NOVPUBA grand carriage, drawn by eight white horses, halted before the gates of the Royal Academy of Sairon. Behind it, carts laden with food supplies were lined up, guarded closely by dozens of knights and hundreds of soldiers.
The sight threw the academy’s gatekeepers into disarray.
"Wh-who could it be?"
"It looks like someone very high up is here..."
As the gatekeepers exchanged nervous glances, the opulent carriage door opened, and Wendy stepped out.
Dressed in a lavish gown adorned with luxurious jewelry, she looked every bit the noble lady, drawing stunned stares from the gatekeepers. Yet Wendy, keeping her composure, clenched her teeth and held her breath.
*‘This is so embarrassing...’*
As much as she didn’t dislike looking nice, this was too much. And due to her work, she was used to avoiding attention, making the staring even more uncomfortable. But she couldn’t escape, not with Claude insisting that they "needed to look wealthy."
Suppressing her embarrassment, Wendy approached the gatekeepers.
"The Chief Administrator of the Fenris territory in the Kingdom of Luthania requests an audience with the Academy Head."
The gatekeepers were taken aback.
They may not have known where Fenris was, but they certainly knew of the Kingdom of Luthania. A neighboring powerhouse of such status demanded a certain level of respect.
"Wh-what should we do? This isn’t one of our kingdom’s nobles."
"Should we let them in without knowing who they are?"
Luthania was a military superpower compared to Sairon. The gatekeepers couldn’t summon the courage to deny entrance, so they opened the gates without question.
As the entourage proceeded through the academy grounds, students and professors alike paused in their tracks, drawn by a mix of curiosity and fear at the grand procession.
The carriage stopped at the main building, and soon, even the academy head, Dean Dennis, rushed out to meet the guests.
With a slow creak, the carriage door swung open.
All eyes were on the mysterious figure about to step out.
"Agh, long-distance travel is such a hassle. Why did the lord send me to this miserable place? I’m not some lackey, you know?"
The grumbling figure was none other than Claude.
Having indulged in luxuries on the journey, Claude had settled a bit too comfortably into the role. In fact, he’d practically forgotten who he was supposed to be.
The onlookers glanced at Claude with bewilderment.
Sure, his attire looked extravagant... but something was off. He was decked out in feathers and jewels like some kind of eccentric tribal shaman.
On his fingers were chunky rings, each one adorned with a large gem or gold band, covering every finger. Necklaces, thick as ropes, dangled from his neck, reaching down to his navel. His neck craned under their weight, giving him a turtle-like posture.
As Claude staggered forward, Wendy moved quickly to support him, sighing.
"Why do I feel so heavy?"
*‘You really should’ve exercised some restraint with your attire.’*
Dennis, the dean, lowered his gaze to avoid direct eye contact, evidently uncomfortable with Claude’s bizarre fashion choices.
"How may I assist you, sir?" Dennis asked, his voice trembling.
Claude waved his hand nonchalantly, "I simply took the carriage."
"...And who, might I ask, are you here to meet?"
"I’m here to see the Dean. Dennis, specifically."
"You’re speaking to him."
"Ah! Dean! It’s me, Claude. My, you’ve aged quite a bit."
Dennis squinted, studying Claude’s face more closely. It was indeed the face he remembered. Shocked, Dennis shouted, "Claude? You’re really Claude? But how did you... how did you become so wealthy?"
Not only Dennis but also the nearby professors looked astonished.
Rumors from Anna had informed them that Claude had left the kingdom completely. Yet here he was, appearing fabulously wealthy.
Ignoring their reactions, Claude wiggled his gem-laden fingers dramatically.
"Why are my fingers so heavy? Anyway, I came to ask a favor and discuss a few matters with you, Dean."
"Then, let’s talk inside," Dennis said, leading Claude toward the entrance. The spectacle was drawing too many eyes from curious students, making privacy impossible.
But Claude didn’t follow immediately. Instead, he turned to Dennis and asked, "I heard Sairon’s facing a severe drought. Are you all managing to eat well?"
Dennis sighed, "I’m sure you’re aware of the situation. The kingdom is overwhelmed with poverty and hunger. We’re barely scraping by here."
The Royal Academy, dedicated to educating talented commoners, was usually well-funded by the royal family and nobles. But even they struggled in these dire times.
Claude nodded, then turned back toward his entourage.
"Gillian, distribute the food. Generously. What are you waiting for? Move!"
Standing nearby, Gillian clenched his jaw. Though he’d been putting up with Claude’s antics, his patience was wearing thin. However, he couldn’t risk messing up the mission, especially since it would ultimately benefit Ghislain. Swallowing his frustration, he ordered the soldiers to unload the food.
Dennis watched in awe, then hesitantly asked, "Are you really giving us all this food?"
"It’s a donation. Well-fed minds learn best, after all. Feel free to share it with the surrounding community as well."
"You... you really have become incredibly wealthy, haven’t you?"
"Wow!"
The people gathered around Claude gasped in admiration.
Beside the carts, food supplies piled up like mountains, a quantity worth more than the entire academy. Donating such an amount required an extraordinary level of wealth.
Claude basked in the crowd’s admiration, waving his hands grandly.
He glanced around quickly but felt a pang of disappointment.
*‘Anna isn’t here? Is she absent today?’*
Dennis, brimming with gratitude, said, "Thank you, truly. There’s no need for you to trouble yourself with unloading. Just leave the carts, and we’ll handle the rest. Giving us the food alone is more than enough."
Dennis was under the impression that someone as wealthy as Claude wouldn’t care about the carts themselves, thinking he could easily buy more.
But Claude’s face turned somber.
"No... we’ll be taking the carts back."
In Fenris, carts were rarer than food. Food was so abundant that even stray dogs in the area were picky.
"Is there a story behind these carts?" Dennis asked.
"...Yes, you could say that," Claude replied, a bit awkwardly.
"Well, come inside. We can talk comfortably there," Dennis said, leading Claude by the hand.
If Claude had shown up unassumingly, he likely wouldn’t have received such a warm reception. He was practically exiled from the kingdom following his mentor’s execution for treason. But by flaunting his wealth and generosity, he’d earned their reluctant respect.
The over-the-top approach, while tacky, was undeniably effective.
Once they were seated in a reception room, Dennis asked directly, "So, what is it you need? Are you here to see Anna?"
"No, no... that’s not the main reason... though, I thought I might... No, that’s not why I’m here."
Caught off guard by the direct question, Claude stammered, so Dennis asked again, "Then, what brings you here? Feel free to speak."
After a moment to gather his thoughts, Claude replied, "I’d like the records of my mentor’s students and the list of those who studied alongside me."
"Their records?"
"Yes, and if possible, I’d like to meet some of the graduating students."
"Why the students?"
With a sly grin, Claude replied, "I’m looking to recruit for our territory."
Dennis felt a strange unease but, given the generous donation, found it hard to refuse. Besides, with the difficult economic situation, job prospects for graduates were dismal. If Claude, a successful alumnus, offered them work, it would be a blessing.
A few days later, under Dennis’s direction, banners and posters appeared all around the academy.
**[Recruiting for Administrative Roles in Fenris Territory]**
**[A job briefing will be held today. Graduating students are encouraged to attend.]**
Seeing the notices, students began to gather in groups, murmuring among themselves.
"Luthania is a powerful kingdom, isn’t it?"
"They’re recruiting for a grand estate. That nouveau riche who arrived the other day is apparently the Chief Administrator."
"Hurry, let’s check it out!"
Marlon, one of the graduates-to-be, sighed as he observed the other students.
*‘I should probably go too, given how scarce jobs are these days.’*
The drought had led to widespread layoffs among officials, with some estates even releasing long-loyal vassals. Few nobles prioritized administrators over their knights.
Even before the famine, most estates operated without dedicated administrators, handling everything haphazardly.
Students who had done nothing but study felt the weight of their situation.
*‘If this keeps up, I’ll starve.’*
Once regular patrons of the academy, the nobles had stopped hiring or sponsoring new talent. With finances stretched thin, they could barely sustain themselves, let alone employ others.
*‘Should I just take over my father’s work?’*
Marlon had always been considered bright, so his parents had invested everything in his education, hoping he’d make something of himself.
But reality had proven harsh. In the academy, where talented students from across the kingdom gathered, Marlon found himself stuck in the middle ranks, no matter how hard he worked.
Thinking of his parents, who had sacrificed everything for
his education, he felt a pang of despair.
*‘Still, I should go and at least listen. You never know...’*
Though he wasn’t particularly drawn to the idea of working in a foreign kingdom, he had little choice. In these times, even the slightest job opportunity was precious.
Dragging his feet, Marlon arrived at the academy’s main hall, where most of the graduating students had already gathered.
Given the dire job market, they were all clinging to this potential lifeline.
As Claude entered the hall with Wendy supporting him, Marlon frowned.
*‘He looks like a conman. If he’s come all the way from another kingdom, that’s a red flag.’*
Other students seemed to share Marlon’s misgivings. Although they were desperate for work, they felt a bit deflated after seeing Claude in person.
*‘Definitely a nouveau riche.’*
*‘He looks ridiculous.’*
*‘And this guy is supposed to be the Chief Administrator of a grand estate?’*
Burdened by his over-the-top attire, Claude staggered in with Wendy’s assistance.
The lavishness of his appearance only made the atmosphere feel more strained.
Seeing the students’ disappointed expressions, Claude smirked inwardly.
*‘Oh, how naive they are.’*
They were young and didn’t understand the value of wealth yet. He’d learned that if you could secure wealth, it was best to hoard as much as possible.
After a brief self-introduction, Claude launched into a description of the Fenris territory and its esteemed lord.
"...Our lord is the son of a northern border marquis, serving as his father’s heir... He’s united Count Digald’s territory and Count Cabaldi’s by force... And, he has the support of Marquis Branford, one of the kingdom’s most powerful nobles, with whispers of an engagement to his daughter..."
The students were shocked by each revelation.
The lord of Fenris wasn’t just noble by birth; he was a war hero, a young prodigy widely respected throughout the kingdom. The mention of Marquis Branford’s favor, and even a potential engagement with his daughter, was especially stunning.
Marquis Branford was a household name throughout the neighboring kingdoms, renowned for his influence and power.
But what came next shocked them even more.
