第１２６６堀：年齢制限 (Part2)
"It is true that Weed might be accused of arrogance, but the fact remains that this land has no name, and the If Continent serves as a precedent. As I mentioned earlier, not all major powers were signatories, so we couldn't simply decide on a name when asked to do so on the spot. Please, ask him if he would consider it."
"……Understood."
It is true that the If Continent provides a precedent, and one could argue that the fault lies with this land for failing to establish a name in the first place.
However, at a time when we are tasked with launching an international student exchange program, the risk of inviting resentment from those around us is... well, I cannot know for sure without asking Yuki.
"Is there anything else?"
"Let's see... regarding these exchange students, will members of royalty be permitted to enroll?"
"Royalty? Ideally, if they pass the entrance examinations, I suppose it would be possible, but given the nature of their status, it would be difficult to avoid treating them differently from the general student body. Besides, wouldn't that require discussions not only with the nations in this region but with every continent?"
"……That is certainly true. However, the fact that people from various nations are gathering in Weed is viewed by the nobility—no, by the royalty—as a vital social hub for the future of their countries. I asked if you had considered that possibility, but it seems you had not anticipated it."
"Indeed. I had not considered the arrival of royalty. Then again, I haven't confirmed this with Yuki directly; he might say that whether they are royalty or commoners, they will be treated exactly the same."
"That is entirely possible. To Yuki-sama, categorizing them all as 'exchange students' without regard for hierarchy is quite likely. That was the stated premise at the Haiden Academy of Magic, after all."
"Even so, status-based hierarchies and factions inevitably emerged."
That is the reality.
No matter how much one preaches equality, hierarchies and power structures eventually take root.
I don't believe Yuki is oblivious to such things, but...
"Indeed. Well, please consult Yuki-sama on this as well. If royalty is permitted to study abroad, every nation will undoubtedly send their own. It is essential to the future of the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance."
"Yes, I understand."
It is true that cooperation among the nations within the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance will only deepen from here on out.
And this cannot be a one-generation endeavor.
It must be passed down to the next generation.
The exchange student program is one of the venues that will provide that opportunity.
Well, I suspect Yuki has already anticipated this, but I wonder how he feels about having royalty right from the start?
My conversation with the Princess ended there. As I returned to Weed to report the results of our discussion, I found everyone else who had been reporting back to their own homelands gathered together...
"Welcome back, Kagura. Was your side also dealing with the issue of accepting royalty?"
"Eh? 'Also'...? Everyone else, too?"
I asked, taken aback.
"Yes. Well, I wouldn't say that was the only topic, but the primary one was 'Can royalty attend?'"
"Well, since it's an Intercontinental Exchange Alliance, it makes sense that they'd want their royalty to broaden their horizons."
"Yes. His Majesty Blade initially started saying, 'I shall go,' before being stopped, and then said, 'Then I shall send my daughter.'"
"……Mm. In my case, my sister Inis says she intends to study abroad herself. Yuki needs to set proper age restrictions."
I see. So, as I suspected, other nations were saying the same thing.
And in August's case, Princess Inis herself...
I have met and spoken with her a few times in Weed, and she has a presence much like Seraria or Deryu.
"And what about Rogali?"
I asked Shera and the others.
"Ahaha, they're saying the older sister will come."
"For Litea, they are looking at the Four Great Noble Houses or the Saintess candidates."
"We've had envoys from Rumel and Roschur asking if it's acceptable to send dukes. Both of them lack young, direct-line royalty. Though, in Roschur's case, all three sisters are already deeply involved with Weed."
It seems the Rogali Continent has its own complications.
Rumel aside, as for Roschur, as Yuki says, Seraria is already the Queen of Weed, and Aria-sama and Elju are constantly coming and going, so there is no need for them to send royalty as exchange students at this late stage.
"For now, let's bring in Seraria and the others to decide on things like age ranges. Once that's settled, we'll notify the nations. Whether they choose to abide by it or ignore it is up to them."
Indeed.
Now, I wonder what age range we will settle on?
One tends to think of students as young, but it is not uncommon for those of more advanced years to pursue studies.
That is not a bad thing, but it might lead to communication issues, so we should probably narrow the age bracket to a certain extent.
It is a difficult balance, isn't it?
After all, the first quality required of an exchange student is the ability to communicate.