A Remote Classroom in the Academy’s Eastern Lecture Hall.
“……”
“……”
A classroom tucked away in a secluded corner of the academy’s eastern lecture hall.
Normally, it was an abandoned space, rarely visited, with dust floating in the air.
But today, several students were gathered inside.
They varied in academic year, age, gender, and family background.
Yet, they had all come together for the same reason—To attend the special political science lecture that was starting today.
They had enrolled out of curiosity, eager to see what the infamous new instructor, Leamis, would be teaching.
“Ah, hello.”
“Nice to meet you all.”
They exchanged greetings shyly, but the atmosphere remained somewhat awkward.
Which was only natural.
Out of thousands of students enrolled in the academy, only about a dozen had gathered here.
What were the odds that they had anything in common?
Even recognizing a familiar face would have been a surprise.
“Did you come for Instructor Leamis’s lecture too?”
“Yeah. I come from a merchant family, so I figured this class would be useful in the future.”
“Same here. I’m from some backwater barony in Navre.”
Still, despite being strangers, their conversations weren’t hostile.
Even though they had never met before, there was a hint of camaraderie in their tone.
This course was hastily put together at an instructor’s discretion, mid-semester.
Unlike finance, swordsmanship, or magic, it wasn’t an official subject, meaning it wouldn’t even count for credits.
And yet, despite this, these students had chosen to dedicate their precious study hours to it.
Which could only mean one thing—Each of them had a compelling reason to be here.
And in a world that wasn’t too complicated, those reasons were likely quite similar.
They understood, on some level, that they all shared the same struggle.
And while they weren’t naive enough to blindly trust each other, neither were they so bitter as to push one another away.
“Still, isn’t the turnout lower than expected? I thought there’d be at least thirty people.”
“The instructor probably handpicked the students. Only those who were worthy of attending.”
“That makes sense. I heard Leamis is brilliant but teaches in a difficult way.”
“It’s not just the teaching style—it’s the material itself. But once you get it, it’s incredibly useful.”
As they grew more comfortable, their conversation picked up—Until suddenly, the classroom door swung open.
Stepping inside were a pair—one with black hair, the other with white.
“Ah, you’re all here already? Nice to meet you. My name is Leamis, and I’ll be leading this special lecture.”
*****
Taking my place at the podium, I scanned the attendance list.
Seventeen students.
Out of sixty applicants, I had carefully selected those with the right mindset and history—Individuals who could be trusted to hold a rebellious spirit.
“This one even looks revolutionary.”
A merchant heir.
A penniless scholar who had miraculously found a benefactor.
The child of an unremarkable noble house.
They came from diverse backgrounds, with nothing in common at first glance.
Except for one thing: Discontent with the current system.
None of them were foolish enough to publicly voice their dissatisfaction and risk their future.
Yet, neither were they loyal enough to simply accept the status quo.
And that made them the perfect candidates to mold into revolutionaries.
“Now then, since it’s our first day, let’s start with a simple question.”
I grabbed a piece of chalk and casually paced in front of the board.
“What do you think of the current state of the world?”
Silence.
No one answered.
Perhaps the question was too broad?
Well, in that case, I’d just have to give them the answer myself.
“If you don’t know, let me tell you—”
“The world is a mess.”
“The so-called ‘great nations’ are all caught up in war, throwing away countless lives and draining their treasuries dry.”
“Every country, without exception, is struggling. The economy is collapsing, and the people are suffering.”
“To put it simply—this is the most chaotic era our continent has seen in the last hundred years.”
Blunt, but not incorrect.
The students nodded slightly, acknowledging the truth in my words.
“No one knows how long this war will last—”
“Two years? Five? Perhaps ten or more?”
“There’s even a good chance it’ll still be raging by the time you graduate.”
“Which is why the most crucial knowledge for you right now isn’t swordsmanship or magic—”
“But an understanding of the changing political and social systems across nations.”
“Instructor? What do you mean by ‘systems’?”
A female student raised her hand.
Right—these students weren’t familiar with that terminology yet.
After all, in this world, most governments were either monarchies or empires.
Republics were as rare as a drought-breaking rainfall.
Mercantilism and protectionism dominated economic policy, with few alternatives in sight.
So, naturally, the concept of distinguishing different governmental structures was unfamiliar to them.
“A ‘system’ refers to the way a country operates.”
“It’s determined by who holds power, how the economy functions, and what the head of state is called.”
I gestured at a map of the continent, which Kalia had laid out in advance.
“For example, take the Kram Empire—”
“It used to be ruled by a group of nobles, who made decisions through a council. But eventually, a great war hero was crowned Emperor.”
“That’s a shift from an oligarchy to an imperial monarchy.”
“Now, look at the Hispania Empire next to it—”
“Originally, it was a collection of small kingdoms, but the first emperor united them into a single nation.”
“That’s an example of a monarchy being elevated to an empire.”
These were common political transitions—Similar events had happened in Russia, Spain, and Rome back on Earth.
But the next country I pointed to was… significantly rarer.
“Helvetia, on the other hand, is a very special case.”
“It used to be a republic—but that changed, thanks to a writer named Ishmael.”
“Ishmael?”
“I’ve heard of him. Didn’t he write The Prince?”
“I thought Leviathan was his work?”
“I heard Duce Enrico Dandolo is a fan of his books.”
The students began whispering.
I hadn’t expected my name to come up in conversation so soon.
Honestly, it was a bit embarrassing.
“Under his influence, Helvetia’s parliament lost all power, and absolute authority was given to a single ruler—the Duce.”
“This is a classic case of totalitarian dictatorship.”
“I’ll explain what that means in a later lecture.”
Kalia folded up the map, and I turned back to the students.
“So far, we’ve only categorized nations based on political structures.”
“But as you expand your criteria, distinctions become clearer.”
“For example, if we focus on economics, we can classify countries as capitalist or socialist—”
And with every additional factor—ideology, policies, governance styles—the classifications grew even more intricate.
One could, in theory, create unique definitions for every country in existence.
“Over the next semester, I will teach you everything—”
“The strengths and weaknesses, characteristics and functions of every system in history.”
“I will give you the knowledge you need to understand—and change—the world.”
I Will Make Them Realize.
That the world is filled with countless systems far superior to foolish absolute monarchies and rigid class societies.
I may not be able to turn them into true experts, but at the very least—
I can teach them to dream and speak of ideals.
To either join our cause in pursuit of a revolution,Or to walk the path of a lone wolf, striving toward their own grand vision.
With my pride and honor as an instructor on the line—I will teach them that even if they shatter the current system,There is no need to fear an uncertain future.
“I will not apologize.”
In the end, I will be leading them toward hardship and trials,But do not resent me for it.
Wouldn’t it be better to fall knowing the taste of freedom.
Than to live forever crushed under oppression, breaking apart in silent fury?
I am merely showing you the world beyond the well.
“That will be all for today. We will meet again at the same time the day after tomorrow.”
I bowed deeply, my gaze lingering on the future pillars of change before me.
With a touch of bitterness, a sense of anticipation,And an overflowing hatred toward the so-called goddess.
*****
And that evening.
Kalia and I went out for groceries—And perhaps a rare chance to dine out.
But instead, we found ourselves in the middle of chaos.
“Heaven for the Goddess, Hell for the Heretics! Get lost, you damn blasphemers!!”
“Heretics? That’s you, not us! You’ve exploited and bled us dry under the name of the Goddess, and now you dare to invoke her name?!”
“Everyone, grab your weapons! These heretics threaten our holy church and priests—strike them down!!”
“You think we’ll just sit back and take it?! Slaughter these greedy swine!”
The streets erupted into violence.
People clashed with swords and spears, screaming as the battle unfolded.
Mobs and rioters flooded the city, engulfed in a chaotic brawl.
“…The 115 Theses sure had an impact.”
“That it did.”
Right in the heart of the Kingdom of Allein’s capital—A religious war had begun.