The Extra Strategist’s Royal Road Chapter 307
It seemed that the secret date with Yumir might have been the trigger, as Eonia, Erina, and Estelle were eagerly anticipating their turn.
The next day, Eo began preparing to go out as if it were completely natural. In the past, Eonia would have waited anxiously, hoping I would approach her first, but now things were different. She had become more assertive, developed her own opinions, and even showed some stubbornness.
“Really, just a moment. I have an urgent matter to take care of.”
“…..”
As I couldn’t leave due to work, Eo stood by the door, holding the twins as if protesting.
When I finally finished my work, Eo relaxed her expression, handed Ernie to me, and wrapped her remaining arm around mine.
Just as she was about to go out, Ryuna came running frantically.
“I want to go too!”
She seemed to have keenly sensed a chance to obtain snacks and tried to follow along.
“Ryuna, come here.”
Yumir tried to console Ryuna, but she grabbed Eo’s leg and clung to her.
Eo gently smiled and stopped Yumir.
“I’ll take Ryuna with me.”
“Are you sure it’ll be okay?”
“Yes, because Ryuna is my daughter too.”
Since there weren’t enough arms to hold her, we decided to wrap Ryuna in a carrier for me to carry.
The streets were vibrant, having reached the midpoint of the festival. Couples could be seen everywhere, and street vendors from the countryside were selling food.
There were elves among them as well.
“Beato? What are you doing here?”
Beato was selling food and books alongside some elf guardians.
She said, “I’m trying to earn the currency of this place.”
“If it’s currency, couldn’t you just ask Rosa or Sophia to exchange it?”
“We don’t have the concept of currency in our island.”
“Ah….”
“So, we’re selling our goods to collect the kingdom’s currency.”
Of course, Rosa had already given a substantial amount as a kind of national exchange, but it wasn’t enough. The elves were preparing for long-term life on the continent and had started economic activities. This street vendor seemed to be one of their trials.
“Oh! Lord Ars!”
“Rita, long time no see.”
Margarita, who was grilling fish, immediately held out a fish skewer.
“Please try this! It’s a grilled fish using spices only found on our island.”
“Thank you. How much is it?”
“I can’t accept money from Lord Ars. Please just have it.”
When I took the skewer, Ryuna fixed her gaze on it with interest. When I brought the end close to her mouth, she took a big bite. She seemed to enjoy it quite a bit, waving her arms and legs.
Eonia finely chopped the fish and fed it to the twins. Beato softly smiled at her skillful motherly touch.
“They’re all so cute. Seeing the babies in your mansion makes me unconsciously want a child too.”
“You can have one if you want.”
“That’s not possible for me. My partner must be chosen by the elders, and one of them is… You. Ars Elaine.”
Beato continued with a seductive smile.
“How about it? If you’re the only one who wants it, I’m fine with that.”
“Haha…. Shall we do that?”
It was a joke for both of them, but Eo didn’t seem to take it that way. She glared at us with a vigilant look. Her eyes clearly said, ‘I’m going to tell Yumir about this’.
After touring the street vendors, the sun began to set. We sat nearby and blankly watched the sunset.
“We’ve come a long way.”
My casual remark made Eo tilt her head.
“What do you mean?”
“In various ways. Like having these babies in our arms.”
“Pfft, why the sudden sentiment?”
Ryuna was also nestled in Eo’s arms, receiving snacks.
After much consideration, I said to her, “Eo, I hope you don’t participate in the next war.”
“…..”
“If I happen to die in defeat during the war, what about the children….”
“No.”
She cut me off decisively.
“Ars, I’ll protect you. If that’s not possible, we’ll die together.”
“Then what about the children?”
“There are many good people around, so someone will definitely raise them well.”
“Anyway….”
Some things never changed, whether in the past or now.
“If you’re going to say things like that, then make me the vanguard. I’ll lead the war to victory.”
“That’s a bit….”
“Why?”
“Because Anton or Master Ilya are more suitable as vanguards.”
“Ugh…!”
“More importantly, since the day is over, shall we head back?”
Eo hesitated before gesturing towards the inn.
“Can we rest for a bit…?”
“I’d like that too….”
Unlike yesterday, today we moved while holding the babies, so the babies’ energy was incredibly lively.
Eo sighed regretfully and then picked up the babies to head home.
* * *
The official court examination used an entire day.
Given the nature of the official appointment test, most of it was written, so everyone was seated at their desks, wrestling with their thoughts.
I was the first to finish the exam and came to the mansion’s living room to drink the tea my mother had prepared.
At that moment, Erina emerged as the second to complete the test.
“Oh, unexpected? I thought Olaf or Bisketa would be second.”
“Bisketa has already finished and is watching sister Eonia solve the problems.”
“Well, with Sophia there too, there’s no chance of cheating.”
Erina went to the babies’ room and brought Lucius.
Looking at Lucius’s smiling face, Erina trembled with happiness.
“Doesn’t he look just like Sir Ars? Especially these eyes when he smiles!”
“Well, if we’re talking about resemblance, Lucius is the closest.”
Ryuna took after her grandmother Rizna, while Ernie and Ed seemed to take more after their mother’s side, possibly due to Mirabel’s bloodline, but Lucius was a spitting image of me.
Mom said she thought so too, and laughed.
“Really. Ars used to smile like this when he was a baby. But then he would suddenly start crying if something didn’t please him.”
As soon as those words ended, Lucius made a sad face and began to cry loudly.
At that moment, Estelle came out to the living room after finishing her exam.
Seeing her, Erina sighed.
“Estelle? What if you just mark everything randomly, no matter how overwhelming it seems?”
Hitting the mark, Estelle was at a loss for words.
“B-but what can I do? How can I solve something so difficult?”
“Oh, come on.”
Estelle went to the baby’s room as if running away and brought her daughter Lux. At this time, Ryuna, who might have woken up, followed her.
Ryuna, with sleepy eyes, held Estelle’s hand and came to the living room, then nestled in her mother’s arms and started sleeping again.
Just as mealtime arrived, Erina and Estelle began feeding complementary food.
I said casually,
“When the war ends, shall we all go back to the Academy together?”
They both brightened up at my suggestion.
“That’s a good idea!”
“Well, since we stopped going to the Academy. I do want to graduate.”
They mentioned the Fensillon Academy.
The place that would become the next battlefield.
Afterward, Ash and Lysithea came out after finishing their exams and the conversation bloomed around the Academy.
Surprisingly, Olaf, Rutger, and Lucretia were the latest, but it turned out to be due to their enthusiasm for the exam.
Except for me and Erina, those who finished quickly solved the problems without much tension.
In contrast, others took longer because they took the exam seriously.
Finally, after everything ended, the prepared national officials collected the exam papers and began scoring.
A party was held in the mansion until the scoring was completed.
However, the atmosphere instantly became stiff due to my statement.
“Based on this competition, I will modify the salary system. There won’t be demotions, but some people will have raises.”
At this, Ash jumped up and down.
“Wasn’t that not mentioned before!?”
“I said we would give awards based on results. Now, instead of giving out prizes, I thought it would be better to do it with money.”
“Ugh! If I had known, I would have solved it properly…!”
Salary is a system that represents a person’s ability.
The arrival of the scoring papers was 2 hours later. Around evening, Rosa personally brought the result sheets.
She seemed to want to participate in the after-party herself.
“Total score is 600 points. Let me tell you in advance, the average score for this commissioning exam is 321 points, and the passing score is 470 points. Crossing 321 points is sufficient, and crossing 470 points is excellent. I’ll announce the top scorers first. Ars Elaine!”
Rosa smiled brightly, seeming more excited herself.
“600 points out of 600! And Bisketa Kren, also 600 points!”
Tied for first place.
Of course, I studied deeply while at the Academy, but Bisketa’s perfect score was truly surprising.
She had been on the Elves’ island for a year after her disappearance, and she was 70 years old.
“Heh, it’s not for nothing that I’m the prime minister of a king.”
Sophia’s expression crumpled at this statement.
As the current prime minister, she had not received a perfect score.
“Sophia, 591 points. So close.”
“Ugh…!”
Next, Olaf recorded 590 points, ranking 4th.
Olaf laughed heartily.
“Wow, Sophia is truly amazing.”
“Are you making fun of me right now!?”
Sophia seemed to have thought she would definitely be first, and she stomped her feet looking at me and Bisketa.
“Next, 5th place is Erina! 552 points. As expected of my friend.”
A sharply dropping score at 5th place.
The scores below were as follows:
—
- Leitin 542 points.
- Lucretia 510 points.
- Rutger 481 points.
- Eonia 471 points.
- Anton 470 points.
- Ilya 466 points.
- Lysithea 459 points.
- Gunther 401 points.
- Gaspar 356 points.
- Julia 333 points.
- Ash 322 points.
- Estelle 192 points.
—
A gasp spread.
I was quite surprised too.
“Eo got 471 points!?”
Eonia, who had been on par with Estelle in past competitions, actually passed the passing score.
“Hahaha!”
Eo puffed out her chest and laughed heartily.
“How’s that, Anton Quinter! I knew this would happen and kept studying with growth!”
Apparently, she had been receiving private tutoring from Bisketa throughout the time she was taking care of her child. She studied to help me with paperwork after the war ended.
“Ugh…!”
Anton was truly upset by the mere 1-point difference.
“T-this is because of Bisketa’s help! If not for her, I would have been at least 1 point…”
“Anton, you look pathetic.”
Master Ilya consoled Anton and praised Eo.
“Hahaha!”
Eo laughed so hard the mansion seemed to shake.
In contrast, Estelle and Ash seemed to want to find a mouse hole to hide in.
“Ash, this is too much no matter how you look at it.”
“B-but I did pass the average score.”
“Look at everyone else’s scores!”
Lucretia began to grab Ash like catching a mouse, and Estelle started looking for a mouse hole.
“Estelle!”
Rutger finally couldn’t hold back and shouted.
“Aren’t you ashamed in front of your child!”
“Ugh….”
“Come here! I’ll teach you how to study!”
“D-dad, it’s a party right now….”
“Shut up!”
Estelle being dragged away.
That was the end of the past competition.
Afterward, Anton, irritated by Eo’s triumphant appearance, insisted on holding a martial arts competition, making the place noisy again. However, since a large number of movement scrolls were needed for the martial arts competition, it was decided to hold it after all situations were settled.
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