I’m an Ordinary Returning Student at the Academy

[Translator – Angel Dust]

[Proofreader – Prototype]

Chapter 169

My head hurts. It feels like it’s being stabbed and split apart. I’m going crazy.

“So… what you’re saying is that using my name for the pension foundation wasn’t the end of it?”

“Yep.”

“You guys have been meddling in all sorts of things all over the empire?”

“That’s right.”

“You’ve been spreading love and justice on your own?”

“I don’t understand what you mean by that.”

Yeah, don’t understand… Bullshit! I’m the one who doesn’t understand!

“Why? Why did you do that? You could’ve just done it yourselves! Or at least in the name of the empire! By the grace of the imperial family! There are standard lines for this kind of thing!”

“That’s true.”

“Then why?!”

“Actually, the Crown Prince also saw it positively.”

What?! Brother-in-law! Why are you coming up here?!

“The empire, the imperial family, that’s all good. But if it’s too much, it can be a bit… you know. In times like these, you need a more definitive hero.”

“Shulifen is right. That way, there’s less backlash, and the influence is much stronger.”

“Besides, Karl, you’re an undeniable hero of the empire. Just by promoting you, the empire and the imperial family will rise together, so it doesn’t really matter, does it?”

Okay, fine, it’s all good. But guys, why aren’t you listening to my opinion?

You’re saying you’ve been doing all this in my name. Then why am I hearing about this for the first time? Why did you keep it a secret?!

Their response to my frustration is utterly absurd.

“If we had told you, you would have stopped us.”

“When did you ever ask our permission to make us your Patron Saints?”

“If you dragged us into this, you should have been prepared to climb higher.”

“Honestly, I think this is more Karl’s fault.”

“…”

You bastards. What’s the point of having friends? Shouldn’t you cover for each other in times like this? Did I make you Patron Saints out of malice? It was all for your benefit!

“Yeah, yeah. I know, Karl.”

“We’re doing this for you, you know.”

“Oh, so grateful. Should I be crying tears of joy?”

“We really worked hard.”

Hahaha. My Hydras. Looks like they’re asking for a beating after not getting one for a while.

I immediately grabbed two of their heads under each arm and gave them a good headlock.

“Argh!”

Does it hurt? Huh? Does it hurt? It should hurt! That’s the whole point!

“Ah, please! Karl! I don’t want my face rubbed against this guy!”

“Me neither, you bastard! You think I like it?!”

…It seems they hate being rubbed against each other more than the headlock itself.

Then I should hug them even tighter. Just drown in each other’s embrace, you Hydras!

* * *

To summarize the things these four have done, it goes something like this:

[ Karl Adelheit Veterans Pension Foundation. Supporting all veterans across the empire. ]

[ Sub-departments created under the Pension Foundation. Partnering with various administrative departments of the empire to initiate various projects for the citizens. ]

[ Expanding treatment facilities, child care facilities, and daycare centers in collaboration with the Radiant Church. ]

[ Conducting projects to commemorate fallen soldiers and provide preferential treatment to their families. ]

[ Providing additional compensation to all young people in the empire who will enlist and fulfill their military duty in the future. Discussions with the Ministry of War are underway. ]

These guys are truly insane. And this is only about half of what the four of them have been up to.

The funnier thing is that instead of stopping them, the various departments of the empire are jumping on board, saying, ‘Great! We can save tax money and share our workload! Let’s work together!’

‘But what if someone has bad intentions and embezzles the funds? With so much money flowing in and out, how can anyone resist the temptation?!’

I did worry about that for a moment. After all, money is the most powerful drug that can drive people mad.

But even that worry was quickly dispelled after hearing their explanation.

“We have people from the Ministry of Financial Audit Bureau here.”

“And the Imperial Household Ministry is conducting its own investigation. It’s only natural since imperial funds are also involved in the operation.”

“You know what this means, right? Touching this is the same as touching the imperial funds. And what happens next?”

Well, at the very least, that generation would be wiped out, and the next generation would be stripped of all their rights.

It seems the Crown Prince, my brother-in-law, had this in mind when he accepted my sister’s request to invest imperial funds.

The Ministry of Financial Audit Bureau is scary, but even scarier is the Imperial Household Ministry’s own investigation.

If they find anything, it’s game over. ‘You’re a traitor. You’re purged.’

Even a ducal family wouldn’t dare do anything foolish where the imperial family has a hand.

The only one who could is the sole ruler of this empire and the head of the imperial family, the Emperor himself.

‘If the Emperor were to touch the Veterans Pension Foundation, it would mean the empire is already in chaos, so there’s nothing else to say.’

Of course, everyone will do their best to prevent that from happening.

Anyway, thanks to all this, as everyone said, I became the main character of this New Year’s celebration.

“Come forth, Karl Adelheit of the Friedrich County. A devoted and loyal subject of the empire and the imperial family, one who loves the people of the empire more than anyone and never hesitates to fulfill his duty. One who is loved by the Goddess.”

“Your Majesty, I am deeply grateful for your words.”

The Emperor’s introduction of me was incredibly long. Just hearing it, one could understand my current position.

“There have been many events this year.”

Yes, indeed. Many things have happened. It seems even more than last year.

“And all of those events were ones that brightened the empire.”

That’s good to hear, Your Majesty. If you were to say, ‘There have been dark events in the empire’ at the New Year’s celebration, it would turn into a funeral, not a celebration.

“And you all know who was there for each of those events.”

It finally came.

The Four had their contributions, and there was also that strange deity who oddly favors me.

And of course, there was the fact that I had ridiculously good luck.

But truthfully, I was always there.

Because I was there, the Four were there.

Because I was there, the deity watched over me. And that luck always lingered by my side.

As I said, I don’t know why.

Why I received such undeserved gifts.

Sometimes, I thought it might be because I’m a peculiar fellow who remembers his past life.

Other times, I thought it was a reward for the hardships I’ve endured.

“Don’t try to understand how such things were possible.”

I couldn’t help but raise my head at the Emperor’s words.

“Those who quietly do their duty are always like that. They don’t think about the consequences that will come, they simply do what is right.”

That’s why it’s remarkable. That’s why it was always that person.

The Emperor smiled and patted my shoulder.

Your Majesty, that’s enough. If you go any further, I won’t be able to handle—

“So, Crown Prince. What should we do?”

I heard rumors that he might abdicate soon, and now the Emperor is calling for the Crown Prince.

Even with numerous nobles present, the Emperor yields the seat of honor to the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince approached me, grabbed my hand, and raised it high.

“As this year ends and a new one begins, may you all be like this as well.”

This must be the grand stage the imperial family prepared for me.

But this is too much attention. It’s a spotlight I can’t handle.

“Your Highness.”

In the softest voice possible, I pleaded with my brother-in-law.

“Just listen to me, please.”

I promised to tell him every single one of my sister’s favorite foods, down to the last detail, if he would just listen.

“…And!”

My brother-in-law isn’t cold-hearted enough to refuse such a tempting offer from me.

Besides, my sister is also expecting. As a husband, it’s only natural to want to feed his pregnant wife whatever she craves.

“Karl Adelheit, the young lord of the Friedrich County, along with four others who have fulfilled their duties as nobles of the empire and upheld its honor! Young Lord Shulifen Rosenberg of the Adria Marquisate! Young Lord Wilhelm Fritz of the Gramstad Marquisate! Young Lord Alexander Edert of the Brunne County! And lastly, Young Lord Joachim Placen of the Thieradal County! The four of you, come to the other side!”

The expressions of the four guys turned grim. It seems they’ve figured out who orchestrated this whole situation.

But what can they do about it? Does it change anything if they know?

Hey, the Crown Prince himself is calling you. What, you’re going to make a sullen face?

“These are also the proud young nobles of the empire! Glory to the empire, blessed by the Goddess!”

“May Goddess bless His Majesty!”

“May the Light lead the empire to eternal glory!”

As all the nobles in the New Year’s celebration hall raised their right hands and shouted with all their might,

“…Hey, Karl. Thanks?”

The guys next to me glanced at me with a glint in their eyes.

“You wanna play this game, huh?”

“You’re the one who threw the first punch and now you’re talking.”

“What’s a first punch?”

“A preemptive strike.”

“There are preemptive strikes even in good deeds?”

“You did it first. You can’t hit us without a declaration of war and then complain.”

The four grumbled and said, ‘Just you wait.’

The guys who say ‘just you wait’ are usually the least scary! And it was me who provoked them.

But it wasn’t long before I regretted my provocation.

“…Shit.”

Sometime after the New Year’s celebration, as the break was coming to an end, I was leisurely walking through the central plaza of the capital when I saw a statue of me carrying a wounded soldier!

[Translator – Angel Dust]

[Proofreader – Prototype]

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