### Chapter 98: I Won’t Indulge You Nobles
“…Yes.”
I obediently nodded at her, too lazy to bother with the name thing.
“Alright, let me first explain the academy’s rules.” Principal Grandma slowly adjusted her sitting posture and, for some reason, directed her gaze at Carlos, who was about a meter away from me. “Under normal circumstances, entering our academy requires rigorous assessments, but I know about you. You go by another name, don’t you…? Silvya, right?”
“Uh… Principal Bersa.” Melville awkwardly pointed in my direction. “Miss Peilo is sitting next to you, and the one on your right is the silver-flashing Mr. Carlos, who was here two years ago as a special teacher…”
“Oh.”
Principal Grandma showed no emotions and casually remarked before shifting her gaze back to me. Was her focus really on me? It felt a bit off…
“Miss Silvya, my apologies.”
“It’s okay… um… actually, my name is Silvya…”
Grandma, your memory really is terrible…
Or do you share my unique hobby of intentionally misnaming others?
But I can’t believe Carlos once worked here as a special teacher… With his lack of patience, how could he not mess up his students?
I shot him a quizzical glance, observing Carlos blankly tapping his fingers, completely absent-minded, unfazed despite being totally ignored just moments before.
While I was lost in these boring thoughts, Principal Grandma continued, “Yes, Silvya. The youngest Pope Knight in history, who single-handedly defeated the hero of the Abyss in Silgaya. Quite impressive! The Royal Academy is honored to have such an outstanding student like you. Your abilities are indisputable, and with Viki’s recommendation, there’s no need for any testing.”
…Little Viki, ha!
That’s the only part I caught from her speech… It’s obvious who that is.
A name so cute should’ve gone to someone more deserving, not that woman.
“But because of this, the academy won’t have an accurate assessment of your talent, so you’ll need to sort that out yourself. The Royal Academy has a six-year system, divided into levels one to six, and that rule can’t be changed. You can skip levels if you want, but my suggestion is—if you’re here to systematically learn—then it’s best to start solidly from level one with this year’s freshmen. Do you have any different thoughts on that?”
I tilted my head and thought it over.
“Grandma, are there restrictions on students or outings at the academy?”
“Grandma… you’re calling me Grandma?”
Principal Grandma chuckled lightly when I called her that, her wrinkles deepening, her eyes almost sinking in, but she didn’t seem “ugly” at all.
I guess it’s that regal and relaxed vibe she has.
“Is it not okay to call you Grandma?”
“Hmm, it’s not that it’s not okay.” She waved her hand dismissively, seeming reluctant to delve deeper into the topic. She opened her mouth, “…What did you just ask me?”
“Um…”
I had to repeat my question.
“Oh, you’re worried about it being inconvenient if the Church has activities, right? No worries. Although students below level three aren’t allowed to go out without permission, your situation is special, so you won’t be restricted. Just remember to report in advance if you need to go out.”
“Got it. Then I’ll start from level one.”
Grandma nodded.
“Good, it’s settled then. Next, about your classes… Aside from the three mandatory courses—Order Studies, Theology, and Physical Training—you can freely choose the rest. Whether you can advance to the next level depends on your credits and the year-end assessments, but I don’t think that will be a problem for you.”
She paused here, then leisurely leaned down and started pulling out more than twenty books from under the desk, spreading them out on the table.
I looked over, and the topmost books were “Herbology,” “Abyss and Mire,” “Divine History,” and “Those Amazing Lifeforms,” among others—very thick books. After doing this, Principal Grandma looked a bit tired, took a few deep breaths, and then spoke to me.
“These are all textbooks. You can choose what interests you. You need to select at least three elective courses, but there’s no upper limit. However, remember to act within your limits. Time is finite, so don’t bite off more than you can chew… Take a look.”
I frowned and began to sift through the books on the table.
First, the one that attracted me the most was definitely “Abyss and Mire.” This was something I desperately needed to clarify, though I knew the content was likely limited, at the very least it should contain most of what humanity currently knows.
I selected the Abyss book and set it aside, then picked up “Those Amazing Lifeforms.” Flipping through it briefly, I realized it was about those other races that survived thousands of years ago—very interesting… You’re the one.
For the last book, I chose “Divine History.”
I recalled something the endless Abyss once said: it “follows the will of the deities.” What does that even mean?
In the eyes of the world, the holy Church that saves and helps people claims to be the most loyal followers of the deity. Those crazies at the Gate of Truth proclaim that they’re the devoted servants of the God of Truth—it’s no wonder the Abyss is linked to divinity.
If gods are just a belief like in my previous life, then it’s understandable how situations like these occur. But here, they really seem to exist; those people or monsters definitely wield powers akin to divine beings.
Thinking about it, it’s quite terrifying.
Yet here I was, completely clueless.
“I’ve made my choices.”
I placed the three books in front of Principal Grandma, and she laughed again.
“You’ve chosen all the obscure courses, haven’t you? Still, it does seem like a knight’s choice.”
I was a bit puzzled.
“Why are they obscure?”
“Well, why? Because not everyone’s a knight! More people tend to choose practical subjects like Herbology or Metallurgy to make their future lives a bit better, you know?”
…I got it.
But I’m not those people.
Because I have money.
“Just these three subjects.”
“Alright.” Grandma casually pushed aside the other books, “You can take these three books with you. Now, about the dormitory arrangements… Melville, you handle that.”
Melville nodded.
“Sure.”
I immediately panicked, quickly saying, “Grandma, I have a place to stay outside!”
Dormitory? No way?!
I’m not really used to sharing a roof with others! I prefer having my own space—no way dorm life will work for me! Plus… that’s definitely the girls’ dorm!
Even though I’ve gotten used to my own body, that’s one thing. Seeing other girls… If it’s dorm life, I’d surely be subjected to all sorts of racy scenarios.
Just thinking about it is stimulating.
“I know you have a place to stay outside, but you can’t go back every day.” Principal Grandma looked a bit displeased. “The Royal Academy has many noble students, and they don’t lack places to stay. This rule has never been broken. You can return during the rest days, and if you have anything important, you can apply for temporary leave. But you must live in the academy like everyone else during the week. I won’t indulge your bad noble habits.”
