✩ Chapter 6 ✩

Rachel quietly wiped the cold sweat from her forehead.

Of course, she had confidence in herself.

But in the end…

Everything depended on the children’s own efforts.

There were simply too many things that could happen for her to make a promise.

“I-I’ll do my best.”

That was the only answer she could give.

After that, Lucas returned to the Imperial Palace, leaving the two princes behind.

Since it was already late at night, Rachel guided the two princes to Rooms Six and Seven.

While they were coming upstairs, Colo had already cleaned the rooms.

Fresh blankets were neatly spread across the beds.

“I seriously have to sleep in this awful place?”

Noah sighed deeply and complained.

“From now on, please avoid speaking negatively.”

Rachel answered in a firm voice that sounded almost like a military instructor.

Noah pouted in annoyance.

“Wake-up time is 7:30.”

“We’ll have breakfast on the first floor, and classes begin at 9:00.”

“It’s already late today, so get some good rest.”

“I’ll explain everything tomorrow morning.”

With that, Rachel practically pushed both princes into their rooms and closed the doors.

Only then did she let out a long sigh.

It had been a difficult day in every way.

A new chapter begins.

It’ll be alright.

They’re paying a lot of money.

Rachel clenched her teeth.

No matter what happened…

She would overcome it.

The next morning—

“Good morning, everyone.”

“Time to wake up.”

Knock. Knock.

Rachel knocked on each bedroom door.

She hurried the sleepy students out of bed, made sure they washed up,

and finally sent them down to the dining hall.

“Breakfast time is forty minutes.”

“Please finish eating within that time.”

One student had fallen asleep with his forehead on the table.

One was proudly talking about legal knowledge he had recently learned.

One believed money could solve everything.

One wanted to steal anything he saw.

One kept building strange inventions.

And now…

There were two troublesome Imperial Princes as well.

Every day felt like a battlefield.

But today’s breakfast was already complete chaos from the very beginning.

Rachel’s expression turned serious.

At times like this,

she had to establish authority first.

“A proper knight must take good care of their health.”

“That starts with eating properly.”

“If you don’t do that…”

“You won’t have a bright future.”

“Teacher.”

“Is the academy really that poor?”

“Why does today’s menu look like this?”

Rachel had been wondering why Mare hadn’t mentioned money yet.

Apparently…

He had simply been saving it for breakfast.

“This menu probably violates the law.”

Roka was talking about laws first thing in the morning.

Boing.

“Ah…”

“I thought this machine would automatically feed me.”

“This is harder than I expected.”

Kana was trying to use another strange invention—

A spoon machine that threw soup into the air.

Instead…

The soup landed right on her face.

While Henry and Colo disciplined the children,

Rachel turned toward the two princes.

Theo,

with his soft black hair and dark eyes,

rested his chin on one hand while staring blankly out the window.

He didn’t seem interested in food at all.

Noah,

who had dark brown hair and brown eyes,

was repeatedly stabbing his meat with a fork.

“Theo.”

“Noah.”

Calling the Second Prince and Third Prince by name still felt a little awkward.

But inside the academy,

everyone was simply a student.

“Come on.”

“Eat your breakfast.”

“Our first class today is swordsmanship.”

“You’ll need plenty of energy.”

“I don’t want to.”

Noah answered immediately.

Rachel wasn’t surprised.

She already knew he had a rebellious personality.

“I don’t want to eat this.”

“I’m royalty.”

“Before you’re royalty…”

“You’re a student here.”

“You have to follow the rules.”

“You’re really stubborn.”

“When I grow up…”

“Can you handle the consequences?”

Rachel forced herself to smile.

Showing off your future power to an adult…

Unbelievable.

Still…

If she got angry here,

she wouldn’t be acting like an adult.

“This meat looks old.”

Without hesitation,

Noah spat the meat he had been chewing.

Right onto the table.

The students eating nearby immediately frowned.

Rachel silently repeated the same words inside her head.

I’m an adult.

I’m an adult.

I’m an adult.

She handed Noah a towel.

“Clean up your own mess.”

For just a moment…

Noah’s expression changed ever so slightly.

Just then—

“So that’s all being a prince amounts to.”

“I thought he’d get special treatment.”

Of course,

Eckard couldn’t miss such a perfect chance to tease someone.

“Yeah.”

“I guess the Imperial Family isn’t that impressive after all.”

Roka added another comment.

Rachel felt dizzy.

She could tolerate students talking back to her.

But she couldn’t allow the students to start fighting each other.

“I told you not to say things like that to your friends.”

“He did something even commoners wouldn’t do.”

“Something even commoners wouldn’t do?”

The moment the word commoners was spoken,

Noah slowly smiled.

Rachel instinctively realized…

That smile wasn’t a good sign.

Her instincts were right.

Noah threw the towel straight at Roka.

Not just any towel—

The towel he had used to wipe off his chewed meat.

“You little—!”

Roka jumped to his feet with a fork in his hand.

If this continued,

Someone was going to get hurt.

“Both of you.”

“Sit down.”

Henry immediately stepped in.

He grabbed Roka,

quickly took away the fork,

and Colo helped separate the two boys.

“Everyone else…”

“Please continue eating.”

Rachel tried her best to remain calm.

If she reacted to every little incident,

there would never be an end to it.

Fortunately,

the other students calmly continued eating,

as though nothing unusual had happened.

“Teacher Colo.”

“Teacher Henry.”

Rachel gave them a look.

Henry took Noah,

while Colo escorted Roka outside the dining hall.

Noah twisted and struggled the whole way,

but against a knight like Henry,

it was nothing more than a child’s tantrum.

As soon as they left,

laughter filled the dining hall.

Apparently,

the other students had found the whole thing entertaining.

Rachel could hardly believe it.

“We’ll meet at the training field in one hour.”

“Is anyone feeling sick?”

“Me.”

Everyone except Theo raised their hands.

This happened all the time.

Whenever students wanted to skip class,

they suddenly claimed they were sick.

Theo probably hadn’t raised his hand because he wanted to study.

He still wasn’t paying attention at all.

Instead,

he quietly stared outside the window.

“I heard…”

“The student who works the hardest in swordsmanship class gets free time.”

“I’m not sick.”

“Me neither.”

“Wow.”

“I feel completely better.”

Stay calm.

Rachel clenched her fists.

At times like this,

keeping a straight face was essential.

After breakfast,

she headed upstairs to the third floor,

where the students’ bedrooms were.

He caused trouble before even finishing his first day.

In a way… that’s almost impressive.

She needed to understand Noah better

and come up with the right way to teach him.

“Where’s Noah?”

“He’s inside.”

Henry pointed toward the bedroom.

Loud crashing noises could be heard from inside.

Apparently,

Noah was breaking something.

The best choice right now is not to provoke him.

“Please make sure he doesn’t come out.”

Rachel quietly walked away.

Next…

She stopped in front of Roka’s room.

Roka seemed much calmer now.

He was talking with Colo through the closed door.

“Roka.”

“It’s me.”

“Teacher.”

His voice sounded full of frustration.

You started the argument yourself.

Why are you the one acting wronged?

“Have you calmed down?”

“I don’t know.”

“We have swordsmanship class soon.”

“Get changed and get ready.”

“I’m sick.”

Exactly the same excuse again.

And since the excuse was the same…

The solution was the same.

“The student who gets the highest score in today’s swordsmanship class will receive free time.”

“I’m not sick.”

“I’m glad you recovered so quickly.”

Rachel quietly signaled to Colo.

After watching him leave to check on the other students,

she opened Roka’s bedroom door.

“Get changed.”

“Hurry.”

“Yeeees.”

“Answer properly.”

“Yes.”

His answer still lacked any sincerity.

Even so…

It was better than before.

Rachel chose to think positively.

After Roka finished changing,

she took him back toward Noah’s room.

She handed Roka over to Henry,

who needed to teach the upcoming class.

Then,

Rachel prepared to calm Noah down herself.

The weather was clear,

so today’s swordsmanship lesson would be held on the grass in the garden.

The weather was clear, so today’s swordsmanship lesson would be held on the grass in the garden.

And that… was the beginning of their misfortune.