Chapter 315 Class Observation ③
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”So, how was it? What did you think of Old Master Haruma-okina’s¹ lesson?” Cecile asked.
”It was actually quite helpful,” I replied. “He’s a fascinating gentleman.”
”I see. Well, if ‘fascinating’ is how you want to describe him, I suppose he is,” she said with a faint smile.
After the classroom observation, I had returned to the gazebo in the east garden with Queen Cecile. The King’s brother, Roland, had already headed off to an early lunch to prepare for his afternoon swordsmanship drills.
”Are the other tutors like that as well?” I asked.
”Hardly. There would be little point in gathering a faculty of clones,” Cecile said. “As for the others… well, our mathematician is normal enough, provided you can tolerate a man who thinks of nothing but numbers from dawn till dusk. Then there is the calligrapher; he’s like a ghost possessed by his own scrolls. No one is better with a brush, and he’s a fine teacher, but he’s certainly an oddity. As for people you know, Court Mage Chief Dalffbull and Chancellor Samoro Dan are also on the rotation.”
Cecile crossed her legs with regal grace, counting the names off on her fingers. The curriculum didn’t seem to follow a simple weekly schedule. There were specialists for court etiquette, the history of the nobility, legends, music, art, and everything from commerce to astronomy. Cecile herself even took the lead on lessons regarding public affairs.
”Some are career educators, but many have primary occupations elsewhere,” Cecile explained. “I coordinate their schedules as best I can. If Roland shows a particular spark of interest in a new subject, I’ll scout a fresh tutor or even ask a passing traveler to give a guest lecture. Recently, I even called upon the Crown Princess of Ierse from Coalmine.”
I was starting to see the pattern. The Canary Royal Family’s philosophy was to gather world-class masters for deep study, while bringing in the most eclectic outsiders possible to ensure a broad worldview.
”Did you receive the same kind of education, Cecile-sama?” I asked.
”Me?” she paused. “In a way. Several of the tutors teaching Roland now were my own teachers. Of course, some are no longer available, and I’ve brought in new blood where I saw fit. I’ll admit, I don’t know much about the nuances of raising a child, let alone educating one. When I decided to create the best possible environment for him, the only blueprint I had was the one my parents left for me. I relied on that, and the counsel of my ministers, of course.”
Seeing how well Roland was thriving-how sincere and capable he had become-it was clear she had made the right choice. I felt a genuine surge of respect for her. Rebuilding a kingdom from the brink of collapse while looking after a younger brother was a staggering achievement.
I had the sudden urge to reach out and pat her head, but I caught myself. Doing that here was out of the question, and treating a Queen like a child was a bit much. I settled for words instead.
”That’s truly impressive,” I said. “You’ve gone to incredible lengths for him. Doing that for your country is one thing, but doing it for your brother… as a father myself, I’m moved.”
”I wonder,” Cecile murmured, her gaze drifting. “As both his sister and his Queen, I consider it my duty to look after him. I’ve never viewed it as a burden. If anything, I only regret that I couldn’t spend more time with him myself.”
”You’ve done enough,” I assured her. “You can see it in Roland’s behavior and the way he carries himself.”
”I hope so,” she said quietly.
”If you don’t believe me, we can always ask him directly. When my classes start, I’ll just ask him: ‘So, do you love your big sister?’”
”Please don’t,” Cecile said, wincing. “If he said he didn’t, I don’t think I’d ever recover.”
I was certain that would never happen-even our brief interaction today made his affection for her obvious-but I kept that to myself. It was the classic anxiety of a guardian. I didn’t think I’d ever have the courage to ask my own daughter, Momo, a question like that either.
”Anyway,” Cecile said, shifting the subject, “have you settled on a curriculum for your ‘lessons’? Honestly, just telling him the story of your life would probably be education enough. Or perhaps the fundamentals of trade, or those ultra-compact magic circuits²… though, I trust you know better than to mention your ‘specialty’ products?”
”Of course,” I replied. “But where’s the fun in that? It sounds like you already have better teachers than me for business and engineering.”
”I have a bad feeling about this. Education isn’t supposed to be about ‘fun,’” she countered.
”I beg to differ. Naturally, there are things we must learn through grit and boredom, but if you can make a student enjoy the process, there’s no better way to learn. You’re always best at the things you actually enjoy, after all.”
”I’ve never heard it phrased quite like that, but I take your point,” Cecile said. “So, what exactly are you planning to pull?”
She was looking at me with a mix of suspicion and weary trust, clearly expecting me to cause some kind of productive chaos. I couldn’t blame her; I probably was going to pull something. But I truly believed it was what the boy needed.
”It’s quite simple, really,” I said. “I’m going to teach him ‘─────’.”
”Wait… what did you just say?” she asked, blinking.
”I said, I’m going to teach him ‘─────’.”
”There you go again,” she sighed, “saying things that make absolutely no sense.”
”I’ll need to work out the specifics with Muse first,” I said. “If I explain it now, I’m not sure you’ll sign off on it. Let me put it all down on paper and I’ll present it to you properly soon.”
”Why on earth does Muse need to be involved in a school lesson?” Cecile asked, looking increasingly uneasy. “Now I’m truly terrified.”
”Patience. Let’s keep it a surprise for now,” I teased.
The idea had only just struck me, so I wasn’t entirely sure it would work myself. I needed to consult Muse; as the woman who handled the Queen’s shadow work³, she’d know if my plan was feasible. If she shot me down, I’d settle for telling stories about the early days of my shop, Harvest. I wasn’t sure I could match Haruma’s storytelling, though.
”Oh, while I have you-how is Project Harvest⁴ coming along?” I asked.
”Trying to distract me, are you? If you want the details on that, your slave Lily likely knows more than I do,” Cecile said. She turned slightly. “Muse, give him the update.”
”Yes, Lady Cecile,” Muse replied.
She had been standing by silently throughout the entire session. She gave me a look that suggested she hadn’t forgotten I’d just dropped her name into my mysterious lesson plan, but she stayed professional and began her report.
”The project is proceeding smoothly. We had a significant number of applicants, well within our projected margins. Establishing the recruitment center within the palace was a wise move; it allowed us to vet and eliminate any suspicious characters the moment they arrived.”
I nodded. At first, I thought using royal resources just to find test subjects was overkill, but I was starting to realize the weight of the situation. Especially after the way Cecile had shown me things herself last night.
Now that I was being officially brought in as the Prince’s tutor, my value to the crown had grown exponentially. If this was all part of their plan to tie me to the kingdom, they’d done a damn good job of it.
”Lily mentioned that the ‘key individual’ hasn’t applied yet,” Muse continued, “but she said she would light a fire under them to make sure they submit their papers soon. In fact, while you’ve been away, she might already be moving the pieces into place.”
”I see,” Cecile said. “And the timeline for the trials?”
”The document screening is mostly done. We’re just waiting on that one person. If all goes well, we could have the first few interviews as early as this week,” Muse explained.
”There you have it,” Cecile said, turning back to me. “Any questions?”
”No, that sounds perfect. I’m looking forward to it.”
In truth, I was dying to know who this ‘key individual’ was, but if Lily was handling it, I knew better than to stick my nose in. It was a fifty-fifty split between excitement and dread, but for now, I’d just have to sit tight.
”Hey… you,” Cecile said.
I looked up to find her glaring at me. It wasn’t the same look she’d given me earlier-this one had a different kind of heat behind it.
”Yes, Your Majesty?”
”Don’t you think you’re being a little… inconsiderate?” she asked.
”Inconsiderate? Me?”
She lowered her voice, her regal mask slipping just a fraction. “I’m not complaining, and I know what I agreed to… but it’s only been a day since yesterday. My body still feels… heavy… because of you.”
”Oh… right,” I muttered.
I felt a pang of guilt. Yeah, I definitely could have been more mindful. I’d even brought up my daughter in the middle of this conversation… I must be more sleep-deprived than I thought.
”Actually, Cecile… are you cleared for the rest of the day?” I asked.
”Hm? Yes, as it happens.”
”In that case, you must be free. If you’ll allow me, I’d like to offer my… sin-cere a-pol-o-gies… for my lack of care.”
Cecile’s breath hitched, her eyes widening.
And so, just like the day before, I found myself being led toward the Queen’s private office… and from there, through a concealed door into her bedchamber. But that, as they say, is a story for another time.”
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Summary:
The protagonist debriefs with Queen Cecile after observing a class taught by Haruma. They discuss the Kingdom’s diverse and high-caliber education system for Prince Roland. The conversation shifts to ‘Project Harvest’ and a mysterious ‘key individual’ before ending with a romantic reconciliation in the Queen’s bedchamber.
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Trivia:
- Cecile mentions that some of Roland’s current teachers were also her own.
- The Protagonist’s daughter, Momo, is mentioned as a point of comparison for parental anxiety.
- Muse is the one who handles the Queen’s ‘shadow work’ or covert operations.
- The ‘key individual’ for Project Harvest is being sought out by Lily.
- The Protagonist explicitly mentions he is sleep-deprived from the previous night
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Character Insight:
Cecile shows a vulnerable side, admitting her insecurity regarding her relationship with her brother Roland. The Protagonist demonstrates high emotional intelligence but also a degree of tactlessness due to exhaustion, which he eventually compensates for by ‘making amends’ to Cecile.
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Behind the Scenes:
The use of ‘─────’ for the proposed lesson plan suggests it might be a concept or word that the protagonist knows from his original world that has no direct translation or is deliberately obscured to maintain tension.
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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.
• Samoro – A middle-aged Marquis and Prime Minister with a lot of white hair, a magnificent mustache, and luxurious attire. He is a key figure in the court who has supported the Queen since her enthronement.
• 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.
• Momo – The newborn daughter of Kento and Lily. She has pink hair and her father’s ear and eyebrow shapes.
• Muse – Cecile’s trusted attendant and chief maid, Muse handles sensitive, discreet tasks like espionage and product acquisition. Have sharp, black eyes, wearing maid uniform, and have expressionless face.
• Lily – the sl*ve and primary experiment subject for the magic shop, ‘Harvest.’ She has striking pink hair, Blue eyes, medium breasts, which the Protagonist associates with being ‘wanton’. She has a working knowledge of magic, which she kept hidden from the slave trader.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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