The Capital of the Diamante Kingdom, riel, housed the royal family and was the heart of the kingdom, with a population of nearly a million people.
The city was also ho to the Royal Academy, which was open to children from the ages of six to twenty-five.
Knight aspiring students usually attended from the age of six. They would wear a crest on their chests that represented the sponsoring house, which covered their tuition fee.
The wealthy nobles would usually have their children hoschooled until the age of eighteen, mainly because of the responsibilities that needed to be passed on. They were usually taught the family business, their family history, and how to run the estate, rather than a basic education.
Besides the access to a prestigious degree and connections, the Royal Academy also served as a propaganda tool to "unite" all the noble houses under the Diamante rule, as well as a way for the crown to keep an eye on the future generation.
That’s what Celine had told Lucian in the past. In public, the academy was portrayed as this honorary elite institution that only the most gifted or richest ones could attend.
Lucian didn’t think much about it until he got to know that the students were cut off from their families for months before they were allowed to visit for holidays.
No servants were allowed to accompany their masters to serve them either, but they could pay to be pampered by the academy’s staff. It would also cost extra if the student wanted a room of their own; otherwise, they would be sharing a room with soone else.
From a different point of view, the academy was a place where noble kids had the chance to get away from their families for a couple of months.
The dorms were separated by gender, and Lucian could currently see them from the Dean’s office. There was also a big garden separating the building complex in the middle.
The dean was an elderly gentleman with a short beard and a monocle on his left eye. He had a strict air to him as he sat behind his desk, reading through Lucian’s proposal, and Lucian was waiting patiently in front of him.
"Hm," he rubbed his chin, "Interesting, but it doesn’t benefit our school enough to justify such expenses to build and maintain."
Lucian had co prepared and set out a list of plans on the desk. "We can reconstruct the greenhouse as an additional classroom that will be available for your staff and students. It doesn’t have to be used strictly for gardening purposes, and can be adapted for various studies as you wish."
The school definitely wasn’t short on finances to reject his offer. The man was just playing hard to get.
"Do you not plan to attend the Royal Academy as well? You still seem young enough to enroll," the dean said, putting the papers aside, which showed that he was interested in sothing else, "Your constitution might not be suitable for combat, but you can still enroll in our academic studies. I’m sure we will have a place for soone of your caliber."
"Thank you, Sir," Lucian said politely, "but I must decline your generous offer. I have a lot of responsibilities that require my full attention at the mont. I’m afraid I will be expelled for not attending the classes regularly."
The dean chuckled, amused by his response. Lucian wouldn’t be able to focus during classes either and would miss the lectures due to being lost in his own head.
The kids here didn’t have to think about making money to support themselves and their people. Their concern was studying, passing the exams, building connections, and creating a good image of themselves. The pressure was different for him.
He was the one supporting others, and if his business failed, he would be on the streets in no ti. There was no safety net for him.
"I’m not a stranger to your situation," the man said, his expression thoughtful, "but I would rather you not give up on your education so easily. How about a compromise?"
He took a sip of his coffee, "A weekly lecture every three months. You will share your findings on a certain topic of our staff’s choosing. They don’t have that many chances to gain so fresh information, so you can consider yourself a guest lecturer."
It was obvious that the Dean didn’t care about Lucian, but about the access to his research.
"If you don’t want to waste ti on studying, then you can spend it on teaching," the man concluded.
The only reason Lucian would agree would be Celine and her well-being. "I can’t give you a definite answer at the mont, but I will consider your offer. Sharing the know-how is not sothing a businessman should agree to easily."
The dean laughed, "Ah, yes, the trade secrets. Very well, then I’ll be awaiting your decision."
Lucian thanked the Dean for his ti and excused himself. Once outside, a guard accompanied him to the front gates.
So this was what Celine ant by the crown keeping an eye on the future generation. The eting with the Dean was more like an interrogation to Lucian than a business discussion.
Before the deal could take place, the dean asked about his past and present, about his parents and his goals. It was a casual conversation, but Lucian knew that his every word was being noted.
’I’ll have to be more careful with my words next ti.’
It was normal for rchants to get access to various noble houses to do business, but his case was special, similar to private tutors, physicians, tailors, ecetera. A pass to get access to the house’s grounds equaled a pass to infiltrate.
Lucian was not a spy, and he had been building his reputation around his landscaping business, so his intentions were clear from the start.
On his way to the dorms, he spotted a couple of students lounging in the garden. They seed to have just finished their morning classes and were enjoying their lunch break.
Everyone wore the sa uniform, a black and white attire with a crest on the jacket. They looked like a bunch of penguins in his opinion, and Lucian couldn’t help but stretch his neck to look for his little penguin.
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