Chapter 70
Jade had come to the capital partly because he had been invited to Lloyd's birthday celebration, but there was another reason as well.
So Jade left the royal palace at the crack of dawn.
“I could go by myself, you know.”
“I wanted to show you the Department of Spirit Studies myself. Besides, I thought it would be nice to take a walk with my sister after so long.”
“Please don't get your hopes up too high. We've gotten it established, but its level isn't particularly high.”
Following Lloyd, Rainey cautiously spoke up.
Although the royal family had taken the initiative in establishing the Department of Spirit Studies, it was still lacking in many respects.
Especially in Jade's eyes.
That was why the siblings lowered Jade's expectations as much as possible.
“I'm going to the Department of Magic, though.”
“It's on the same grounds, so wouldn't it be all right to take a look before you go? Haha.”
“That is true.”
“Let's have a look. I'm a little curious too. It's not as though spirit arts have separate textbooks or teaching materials. Besides, it's hard to say that human spirit arts have been systematized.”
Unlike Jade, who remained indifferent, Arrelia, who was riding in the carriage with them, wore a curious expression.
She was somewhat curious how classes in the Department of Spirit Studies would proceed.
“We're working on that process as well. The power of spirit arts is comparable to that of magic and the knights. They may not contribute much to national strength right away, but in ten or twenty years, I intend to make the Kingdom of Polstein the continent's foremost power in spirit arts.”
Lloyd's eyes sparkled.
He had the eyes of a man filled with ambition.
Just as the two empires were each nicknamed the Magic Empire and the Knight Empire, Lloyd had a dream of his own.
Namely, to make the Kingdom of Polstein a great power second only to the two empires someday.
And Jade and the Spirit Corps would stand at its center.
‘Even twenty years from now, I'll be thirty-five, and Marquis Jade will be forty-five. We'll be in the prime of our lives.’
Lloyd was painting a grand picture.
If someone who considered himself inadequate and lacking could create the strongest Kingdom of Polstein in history, everyone would acknowledge him.
That was why he dared to take on the challenge.
But he did not think it reckless.
‘Because I—and our kingdom—have the greatest spirit summoner.’
He was not challenging the world from a position of having nothing; he had the strongest spirit summoner.
And not an ordinary spirit summoner, but a spirit knight capable of taking down even accomplished knights.
Haines, in particular, who had crossed swords with Jade himself, had said as much.
He had even said Jade might be a Master in swordsmanship.
‘I hope my sister and Jade can form a connection.’
Lloyd had already received tremendous help, but he still wanted more.
Their current relationship was not bad, but if possible, it would be better to make things certain.
Especially from the perspective of someone who had to govern the kingdom.
Since so many people were after Jade, Lloyd was growing more anxious as time went on, though he did not show it.
“Spirit summoners can wield great power when they band together, just like mages.”
“I hear spirit summoners who used to be mercenaries have gone to your marquisate as well.”
“Some have left, but about ten remain. The other ten are children I discovered myself.”
“I hope they grow well too. They may be subjects of your marquisate, but in the broader sense, they're also citizens of the kingdom.”
While they chatted, they arrived at the Royal Academy before they knew it.
However, there was no inspection or identity check.
Since the royal family had already announced their visit, Jade's carriage passed straight through the Royal Academy's main gate without stopping.
“We've arrived.”
The carriage, which had been traveling smoothly, came to a stop, and the coachman's voice came from outside.
They could sense countless presences.
It seemed that not only the professors of the Department of Spirit Studies, but also the head of the department and the chancellor, had all come out to greet the Crown Prince's visit.
“Let's get out, Lloyd.”
“Yes.”
At Rainey's words, Lloyd deliberately put on a dignified expression.
He slowly opened the carriage door, wearing the dignified expression befitting a crown prince.
“Welcome, Your Highness the Crown Prince!”
Clap clap clap!
Despite his instructions to keep formalities to a minimum, quite a crowd had gathered in front of the carriage.
In particular, it seemed that every professor in the Department of Spirit Studies had come out, but their eyes were fixed not on the Crown Prince, but on Jade, who descended after him.
Although the Crown Prince was the king's representative and held the highest rank, the professors were spirit summoners themselves.
Naturally, they could not help focusing more on Jade, who was called the kingdom's greatest spirit summoner.
“I believe I said there was no need for a formal reception.”
“I'm sorry. We did our best to minimize it, but everyone wanted to see Your Highness's noble countenance. I tried to stop them, but the professors were so determined that I had no choice.”
A long-bearded old man who seemed more like a politician than a scholar answered with an awkward smile.
Lloyd clicked his tongue.
Since the old man had put it that way, it was awkward to say anything more.
“What about the classes? It looks like all the professors in the Department of Spirit Studies are here.”
Glancing over the professors standing in a reverent line, Lloyd spoke.
Since he had personally interviewed and hired them one by one, he even knew all their names.
“They're engaged in self-study. They say spirit arts involve a great deal of creativity.”
The chancellor turned his gaze toward Jade.
Those had been Jade's exact words.
Lloyd knew that as well, so he let out a wry chuckle.
“I wanted to observe a class originally.”
“We can prepare one immediately. Professor Ulman.”
“Yes, Chancellor.”
“Go on ahead and prepare.”
The chancellor gave the order naturally, as though everything had already been arranged.
However, the professor who was called did not look very pleased.
Apparently, lecturing in front of the kingdom's greatest spirit summoner was weighing on him.
“Would you like to look around the Department of Spirit Studies first?”
“Let's do that. I've been here a few times, but it's the marquis's first visit.”
Lloyd nodded.
He had wanted to show it to Jade himself anyway.
His accomplishments, that is.
“It really is a newly established department. Even the buildings were all newly constructed.”
“Indeed.”
“Isn't this a bit too bare-bones? In a way, it was established because of Jade.”
“In the end, everyone lives their own life.”
“Good grief.”
Arrelia looked exasperated.
At a time when he should have been instilling dreams and hopes in the students, he had instead offered an utterly cold and realistic remark, leaving her able only to sigh.
Meanwhile, the twenty people following at the rear wore subtly tense expressions.
They were all curious how skilled the students of the Royal Academy were.
‘Still, we won't lose.’
‘We were taught directly by our lord.’
Even though the Crown Prince himself had founded the department and provided it with sweeping support, the children and the spirit summoners from mercenary backgrounds were not cowed.
No matter how impressive the Royal Academy was or how long its history, they believed they would never fall behind when it came to spirit arts, at least.
Unlike the students attending lectures and practical training, they regularly experienced actual combat.
That was why the twenty were not intimidated at all, even when they saw the magnificent building.
“That building has classrooms and laboratories, while the one on the opposite side is the dormitory. There’s a cafeteria on the first floor that provides the students’ meals, and a training ground in the center. We’ve made a small garden in the back. We thought each person might need a place to practice individually. Oh, and there is a small library as well. It’s small for now, but we plan to expand it gradually.”
“What do you think?”
“It’s quite large. I thought you’d start small and build it up.”
“We established it with not just one or two years in mind, but the next ten years—or even the next hundred. That’s why we built it on a large scale despite having few people for now. We thought it would be better to build it large from the start than expand it later anyway.”
Lloyd wore the same expression as a child hoping for praise.
He was, in fact, still young.
Though he had matured considerably, Lloyd was only fifteen years old.
If he had been the son of a noble family rather than the Crown Prince, it would not have been strange for him to live as a spoiled, unruly brat at that age.
“In the long run, that does seem to be the right choice.”
“Hahahaha.”
Lloyd beamed.
The mention of looking at the long term pleased him immensely.
Rainey, who had been standing quietly beside him, smiled as well.
“It would have been even better if it were a forest.”
“I’m planning to make it that way anyway. In a sense, spirit arts are the study of nature.”
“Oh, you’ve studied quite a lot.”
“I’m studying it as diligently as I study archery. I intend to persevere until knowledge becomes wisdom.”
Arrelia smiled and patted him on the head.
Everyone around them looked horrified.
She might be an elf, but Lloyd was the Crown Prince.
And at present, he was also the king’s representative.
Yet Lloyd, Rainey, and even the notoriously fastidious Haines did nothing.
“Ah, are you offended?”
“It’s all right. If we’re going by age alone, it’s just a grandmother patting her grandson’s head.”
“What?”
Arrelia narrowed her eyes into a fierce glare.
She was indeed advanced in age, but she did not want to be called a grandmother in the slightest.
“Then how about an aunt?”
“Oh? Look at you, getting cheeky.”
“Heeheehee!”
Lloyd laughed despite her fierce gaze.
Because he knew they were just teasing each other.
“Shall we go inside?”
While the two of them were joking around, they arrived at the classroom.
Professor Ulman, who had gone ahead, was lecturing in front of around twenty students.
“There are currently four classes of twenty-five students each. They’re all first-years for now, but we plan to fill the remaining places gradually. We’re already receiving quite a few inquiries about enrollment.”
Perhaps because it had only just been established, the students ranged widely in age.
Even though they seemed to have been grouped roughly by age, the age gap was still considerable.
But they were all equally passionate.
“There’s practical training today as well, so why don’t you stay and watch while you’re here?”
“Let’s do that.”
Seeing the students focus even more intently on the lecture because of his presence, Jade nodded.
However, he saw no talent that immediately stood out.
While the chancellor went on about how one student or another was clever and promising, they all looked more or less the same to Jade.
-I'm a little disappointed.
-Indeed. There isn't a single talent that really stands out. Their spirit affinity seems even lower than our children's. And their mana cultivation method doesn't seem to be one meant for spirit summoners.
-Their level is simply low.
Silestin and Elestra openly wore disappointed expressions.
They had been somewhat excited because the first Department of Spirit Studies on the continent of Arpedia had been established, but unfortunately, neither of them saw a student who stood out.
Meanwhile, the twenty, including Farzali, focused on the lecture with their eyes wide open.
They were all curious about how the Department of Spirit Studies conducted its classes and what its curriculum was like.
“What do you think?”
“It doesn’t seem bad.”
Lloyd asked, his face as tense as the chancellor’s.
It was only natural that there were shortcomings.
Since it had just been established, it was only natural for them to go through a period of trial and error.
What Lloyd was hoping for, however, was potential.
“Is that all you think of it?”
“It’s only just begun, hasn’t it? I think it will gradually improve. I think it’s excellent that you’ve gathered this many people with spirit affinity. They are all talented people who would have gone undiscovered if not for Your Highness the Crown Prince. However, the mana cultivation method needs more research. You need one specialized in spirit arts. From what I can tell, even the methods the professors have learned seem unstable.”
“Could we receive your help?”
The chancellor cautiously joined the conversation.
The department had been stalled precisely because of that issue.
The professors were spirit summoners who had made names for themselves in mercenary circles, but the mana cultivation methods each had learned were not particularly advanced.
Even those methods were not perfectly suited to spirit arts, so the professors were researching the matter together.
“Are you asking me to hand over my know-how?”