Chapter 141: Intensifying Study

- Abelis Academy City, Abandoned Classroom, After School, One Month Later - Rose's POV –

The next few weeks went by quickly with my busy schedule keeping me from getting distracted. Between school, etiquette training and my periodic incursion defense training with Love I was busier than I’d been in a long time. Not that I was particularly upset about it mind you, the lack of personal time meant that I was able to distract myself from the thoughts of what had happened in the Arena. Nightmares of the bodies and the darkness I retreated into plagued me every night that I didn’t enter my inner world. It was to the point that I was glad for the difficult training with the demon, even if it made me exhausted the next day.

Problem was that I think Karen had started to notice that I wasn’t doing so hot, the way she looked at me had grown increasingly concerned over the last week. I wasn’t ready to talk about it though which she seemed to pick up on, only staying by my side as much as possible rather than grilling me on my feelings. The way she tried to comfort me in the only way she could made my already near-to-bursting love grow even more.

Luckily yet another distraction was able to pull me out of my thoughts before they became too dark.

[Hmm... Well, it is good enough. Not as good as I would have hoped but you have definitely improved since we last did this.] - Queen Laura

[Well, I hope so I-] - Rose

[Ah ah ah! Formal language only while we are here. You need to get used to talking like that if you do not want to offend someone inadvertently.] - Queen Laura

During our etiquette training we’d been stepping up the formality gradually. When I was younger, back when I’d gone through this the first time, I’d only been coached on how to speak and only had to do so myself in short sessions where we’d play out various scenarios. I wasn’t sure if this was because I was young or the existence of my previous life, but I wasn’t required to use formal language outside of those brief interactions. Now however Auntie was being considerably more strict, her image stone form glowering at me each time I slipped back into my commonly used speaking.

[I... sincerely apologize for my offense Queen Laura de la Anguis. I only meant to imply that my improved coordination was a result of my recent training. As for offense, wouldn’t my rank protect me from most negative consequences?] - Rose

[Hmm, a bit stiff but it is not as bad as you were when you were first learning it. Anyway, as you have just said, your FAMILY’S rank protects you from most of the consequences of any perceived rudeness you may be interpreted as having. But you must remember that YOU are not a Duchess yet and as such it is not the best tactic to rely on your parent’s power to get through any difficulties.] - Queen Laura

[…? Apologies Your... Highness, but isn’t that what a lot of nobility do? Or at least it seemed that way to me.] – Rose

I was a bit confused by her statement about nobility and not using the accomplishments of the past. Wasn’t that literally what a noble family was? Both in this world and the last I’d always heard stories of the “decline of the family” due to the current heir either not living up to their predecessors or gambling away all the family money on imbecilic investments and schemes. That or draining the territory they were put in charge of with taxes and nonsensical laws. Even now I’d heard through the people around me of the ridiculously high taxes that the Serpanis and Manchen families had levied against outside traders. I’d only just been held back from confronting the idiotic child of the Manchen side by words from Annabelle. Apparently, this sort of thing needed to be taken care of by royalty to avoid conflicts.

Either way most of the noble’s I’d met were the exact type of people that Auntie was telling me wouldn’t be the best tactic. I mean not that I’d want to be similar to those types, but it was strange to think that those actions would be looked on unfavorably by OTHER nobles as well. I mean it goes without saying how those nobles are viewed by the citizens of course but…

[You are correct of course, and for lower nobility it might even be somewhat tolerated. For higher nobility, however, such actions will only make it seem like you cannot handle your own family’s power. This opens you up to more scheming and manipulative activities from both your peers and those below you. In general, it is better to first prove that you can stand on your own power before you obtain your inherited status.] - Queen Laura

[I see?] – Rose

Ah, it’s not an issue of those types being corrupt. Instead, they’re viewed as weak. This type of view, if I were still a part of my previous family, wouldn’t have done a thing to move me to anything different. In this current life though I felt a strong urge to not make my family look bad or hurt them in any way. The thought of causing Momma and Papa any pain was an absolute no-go and I’d do anything to keep them from being unhappy. Made me wonder if that Manchen brat cared as much for her parents or if she was just using them to fuel her own self-image as it seemed.

[Luckily, in your case, you have a bit of an advantage that most will not have. But it also comes with a cost. Since you have already carried out major achievements at your age you will not have to fear being buried under the shadow of your predecessors. As a result, however, you will also be expected to be even more skillful in the way you hold yourself to match up to the accomplishments that you have already achieved.] - Queen Laura

[Wait but I thought that because of my age I would be mostly kept out of those types of things?] - Rose

[I would scold you on your informal language there, but I will give you a pass this time. As for your question... Well to an extent you were kept out of it somewhat. The problem is both the rapidity and the gravity of the accomplishment. It was simply too much for someone your age. Even with information control your defeat of the Hero sent by the church and then your discovery of a completely new trading partner and ally has greatly impressed the various nobility. It is not an exaggeration to say that they expect much from you.] - Queen Laura

[I-I see.] – Rose

Damn. I mean sure I didn’t have the inexplicable goal of “staying under the radar” and “not showing your true strength” that most isekai protagonists stuck to but I’d at least hoped to make it to a mostly independent age before I got the attention of the various powers. Although thinking about it now that was mostly an impossibility. Even with the manipulation of information I’d been seen by too many people in the Arena and even earlier at the party. On top of that I’d also brought a new political power to the world’s stage and even allied with them. Even more I’d been named as the next Demon Lord by the Church which meant my accomplishments were likely spread even further. Hell, some of them had probably been exaggerated to inhuman levels at this point. The Church was probably telling people I was building some monster-filled army or something. With everything going on at this point I’d be lucky if I didn’t draw the attention of the entire continent.

[Speaking honestly, I have already received multiple requests for a face-to-face meeting with you through me. I have refused them of course, anyone not brave enough to send requests to your family directly is not worth their title in my opinion. Don’t you agree?] - Queen Laura

[R-Right. So, expect higher expectations?] – Rose

Oof. I feel for anyone that tries to go through my family to get to me. Honestly, I kind of understood why someone would try to get the Queen to set up a meeting instead considering how protective my parents were. Although my grandparents were even worse and, seeing as my parents were out of the country, they’d likely have to go through those old monsters. Hopefully no dead bodies showed themselves any time soon…

[In a word? Yes. I would say that most of the older nobility, unless they are direct rivals with your family, will be more or less lenient. The problem will be the younger ones and those that ARE rivals. Since this is your first time hosting a party, they are not able to be too harsh, but you should expect at least one of them to try to cause a scene.] - Queen Laura

[A scene? What do you think they’ll do?] – Rose

[If I were to guess I would say they will try to publicly embarrass you. I will have a list of potential troublemakers sent to Annabelle. Just be careful and I am sure you will come through okay. After all you are my precious niece.] – Queen Laura

[R-Right…] – Rose

Tch! I hadn’t yet gotten a list of the partygoers as I’d been instructed to leave that sort of thing to Annabelle. Something about it being improper for the host herself to give the invitations out unless inviting someone of higher, or equal, status. But the fact that some of my rivals would be there likely meant I needed to invite those two from the Serpanis House. And, since they were ostensibly of equal rank to myself, I needed to do so in person. For now though, I’d focus on anything else, I still had two weeks to prepare for the party and I could send them a preliminary invitation before going to invite them myself. The thought of interacting with that Manchen brat wasn’t exactly welcoming but the sweetie from the Serpanis family seemed nice enough. Maybe I could separate them somehow?

- Abelis Academy City, Adventurer’s Guild Local Hall, A Few Days Later - Rose's POV –

The Adventurer’s Guild. An extraterritorial organization that manages the various semi-independent adventurer’s around the world. Mostly functioning on this continent they’d already begun to expand to the landmasses around ours, setting up shop on the Elven Continent to the West and even building a few outposts on the Demon Continent to the North. Those to the East and South had also been reached but last reports had left them mostly unexplored. Although they appeared to have their own societies as well, so chances were they’d also be incorporated into some form of cooperation with the Guild. Such was its wide reaching power that it was even able to push around most countries nobles and sometimes even influence royalty. That said it was expressly forbidden for Guild staff to directly interfere with state functions or decisions unless given permission by the leaders of the Guild. Even Guild Masters’ were reigned in on how much leeway they were given with control of anything outside of Guild-controlled territory.

Interestingly, for such a widespread and influential group, their origins were mired in secrecy and most people had no idea of the inner functions of the group itself as they kept their business strictly on a need to know basis. The things that were available to the public however, was the adventurer rankings!

[Welcome to the Guild! S-Class students please come this way for evaluation and to receive your F-Rank Adventuring plates!] – Pretty Guild Receptionist

[Woohoo! Hey are you single pretty lady? I’m ready and willing even if you’re not though!] – Heine

[Shut it you pervert! Stop harassing every beautiful woman that you lay eyes on!] – Lolianne

[Just try to make me Loli Ha- AHHH! Not the hammer no!!!] – Heine

[Heh, ignore that pervert. I’ll make you happy ins- Ow! Why?!?] – Veronica

[Pay attention! We’re not here to flirt with cute strangers, we’re here to sign up with the Guild!] – Malaise

[…exciting.] – Shade

And so, S-Class found itself at the local Guild building to sign up the class. As second year students we were entitled to a F-Rank as long as we passed a brief assessment of our abilities. After passing we would be able to work as F-Rank adventurers in our off-time and, after at least a full year of work, we’d be able to rank up to D-Rank. This was the limit of most school-age adventurers however as C-Rank and above was off-limits until you reached the age of 10.

I was also surprised to learn that you couldn’t skip ranks. Power was certainly a factor in the decision to rank up but apparently, since you represented the public face of the Guild, other factors were more important. Reliability, knowledge and longevity were taken into account more than personal strength. It was also apparently a requirement to work with a party for several years to rank up to B-Rank. This was to prove that you could work with a team and by the time you reached S-Rank a minimum of 10 years would have passed. Assuming you could make it that far to begin with, most adventurers never passed C-Rank.

[A-Ahem. Follow me this way. We’ll test each of you one at a time. Please line up to make it easier to process.] – Pretty Guild Receptionist

[You heard the lady! Line up you little shits!] – Lolianne