MK 013 – Promotion Exams – Day 1

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A lot of voices, plentiful existences.

Whether it’s in the townhouse of the Gurion’s in the royal capital or in their mansion in their territory, Kunon’s been exposed to quite a number of these things.

However, as Kunon’s movement and exposure are quite limited from just the two mentioned places, he never experienced anything like this before in all years of his life. 

It is the first time Kunon was surrounded by voices and presence that he couldn’t even count.

If it was him before, he’d definitely look for some place else to hide.


[Your highness, would it be alright if I could become a girl just for the moment?] (Kunon)

[*Giggles* Fufufu~… Then, I shall become a boy. Pretty young lady, your hand, If I may.] (Milika)

As to why all of this is happening… it’s because Milika is about to escort Kunon around.

[….] (I)

‘They really get along pretty well…’

Ixio only watches the pair over as such things run around his head.

It isn’t rare to see engaged couples hanging around the aristocratic school but Ixio thinks that even against them, Kunon and Milika are even quite ahead.

[Let’s proceed.] (M)

[Please take care of me. Brother, let’s go.] (K)

[Y-yeah…] (I)

Kunon then walks around while Milika leads him by the hand.

The same Kunon with an outfit so grand it felt like he’s going to an extravagant party.

An eyepatch made of leather that is to be honest, quite trendy.

His right hand holds a decorated cane that can easily be described as refined.

And on his left is a genuine, albeit distant, heir of the kingdom. A ninth princess from the family of Yuguria. 

And as a compliment, watching them over like some kind of attendant is the heir, the next family head of the Gurion marquisate.

It is to no one’s wonder that all of the students and their attendants who are around them can’t take their gazes away from the three as they move past the school gates. Kunon, on the other hand, didn’t mind them the least.

–The teacher, however, who’s originally going to guide Kunon around, can’t just only watch them breathless mixed with awe and bewilderment.

—-


[Please wait! Kunon Gurion-san!]

And that teacher — who’s been pretty depressed as she got forced to take on the troublesome task of picking up the second son of the Marquis who’s said to be blind, tries to follow the three from behind.

No matter how much the aristocratic school preaches about equality, it would never be easy for Cast who’s from the lowest of the lowest aristocrat’s family, a baron, to look after a child from the second highest nobility, a marquis. Especially when she’s just working in this profession for two years.

What’s more, the child was clearly different from what he was described.

She was told that the boy that will be coming is a little bit timid and shy.

If she didn’t know any better —

‘I thought he’s a prince trying to enroll!’ (Cast)

She would have thought that the person who just walked over was a prince without question. She was so stricken she could just look at them as they went past her.

‘Is that child really Kunon Gurion?’ (C)

Doubts even started to fill her head.

That’s just how majestic Kunon was upon his entrance.

[Yes?] (K)

Kunon, Milika, and Ixio turn towards the teacher.

‘His cane, and outfit are indeed quite great, but in all seriousness, his eyepatch is just on another level.’ (C)

It’s practically screaming for all to hear that Kunon is indeed blind and his eyes cannot see anything.

[I am Cast. I am the teacher assigned to show you around.] (C)

[Is that so. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Cast-sensei. I’m Kunon Gurion. Ah, I am currently a girl at the moment. Please accept my curtsy.] (K)

*Holds invisible skirt, Puts one foot at the back of the other, Bows*

[…eh? …ehhh?]

‘That’s certainly a curtsy… a woman’s greeting… a curtsy, right…?’ (C)

[A-are you perhaps a girl…?]

‘Is there some kind of miscommunication error?’ (C)

‘I’ve heard that Kunon Gurion is supposed to be a boy.’ (C)

‘Is the child just dressing up as a boy but in all honesty, she’s a girl?’ (C)

[I am a man physically, mentally, and emotionally. However, just for this moment, I decided to become a pretty young lady.] (K)

‘What? What did he just say? What’s this child all about?’ (C)

What’s more, why would you need to include the words ‘pretty young’ if you’d just want to be identified as a lady…? He’s not wrong though…

Ixio, who sees and relates with the chaos that lies behind Cast’s eyes as she tries to process what Kunon just said, gave her a life saver. He whispers –

[They’re playing ‘Pretend’ or something like that. Please don’t think about it too much.] (I)

Cast… then can only force herself to believe such a conclusion after listening to Ixio.

Kunon, after all, is so fluent and graceful that she wasn’t able to determine whether he’s serious or not.

‘I’m sure he’s the type of child any straight forward and serious person doesn’t ever want to deal with…’ (C)

For Cast, the fact that she’s able to determine this truth this early just upon meeting the child, is already an achievement. At least, she now has an idea how to deal with him.

[I shall guide him from this point onwards, Milika-san.] (C)

[Oh, okay.] (M)

Milika, after all, has her classes while Kunon has exams to take. Both of which are to be held in separate places.

[Then, Kunon-kun, let’s take lunch together later, okay?] (M)

[Sure. You too, brother.] (K)

[Yeah. See you at lunch.] (I)

Milika and Ixio then went towards a different school building while Cast leads Kunon to a separate classroom specially prepared for his exams.

The special classroom prepared for the exam is just a little classroom where the teacher and the student can just practically face each other.

[Have you heard the gist of the examinations?] (C)

Cast heads over to the podium as she asks Kunon a question. Kunon went to the table and pulled his seat before responding to Cast with an affirmation.

[I’ve heard that once I pass all the five promotion exams, I’ll be able to graduate and get my diploma.] (K)

[Indeed. The standard time for students to graduate from this school is around three to five years. They are given an examination to determine what they learned for the past six months to a year.

The examinations are by no means difficult if you genuinely listened to the lectures. Failure, however, would require the examinee to wait another month for them to get another opportunity and aim for a promotion. Is that all clear?] (C)

[*Nods*. Putting it in another way, there wouldn’t be any problems to take the promotion exams in succession as long as you pass it, yes?] (K)

[Correct. Although, even if a student passed an exam, it would usually take several days for students to apply for another one. Kunon-san’s circumstance, however, is a special one. We were told that there was no need for you to attend the school based on what the King and your father had agreed upon. As such, it was arranged that you could take an exam each day as long as you pass one.] (C)

Such special circumstances, however, are not that rare in this school so there’s already a secret protocol around it.

[Sensei.] (K)

[Yes?] (C)

[It seems like my father and his majesty, the king, have a close relationship. I’ve heard they’re really great friends. If they’re using their influence in this school for me, I’d like to offer my apologies.] (K)

[…I see…. Let sensei pretend she didn’t hear anything, okay?] (C)

Everyone knows how connections and influence could become power even in this school.

However, by no means anyone would be so bold to talk openly about such matters. 
Especially when they’re just children of a baron.

[Do you have any questions? I’ll be watching over your examinations for today though so you could ask me as much as you want and I won’t mind.] (C)

[Sensei.] (K)

[Yes?] (C)

[It seems like my father and his majesty——-][It seems like you don’t have any questions so let’s start the examinations right away. Also, please spare sensei getting involved in any kind of political jeopardy, okay? Please.]

[Oh, I’ll be under your care.] (K)






—–

Cast can only look at the ceiling absentmindedly.

She was able to ‘safely’ finish her task regarding Kunon’s examination this morning.

She heard that Kunon cannot see. Despite that, they were told ‘It’s fine.’ It only sank to her what those words really meant wen she met the child.

It is now definitely clear to her that the child, Kunon, is blind.

Just earlier, Ixio and Milika picked Kunon up from the special classroom to head over to the cafeteria for lunch.

The young boy’s examinations for today had ended.

He’ll be taking another one tomorrow, and if he passed them all, he’d eventually graduate school in just four days.

As long as he passes them all, that is.

[—…I still can’t believe it…]

The one who will check and score the examination would be another person. As such, Cast could only skim through his answers, but…

If her eyes and brain aren’t playing games with her, then all of his answers are correct.

Kunon, that same child who’s been asking and telling her a lot of strange things earlier during the exam… that same child who flatters her even to the point it’s gotten so dubious… Still, his personality aside, she can’t believe she’s actually looking at the examination of that same child.

‘I mean, even the handwriting in this exam is just so clean and beautiful!’

Cast spends her time processing the fact that Kunon, on his first day at school, ace his promotion examination.

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Translator’s Notes:

1. Hi, hi! I’m not sure if there’s anyone else who haven’t seen the character designs yet so I will show them below~. It will either come from the manga or light novel, whichever is farther
2. Here’s a panel from Flamescans which shows all characters mentioned in this chapter. If you click the link, it will take you to Flamescan’s translation of chapter 4 of the manga.

3. Just to clarify, I am in no contact or anything with Flamescans. It’s just that I prefer reading manga and alike in their website. And I don’t want to claim I translated this panel so I linked it directly from where I read it. That’s all. I personally think their translations are quite the high quality too!

4. Another chapter for tomorrow! Goodnight and happy weekend!

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