Chapter 35 - The Queen's Arrival

The thing Lady Staff and Bloom held in common was that both of them were noble young ladies.

They belonged to the side that employed students of commoner origin like myself, Sis, and More—the side to which loyalty was pledged. It was perfectly accurate to call them individuals of noble birth.

"Suppapan is a dyed-in-the-wool elitist." 

"As I thought—"

I could wholeheartedly agree with Instructor Whip's explanation from the bottom of my heart.

"He blatantly discriminates against commoners, even going so far as to argue for reforming the current system that allows commoners to enroll under the pretext of being bodyguards. Only nobles are permitted to enroll in the seminar he hosts." 

"What a thoroughly unpleasant guy." 

"He blatantly excludes commoner students, as well as any noble students who push back against his ideology. The reason his seminar students are invited to the formal banquet every year is because he subjects other excellent students to relentless interference, forcing their grades down. Rumor has it he even utilizes his position as an instructor to blatantly manipulate evaluations." 

"What a monstrously unpleasant guy."

Well, if the person handling the evaluations is tampering with them, of course his own seminar students are going to get invited every single year!

"Even just now, his underlying motive was likely to secure promising talent early on, which is why he only had eyes for Lady Staff and Bloom due to their nobility. That is exactly the kind of man he is. He does not view commoners as human beings." 

"I absolutely despise individuals of that nature! I flatly refuse to study under a person like that even after my grade increases!!"

Lady Staff was genuinely furious, which was a rarity for her. There was something in her personal creed that she simply could not tolerate, and that guy must have stepped right on it.

"As for me... I don't care about anything as long as I can become stronger. If he truly raises the most exceptional students every year, I wouldn't say I have zero expectations for his seminar."

On the other hand, Bloom, the other young noble lady, evaluated him with pure pragmatism. She was a realist who dismissed emotions as trivialities in the face of practical utility.

"...However, I will absolutely never forgive him for ignoring my precious More, though...!!"

She hadn't managed to dismiss her emotions in the slightest. With both of them baring their raw hostility, it appeared Instructor Suppapan had completely failed to secure the two exceptional students.

"He truly is a problematic individual... Even though providing 'opportunities to study regardless of social status' is a fundamental policy endorsed by Her Majesty the Queen herself, he is the only one who persistently voices objections. He is a total outcast among the faculty as well." 

"If he's making that much of a racket, why not just fire him?" 

"The fact that we cannot do so is precisely why it is so troublesome." 

"?"

Could you please refrain from leaving behind such ominous, meaningful phrases?

"In that sense, the fact that you all were summoned by the King's direct nomination is a highly positive sign. After all, you were able to attend this formal banquet through a slot completely separate from the special invitation slots that Suppapan had monopolized until now." 

"Meaning we might be able to shave away his influence?" 

"Precisely. It is highly possible that Her Majesty summoned you all with that exact objective in mind. He is an exceptionally wise ruler, after all..." 

"?"

Like I said, could you please stop leaving behind these ominous phrases?

"Speak of the devil... it is right about time. It is the main event of the day, you see."

Within the party venue, pleasant conversations progressed, and the energy gradually spiked, building up an atmosphere where the feast was officially in full swing. Making an entrance right at that exact peak moment after biding one's time was undoubtedly the most glorious timing possible.

Monopolizing the most glorious spotlight is the explicit privilege of the highest-ranking individual. Therefore, she officially makes her grand entrance.

The most powerful individual in this kingdom. The sovereign!

"Hear ye, hear ye! Announcing the grand arrival of Her Majesty, Laevateinn III!"

Accompanied by the announcement of a guard-like individual, the doors swung open, and a woman possessing immense dignity in both mind and body entered the room. A woman?

"Did you not know, Sao? Lady Laevateinn is our Queen Regnant." 

"Her Majesty the Queen?!"

I had absolutely zero idea. One might argue that I should at least know about the ruler of my own country, but when a person holds zero interest in politics, that's surprisingly just how it goes.

The Queen was visually radiant, and the dress she wore was the epitome of luxury and splendor. It was flamboyant, yet it didn't look gaudy in the slightest, undoubtedly because her own personal grandeur fully matched the magnificence of her attire.

She wasn't merely beautiful; her entire body unleashed an aura that could only be described as absolute majesty, and she was unleashing it with such staggering force that it utterly overwhelmed the surrounding onlookers with its explosive momentum.

It was especially erupting from her exposed skin... namely her shoulders, which were laid bare due to the dress's design. And from her chest as well. I got a distinct feeling that an exceptionally massive wave of majesty was erupting from the deep cleavage of her grand, bountiful breasts!

"Her Majesty Queen Laevateinn has been on the throne for twenty years. Throughout that time, she has ruled the realm with absolute stability and without a single major mishap, earning a reputation as a wise monarch."

Instructor Whip explained, treating it exactly like an extracurricular lesson.

Eh? A twenty-year reign? Which meant how old was she now? No matter how much aging she had done, her visual youthfulness made it seem like she couldn't possibly be over thirty years old, though?

"Despite being a woman herself and having numerous siblings, she was designated as the ruler precisely because of her supreme competence. Establishing the system at the Royal Academy that allows commoners to attend was also spearheaded by her direct initiative. She can truly be called an enlightened monarch." 

"Hooooh." 

"What a thoroughly unrewarding response. Shall I put that explanation on your next test?"

The Queen's influence was undeniably the real deal; the moment she made her entrance, a massive crowd of people rushed forward to pay their respects to Her Majesty.

Watching the people forming a massive queue toward the Queen, every single individual was likely a gathering of highly influential figures—dukes, knight commanders, archbishops, and the like.

Given that we had been invited, we should probably stand in line to pay our respects as well, but we were completely intimidated and couldn't bring ourselves to step in.

"It is perfectly fine. At any rate, the individuals who receive an audience with the Queen first are always the high-ranking figures. In a public setting like this, the order in which one is addressed must strictly adhere to the hierarchy." 

"Meaning mere students like us come after the ministers and such?" 

"Way after them, in fact. You will likely receive Her Majesty's words near the absolute end of the party, so until then, simply relax and enjoy the banquet."

Even if you tell me that, how am I supposed to relax and enjoy pleasant conversations while anticipating such a nerve-wracking event?

If possible, I wanted to get the troublesome business over with first so I could gorge myself on the delicacies without a single care in the world.

Or rather, Sis was already doing exactly that. Exerting her absolute full power to eat despite the impending audience with the Queen—as expected of Sis.

"What a spectacular appetite. Being young truly is a wonderful thing." 

"Even so, she's having an audience later, so I wish she'd show at least a bit of restraint. What does she plan to do if she let out a massive burp right in front of the Queen?!" 

"There, there, I am not so narrow-minded as to charge someone with lèse-majesté over a mere burp. Though I might grow somewhat infuriated if it were a silent fart." 

"If she kills the sound, let's at least view it as consideration...!"

...Hm?! Who exactly am I talking to right now? Side-by-side? Timidly peering over to my side...

The aforementioned Queen was standing right there.

"Hoeeeeeeeeee?!" 

"You lot must be those lively freshmen I have heard so much about, yes? I have been quite eager to meet you."

The Queen, whose words we were supposed to receive near the absolute end of the party, was already right here-uuuuu! I have to show my respect right away! Total prostration!

"Now, now, bending your knees in the middle of a feast is actually ruder, you know. Since an occasion like this is a casual affair, it is far better to be a bit relaxed." 

"I-I see...!"

Around me, Instructor Whip and Lady Staff were also buzzing with utter bewilderment.

"Y-Your Majesty, to have you walk over to us personally is the absolute pinnacle of honor! ...H-However, shouldn't our audience have taken place much later?" 

"Indeed, the other attendees are looking completely dumbfounded!"

The ultra-high-ranking figures who were supposed to exchange words at the relatively earliest timing had been left completely stranded. Consequently, we were the ones drawing all the attention.

"It matters not. Hearing the rumors about you, the one who summoned you out of an absolute desire to meet you was none other than myself. For me to keep you waiting until the end of the banquet would be the true discourtesy." 

"T-That might be true, but...?!" 

"To think a group of prodigies cleared the training dungeon in their first year and immediately conquered even a dungeon intended for professional adventurers. The kingdom is always in search of useful talent. Unless we grant appropriate preferential treatment to those who achieve extraordinary results, it will fail to serve as an encouragement to others."

I see. Meanwhile, my sister was still completely absorbed in her food, utterly oblivious to what was happening here.

"Your Majesty! I trust you are in radiant spirits!"

Sliding right into the conversation at that moment was Instructor Suppapan, whom we had met just a short while ago. The pretentious guy.

"To be granted an audience fills me with the absolute deepest gratitude! Once again this year, our academy has raised numerous youths destined to become the foundational pillars of the kingdom! Please, witness them with Your Majesty's very own eyes!" 

"Oh, Suppapan. It has been quite a while." 

"The 'Suppapan Seminar' under my leadership has once again assembled the absolute finest talent! Allow me to introduce them! I am currently calling them together in a hurry, as they are scattered across the venue. I simply never anticipated being granted the honor of an audience so early...!" 

"Silence." 

"Huh?"

Confronted with a remarkably blunt scolding, the male instructor's expression froze completely solid. The Queen continued with absolute expressionlessness.

"Right now, I am speaking with these students. Interrupting the Queen's pleasant conversation—just when did you become so important?" 

"But given that you are addressing students from our academy, I naturally presumed you would grant words to the students of my seminar as well...?" 

"They and your lot are entirely separate matters. These youths traveled all this way explicitly to accommodate my personal selfishness. Unless I grant them a special reception, it would count as a failure on my part, would it not?" 

"T-That is...?!" 

"By contrast, your so-called students are individuals you unilaterally selected and brought along entirely of your own accord, exploiting the system of the Royal Academy. Understand that their treatment is completely distinct, even if they are fellow students. To barge into a precious audience with the Queen without even comprehending that is the absolute height of insolence. You displease me. Leave at once." 

"What?!"

Receiving a direct eviction notice, Suppapan turned completely pale.

"Please wait, Aunt! I am attending this event explicitly in my capacity as the students' chaperone! If I am gone, what are the students supposed to do...?!" 

"In that case, you might as well take your precious students and head back home together with them. Escort the children safely back to their residences and fulfill your duty as a chaperone properly." 

"W-W-Wh-Wh-What...?!"

In other words, this meant that the seminar students Suppapan had poured his absolute heart into raising would completely miss out on the honor of an audience with Her Majesty the Queen this year. His face contorted with intense humiliation, the pretentious guy attempted to wring out further words of protest, but...

"When told to vanish, you vanish at once. To defy a command from myself as the Queen—do you perhaps desire to taste an even heavier punishment?" 

"…………?!"

Since the Queen held the absolute upper hand logically as well, he was utterly powerless to resist, and Suppapan stormed off with his shoulders squared in rage.

Watching his departing back, the Queen let out a faint, bitter smile.

"A high-pride brat who cannot even conceal his displeasure. A fellow like that could never hope to shoulder the heavy responsibilities of the state." 

"Um... what exactly is...?" 

"Ah, right. Apologies for leaving you completely out of the loop."

The Queen turned to face us directly once more, as we stood completely stranded.

"Truth be told, that fellow is my nephew, a bona fide member of the royal family. Hearing that he was using his status to act as he pleased at the academy, I had been biding my time for an opportunity to keep him in check." 

"In that case, Your Majesty...!"

Instructor Whip spoke up with absolute trepidation.

"Summoning these children here truly was for the purpose of placing a brake on Instructor Suppapan's tyranny...?" 

"No matter if I am the Queen, I cannot simply barge into my nephew's workplace shouting, you see. Even I must admit I utilized a remarkably roundabout method."

A self-deprecating smile surfaced on the Queen's face.

"His assertions run entirely counter to the kingdom's current philosophy regarding the cultivation of human resources. Unless we take into account the fact that even children from the common populace are granted highly useful 'Divine Calling'' we will lose out on a vast number of capable individuals, thereby weakening our national power. In due time, we would be left behind in the competition with other nations, potentially plunging into absolute ruin." 

"It is precisely as you say." 

"Leaving an ignorant fool like that within our country's finest educational institution is highly undesirable in its own right. However, the fact that that idiot happens to be my elder brother's eldest son severely complicates the matter. I merely hope today's incident shatters his prestige and blunts his influence within the academy."

Hah... In short, we were basically used as bait to put her troublesome nephew in his place.

No, that's perfectly fine, you know?! Personally, if it means being of use to Her Majesty the Queen, feel free to squeeze as much bonito broth or kelp broth out of me as you damn well please!

And since your business is completely finished, there shouldn't be a single problem if we head back immediately, right?! Well then, farewell-da!

"Even putting that aside, I must say I was genuinely looking forward to meeting you face-to-face tonight."

Hm?!

"The Royal Academy's objective of securing capable talent from among the common populace—you all are the living proof that it is being achieved. Eventually, I intend to completely bypass the pretext of acting as 'bodyguards for noble children' and widely employ individuals as long as they are outstanding, even if they happen to be commoners." 

"Your achievements directly contribute to Her Majesty the Queen's philosophy in that manner. To continue being of help to Her Majesty, you must once again dedicate yourselves to both literary and martial arts."

A superior ruler secures two or three separate achievements with a single action. Keeping the actions of an undesirable elitist firmly in check, and using the opportunity to praise us, thereby accelerating the flow of events exactly as she desired.

Having received words of praise from the Queen once more, we were destined to draw an absolute mountain of unnecessary attention from our surroundings.

"Ahhh, I'm stuffed, absolutely stuffed. ...Huh? Did something happen?" 

"Sis?!"

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