Published: September 9, 2025
This is Satou. There was a time when the sports day we had practiced for days got rained out, and I was disappointed.
Of course, the disappointment came from all that practice going to waste. It was definitely not because I missed seeing the girls in their sports uniforms. No, definitely not.
â—‡
"So, is the cooking competition postponed?"
"Yes, I’m sorry. There are some complicated circumstances..."
When I greeted Lord Lloyd’s butler at the airship terminal heading to the Duke’s Capital, he told me that the cooking competition Lulu was supposed to enter had been postponed.
He was vague about the details, but it was probably because Lord Lloyd was being summoned to the Royal Capital on suspicion of attacking the airship carrying Duke Bistal.
The lavish carriage we passed on the way here must have belonged to Lord Lloyd.
I checked the map and confirmed that Lord Lloyd was indeed inside the Royal Castle grounds.
I should bring some refreshments and pay a visit later. It might be risky to approach someone accused of attempting to assassinate a duke, but since we stopped the assassination, it should be fine.
After greeting the butler, we left the crowded airship terminal.
â—‡
"Hey, hey, is that a uniform?"
"Hmm? Looks like it. That should be the Royal Academy’s uniform."
Arisa asked while watching the boys and girls walking by in matching clothes. The AR display confirmed their affiliation: "Shiga Kingdom Royal Academy, Juvenile School."
She could have checked it with her ability appraisal (status check) skill, though.
The Royal Academy is like a university, with multiple campuses spread out.
First, the higher school building with the auditorium and library stands in front of the Royal Castle.
In the Noble District, there are the Noble School and the Maiden School, attended by nobles. The Maiden School is essentially a finishing school for brides. Lirina, the prefect’s young lady of Grylian, attends the former.
The Juvenile School, whose uniform we just saw, is near the airport. It’s attended not only by wealthy commoners but also by children of honorary nobles.
Next to the Juvenile School are large campuses for the Knight School and the Magic School.
Apparently, there’s an artificial underground labyrinth within the Magic School grounds. It’s reportedly smaller than even one section of the Selbira Labyrinth, so it’s purely for student training.
There are two labyrinths: the “Labyrinth of Beginnings,” 50 meters square and five floors, and the “Labyrinth of Trials,” 100 meters square and ten floors.
They’re open to nobles in the Royal Capital for a fee, which includes an admission charge plus fees based on the number of monsters defeated.
Stronger monsters appearing at the bottom are culled and brought to the arena on the city outskirts to fight criminal slaves, turning it into a spectacle.
I learned all this from a letter from Princess Menea, who attends the Magic School.
As I explained this, we passed by the Juvenile School in the Royal Capital.
Arisa seemed nostalgic, narrowing her eyes as if recalling her past life.
â—‡
Passing through sturdy inner walls, our carriage entered the Noble District.
This area is vast, covering about as much land as Muno City itself. Incidentally, the Royal Castle occupies nearly 30% of it.
Originally, the Royal Capital was limited to the Noble District, but about 300 years ago, as space grew tight, concentric inner walls were built every 100 years, forming the current circular city layout.
We left the main street toward the castle and headed to a district lined with lower-ranking nobles’ mansions.
"Hey, where is it around here?"
"It’s in the next block, so we’re almost there."
We slipped under the shadow of an aqueduct and soon reached an area where an entire block was occupied by a single mansion.
"Walls?"
"The entrance is closed!"
"Wait, what? Could this mansion be the one in the Royal Capital?"
No way.
This is the Echigoya Trading Company’s main store and residence.
It’s exclusively for nobles; commoners’ stores are only two in the downtown area.