Chapter 6: -all only for you (1)

Episode 6 – It’s All For You (1)

“Headmaster, th-this is a letter from His Imperial Majesty the Emperor.”

“Did they tattle already?”

After the general assembly, just as I was getting used to the Headmaster’s trivial duties, Illia brought a letter, looking unusually nervous.

Although it was a personal letter, meaning there was no need for troublesome etiquette, it was still a letter from the Emperor delivered directly by the Imperial Steward.

Illia’s hands trembled just from holding it.

“Ta-tattle, sir?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Just because the professors retreated without a peep at the general assembly doesn’t mean it’s over.”

Professors would surely have connections with influential figures.

Even if they didn’t formally write a petition, it wouldn’t be an issue for them to convey a message to the Emperor if they pulled some strings.

Naturally, what happened that day would have reached the Emperor’s ears.

As the new kid on the block, my only political supporter was the Emperor.

“Just as I thought.”

After receiving the letter from Illia and reading it, I scoffed.

“Stop causing trouble.”

This one sentence was the core of the Emperor’s letter.

It stated that protests had flooded in because of the arbitrary things I’d done, and he had a hard time covering for them.

But I wouldn’t stop.

After all, our relationship wasn’t a one-sided lord-vassal one, but a bilateral contractual agreement.

He provided me with political standing and support, and I provided him with my ‘might.’

In other words, it was his obvious duty to defend and cover for my actions now.

“Just write a suitable reply expressing deep remorse and apologies, and send it.”

“…Pardon?”

Illia was flustered by my reply.

Honestly, asking her to ghostwrite a letter to the Emperor was absurd, and judging by her eyes, she found it preposterous that I was lying without batting an eyelid.

“Don’t worry, just do as I say.

And take these.

These are the materials for the departments where the amendments passed, including the Magic Circuit Department.

It would be good to… display these where all students can see them.”

“Understood.”

“And summon the Head of Admissions.

The Head of Student Affairs too.”

The overhaul of the newly reformed curriculum was somewhat complete.

Now it was time to address the rest.

Once this work was finished, at least the troublesome incidents that had occurred previously would be significantly reduced.

“What do you think when you look at these?”

“W-what do you mean, sir?”

“Students who should be evaluated solely on their individual ability and effort are now being divided by their background and past history.”

I handed a separately checked rulebook to the two people trembling before me.

Responsible for student applications and admissions, they accepted it and looked at me with faces that asked what on earth the problem was.

“Headmaster, the established application regulations were created from the very beginning to ensure we don’t miss out on as many diverse talents as possible, and they are humanitarian and ethical…”

“As I said during the general assembly, the situation now is different from the academy’s early days, isn’t it?

Supporting and granting special privileges to those from former imperial occupied territories, or those from annexed minority ethnic groups… that’s something that happened over 100 years ago.

The dean, Roman Grave, is himself from a minority ethnic group in the empire’s periphery, and the current chancellor is the same, aren’t they?”

“Th-that is…”

“As I said, only ‘ability.’

That’s all that matters.

Do enemy attacks consider background, gender, status, or region?

Enemies don’t discriminate based on such things.”

Watching them hesitate, I couldn’t help but sigh.

When this world was a work of fiction, the obstacles designed by an author whose real name I didn’t even know weren’t just monsters, terrorists, or traitors.

The frustrating, stagnant social structure of this empire, and people’s perceptions and beliefs, were also very significant ‘obstacles.’

“Rectify it.

Immediately.

From now on, Lagpedia will abolish ‘all’ quotas, mandatory admissions, and mandatory bonus points that were previously provided to certain social strata.

We will only look at skill.

If there is no skill, regardless of status, background, or history, we will ruthlessly discard them.”

“Ah, understood!”

Being part of the administration, they couldn’t rebel against my orders and rushed out.

They likely didn’t want to be fired, so they had no choice.

Compared to dealing with the professors, who were half-tenured, this was easier.

“Do you have something to say?”

And Illia’s eyes, watching from beside me, were wavering.

Seeing her expression, like a puppy needing to pee, I spoke to her first.

“Forgive me for daring to speak like this as a mere chief secretary, but there will surely be strong opposition.

The things the Headmaster just ordered to be rectified are policies that the Empire has strongly pushed for over the past 150 years of peace and prosperity, in order to unite its citizens and strengthen its foundation.”

“I don’t care about opposition.

I’m just making choices that fit reality…”

“The opposition won’t just be from within the academy, sir.

There will be strong pressure from outside…”

“Illia, everything you’re worried about rests on one premise: an era of peace and prosperity.

But when that era ends, when the comfortable reality collapses and turns cold in an instant, will those who speak such ‘righteous’ words still remain?”

Listening to Illia’s difficult-to-offer counsel, I smiled bitterly.

When the disaster that I alone knew about, and which was currently unstoppable, finally struck, everything would crumble and shake.

There was no reason for me to leave behind things that would obviously hinder me in such a situation.

I was simply doing what I considered to be the most obvious course of action.

“Are you saying such a huge event might occur?

W-where exactly?”

“I don’t know either.

But it’s natural.

Think about the purpose of this academy.

The academy isn’t merely a stepping stone to the upper class; it’s a place to cultivate ‘power’ to respond to any situation.”

I would naturally be cursed.

Even among the people I loved, some might come to hate me.

But I had decided long ago to simply ignore such things.

“The first-years must be in their adjustment period right now.”

I idly glanced at the documents on my desk.

Among the countless student faces and names scanned and rendered by magic, familiar ones were appearing one by one.

****

“What’s that?”

“I don’t know… there are so many people.”

At lunchtime, countless students in uniforms bustled out into the corridors and outdoors.

And the central plaza, crowded with so many students it resembled a concert venue, was literally like a wave of people.

Two seemingly ordinary boys were also drawn to that cloud-like mass of people and headed towards it as if enchanted.

And soon, a huge murmur that began at the center rapidly spread among the students.

‘What on earth is going on?’

At the murmur, filled with bewilderment, the taller of the two boys’ face hardened.

He instinctively sensed that the atmosphere was somehow unusual.

“I-I’ll go find out.”

“Wait, Karl, oh no.”

Before he could stop him, the boy he called Karl scurried away and disappeared into the crowd.

Clicking his tongue, he lowered his hand and ultimately had to stand there, waiting for Karl.

‘I need to talk him down properly, but I wonder if it’ll work, since he’s my roommate.’

Thinking of his meeting with Karl just two days ago, he smiled bitterly.

It was merely a trivial encounter ‘for him,’ having saved Karl from those who were picking a fight.

But unlike him, Karl, who was a truly ordinary boy, had genuinely followed him ever since their paths crossed that day.

Of course, Karl’s will and following were somewhat one-sided and disregarded his own.

Given his personality, he found Karl’s actions burdensome.

“Ah! You, you’re that guy from back then!”

“…”

And Karl wasn’t the only one who deeply held onto the incident from that day.

Turning to his side at someone’s shout recognizing him, he let out a small, involuntary sigh.

The student with whom he had a minor clash that day appeared before him with his gang.

“Surely you’re not planning to cause a foolish commotion for revenge from that day, are you?

Not in such a crowded place?”

“Tsk… I do want to punch that vulgar, arrogant face, but now isn’t the time.”

The opponent gnashed his teeth at him, but as he said, didn’t physically harm him.

Even before speaking to him, his face was pale, indicating he was quite flustered.

“What do you mean?”

“The Headmaster’s gone crazy!

The professors too!

Lagpedia is ruined…”

When he questioned it, the opponent screamed and pointed his hand towards the center of the plaza.

It was where the bulletin board was located, displaying the completely overhauled educational policies and various regulations that Eve had ordered to be revealed.

‘Headmaster, Eve Restra Avalanche… who exactly are you?’

At the mention of “Headmaster,” the image of the silver-haired girl with a cold impression he had seen at the entrance ceremony flashed through his mind.

In fact, he had been paying attention to Eve ever since then.

Having coincidentally gained a second life and another chance at living, Eve was an unknown figure whom even he, a reincarnator, didn’t fully understand.

One thing was certain: Eve wouldn’t merely fill the position like other headmasters.