‘Ugh, I’m tired…’
I must have been riding the carriage for a long time.
When I opened my eyes, I found myself standing in a new building.
In front of me stood a stern-looking woman with gray hair.
‘A gray-haired woman without any markings… She must be a whale faction member.’
The attendant handed me over to the woman.
“I entrust the princess to you.”
“Yes, we will provide excellent education in our class.”
The attendant bowed his head and walked away.
He said he would return at the end of the education session.
The woman walked a little and soon put me down in the hallway.
‘So, I’ve come here.’
During my previous three lives, I came here only once.
In the first and second lives, I didn’t need education in Grandma’s eyes from the beginning.
I was abandoned and sold like a discarded product, stamped with the mark of being a disgrace.
In the third life, I managed to cross the threshold of the educational institution, but…
‘I was ignored and ridiculed and soon expelled.’
Being a whale, and a direct descendant at that, being expelled was a tremendous dishonor.
They were the owners of this land, after all.
However, I looked around without any regret.
It’s not much different from the third life.
“Princess, I’ve heard a lot about you.”
I glanced at the woman to whom I spoke. She also had a stern look.
I had met this woman in the previous life as well.
“I am Laila, the overall manager in charge of this elementary education institution.”
This woman introduced herself as the manager of the elementary education institution.
Some kind of principal or director-like figure.
‘She was like a sharp blade…’
I had no remorse for this woman.
Because of what happened in the previous life.
There was a time when I was caught up in the mischief of wicked individuals among the faction members.
When I regained consciousness, I found myself being accused as a thief who stole someone else’s belongings. As a direct descendant, it was truly shameful.
<That princess stole my precious jewel! It’s a treasure of the family!>
<Yes, it came out of her bag!>
As the case escalated, a meeting was held with all the managers of the elementary institution present.
The meeting naturally turned against me because there was no one to support me.
<It was an empty classroom. Is there anyone who witnessed Calipso stealing something?>
<Yes? Laila, but it came out of Calipso’s bag!>
<This is not an educational institution, so we should address her with the proper title, Mr. Alphonso.>
<…Uh!>
That’s when I first met this woman.
<There is no evidence that Calipso did it, but there is also no evidence that she didn’t. It has been proven that anyone could have put something in Calipso’s bag since the door was open.>
Her eyes were stern and cold.
She wasn’t the face of someone who supported me.
<We cannot impose disciplinary action based on insufficient evidence. The meeting is adjourned.>
Her rational face simply listed the facts.
She left a strong impression on me, but when I returned as a princess later, this woman was no longer there.
“Nice to meet you, Laila.”
As I greeted her cheerfully, Laila’s black eyes widened slightly and then returned to their usual state.
“I’ve heard things… It’s amazing. At the age of three, you speak fluently with perfect pronunciation.”
However, the admiration ended there.
“Follow me. I will guide you to your assigned class. Please note that I will be observing your education today, Princess.”
Laila turned around, and I followed.
‘…Huh? Her steps…’
There was a height difference between me and Laila, like between an adult and a baby.
However, it wasn’t difficult to keep up with her. Her rational face matched my pace.
“Come here.”
At the end of the brisk walk, we reached the class where I was assigned.
* * *
That afternoon.
Laila, the owner of the elementary education institution for underwater creatures, couldn’t hide her astonishment.
‘What on earth is this…’
The purpose of the elementary education institution for underwater creatures was clear.
To gather young underwater creatures and select outstanding talents.
They would play a significant role in the revival of underwater creatures.
As the owner of the first gate that screened these candidates, Laila took great pride in her work.
The most important task here was the management of whale mermaid children, the owners of underwater creatures.
Especially those from the Whale Royal Family who entered here, regardless of direct or branch lineages, received systematic management according to the will of the Whale Royal Family.
In essence, management was nothing but surveillance.
For the past 20 years, Laila had been in this position, and she had always prided herself on her sharp eyes.
The same applied to the new direct descendant princess, Calipso.
“Laila, have you heard? The princess recognized by the family head has entered our institution.”
“Hmm, is it true that she’s been recognized? Rumor has it that she can’t manipulate the power of water.”
“That’s why she was going to be sold as a bride of a dragon.”
For a direct descendant of the whale family, being unable to manipulate the power of water was as good as being born without a hand or foot.
She was different from the branch lineages who worked hard to awaken the power of water.
A substandard existence that fell short among the proud and arrogant individuals.
“Usually, it was a natural course for me to be discarded somewhere and disappear like this.”
In the case of Calipso, she was a bride of the dragon. A being that would be sent away as a sacrifice to the dragon.
“But they say she’s incredibly smart. Is it true?”
“There were also talks that she speaks in precise language, so it must have been acknowledged by the family head, right?”
“This is really strange…”
However, everything changed completely after Calipso, who survived until the age of 3, met the family head.
Laila considered it half true and half false that Calipso received the family head’s recognition.
It was absurd to say that she speaks language perfectly.
Whales are marine mammals that give live birth.
Because of that, their growth was slow before becoming powerful beings, and especially all whale calves could only speak when they reached the common age of 7 or 8.
“Euh? Euh!”
“Ah, ah!”
Yes. Children around the age of three or four, like Calipso, could only express their intentions through actions and gazes.
But…
“Huh? Play blocks? Sorry, but I don’t play such childish games.”
“Euuuu! Uuuuu!”
“Oh, no need to cry. A great killer whale doesn’t cry. Thud.”
“Sob! Thud!”
“Yes, yes. You have enough potential.”
The rumor that everyone doubted or rather, most people believed it couldn’t possibly be true, turned out to be true.
“Nice to meet you, Laila.”
When she pronounced her name accurately and greeted her, she felt discomfort.
Calipso was unusually alien at this three and a half years of age, as if she wasn’t lying.
“Um, Lady Laila…”
The one who cautiously approached Laila, who was quietly standing in the corner of the classroom, was none other than Hanya, the manager of ‘Whale 3-4 Class C’.
“What should we do?”
“What’s the matter?”
“As you can see… we need to have today’s playtime, but the children won’t leave Lady Calipso’s side.”
That’s right. What Calipso showed wasn’t just an amazing language proficiency.
“I let her go, and she cried…”
“We can’t proceed with the lesson…!”
The confident Calipso who entered this morning confidently passed by the children and sat down.
However, the children, who are usually curious about new things, started approaching her.
Surprisingly, with leadership or some unknown power, she managed to keep the children from leaving her side.
“Abu, Abu!”
“I don’t eat candies that someone else has left. You can have it.”
“Boo-ah! Boo-ah!”
“Oh, this is plankton candy? Thank you, I’ll gladly take it.”
“Kyaaaah!”
Calipso patted the child whom she just handed the candy to.
Strangely enough, the child who recently joined had a very strong aversion to others, even to the teachers.
‘Usually, children also hide their appearance. No, because they are children, they hide it even more cruelly.’
Based on this, Calipso’s appearance certainly stood out.
It was so beautiful that one might wonder why such a beautiful creature couldn’t awaken the power of water.
Just looking at her beauty alone, it could be admitted that she inherited the power of her father, Pierre.
“…Wow, the new lady is really beautiful.”
Assistant teacher Henry mumbled.
“But if things continue like this, it will be difficult to conduct the lesson. What should we do, Lady Laila?”
It doesn’t just go smoothly just because it’s an introductory institution.
On the contrary, it runs strictly in accordance with the level, as it is the very first education.
There’s a quota that must be fulfilled every day.
“If things continue like this here…”
Was she wrong?
In fact, Laila also thought that the rumors about Calipso were baseless or exaggerated by more than 90%, and that this level would be enough for a noble lady.
“I can’t leave her here. At least, she definitely doesn’t belong in the 3-4-year-old class. But then, which class should I put her in?”
It was the moment Laila narrowed her eyes.
As if it were a lie, Calipso suddenly turned her head and stared at Laila.
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Translator Note:
This chapter was translated by Bree.
Next chapter will be released tomorrow. To read chapters in advance support us on Patreon!!
