I leaned back, staring at the report Sylvia had given me.

Tsk. Imagine this: me, a man in his late twenties, actually getting tested by seventeen-year-olds. Irony.

But credit where it's due. These reports weren't half-bad. In fact, they were way too detailed for a noble who usually do nothing but smile pretty, guess who's important in the room, and then smile prettier.. using the assistance of just a seventeen-year-old.

I clapped internally and sipped the grape juice Clara had poured for me, pretending life was normal.

Honestly, Elvian Kingdom was starting to look like a retirement spot. Nice gardens, competent seventeen-year-olds, decent juice. What more could a man want?

Then Sylvia broke the peace.

"Lord Hugo, since we postponed launching our products... does that mean our plan to promote them during the school showdown event at the end of the month is cancelled too?"

Ah, right. That was a thing.

"Yes. We can't go promoting without products, can we?" I said, very sagely, like someone who'd thought this through and not someone who almost forgot the event even existed.

Sylvia frowned slightly, her tone carrying a hint of disappointment. "Lunathil Enclave is a very prominent figure — not just in the education sector, but also in the contracts it issues for stalls inide. That makes them important even among merchants. Missing this opportunity is unfortunate..."

I blinked. "Wait, wait, wait. Hold on. Why would they even allow stalls inside a school?"

"Have I not told you?" she tilted her head. "The school system in Elvian Kingdom is closer to sects. Think of it this way: smaller schools with limited income act like branches, while the main schools are sects themselves. Once you enter, you're considered a disciple, and you can't step out until you've finished your course. So, of course they allow stalls inside."

She said it so matter-of-factly that I had to take another sip of grape juice just to process.

"...Then the students we saw going home the other day?" I asked, remembering the group we saw that evening, when Clara left to get guid permit from adventure guild.

"Ah. That group must've been reporting back from their quests."

"Quests?" I repeated.

"Yes," Sylvia nodded, slipping into lecturer mode. "Senior disciples of the sects are required to take quests assigned by the sect. They complete these quests to earn internal marks. It sharpens their practical skills while also creating strong ties between the sects and the Adventurers' Guild, since most tasks were recieved from adventure guild. It also lets students earn their own living inside the sect instead of depending on their parents."

"Wow." That was honestly the first impression I got. Their education system wasn't half bad. In fact, if someone sold me a brochure right then, I might've enrolled.

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Sylvia sighed, "It's unfortunate we'll be missing out on this op—"

"Lady Sylvia," I cut her off with a grin. "I just got an idea about how we can use this competition."

I laid out my plan piece by piece, nice and tidy, the way a child stacks wooden blocks before inevitably toppling them over.

By the time I finished, both Orion and Sylvia were staring at me with the same expression — one that screamed "Seriously?" without actually saying it.

Honestly, I could swear Clara behind me was making the same face, though she probably dressed it up with that infuriatingly polite poker smile of hers.

Orion, being the polite gentleman, decided to put it in words.

"Lord Hugo, I think we will need a lot of background support to bypass all that," he said carefully, the way one might tell a lunatic not to jump off a roof.

Then Sylvia chimed in, her tone soft yet sharp enough to sting.

"Yes, Lord Hugo. I think it's too idealistic."

Of course it's idealistic. Who in their right mind makes plans that aren't?

"We will make it work," I said, very nearly stopping myself from adding 'pretty please'. Somehow I suspected that would not go over well.

Their doubtful looks didn't fade.

"If it did work," I pressed on, "we would be securing the goodwill of many of the major merchant houses in one stroke. That's an opportunity far too valuable to let slip. Think about it."

Orion exhaled slowly, still unconvinced, but nodded in that diplomatic, half-agreeing way nobles are trained to do when they want to say no without offending you.

"Yes… but how?" he asked.

Simple question. Complicated answer. I remained calm.

"I will ask Master and Father to look into it," I replied. "They both have many acquaintances here. They will probably help."

Orion's head dipped slightly in reluctant approval.

And then Sylvia spoke, her voice softer than before.

"I hope this works."

Her eyes held a flicker of hope, fragile yet shining. It almost made me feel bad about the fact that half of this plan was held together with wishful thinking and the other half with my ability to look like I knew what I was doing.

Sylvia's gaze drifted to the clock on the wall.

"We discussed all this in just forty minutes," she said, sounding genuinely impressed.

I followed her eyes and checked the clock as well. We discussed just this in forty minutes?

It felt like at least an hour of people pretending to be productive. Still, forty minutes for us wasn't bad.

Orion added, "Today we were a lot more productive than usual."

If this counted as our most productive session, I don't even want to know what the usual pace was.

I rose from my seat, keeping my tone polite. "We have completed the report my father asked for. If that is all, I shall take my leave."

Orion nodded and stood up too, stretching his arms. Poor guy looked like he had been sitting there since morning.

The four of us walked out of the hall together. Orion excused himself first.

"I will be getting some rest then, Lord Hugo."

yes, you should go lie down before you snap in half.

"Please do, Lord Orion," I replied with the proper courtesy.

Once he left, Sylvia turned toward me.

"Lord Hugo, what are your plans for the rest of the day?"

I thought about it for a moment before answering. "I finished my morning training today, so I may as well end the day with some sparring against Clara." I shifted my gaze toward Clara as I spoke.

She blinked, clearly caught off guard. Understandable. After the little wall-stunt I pulled back at the castle, I hadn't exactly been eager to request sparring with her again.

Sylvia raised a brow. "Clara? You are not asking me for sparring?"

Ah, that's true. I hadn't fought her since returning. My current record against her stood at… what, twenty minutes? A glorious twenty minutes of survival. Quite the achievement if I say so myself.

Sylvia pressed on, a little smile tugging at her lips. "So, Lord Hugo, how about we spar? It has been too long since I stretched properly."

Hmm. I had the feeling this wouldn't be much of a match anymore. But turning her down wasn't an option.

"Very well, Lady Sylvia. Do not blame me if you lose too quickly," I said with a faint smile.

She smirked back. "Such confidence. You must have forgotten our fights — it has been too long."

I chuckled under my breath and straightened. "Let us go, then."

Both Clara and Sylvia nodded in agreement.

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