After three days of traveling we finally arrived at the academy.
Rose got off the carriage first followed by Rei who was stretching his arms as he spent the whole time sleeping.
Wearing the uniform, white pants with brown moccasins, white shirt and tie that changes color according to the school years, the first years wear blue tie, the second years wear red and the third years wear greenish yellow.
Rei's problem is that he wears an unbuttoned black shirt, showing how rebellious he is.
While Rose wears the same color, from the uniform, but with thigh-high black stockings, and both have purple embroidery on their jackets.
A servant came to check both of their bags, then they walked straight to the auditorium.
There were the other students and professors.
One of the students came running up at high speed, he was an acquaintance of ours.
"Ohhhh, Rei, it's been a while!"
A very tall young man with shapely muscles short spiky green hair with eyes were hazel was approaching.
It was Oliver Bennett, one of the characters in the game helping the protagonist.
As Oliver arrived, he gave him a sharp wave on the back with his palm.
That made Rei angry, Oliver was glad to see him. Apparently they considered each other friends from his perspective.
He said to Rei.
"How was your vacation?"
"Normal. I have to endure another semester, I want something interesting to happen."
"If you want something interesting, you'll have to wait for next semester's magic sword tournament."
"Magic sword tournament? What's that?"
Oliver raising his finger explained.
"As you may know, I'm a second year student. Every year the academy holds this tournament where students show off their skills, either with magic or with the sword."
"If there is also magic, why include the sword?"
"I don't know. Maybe so as not to leave out the future wizards of the court."
It's like Oliver says, in the game there was no detail on if why a magic sword tournament also had a magic one, maybe they got the script wrong and that's why it ended up that way.
In any case, next semester will no doubt be interesting as it will be time to show off your skills just like in the game... but I'm not here to do it!
"Oh, it's you guys. It sure has been a while."
A voice called out from behind us, as we turned to see who it was, we met another ally from the game. Isaac Ashton, a boy with short hair combed to the side dark blue and green eyes with a sharp look through his glasses.
Isaac greeted us.
"Rei, you've been a topic to talk about this whole time."
"Hah?"
"Yeah, my father told me that you've caused the nobles to be upset by your actions. He said that, if it weren't for His Majesty, they'd be calling for your head."
"Like I give a shit what those scumbags think, I'll put an end to them and anyone else who annoys me."
*Sigh*
"Looks like your mouth will never change. By the way─"
"Good morning everyone, students and fellow teachers."
A man stood at the front and started to speak, it was the vice principal, it seems that the principal was sick since last year and that's why the vice principal is at the academy longer.
He started talking about the beginning of the new semester, while the students listened attentively. Rei looked around the surroundings.
"What are you doing?"
"Nothing. Just hanging out─ ...?"
"Is something wrong?"
"Nothing."
Rei fell silent and looked straight ahead without blinking once.
◇◇◇
After the entrance ceremony was over, the students headed to their respective classrooms.
Eli looked very sad as she walked next to her escorts.
The one on the right was a girl dressed as a maid, her skin tone was a natural mocha color, her blue-black hair reached to her nape with a parted fringe on her forehead, with beautiful navy blue eyes, her name was Emma Alanson.
While the one on the left was a girl wearing the uniform with light armor consisting of her shoulder pads, irons gloves and anklets. Her haircut was short, with a lock on the left side reaching her chin which was dark purple while her eyes were a light green. She was Nadine Mably, a member of the royal guard.
Eli was pouting at his brother and his friend. The reason was.
"Eli, how long will you be puffing out your cheeks."
"Mmmh!"
"Sig, I think you should apologize."
"I won't, we're late because she made us late. She said she wanted to be dressed up to see Redblade. That we took a detour that took much longer was because I really needed to buy some books, I totally forgot about them."
"At least acknowledge that it was your fault."
"We made it in time for the entrance ceremony is what matters."
"Mmmmmmmmmhhhhhh!!!"
Eli moved so close that she slapped her breasts against him, they were pressed together like water balloons about to burst.
After sitting at their desks, someone arrived who was not the teacher.
He was an old man, dressed for the occasion, but with simple clothes and a scarf, his hair was combed to the sides and his mustache connected with his beard.
It was the vice-principal, Leonardo Beaudon.
"Good morning dear students. I'm sorry to take up class time, but I've come to talk to you about something."
"As you may know, very soon the first bank in the Kingdom will be established. This is an important fact for us."
"The reason for my visit is to remind you and your families to go to the bank to exchange your coins for bills. That's all, class will begin without a problem."
Before the principal left, a student called out to him, it was Sig.
"Vice-principal I have a question."
"Go ahead, crown prince."
"Is the principal still sick? It's strange that a simple flu would have him like this."
"Certainly Principal Agrippa has been absent. But he writes me letters every month and asks me to take charge until he recovers. Any other questions?"
"Yes. Is it true what I heard about Norden?"
The students began to murmur.
Just like the game, they have been reporting sightings of the Norden Kingdom army on the borders of the Brune Kingdom.
"I won't lie, it's true. I understand your concern, but we have the knights to protect us, including Commander Hogan himself. There is nothing to fear."
Calm returned to the classroom and the vice principal came out.
◇
"Prince, we finally meet!"
"Oh, Eli! You look cute as always."
Recess time came.
After entering the cafeteria, Eli came running up Rei.
Her huge fruits were jumping up and down in joy.
She jumped straight at Rei, my magic stone body being crushed in the process.
If I had a body I would enjoy this feeling, but there was no way.
I want to cry.
At the same time Sig appeared. He greeted us, but I could tell Rei wasn't the person you'd want to see again.
"Hello... brother-in-law."
"How unpleasant that sounds. Just call me Rei."
"Thank you."
Sig sighed with joy, I don't know if it's good or bad.
We all formed the line to buy lunch, Sig said to Rei as Eli hugged him like he was a teddy bear.
"Rei, have you heard about the news that Norden has been showing off his army on our borders?"
Of course, Rei responded as Rei would.
"Norden? What is that shit? I've never heard that name in my life."
The expression on the prince's face was the same as you would make if you met someone who has lived their whole life in a cave, but Rei didn't. He just ignores everything around him.
Like a good Cheat Lord that he is.
I told him about Norden and the situation in the game.
During the first chapter of the game, Norden was getting the Kingdom's defenses to go to their borders to fight, this was all a trap.
They were in cahoots with the principality so that the Calvinists could do their business.
But since we managed to wipe out almost all of them, there are some who must be hiding who have not been allied with Harrisburg.
After telling him that, Rei said.
"Oh, that Norden. Yes, I've heard of them..."
Sweat was running down his forehead, he was clearly lying, but Sig didn't care about that.
"In any case, since you have... uh, that much magical power... would you mind helping the Kingdom in crisis?"
He paused to look at Sig with a devilish grin.
"Are you saying that I'm so special that you're afraid the Kingdom's forces won't be able to against an enemy army, huh?"
"You're asking for my help so that in case something bad happens, I─"
Rei's cheeks were grabbed by two girls.
One was Rose who was smiling darkly and the other Eli who looked annoyed.
"Master, I strongly request you not to talk like that to the crown prince, the future King of the nation."
"Prince, even if onii-sama says things wrong, you must not respond to him like that."
Rei apologized as they continued to stretch their cheeks.
"O-Ok. I'm sorry."
They both smiled and left their cheeks alone.
We didn't touch the subject again.
◇◇◇
"Please line up."
The days passed and it was almost the end of May and people gathered for the opening of the first bank of the Kingdom.
It had been built a little ahead of time, business owners, restaurants, inns, important foreigners and wealthy merchants came early to see the new economic reform of the Kingdom.
Today was the opening day for commoners.
The nobles would come after observing the commoners as planned.
A boy had a leather bag as he stood in line.
The boy came to make change as his parents were working and his older sister would be watching his siblings.
A friend came to also stand in line behind him.
"Hey, how much did you come to change?"
"Everything. 4 gold coins, 20 silver coins and 60 copper coins."
"I brought only the copper coins, my mother said she didn't want anything to happen to the important ones."
"Then I was wrong to bring everything!"
The line advanced little by little, people approached the window that was attended by a beautiful girl.
"Good morning."
"Good morning, I came to change all my copper coins."
"Understood, don't you wish to leave any unchanged?"
"... Is it true that these banknotes are better than coins?"
"We had a seminar where we were told about all this. Don't worry, these banknotes are the future for saving space in your pockets. It won't eliminate the palace the coins, it will just make it easier for people to have more convenience in their pockets."
The man, who was of age, was glad to hear that.
"How nice. Please change everything."
"Thank you for trusting us. You can also leave your money in storage and withdraw it at any time after a short tax of two copper coins."
"I-I would like to keep half in that case."
"Again, thank you for trusting us."
People were leaving with a joy never seen before.
Monetary reform undoubtedly was the future of the nation.
Overhead, the bank president, Minister Dominic Harvey watched everything while smoking.
A servant stood behind him.
"How much money has come in?"
"According to reports, we carried in total more than 40 thousand copper coins, 80 thousand silver coins and almost 1 million gold."
"And the banknotes?"
"The banknotes are coming out of their wrapping."
"Those are the banknotes just out of the factory?"
"Yes."
"Exchange them for the other ones."
"... Huh?"
The servant was confused, the reason for that was because the bills that came at first they had kept them.
Those banknotes came with slight stains that only when they came in contact with water were visible.
"I said change them before they have to open another package."
"But president, that would mean we will give people bills that will turn out to be disintegrated by the rains."
"I don't care. Do it."
"... Aye."
The servant left ducking his head.
Dominic stubbed out his cigarette and then lit another after muttering.
"My daughter wants me to steal the town's money, I'll do it for her."
◇
"I'm bored."
Rei complained as usual. The classes were so normal that even I was bored.
Normally to keep the player from being bored, there were romantic or adventure events.
But thanks to avoiding the pandemic and eliminating the Calvinists is that the danger and harem members have decreased like the birth rate of a country under a lot of stress.
To make matters worse there are only classes and internships. I'm bored, I want to do something interesting!
"What did you call me here for, and more importantly, what are you doing here?"
We were on the roof of one of the school buildings sleeping.
We heard a voice, I said to Rei.
"Who could it be?"
"No idea. Is it a confession?"
"Normally I'm not interested in other people's love lives, but I'm so bored I want to see who it is. Come on Rei."
"Yeah, yeah."
Rei rolled like a dog to the edge, lowered his head to see who it was. He activated the skill, "Shared View" and I could "see" too.
There were two people in a room that had an open window.
They were far away, so they couldn't notice Rei.
The girl was not in the sunlight, but the man was.
I recognized him, it was Joachim Catley, the head of Catley Household.
One of the four founding families.
This guy was an antagonist, he was the kind of guy who loves money.
You can't blame him, he likes his business dealings to be neat but his methods of obtaining it were not.
That's why he allied himself with Harrisburg. He's all greedy and would sell even his mother for money.
He was talking about something to that girl.
"I know your father is a smart man, but he's suspicious of everyone. That's why I want you to help me to help him."
"I was sick all this time, that's why I couldn't go to the palace. But now that I got better, I want to support the kingdom as the prime minister that I am."
"The idea of the bank is brilliant, that's why I want to participate, if your father gives me some authority myself."
"I'm sorry to say, but, even if I wanted to I couldn't. My father is the finance minister and I am his daughter, he more than anyone else understands our position."
"But..."
The girl in that darkness smiled.
"If you wish to help me with something, perhaps I could convince him."
Whatever they were talking about here, it was very confusing.
"All I need is medicine."
"Are you sick?"
"No. It's for my mother."
The man's expression was one of astonishment.
"I understand. The medicines you want are expensive, aren't they?"
"They are. They're available in the republic and their value borders on 15 gold coins per dose."
*Whistling*
"That's a very expensive price for medicine, can you tell what kind of disease they're for?"
"That's none of your business, do we have a deal?"
Joachim smiled.
"Yes. But I'd like to have a talk first in a better place than this. Tonight I'm having a party at my mansion, all high status nobles are invited."
"You can go without any problems."
"Thank you, in that case I'll take my leave."
The girl's face could be seen by Rei at last.
I was surprised to see her.
"This is Sasha Harvey, the finance minister's daughter. She's one of the original heroines of the game. Of the five heroines, she was the only one who needed a guide in order to catch her, being the most difficult despite not being the main one."
"Oh, she's a very pretty girl. Her breasts are very large, but they don't rival Rose's or Eli's. I like her."
"Huh, Rei? Don't tell me..."
"I'll make her my woman."
"You say she's hard to catch? Better for me, a Cheat Lord doesn't give up."
Rei stood up and said.
"Kuro. We're going to that party tonight."
"I thought so... huh, Kuro?"
"Yes. Calling you Kurono every once in a while leaves me with my tongue bitten. Kuro is a simpler name."
"W-Wait Rei, my name isn't─"
At that moment, I just realized something.
All this time Rei has been calling me by my last name and not my first name!
Since the game is set in Europe, it's normal that the characters will have their first name first and then their last name.
But in Japan it's the last name and then the first name.
All this time Rei has been calling me by mistake!
I was able to make him think I'm a god, but it's no use for him to revere me if he calls me by my last name.
"R-Rei-kun, you see... there's a little mistake you've made."
"A-Actually my name..."
"Alright, I'll call you Kuro from now on!"
"Please listen when someone's talking to you damn it!"
◇◇◇
Joachim was walking through the dark corridors of the building.
It wasn't used much as it was leaking.
He stopped in a corridor and whispered to the wall.
"She has agreed, but keep an eye on her anyway. A kid who's only good for selling her body shouldn't be messing around in adult affairs."
Behind the wall was a fading shadow.
"Now then... let's get rich on Harvey's bills."
A wicked grin appeared on that foxy face.
Dear readers, new chapter of Cheat Lord, thanks to this event I already have half of the volume.
Before the end of the current arc there will have delicious!