Chapter 1

EP.1 The Youngest of the Jonathan Family

 

– Your application for admission has been rejected. –

Kyle looked at the application form several times.

Is there something hidden? Should I set it on fire or dip it in water?

Maybe then it will say, “Ta-da! You’re actually accepted!”

‘Not likely.’

Even turning the happiness circuit was only up to there.

Originally, admissions to the academy are handled by the Empire’s Ministry of Education.

It’s handled by the agency where the minister is assigned.

Do they play such tricks there?

Seems like they have plenty of time, sending someone directly from the palace.

After that, it’s all about the rank and the minister exploding in anger.

“Damn it.”

There’s still time left for applications. I might try once more.

But the Ministry of Education will reject the application again.

‘Why did you do that, sister.’

Even my brother, who resembles Father, successfully graduated from the academy.

So, I thought my more capable sister could graduate as well.

However, exactly one year after she enrolled.

“Kyle.”

“Yes, brother.”

“I need to go fetch our sister.”

“Why would you need to fetch our sister from the academy?”

“She’s been expelled.”

“…What?”

“It seems she ruined the academy.”

Kyle wondered. Is the academy just a shack?

Is it made of wood so that a single punch would make it collapse?

It couldn’t be. I heard it’s even bigger than an average city.

It was never something to take lightly.

“…Isn’t that a huge deal?”

“It is.”

“But you seem very calm about it.”

“It’s not my sister’s fault.”

“Why not?”

“Some students provoked her. They called her savage.”

The empire is vast. Its vast territory did not exist from the beginning.

Over hundreds of years of conquest and territorial expansion.

Some disappeared within it, while others maintained their existence.

The Jonathan family to which Kyle belongs was a trace of those remaining.

Living at the northernmost tip, the strongest tribe in the world.

With less than a thousand people, they resisted the empire for eight years.

The empire, astonished by their combat prowess, eventually employed a pacification policy.

Since they knew you were strong, they said, “That’s enough, come down.”

And so, some 30 years ago, the northern tribe that came under the empire is now the Baron of Jonathan.

They acquired the fearsome nickname, the ‘warrior race’.

“Brother.”

“Why are you like this?”

“Our family members don’t react to the word ‘savage’, do they?”

“That’s right.”

“But why would our sister do such a thing…”

“It’s said she added the word ‘weak’ before it.”

“Oh.”

For the Jonathan people, who are a warrior race themselves, being called weak is taboo.

If that taboo is violated, they would fight the entire empire even with just a stone in hand.

Fortunately, casualties were not significant.

There were injuries, but no deaths, which was fortunate.

Of course, the collapse of the academy area was unavoidable.

Immediately, there was chaos in the imperial finances, and the Ministry of Education was in a panic.

Although it was settled by expelling the daughter of the Baron of Jonathan.

Already, resentment and fear towards the warrior race were etched into the academy’s bricks.

‘Is it right to use such extreme measures? This is crossing the line.’

It’s unfair, incredibly unfair, but there’s nothing to be done.

For now, protesting is pointless as my sister’s guilt is clear.

The academy is under direct imperial jurisdiction, and no noble can interfere.

Especially when it’s not just a mere ‘violence’ incident but an ‘explosion’ incident.

Fortunately, it was considered justifiable due to reasonable grounds.

“Kyle. It’s time for upper body training.”

My brother, who came in without knocking, informs me of today’s schedule.

I wonder if this is the trainer who came from hell, I think to myself.

Kyle quickly switches to survival strategy number 122.

“Cough, cough. Brother. I think I’m feeling a bit sick.”

“When your body is sick, exercising will make you feel better soon.”

It’s such an insincere remark, but I couldn’t bring myself to say anything.

In the end, Kyle was dragged back to the training ground to do more exercises.

“Cough! Huh! Gah!”

“Look at this. Don’t you feel better without even coughing?”

Better my foot. I struggled to survive.

I’m scared I’ll be crushed by the barbell!

But at least they’ll go easy on me because I’m their younger brother.

I wonder if I should cry out of gratitude for this.

“Oh dear. Our youngest. What if you collapse like this.”

While having a meal after escaping hell, the Baron’s wife who was sitting next to me approached.

And with a worried expression, she pats Kyle’s arm.

At first glance, she seems like an ordinary mother who worries about her child.

But inside, she’s a strong woman with the ability to overwhelm even about six sturdy men at once.

‘There’s no normal person. There’s no normal person.’

I’m definitely supposed to be in a romance novel, so why am I like this?

If only I were reincarnated as a typical scoundrel, I could meet a woman and turn over a new leaf.

But of all things, I became the youngest of the warrior race at the northernmost tip!

This is unacceptable. I have to escape. I must escape.

In a world full of bright futures, I’m stuck doing exercises instead of dating.

It’s unfair enough that I was reincarnated, but if it gets to this point, I’ll spit blood and die.

‘The final move is upon us.’

I heard that next week, the envoy will visit Baron Jonathan.

A loyal sword and shield of the royal family, renowned even in the empire.

It’s said that the envoy holds a letter of recommendation for academy admission.

Unless directly intervened by the palace, such recommendations are usually accepted.

It’s not just one precious thing, not even two, but a total of three!

‘Three tickets to heaven. One of them must be seized at all costs!’

Coincidentally, at this time, the first couple will enter the academy with that recommendation.

Wandering swordsman Ian, and witch Tisha, are precisely them.

As far as Kyle remembers, the protagonists of this novel are not just one man and one woman.

More precisely, it’s uncertain, but one thing is for sure, it’s more than one couple.

They all come from different backgrounds and have different personalities, yet they are all protagonists.

Who ends up with whom is unknown.

I quickly skimmed through the free version and deleted the browsing history.

One thing is for sure, Ian and Tisha are going to the academy thanks to the envoy.

And there, they will enjoy a bright and fulfilling academy life!

‘If I set foot there, I can go to the academy too.’

Instead of this ignorant exercising, I could engage in romance.

In a romance novel, if you don’t engage in romance, you might as well be dead!

And all romances should rightfully begin at the academy!

The land flowing with milk and honey! Eldora! Yes, that’s the academy!

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***

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I may say that, but I still need to consider the atmosphere at home.

Even if I have the recommendation, what if my parents oppose it?

Then I’ll have to obediently follow the Baron and lift weights.

“Father. It’s Kyle.”

“Come in.”

As Kyle opened the door and entered, he just wanted to leave as he was.

“What’s the matter?”

The swollen muscles, as if about to burst, greeted Kyle warmly.

Even though he had entered, the owner of the room was too absorbed in handling the barbell.

Could he be grabbed from behind and told, “Let’s do another set together”?

Kyle, genuinely frightened, quickly got to the point.

“What do you think about the Imperial Academy?”

“What do you expect me to say? It’s a playground for weaklings.”

Exhaling, his father lightly lowered the barbell he had been lifting.

Though it wasn’t very high, it made a loud ‘thud!’ as it hit the ground.

Was that a person or a monster? Kyle’s body trembled slightly.

“Why suddenly ask about that, Kyle?”

Kyle’s father, and the owner of the Baron, Dagon Jonathan.

He looked at his youngest with a gentle smile.

Of course, to Kyle, it seemed like nothing more than a smile saying, “Instead of talking nonsense, let’s do another upper body set together.”

“I would like to visit the academy.”

He expected a negative response.

So, Kyle was about to follow up with his next words.

“Do as you please.”

“I… I’m sorry?”

“I said, do as you please.”

“…Really?”

All the carefully prepared words became useless.

Standing there dumbfounded, Dagon, the Baron, speaks.

“But is it possible? The Imperial Academy wouldn’t accept you.”

“I have some thoughts about that.”

“If you insist, then go ahead.”

After saying that, Dagon grabbed the barbell again.

After hesitating for a moment, he seemed to think it was futile.

“Kyle.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Could you add more weight plates?”

Even the weight he just lifted seemed extremely heavy.

Grumbling, Kyle added one more weight plate at a time.

“More.”

He added another weight plate one by one.

“More.”

“…Isn’t it too heavy for you?”

“It’s heavy.”

“But you’re asking for more?”

“Overcoming that weight is what being a Jonathan is all about.”

Kyle could once again keenly feel why the empire struggled against just a few thousand people here in the past.

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***

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“Do as you please.”

Kyle’s mother, Lady Maria, also immediately gave her permission.

“But Kyle, can you handle it? Considering what your sister did.”

“I have some thoughts about it.”

“Our youngest is smart. This mother believes in you.”

With a gentle smile, Lady Maria lightly pounded her fist.

– Crack!–

Even the sturdy wooden plank split into two pieces.

What couldn’t be split even with a sharp axe had been easily broken.

“…..”

It’s fortunate that I listened well when I was young.

My older brother once got spanked by Mother for not listening to her.

How he survived, I still wonder.