Chapter : 12
“Huu…”
Jaden took a deep breath as he stood in front of the princess’s study door.
In his arms was not only the previous test paper but also a new one.
It was the special academic year promotion test from the Academy.
This was a test taken by students who had completed up to the 10th grade, aiming to secure funding for individual research.
Jaden had never taken this test before. He had preferred practical work over research, and after getting into trouble with the Marquis, he had even lost the choice.
Support for researchers at the Academy came from the pockets of the nobility.
If the Academy allowed him, who had fallen out of favor with the Marquis, to pass, the financial backing would surely be cut off. Thus, it was an unavoidable decision for the Academy.
“How much of this will I actually be able to solve…?”
Many questions on the paper weren’t even in the Academy’s curriculum and were hotly debated in academic circles.
Such problems usually required answers based on scholarly knowledge, expressed through the respondent’s own interpretations.
That was exactly why Jaden had brought the second test paper.
“I wonder if Her Highness can display the same creativity as when she devised mathematical formulas.”
From a strictly logical point of view, it was clearly an absurd expectation.
If someone were to hear this thought, they might think:
“The situation’s desperate, so that guy’s going to try to sell some trick, maybe even throw stones at us.”
“Ahem!”
Thinking that somehow made a mischievous laugh escape him, and Jaden composed himself, trying to regain his calm.
“Huu…”
Feeling a pleasant tension different from yesterday, he reached for the doorknob.
Click.
When he finally opened the door, he saw…
“Oh, you’re here? …What’s that? Another test, no way?”
It was Ailencia, lying on the sofa, swinging her legs carelessly while munching on macarons.
Her cautious eyes rolled around, surveying the room.
“Should I give up?”
No, it was already too late. She should have leapt out the window the moment she saw the bundle of papers in Jaden’s arms.
Perhaps she should have started being careful from the dream she had this morning.
“No wonder a retriever appeared in my dream.”
It was golden, so she had felt a hint of luck, but it seemed dreams were just dreams.
She recalled the moment that was surely her last chance.
“Y-Your Highness, please, p-please…”
“Again? No! I won’t do it! It’s troublesome!”
“If you solve it sincerely, I’ll give you lemon cookies for dinner.”
“…Cookies?”
“I shouldn’t have gone along back then.”
Coincidentally, she had been distracted, looking at a ledger of embezzlement evidence that Gote had collected, and her energy had been drained—it was clearly a misstep.
“Your Highness, is it difficult?”
As she stared blankly at the black ink spreading across the test paper, Jaden from across the room, macarons smeared around his mouth, teasingly asked:
“…No.”
“As expected!”
Suppressing the urge to flare up, she spoke firmly, and his worried expression brightened instantly.
To Jaden, who knew nothing of novels, she would have been the last lifeline appearing at a dead-end cliff.
No matter how carefree she appeared, inside, she was surely burning with tension.
Jaden was a resource who could be extremely helpful if handled correctly.
For a person obsessed with knowledge, it was proper to offer the right bait. And since she had the advantage of being possessed by language, it was the perfect opportunity to use it.
It made sense to demonstrate her abilities and gain his trust and goodwill as a negotiator.
“…Right. Rationally, that’s the way to go.”
But…
“H-Hang in there!”
She alternated her gaze between the stack of pristine answer sheets on the desk and Jaden shyly cheering her on.
“My stomach… it hurts.”
She didn’t understand why her stomach churned and her chest throbbed.
“And he understood everything!”
At least five or six languages seemed to appear, but contrary to Jaden’s worries, they weren’t difficult. It just hurt her arm from writing down everything she knew.
If only she didn’t know and could just write, “I don’t know,” she could move on.
Strangely, she could see all the answers. Not just reading them, but the principles behind the words were almost tangible.
The difficulty was definitely higher than yesterday.
[According to linguist Squeeze Blender’s theory, the languages of the central-eastern nations, including the Empire of Valtheim and the Kingdom of Irven, derive their vowel systems from ancient Mita language—]
Even just the problem statement was long. Including the options, it took up nearly half the page.
“….”
She skimmed the questions, deep in thought.
“Don’t stand out.”
Attracting attention, for better or worse, was never in her favor.
If Ailencia had reformed, it would have been good for everyone. Living quietly, not only the crown prince but also ministers and the emperor would have welcomed her change.
But if she reformed and also excelled?
“Even a hint of threat to my future, and the crown prince would come without mercy to take my head.”
Imagining her head flying while writing diligently, she suddenly paused, feeling uneasy.
[…Therefore, the vowels of the Mita language are classified according to the number of strokes in consonants, which partially corresponds to the language systems of the central-eastern nations. For example…]
“Isn’t this too detailed?”
She scratched out what she had written.
From a distance, Gote and Jaden, who had been watching her, let out sounds of admiration for each other’s faces.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Her Highness work so hard. It seems Your Highness is impressed with Lohason Gong.”
“It’s thanks to Sir Heiler’s excellent guidance. And it seems the Princess likes lemon cookies?”
“She does enjoy desserts.”
“Next time, I must stop by a famous bakery. Haha… I don’t know if you’ll like it though…”
“Planning to visit again! Very wise! Absolutely wise!”
“To become a tutor to a genius like the Princess is a tremendous honor for a scholar.”
“A genius! Indeed, our Princess was exceptional even as a child. When she was six…”
While Gote boasted about his prodigy, playing drums and spinning hats with Jaden, she raised the half-soaked exam sheet in triumph.
“It’s finished.”
It was perfect.
“Oh, let’s see!”
She handed the paper confidently to Jaden rushing over.
“I only wrote half of it.”
Soon, Jaden would realize she was just a slightly clever, ordinary child. He might be a little disappointed, but that was fine.
“For now, giving an impression worth using is enough.”
She wasn’t at the age to be deluded by genius pride. Honestly, it was a bit embarrassing for an adult to boast among elementary prodigies.
“You understand my level, right?”
Time to teach at the level of this little one.
Just as she raised her hands, expecting a lukewarm reaction, something felt off.
“Hmm… Huh. Like this?”
Jaden’s eyes glittered as he muttered constantly.
“The interpretation here… oh…!”
Suddenly, she felt she had stepped in it.
As she hesitated, Jaden raised his head, his gaze intense.
“Princess!”
“Huh?”
“Let’s turn this into a paper immediately!”
The ecstatic exclamation sounded absurdly excited.
One leisurely afternoon.
“Princess.”
She shook off Jaden’s persistent grip on her arm, allowing Ailencia to fully express herself.
“Go away! I said I won’t do this!”
“Are you really going to waste such talent? Just trust me once. Let’s do one research together.”
“How dare you speak nonsense as a human! You must be a demon! Be gone, evil spirit!”
“Ah! Watch out!”
She swung the watering can lid at Jaden, but he had grown immune, shielding his face with his arms. He stubbornly kept following her.
Gote smiled warmly at Jaden, leaving her to suffer.
It had been four months since she started Jaden’s lessons.
Now, the fruits of her efforts were starting to show.
“The palace has become quieter lately.”
“Her Highness has really changed. She hasn’t skipped lessons and is studying diligently. Is puberty over?”
“And no one is getting hurt anymore.”
“But look, isn’t the Princess kind of cute?”
The rumors that began in the Mirror Palace gradually spread throughout the royal palace after her birthday and the new year.
From suspicion to curiosity, the whispers about her subtly shifted.
Perhaps sensing the change, the harassment from the princess-dedicated extortion gang had significantly decreased.
“But why is this one so consistent?”
Maybe Jaden had changed too.
“The ancient language decoding homework you submitted last week! It was truly perfect! I felt it was a waste for me to see it alone, I nearly cried!”
Jaden’s stammering had noticeably reduced.
With others, he was timid, but in front of her, when speaking of linguistics, he spoke fluently like reading from a script.
“Just once! Just once, I’m asking! The decision is hard, but once started, it’s easy… anyway, we have to try!”
“Just say it’s hard! Your conscience is dead!”
She called for Pione, frustrated with Jaden’s persistence.
“Pione! Pioneee!”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
“The teacher is leaving! Escort him!”
“Understood!”
“Waaah! W-wait!”
As usual, Jaden, being carried by Pione, cried out in frustration while being taken to the royal carriage.
“Princess! I-I have something to say! I have to tell you!”
Normally, he would have slumped on the maid’s strong shoulder, but today he struggled desperately, calling out to her.
…He was usually helpless around Pione.
“Pione. Wait.”
She raised her hand, and Jaden, relieved, caught his breath.
“What is it?”
She quietly clenched her fist and gave a thumbs-up, a silent signal to act if the word “paper” came up. Code name: Akhtoma. A signal to deal with the target faster than light.
“Do you have any intention of going to Petra?”
“Petra?”
Tilting her head in confusion, Jaden nodded urgently.
“Yes! It’s an academic conference held annually with cooperation from academies across the continent! This time, Cretonon Academy is hosting linguistics, and I thought of you…”
“I’m not an Academy student.”
“It doesn’t matter! With the external delegate exam and the director’s recommendation, you meet the qualifications. The important thing is your will!”
“Hmm.”
She crossed her arms, tilting her head.
“Petra… Petra…”
As expected, there was nothing to gain from the princess’s memories.
Of course, the little one who had no interest in palace matters wouldn’t know the outside world.
“But why does it feel so familiar?”
Pouting, she pondered for a while.
“You’re going to Petra? Ha! Even the passing dogs will laugh.”
Suddenly, a golden head popped out from the garden. It was Robelius.
“Why do you think I can’t go?”
“Petra gathers top geniuses as representatives. Academies fly their nation’s flags, and there’s fierce international competition. Even getting the qualification is tough. You can’t claim a seat just by status. Do you think someone like you can go there?”
So it’s like an international Olympiad.
A competition of young talents, a matter of national pride. He asked if she would be allowed.
“It’s a place for people like me. Not for someone like you.”
“You’re going too?”
“Of course.”
Looking at Jaden, he shrugged. Nothing was confirmed yet.
“You have to take a test. Confident?”
“Ha, do you think I can’t pass that? I could do it in my sleep.”
“…Really?”
She smiled triumphantly at the crown prince and said,
“Then I’m going too.”
