Chapter 203: Bring Some Friends Along (2)

At the grand entrance of the Seiron Royal Academy, an extravagant carriage drawn by eight white horses came to a halt.

Behind the carriage, a line of carts stacked high with food supplies stretched as far as the eye could see.

But that wasn't all. Dozens of knights on horseback and hundreds of soldiers escorted the procession with impeccable precision.

Unsurprisingly, the academy's gatekeepers were thrown into a frenzy.

'Who, who could this be?'

'This must be someone of incredibly high status, right?'

Creak.

While the gatekeepers stood frozen with tension, the ornate carriage door opened, and Wendy stepped out.

Her attire resembled that of a noble lady from the finest houses.

She wore an extravagant, luxurious dress adorned with jewels, looking more splendid than most high-ranking noblewomen.

The gatekeepers stared, dumbfounded, while Wendy closed her eyes and clenched her teeth.

'This is so embarrassing…'

While few dislike dressing up, this was excessive, even for her taste.

Her profession had trained her to avoid standing out, and being the center of attention made her uncomfortable.

But thanks to Claude's insistence that they needed to "look wealthy," she had no choice but to endure this.

Suppressing her embarrassment, Wendy approached the gatekeepers and said,

"I am here on behalf of the Head butler of Fenris, a territory of the Kingdom of Lutania. He has business with your dean."

The gatekeepers were stunned.

They didn't know where Fenris was, but they certainly knew Lutania. It was the neighboring military powerhouse, after all.

'What do we do? They're not nobles from our kingdom…'

'We don't even know who they are. Should we just open the gates?'

Lutania was a military giant compared to Seiron, so the idea of questioning someone of such high status was unthinkable.

As the gatekeepers exchanged nervous glances, a haughty voice called out from the carriage.

"Why aren't you opening the gates already?"

Crushed under the weight of an inexplicable authority, the gatekeepers quietly opened the gates.

As the procession entered the academy grounds, students and professors alike stopped in their tracks.

Some were frightened by the sight of a military escort, while others were drawn by the spectacle's sheer grandeur.

When the carriage stopped before the main building, even the dean hurried out in a panic.

Creak…

The carriage door opened slowly.

Everyone held their breath, eagerly waiting to see who would emerge.

Thud.

"Agh, long-distance travel is exhausting. What kind of lord sends me on such a trivial errand? Am I the kind of man to be doing grunt work like this?"

The one who stepped out was none other than Claude, muttering complaints under his breath.

During the journey, he had lived so extravagantly that he had completely embraced the role.

In other words, he had forgotten his true position.

People stole glances at him, trying to size him up.

His attire—though clearly expensive—was downright gaudy.

His hat was adorned with dozens of rare bird feathers, making him look like a tribal shaman.

On all ten fingers, he wore thick gold and gemstone rings, raising doubts about whether he could even lift his hands.

Around his neck hung three chunky gold necklaces, so long they dangled down to his navel. His posture hunched forward slightly, as though weighed down by their heft.

Even his clothes were festooned with countless ornaments, making walking appear difficult.

Indeed, Claude stumbled after taking just one step. Wendy rushed to support him, clicking her tongue in annoyance.

"Ugh, why do I feel so heavy?"

'Maybe because you overdid it with the bling, genius.'

As the gatekeepers watched this spectacle, the dean cautiously approached, bowing low to avoid making eye contact.

He didn't recognize Claude but seemed even less inclined to look directly at him. Most nobles with such garish tastes had questionable mental states, and it was safer to tread carefully.

"How… may we assist you?" the dean stammered.

Claude lazily waved a hand and replied, "Just rode in on my carriage."

"...Who have you come to see?"

"I'm here to meet the dean of this academy—Dean Dennis, is he here?"

"I am Dennis."

"Oh! Dean, it's me, Claude. My, you've aged."

Dennis finally lifted his head and scrutinized Claude's face.

The features were unmistakable. Recognizing him, Dennis shouted in surprise.

"Claude? Is it really you? How in the world did you become so wealthy…?"

Not only Dennis but the nearby professors also reacted in shock.

They had heard of Claude's departure from Anna after her return. He had supposedly left the kingdom for good.

Yet here he was, returning as an incredibly wealthy man, leaving them all bewildered.

Ignoring their reactions, Claude flexed his ring-laden fingers with exaggerated flair and said,

"Ugh, my fingers are so heavy. Anyway, I have some matters to discuss with you and a favor to ask."

"Ah, I see. Let's talk inside."

The procession had drawn so much attention that students had gathered en masse. This wasn't the place for a proper conversation.

But before entering, Claude turned back and asked,

"I heard the drought has been severe in Seiron. Are you all eating well these days?"

Dennis grimaced. "You know how it is. Starving commoners fill the streets everywhere. Even here, we're barely scraping by."

The Royal Academy was meant to train talented commoners into future leaders, generously funded by the royal family and nobles.

But even such institutions were now struggling to provide adequate food, indicating just how dire the situation was.

Claude nodded thoughtfully, then looked over his shoulder.

"Gillian, unload a heap of food here. Make sure it's plentiful. What are you waiting for? Move!"

Standing behind him, Gillian twitched his lips in irritation.

Though he supported the mission, Claude's over-the-top behavior was testing his patience.

Nevertheless, this was a critical task for Ghislain's plans, so failure was not an option. Clenching his teeth, Gillian ordered the soldiers to unload the food.

Dennis watched in amazement and cautiously asked, "Are you… donating all that food to us?"

"It's a gift. Well-fed students perform better, don't they? Share it generously with those in need."

"You… you've become incredibly wealthy."

"Wooooow!"

As Claude's words spread, the gathered crowd erupted in awe.

Before long, a mountain of food piled beside the carts, enough to purchase the entire academy at current market prices.

Donating such a vast amount was no small gesture—it was beyond generous.

Claude, basking in the admiration, waved at the crowd, earning louder cheers.

He quickly scanned the onlookers but frowned slightly.

'Hmm, no sign of Anna. Is she not here today?'

Meanwhile, Dennis expressed his gratitude with a beaming smile.

"Thank you, truly. But you didn't need to unload it yourself. Leaving the carts here would've been more than enough. We're already deeply grateful for the donation."

To Dennis, the carts were trivial compared to the value of the food itself.

However, Claude's expression darkened slightly.

"No… I need to take the carts back…"

In Fenris, carts were far more valuable than food. Food was so abundant that even stray dogs often left leftovers untouched.

"They must hold sentimental value," Dennis said empathetically.

"Yes… you could say that…"

"Well then, come inside. Let's talk more comfortably."

Dennis took Claude's hand and led him inside.

Had Claude arrived more humbly, he might not have received such a warm welcome.

After all, he was still associated with his disgraced mentor's rebellion.

But his extravagant display of wealth and the sheer volume of his food donation made it impossible for anyone to look down on him.

While his approach bordered on absurd, it had achieved the desired effect.

Once they reached the reception room, Dennis got straight to the point.

"So, what is it you wanted to ask or request? Did you come to see Anna?"

"No, well, not exactly… I might drop by, but that's not why I'm here…"

Caught off guard by Dennis's directness, Claude stammered, prompting the dean to rephrase.

"Then what is it? Speak freely."

After gathering his thoughts, Claude explained.

"I need the list of my mentor's former students, as well as the names of my peers."

"Their names?"

"Yes, and could you also gather graduating students for me?"

"Graduating students? For what?"

With a sly grin, Claude replied,

"I'm planning to recruit some staff for our territory."

Dennis felt uneasy about Claude's expression but couldn't refuse outright.

After all, they had just received an incredible donation. Moreover, having a successful alumnus hire their students could only enhance the academy's reputation.

In these troubled times, graduates often struggled to find employment. Many nobles were reducing their staff to cut costs, leaving new hires out of the question.

A few days later, posters and banners appeared all over the academy.

[Recruitment: Administrative Positions in Fenris Territory]

[Graduating students are strongly encouraged to attend today's hiring briefing.]

The notices sparked murmurs among the students.

"The Kingdom of Lutania is a powerhouse, right?"

"Apparently, this nouveau riche works for a great territory there."

"We should check it out!"

Among the crowd was Marlon, who watched his peers whisper with growing anxiety.

'Should I attend too? Finding work is so hard these days…'

With famine causing even established officials to lose their positions, opportunities were scarce.

Even nobles were laying off loyal vassals, prioritizing military expenses over administrative staff.

Before the famine, many territories operated without proper administration, relying on makeshift methods.

For graduating students, the future was bleak.

'At this rate, I'll starve.'

The academy had once thrived on noble patronage and graduate placements, but now even those had dried up.

Faced with these harsh realities, Marlon felt crushed.

'I guess I should at least attend the briefing… Just in case.'

The idea of working abroad didn't excite him, but beggars couldn't be choosers. In times like these, any opportunity was precious.

Burdened by the weight of his circumstances, Marlon trudged toward the hall.

When he arrived, it was already packed with graduating students.

The dire state of the job market had drawn nearly everyone in the final year, desperate for a chance.

Moments later, Claude entered, supported by Wendy.

Seeing him in person, Marlon scowled.

'He looks like a con artist. If he came all the way here, he's probably up to no good.'

The other students seemed to share his sentiment. While they had come out of desperation, their hopes were quickly fading.

'Definitely a nouveau riche.'

'He looks ridiculous.'

'That's supposed to be the head butler of a major territory?'

Weighted down by his excessive attire, Claude stumbled into the hall with Wendy's help.

His ostentatious appearance sucked the energy out of the room.

Disappointment spread across the students' faces, but Claude simply smirked.

'Oh, these cute little things.'

Clearly, they didn't understand the value of the treasures he was wearing.

From experience, Claude had learned that hoarding wealth was the ultimate strategy in life.

After clearing his throat, Claude gave a brief introduction and began detailing Fenris's merits.

"…Our lord, heir to the Northern Margrave, has unified the Digald and Cabaldi Counties by force. Now governing a grand territory… Additionally, he is under the esteemed guardianship of Marquis Branford, one of the kingdom's most powerful figures, with whispers of an engagement to the Marquis's daughter…"

As Claude spoke, the students' disbelief grew.

Fenris's lord wasn't just a noble of remarkable lineage; his achievements and connections were extraordinary. From the story alone, the lord of Fenris sounded like a young and brilliant war hero, a prodigy who carried the kingdom's highest expectations.

Particularly shocking was the revelation that he was favored by Marquis Branford—one of the most renowned and influential figures in the neighboring kingdoms—and that there were even whispers (perhaps?) of a potential engagement to the Marquis's daughter.

Marquis Branford was so famous that there wasn't a soul in the surrounding kingdoms who didn't know his name.

However, what followed was even more astonishing.

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