The days were getting cooler, but that never stopped the Rosewood residents from gathering by the road from the Capital to the Rosewood estate, to try and catch a glimpse of their Earl as he returned for the weekend. Rumour had it that seeing him was good luck for a day, and if he looked at you, it was good luck for a week, and if he spoke to you, it was good luck for a month.
Some naysayers decried it was absurd, but look at the people who worked with Earl Rosewood—weren’t they really lucky?
The Rosewood fief itself was in a state of happy busyness as crops were slowly harvested one by one. Many people also had more money in their pocket from working and could better prepare warm clothing for the upcoming winter. And by spending more money, others had more money to spend yet again, creating thriving markets in the fief.
So what about those bad rumours about the little Earl not respecting the Imperial Magical Academy? That was nothing against the solid money in their hands and the warm food in their stomachs! Some people were clearly jealous that their own noble lord wasn’t as generous and awesome!
On Saturday afternoon, while Earl Rosewood was out for work, Mrs Cooks and the others on break (or procrastinating) gathered in the kitchens.
“No change in the academy situation?” Mrs Cooks was half worried, half ready to do something.
“Some change,” Maria said. “Earl Rosewood has been attending a few classes here and there. He and His Highness had a meeting with the Dean of the Academy recently.”
Mrs Cooks pursed her lips.
“Maybe we could ask Earl Rosewood whether he’s planning to challenge the Dean of the Academy,” someone said.
“But that’s more work—”
“Earl Rosewood asked us to compile a list of jobs that mages could do around the fief, and to recall all the magical work he has done. He must be thinking about hiring more mages—”
“Which could give him more time to manage the academy if he duels and takes it over!”
Mrs Cooks: “…”
Mrs Cooks could only bear the speculation and gossip for a while before she kicked them out so that she and the kitchen staff could prepare Earl Rosewood’s favourite foods for tonight’s dinner.
Anya Rose found her little worrier-brother in his office at the academy—on Saturday, a weekend!
“Why are you being miserable here?” she asked as she took a seat in the office.
Friduric looked at her flatly.
“When you have a difficult research problem, it’s best to talk to another person,” Anya said kindly.
Friduric huffed. “It’s not a research problem.”
Anya shrugged. “The sentiment stands. Though, I find that talking to a plant also helps. Your office could do with a few more plants.”
“Did you read through the suggestions?”
“Yes. Very interesting. The university also has a big problem with the teaching ability of the lecturers. A good researcher isn’t always a good teacher.”
“We’re not talking about the university right now,” Friduric said. He snorted. “You’re so smart, why don’t you tell me how to deal with the problem?”
“You should stop looking at it as a problem and consider it an opportunity,” Anya said.
Friduric frowned. “The amount of work involved, and the changes, how do we quickly address Earl Rosewood’s situation…”
“Is Earl Rosewood worried about his situation?”
“…No.”
“Then why are you worrying for him? In the worst case, he withdraws or is expelled, and I understand he doesn’t mind those options.” Anya shook her head at her little worrier-brother.
Friduric: “…”
“So?”
“Then…” Friduric suddenly looked at Anya with a peculiar expression.
Anya inexplicably felt some apprehension. What was her little brother thinking of now?
“You quite like Earl Rosewood, don’t you?” Friduric said slowly.
“He is a good researcher.”
“Do you want to be employed on a more extensive basis at the academy?”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“I don’t need your subsidies.”
Friduric was nodding to himself. “Since you like Earl Rosewood, and since you like research, you can take up the role of new research supervisor.”
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“P’ii gfwbnf sbe ogbw ujgvfclcu kbgx jgbecv atf jmjvfws jcv qgbwbaf sbe ab afjmtlcu rajoo. Tbe kbc’a ifa j ubbv gfrfjgmtfg ilxf Sjgi Ebrfkbbv dela, klii sbe? Ccv wjsyf lo sbe’gf ubbv, sbe mbeiv fnfc jaagjma Llr Llutcfrr Uglcmf Eljc.”
“Llr Llutcfrr? P kjrc’a atlcxlcu jybea atja—”
Friduric chuckled. “Anya, you were the one who told me that Earl Rosewood needs to be challenged. Who would be a better supervisor than you?”
Anya: “…”
Curses, her little brother had gotten the better of her, and they both knew it!
Friduric was in a much better mood after Anya left.
Anya was right that he should take this opportunity to reform the academy. Not only would it improve the academy, it would also put him down in the history books. He was pleased to have cornered Anya into committing to action.
With Anya’s reluctant agreement to be a research supervisor, Friduric developed the conditions that students needed to meet in order to undertake research instead of standard classes.
Truly changing the academy would take several years, with no shortage of criticism. But it would be worth it.
Friduric spent the rest of Saturday and Sunday preparing his plan. On Monday, he presented the plan to the academy board, which included Vice Dean Blewitt and Lord Elfenbein from the academy, a member from the Imperial University, the Minister of Education from the Imperial Council, a senior healer from the Capital Hospital, and a senior mage who acted as Their Majesties’ representative.
He had also dragged Anya to talk to the academy board to help convince them.
Anya, for all her reluctance on Saturday, was very calm, eloquent and persuasive today. She had rich experience lobbying for money to fund her research and her travels, after all.
The member from the Imperial University and the senior healer from the Capital Hospital were persuaded by Anya. They could send people in and identify key promising students and ‘steal’ them early (and get them to effectively work for them without paying them anything).
The senior mage who acted as Their Majesties’ representative silently acquiesced upon learning that Prince Rian had proposed elements of these changes. Prince Rian was extremely smart and intelligent. Naturally, he would take the new alternative path that would only be open to the top students of the academy.
The Minister of Education from the Imperial Council accepted the plan on the condition that students had to obtain their parents’ permission, and their parents had to come to the academy in person to express that permission. As long as they agreed, they were implicitly accepting the risks.
Lord Elfenbein accepted the proposal on the provision that this year was only a trial, and that they would re-assess at the end of the year. He also insisted on being part of the implementation team and noted several matters to pay attention to.
Vice Dean Blewitt had a cold expression throughout the meeting. She finally accepted the proposal on the condition that students had to first pass exams that were harder than the usual end-of-year exams.
And with that, the academy board provisionally passed Friduric’s proposal, conditional on further revisions.
Meanwhile, the first study group/tutoring session happened on that evening, before dinner. Rian attended it to show his support, which gave Ren Xiyang time to do things without Rian’s interruption.
They met up at the dining hall for dinner and reconvened in their quarters afterwards.
“Rian, I brought you more roses,” Ren Xiyang said, handing over a large bouquet of pink roses.
Rian smiled happily and called Gary to bring more flower vases.
Gary very professionally acquired three more vases and very professionally left.
“Speaking of roses, Anya Rose has been around the academy today,” Rian said as he arranged the roses into the new vases. “She and Dean Palatinate met with the academy board today.” He turned his head to give Ren Xiyang a meaningful look.
“Do we need to prepare anything for tomorrow’s meeting?”
“No, Dean Palatinate can take charge of any changes.”
Ren Xiyang nodded. “Okay. I heard some my staff back in the fief whispering about whether I should challenge Dean Palatinate to a duel and take over the academy.”
Rian stopped arranged roses and looked at Ren Xiyang. “A duel?” His eyes automatically sparkled at the idea.
“…Are you saying you want to challenge Dean Palatinate to a duel? But managing the academy is a lot of work, and worse of all, we’d have to manage the existing teachers, rather than hiring our own people,” Ren Xiyang said.
Rian gave an exaggerated sigh. “Oh, it’s a missed opportunity. Wouldn’t it be great for the history books if we first challenged Dean Palatinate and took over the academy, and then challenged the university chancellor and took over the university?”
“Who’s next? Prime Minister Mauveine? Then, King Edric?”
Rian smirked mischievously.
Ren Xiyang’s lips quirked. “Good thing Count Aegean can’t hear us.”
Rian laughed. “Indeed, I believe his wife is helping him recovered his lost hair.”
After they finished chatting, Ren Xiyang and Rian sat down at Rian’s desk with their schedules laid out in front of them.
Rian immediately noticed something: “Florence is coming?” He pointed at the big block on Ren Xiyang’s Wednesday evening. “I’m having dinner with her too then.”
“Okay,” Ren Xiyang said.
Rian copied it into his schedule.
They both made notes about the other’s schedule in their own notebook.
Then, Ren Xiyang pulled out another notebook and opened it up. “Over the weekend, I looked into whether I had the capacity to hire more mages on a part-time or casual basis.”
Rian pressed his shoulder against Ren Xiyang’s ‘incidentally’ to read what Ren Xiyang had written.
“The answer is yes,” Ren Xiyang said. “But the Rosewood fief isn’t very convenient to reach, and those commoner mages have extra classes and now study groups as well. They might not have time, want, or energy, to work and study.” Ren Xiyang pointed to a section on the page. “So, I thought we could have an advance payment first, and have them work in the summer holidays. Or the academy could consider low-income subsidies.”
“Many students are part of the association of future leaders. Extra work outside of classes is not rare. Look at you and I.”
“We’re outliers and you know it,” Ren Xiyang said.
“We’re distinguished, not outliers,” Rian said with an upward tilt of his chin.
Ren Xiyang quirked his lips.
Amusement from Ren Xiyang obtained, Rian became more serious again. “If the biggest worry are those students’ family, then why not hire their families directly? It’s never too early to build loyalty.”
“Then I’ll leave this matter to you?”
Rian bumped their knees under the table. “Some of them are your fans,” he said, with a minor sour tone. “You should talk to them about what they want, and I’ll talk to the rest.”
“What, really? I’ve barely attended classes.”
“Maybe they heard of your glowing reputation previously.”
“But your reputation is even more sparkly.”
“Yes, well.” Rian smoothed down his shirt. “There’s no point thinking more about this matter until we talk to the students in question.”
“Alright.” Ren Xiyang jotted down that note, and then flipped to a few pages over, titled, Education initiative. “Now that the Healers’ Association and the agricultural initiative are starting to run themselves, we should find time to start the education initiative.”
“The amount of work you want to do is inspiring,” Rian said.
Ren Xiyang glanced at him.
Rian looked back at him innocently. “After the education initiative, what’s next in your pipeline?”
“Water and sanitation, clothing, housing, roads, transport, waste processing, tax reform, environmental protection…” Ren Xiyang took out another notebook and showed his big list.
Rian blinked and smiled. “Oh, I see you have planned.”
“—But if you have another initiative you want next, then we can alternate,” Ren Xiyang said.
“I’ve already talked to my Imperial Mother about a national census,” Rian said. He looked at Ren Xiyang with a mysterious smile. “As for the next project that I want to do, that will depend…”
“Is it a secret?”
“Well, I hope it will be the opposite of secret when it’s done,” Rian said.
It was obvious that it had something to do with Ren Xiyang. “Should I be afraid?”
“Be not afraid; be the opposite. But for now, let’s talk about the education initiative,” Rian said kindly.
Ren Xiyang went back to his other notebook. “Okay…” He didn’t need to be told twice to work and launched into the ideas he had collected thus far.
Rian was attentive, for now. In this relationship between Ren Xiyang and Rian, it was Ren Xiyang who made Rian work harder and it was Rian who made sure they had fun to balance out the work. It was a state that Rian hadn’t thought he would be in…but he didn’t mind it. Teasing Ren Xiyang to bed was its own fun.
On the next day, Ren Xiyang attended the magic practice class in the afternoon. A week after Rian introduced it, the students were still playing the mini-duelling game.
Rian told him that it wasn’t just first years playing it—second- and third-year students were playing it too.
The spells they had to learn that class was a poison detection spell and a healing spell. Admittedly, those weren’t easy to get hands-on-practice in a classroom setting.
Ren Xiyang still couldn’t defeat Rian in mini-duelling.
“…This is the only way you can defeat me,” Ren Xiyang finally said.
Rian’s eyes curved with laughter. “Oh, are you grumpy?”
“It’s okay, Ayden, it’s the big duels that really count,” one of Ren Xiyang’s fans said. “This is just a small game.”
“Thanks,” Ren Xiyang said.
“I’ve made a chart to organise some team-duelling practice!”
“Oh, then we should make sure everyone has a team before the next combat magic practice,” Rian said. “I’m with Ayden, you have to choose someone else.”
“Your Highness, you should let Ayden team up with someone else once in a while!”
“No, I’m the crown prince, I want the strongest partner,” Rian said wilfully. But the smile on his lips invited the students to laugh rather than feel slighted.
“What if I give Ayden ten plants?”
“No, what if I give Ayden twenty plants!”
“Thirty!”
“One hundred!”
“Why does everyone think I can be bribed by plants?” Ren Xiyang said.
The students plus Rian gave him a blank look.
Ren Xiyang: “…”
“Come one, next round of mini duelling, class is going to end soon,” Ren Xiyang said.
“Right, yes!”
Rian: Ayden is my partner.
Students: I’m so envious that Prince Rian gets Ayden to be his team-duelling partner!
Queen Mira, looking into the distance: Ah, he’s becoming more and more blatant…
Thank you to cemarius012 for the idea of the little mini-duelling game spreading!
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Love the end theater xD Looking into the distance indeed!
Both the re-surfacing duel plans and plant bribery are hilarious to see.
It is fascinating to see Rian be in the situation he is in (responsible for fun LOL). I am glad to see Ren keeping up the small gestures, though. I really enjoy those small reflections on the dynamic of people’s relationships.
Queen Mira is starting to feel numb to it all 🤣🤣🤣
Even the kids know that Ayden can be bribed (?) by plants 🤣🤣🤣
Outsiders would find it hard to believe that the tradition-breaking Earl Rosewood works harder than Prince Rian 🤭🤭🤭
Bribing him with plants doesn’t seem to work that well anymore. Rian did bribe him with an entire greenhouse and he still ended up missing classes… Perhaps they couls start bribing him with….work? 🙈
OMGGGGG BRIBING HIM WITH WORK 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
XD That is the perfect conclusion to the ‘taking over more and more institutions’ arc.
HAHA
I mean, the obvious practice for the both spells would to give them something poisonous, and if they fail to detect it and ingest it, then their practice partner uses the healing spell on them. 🤣
Thank you for the update.
OMG HAHAHAHAHAH. What if the healing spell fails? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 But that is SUCH a good idea!!! haha
everyone is jealous 🤣
oh dear, what would happen when they find out Prince Rian’s true meaning of ‘partner’? 🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭
i feel like Anya f-cked around and found out akxhsjdh
Anya made a serious mistake 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Thank you for the chapter! I can definitely see Ren practicing an activity out of spite even if he doesn’t actually like it hahah
HAHAHAHAH He’s too used to winning against Rian 🤣🤣🤣
little brothers are a pain at any age (* ￣︿￣)
Anya and Rian can commiserate together 🤣🤣
Ah, so the next “project” on Rian’s mind is…going public…? I’m here for it!!! 🥰 The question is, though, is Ren Xiyang? 🤣 Ganbatte, Rian!!!
😏😏😏😏😏😏😏😏😏😏 Heheheh~
So is ren more of a backpack guy or a satchel or a messenger bag kind of guy? Like he needs something for his many notebooks.
I am leaning more to one shoulder bags but at the same time he seems like someone who would be concerned about spine health… So a backpack/ school bag? Or do they have magical compression bags?
Oooohhh interesting thought! Previously, I had mentioned that Ren Xiyang had a briefcase. That makes it simple to float around. But also I had been envisioning that he has a strangely deep coat inner pocket 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 He just keeps pulling out notebooks like a magician…
“No change on the academy situation?”
The family is so worried about Ren ♥ How sweet
Queen Mira
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Yeah, the Rosewood family worry about their little earl a lot!
The mini weapons dueling game sounds like Yu-Gi-Oh! Or what are these spinny things called again… Imagine having a bunch of little collectable weapons? And using them to duel your friends? And making your own, painting them, collecting them, giving them specific spells… and then hosting a big tournament?
Oooh! Like beyblades? 😆😆😆 OMG collectable mini weapons hahahah, that would be so cute! Mini big tournament is also such a cute idea!
Yeah, those! That totally sounds like something that can just escalate into a tournament after a few years of not paying attention. Like as a fun extra? 😆
hahah we’ll see~