A Messenger from the Academy
“A representative from the Royal Academy… what business would you have in a place like this?”
Honestly, I can’t think of a place more disconnected from the Academy than Curtis Village.
Sure, there are kids like Parker—diamonds in the rough—but that school is mostly attended by sons and daughters of noble families or wealthy high taxpayers. For a commoner to get in, they’d have to pass an extremely difficult entrance exam.
So, that probably rules out anything involving the village children.
“Are you here to speak with the Tryon family, by any chance?”
“I do plan to visit them eventually… but today, I’m here to speak with you, Mr. Justin.”
“… Me?”
What the hell?
I didn’t even graduate from the Academy.
I trained at a local sword dojo and passed the entrance trial to join the Order—
My youth was all grit and grind, the complete opposite of some fancy academy life.
And yet, a representative from the Academy came all this way to see me?
If I were still a Holy Knight, sure, maybe… but now I’m just stationed out in the countryside, far from the spotlight.
In any case, I sent the kids home and brought Heather into the outpost to hear what she had to say.
“To be honest, I’d like to keep this confidential for now… but the Academy is considering expanding its recommendation system starting next year, as part of a new talent-scouting initiative.”
“Expanding the recommendation system… huh.”
I’ve heard of that.
If I remember right, it was a system where anyone a designated recommender approved could get in without exams or tuition.
But as I recall, it was eventually scrapped because bribery became rampant, and none of the kids who got in were actually talented.
I told Heather as much, and she gave a wry smile as she explained.
“It’s embarrassing to admit, but yes, that issue did occur and the system was suspended… However, the Academy’s stance hasn’t changed: we still want to discover and support gifted young people—those with potential in their respective fields. So the system is being reformed and reintroduced with better safeguards.”
Makes sense.
It’s not such a strange idea when you put it that way.
—The real question is: what do I have to do with any of it?
“Why tell me all this?”
“We’d like to ask you to serve as a talent scout—to identify promising children.
And if that’s not possible… would you consider taking a teaching position at the Academy?”
“… What!?”
So in other words… she’s asking me to become a teacher at the Royal Academy!?
What do you think about this chapter?
