CH 139

Sophie thought silver stars would have stiff impressions, but that didn’t seem to be the case. Honestly, their behavior made her have a hard time responding, and Sophie was confused about how to deal with a different worry that was unlike her initial concern.

This is why I hate dealing with people with four stars or more…

Sophie categorized people with five stars as dangerous people, but due to Nert’s behavior, it became four stars or higher instead. Thinking this way, Vincent’s childish sarcasm felt cute to Sophie instead.

At least Firth— I will at least foster Firth well so he doesn’t turn out that way!

For some reason, Sophie ended up considering Firth as the sole decent silver star, and she became determined to foster him as she clenched her fist strongly.

Since Bart, Eric, and Creto grew up well, it means my education policy isn’t wrong!

Unfortunately, nobody was able to retort “since when did you become a mom” in this place, but because Sophie recalled Bart and the others, she naturally recalled other things she wanted to tell Lorenzo.

“Lorenzo-sama, I have a request.”

“What is it?”

“There is an employee of our Linier Merchant Group I’d like to include to help with this task.” 

It would be faster if Sophie requested it directly from Ferio, but the reason Sophie asked Lorenzo’s permission despite that was because Lorenzo played a big part in the success of this project. Sophie wanted to avoid increasing the number of personnel and taking arbitrary actions without his permission.

“I didn’t mind, but… how old is he?”

“He will be sixteen this year.”

Nert raised his face from the document he was enthusiastic about and muttered a small “sixteen…” Apparently, he was still listening to the conversation at the very least.

“If he is that age, wouldn’t it be possible for him to enter the silver star?”

When Lorenzo assumed the post of director, he implemented some special measures. One of them was to give special permission to those who could pass the silver star exam to enter the group regardless of their status. This was done out of consideration of the decreasing number of applicants to the silver star every year.

However, just like what Sophie told Lars and the others during the mountain exercise, she already came to a conclusion.

“I have shown him all the silver star’s textbooks, but he didn’t feel much need for the practical skills or lectures included there. He sees no merit in coming to ‘The King’s Sword’ as a student.”

“Hou…”

Lorenzo laughed lightly at Sophie’s reply.

Lorenzo had heard in advance from Luca regarding Sophie’s talented employee. However, Lorenzo thought there was a limit to how much knowledge a commoner could access beforehand.

Even aristocrats with the knowledge they could access beforehand would have a hard time passing the examination of the silver star; yet, said person possessed enough knowledge that he could declare he didn’t see any merit from learning there. It was normally impossible for a commoner to possess that much knowledge.

“In that case, how about trying the exam of this Institute of Medical Science, which is way harder than that of ‘The King’s Sword’? If he could earn a passing grade from that, I would guarantee him with my name and allow him to come to and from the academy and the institute.”

Sophie’s eyes shone at Lorenzo’s proposal.

Although Eric refused to be a student of “The King’s Sword” or a member of the Institute of Medical Science, Sophie would be grateful if he earned permission to go in and out of both places.

“Is it okay?”

“Yes. Due to the shortage of silver star’s manpower, we would eventually run out of them if we kept insisting on status. We would welcome him if he is capable enough to help. —Nert.”

“Yes.”

Nert stood up from his seat when called and brought some documents from who knows where.

“Please check. This is the content of last year’s exam.”

Sophie looked at the content of the exam without changing her expression.

“I haven’t contacted my house yet, so I didn’t know what he would say, but I will contact you once I talk to him about it.”

“According to what you read, do you think it’s possible for him to earn a passing grade?”

“Yes.”

As Sophie replied without delay, Lorenzo’s gray eyes behind the silver-rimmed glasses narrowed like a carnivore who found a new toy.

“That’s something I look forward to. But I think it’ll take some time before I can meet him.”

“Eh?”

As Sophie raised her voice in confusion from what Lorenzo meant, she was handed a letter.

“His Highness entrusted this letter to me. Apparently, Baron Linier is currently traveling so he couldn’t visit him yet.”

When Sophie checked the letter in a hurry, the content was exactly what Lorenzo said.

Sophie’s father, who was often away from home both domestically and internationally, had now gone to buy spices in the Daksha Kingdom. Sophie recalled her father mentioning that at the end of the year, which made Sophie hold onto her forehead and exhale a little as she muttered, “So that’s why there’s been no contact.”

I could just skip my father and directly contact Bart and the others, but as expected, I shouldn’t do that…

Even if Bart and the others served under Sophie, the head of the household was still her father. There was no way she could move her people without giving an explanation to her father whatsoever.

In addition, the letter mentioned they would return in about a week, within two weeks at the longest, so it was written the visit was possible then.

Well, that’s within an acceptable range. There’s still a situation within the academy, after all.

If Sophie wanted to have Eric visit the academy, it would be better to prepare the environment as much as possible. Although the students of the gold star, silver star, and copper star wouldn’t mind, the same couldn’t apply to the students of the black star.

Sophie could tolerate being sneered at personally, but if they did so toward Eric, she had no idea what she might do in response.

That’s no good. I’m a lady, after all…

However, as she looked at the palm of her hand which was smaller than her previous life self, she had a dangerous thought. “Perhaps hitting them would be fine?”

When Sophie unconsciously opened and closed her palm, she noticed that Lorenzo was looking at her in wonder, so she hurriedly tried to deceive him with a plastered smile.