Harem Sync: Divine Edition-Chapter 69: The Price of Education

The Imperial Academy’s Registration Office was located in a three-story administrative building in the Commercial District, its gray stone facade bearing an engraved symbol above the door: an open book with a crossed sword.

The bureaucracy was absurd.

They entered and found enormous lines snaking through the main hall, dozens of people waiting, some for hours it seemed. Three service counters, but only two were open. The third had a sign: "break."

The employee at the active counter was a woman in her forties, her hair tied in a tight bun, glasses perched on the tip of her nose, an expression of someone who had stopped caring about life a decade ago.

Because of Isabela’s house’s priority, they didn’t even wait in line. When they reached the front, the employee didn’t even look up, just pushed a form.

"Name. Age. Intended specialization. Next."

"Wait," Haru tried.

"Form. Fill out. Return. Next."

After another twenty minutes filling out paperwork and waiting for the clerk to process it, she finally explained the system in a monotone voice.

"Haru Mizuki and Isabela Valtherion... enrollments already reserved and paid in advance by employment contract with the Valtherion household."

"So my father has already taken care of everything?" exclaimed Isabela.

"It’s normal that there are many people here..." Haru thought, looking at the line behind them, "...but few of them actually enter the Academy."

The clerk stamped the papers. "Done. You can pick up your uniforms and materials the week you start. Next..."

"Great!" Kira said, relieved. "Then we’re all set!"

"Nothing’s set!" Haru retorted, turning to the clerk again. "And how about enrolling two more people?"

The clerk sighed as if it were a personal insult. "Names of the people?"

"Kira..." Haru began.

"NO!" Kira cut him off, tugging at his sleeve. "Master, I don’t need to study! I know how to track, hunt, fight, what more do I need!?"

"You need to know how to read properly!" Haru retorted. "And write! And basic math!"

"I know how to count to one hundred!"

"And after one hundred?"

"...I don’t need numbers bigger than one hundred."

"KIRA!"

"MASTER!"

The line behind them began to complain, angry murmurs, someone shouting "GO ARGUE OUTSIDE!"

Kira looked desperately at Isabela. "Redhead, help!"

Isabela didn’t quite know what to do, looking between the two. "I... well... education is important, Kira, but..."

"SHUT UP!" A man shouted from the line. "We’ve been waiting for two hours already!"

Isabela turned slowly with that expression Haru knew so well, eyes narrowing, an aura of aristocratic superiority exploding.

"Shut up, you charcoal seller! Do you know who you’re talking to?" Her voice was cold and sharp. "I’m Valtherion. If you want to complain, you can go to my father and..."

The man immediately turned pale, lowering his head. "S-sorry, miss."

Haru remembered how Isabela had treated him at the beginnin, garrogant, distant, superior. He realized: "Isabela isn’t just arrogant with people she knows... she’s arrogant with people she doesn’t know. It’s only different after she gets to know the person."

"Papa... what about me?!" Yukihime tugged at Haru’s pants, her eyes shining hopefully.

Haru crouched down to her level. "You’re going to school. Stay there."

She returned to the counter where the clerk waited with the patience of a stone.

"Registration for two people," Haru said firmly. "Kira and Yukihime."

The clerk consulted the chart. "Ages?"

"Seventeen and... six, I think..."

"Those under eighteen need mandatory boarding. Registration: 50 silver coins per person. Boarding: 50 silver coins per person per semester."

Haru did a quick mental calculation.

"Kira: 100 silver coins total. Yukihime: 100 silver coins total." Paused. "Plus teaching materials: 20 silver coins each. Uniform: 15 silver coins each."

Kira: 100 + 20 + 15 = 135 silver coins

Yukihime: 100 + 20 + 15 = 135 silver coins

TOTAL: 270 silver coins

Haru had: 200 silver coins from his personal guard advance.

They just watched, Kira and Isabela standing behind him, Yukihime sitting on the ground drawing in the air with a stick she had brought.

"Tell the master to stop, redhead." Kira whispered.

"He’s your master... you say it." Isabela whispered back.

"But my master is your bodyguard, so you’re his mistress... go on, redhead, just say it!" Kira really didn’t want to study, despair growing in her voice.

Haru remained silent, processing, then took a deep breath.

"NO." he said firmly. "Everyone will study."

Isabela watched, still with a lingering suspicion, but seeing his human side, seeing him spending the little money he had on education for two people who technically weren’t his responsibility.

Haru pulled out his coin purse, counted out the 200 coins, and paid half right there for the initial registration.

The paperwork clerk took the money, stamped documents, and handed papers to Kira and Yukihime to sign.

Kira picked up the pen with a trembling hand, looking at the paper as if it were a death sentence.

When it was Yukihime’s turn, the clerk stopped.

"A child under thirteen needs a registered legal guardian."

Haru blinked. "Legal guardian?"

"Officially recognized guardian. Without that, you can’t enroll." The woman sighed. "If it’s not the child’s father. Solution: official adoption."

Haru didn’t think twice. "Where do I sign?"

The clerk pulled out a different form. "Adoption processing fee: 100 bucks."

Haru took the paper and signed without hesitation.

"Instead of paying full tuition, I’ll pay for the adoption papers first."

The woman asked for more information: home address for inspections, proof of income, references.

Then she warned: "There’s a better chance of approval when the person adopting the child is an established couple."

Haru turned her head slowly, looking at Isabela and Kira who were talking quietly.

"I’m sure this is going to be one of those things they do..." Isabela thought.

Kira saw Haru’s look, that calculating look that always meant trouble, and nodded, knowing what was coming.

Haru walked over to the two with papers in hand.

She handed one to Isabela, another to Kira.

"We’ll be married for a while."

"WHAT!!!?" They both shouted simultaneously.

"And we need to buy a house."

"HAAMM!!?"

Haru said this with complete nonchalance, as if he were commenting on the weather.

"Why so surprised!?" He looked at Isabela. "Just use that ring of yours to buy it."

Isabela pulled Haru’s mouth with both hands, stretching his cheeks.

"DAMN BIG MOUTH!" She yelled in his face. "Do you think money is infinite!? My father will ask questions, and what the hell am I going to answer!? HE’LL KILL ME!"

On the other side, Kira was crying, reading the registration paper Haru had brought, tears dripping onto the parchment.

"IT’S FOR YUKIHIME!" Haru shouted, his mouth still being pulled. "For the love of..."

The entire line watched the scene with a mixture of confusion and amusement.

...

Moments later they were in a beautiful house on the edge of the Commercial District, two stories, three bedrooms, spacious living room, functional kitchen, small backyard.

The real estate agent, a lively man in his fifties, had barely finished talking about the advantages of the location when Haru said:

"Sold." His cheeks were red from being pinched so much.

The agent blinked. "Seriously? You didn’t even..."

"Sold. How much?"

"...500 bucks down, 50 bucks a month of..."

Isabela sighed heavily, took off her ring, and stamped the magical contract the agent presented.

"Debit of Valtherion household." She said through gritted teeth.

The agent accepted radiantly. "Wonderful! You can move in tomorrow!"

Kira arrived complaining loudly.

"Master! I don’t know what to put where it says profession!" She showed the registration form. "I don’t even have money for..."

Haru wanted to say something, but the broker excitedly interrupted:

"Ah! A profession! If you need quick income, there’s the Adventurer’s Guild in the Commercial District!"

Haru froze.

He turned slowly to the broker. "Guild...?"

"Ooohhhh! The Adventurer’s Guild!" Haru’s eyes shone like a child remembering a toy store.

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[NEW OBJECTIVE ADDED]

◊ Register with Adventurer’s Guild

◊ Earn money

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