第１６５５堀：学び舎到着 (Part1)
Chapter 1655: Arrival at the Academy
Arrival at the Academy
Side: Yuki
Though my work is far from finished, I find myself traveling to a different land.
The destination is…
"This is the Zurable International Exchange School, prepared to provide foundational knowledge for the upcoming international exchange with Weed," Shou says, turning back to introduce it before the school gate.
Beyond the gate lies an impressive stone structure.
"An international exchange school, huh? I see. So, the idea is to prepare for the future through this institution?"
"Yes. It may seem premature, but if we don't prepare the ground now, we won't be able to establish the necessary infrastructure later."
"And education as well. Not bad. Actually, it’s quite good."
"I am honored to have your approval."
They certainly move quickly when it comes to these things.
Zurable has gone out of its way to build a dedicated academy, whereas other continents and regions are simply utilizing existing facilities. Both approaches have their merits, but considering future expansion, Zurable’s strategy is likely the superior one. Though, the labor required to pull this off must be endless.
"Now, if you would follow me."
Surprisingly, there is no formal welcoming party; we simply walk inside together.
Well, there are guards, of course. However, they aren't swarming the place—just about six of them guarding our perimeter. It’s a bit thin for a security detail while moving through the academy grounds. Then again, if you need a heavy guard presence just to walk through a school, it begs the question of how poor the local security really is.
Or perhaps in a developing nation with a volatile history, it’s not so strange? Even in advanced nations, you hear about shootings and the like. Though, I suppose they don’t have guns here.
"I am embarrassed to say that, due to the lingering effects of the war, the security in town is not yet as refined as it is in Weed. While I doubt you require protection, I ask that you keep your guards with you when going out to avoid any potential friction with the local sentries should an incident occur."
The logic is sound. Oh, and for the record, this academy is located in the heart of Eupia—the very place that served as the Imperial Capital during the Great War. They didn't relocate after the war ended; they simply dug their heels in and stayed. The presence of a Gate is surely one of the reasons why.
"Also, and this is a bit of a family embarrassment, but since Her Majesty’s dear friend Firia is here, the Empress often says she intends to visit frequently. I apologize in advance for any trouble this may cause."
"Ah, she’s quite fond of Firia, isn't she?"
"Naturally. Eupia is her best friend."
"And naturally, since you are all her friends as well, she will come… yes, she will."
She said that with absolute certainty. Well, given that personality, I can see why she’d show up.
"By the way, the Empress generally does not appear in public in her true form, instead using a body double, so she will be infiltrating as a mere student. Please keep that in mind. Though, I doubt anyone would believe it if you told them."
"Isn't that the most dangerous approach for the teachers and students?"
"Not at all. If anyone acts arrogantly toward a child, let alone lays a hand on them, the penalty is death. We have made this clear in advance; it makes no difference whether they know she is the Empress or not."
Hmm, the decisiveness is impressive, as expected. What she’s saying is perfectly reasonable.
As we receive these explanations and enter the reception room…
"Indeed. Welcome, everyone."
Standing there, dressed in clothes more subdued than usual—no, wait, that’s Eupia wearing the school’s uniform.
The members of my group stared in blank surprise, but two of them didn't hesitate, rushing over to start chatting immediately.
"Yu-onee, it suits you."
"Yeah, it really does! But why are you wearing it?"
"Mmm, thank you. As for why, by making it mandatory, we eliminate the disparity between rich and poor. Also, it’s good to get used to wearing it. I realized that after looking at the schools in Weed. For the first week, some students struggled with how to put it on properly."
"I suppose when it comes to new clothes, that’s bound to happen."
I find myself agreeing with Eupia. It sounds simple to say "school uniform," but the proper way to wear one can actually be quite cumbersome, and getting used to it is no small feat. Furthermore, for children from impoverished backgrounds, they’ve never worn such fine clothing. Getting used to the garment itself is a necessity. And by having them wear it beforehand, it likely instills the awareness that they are representing their nation. Of course, since some children struggle even to afford basic clothing, telling them to wear their own casual clothes would be difficult for various reasons.
Then, a thought strikes me.
"Does that mean we should change into them, too?"
"Indeed. Those who are to take the position of students should change. As for the teachers, I hadn't given it much thought… what do you think, Yuki-dono?"
"Well, for security reasons, if there isn't some way to distinguish us, we can't prevent outsiders from slipping in, and the students won't be able to tell who is a teacher. Do you have something for staff, like cleaners?"
"Oh, we do have a system for that. We use identification cards. And we have them wear those cards around their necks. You know, like how the staff in Weed wear name tags? We imitated that."
"Yeah, that sounds fine. Maybe add some color coding so it’s visible at a glance? Like blue for teachers."
"I see. I hadn't thought of color-coding. We shall implement that later."
As I was discussing this with Eupia…
"Ahem. Discussing improvements is all well and good, but Your Majesty, have you forgotten why you invited Yuki-sama and the others to this school?"
Shou interjects with a cough.
Ah, right.
"Oops, we can discuss improvements another time. Now, as for changing, there is a materials room next door. You should change there. As for the uniforms, the distribution is…"
"No, not yet. Here they are. Regarding the sizes…"
Shou pulls the uniforms from her Item Box, confirming the sizes as the members who are to act as students head into the materials room.
That leaves the teachers—or rather, the supervisory side.
"Hmm. So, Yuki-dono, Tori-dono, Stasia-dono, Comet-dono, Prof, and Lyushi are the instructors, then?"
"Yeah, it would be a bit of a stretch for us to pass as students."
"Hmm. Actually, Yuki-dono, Tori-dono, and Prof could probably pass as students. But Stasia-dono, Comet-dono, and Lyushi… well, they are a bit too… prominent in certain areas. And they carry too much dignity."
Hey, is there some personal grudge mixed in there?
Fortunately, Tori isn't the type to obsess over the size of her chest, but if Riel were here, it would have started a war.