Chapter 3

This was three years ago from this moment.

The place is a certain location on the planet Nihonium, where Naoh grew up.

Now, there is another woman with Naoh, speaking to him.

"Naoh-kun,

It seems there is no future for Naoh-kun, who failed the university entrance exam.

I think it will be tough for Naoh-kun, who has no redeeming qualities other than studying.

But I want to be happy.

Naoh-kun, you should walk a different path.

Goodbye, Naoh-kun."

The one delivering these harsh words to me is Tetsurine Bruce, who grew up with me in the same orphanage.

We have been friends since before we could remember, growing up together in the Bruce Orphanage.

There were many other orphans who grew up with us, but among them, she was my only close friend and the one I considered my lover.

Due to my quiet personality, I spent my childhood reading books.

Perhaps because of this, I hardly had any close friends.

Tetsurine, or "Tetchan" as I called her, was the only one who was always by my side, encouraging me.

When I started school, my personality seemed to work in my favor, and I found it easy to study diligently, which allowed me to graduate with excellent grades.

In this country, most of one's life is determined by one's birth.

For orphans like us, our future is almost set once we leave this place.

However, this country is somewhat more fortunate than many others.

There is something called the "Kingdom Dream," a chance known as the "Dream of the Kingdom," which allows orphans to rise in status.

There are mainly three routes.

The first route is to enter the business world.

This involves enrolling in the special scholarship program at the business management department of Keirin University, the pinnacle of private education.

This program offers full tuition and dormitory fees, despite being a private institution.

Additionally, many children of the country's wealthy families attend, so connections can be made during the course of study.

Because of this, orphans can not only develop their abilities but also build influential connections, leading to offers from prestigious companies across the country after graduation.

Graduating from this program alone can lead to a very fortunate life.

For orphans like us, this is the best route to success.

Of course, I aimed for this.

But I failed.

The second route is to aim for a military career.

In this country, the status of a military officer is higher than that of a businessman, making it a very popular course.

However, this is not an easy path, and it involves enrolling in the elite officer training school in the capital.

Compared to regular volunteers and graduates of ordinary military academies across the kingdom, the difference is significant.

To rise in the military, this elite course is almost essential.

However, due to its high national status, it is a very competitive path, even more so than the business route.

The last route is to enter the career civil servant training program at the Royal First University, the gateway to becoming a government official.

Graduating from this program and building a successful career can lead to becoming a prime minister, even for an orphan.

In fact, there was one war orphan who became a prime minister through this program.

Naturally, this is the most competitive path in the country.

Just before graduating, I received a recommendation to enter the career civil servant training program at the Royal First University as a special scholarship student.

Under normal circumstances, an orphan like me would jump at such an opportunity, but this course has its pitfalls.

While noble children or those from influential families would choose this course without hesitation, orphans like me would need a great deal of resolve to do so.

The difference in status after graduation is significant.

Officially, there is no difference in the positions offered after graduation.

Even an orphan with no backing would be assigned a responsible position after a 1-2 year probationary period, but the issue lies in the assignment location.

Those with higher backgrounds are assigned to locations closer to the capital.

Naturally, orphans like me are assigned to remote planets.

In peacetime, this might be a fortunate environment for an orphan, but in wartime, it is a different story.

In an era of constant conflict, the danger in remote areas is significant.

If assigned as a high-ranking official to such a place, one would be in the most dangerous position.

While the top officials can escape with fabricated reasons, orphans without influential backing are forced to stay as the highest-ranking officials in the area when danger arises.

If captured by the enemy, they might be held as prisoners for decades.

If the official has a family, the local residents' dissatisfaction often turns against the family, leading to brutal killings by mobs.

Most officials are aware of this risk and typically leave their families in the capital, opting for single postings.

Even in conflicts with other countries, the risk to the official's life is relatively low, which might be a saving grace.

However, the greatest risk in remote areas is from space pirates.

In the case of pirates, orphan officials are often executed in the most brutal manner as a warning.

More often than not, remote officials are killed by pirates rather than enemy forces.

This is because remote areas lack the security of the capital.

While the military is responsible for the security of the entire star system, it is impossible to protect such a vast area with limited forces.

The capital star system is guarded by the First Fleet and a dedicated organization, making it safe for residents.

While pirates cannot be completely eradicated, they do not attack the capital.

However, in remote areas, pirates are rampant.

In some ways, the threat from pirates is greater than that from other countries.

Indeed, the fate awaiting us in this course is the high possibility of being brutally killed by pirates.

According to a statistical survey, the survival rate of orphan officials after five years is even lower than that of frontline volunteers.

This is a common understanding among the residents of this country, and in Naoh's case, neither the orphanage staff nor the school staff opposed his decision to decline admission to the Royal University; they respected his choice.

Considering his future, Naoh chose the business route, which also allowed for the possibility of marrying Tetsurine.

Among the three routes, this was the one with the lowest barrier.

For Naoh, who had already been recommended for the highest-level course, this was a two-rank drop, and no one who knew him thought he would fail the entrance exam.

Naturally, he had planned to enter the famous Keirin University, graduate from the business program, join a well-known company, and eventually marry Tetsurine and have a happy family.

He had worked hard for this.

It was too harsh for Tetsurine to say such things just because he failed the university entrance exam.

However, Tetsurine continued.

"I want to be happy.

Naoh-kun, you know how difficult it is for us orphans to be happy.

We can't afford to miss even the smallest opportunity.

But I was given a big chance recently.

By Jaien.

Jaien said he would make me happy.

He said he would make me his mistress.

He promised to give me a department in his business.

So I decided to become Jaien's mistress yesterday."

What?

Yesterday??

Even I didn't know the results of the university entrance exam, and she decided yesterday... Isn't that a terrible betrayal?

Tetsurine continued, driving the final nail into the coffin.

"If Naoh-kun had passed the famous Keirin University, I might have hesitated.

But I think it will be tough for Naoh-kun, who failed the university entrance exam.

I didn't dislike Naoh-kun.

But considering the future...

So, this is goodbye."

Are women this cruel?

My mind is in a state of panic.

I feel a mix of frustration, anger, and embarrassment, and I can't even understand my own emotions.