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It seemed like this year would be the one where things finally went my way. Yeah, I deserved it after working myself to the bone all this time. If any justice was left in this world, then even an outsider like me should get a blessing at some point.

I felt happy. It was as if all the luck that had been piling up just exploded at once, sending wave after wave of unexpected fortune my way. If no one were around, I’d probably be doing flips in every direction while shouting with joy. Actually, not just in four directions—I’d shout to the skies in all eight if I could.

And that was why even Lather looked extra charming today.

Our dear manpower no. 3.

Just looking at him made me smile warmly. Up until now, I’d lumped him in with Rutis as one of my two biggest headaches, but who knew he was capable of something this considerate? Of course, I should’ve expected this. He was a mage, a symbol of intellect.

Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to think when he suddenly showed up in the empty club room. I wondered if he was here to ask for some unreasonable favor or maybe to confess to some trouble he’d caused. After all, there didn’t seem to be any reason for Lather to come see me first.

“I’ll handle the mages for you. There’s no need to trouble the busy advisor with that, is there?”

The moment he said that, my concern flipped into sheer delight. The prince of a magic kingdom was offering to take control of the mages? He had pinpointed the exact thing that was bothering me and offered to take care of it.

“And if you have some free time, there’s a favor I’d like to ask—“

“Don’t worry. If it’s something I can’t help with, I’ll ask the Mage Duchess instead.”

Now, of course, a royal wouldn’t offer help without a reason. He must want something from me in return, and thankfully, what Lather wanted was something I could give. At a time like this, it was pretty obvious what a mage was after.

So, I answered even before he finished speaking. I’ll give you what you want if you help me out properly.

“Thank you, Advisor.”

With that, we sealed the deal, and Lather gave me a respectful nod. Grateful? I should be the one thanking him.

I was worried about how I’d survive this year, back when I was still in the capital, but the important manpower I needed started lining up at my door as soon as I arrived at the academy. And it wasn’t just any manpower—these were highly capable ones at that.

Lather, in particular, was an unexpected slave—no, an unexpected blessing. Unlike Ainter, who was bound by royal duty, or Erich, who helped out because of family ties, Lather lent me a hand entirely of his own will. Sure, it was a calculated decision, but who cared? He’d work even harder if there was something in it for him.

Top tier…

I closed my eyes quietly as I watched Lather leave the club room. Top tier. I couldn’t think of anything else.

Even though I was the Mage Duchess’s soon-to-be husband, I couldn’t get too close to the students as the inspector. That distance made it hard to manage them effectively. But with Lather’s cooperation, I’d be able to overcome that problem. And with the authority of royalty behind him, it’d be even easier.

Of course, knowing the insane passion and unpredictability of mages, even a royal might not be able to control them completely. But it was enough. Lather would weed out the troublemakers first, and with only a few left, I could handle the rest.

Thank you…

I pictured Lather’s face again, the true symbol of reason in this era. I felt really thankful. I should make sure he gets one-on-one training with the Mage Duchess for at least an hour every day.

He’d be the top mage in Yuben by the time he graduated from this academy.

***

Contrary to my concerns before the semester started, the academy was peaceful. I wasn’t sure if the Principal’s speech awakened the students’ consciences or if they just had good manners and common sense, but either way, everything was calm.

With Sir Villar managing the foreign students and Lather keeping the mages in check, how could there be any chaos? Ainter and Erich were ready to step in in case of an emergency, too. It was a lineup that made my heart swell with pride. This must be how it feels like when you finally assemble the Five Tiger Generals in a strategy game.

“If it weren’t for Sir Villar, I’d have needed two bodies to get everything done.”

With that in mind, I invited him to the club room to express my gratitude. I met with the other three during club hours, but I hadn’t had the chance to take care of Sir Villar in the same way. As it happened, the Mage Duchess was away for class, so the timing was perfect to invite someone.

“You’re too kind. The academy would have taken excellent care of its students even without me.”

“Haha, that’s a reassuring thing to hear as a citizen of the Empire. The Principal will be pleased.”

I smiled slightly as I poured tea for Sir Villar, who responded with his usual calm demeanor. To be honest, I felt a bit guilty about how we’d decided to assign him the task of managing the foreign students without consulting him. Thankfully, it didn’t seem like he held any resentment for being left out of that decision.

Sir Villar must’ve recognized the need for cooperation and division of roles to survive the chaos of this year’s admissions. Honestly, we’d have been stuck without him overseeing the foreign students. It wouldn’t have worked for me or the Principal to step in directly since we were from the Empire ourselves…

“But it’s true that your help has made things much easier for me. You’ve been so cooperative with the other countries’s affairs that I can’t thank you enough.”

I handed Sir Villar a box that I had placed to my left. After all, a visible token of appreciation always speaks louder than mere words.

“This is a small gesture. For a knight, there’s nothing more valuable than a healthy body.”

Sir Villar had been working tirelessly with me last year, and I knew he’d continue to do so for the next two years. He had become something of a comrade, and it would’ve been a lie if I didn’t feel a sense of solidarity and sympathy toward him.

That was why I prepared a gift that he wouldn’t be able to find anywhere else.

“This is a potion made by the Mage Duchess. It’ll heal most wounds quickly, and it’ll improve your overall health with regular use.”

Sir Villar’s eyes widened at that. Even though he wasn’t particularly involved in magic, there was no way he wouldn’t recognize the Mage Duchess’s reputation. For a knight who relied on physical strength, high-quality potions were invaluable. And they’d be second to none if they were made by the Mage Duchess.

“If it’s for someone who has helped baby, then I’ll have to make sure it’s a good one.”

The Mage Duchess had gone to special lengths to make this potion.

Granted, it wasn’t like the 40-year longevity potion I’d been consuming myself—there was no such thing as a life-extending potion, after all.

“I’ve prepared one for Dame Perosa as well, so please accept it.”

“Thank you. I didn’t expect such a precious gift.”

Sir Villar hesitated briefly, perhaps worried that accepting too quickly might make him look greedy. But when I mentioned that I’d even prepared some for his precious daughter, he reached out immediately. After all, for a father, their child’s health came before any sense of pride.

“I’m almost embarrassed by how shabby my gift is.”

He spoke with a slight awkwardness, his gaze shifting down to the well-wrapped box to my right.

It seemed that I wasn’t the only one feeling a sense of solidarity as Sir Villar had prepared a gift for me as well. I was genuinely touched when he handed it to me upon arriving at the club room. It made me feel like my time at the academy hadn’t been a waste after all.

“It’s a gift for you and your partners. It’s from a fairly well-known jeweler in Armein, so I hope it suits your taste.”

I was speechless when I found out he had prepared six sets. I hadn’t expected that from such a straightforward knight. Also, it was always more moving to receive an unexpected gift from someone you wouldn’t expect it from.

“Embarrassed? Don’t be. We’ve given each other things we couldn’t have otherwise gotten, so there’s nothing modest about it.”

I had received the rare jewelry of Armein, and Sir Villar had received the Mage Duchess’s special potions. It was simply a warm exchange of gifts that neither of us could have easily obtained on our own. What was there to feel embarrassed or excessive about?

“Your words put me at ease.”

I smiled back at Sir Villar as he gave a gentle smile.

The world would be a much better place if only everyone in this world had half the integrity he had.

***

I feel like I’m on the verge of hating my own kind. These mad dogs are so blind to everything around them.

But I stopped myself just before that point because I understood all too well how one became such a mad dog. I might’ve been one of those mad dogs myself if I hadn’t been part of the pastry club or if I hadn’t made a deal with the advisor.

Of course it wasn’t going to be easy.

I let out a small sigh, rubbing my forehead. I knew from the moment I tried to strike a deal with the advisor that it would be difficult, but I hadn’t expected it to be this frustrating and annoying.

Unfortunately, the authority of royalty wasn’t enough to completely rein in these fanatical mages. After all, they hadn’t come from all over the continent just because of the title of nobility—they were drawn here by the reputation of the Mage Duchess.

They were too wild and unruly to be controlled by mere authority alone. I had to subtly bribe them and apply a little pressure here and there just to see any results. And even then, it wasn’t a perfect solution.

What a persistent bunch.

Despite my best efforts, some mages refused to give in. There were already people openly signing up for the pastry club, and others were planning to submit their applications the moment the club registration period started.

“Lather hyung?”

While I was sitting there, lost in thought, I heard Tannian’s voice.

“Tannian.”

I wanted to wave but I had no energy left, so I just gave him a slight nod. It might have come off as rude, but instead of being offended, Tannian seemed more focused on how exhausted I was.

“Is something wrong? You look drained.”

“Think you could use a bit of holy spell on me?”

“Gladly.”

Tannian chuckled softly and placed his hand on my head, reciting a brief prayer. To my surprise, I felt a wave of energy returning to my body, and my mind cleared a little. I hadn’t expected him to actually do it.

“Is this about the club?”

He asked as if he already knew the answer, and I nodded quietly. Everyone knew by now that I had become the gatekeeper of the pastry club.

“You’re working hard. Honestly, I feel bad that you’re the only one getting dragged into this.”

“I volunteered, so it can’t be helped.”

Yes, I brought this on myself. I wouldn’t have been able to use it as a bargaining chip if it weren’t a difficult job. If it were easy, the advisor would’ve handled it without a second thought.

Besides, it wasn’t like I was the only one suffering. Some of the mages shifted their attention to the other club members as I tightened my grip on them, looking for loopholes. Rather than waste time on an impossible path, they turned to whatever opportunity seemed slightly more feasible. That in itself was a very mage-like move.

“And what about you? Are you holding up?”

After all, Tannian was one of those members they’d likely be targeting. He was likely being pestered just as much as I was.

“Actually, that’s what I came to talk about.”

Tannian’s smile grew wider as he spoke.

“One of the new students from the Holy Kingdom is planning to start another pastry club.”

?

“Why don’t we direct those eager to join our club to this new one instead?”

“…A new pastry club?”

The clarity I’d regained quickly clouded again. What was he talking about?

Tannian, unfazed by my reaction, continued with an even bigger smile.

“It’s strange for people who don’t know anything about baking to want to join a pastry club, isn’t it? So, this new club is more like a training ground for them to practice before officially joining ours.”

But… we didn’t know anything about baking when we joined, either.

“Aren’t duplicate clubs forbidden…?”

I asked the most basic question that came to mind. We already had a pastry club, so how could another one be formed—?

“Oh. Officially, it’s a debate club that compares the Old and New Testaments and discusses the historical contexts of each era.”

“A debate club?”

“Yes, they’ll just be making some simple desserts during their discussions.”

All I could do was nod slowly in response.

If you can’t stop them, then you can just push them elsewhere.

…I never would’ve imagined such a method.