After celebrating Peruel’s birthday on August 22, September 1 arrived. The children and I got ready to head to the Judicial Training Institute. It was originally supposed to begin on March 1, but since the exam had been moved up by six months, it was starting in September instead. Why bring the children along when I was the only one attending? Because the Judicial Training Institute cafeteria offered free meals on the first day, when crowds would be pouring in. Shouldn’t I let the kids eat until they were full?
The Judicial Training Institute was near Palais Mermonia. Adults dressed to the nines in suits had come with relatives and family members to celebrate. Some were even taking pictures with the Judicial Training Institute as their backdrop. Us? I alone wore the suit Furina had bought me, while the other children, dressed casually, toddled along with me toward the Judicial Training Institute.
"Is that the top-ranked student? The thirteen-year-old?"
"There are children behind him too. So the rumors about him being the head of the household were true."
"Should we call that pitiful, or blessed...?"
Whispers drifted among the adults. I did not care either way. So long as my children could stuff themselves...
"Avrora~ Welcome to the Judicial Training Institute~"
"Aah! Furina!"
Furina suddenly popped out from the main gate and hugged me. Peruel immediately flew into a rage and tried to pull Furina off me.
"Get off him right now, you bitch."
"No! What’s wrong with you on such a wonderful day? Take your hands off me this instant!"
"Peruel? Furina? Let’s both calm down for a second, okay? Furina, why are you even here? Weren’t you supposed to give a speech from the podium?"
"I left it to Neuvillette~ Which means today is my day off! I’m going to stick right by your side all day long~"
So she had dumped today’s event on Neuvillette. Neuvillette... you really have it rough, having someone like her around...
"Bitch, get away from my brother right now."
"Fine~ I’ll do that for now, shall I?"
Unexpectedly, Furina backed down without protest. What was her reason?
"Is there some reason for this, Hydro Archon?"
Peruel glared at Furina with an interrogating look. As if she had won against Peruel, Furina puffed out her chest and spoke proudly.
"You lot will just eat inside the Judicial Training Institute and be done with it, but Avrora is the top-ranked student, so he’ll be sitting in the very front of the auditorium, you know? And since I’m the Hydro Archon, I’ll be sitting in the front too~ We’ll even lead the oath together~ So that means... eek!"
"Die already, trash."
Peruel pounced on Furina, and the two of them rolled around on the grass. Give it a rest already...
"Um... Avrora... who is this person?"
Cravie asked me. Right. Citra and Cravie had never seen her before, had they?
"That’s Furina. Fontaine’s Hydro Archon."
"What?! That person is the Hydro Archon?!"
"Really...? She just looks completely ordinary to me..."
Cravie was right. She was an ordinary human, after all. One cursed by a god.
"You two! Stop fighting! People are staring!"
People were watching Furina and Peruel fight on the lawn.
"That’s Lady Furina, isn’t it?"
"But that white-haired girl is attacking a god with no manners at all?"
"Is she allowed to do that...? Shouldn’t she be arrested for blasphemy?"
I could hear every bit of their whispering.
"Both of you, stop it. You’ll get your clothes dirty."
"Waaah... I had a new outfit made just to see Avrora..."
"...Heh. Serves you right."
"You bitch! Even if you’re Avrora’s little sister, I can’t take this any—mmph!!"
I clamped a hand over Furina’s mouth.
"All right, all right, enough now. Furina, do you happen to have a camera?"
"A camera? How would I carry something that heavy around?"
"Fair enough."
The cameras made in Fontaine were revolutionary inventions, but they had not been properly miniaturized yet. Even the camera Charlotte carried around looked rather heavy for portable use.
"Coming through! Make way!"
"We’re reporters from The Steambird! Please move aside!"
Reporters? Why were reporters here? And if it was The Steambird... that woman would be here again.
"Avrora! Just who I wanted to see! Could we take a photograph? Oh, Lady Furina is here too! Have you come to support the youngest top-ranked student?!"
"Yes, that’s right! The youngest top-ranked passer of the Fontaine bar exam in history is entering the Judicial Training Institute today~ Naturally, I had to come, didn’t I?"
Furina immediately slipped into performance mode.
"This is the perfect chance! A photo of Lady Furina and the top-ranked student together on the front page would definitely be a scoop! Lady Furina! Could you stand with him?"
"Of course! The only place I should stand is beside this child~"
Her acting and true feelings were blending together. Furina clearly thought this was a lucky opportunity.
"Lady Furina, this is not the place for that. Please return to the auditorium at once."
"Ah, Clorinde. What about your work at the Palais Mermonia?"
"I’m off duty today, so I came to have a look... but as I expected, it’s an absolute mess."
"No! I want to take a picture with Avrora! I’m going to hang it in my room!"
"Bitch, get away from him right now."
"Sigh... You don’t have to fight like this..."
I hugged Peruel and Furina at the same time.
"Today is a happy day, right? So you should get along. Okay?"
"Yes... all right... if that’s what you say..."
"Avrora..."
"What a lovely sight! Then I’ll take the picture, shall I?"
"Wait a moment. Cravie, Citra, you two come take one with us too."
"Huh? We can be in it too?"
"We’re family. We should take it together."
"That’s right. We’re family."
Smiling, Cravie grabbed Citra and ran over.
"Euphrasie, when you develop this, you have to send us a copy, okay?"
"All right! I’ll have separate copies prepared for you all! Now then, say cheese! One, two, three!"
Citra, Cravie, Peruel, me, Furina, Clorinde, and Neuvillette in the back. All seven of us ended up in one photograph.
"What a warm scene! It looks perfect for the front page."
"You need to develop one and send it to me too, understand?"
"Of course, Lady Furina. And watch out behind you."
"Behind me...?"
"To leave everything to me and go do this, Furina..."
"Eek! Neuvillette!"
"You haven’t forgotten what you are supposed to do today, have you...? Come with me..."
"Eek! Save me, Avrora!!!"
Neuvillette grabbed Furina by the back of the neck and dragged her away.
I sighed and spoke to the children.
"Let’s go have breakfast. You’re hungry, aren’t you?"
"Yes~"
Rather than the auditorium, we ran toward the cafeteria.
"Next, the Hydro Archon and the top-ranked student will recite the oath together. Would both of you please come forward?"
At Neuvillette’s words, Furina and I, who had been seated in the front row, came up to the platform before the audience. Once we were on stage, we held hands where no one could see and began our oath.
"Oath."
"I, Avrora, along with the other 199 trainees,"
"I, Furina de Fontaine, the Hydro Archon,"
"upon entering the Judicial Training Institute,"
"under the Hydro Archon’s protection,"
"shall preserve our dignity,"
"and provide relief to the pitiful people,"
"hone our abilities,"
"to become excellent legal officials,"
"for the Hydro Archon,"
"for these Judicial Training Institute trainees,"
"and for the protection of Fontaine’s rule of law,"
"may we forever at Palais Mermonia,"
"serve as a steadfast support,"
"for your well-being,"
"we pray."
The two of us held hands tightly as we made our vow. May this life last forever... and may no one be hurt...
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