The Bride-Hunting Tale: I’ve Failed 20 Marriage Proposals Already. I Don’t Need Titles Like Dragon Slayer or Hero Who Saved the Nation—All I Want Is a Cute Wife!
“Hmm~!”
I stretched my body to its fullest while walking down the hallway on the way to a joint class with the Military Affairs Department.
It was the fifth day after the Sabbath, so it was about time I started getting sick of purely academic classes, but finally, I’d get to move my body around.
My friend Lisrante , or just Lis, watched me with an exasperated look and let out an exaggerated sigh.
“Even though you’re not particularly bad at academics, does it really tire you out that much?”
“You know full well, so stop asking every time. Academics is something I’ve managed through sheer effort, but moving my body suits me better. My family’s always been more brawn than brain.”
Although I somehow maintain an upper-middle ranking in academics within the Noble Department I belong to, I’m not exactly top-tier. However, my family hails me as the greatest prodigy since our House Restal began.
Over a hundred years have passed since our ancestor – once just a tribal chief of a hunting tribe from the forested mountainous region in the northwest part of the empire known as the “Demon Lands” – was bestowed the grandiose family name of Restal. Of course, all the successive heads and their children attended this academy too.
Well, they were all supposedly terrible at academics but graduated thanks to their extraordinary physical abilities in practical subjects and some pity for their earnest efforts. So maybe it’s no surprise I’m overly praised.
Though, because of this, even as a student, I’ve been saddled with paperwork like reports and tax documents I need to submit to the administrative office.
“But today’s training involves swordsmanship for all grades. You sure you’ll be okay?”
Lis asked with a somewhat amused tone, but showing him the reaction he wanted would be irritating, so I shrugged it off, pretending nothing was wrong.
“With so many people, I doubt His Highness will bother much. Besides, I don’t really care either way.”
Though that’s what I said, inwardly, I felt differently.
Truthfully, I found it quite troublesome, but Lis probably saw right through me.
“I hope you’re right, but it seems you’re pretty unpopular. He’s persistent, so he probably won’t leave you alone.”
Damn, why does he have to say things like that?
Lis’s predictions are usually spot-on, so I wish he wouldn’t say stuff like that.
Lost in thought, I exited the building and turned my gaze towards the training field.
Almost all the students from the Noble and Military Affairs Departments had gathered already. There were nearly 200 students, but the field was spacious enough for group combat training, so it didn’t feel crowded.
As mentioned earlier, this class was a joint session between our Noble Department and the Military Affairs Department, which trains knights, soldiers, and military bureaucrats.
I touched on this before, but the Imperial Academy is a royal institution with three departments: Government Affairs, Nobility, and Military Affairs.
The Government Affairs Department, where students study law and administration to become civil servants, mostly consists of third sons and below of noble families or talented commoners. In contrast, the Noble Department trains the eldest and second sons of noble families and noble daughters in skills needed to manage territories and assist lords, while the Military Affairs Department produces knights, magicians, and military officers.
Each department must complete 20 credits of mandatory courses per week and 10 credits of joint courses, resulting in six tightly packed classes daily.
This time, it’s a joint class between the Noble and Military Affairs Departments, but naturally, there are also sessions involving the Noble and Government Affairs Departments, or the Government Affairs and Military Affairs Departments.
However, only the Military Affairs Department has joint classes for all grades, due to the need for group combat training.
Today, male students and female volunteers will practice one-versus-many and many-versus-one swordsmanship drills. The remaining female students will train in unarmed combat techniques.
Fourth- and fifth-year students will guide second- and first-year students, respectively, leaving third-years like us free to do as we please once we finish our assigned tasks.
Of course, since noble offspring must prepare for potential dangers, few slack off, or so I assume.
“Are you joining the group combat training too, Lis?”
“Obviously. It’s pointless mingling with the ladies at this point, and it’s too much hassle.”
The handsome cross-dresser, more charming than most noble heirs and from a dukedom, Lis is very popular among the ladies. Honestly, isn’t he the most popular guy in the academy?
As someone who frequently hangs out with him, I’ve been threatened numerous times by his admirers to “stop clinging to Lord Lisrante .”
Once summoned by a noble lady, I eagerly went, only to be cornered and intimidated by several noble ladies at the designated spot. I still have slight trauma from that.
Joining other students heading the same way, when we arrived at the training ground, the atmosphere momentarily stirred.
“That’s the Demon Lord.”
“I’d rather not be in the same group as him.”
“What a barbaric ape.”
Oh, the upperclassmen nobles near the capital are still harsh.
Many look down on frontier nobles, and they keep picking fights with me, though I’ve repelled them each time.
But honestly, aside from noble ladies, I don’t really care if other noble heirs dislike me. I do have allies, though. But being disliked by noble ladies? That’s troubling. Really.
“Ah, there’s Lord Restal.”
“He’s impressive as usual. Look how calm he is.”
“I hope he kicks those arrogant high nobles’ asses again today.”
Yeah. The lower nobility heirs are friendly.
They’re probably just relieved watching me brush off the condescending higher nobles.
“The reactions are always the same. It’s entertaining to watch such extremes.”
“I don’t care about titles or anything. I don’t want to be hated, yet they keep provoking me.”
He says this while trying to hold back laughter.
“Hey, Faw!”
Just as I was about to complain to Lis, who was laughing at my irritation, I spotted a man running towards me, calling my name.
A slightly plump figure with a kindly round face—Baron Bodetz Cruft Tard’s heir.
“Bodetz , huh? You didn’t skip today.”
As his physique suggests, martial arts, or exercise in general, aren’t his forte, and he often skips when person-to-person combat is scheduled.
“Well, skipping too much means losing credits. Ah, Lord Forecia , good day.”
“Hahaha, you don’t need to change your speech for me, as I always say. Faw takes care of me anyway.”
Bodetz greeted cheerfully, and Lis responded, but what did he mean by ‘takes care’? Isn’t it usually the other way around?
“Today’s small group combat training, right? Let’s team up, Lord Forecia and Faw.”
We’ve done this training countless times before, so I understood the drill. Bodetz suggested this knowing he’s terrible at martial arts and wants to team up with us since we go easy on him. Still, I had no reason to refuse.
“I don’t mind. As long as we have the right number of people, the grouping is flexible.”
Group combat training typically splits participants into teams of ten, divided into two groups. So we just needed seven more people to form a team.
I looked around for familiar faces.
“I’m fine with it, but looking for others might be a waste of time.”
“What do you mean… oh!”
Lis subtly jerked his chin while speaking, and as I followed his gaze, I couldn’t help but gasp.
There was a tall, blonde-haired, blue-eyed handsome man leading five burly men, glaring at me with an expression far grimmer than mine.
“It’s been a while, Baron Restal of the Frontier.”
“Uh, Prince Morjif. Is there something you need?”
I managed a smile, suppressing an internal sigh, as Prince Morjif, the Second Prince, stood before me.
“I heard today’s training is individual versus multiple opponents. I’d love to learn from your renowned bravery. Surely you’ll accept?”
His Highness practically radiated bloodlust, as if ready to draw his sword and attack.
Sigh… I’m really disliked, huh.