I’m Just an Ordinary Academy Student

46 – Please Enter the Palace

While others yearn for the past festivals or fear the upcoming midterms.

Or curse professors who throw assignment bombs right after the festival ends.

Even the juniors who were preparing for a group project with me turned into disgusted faces.

“Professor… I’ll kill… I’ll kill….”

“Ugh…. I want to set the lab on fire….”

“With the exams just around the corner… Why is this place replacing them with group projects, and why are they assigning projects elsewhere too? Professors, please, unify your decisions!!”

I’m only a first-year student, not even a sophomore or junior, let alone a graduating senior.

Seeing them groaning like zombies, it’s beyond pitiful and raises questions, leaving aside the sympathy.

No, seriously, how many project bombs were dropped to make them like that?

Ah, of course, even for me, a first-year like them, the same project bomb was thrown my way.

It was a bit challenging. Is this an assignment or an experiment to see if people explode or not?

But it was okay. Unlike the freshmen who thought they were going to die, I could endure it.

To be precise, I had no time to get annoyed because of something else.

– Student Karl Adelheit. Are you ready for the palace entrance exam? –

I thought it was a joke. I thought the crown prince said it just as a formality.

But when a minister from the palace came and got straight to the point.

I realized that all of this was not a joke or a prank but a reality.

A mere noble brat entering the palace! Unbelievable! Unbelievable!!

Desperately, I asked my father for help, but his reaction was too indifferent.

[Karl, it seems you keep forgetting what you’ve achieved.]

At my father’s words, almost involuntarily, I turned my gaze to the medal I had tossed in a corner of my desk.

Yeah. If you think about it, the reason I received an invitation to the palace this time is all because of this.

Now the question of whether to add another one here or not has been raised, and even the Ministry of Justice has expressed their opinion.

While everyone keeps emphasizing the existence of that person, I, the party concerned, keep forgetting.

…Maybe it’s not forgetting; maybe it’s because I want to forget.

Even when it seems like everything is getting better, when something ominous rears its head, my chest tightens.

[It’s a natural thing as a medalist. So, there’s no need to feel overly burdened.]

“No matter what, it’s burdensome for a mere noble like me to go to the palace. Father.”

[If it’s too burdensome, you can refuse to go.]

Huh? Is that possible?

[You’re a recipient of an honor medal. If you find it burdensome, even His Highness the Crown Prince can accept your refusal. Do you really want that?]

“…No. It’s not like that.”

Can you refuse when the future emperor suggests having a cup of tea? If there’s someone who can do that, it’s one of two things: either they’re insane or they’re going to die soon.

In the end, the day to go to the palace finally arrived after much hesitation.

I pondered over what to wear… damn. Did I really choose a military uniform?

It was a bit strange to wear decorations with a different outfit, but there was no choice.

Hmm. Wearing this reminds me of the day of discharge. It felt great back then.

“Let’s see. How did it look when entering the palace in a past life?”

Let’s recall. Whether from a book, a movie, or a drama. What kind of scene was painted there?

Going through strict security checks, knights glaring with fierce eyes. Now, entering and understanding how to show respect, kneeling, and bowing the head… well, something like that. Probably?

Anyway, to sum it up briefly, there seemed to be a lot to do.

It was natural. It was the palace. The heart and mind of the empire.

Regardless of the nobility, in front of the emperor, anyone entering the emperor’s residence should respectfully bow, regardless of their rank.

Yes. So, while thinking about that, when saying, “There will be a security check,” I was about to stretch out both arms, but…

“Ranshtark. Are you Sir Karl Adelheit? I’ve come to escort you to the palace.”

There was no strict security check for me. The gaze of the knights guarding me? Absent.

Even before entering the palace, there were no instructions on etiquette, no answers on how to respond, no training. It felt like taking someone who naturally belonged in the palace.

Moreover, if I made eye contact with the knights during the journey, they all hastily saluted.

I heard that they were the strongest and most noble knights in the empire.

Guardians of the imperial family. Honorable individuals who followed only the orders of the emperor, living and dying for that honor.

Seeing them in such a posture made it hard for me to breathe.

What made it even more tense was what happened next, or rather, the person standing in front of me.

“Ranshtark. Finally, we meet. Sergeant Karl Adelheit. Oh, should I call you Sir Karl?”

“Uh, you can call me casually. Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”

“Then I’ll call you Sir Karl. Instead, it would be nice if you treated me as comfortably as your brother! Hahaha!”

No, not at all. Absolutely not. A common noble addressing the Crown Prince as a brother?

If I did that, I would end up in a terrible situation. Even if ordered, I would never do it.

“Originally, His Majesty the Emperor intended to welcome you, but there are reasons. I hope Sir Karl understands that.”

“….”

Don’t say you understand or don’t understand. Please. Where are you trying to take this…

Some might envy this situation, but considering the name of the “Emperor,” it’s impossible to take it lightly.

If one could move so lightly, the name of the empire wouldn’t be so weighty.

At first, it was burdensome when the Crown Prince appeared, but now I feel relieved that the Crown Prince is here.

‘… This is quite impressive.’

Once again, I could keenly feel the power of the honor medal that sparkled on my chest.

When I used to read about it in books or hear it from others before, I just vaguely thought about the weight of this medal. But now, I am experiencing it firsthand.

I’m realizing anew what I did, how insane it was.

‘Wait. Are you going to give me another one of these?’

It doesn’t seem like a good idea. It’s going to be really exhausting in many ways.

If having two honor medals means getting treated as a shortcut to a final weapon that can be used anytime, that’s impressive, but isn’t it going to be a hassle?

Just look at this moment. I didn’t ask for help with a smile from the Special Forces.

There are still KMP bastards left, and the diplomatic situation may change unpredictably in the future.

There’s a good chance they’ll come asking for my help again.

Honestly, if they ask, I can do it. That’s not difficult.

The problem here is how to tell Mother and ask for forgiveness.

I don’t want to see the scene where Mother opens her eyes and says, ‘Oh?’

“My younger brother received a lot of praise from General Kal.”

“Pardon?”

“First Princess. Haven’t you met General Kal?”

Drip—

The Crown Prince actually poured tea into my cup. I accepted it politely with both hands.

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

“Don’t be so formal. Considering what you’ve done for the Empire, I should be the one showing courtesy. If it weren’t for imperial pride, I might have asked for a signature.”

Is he joking? Where would he use the signature of a military veteran student?

“Judging by the expression on your face, you seem to think I’m joking, but I’m serious.”

Where on earth would he use my signature… Oh, no. Really?

“Your Highness, did you get married? Wait. Come to think of it, you didn’t, right? Oh, seriously?”

“Again, judging by the look on your face, it seems like the expected answer. I am heterosexual!”

“Oops! I’m sorry! No, I apologize, Your Highness. My rudeness—”

“This friend can’t even take a joke.”

Chuckling, the Crown Prince now offers me snacks.

“Is there perhaps some poison or radiation inside me?”

Am I going to be judged for treason, with accusations like, “You revealed your own crimes!” and face punishment for insulting the royal family?

“Hmm.”

The Crown Prince, placing his tea cup down, briefly glances in my direction before speaking.

“While this will be officially clarified in due course, it won’t be concluded in such a theatrical manner.”

“What are you talking about… Your Highness?!”

I almost spit out the sip of tea I had just taken.

The Crown Prince sitting in front of me lowers his head, no, he tilts it all the way down.

In an exceedingly polite posture. In an atmosphere of courtesy. He demonstrates a demeanor suitable for a nobleman.

“Thank you. Thanks to your sacrifices, today’s empire exists.”

“….”

“I am aware that it won’t end with just a mere decoration. However, as a token of that decoration, and as a way to show our gratitude. I want to remember what people like you have done for the empire, what processes you have gone through. To remember. Never to forget. So that, someday, heroes like you can emerge again.”

To remember. Not to forget. To record the proof, the witness.

Without realizing it, I fumble with the medal on my chest.

“Well, it’s just like that. I apologize. Wasn’t it a bit too sentimental?”

“No, Your Highness.”

“Captain Kal probably just did what needed to be done. Still, you know, it’s okay to be a bit proud. It’s not just praising your merit, but also praising the comrades who fought alongside you.”

That’s right. These kids. That’s right. Damn humans.

Despite everything, it seems we haven’t suffered in vain. Well, isn’t that fortunate?

If I stay silent, tears might come out for no reason. Let’s quickly finish the tea for now—

“Do you need a handkerchief, Captain Kal?”

“….”

The perceptive Crown Prince. Damn.