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By late February, it was time to return to the academy and start preparing for the opening ceremony, which doubled as the entrance ceremony. Initially, I had planned to travel with the Mage Duchess, but she had a lot to take care of since it was the first time she’d be away from the Magic Tower for an extended period. She said she’d teleport in on the day of the ceremony, so I decided to leave first.

“Can’t you take me with you? I don’t want to be separated from my siblings.”

Just before heading to the academy, the 1st Manager clung to Louise, whining as she came to see her off. Honestly, she should be showing her younger sister a better side, but she was showing this clingy behavior instead.

“I want to stay with you too, unnie.”

Even though the 1st Manager’s behavior might be annoying to some, Louise gently hugged her with teary eyes. Perhaps she saw a resemblance to her late sister in the way the 1st Manager kept calling her ‘sis’ so affectionately. Sisters who joked around and showed affection—Louise deeply wished for that, but it was a reality that could never come true. Maybe this moment gave her a small piece of that wish.

Of course, no matter how happy or sad it made her, bringing the 1st Manager along wasn’t an option. Knowing that, Louise could only express her desire to stay together without actually asking to take her along.

“Alright, enough. Stop bothering her.”

With that, I roughly patted the 1st Manager on the head and pulled her away. We’d coaxed her to stay behind with enough promises, but now she was acting up at the last minute.

“Why are you being like this when Penelia’s just standing quietly?”

“That’s because Penelia got a gift!”

At those words, the 4th Manager, who was standing beside us, flinched. It was amusing to see how she clung tightly to the sword in her arms even in this awkward moment.

“This is unfair! You didn’t give me anything!”

The 1st Manager was practically ready to throw herself on the ground, yelling, while the 4th Manager looked increasingly uncomfortable as if worried that her gift might have hurt the 1st Manager’s feelings.

Of course, that concern was unnecessary. If the 1st Manager were truly upset or hurt, she wouldn’t just be complaining—she’d already have taken action. She was the type who’d probably sneak into my storeroom and take a gift for herself.

“That was unavoidable.”

I had nothing to feel guilty about. I’d have no excuse if it had been actual favoritism, but that gift had been necessary.

I’ve always made sure to be as fair as possible so that neither the 1st Manager nor the 4th would feel left out. I divided my time equally between them, making sure to meet with the 4th Manager if I had a meal with the 1st Manager. If I gave a gift to one, I made sure the other received something, too.

In my previous world, some religions taught that if a man had multiple wives, he should treat them all equally. Fairness in affection was important, and I prided myself on maintaining that balance.

“Besides, she’s about to be sent off on another difficult mission, so I had to give her something.”

Unlike the 1st Manager, who was staying in the capital, the 4th Manager would be heading back to the North soon. The gift was simply a way to remind her to be careful. It wasn’t favoritism, just a necessity.

And it wasn’t even anything particularly valuable—just a decent weapon that had been gathering dust in my personal storage.

“Fine…”

Faced with a reasonable explanation, the 1st Manager couldn’t argue anymore and just grumbled under her breath.

She wasn’t throwing a fit because she was genuinely hurt; she probably just wanted to say a few more things before we parted, afraid she’d be forgotten while we were apart.

“I don’t want to be forgotten! I don’t want to be that character who only gets remembered at the end like, ‘Oh yeah, she was there, too!’”

Her passionate outburst from a while back echoed in my mind. Honestly, the 1st Manager wasn’t the kind of person you could easily forget even if you tried.

“I’ll contact you every day as long as you’re not on duty. The North is still cold even in spring, so take care of yourself.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll be careful.”

With that, I patted the 4th Manager on the shoulder after leaving the 1st Manager behind. Supporting the 4th Manager with my own resources wasn’t a problem, and I wasn’t asking for any grand achievements from her—just that she stayed safe and healthy without getting hurt.

I wouldn’t have to worry like this if the 4th Manager were still part of the Prosecutors’ Office. But, of all places, she ended up in the Special Service Agency, constantly running from one place to another.

“Your safety is the most important thing. If things seem dangerous, run. You know it’s better to live and succeed in multiple missions than to die completing just one, right?”

I raised her, but now she was out of my care and was working elsewhere. I pulled her into a hug, patting her back with a mix of bittersweet emotions and guilt. Maybe I should have fought harder when they transferred her to the Special Service Agency.

“Of-of course, sir. I’ll make sure not to get even a single scratch on the body you entrusted to me.”

The 4th Manager stuttered, bracing herself as if to solidify her resolve while trembling slightly in my arms.

But that sounded a little odd, didn’t it? ‘The body you entrusted to me?’ If someone overheard, they might think I was her parent or something.

“Right. Take care of yourself, and don’t hide it if things get tough.”

Bottling things up only led to problems. As someone with experience, I hope she takes my words to heart.

“Executive Manager, why don’t you say things like that to me?”

“Because you’re good at telling me when something’s wrong.”

I was finally able to get into the carriage after giving both the 1st Manager and the 4th Manager a heartfelt hug.

“Do you think it’s too cruel to make them wait until summer vacation?”

“I’ll try to show my face a few times before the vacation.”

Marghetta asked softly, smiling as she joined me in the carriage. It seemed she also felt bad for the two managers who couldn’t come to the academy.

Since teleporting between the capital and the academy didn’t take long, I should ask the Mage Duchess to help out with that if her time allowed.

***

The carriage journey was peaceful and passed without a single incident. That peace, though, felt like it was just the calm before the storm.

“It’s been a while, Principal. Have you been well?”

“I’m managing just fine as long as my body holds up.”

I headed straight for the Principal’s office as soon as we arrived at the academy. He was surely one of the people who’d suffered the most given the chaos this year’s admissions had caused, so it was only right to discuss things.

In truth, the crisis had already begun and with no way to send either the royals or the Mage Duchess away, this was less of a discussion and more of a mutual commiseration.

“I find myself laughing nonstop these days. Students are pouring in from all over the continent seeking knowledge. As the Principal, how could I not be delighted?”

The Principal laughed as if to demonstrate his words. But it was a hollow laugh, one tinged with resignation and unease. It lingered in the air, tugging at my sympathy and stirring a bit of guilt.

“Moreover, this old man, who had nothing left but to wait for death, has now received a precious opportunity to learn in his twilight years. Truly, it’s a blessing.”

A ‘precious opportunity’. Anyone could tell that he was talking about the Mage Duchess.

This was driving me crazy. Maybe it was because I heard that even the Principal of Ernesto Academy submitted an application to attend the Mage Duchess’s class, but I couldn’t tell if the Principal’s words were a joke born out of enlightenment or the sincere ramblings of a mage’s madness. Logic would suggest the former, but mages were notoriously far removed from logic.

Was he planning to sit in the back during the Mage Duchess’s lectures? Honestly, considering his current duties, it wouldn’t be surprising if he asked for one-on-one lessons instead.

“I just hope the energetic new students won’t trouble you too much.”

I finally offered a safe response after carefully weighing my words.

There was no denying that the Principal’s quiet final years had just gotten a lot more chaotic whether he was thrilled about the Mage Duchess’s presence or not. A simple expression of concern seemed sufficient.

…It should be sufficient, right?

“Haha, it’s natural for the young to be full of energy. I’ve gotten used to it by now.”

As soon as the Principal said he was ‘used to it,’ images of my club members flashed through my mind. I guess he’d already had his fair share of chaotic experiences for what was coming.

But interestingly, while he said he was used to it, he didn’t quite say he was okay with it. That must be the last shred of his conscience and rationality speaking.

“It’s a shame that some of the students might find life in the Empire unfamiliar, but fortunately, we have someone who can look after them. It puts my mind at ease.”

“Yes, I feel the same way.”

I responded, nodding quickly.

On the surface, his comment sounded like concern for the incoming foreign students, but the real message was clear: Let’s leave the foreign students to Sir Villar. It was a subtle proposal—since the imperial inspector would be watching over the royals and future saints while the Principal was overseeing the academy, it made sense for Sir Villar to take care of the foreign students. And from my perspective, there was no reason to oppose such a proposal.

After all, it made perfect sense. Having a foreigner like Sir Villar handle the foreign students would make them feel more at ease compared to being managed by an imperial civil servant. I had no objections to the idea.

The mages are my responsibility.

Of course, just because I was handing the foreign students off to Sir Villar didn’t mean I could slack off. If he was in charge of foreign students because of his background, then I was naturally responsible for the mages as the future husband of the Mage Duchess. If we were dividing the burdens, then it was only fair we each take one.

So, with Sir Villar absent, we finished sorting out our respective duties—

“Oh, by the way, Executive Manager. The palace mentioned something unusual recently.”

“The palace, you say?”

The unexpected statement made me pause, retracting my hand from the teacup. I would have assumed it was related to the current situation if it had been the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Ministry of Education. But the Imperial Palace? They shouldn’t have any direct involvement in this matter.

The large influx of foreign students alone wouldn’t be enough to trigger the palace’s interest. If they were going to react to academy admissions, they would have done so when Rutis, Lather, or Tannian enrolled. After all, a single royal student was far more significant than twenty or thirty noble students.

“Yes. His Highness the 3rd Prince said not to worry if the esteemed guests and future leaders find themselves confused or unsettled. After all, he is both a student and a Livnoman.”

The corners of my mouth twitched instinctively at the words.

Of course.

It was only natural. After making a grand appearance at the New Year’s Ball and restoring his position as a proper member of the imperial family, Ainter was back in full force. And according to the Livnoman tradition of never letting imperials idle away in luxury, Ainter was clearly being put to work.

Finally, some manpower.

I was genuinely moved. I could accomplish so much more with just one extra pair of hands, and it wasn’t just any additional help—this was an imperial laborer and a legitimate one at that! In a situation where even getting a commoner to help would be a blessing, having an imperial as a worker? I’d be sure to treat him well. Ainter wouldn’t be touching the ground anymore; he’d be riding on my back for the foreseeable future.

Thank you for granting me such top-tier labor, Your Highness. I’ll make sure to use it wisely.