The Royal Academy was easily thought of as a place attended only by the children of nobility, but commoner-born students were enrolled there too.
This included children entrusted to the church, and children of merchant houses who could afford the admission fee.
There were also students who had earned the right to be "scholarship students" by demonstrating their excellence.
Scholarship students had their tuition and admission fees waived, so capable individuals made use of this system.
The Academy where noble and commoner children studied side by side is a place with a unique atmosphere.
The Academy grounds were vast, and those unfamiliar with them sometimes lost their way.
There are training grounds primarily used by the students in the Knight Division, and various facilities reserved exclusively for the royal family.
Only those granted permission could enter the royal-only areas.
Even a duke's daughter was no exception, so I will likely never use the royals-only facilities.
Misha and I grew close to our classmates, and gradually got used to our life at the Academy.
Ash-sama had returned to Baltzrein.
He had told Otou-sama that he would visit again to formally give his regards, and Otou-sama had given his consent.
For now, Otou-sama doesn't seem to have any objections to my engagement.
On the other hand, Carlos Onii-sama glared at me in disdain.
But he doesn't actually say anything to me. Maybe he just doesn't want to see my face.
Even so, he seemed bothered by me and was observing me from a distance.
... Really, what is going on with Onii-sama?
Honestly, isn't he being a bit eccentric? If he has something to say then he should just say it.
Observing, no... surveilling? I don't quite know. What benefit is there in keeping watch over one's younger sister?
Could it be that he is acting on orders from the royal family?
Otou-sama hasn't said anything about it, so for the time being I am letting it slide.
The students of the Academy talked about all sorts of things.
It served as a kind of social gathering, but the topics were probably more varied than those found in high society.
And those topics often covered common things.
Namely: who was dating who, how certain engaged couples seemed quite lovey-dovey, which shops in the royal capital served the best sweets, what plays are worth seeing, who was strongest among the knights, that guy is surprisingly capable, and so on.
Students, children; those words best describe us now.
The most popular topic of conversation was, as expected, Prince Leonhardt.
There's nothing particularly disrespectful about gossiping about the royal family.
It wasn't that they were spreading bad rumours; rather, everyone was simply concerned about the royal family's activities.
Especially since Prince Leonhardt still doesn't have a fiancée.
By this point, rumours are heating up even more saying that he'll likely be choosing someone from the Academy.
And as frustrating as it was, my name was still among the candidates for His Highness's partner.
I really wished they would stop. After all, I have a fiancé.
I hate having such rumours about me, so I did my best to avoid Prince Leonhardt.
To begin with, I rarely had the chance to run into him since he was a year above me.
I only had to be careful to make sure our timing didn't overlap in places like the cafeteria.
Though, there is a salon reserved for the royal family, so I don't think he would deliberately come all the way to the cafeteria.
So, we built up a lifestyle that suited our school life.
"I'd like to make training a part of my daily routine."
"Training? You mean with a sword?"
"Yes, that's right, Misha. And magic too, of course."
"You really do apply yourself, Angelina-sama. I would like to follow your example."
I think it's safe to say that my school life is off to a good start.
From here on out, I'll devote myself to my studies and training while building relationships with those who are necessary for Baltzrein.
Since the frontier values ability, I intend to reach out to capable individuals even if they are commoners.
People like that usually hope to make a name for themselves in the capital, so I won't approach just anyone.
It is crucial to assess them carefully. Misha was a rare exception.
"... Did you hear? About Marquis Marcot's son..."
"Prince Leonhardt is currently..."
"At the Colden house..."
In Academy gossip, it was not just Prince Leonhardt, but also those around him and connected to him, who came up.
Naturally, that includes Marquis Colden's son, Dennis-sama.
The fact that Misha was warned by the Marquis house not to approach Dennis-sama hasn't gotten out.
That means they aren't spreading rumours out of malice.
But since gossip about Dennis-sama keeps reaching me, I can't help but feel a little on edge.
I was not directly involved, but I can't show Misha that I'm shaken.
"Misha."
"It is all right, Angelina-sama. But, I would appreciate it if you also kept watch so I don't get too close to him."
"Yes, I'll steer you away when I see him in our line of sight."
I doubt he would say anything just because we pass each other in the hallway.
I'm basically always with Misha, so slipping away quietly together would be best if I catch sight of Dennis-sama.
I don't really remember what he looks like since we didn't interact much.
His pale brown hair and eyes weren't particularly striking.
He probably had a small build because of the people who I was comparing him to in my mind.
"It's not just Dennis-sama. I hear that Marquis Marcot's son hasn't been chosen as His Highness's close aide either."
"The Marcot house's second son? I've heard that. The other students in my class were saying the same thing."
By family standing and talent, there were noble sons who had long been considered candidates for Prince Leonhardt's close aides.
One was Freed Marcot, the Marquis's son.
Another, Dennis Colden, the Marquis's son.
And the third, my own brother, Carlos Schteizen, the Duke's son.
But, it seems they have "declined" the close-aide position. "Pending" might be the more accurate word.
Now that they were attending the Academy, they could interact with His Highness if they wanted to.
If His Highness called out to them, there would be no problem with them being at his side.
Despite that, they had not formally accepted the close-aide position.
It seems Marquis Marcot's son turned down the offer to become his escort knight, saying, "I am not satisfied with my current abilities, so I am not ready to join the Royal Guard just yet."
Rumour has it that His Highness was left dumbfounded by those words.
Even so, His Highness had reportedly acknowledged his ability, but Marquis Marcot's son had not yielded.
Saying he could not accept it because his abilities aren't up to par; he's quite a stoic person.
I've heard rumours that Marquis Marcot's son had already surpassed even his elder brother, who is quite accomplished.
Just how high is he aiming? I'm a little curious about that.
It seems Dennis-sama's postponed his close-aide position because he wished to devote his time to studying.
But I would have thought he had nothing to worry about when it came to his studies.
It's a bit of a shame that he doesn't seem as dashing as Marquis Marcot's son.
Though, the points they were making were similar.
I could understand being filled with motivation after entering the Academy.
They might be living out their youth too.
As for Carlos Onii-sama's reason, that I do not know.
And, speaking of people that the students talk about... ah, yes, that person.
Misha and I went together to see a certain teacher.
"Draught-sensei. I have a question about the lecture earlier."
I addressed Neil Draught-sensei, a teacher at the Academy.
"Umm? Ah, the Schteizen girl."
"Yes, I am Angelina Schteizen. This is my friend, Misha Treimel."
"Right, right. So, your question?"
"Yes, regarding the Alstroemerian here..."
The special instructor of History and Royal Linguistics, Neil Draught-sensei.
He's a youthful looking teacher with curly black hair and emerald eyes. Apparently, he really is young.
He speaks a bit roughly, but he's actually quite popular with both men and women alike.
His specialities are history and royal linguistics... both happen to be his research subjects.
Sensei is primarily a researcher. A researcher of the lost previous royal family, the "Alstroemeria royal family."
His research is important for historical reasons, but there was a reason he had been brought to the Academy as a teacher.
It was so the students could learn about the "magic" of the Alstroemeria royal family.
It was said that the previous royal family could use exceptionally powerful magic.
Does this power manifest through their bloodline? Or is it something that can be obtained through training?
Draught-sensei was working hard to unravel those mysteries.
And the Academy and Draught-sensei both share the common goal of advancing this field and nurturing future researchers.
At least that was the rumour. All of it was information based on rumour and hearsay.
I've never asked him why he researches these topics.
But word had spread among the students that "if you want to know about Alstroemeria, you can rely on him".
"... Aah. That's something we'll do in the next class. You're a bit early with your questions."
"Is that so? My apologies. It just caught my interest."
"Right, right. You may be a clever young lady, but don't go dragging others into it. The one next to you can't keep up. She's wearing a face that says, 'what is in question is itself in question.'"
"Ah, Misha, I'm sorry."
"No, it's fine. Please do as you wish, Angelina-sama."
That hardly works for me. I want to make progress alongside Misha.
"Then, Draught-sensei. Sorry to trouble you."
"It's fine, it's fine. See you in class."
"Yes, thank you."
He waved us off as if shooing us. He was blunt, but apparently that was part of his appeal too.
His response just now wasn't exactly rude. I suppose that's the kind of person he is.
You know, the "tsun-tsun type," who acts aloof but is actually kind at heart, or something like that.
I had no particular thoughts on Draught-sensei.
... It seems I'm not the type to fall for someone just because they're older.
I was drawn to Ash-sama because it's him. Hehe.