30 Years Have Passed Since the Prologue

After that day, for a week, Ivan could return as a peaceful gardener. Except for Ecdysis, who occasionally approached with a determined gaze and a dagger, she was becoming an offensive-type monster. It was quite an unwelcome change for a non-offensive civilization.

Anyway, the turmoil in Frechenkaya was resolved within a week. Given the scale of the incident or its aftermath, it seemed impossible to wrap everything up within a week. Fortunately, Frechenkaya had a competent intelligence agency (prioritizing domestic intelligence).

Dmitri wanted to boast about the beautiful outcome he and his subordinates had created. Ideally, he would have wanted to brag to neighboring countries, but he was currently in a situation where he couldn’t.

– Huff!

“Hmm!?”

“Your posture is sloppy. Again.” (Ivan)

“Ugh… Aagh….”

“Again.” (Ivan)

He was now standing rigid with his head slammed into the floor.

Looking around, he corrected his posture amidst the peculiar subordinates who willingly imitated him while glancing at Ivan.

Those spineless and prideless individuals… Dmitri sighed at the mental strength of the current generation of intelligence agents. Turning his gaze, he adjusted his posture with disdain.

The man in front of him, except for the hero party, was the only human with a record of directly slaughtering seven dragons.

So, not fear but respect?

Respect.

Yes. During the most intense period of war, he was an elder who had once been a commander in the Cleansup Unit that later became the Counterintelligence Command.

Yes, respect. It’s certainly not fear. Right? There was no reason to be afraid. After all, both that senior and I are in the same rank (lieutenant colonel). Besides, I’m still young, so it’s worth keeping an eye on if one day I get promoted.

“Yo, Lieutenant Petrovic. You’re here!” (Dmitri)

“Huh? Oh, my bad. Seems like my hearing’s taken a vacation. You know how it is, the lower the rank, the worse the ears. Mind cranking up the volume a bit? Or should I start calling you ‘Colonel’ for now? Hahaha, I might be retired, but a soldier’s still a soldier, right?” (Ivan)

“Hold on a sec. Let’s keep it formal, shall we? ‘Sir’ will do.” (Dmitri)

“Oops, my bad again. Didn’t realize I was being too casual. Apologies for the lack of formality… Sir.” (Ivan)

“No need for apologies. Just, you know, put that potion down, please.” (Dmitri)

“…Gulp.”

Dmitri, who was being slapped in his imagination, quietly closed his eyes.

Yes, it’s respect.

***

After consolidating the military power of the counterintelligence headquarters, Ivan could only understand the elaborate explanations.

Well, it’s about burying explosives.

Preparing for a rebellion in the Guards Division? That must have been challenging. Good job on detecting it in advance.

Dwarves in the underground…? What’s this all about…

Destruction of the aristocratic prince’s communication network, imprisonment of the current king, looting the national treasury and the treasure vault. Oh, impressive.

After roughly understanding the events that Frechenkaya had to face on the same day, he nodded vigorously after hearing the desperate explanation (‘Dmitri didn’t want to lift a finger in his senior’s area of responsibility, so, well, the cooperation with frontline agents and, um, rapport formation might have been a bit lacking. Hahaha.’).

Ivan understand that the counterintelligence headquarters was busy.

However, isn’t the counterintelligence headquarters supposed to be a place that is always busy?

Sometimes, in this uncivilized pre-modern era, people had a tendency not to take the obvious for granted.

To put it bluntly, it felt like witnessing someone praising a sharp knife or complimenting a pen for having ink.

Should I understand that the counterintelligence headquarters, being busy with intelligence activities, neglected the main security targets?

I didn’t do that. I operated as a scout in the hero party, simultaneously infiltrating enemy lines, gathering information, and even acquiring important assets. (It’s true.)

Why can’t young people do something like this nowadays? It was truly disheartening.

So, Ivan devoted the entire weekend to the mental education of the counterintelligence headquarters.

The agents of the counterintelligence headquarters were delighted to have direct mentoring from the founder who created their current jobs, and Ivan was pleased that Frechenkaya’s intelligence agents had become more elite.

Dmitri, on the other hand, was sad as he reluctantly participated in training that wasn’t part of the weekend drill plan after working unpaid overtime.

After a lengthy drill session, Dmitri, with trembling legs, finally spoke while sitting on the sofa.

“Um, senior. Are you going to school tomorrow?”

“I have to.”

“Well, um… Our lady hasn’t said anything yet, so I really can’t say, but soon… a knighthood…? Knighthood. Yes, there will be knighthood soon.”

“Knighthood?”

“Yes, probably tomorrow. And think about our lady’s temperament… Please dress neatly and tidy up your beard if possible.”

“I’m not in a position to receive public commendation.”

“Well, none of us are. But it feels like it might be a bit more personal than public. You know? Like, an intimate matter between a man and a woman.” (Dmitri)

Ivan chuckled at this meaningless chatter and stood up.

As a rational adult, he could speculate on the princess’s perspective, even if he wasn’t a teenage boy.

The princess has now solidified her political position, but ultimately, she had to forgo the succession to the throne. There was insufficient justification to remove a seemingly competent monarch.

The prince’s kidnapping and the terrorism in the capital were not the king’s fault (publicly stated). The moment the king criticized the incompetence, the capital’s guard military, including the counterintelligence headquarters, turned their backs.

Even if the nobility gained influence, such a situation should not be tolerated. The military, including the Capital Guard Division, naturally belonged to the forefront of the high-ranking nobles.

Therefore, the king is not incompetent. It’s just that a few incompetent courtiers were obscuring the king’s vision. Once this conclusion was drawn, inheriting the throne became a subject of condemnation.

So, officially, the princess cannot bestow any ‘knighthood’ upon the counterintelligence headquarters or Ivan himself. In the first place, no country publicly rewards its secret agents.

But even if Dmitri is not the most reliable person, he wouldn’t joke about matters related to the princess.

Lost in thought, Ivan returned to the orphanage.

Suddenly, he noticed the dilapidated orphanage wall. Despite massive investments in building refurbishments every six months, it remained in such a state. (Blame it on the orphans walking on the wall.)

If he had to give, money would be nice.

Nodding his head, Ivan headed towards the director’s office.

As mentioned in a reflection, there is one principle for all academy genres:

The academy head (or principal) is the strongest in the world.

Yes, a seasoned bureaucrat should be in that position. Even if it involves placing a childlike genius wizard or a master of anti-clockwise rotation from the previous era (both with a child’s appearance), that was usually the case.

Thinking about it, Dumbledore was also a European powerhouse, successfully thwarting the assault on the British Wizarding Academy (the goal of life is a complex education facility). Considering the post-Dumbledore era at Hogwarts, it was a highly reliable feat.

If you were to choose the strongest in the world in this era, a few strong figures from past generations could be discussed. However, they were rational individuals with no time or reason to take on the role of a university rector.

Meanwhile, ironically, if you were to choose the ‘strongest in Frechenkaya,’ there happened to be someone from an ‘administrative bureaucrat’ background, ‘subservient to the military, finance, judiciary, and legislative branches simultaneously,’ and ‘ready to take on an honorary position since there is no official status now,’ and ‘coincidentally at the age of marriage eligibility.’

Whether military strength is relevant or not doesn’t matter. Despite the pre-modern era’s backwardness, those who seized power through military means disappeared with the end of ancient times on Earth.

Naturally, the term ‘strongest’ means the person holding the most power.

So it was.

Frechenkaya’s strongest.

Elizaveta Kirilovna Krasilov, after successfully ousting the previous rector and assuming his position (Krasilov didn’t provide him with severance pay), proceeded to completely renovate the rector’s office.

“Ah, that one with the ebony handle.” (Elizaveta)

“Yes, excuse me! Your Highness!!”

“Don’t be so formal. I’m here as the rector now.” (Elizaveta)

“Yes, Rector!”

Surprisingly, the transformation of the rector’s office into the East Palace Office was completed within the morning. In Frechenkaya, they replace people instead of time. Note that unlike time, humans are a resource that can be reproduced at any time.

Sitting in the rector’s office, which had become somewhat livable (meaning they only indulged about 50% of the East Palace’s extravagance), Elizaveta finally nodded towards the protest-free zone.

“Now, summon ‘him.’” (Elizaveta)

“As you command, Your Highness.”

“Hmm.” (Elizaveta)

“Yes, Rector!”

Without daring to entertain the idea of placing the Royal Guard near the royal palace or mentioning any long-term discussions if she wants to be treated as a rector, the guard officer bowed subtly and left the rector’s office.

Stretching, Elizaveta looked out the window.

The correctional facility on this sunny summer day was filled with lively students, seemingly unaffected by the past turmoil.

Envious.

Elizaveta never attended school. In a world without the concept of a regular education system, most higher education was resolved through homeschooling.

Half of her childhood was spent in the palace, and the remaining half on the battlefield. Her education focused on noble etiquette, court etiquette, military science, politics, and monarch theory.

It meant she had never experienced mingling with peers, laughing heartily, or gathering with classmates. Even the age gap between her and those students wasn’t significant. (She considers anyone within a 10-year age difference as her peer, so Ivan is also her peer.)

“Hmm….”

The official announcement of assuming the position of Rector at St. Jan’s University would have reached the nobility by now. Those old folks must be fuming with jealousy.

St. Jan’s University is an internationally renowned institution. Therefore, the nobles not only strive for educational excellence but also endeavor to get their children admitted as part of international social activities.

Thinking about it the other way around, if she fully takes over the university, most of Frechenkaya’s nobility will be under her influence.

Elizaveta chuckled coldly. It was a smile befitting a ruler who controlled the darkness of the kingdom, the dominator of the shogunate.

An excellent ruler seizes dozens of benefits with a single policy. The position of the university rector is merely a threat to the nobility, if not just an auxiliary goal. There could be various ways to sideline the nobility.

So, her true tactical objective…

“Rector. He’s here.”

“Tell him to enter.” (Elizaveta)

With a subtle expression that didn’t bother questioning why she would use such a tone if she doesn’t care about being called rector, the guard officer opened the door to the rector’s office.

Behind him, a man in neatly laundered work clothes and a fluffy towel draped around his neck entered.

“You came.” (Elizaveta)

“…Yes.”

“Sit. There’s much to discuss.” (Elizaveta)

Glancing briefly at Elizaveta, who occupied the rector’s office, the man surveyed the room, completely transformed from the way he remembered, and mumbled while looking at the ceiling.

Looks like I’m in for it.

However, due to the need to maintain decorum not suitable for royalty, the sensible and polite man soon took a seat on the sofa.