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I had six students I needed to watch over. Half of them were from the Empire, and the other half were… foreigners.

The students from the Empire could just return to their own homes during the vacation. Louise was from Baron Naird’s family, Erich was from Earl Krasius, and Ainter was from the Imperial Palace. The foreign students without a home in the Empire could simply go back to their own countries.

Wouldn’t it be better to return to their country and be treated well than be in a distant and unfamiliar Empire? Over there, they probably had tons of people they could boss around with a flick of their finger.

‘But then, why?’

Why won’t you go back? Why are you planning to stay at the Academy during your vacation?

Of course, there were many students who stayed at the Academy during vacation. The dormitories were open, and the city built around the Academy was decent. However, most students who stayed in the Academy were usually commoners whose lives depended on their Academy grades and those whose homes were really far away.

Why would these three foreigners care about their Academy grades? They had more to gain by doing something else during the vacations rather than staying here. Because their homes were far away? Then what the hell do teleportation magicians exist for?

“How unexpected.”

I managed to say, barely resisting the urge to smack the three of them over the head with the cookie jar next to me. I must hold on. If I lose my mind here, it will cause an international dispute, and I will have to go to prison. Adding another line to my criminal record would be problematic.

“Still, wouldn’t it be better to go back since there’s nothing to do at the Academy?”

In my mind, I wanted to say, ‘Shut up and get out of here!’ But either way, there really wasn’t anything they could do at the Academy. Besides, Louise was also going to return to her territory…

“Once I graduate from the Academy, I won’t get any other opportunity to visit the Empire. That’s why I think now’s my time to travel around the Empire and expand my horizons.”

Rutis’s words confirmed my speculation. He might say he’s going to explore the Empire, but it’s obvious where this damned guy was planning to go.

“We’re busy during the semester, so vacation is the only time we have.”

Lather joined the conversation, advocating for their reason to stay at the Academy. Did they really have to say it one after the other?

They had definitely talked about this beforehand. If only one wanted to stay behind, it would be harder to justify their actions, but if the three agreed to it, it was a whole other story. This wasn’t a random act.

‘These cunning bastards.’

I couldn’t help but tremble in anger at the thought of Sir Villar. If Villar had known about this beforehand, there’s no way he would have had such a bright expression. He would’ve probably looked tired from trying to persuade these three idiots.

And those guys knew that and kept it a secret until just before the vacation. If they had told him in advance, Villar would have made things difficult for them. Ruthless bastards…

“Is everyone going to stay at the Academy?”

Louise, who’d been talking quietly with Irina, subtly lifted her head. Her eyes were on the textbook, but her ears were clearly listening to our conversation.

“You can’t travel every day. Won’t it be boring?”

“It’s fine, Lady Irina. After all, there’s three of us.”

To be more precise, it’s three plus a dozen others. Your escorts are also humans, you bastards.

Judging by their firm response to Louise’s question, it seemed like they really wouldn’t go back.

Damn it.

“If everyone’s in the Empire during the vacation, it might be okay to meet during the holidays. Maybe we could do a holiday trip.”

I said those words after pondering for a long moment, and it received an enthusiastic response. Louise probably didn’t mind, and the club members were happy because I had provided an excuse for them. Seeing that made me feel bitter.

‘This is the best option.’

Surprisingly, this really was the best option. If I couldn’t prevent these three from staying in the Empire, it would be easier to manage them if all the club members were together rather than individually visiting Louise.

“We should decide where we’ll meet up.”

“Let’s decide leisurely.”

“Irina, do you want to come?”

“H-huh? Me too?”

Whenever I heard the club members’ conversations, I quietly grabbed a cookie from the jar. It felt a bit crumpled, but it was okay. The semester was over, anyway.

***

I quickly summoned Villar as soon as the club meeting was over. I told him it was important, and Sir Villar arrived in less than five minutes. As he took his seat, I shared the dreadful situation with him.

Sir Villar’s reaction wasn’t that of silence or anger. It was something that transcended those emotions. He quietly grabbed a cup of tea with a smile on his face.

‘Is he really smiling in this situation?’

There’s something I heard in my previous life. Only a third-rate person cried in hard situations. A second-rate person was someone who endured. Then, what kind of person was a first-rate one? It was someone who laughed even when things got hard.

Villar is a first-rate person. Because of this horrible reality, he became someone transcendent.

But it seemed like he hadn’t become a complete first-rate person. The hand holding the teacup was shaking. Yet, he was acting as if he were calm.

“I’m surprised.’

Those were the first words Villar said while smiling. We both knew what those words meant.

Regardless of Villar staying here for the second semester, he was about to return to his homeland. He was on the brink of returning home and eating with his family. And suddenly, he was faced with extended duty.

The countries had been planning to reorganize the escort forces during the vacation. But now, they wouldn’t be going back. The people from their homeland would ask him why the princes didn’t return, and the people next to him were going to ask why couldn’t they return. At this point, Enen can’t say anything in defense even if Villar cursed him.

“It’s an unexpected event.”

Villar took a sip of tea with trembling hands and sighed. As expected, Villar wasn’t aware of this. If he’d kept his mouth shut despite knowing this, I would have lost faith in people.

“I’m also a bit overwhelmed because I wasn’t expecting this to happen.”

I spoke with a forced smile. I wasn’t only a bit overwhelmed. If the people from the three countries decided to stay at the Academy, it wasn’t just the escort forces that had to be tied down. Automatically, I had to stay at the Academy, too.

‘Damn.’

Staying in the Academy during the vacation was impossible for me. It might have been possible if I were a faculty member, but I also had a job as the Executive Manager of the Prosecutor’s Office. Up until now, the Senior Managers and Managers had been holding on, but that was assuming that I would return during the vacation.

I had to go home. If I didn’t return for the holidays, the Prosecutor’s Office would be without an Executive manager for almost a year. And if this happens every vacation for three years, that would mean that the top decision-maker of the department would be without its head. Are you kidding me?

In the end, the meeting with Villar ended with only sighs. The issue was too big for us to resolve at our level. We also didn’t have the authority to forcibly send the princes and the Saint candidate back to their home countries.

“What should we do?”

And it also wasn’t something I could solve on my own. As soon as Villar left, I called the Minister. He was speechless for a while. If the Prosecutor’s Office continued without an Executive Manager, it would also be bothersome to the Minister.

“As far as I know, they’ve never lied.”

In this situation, I wish they were people who lied all the time instead.

The Minister seemed to share my sentiment as he muttered something with a furrowed brow. Luckily, the communication crystal didn’t pick up the low sounds. He was probably cursing in many different ways.

“I think we’ll somehow be able to manage it this time.”

“That…”

No, I can’t guarantee that.

The people who had conspired among themselves to pull this off was beyond common sense, and if I casually judged that ‘this will only happen this once,’ it would be careless of me. It would be probably easier for them to do it again next time.

The Minister, who rarely let out a sigh, began to think. It seemed like there wasn’t anything urgent I had to deal with. Thankfully, it seemed like there wasn’t anything I had to command personally even if we expanded the scope to the second half of the year. At least, not yet.

“Yes?”

Why do we have to do it in such an inefficient way?

“That’s right, but…”

Unable to refute, I nodded awkwardly. It would obviously be inefficient compared to face-to-face, but some communication was better than not being involved at all.

For now, the fire at my feet had been extinguished.

The fire that had scorched my feet was just extinguished, but in exchange, a meteorite fell on my head. This time, it was a disaster brought about through Tannian’s mouth.

“We’re planning to go to the capital.”

“The capital…?”

The day after I had the first emergency meeting with Villar and the second with the Minister, a new bomb was dropped during club time.

“Is there a need to go all the way to the capital?”

Although I answered normally, my insides were burning. No, you guys can’t go to the capital. You really can’t go there. I’d rather you visit Boyar again, but not the capital…!

“How can we claim to have seen the Empire if we haven’t seen the capital?”

“It could be during a school trip.”

“Haha. It hasn’t been confirmed that we’re going to the capital yet, so we should go while we have the time.”

Upon looking around, I saw that the other members seemed to support Tannian’s idea. It’s either they had already conspired before, or they really liked the idea.

“The capital sounds great!”

Louise, who seemed to fall into the latter category, was already brimming with anticipation. The only one who could stop this madness also seemed hooked up on the idea of going to the capital.

“It will be too crowded.”

“Haha, brother. Won’t it be weirder if a place we’re visiting is empty?”

He wasn’t wrong, so I remained silent.

And then, I was left alone in the clubroom after the club meeting ended.

“Those bastards…”

I gulped down a glass of water to soothe my burning insides.

Staying at the Academy only disrupted my primary duties. Traveling around the Empire would tire their escort force. Add the capital to that and the Principal was also done for.

However, the capital was different. If a foreign dignitary visited the capital for personal reasons other than the Academy schedule, the scale becomes uncontrollable.

‘Fuck.’

A lineup that couldn’t be compared to a mere Executive Manager and a Principal had taken over the stage.