were well-maintained, but monsters would still appear from time to time. The sight of my uncle easily cutting them down… in my young, naive eyes, he looked so incredibly reliable. He practically glowed.”
The elder spoke with a rhythmic, flowing grace. I see—so this is how he teaches, by weaving his own experiences into a story. It didn’t feel like a classroom lecture; it felt more like an old village sage gathering the local kids to pass down ancient lore.
”Weren’t you… weren’t you scared…?” Roland asked.
”Of course I was scared, lad,” Haruma answered. “I’d never even left my village before. When we stopped here in the Royal Capital on the way, my head was spinning just looking at the place. But more than that, the temptation of seeing a world I never knew existed… it gripped my heart and wouldn’t let go.”
Haruma answered Roland’s question with a voice as soft as velvet. Even the look in his eyes as he peeked them open was incredibly kind. Right… Roland has probably never set foot outside these castle walls.
Much less traveled. In this messy international climate, that’s a pipe dream. I realized then that the joy on Roland’s face when he walked in wasn’t just because his sister was visiting the classroom.
”The journey was smooth. Every single day on the road was a delight. Even the tiny villages we passed through seemed to sparkle. They weren’t much different from the village where I was born, really. And yet, I was amazed every time—surprised that there were so many villages and so many different people living out their lives.
And every village had its own little quirks. It wasn’t just the people or the scenery. The crops were different, the tools were different. The houses were shaped differently, they prayed to different spirits… in some, the village head was a self-important blowhard, while in others, everyone lived in harmony….
By the way, Roland, do you happen to like iron bean soup ³? Those beans don’t actually grow very well in our country. Those large, tough-skinned iron beans are a specialty harvested in the rural fields of Ferguson.
Unlike you, I was a common villager, and it was on that journey that I tasted iron bean soup for the first time. I suppose they were eaten to some extent in the capital even then, but it was the first time I’d ever seen such a bounty of large beans in one bowl. To this day, it’s one of my absolute favorites.”
Haruma kept his eyes closed, a nostalgic smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as if he could still taste it. I’ve had that dish before too, but yeah, iron beans definitely have that ‘luxury ingredient’ vibe.
Roland, however, looked genuinely shocked. He’d probably never given it a second thought. I doubt the Royal Palace kitchen lists the market price or the origin of the ingredients on his dinner menu.
”When we reached Toba, the capital of Ferguson, my head started spinning all over again,” Haruma continued. “I’d always thought Canarias ⁴ was the biggest city in the world, but here was a place just as grand. My uncle told me that every country had a city like this—and that there were others even bigger.
The streets of Toba are surrounded by great stone walls, much like Canarias. Our Twin Kingdoms even look like twins in our architecture. And yet, there were differences—the clothes people wore, the colors of the walls, the items on the tavern menus.
Oh, and right in the heart of Toba, there’s a massive plaza. In Canarias, we have our parks to the east and west of the main thoroughfare, but in Toba, when you say ‘the park,’ you mean that one great square.
It’s a stunning place with a fountain right in the center. In the summer, people splash in the water; it’s so full of life. My uncle bought me some mysterious monster skewers from a stall… I had no idea what the meat was, but they were so delicious they practically melted in my mouth…”
Roland let out an audible gulp. When Haruma opened one eye and arched a mischievous brow, the Prince’s face turned bright red.
”But that’s when the trouble started,” Haruma said. “My uncle had plenty of traits worth admiring, but he was a handful, too. You see, he decided to knock back a few too many at the inn and ended up gambling away every last copper of our travel money….”
”What!? Was everything okay!?” Roland cried.
”It was most certainly not okay,” Haruma replied. “To earn our keep, we had to perform street acts in that very same plaza. My uncle told me he was going to do a knife-throwing act and ordered me to stand against the board.”
”Huh!? You’re kidding!?” Roland gasped.
”I didn’t have a choice in the matter. I stood there trembling with an apple on my head. My uncle had a look of deadly seriousness I’d never seen before as the knives started flying. And then I…. Oh, look at the time.”
”Haruma!?” Roland shouted.
Roland nearly face-planted in disappointment. With a reaction like that, Haruma must be having the time of his life. The old man opened his eyes, checked the sun’s position through the window, and turned back to the Prince to wrap things up.
”In any case,” Haruma said, “as I told the Crown Princess of Ierse when she visited from the Coalmine, visitors from foreign lands bring more than just themselves. They come to Canarias carrying memories of streets Roland has never walked, villages he’s never seen, and flavors he’s never tasted.
They carry their own worlds in their hearts. You would do well to ask them about it. Listen with your whole heart. Doing so will not only broaden your own horizons, but it will be the bridge that lets you truly connect with your guests.”
I wanted to hear the rest too, but I guess that’s the end of the line for today. Haruma opened his eyes fully, stopped his rocking, and straightened up.
”Wait! Forget that, what happens next!?” Roland asked.
”Ho ho! The rest will have to wait for another time,” Haruma laughed. “Our encounter with the girl who saved us in our hour of need… my uncle’s daring heroics… there is simply too much to tell. I’m afraid I spent a bit too much time on our intro today.”
I’m pretty sure that was about half his own fault, but the old man wasn’t budging. An impatient Roland turned to the Queen with a look that said, ‘Big Sis, make him tell us!’
But the Queen—who probably already knows the ending—just pursed her lips and slowly shook her head. Maybe she thinks the story is best told by the old man himself. Roland looked completely devastated. It was actually kind of cute.
”Th-then at least tell me the ending!” Roland pleaded. “That journey was what made you want to travel the world, right!? How did you feel when you finally made it back home…!?”
”Ho ho ho! That is the best part of the whole tale,” Haruma chuckled. “Next time… or perhaps the time after that? You’ll just have to wait.”
Roland’s shoulders slumped in total defeat. and with that, the lesson was officially over.
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Summary:
During a school visitation, Haruma continues his lesson by sharing nostalgic stories from his first journey to the neighboring kingdom of Ferguson. He uses these tales to teach Prince Roland about the diversity of the world outside the castle walls and the importance of listening to foreign guests. The chapter ends on a playful cliffhanger as Haruma stops just as he reaches the most exciting part of his story.
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Trivia:
- The protagonist and Queen Cecile have an established physical relationship that Haruma is teasingly referencing.
- Ferguson and Canarias are known as ‘Twin Kingdoms’.
- Prince Roland has likely never left the castle walls before.
- Iron bean soup is a luxury specialty from Ferguson.
- Haruma’s uncle was an adventurer who influenced his desire to see the world
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Character Insight:
Roland shows significant growth in his curiosity and admiration for the outside world, shifting from a ‘stiff’ prince to a starry-eyed student. Haruma demonstrates his mastery as an educator, using personal anecdotes to build empathy and cultural awareness in the young prince.
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Behind the Scenes:
The author uses ‘Harvest Moon’ as a meta-commentary at the end, possibly signaling the timing of the chapter’s release or a thematic connection to the ‘beans’ mentioned.
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• Cecile – A queen in the capital who possesses the authority to regulate business and commerce, particularly concerning moral or public order issues. She is currently investigating Kento’s shop, ‘Harvest.’ Have long golden hair, elegant, and wearing expensive white dress with gold accesories.
• Haruma – A kindly old man with a full beard and a bald head.
• Roland – he younger brother of Queen Cecile and the heir apparent to the Canaria throne. Clean, golden-blonde hair, same color as the Queen, innocent, beautiful face that could be mistaken for a girl but dressed in a boy’s formal wear.
• Ierse – The Crown Princess and wife of Gilliam, originally from a foreign land. She is described as lively and healthy with a unique charm. She wants to cheer up her husband. Has long haired hair.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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