NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2 - Strange Mansion - 2
After washing up, my next schedule was studying like crazy.
I took off my robe and changed into high-quality indoor clothes. I did this alone too. What do the maids even do around here? They could at least help with changing clothes. What’s more annoying is that they do help women with dressing. I want some gender equality.
I didn’t expect to have to study even after being transported to another world.
But if I think about how rich young masters in Korea go through the endless cycle of cram schools in Gangnam, maybe it’s natural?
Being the sole heir to the Northern Duke turned me into the embodiment of private education that makes Gangnam’s District 8 education look like nothing in comparison.
History, etiquette, mathematics, composition, and what else? Anyway, I had tutors for each subject. The teachers I met changed almost daily.
Naturally, none of them were young female teachers. Why couldn’t they assign me a pretty tutor for secret lessons? This wasn’t so much a fantasy romance as it was my sexual fantasy, but it seems I can’t fulfill it even in this life as a rich young master.
I’ve thought this before, but this world is strangely harsh on men. There are more butlers than maids in the mansion, and they’re all handsome. Meanwhile, the maids’ looks are all over the place.
Beautiful maids like the one I first saw were rare. Ah, that maid’s name was Selene. I thought she might be my personal maid, but they just take turns, which was disappointing. Of course, I never laid a hand on Selene.
No matter how much of a fantasy world this is, and no matter how much my face might justify it, I have no desire to face a fantasy “Me Too” movement. Plus, the maids came from more prestigious backgrounds than I thought. Selene herself was the third daughter of some baronial family. That was a bit surprising.
Today’s subject was history. I was actually worried about academic subjects, but just like with sword training, once I started studying, previously learned content naturally emerged in my mind.
Thanks to that, I didn’t arouse any particular suspicion.
The history teacher was an elderly gentleman.
With his neatly combed graying hair, elegant mustache, and monocle, he had the typical “Sebastian” appearance. When I first saw him, I thought he might be the head butler or something.
The studying itself was more enjoyable than I expected. I didn’t dislike history in my original world, and since I was studying the history of this world, it felt like I was reading a fantasy setting guide.
“In Imperial Year 103, there was a massive invasion by foreign tribes. Kulad, who unified the nomadic tribes of the west, proclaimed himself Khan…”
The history teacher’s voice penetrated my ears. This is where I feel traces of Earth.
I understand it’s tedious to create original proper nouns, but a “Khan” unifying nomadic tribes seems too directly transplanted from Earth’s history.
From the mention of “western nomadic tribes,” it seems I won’t have to face an ending where I deal with barbarians my whole life.
When I asked our all-capable maid Selene, she said the nomadic tribes had been assimilated into the Empire hundreds of years ago, and they existed in the west, not the north. She said it was too cold above us for humans to inhabit. And monsters don’t even exist, she said. I can’t forget Selene’s expression when I mentioned goblins and orcs.
So what am I training in swordsmanship for? I’m not some lower noble who would need to wield a sword personally.
Although we’re supposedly the Empire’s premier martial house, does a prestigious martial house need to exist in a peaceful country that hasn’t seen war for centuries?
My thoughts keep connecting. This isn’t the only strange thing. This world seems to have too many inconsistencies. While it’s convenient for me, there are strange things when you dig deeper.
First, our family is suspicious. I understand we have the nickname “Shield of the Empire.” But shield against what? Our territory is located in the north of the Empire, and above it is an abandoned land ruled by blizzards. It’s a space where almost no life forms can survive except for a very few. The nomadic tribes were originally located in the west, and monsters don’t exist.
Sure, we have a cool nickname like “Shield of the Empire,” but there are no actual enemies. Such a nickname would be more fitting for the margraves of the west who fought bloody battles with nomadic tribes. Our territory is actually the rearmost area, farthest from the front lines.
And being the Empire’s premier martial house is also strange. How can the Empire’s premier martial house train so half-heartedly? Even a neighborhood kendo dojo would have something more systematic than this.
Placing a single knight beside me and making me mindlessly swing for 3 hours… is this what the Empire’s premier martial house is?
I thought there would be some unique mental techniques or swordsmanship, but there’s nothing. Apparently, Northern Dukes have trained like this for generations but were geniuses who were extremely good at sword fighting.
According to Kyle, my father is of course a Sword Master, and even I have achieved incredible feats compared to my peers.
“Young master… Young master? Are you listening?”
“…Huh? Oh, sorry, where were we?”
“We were at the part where they organized a large expedition force because the nomadic tribes’ raids had reached their peak.”
While I was lost in thought, the history teacher had progressed quite a bit. I’ll have to review this separately later.
“That concludes today’s lesson.”
The history teacher ended the class and left.
The next item on the schedule is dinner. The family gathers in the dining room to eat. Though it’s just three people.
The dining room is excessively large. It’s obvious how empty the space is, considering only three people dine here.
I sat at the unnecessarily long dining table. It’s the kind of design you’d imagine in a medieval mansion’s dining room.
After waiting briefly, this body’s parents appeared and took their seats.
The man who naturally sat at the head of the table is Mikhail’s father and the Northern Duke, one of the Empire’s top Sword Masters, Alexei von Sirius. His name is so generic too. Is it a Russian name because we’re from the north?
The name may be generic, but his face is not. I wondered where my handsome face came from, and I understood immediately upon seeing the Duke. Like me, he has pitch-black hair like the night sky and white skin. His features emit a dark aura that says “talk to me and die.” Unlike me, who neutralizes it with a stupid expression, he maintains a constant poker face, making him scarier. He’s handsome, but also frightening.
Sitting next to him is the Duchess, Arianna von Lamond. She has wavy blonde hair that reaches her waist and large eyes and mouth. Just by looking at her appearance, you can feel an aura of “I’m a kind and bright person” emanating from her. I heard she was originally the youngest daughter of a poor baronial family, and I wonder what happened between these two that led to this marriage.
Setting aside family backgrounds, how did two people who seem so incompatible get married? They say opposites attract, but these two are too extreme.
“…”
“My son, you worked so hard today too. What did you learn today?”
“Today it was history. I learned about the western nomadic tribes.”
Unlike the Duke who kept his mouth shut and ate silently, the Duchess chattered non-stop. She asked me what I learned today, then told the Duke about everything from what happened today to the servants’ trivial gossip, all while seeming to enjoy herself. The Duke is just eating in silence. Is he even listening to her?
Although I’ve been their son for a week now, it’s still awkward. The Duke seems to be practicing some vow of silence; he rarely opens his mouth. There are days when I don’t hear his voice at all. The Duchess, on the contrary, is too close. She’s too overwhelming for someone like me with a phobia of social butterflies.
Actually, I was very nervous when I first met them. If they’ve closely observed me for 18 years, wouldn’t they notice that I’m not the original Mikhail?
Fortunately, when interacting with close individuals, my tongue moves naturally. Similar to when I train, what I want to say automatically comes out in an appropriate tone.
I’ve arrived in this world, but it’s bewildering to have language, physical skills, knowledge, and even relationships all packed in.
I didn’t even need to pretend to be the original Mikhail. When I asked Selene and Kyle, they said I was originally just like Alexei. A style that doesn’t speak much unless necessary and quietly does what needs to be done.
I asked if they noticed anything different about me. They said I’ve become a bit more talkative and my expression has relaxed, but nothing particularly different, which relieved me.
No matter how I think about it, it’s too comfortable. There are no monsters or barbarians, and no power struggles. Mikhail’s memories are embedded in my mind in a very convenient way, emerging when necessary.
So what? Just because I’ve fallen into a fantasy world doesn’t mean I have to risk my life and suffer. I’ll just live comfortably.
“Sirius.”
In the midst of my thoughts about my amazingly easy life, the Duke opened his mouth. Why would he speak during a meal?
“Yes, Father.”
“Are your preparations for enrollment complete?”
Enrollment? What enrollment?
“What do you mean…?”
“Preparations for the Academy enrollment, I mean.”
My head is spinning. What Academy? What enrollment preparations? Just 30 seconds after being satisfied with my honey-sweet life, I get blindsided like this. But I can’t reveal my inner thoughts. If I suddenly ask what Academy they’re talking about, I don’t know how those around me would react.
And on the day I woke up here, I spent all day asking Selene strange questions, which might have reached the Duke and Duchess, as they asked me a few days ago if I was sick somewhere. Fortunately, thanks to the convenient cheat key, I haven’t done anything suspicious since then, but it’s better to be careful.
Besides, as someone illegally occupying this body, I feel a bit guilty when I see the Duke and Duchess. I don’t want to cause them unnecessary worry.
“Ah, the Academy! Yes. I’m preparing diligently.”
“I expect much from you.”
“Grades aren’t the only important thing! Make lots of friends too! Ii and I met at the Academy, you know.”
“…”
The Duke’s mouth, which had opened after a long time, closed again. Is he being shy right now? It really doesn’t suit him.
After the somewhat cheerful meal ended, I went up to my room.
Academy… It’s probably a university-like system where arrogant nobles look down on talented commoners, take exams, go on field trips, and all that.
Actually, I don’t really want to go.
I’ve roughly guessed the identity of this world. The traces of Earth felt in the nobles’ names and the existence of the Khan, the strangely inconsistent settings, and now the Academy the Duke just mentioned.
If it’s a coincidence or a parallel world, then I have nothing to say, but this is almost certainly a world from a novel or game.
And if an Academy appears in such a novel or game, you almost certainly get involved in incidents. If it’s just a MacGuffin, that’s one thing, but why bother?
So, what should I do first as someone who is about to enter the Academy without knowing anything?
“Gather information.”
I got up from my seat and headed out of the room.