Chapter 99

Noah, having obtained Claudia's power, stood up to and defeated his uncle.

At that time, Claudia asked Noah, "Do you want to reclaim the throne?" To which Noah replied,

"That man has a child too. He's my cousin, just a year younger than me, and I've heard he's quite talented. The country will be passed on to him."

"Really? Even though he's the child of your enemy, you can let him be?"

"I don't mix up my targets for revenge."

Noah's cousin attends this academy. Noah seemed to think that one of the reasons Claudia brought him here was because of his cousin.

Claudia smiled and asked Noah,

"Would you like to meet him?"

"I don't know him personally; I've only seen him from a distance once, and I don't even remember his name."

After saying this with a cool expression, Noah slightly averted his gaze.

"However,"

In a flat tone, he continued,

"I do have a little bit of interest in what kind of person he is."

(For Noah, he is the one who will be entrusted with the homeland.)

In reality, Noah was supposed to be the king of that country. Even though Noah chose not to and pledged to be Claudia's servant, it couldn't be without concern. For Noah, who is kind and takes good care of others, that country must be important too.

"Let me clarify, Your Highness,"

"What is it?"

"The feelings I have towards that country are not what you might imagine. ...It's just a sense of guilt."

"Guilt..."

Noah seemed to have guessed what Claudia was thinking. But what exactly is this guilt?

"I abandoned the responsibility I should have taken on."

Noah's obsidian eyes pierced through Claudia, who was puzzled.

"---And yet, I am in the place I most desire."

While kneeling beside Claudia, he said matter-of-factly,

"The guilt I feel is because I am living the life I myself wished for, as Your Highness's dog. The reason I am concerned about that country is solely because of this, not what you might think."

"...Noah."

Claudia smiled and gently patted Noah's head.

"Don't worry, dear Noah. I didn't bring you to the academy to force a reunion with your long-lost cousin."

"...Please stop calling me 'dear.'"

"Of course, if you wish, I can arrange for you to meet your cousin. But more importantly,"

Claudia looked into Noah's obsidian eyes and smiled.

"I need you, Noah. I brought you here to be with me. And I hope you will study with children your age at this academy and grow into an even more wonderful person."

"...!"

Noah slightly pursed his lips and then bowed deeply.

"I apologize for my insubordination."

"Hehe. Let's stay together until the curfew, good boy Noah."

Claudia hopped off the chair and told Noah, who had stood up,

"Come on, it's time for the magic assessment."

"I was told that the magic classes are divided based on the amount of magic and magical talent."

That was what the teacher had explained earlier. Claudia nodded and looked around at the portraits of the former headmasters in the reception room.

"Regular classes for general studies are divided by age and grade. Magic classes, regardless of age, are divided by the strength of magic. This system has been the same for five hundred years."

As they were talking, the headmaster, who had left, returned, knocked, and opened the door.

"Teacher!"

"Your Highness Claudia, I apologize. The emergency response took longer than expected, so you will have to wait a bit longer for the magic assessment room..."

"I can go to the assessment room with Noah. Noah is good at reading maps! Let's go, Noah."

Claudia said this in a playful manner and took Noah's hand. After bowing in front of the headmaster, they walked down the corridor leading outside the school building and continued talking.

"Many children from royal and noble families attend this academy. This has been the same for five hundred years. ...What's different is that there are very few children from common families, and only 'selected talented children' attend."

After hearing this, Noah seemed to understand.

"I felt something was off about the headmaster's explanation earlier. After all, 'Lord Adelheit' five hundred years ago accepted all who asked to be his disciples, without any discrimination."

"Hehe, it wasn't as many as you might think? Besides, many disciples left. I might have been a bit too strict. It shouldn't have been that difficult, though."

"......As you say, Your Highness."

Noah, who seemed to be reading from a script, asked Claudia,

"Do you plan to use your magic at the level of the weakest class during the assessment?"

"Yes. Pretending to be young and weak will definitely make things easier..."

While talking, they left the school building. Just then,

"!"

A group of about six upperclassmen crossed the corridor extending to the right of the school building.

The blue ribbons and ties indicated they were in the highest grade, the eighth year. Most of the faces, who should be between seventeen and eighteen years old, were male students.

The only female student among them, who was being protected by the others, had a beautiful face.