After I thanked her, she said to me:
"So, your answer. What do you say?"
Without hesitation, with tears in my eyes, I said yes with a happy look. Then I rushed into the garden to resume my physical exercise (because after my magic training, I also train my body), jumping and running around. It's true, it's something for children. But even though I'm of age, a person like me just can't help doing it. Back in school before my reincarnation, life was kind of boring, but it's in middle school that you find true happiness. But here, it's different. This is a magic academy.
September! The first of September! A whole year has passed, and now I'm sixteen. It feels so good. The academy is located in the Kingdom of Midway. And yeah, three days of travel by carriage. It's going to be long again, but less long than the Eclipse journey. In reality, classes start on the tenth of September. So, I might as well enjoy these seven days before the start, and maybe make some friends. Besides, there are noodles that are very famous for their delicious taste. I'd love to savor their ramen. And I don't even have to worry about money—the kingdom takes care of it since my father belongs to the nobility. Plus, no need for a dormitory, I can sleep in his manor. Still, I can't believe Dad refused to remain part of the nobility. But those are his choices, not mine. Still, thank you, Dad!
After three days on the road, we finally started to see the kingdom in the distance. It's a beautiful realm, surrounded by a stone wall with a gate of steel and wood. I could also see castles and houses surrounding the grand and majestic Union Academy. Yes, as its name suggests, it unites all the clans even though we are at war. It's the best academy of the human race. And on top of that, its headmaster—or should I say, my grandfather—is the king. Yes, they told me that in advance so I wouldn't be surprised when I mentioned my family name.
Then, when the carriage reached the gate, I stated my family name so the knights could recognize me. Suddenly, as soon as they heard it, they called me "young master." I asked them to just call me Henray. But they refused. Their faces turned pale. Mine too, but I was so terrified I almost peed myself.
After that embarrassing moment, we entered the kingdom, me and the man who had been accompanying me. Once inside, I decided to rest since it was five in the morning, while the man who had escorted me returned home to the southeast. As soon as he left, I started looking for the manor. I was so lost that I decided to ask someone where it was. That's when I found a young man about sixteen. When I asked him, he looked shocked, staring at me with disdain, and said while looking me up and down:
"What are you doing here, commoner? How dare you address me so casually? Do you even know who I am? I am the grandson of the king!!"
But I was so shocked I couldn't speak. The reason was simple: he was my cousin. So, I replied that I was looking for the manor of the Prince of Midway, adding "cousin." Immediately, he got angry and snapped:
"What? Me, your cousin?? And why are you looking for the manor? What are you trying to do—?"
And then, the king appeared. My cousin bowed instantly, but I remained standing. The king laughed and said:
"Harry, this boy is your cousin. He may look like a commoner, but he is the son of Ray, the prince."
Harry was shocked. He thought I was a mere commoner, but in fact, I was nobler than him.
After that long discussion, the king took me to the manor, gently patting me. The shocked passersby and my humiliated cousin made both me and the king burst out laughing. Then, I finally arrived at the estate. It was a white manor (that looked a bit like the White House). The gates were sturdy, and the windows reflected the sunlight. I knew I was going to live the best experience of my life, but not to that extent. As soon as I entered, I saw a huge living room and a large dining table. Even though everything was white, the beauty of the rooms was dazzling. Of course, there's no television in this world, but there exist "mana TVs" that work with magic energy instead of electricity. And I had one in the manor. If I could build a game console, I definitely would.
After sleeping until 1 p.m., I woke up starving. So, I rushed to the ramen shop (where they serve the famous noodles). It was truly delicious. And as luck would have it, I found Harry there. I knew he was spying on me, but I didn't know why. So, I decided to talk to him. But actually, he just wanted to apologize. I was a bit surprised that the king had managed to convince him to say sorry.
Days passed, and the first day of classes drew closer and closer. A festival began. Why? To celebrate the three days before the start of the term. I enjoyed eating ramen a lot. But now, I was really impatient to discover the academy. In fact, it was entirely built of stone, except for the gates, windows, and staircases. It looked like three castles stuck together. And I really loved visiting it. Plus, there were so many books about magic. It was truly the best academy I had ever seen in my life. But the problem was, it was only accessible to nobles and to people with talent. Luckily, I had the king as my grandfather. And I hoped to see Aruna there.
Finally, the first day of school arrived. And guess who was going to give a speech...