Published: August 25, 2025
Since the royal family had already graduated and were no longer present, if the central high-ranking nobles were seated there, there should have been older students sitting in those seats. So, I was quite certain that the small figure directly in front of me was indeed a prince.
...But no one had told me that a royal family member would be attending.
I tilted my head as I looked at the figure who seemed to be a prince. If it were such an important matter, I thought I would have been informed, and at first glance, the figure looked quite small.
Moreover, the small figure was wearing red and white clothes, the noble colors of winter, which defied the noble academy’s dress code that primarily required black outfits. Even with a black cloak draped over the shoulders, the colors stood out sharply. Anastasius also wore black-based clothing, so being a royal family member didn't mean you could just break dress code rules.
“This is the Ehrenfest’s seating.”
In the small hall, four-person tables were arranged at equal intervals just like last year, and we were guided to the Ehrenfest’s seats. Wilfried was seated to my left, and Charlotte to my right.
Brynhildr pulled out a chair for me, and I sat down. Hartmut, a civil official, sat beside me, while attendants and Guard Knights stood behind me.
“Has Hartmut heard about the royal family member enrolling?”
I whispered softly to Hartmut, who shook his head slightly.
“No, I haven’t heard. Not just Lord Wilfried and Lady Charlotte, but many from other territories are surprised as well, so it’s highly likely this is a royal family member whose existence is not widely known.”
Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who hadn’t been informed, and I quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Since I had spent a short time in the castle, I had a feeling there was a lot I wasn’t told, but that didn’t seem to be the case this time.
“...However, I have heard rumors of a royal family member who was supposed to have a baptism ceremony at the Noble Academy last year. The child of the third wife, a half-brother to Prince Siegiswald and Prince Anastasius. If the rumors are true, the baptism ceremony should have been completed this autumn.”
“A baptism ceremony this year?”
“Yes. The nobles of Ehrenfest are introduced at the beginning of the Winter Social Season, but the royal family’s formal introduction is during the spring lords’ council. So, the formal introduction might not have been completed yet.”
No wonder the figure in front looked so small. I thought it might just be the distance, but since it was right after the baptism, the small stature made sense.
Yet, after hearing this from Hartmut, I became even more confused.
...Then why is the prince who just finished his baptism ceremony here?
I tilted my head in puzzlement, but once all the lord candidates from every territory had gathered and the doors of the small hall were closed, the central official spoke up, introduced the small prince seated in front, and explained.
“This is the third prince, Prince Hildebrandt. He completed his baptism ceremony in the autumn and has been recognized as a member of the royal family. Though his formal enrollment is still ahead, he has come here under the king’s order to fulfill royal duties by being present at the Noble Academy this year.”
To summarize the explanation given, there is a rule that a royal family member must always be enrolled at the Noble Academy. If there is none, then graduates are sent to the academy on behalf of the royal family.
By this custom, Anastasius, who just graduated, should have been sent to the academy, but he is currently very busy with royal duties. He is tasked with filling the land granted to him upon marriage with mana and reviving the royal family’s magic tools that had stopped functioning.
...Maybe he doesn’t have time to go to the academy because he wants to quickly set up the land and new home and marry Lady Eglantine?
Most likely, reviving the magic tools is a more important job than being stationed at the academy. The king chose to have the adult Anastasius work hard, so the newly baptized Hildebrandt was selected to stay at the academy as the royal family’s representative. Although Prince Hildebrandt is staying at the academy by royal order, he hasn't officially enrolled yet and cannot attend lectures, so he basically stays in his room.