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"The Empire has investigated that far already."
"You know full well how formidable the Empire's intelligence units are."
Of course, I knew.
The Empire operates three intelligence units.
One is Dark Moon, a unit that tracks the corruption of nobles within the Empire to hold their weaknesses.
The second is Red Moon, a unit that manipulates information within the Empire's vassal states.
And the third is Blue Moon, a unit directly under the Emperor to keep Dark Moon and Red Moon in check.
The three units competed for achievents and collected a vast amount of information.
It seed that the story about , combined with information about demons, regressors, and a few other things, had reached their ears.
"To be honest, I was surprised too. To think that a teacher who is taking care of my son and teaching him well in this remote countryside is involved with two ducal houses."
"Can the bad blood with those two houses be settled?"
"To be precise, it will have to be. The imperial grandson is currently attending the Royal Academy."
The current emperor was an old man of 64.
The crown prince, who would soon inherit the throne, was 43 and had five children.
And if the imperial grandson was currently attending the Royal Academy... he must be the emperor's youngest son.
"There's nothing for you to lose. Teacher Cassian, the supervising instructor at an academic exchange with the academy the imperial grandson belongs to."
It was certainly an offer with only benefits.
Although a duel would take place on the last day of the academic exchange, that was only on the last day.
Nominally, as it takes the form of an exchange, I would be imparting my knowledge of the sword to the imperial grandson.
In other words, I would beco the master of the imperial grandson of the Empire.
Therefore, Defnos, who wants to eliminate due to the illegitimate child controversy, or Crownhardt, who is looking for , would not be able to approach recklessly.
In addition to that, if our Akarind Academy wins the academic exchange, my position will beco much more solid.
It was very attractive.
And therefore, it seed like an incredibly dangerous proposal.
"It doesn't exist yet, does it?"
"I won't deny it."
The Empire did not do things at a loss.
I looked at Viscount Chestra.
His eyes were upright, and no strange points were found in his expression or breathing.
'It ans this person only knows this much.'
There was a clear difference between hiding what one knew and speaking as if one didn't know.
I had to figure out what they wanted.
The Empire's sche, a sche...
"Co to think of it, about this exchange. It wasn't a one-sided proposal from the Royal Academy."
As far as I knew, the academic exchange was only initiated by the Royal Academy.
It was because of their unique pride.
But if it wasn't just the Royal Academy's story, that ans there was soone from our side who approached them and applied for the exchange.
Could it be Chairman Gwen?
Since she had just beco the chairman, she could have used that thod to solidify her position.
But I soon dismissed that possibility.
'I have sothing to gain, but Gwen has nothing to gain.'
She might gain the honor of being an academy good enough to exchange with the Royal Academy.
But even without that, the number of admission applications was already exploding before the second sester had even ended.
Then there was only one answer.
"The forr chairman."
"Forr? Ah. It seems the chairman has changed. Yes. There was a middle-aged man who visited the Royal Academy, saying that there was a trendous instructor at his academy. He ca with Avril Goldline as a guarantor."
Avril visited the Royal Academy.
It seed he went to recruit manpower, as he was in the midst of a fratricidal war with his brothers, including Abrahal.
'And if he went to the Royal Academy, demonstrated Aura, and then showed the chairman, saying that there was a person in Akarind who could teach this?'
The Royal Academy would show interest.
It felt like the puzzle pieces were fitting together in my head.
"A smart person will find the answer on their own. Then I will consider it an acceptance and go to et the current chairman."
"Why did you think I would accept?"
At my question, Viscount Chestra raised the corner of his mouth.
"Because in my eyes, you are a fundantally good person."
"..."
"The demons have begun to move. Rumor has it that these demons will continue to appear. Humanity falls into crisis and eventually faces its end? Such rumors were circulating in the marketplace."
"..."
"In such a situation, the only hope humanity can rely on is Aura. As it happens, your swordsmanship manual is slowly spreading in the Empire through word of mouth. If a stepping stone like an academic exchange is added to that, you'll be able to freely spread Aura to the people. Don't you like that?"
Yes. I definitely liked that proposal.
But I didn't want to follow this proposal unconditionally without any conditions.
What thod should I take?
As I was contemplating, a good idea ca to mind.
"I would like to add a couple more conditions."
I recalled my mories of attending the Royal Academy long ago.
It was a place I had attended.
The system and various information were full in my head.
"First, as it is an academic exchange, I would like to have free access to the library. If possible, down to the fifth basent floor."
The library of the Imperial Royal Academy holds the largest collection of books in the Empire.
In particular, the fifth basent floor is a place where secret books that are not open to the public are located, and any book not found here does not exist anywhere in the world.
I might be able to find information about demons or Aura here.
"Second, we would also like to designate a supervising instructor from our side. I'm not designating a person. There is one condition. A person who understands Mana Road."
Rozalin thought I was the one who created the Mana Road after seeing Pan use Aura.
But in reality, the Mana Road was an existing concept among the knights of this world.
Perhaps in the Empire, and at the Royal Academy, I might et soone who knows that concept more clearly.
"If there is no such person at the academy... I would like at least one knight from the Imperial Royal Knights to be present as an observer."
It would be nice if Captain Perdius de Lionheart ca himself, but that was unlikely.
Hearing my conditions, Viscount Chestra scratched his chin as if interested.
"I knew you were clever, but to this extent. The conditions are ingenious. As you have stated the conditions yourself, they are clearly conditions that will benefit you. But from the perspective of the academic exchange, they are difficult conditions to refuse."
"Because they are conditions to create synergy."
"Good. I will convey them as they are. The Royal Academy guys will go wild. To think there is an academy that dares to set conditions for them. They will say things like—'they don't know how to be grateful'."
That would be quite a sight to see.
We looked at each other and smiled.
"Ah, and could I ask for one more thing?"
"One more? The old geezers of the Empire will be flipping their lids."
"This is not a demand, but in a way, a request to you, Viscount Chestra."
"To ?"
Curiosity flickered in Viscount Chestra's eyes.
He didn't seem to think that I would ask him for sothing directly.
"Do you have any contact with Abrahal Goldline?"
"You an the young master of the Goldline rchant Guild?"
The na I brought up was unexpected, and the corner of his eye twitched.
"There is contact. No, it's harder to find a noble in the Empire who doesn't have contact with him."
"Is it to that extent?"
"Even the lowest-ranking knights receive supplies from him and wear and eat his products."
"I want to et him."
"Hmm. I'm saying this out of goodwill, but I wouldn't recomnd it."
"I know. I've spoken to him once. But I think it's necessary."
"Necessary, huh. Well. If you're eting him out of necessity, it would be ddleso of to say anything. This is all because I'm old. I understand. I'll let him know as soon as I go, so you'll hear from him soon."
"Thank you."
With this, it seed we had both gotten what we wanted.
Viscount Chestra stood up.
"Viscount. But there are many people targeting us. The road to the Empire with the students won't be perilous, will it?"
At my words, Viscount Chestra gave a hollow laugh as if to say, 'what are you talking about?'
"We are the Empire. Who would threaten our guests?"
It was an arrogant, but for that very reason, an incredibly trustworthy statent.
***
"So, starting today, we will be preparing for the academic exchange."
The students murmured and exchanged glances.
There were far more students here who had heard of the academic exchange for the first ti than those who knew what it was.
Only the students who would know the aning, such as the spies dispatched from various kingdoms and the students from the Empire, stared at with wide, surprised eyes.
"The academic exchange is a ti to have academic exchanges with the students of the Imperial Royal Academy."
After I finished my explanation, the students began to stir for another reason.
Comparing the swordsmanship they were learning, and Aura, with the students of the Royal Academy.
And at the end, even a duel between students.
"Do you think we can win against the kids from the Royal Academy?"
"Hey, we've experienced real combat and we're learning Aura! We're facing monsters, so what's the big deal about kids our own age!"
"Still, it's not just any place, it's the Royal Academy... That's a place where kids who have been known as geniuses since they were young go."
"I heard the teacher's textbook has spread to the Empire too. It's a trend these days. Then wouldn't the geniuses there be better at using Aura?"
The students talked at length, looking very anxious.
But unlike them, there were people who were not anxious at all, no, who were flustered for a different reason.
The returning students.
Looking at their eyes, it was obvious what they were thinking.
'Akarind Academy is determined to drop a bomb in the capital.'
The Imperial Royal Academy was certainly a gathering of geniuses.
But among those many geniuses, no one had displayed Aura in the fight against the demons.
Even if so of them had read my textbook and learned Aura now, there was no way they could win against my disciples who were learning directly here.
I, as a graduate of the academy, could guarantee that.
The classmates I saw when I was young were certainly the best and brightest of their ti, but looking back, there were very few who could beat Rozalin now.
If there was a problem, it would be the imperial grandson.
'Surely he's not planning to co out for the duel himself?'
It wasn't just any duel, but a duel where the academic exchange would revolve around Aura.
There was no way he would step into such a dangerous place and duel himself.
"So, the mid-term exam will be replaced with the academic exchange. There will be no separate grades for this mid-term evaluation. However, I will grade your attitude and add it to your final exam score."
The students let out small gasps of 'ooh'.
"The criteria for the attitude score is simple. When you go to the imperial capital of the Empire, do not tarnish the na of Akarind Academy."
Culture, common sense, and swordsmanship.
"Within a month, you must beco more perfect than those children called geniuses."
Therefore, for the next month, a hellish class would continue.
At my declaration, the students who had been delighted froze on the spot.
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