"Uhn? This is the infamous Lumberg Royal Academy?" Dorian uttered with an unimpressed look on his face, his hand on his waist while gawking at the massive golden gates in front of him.

Flanking his sides were Maria and Seraphina, and Lili, who was, of course, perched on his shoulder.

For the past few days, since the incident at the palace, Dorian had been staying in the royal castle along with his subordinates.

Since it was going to take a while to finalize the papers needed for him to officially become the Duke of the nation, he had to wait.

This was why he used the last few days to study the environment for future use, and not once was he impressed by what he saw.

The capital was large, but it was inefficient.

The infrastructure was archaic, and the political air was thick with a stagnation he found almost suffocating.

In the meantime, Ciel and Celes were with the dragon Exlor, learning about their lineage and other things pertaining to dragon culture.

Revina had given them a private, heavily warded section of the palace grounds to reside, far from prying eyes.

And since Dorian already knew what he needed to know about the royal castle—namely, who was who and where the money flowed—that left him free. Free to finally address his sister's education as promised.

In fact, one of the main reasons he'd come to the capital was for this very purpose.

'Tsk, I expected the school to be more impressive, but this is it? It's big, that's for sure, but there really isn't much else to it.'

Truly, the school grounds were massive, spanning acres with meticulously manicured lawns and vibrant flowerbeds.

Elegant stone pathways wound through ancient, towering trees, leading to various grand buildings constructed from a luminous white marble. Each building boasted intricate carvings and large, arched windows that gleamed in the sunlight.

Beyond the immediate entrance, one could glimpse what appeared to be sprawling sports fields, an imposing library, and even what looked like a small, private forest, likely for magical beast studies or herbology.

Despite its undeniable scale and lavishness, Dorian felt an undercurrent of superficiality, as if the grandeur was merely a facade masking a deeper lack of substance. It was opulent, yes, but it lacked the kind of profound historical weight or innovative design he had come to expect from such a renowned institution. It felt like old money trying too hard.

"Darling, is Yelena really waiting for you inside?" asked Seraphina as she stepped forward, her own eyes scanning the impressive architecture with a more appreciative gaze.

"Well yeah, I sent her a letter a while back to meet me at the capital once she was done registering at the school. I have nothing to do, so why not check up on her."

Obviously that wasn;t all there was to it.

"Ehhh? You went through all this stress just to check up on her? Who knew Darling could be such a… darling."

Geh!

Dorian glared at her. "Don't make this any harder than it has to be. If the situation were different, I wouldn't set a single foot here."

"You're worried she might be getting bullied by the school itself or the students?" Maria chimed in with a question of her own, her practical mind cutting straight to the issue.

"Hmm…" Dorian hummed in thought for a while.

"Considering her status and my new reputation, that wouldn't be far off. She is the child of a new Duke, but she registered as a Baron's daughter. She is bound to face discrimination from established noble families, which is why I should step in before it leads to that."

Maria fully agreed, since she had once attended the Royal Academy as well.

Because she was a commoner who received lectures in the "Lower Class," she didn't face much trouble from anyone.

No one in the Lower Class cared all that much about nobles to begin with; they were all just trying to survive and get a better lot in life.

But Yelena would be starting out in the "Upper Class" based on her birth, even before her talent was assessed.

There was no doubt the other nobles from higher-status families, the children of Counts and Marquises, would look down on her and try to bully her.

"So, do you want to go meet her, or-"

"Yes, of course, but I won't be the one handling the issue with the students. My target is the teachers," Dorian looked at Maria. "You and Seraphina will handle the students. I don't do well with children."

…

"Brother! You actually came!"

Dorian stood in the grand hallway, and Yelena came running towards him, launching herself into a tight hug.

"Whoa there, too touchy." He glanced down at her, a genuine smile on his face after seeing the fine red cape she had on over her uniform. "You got accepted."

Yelena pulled back a bit, an even bigger smile on her face as she looked directly at her brother's face.

"Yes, hehe. They told me I had a unique talent and I could start classes with the 'Special Class' as soon as possible."

Dorian slightly frowned, but not so much that Yelena would notice.

From what he remembered from his research, the academy worked with three distinct levels for students. Each was a separation to give students certain privileges.

The lowest was called the "Lower Class." This was where the peasants, commoners, and noble-less students were kept. It offered low-budget teachers and poor-quality education grounds. It was basically a token effort to look inclusive.

The "Upper" or "Higher Class" was where the children of Barons, Viscounts, and most Counts were kept. It offered more privileges and better instructors than the latter. This is where he expected Yelena to land.

And then lastly, the "Special Class," where the best of the best were schooled.

They were often considered elite students, the true prodigies, children of Dukes, or those with royal connections.

They had the highest possibilities of serving under the King once they graduated and were also the face of the school.

Dorian should not have been surprised, since Yelena was a Lord-rank Mage, but he couldn't help but worry about how others would treat her, especially in such a privileged and competitive section of the academy.

Looking at her, he asked, "Have you… received any kind of bad treatment since you arrived here? From either the students or the teachers?"

Dorian's question struck Yelena as odd, and she quickly scanned Maria and Seraphina's faces to make sure all was well. Eventually, her gaze landed back on her brother.

"No, not anything that I can think of. The teachers have all been really nice to me so far, although I haven't spoken to any students yet."

She then reached into her pocket and pulled out a golden emblem.

"They also gave me this, too. It's supposed to give me some kind of authority."

Dorian's eyes widened when he saw it. Maria and Seraphina mirrored the look of shock on his face.

"No way," Seraphina breathed, stepping forward. "Yelena, sis, how did you get your hands on that? That emblem… it belongs to the King alone."

...

[A/N]

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