A Famous Traitor and Treacherous Genius

109 – Cornerstone for the Academy (2)

Afternoon.

After reading through the Imperial Newspaper, I gathered the supplies to go to the Elven Forest and headed to my father’s study.

“It looks like you have something to say. Is there anything else I should know about the Elven Forest?”

“I told you everything about elves at dawn.”

I told my father everything about elves.

-The guardians of the time also need to know. You can say it. On the contrary, I wish she wouldn’t have to say it again.

This is also permitted in the Baekjin Sutra.

“The reason I came here this time is not because of the elves, but because of a problem with the academy.”

“Is it an academy?…”

Academy.

“The academy itself had been laid by the empire before.”

“When you were 10 years old, there was a time when you were pushed back because a certain area of the capital was being redeveloped.”

“Morgania had already been working with the empire behind the scenes to some extent since then.”

“We were just putting a chair there and barging in.”

The first step laid down by the empire for exchanges with the kingdom for a long time.

In the name of harmony for future generations, the empire built an image of ‘peace’ among all the kingdom’s citizens.

“The external justification lies with the empire.”

Although we jumped on the academy’s bandwagon, it was a fateful trend that we could not stop.

“First, he extends his hand of peace, but it is too easy to rashly reject it…”

“Too much money has already come in, starting with the Port of Seirene.”

“Yes. Just as Ipheria is spreading out a huge amount of supplies.”

The Empire considers the Academy to be the core of the war.

“Father. To put it bluntly, all international students coming from the empire are spies.”

“…”

From noble mtl dot come

“They would later play a key role in the Kingdom-Empire War.”

A war did occur.

“They will cleverly spread the differences between empires and kingdoms and spread propaganda about the incompetent king.”

“It’s not propaganda; It’s just a list of facts.”

“The kingdom’s nobles are quick to say things they cannot say because of their royal authority, and that is propaganda about St. Geo.”

A catalyst that ignites in earnest the dissatisfaction with the incompetent king that was previously quiet.

There is no need to compare with the frighteningly capable Thersian royal family.

“They will reveal it implicitly. In order for the people of Nostrum to be happy, Saint Geo needs to disappear.”

“I’m attracted to you. I’m tempted like this too, but I wonder if the people are appalled.”

“Overthrow Saint Geo. Dethrone Saint Geo. Guillotine the incompetent king.”

The justification for the war was ‘removal of the incompetent king.’

“To put it a little more bluntly, everyone will think, ‘If it weren’t for that b*stard, we could live like the people of the empire.'”

“That’s true. It’s scary because it’s true.”

The lives of the people of the empire slowly began to spread through the students of the empire.

“Right now, there are many people in Gibraltar who want to look at the empire and its culture separately, even if it is just the supplies coming in from the outlet in the canyon.”

The convenience of life brought about by the development of magic engineering, alchemy, and machinery has become an object of admiration and envy for many people.

Gibraltar is currently enjoying this a little ahead of time.

“In Sirene, Thaler has already begun to be used. Gold is used for minor transactions, but those who think about the future are already stocking up Thaler in their warehouses.”

“It’s not like the bank is paying interest.”

“Even if you don’t pay a certain percentage of interest, you are confident that you will make ‘double’ profits in 2 to 3 years. With the thaller business.”

This is when people slowly start to think, ‘Isn’t it better to live in an empire?’

“If I were to start a war in the empire, I would only say that I would remove an incompetent king.”

In the meantime, they did not harass or plunder the people, saying they would only kick out the incompetent king.

“A letter will be sent to international students stating that they will not interfere with the status, capital, or lives of nobles.”

“I am going to live alone for the sake of the family and territory of the close friends I made at the academy.”

“Yes. They will see it as their mission. With the will to rehabilitate the people of this barbaric kingdom.”

At the forefront were academy students.

“Three years. Isn’t that enough time to make friends beyond 500 years of resentment?”

“If you learn together at the academy, you will inevitably become a best friend.”

“The empire will only select those who are easy to get to know and send students abroad.”

The empire’s students established exchanges with several nobles who were the core of the kingdom, and in the process of persuading the nobles, they took the lead in persuading the kingdom’s high-ranking officials.

“Just as he bewitched Gray Gibraltar by sending his granddaughter her, Emperor Astacia, to be her student her her, each noble in the empire is probably thinking about which student to send to him.”

“…”

Just as the empire assigned Astacia, the granddaughter of the emperor, to me as a 1:1 mark, each student studying abroad had their own goal to persuade and placate.

“For example, in the case of the descendants of the Marquis Roland over there. A lively and well-built man… I would send someone like Sir Carlos.”

“I think the Marquess of Fellwood’s successor will have the opposite personality?”

“You might change your personality in an instant to catch up with the friend you admire, right?”

“Hmm.”

My father doesn’t seem to have any sense of it yet, but this is normal.

Because the current Felwood Roland looks like a weak boy.

“If a person were similar to Sir Carlos, he would be a guy who doesn’t care about anything else than muscle training.”

“We select those people and send them there. Some of them will come knowing they are spies, but maybe 1 or 2 out of 10.”

This is what makes the empire scary.

“A person who truly tours the kingdom, makes friends, and when war breaks out, he can risk his life for his friends and approach the gates as an ambassador of peace.”

“…I might die.”

“They will die. 6 or 7 out of 10 people will die in front of their friends. By their father, a titled nobleman.”

Actually, it was like that a lot.

‘There were so many stories about a friend from Empire that I made at the academy being murdered by his own father.’

There were many cases where a friend who was bickering while sharing the same room approached him as an envoy of peace, and the white flag he brandished was soaked with red blood and used as a cloth to wrap the body.

I was a bit of an exception in that case-

-Count. Even though you’re dead and can’t even find your body, how about at least paying tribute? Even once a year.

At someone’s suggestion, a joint memorial service for them was held every year in the canyon.

Every time, academy graduates gathered together and talked.

“…There will be a lot of deaths. But thanks to those deaths, the Empire may be able to take over the kingdom.”

“That’s… “

“On the premise that Gibraltar opens its doors for the Empire.”

“Hmm.”

All assumptions are based on the premise that Gibraltar will become an ally of the empire.

“Gibraltar has joined the empire, so you should join too. That is the best justification to persuade.”

“Yes.”

The strongest on the continent.

My father is a strong man even when he is an ally, but he is the most terrifying when he becomes an enemy.

“Gibraltar has been attached to the Empire. Whether you or my father see it moving with the Imperial army, there will be gates that open without any need for persuasion.”

In fact, local nobles heard the news and opened the gates.

I showed my face directly in front of those who did not judge based on news alone, and only then did many of the gates open.

“Good. Then you’ve already told me about this academy a few times.”

My father took out a wad of paper that had been piled up in one of the drawers.

“Just as you set a major premise for the war, you said that you would set a major premise for the academy issue as well.”

Not parchment, but a stack of stiff, thin paper documents imported from the empire.

“Unless you enter the academy as a student.”

“Yes.”

“…The academy is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Are you really planning on not attending school?”

“Yes.”

It is not me who goes to the academy as a student.

“I plan to apply.”

“Support?”

“With money.”

“…What specifically?”

“That method is called a surprise gift for later, and now it’s important who you send to the academy, right?”

Gray Gibraltar does not enter the Academy as a student.

However, someone from Gibraltar must enter the Academy.

“Let’s send Noir. Father.”

“…”

“Isn’t he the most perfect? A younger brother who goes to the academy instead of an incompetent older brother.”

“Isn’t that contrary to this plan?”

My father took out a plan contained in a red file album among the documents.

“I don’t think I can say I’m incompetent.”

“Wouldn’t it be incompetent as a military force? No matter how good you are in administration, in the end, the sword is stronger in the kingdom than the law.”

“…I understand.”

The document my father took out already had his seal his stamped in red.

Plan already approved.

“It’s a shame. I feel like I’m always undermining the evaluation you deserve.”

“It’s okay.”

The reason I asked that one more time was because I felt sorry for my father.

“Good. Then, let’s look at the biggest problem with the plan you mentioned.”

The father spread his two fingers.

“The academy’s official opening will be in two years, in March. When you turn 17.”

“Yes. When I graduate, I will be 20 years old and become an adult.”

The academy’s semester begins in March, and the one-year semester ends in the winter of February of the following year.

“Naria Gio Nostrum will also enter the academy as a first-year student at the age of 17, and Astasia von Tersian’s granddaughter will also study abroad as a first-year student at the age of 17.”

“Yes.”

“And in accordance with the empire’s investment, the academy is structured according to a strict ‘grade system.'”

My father took out a blank piece of paper and wrote the words ’15 years old now, 17 years old in 2 years’ in large letters with a feather pen.

“Those who are not 17 do not have the opportunity to enter the new academy.”

“Yes.”

“Noir is three years younger than you.”

“Then Noir would have been 14 at the time.”

“…Don’t you think it’s a contradiction? Or what are you thinking?”

“Of course, it is an unconventional thing that will break the contradiction and the average sense of privilege that the nobles of the Kingdom of Nostrum have.”

I made a circle with my finger.

“Special admission system.”

“…”

“You don’t have to be 17 years old. We are forming a special class for anyone who wants to learn.”

I lined up a few words next to the paper my father had written.

“Status. Age. Parents’ occupation. Origin. Hometown.”

In one word, ‘indiscriminate’.

Or ‘equality’.

“Beyond all that, we have a special admission system that selects only those with ‘talents’ who have passed a special test. The number should be limited to about 10% of the total number of students.”

“…Is money also a talent?”

“A talent that met well parents. A talent that comes from a rich family.”

It is a word widely spread in the empire, and one that even the Habsburg Crown Prince will not deny.

“All humans are born unequal. This is a phrase often used in the editorials of the Imperial Newspaper.”

“Is that talent? It’s a bitter reality.”

“But it’s reality.”

Not all humans can start from the same starting line.

“Noir Gibraltar will be the first to pass special admission with just the last name Gibraltar.”

“…Ha.”

My father laughed.

“The special admission system wasn’t even created in the first place?”

“That’s why we can put it together even more precisely.”

“Are you saying that you are going to create such a system to enroll Noir instead of you?”

“Whether you cover your eyes and fight back or not, you have to do something like that to stand a good cause.”

Preferences and privileges must be shared appropriately to avoid backlash.

“And this is closely related to the universal ideology of Nostrum.”

“…A hero’s omnipotence?”

“Yes. Opportunity is open to everyone. Do you know if among those knocking on this door of opportunity, a heroic figure will suddenly emerge from among the commoners?”

“What if a hero appears like that, but a foreign student who is a spy for the empire becomes a friend and lures him to the empire?”

“Even if that happens, I don’t think you’ll at least swear allegiance to St. Geo Nostrum.”

“…”

The father touched his chin with his hand and twisted the corner of his mouth.

“Special admission. It’s better than I thought. But should we just open our eyes and hand over such talented people to the empire like a cut nose?”

“No. For that, Gibraltar has to spend a lot of money. It’s a kind of investment.”

“Investment?”

“Yes, father. Aren’t the children at the orphanage more useful than you think?”

“Seeing as you suddenly bring up the topic of orphanages, do you mean to use those children at the academy?”

“There is that, but it’s about the cognitive aspect.”

Through the orphanage, my father learned something.

“Investing in human resources may not seem of much value for a few years, but it is very efficient if you plan the direction so that the investment returns.”

“Noir’s Guardians…Dark Knights’ preliminary trainees. And Ethan Cesar.”

Currently.

Outside, Noir and 13 knight candidates are rolling on the floor and sweating profusely.

“How is the performance?”

“Noir has reached the beginning of becoming a mid-level knight just after you left, and the other 13 children around the same age as you have become as strong as low-level knights.”

“What about Ethan Cesar?”

“I’m hiding it, but I’ve already reached intermediate level.”

My father took out a report from a drawer.

“I am checking the status of the knight candidates every day, and the other children are also receiving reports from the head of the Marylee Orphanage. You should know better, but… “

“There are more talented children than you think. No, it is true that they have discovered their talent somehow.”

100 children of the canyon.

“We also discovered that even children who seem to have no talent at all have the talent to make people uncomfortable when placed around them because they are selfish children who only care about themselves.”

“Isn’t it a bit hard to call that a talent…?”

“Sometimes incompetence is talent, father.”

There are times when being on the enemy’s side can be of great help to your allies.

“Father, I dare to suggest. Gibraltar will take this position in the newly opened academy.”

I turned over the paper with numerous letters written on it and wrote one letter on the back.

“Canyon Scholarship.”

“…”

“Thanks to the orphanage, Gibraltar has built an image of a benevolent family that supports and raises poor and needy children. Now is the time to expand that image.”

Now, the extension is expanding.

“Those who are poor and have difficulty studying. Those who have excellent grades. Those who are well-behaved and set an example to others. Those two generations above them are all serving or retired as Nostrum soldiers. Well… Roughly. We provide scholarships to these people every semester.”

I don’t know what kind of people are heroes.

“Yes. It’s a justification. We select scholarship students, then give them monuments and certificates for roughly any reason, and give them pocket money.”

I know many talented traitors.

They are traitors of strong and weak strength who are cheap to use when needed and easy to throw away like a rag when they are used up.

“We, Gibraltar, will produce ‘Canyon Scholars’.”