"Now, then. I'll have to do my best."
Although I was still training with the sword, that alone wasn't enough.
In the future, I would become "the Margrave's wife," but it would be infuriating if people were to speak of me as, "She's violent and dim-witted as you'd expect from someone who has married into the frontier".
I would feel horrible if people came to think of the frontier as a place inhabited solely by barbarians because of me.
So, what did I need? Yes. "Intellect."
I needed to make the people around me believe that, "Angelina Schteizen is intelligent."
No, this isn't about Ash-sama's intellect being lacking or anything of the sort.
He's just a straightforward person; it's not that he lacks intelligence.
What I'm trying to say is that I'll do my best on the end-of-semester exams.
At the Royal Academy, the top 30 students' final scores are posted on the bulletin board.
Of course, the rankings clearly showed who was first, who was second and so on.
My goal, as always, is to make it to the top 30.
To be more specific, I'm aiming even higher than that. Ideally, I'd like to make it into the top 10.
"That won't be a problem for you, Angelina-sama."
The one saying so was Misha. I hope so.
By the way, my social circle consisted mainly of my classmates rather than on a clique.
I wasn't moving about with a string of vassal-house daughters in tow.
Everyone was still in the middle of measuring the value of the "duke's daughter marrying into the Margrave's house."
"Should I get close to her, or not...?" was what they were thinking.
Students who concerned themselves with factions were probably also confused.
For now at least, I wasn't being shunned or ignored.
At the very least, "we don't want to make an enemy of her" was the common consensus, but they didn't know if it would ultimately benefit their house's interests.
"I'm still getting the hang of things. I just want to know how capable I am at the moment."
The first-year first-semester final exams. In other words, my "first try" at a test like this.
Now then, how should I prepare for it?
This Academy is attended by students all the way up to high-ranking nobles.
The Academy could not falsify a student's ability through favouritism or the like, so back-door tricks were impossible.
If they were allowed, it would cast doubt on the past academic records of past royals, high-ranking nobles, and other school alumni.
People might start gossiping, "Perhaps even that noble person faked their grades at the Academy."
It would be unforgivable to have such rumours spread.
"So the only way to go about this is to study properly. Let's give it our all, Misha."
"Yes, Angelina-sama."
Precisely because these exams are strict with no favouritism and no cheating.
If you could place high there, that placement carried real value.
Of course, I was not the only one aiming for the top ranks.
For nobles attending the Academy, those who placed high gained a certain "prestige."
There were quite a few students who, like me, worked hard to raise their own value.
To push past such students and place at the top, ordinary effort simply won't cut it.
Mn, I would do my best. For the future, for myself, and for Baltzrein.
I'll balance training and studying, but I won't immerse myself solely in self-improvement; I'll also devote myself to interacting with my fellow students too.
Since there are a lot of nobles who are around the same age as the Crown Prince, there are just as many rivals as there are potential friends.
I'll be selective about who I befriend, but I had no intention of making large waves.
From time to time, I want to clearly demonstrate my worth and build a foundation for my future.
Amidst my school life, more rumours reached my ears. The friends I'd made knew I was marrying into Ash-sama's house by my own wish, so they didn't hesitate to share the latest news about the wildly popular Prince Leonhardt. So, regarding that.
It seemed Prince Leonhardt had taken an interest in one of the young ladies he had met at the Academy.
Oh, my! That was good news. I, too, hoped for a bright future for the Kingdom.
"His Highness entered the Academy a year before us. I wonder if she's a senior?"
"Apparently, she's a female student who entered this year."
"Oh, a first-year?"
"Yes, that's right."
The betrothal between me and Prince Leonhardt had, most likely, been refused by His Highness himself. I don't know why.
Was it that, in the year since he entered the Academy, there had been no one to His Highness's liking?
The various noble houses tend to time their children's births to coincide with the Queen's pregnancy and the Prince's birth.
Owing to such calculations, there are more noble children who are younger than the Prince.
Since the nobles will make their move later on.
So, the young ladies His Highness could choose from were mostly younger. Among those, it seemed, one had caught his eye.
"Was it Angelina-sama, by any—"
"Of course it isn't me."
"Yes, of course not. Then it must be..."
Yes? Based on the information we have so far, there is one possibility.
That is, the existence of the other duke's daughter.
Sandika Lordic. She was also a first-year, like me.
"I don't think it's Sandika-sama."
"Oh, why?"
"Because, if it were 'because she's from a duke's house,' then in the first place..."
"Ah, you're right. That makes sense."
If Prince Leonhardt had selected a fiancée just because she was from a duke's house, then surely Angelina Schteizen would have done as well.
Personally, I'm kind of relieved that didn't happen.
But it wasn't that simple between the houses.
The Schteizen and Lordic houses are in rival factions.
Just because our houses are rivals doesn't mean that we're on the verge of civil war or anything...
Ah, perhaps that was it.
The reason Carlos Onii-sama was angry with me.
It wasn't that "I had not been chosen," but "How could you let the daughter of a rival faction be queen?"
Certainly, having a queen come from the Lordic house wouldn't be pleasant for the Schteizen house in Onii-sama's generation.
But, the moment I heard about the engagement, the royal family had it called off.
What was I supposed to do back then? ... Mn. I'll just leave Otou-sama to deal with Onii-sama.
So, was Prince Leonhardt's partner Sandika-sama or not?
Everyone was keeping a close eye on who His Highness would choose.
If there are any developments, news of it would surely reach my ears as well.
"It hasn't been confirmed yet. After all, there's always some back and forth between the ladies and the houses."
"Right."
Every house had a "if possible" mentality.
So it wasn't the kind of situation that allowed for sneaking ahead.
Unless His Highness makes the first move and locks things in himself that is. Or perhaps the house's power was strong, and others couldn't intervene.
I hadn't heard of Sandika-sama having a fiancé either, so it might really be Prince Leonhardt, after all.
"Will Angelina-sama be making any moves?"
"Not in regards to His Highness. I'm more interested in whether I can rank high on the final exams."
I'm no one special to Prince Leonhardt, after all.
Even if Sandika-sama were to start making her move, I wouldn't be able to do anything to stop her.
I'd rather focus on what's right in front of me.
After all, all that hard work will pay off in the future.
The vassal-house nobles surely have reservations about me since I'm not vying for the future queen seat.
We are the same age and it had even been raised with my house once before.
... All the more reason I couldn't get a dismal score on the exam.
If Sandika-sama placed high and drew everyone's attention, my name not being there would draw remarks.
After that, I devoted myself to my studies, my training, and my friendships. I believe I've earned a very good reputation among those around me.
I've been avoiding contact with the people close to His Highness because I didn't want rumours to spread, so I don't really know much about them.
And so, the first-year, first-semester final exams began.
"Make sure you give it your best, just like you always do. And don't even think about cheating or anything like that. The teachers will be keeping a close eye on you. If you get caught and word gets out, it'll be far worse than a bad grade. Keep that in mind. People accept that others get bad grades, but those who cheat? That's out of the question. Do you understand?"
Draught-sensei, who had been assigned as one of the supervisors for the first-year exam, addressed the students in a stern voice.
Cheating? I'd never even thought about it... What does one even do to cheat on an exam?
The questions are handed out on the day, so you can't even prepare a sheet with answers on it.
The fact that Draught-sensei went out of his way to issue such a stern warning, though... had something happened in the past?
It had nothing to do with me. Rather, being suspected in that way would be unpleasant.
I'd better behave properly during the exam too.
I don't want to be told, "You've moved suspiciously."
Being called out like that would probably be the worst.
Like, "Angelina, I'm talking to you." Although I doubted any teacher at the Royal Academy would do that.
Anyway, I took the final exam seriously.
Hm. The questions aren't all that difficult. No, I can't let my guard down.
This was, after all, only the first-year first-semester exam. Perhaps the Academy was being lenient with the questions.
They don't hit you hard from the start and go easy on you.
Maybe the first-semester final exams are just easy.
The exams in each subject ended one after another. I went through and double-checked all my answers.
I had time to spare, somewhat. Mn. Mn...
There were no oversights or misreadings. No basic errors or misunderstandings, either. I felt confident about my answers for each subject.
There were no questions that made me doubt my answer; if anything, that made me feel anxious.
There were no blanks on my answer sheets, and I felt confident about every single answer.
...Wait. Could I actually get a perfect score in every subject?
Confidence and results don't always line up. I should check everything again just to be sure.
This is this and that is that.
I'm certain they made it easy since it was the first exam.
And just like that, the first-semester exams were over.
The students let out a collective sigh of relief "Haaaah!" Well done, everyone.
Though, there were cries of despair still being heard from the classroom every once in a while.
"Angelina-sama. It's over."
"Yes, Misha. Well done."
"Yes, well done to you as well, Angelina-sama... How was it?"
"Well, I suppose it went alright?"
"That's wonderful to hear... Would you like to stop somewhere on the way back? Perhaps we can have some sweets in the capital?"
"That sounds good. Let's invite a few others to join us."
"Yes, Angelina-sama."
I went out for sweets with my Academy friends, including Misha, to recover from the exhaustion of the exams.
Although we spoke politely, we mainly just vented about the exams.
It was everyone's first experience, after all. Of course they had things to vent.
Spending time with friends was quite enjoyable.
And finally, the day the results will be announced. The grade posted under my name was...
"Congratulations, Angelina-sama!"
"Yes! Thank you, Misha!"
"That was truly amazing. You've come first in your year, Angelina-sama. As expected of you."
"Hehe. I'm honestly happy. Thanks again, Misha."
1st: Angelina Schteizen (800)
2nd: Dennis Colden (795)
3rd: Merc Schliegen (780)
4th: Sandika Lordic (770)
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I managed to come in first for the first-semester final exams for my year.
This was a wonderful result. I was very happy. Yes, truly.
With the final exams over, the Royal Academy entered the "summer holidays."
Of course, my plan for the summer holidays was to visit Baltzrein.
I'll bring this happy result with me, and go to see Ash-sama.