Former Crown Prince favors the Villainess

Ena.

A city that rose from a barren yet beautiful land to one of the most bustling cities with a young population within a span of 6 years.

It is a unique city that is solely centered around an academy.

The Ena Academy.

Having a capacity to store over 30,000 students, it is one of the biggest institutions in the academy.

Much bigger than the Longe Academy.

The Academy takes importance in the intellectual capacity of each student rather than the political background their family possesses.

In other words, the Ena Academy stands tall and proud with beliefs contradicting the ways of the Longe Academy down to the very letter.

But at the same time, it is not easy to enter the academy. All students wishing to study on this modern campus have to take an extremely difficult entrance exam.

And here comes the problem again. Students that are rich can attend coaching institutes to increase their scores, but the same cannot be done by poor students. 

This is where the Academy is different. It has three categories for the intake of students. 

One being the management quota, a very small amount of the seats are sold for a high price. Parents with money choose this way if their children are not up to the standard of the academy.

Then comes the students who attend coaching institutions, the number of seats allocated to this category is quite large. The students are forced to fill in the details of the coaching center they attend in the form they fill. The coaching centers are also required to send the details of the students they teach.

Then last comes the extremely brilliant students. The ones who prefer self-study. The academy has the largest number of seats allocated to this category. Though there is a catch, Arthur sponsored a huge project apart from the academy itself.

Hundreds of libraries with books related to the syllabus of the entrance examination were built under the name of Empress Helena. 

It is mandatory for the students opting for the self-study category to register themselves in the library. It is also compulsory for them to visit this library at least three times a week. 

All of this was for the Ena Academy which was based only on the theoretical part. There is a whole other side of the Academy that takes in students based on their physical and fighting capabilities-

“Could you please stop the commentary of my past?”

“Eh~ But it is sad that no one really knows the identity of the man behind the development of the city.”, said Ray

“No one needs to know.”

“I’m on the verge of breaking the secret.”

“Oh is that so? I’m on the verge of breaking your head too.”

“Ugh...one flick to the head is enough please.”

Ray started rubbing his forehead which experiences my flick just ten minutes ago.

I’m not a sadist.

Anyway, no one needs to know my identity. Until the day I take over the duchy, I want this city to be known by its Academy, and not the person running it.

In reality, things are not as smooth sailing as Ray commented.

There are various problems in building a city purely based on academics.

One is that it is a moving population. Students stay here for 4 or 6 years based upon their choice of studies and then leave the city to continue their life. 

It is always important to have a stationary population. But unfortunately, it is quite small here. But the one thing I can be glad of is that I don’t have to pay taxes to the Empire. This is all run in the name of my mother, the former Empress. 

Maintaining this city has given me a lot of experience in building a city. I mean, I have to worry about the incoming water, the system to take sewage out of the city. I have to worry about the optimal lighting conditions. Not to mention the essential services such as hospitals, fire service,  the knights for ensuring security in the city.

The academy itself was not cheap to maintain. Having 30,000 students meant accommodation for all of them. It is also necessary to have a constant and reliable food source. It is expensive to feed 30,000 students three times a day. That is excluding the snacks every evening. Since most of the students in this academy are not well off, it would be too much for their parents if I charge more than what it is now.

The teachers are all extremely qualified with most of them having a Ph.D. In other words, they too are expensive to hire. 

The management should also ensure regular events to keep the student full of energy. Sports facilities should be maintained regularly. Essential labs for engineering, medical and other branches should consist of state-of-the-art technology.

I’m really thankful for the donation I am getting from both the Empire and the other territories.

Of course, I refused every donation from the masters of William. But I gladly accepted those that came in from the Hastings(Fiona’s Family) and Prorins (Helena’s family).

Though the donation from the Empire came in the name of the Empress. I don’t really like her, but it’s not like I have a choice. The city needs money to keep it going. 

The academy itself comprises two campuses, one for research and theoretical sections, and the other is for training students to become adventurers and knights. 

One for the brain and the other for the brawn.

“We are here.”, I said while parking the car.

“It’s the station, huh.”

“Yeah, I wanted to check how far they have completed the project.”

“I still, don’t understand man. What is up with these poles and wires you have all over the place?”

“Hmm?”We both got out of the car and started walking towards the entrance of the station.

“I mean, it’s kinda weird to be in this city. These poles are all over the city. Sometimes near the road. What is up with those?”

“Hmmm, who knows~”

“Haha, it’s not like you can send magical energy through them, right?”

“....”

“Right?”

There are various things I learned from my skill [Dreamy Dreams]. 

The world both in reality and in my dreams is relatively the same. Both have cars, both have the technology.

But there is one main difference.

It is the use of energy.

My Dreamworld uses something called electricity. It is this electricity that powers everything in the world. From phones to cars. 

But the reality is quite different. There is no concept of electricity here. What we use is energy that rises from mana. It is pure and has no adverse effect on nature. 

Mana is most dense in magical/mana crystals. All equipment and technologies have crystals in them. These crystals usually take a long time to deplete. And once there is no mana in the crystals, it just becomes a useless rock. It is then replaced by another crystal.

This leads to all the technology is much chunkier than my dream world. In other words, all technologies in my world run on batteries that cannot be recharged.

I could replicate electricity in this world. But it is going to take a long time to completely recreate all the components. So, I’m going to do it in a different way. And that is why I especially built the city to be future-proof.

“Now Now...”

“But are you really going to wear the mask and the hoodie?”, he said with a weird face.

“Unfortunately, my red eyes and black hair are exclusive to the Prorin Dukedom. And I have been doing this for the past 6 years. So no need to overreact.”

“Man, it does really suck being you.”

“He~ That’s true.”

The only mode of transport to Ena is through the road. There are no airports or railway stations. 

Well, that was a year ago. Now, a state-of-the-art station was built right here in Ena.

It is the fastest way to get into any part of the Empire. 

What doesn’t have much real estate to build an airport. But this will do.

“Ummm...Arthur, why are you here again?” he asked, looking at the single train in the station.

“Oh, didn’t I tell you?”

“No, you just said you are going for a drive”

“Well, you see...I have a small job to attend to in the capital.”

“You…!!!”, he was really sweating at the current situation.

“Hehe...you don’t have a license too don’t you?”

“...no, no, no, NO!!!!”

“Doesn’t your next class start in about 45 minutes? And, unfortunately for you, a bus straight to the academy just left. So, you have to wait for about 30 minutes for another bus to return.”

Don’t think I will forgive you for calling me a sadist with just a forehead flick.

“You damn idiot!”

“Byeeee~~~”

I said while moving to the train which is used only by me. I was able to see Ray running to the entrance as fast as he could.

“I pity him, My lord.”

“Is that so, Sebastian?”

The inside of the train is as luxurious as you expect it to be. And extremely secure too. I am not going to cheap out on these kinds of essential things.

Though the people would think it is weird if someone wearing a black mask and a hoodie arise from such a luxurious train.

As the train starts to leave, 

“Sebastian.”

“My lord?”

“Is it ready?”

“Of course.”

“Hehe...Man, I really want to sink those guys into the ground.”

“The Longe Family are going to find themselves in one trouble after another.”, said Sebastian while smiling.

It is actually wrong to call the Longe a family. After all, all they have is a land...they don’t have a title.

Even though the family grew stronger with each passing generation, they never received a title.

That was until I came into the picture.

Oh boy...this is going to be fun.

As Sebastian was preparing me a snack, I went through the gallery of my phone to find a video.

It was video recorded by a lady with pitch-black hair. It is a video she recorded right before her death. It is a video that I would have seen a thousand times by now.

“Arthur~ If you are seeing this...then I must be no more. Well, we all knew this was who it was gonna end. But...for you, who now probably has no idea on what to do. I have a simple assignment for you to complete~! Of course, there are several such projects. But it is up to you to complete them. Now shall we start~~?”

“For starters...let me apologize!!!”

She said while holding her hands up.

“You might either be absolutely angry or you might have immense pity towards me. If it’s later, which I hope it is...don’t worry about me. I enjoyed my life to the fullest, all thanks to you. Even when I had no one to turn towards when my friend started carrying secrets behind my back...you were there, you were the light which prevented me from drowning in darkness. So, you don’t have to try to take revenge for me.”

The voice said with a smile on its face.

“Buuuuuttttt~~ I would be lying if I said I was happy with how the situation is. I absolutely detested it...I especially hate the nobles who became the master of William. I mean...how dare they?! With you as the Crown Prince, they actually went behind your back...even if they have the permission of the Emperor. It still counts as treason. But I don’t want your hands to be dyed red with the blood of my awful friends. So, how about we play a game~?”

She said with a playful expression in her eyes.

“A game which will drown their lives in endless misery. Do you know when victory feels the tastiest~? When you beat your opponent at their own game, with the rules they made. That is exactly when you can feel truly great while making your opponent feel the misery in their bones.”

What a frightful lady...is what I thought back then. But what she said is true, this feeling I am having right now, it’s truly addictive.

“For starters, let’s begin with Mr.Smith of the Longe family...that damned Academy. It’s not like I hate it...but since it is somewhere I met your father, I want to start by destroying the root of the cause. Ahem...I apologize if I sound a bit dark. But a situation changes everyone, right?. Anyway, coming back to the academy…”

Then, the late Empress started projecting something on the wall. It was the symbol of the longe family.

“This family doesn’t have any noble title. The ancestor of the Longe family probably declined the title to escape the tax a Ducal family has to pay. Now...how about we start from there...let’s try to lighten the weights of the Longe family’s wallet...alright?”

Finally, shall we start the game you designed for me, Mom?

 **********

On a particular day during the 6 years:

Diana added William 

William: Not again…

Diana: People say that the 31st time is the luckiest

William: I bet my watch saying that the same will happen again.

Diana: Fine...I bet my…

William: Do you even have anything I could benefit from?

Diana: Shut up! Your watch is unique...fine then, I’ll bet my phone. It too is the only one in the world.

William: Hehe...I’m waiting for it.

Diana added Camilla

Camilla: You’re gonna regret it again Diana.

Diana: As a mother, you should support me, Mom.

Camilla: sigh...Guess today’s dinner is going to be silent again.

William: True!! I’m leaving the palace today. It’s gonna be too tense!! Dad’s gonna be pissed off and sad again~

Diana: You guys are exaggerating.

William: I’m recording my screen. I’ll show it to you next month when you do the same thing again.

Diana: Tch

Camilla: Don’t click your tongue...as a princess, do learn some manners.

Diana added Arthur

Arthur: …

Diana: Please don’t do it!!

Arthur: I could say the same thing to you.

Diana: I won’t, I swear!!

Camilla, William: I’m pretty sure you will do it though.

Diana: Nooo!! I won’t!! Even I learn from my mistakes.

Arthur: Sigh...fine I’ll stay if you don’t do it again.

Diana: Thank god!!

Arthur: so...what are you all doi-

Diana added Augustus

Diana: …

Camilla: …

William: ;)))

Arthur left

Augustus: …

Augustus left

Camilla: Better luck next time, sweetie.

Camilla left.

William: Hahahaha...I am waiting for my new phone, Diana!!!

William left.

Diana: Sighhh...Why do I torture myself?

Diana left