The Academy and University are national educational institutions owned by the Solus Empire. They were established with a vision and mission to empower civilization, develop technology with the concept of community prosperity, and improve quality of life.
These educational institutions have independent authority over knowledge. As long as they remain within the Administrative Authority, the right to knowledge will be guaranteed and protected to the fullest extent. Even radical ideas are protected.
However, this independent authority only applies within the Academy and University. If any member disseminates radical opinions to the public, it becomes the individual's responsibility. In other words, it may be subject to legal action if deemed a threat to the sovereignty of the Solus Empire.
The right to publish ideas and opinions to the public is held by the University, and must be directly approved by the Emperor before implementation. This is a concrete manifestation of the knowledge doctrine enforced by the Solus Empire.
This provision applies not only to Jann and Almiah but also to all vassal states under the Solus Empire. It is binding and serves to monitor radical movements within society.
Unlike other government institutions, the Academy and University do not uphold a caste system based on lineage. As long as one possesses the necessary capabilities and has been recognized by the institution, the background of members will not be questioned.
The hierarchy of administrators is determined based on their contributions to the institution, which also applies to students and teachers. It is applied equally to maximize performance.
Setting aside their function of monitoring society, Academies and Universities are ordinary educational institutions. They prioritize students, scholars, and administrators. They place more importance on education than politics or government conspiracies.
Therefore, all members of the institution have absolute freedom of speech. They can debate and freely criticize the government, then innovate without pressure from other parties. A free environment for the educated. .
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The cafeteria is always the busiest place during lunch break. It is filled with students from the first to third years, and even some teachers and administrators join the queue.
They can order food through the automatic machine available in the corner of the cafeteria. The machine is mounted on the wall, made of alloy metal, and has a touchscreen with various menu options.
After inserting the Data Cube into the scanner, the transaction process is conducted automatically. It begins with checking the individual account to ensure asset availability, then matching it with the database to complete the purchase.
A payment receipt is issued after the transaction is successful, and the order can be picked up at the counter indicated on the ticket.
However, they must queue again. Crowding together with growling stomachs, some students even give up and opt for bread as an alternative.
Unlike the students, teachers enjoy a slight advantage when queuing. They can collect their order tickets outside peak hours and are prioritized first to choose their seats.
That's why, while students are still crowding in line, most teachers have already secured seats and started enjoying their lunch. They chat casually with colleagues, sharing teaching experiences or discussing research topics.
Like the other teachers, Korwa was already seated and ready to enjoy her spicy seaweed soup. However, she immediately put down her spoon when she saw Shamar and Irina approaching.
They casually placed their trays on the table, then sat across from Korwa while flashing friendly smiles.
"You really like eating near the window, don't you? Me too…"
Irina looked out the window, then widened she sour smile and held her breath for a moment. There were dozens of floating buildings, students and teachers coming and going, and the vast expanse of open sea dominating the view.
It looked so blue and peaceful, but it was incredibly boring to her eyes. She felt sick of the government's system, wanting to be free from the constraints of rules and customs.
Unfortunately, she could only sigh and bow her head. Unable to bring about any change to the situation.
"Why are you sitting here?" Korwa furrowed his brow, immediately clicking her tongue in annoyance and sighing restlessly. "Uwah, why are you suddenly so melancholic? Are you leaking?"
"Akh—! Seriously?" Irina was slightly startled. She slowly turned her head, then began to frown as she said, "Can't you at least speak more properly?"
"Organize?" Korwa sighed irritably, rolled her eyes, and began eating the still-warm soup. After swallowing the seaweed, the woman with bright purple hair glanced at them and said, "I don't need your comments…"
"By the way, Korwa…" Shamar tried to change the subject. She placed the bowl of fish and seaweed soup from the tray onto the table, then sprinkled the masala salt available on the table. "Aren't you going to the meeting? I heard there was a meeting with the principal earlier?" the man with bright blue hair asked in surprise.
"No, he suddenly had urgent business…" Korwa stopped eating lunch and put down his spoon. After drinking some water and clearing his throat, she looked at them again and said, "He said there will be an important guest visiting tomorrow. The discussion of my scientific article has been postponed until the day after tomorrow."
"An important guest?" Shamar was a little curious. He briefly placed his hand on his chin, then turned his gaze away and muttered, "An inspection from Jann? Lately, there have been a lot of radical ideas being spread among the public! They might be coming to inspect the principal."
"I don't think it's an inspection. It is a transmission from Jann, but it's not from the government or the ombudsman…" Korwa shrugged briefly, then continued eating his lunch and added, "It's from the university there. They said there are students who want to visit here."
"Students?" Irina was curious too, narrowing her eyes slightly and thinking. Considering the political turmoil currently unfolding in Almiah, she couldn't guess the purpose of the visit. "Isn't that risky? If there's a case involving Jann residents, our government could be blamed. Especially if they're still students…"
"Irina's right; the political situation in Almiah is turbulent." Shamar nodded in agreement. The topic of conversation had dampened his appetite; he quickly put down his spoon and scratched his head. He briefly sharpened his gaze, then placed both hands on the table and said, "Besides, lately Mist's activities have been increasing due to climate change. It could be dangerous if they suddenly attack him while he's here."
"Is the situation that bad? Don't you regularly reduce their population?" Korwa also lost her appetite. She quickly put down her spoon, stopped eating the soup, and took a deep breath. "Ah, you're involved in the Triad's political issues, aren't you? Which tribe do you support? Hua? Moa? Or perhaps Nor?" she asked to confirm.
"Al-Miah Hua…" Irina answered anxiously, looking gloomy and depressed. She slowly lowered her head, then sighed uneasily and explained, "As a condition for approving our marriage, my father ordered me to spy—!"
"Ah!! I don't want to hear it! I don't want to!" Korwa immediately interrupted, covering ears and turning her face away. "That's your business! Don't involve me!"
"You're right, I'm sorry…" Irina fell silent, briefly flashing a smile and feeling a little relieved. "I thought you'd be angry after hearing this."
"Hah?! Hear what!? I didn't hear anything!" Korwa pretended not to know, shaking her head quickly and saying, "Don't involve me! I'm sick of politics! I'm done! I swear! I'm done!"
"Ah, if I'm not mistaken…" Shamar smiled in relief. He slightly lowered his eyebrows, then picked up the spoon again and said, "You once sold your research findings to the Nor Tribe, but it ended up almost getting you married to one of their elders' children—"
"Shut up!" Korwa immediately stood up, then pointed the spoon at Shamar's eyes and said, "I'll gouge out your eyes if you mention that again!"
"I-I'm sorry!" Shamar's face paled instantly, trembling with fear and dared not resist. "I-I went too far. That's your dark past, isn't it…"
"Good that you understand!" Korwa lowered the spoon, then sat back down and continued eating the seaweed soup. After reviewing the topic of conversation, he realized something was off. "By the way, isn't that related to politics?"
"That? What do you mean…." Irina tilted her head slightly, furrowed her brow in confusion, and confirmed, "The guest from Jann you were talking about earlier?"
"That's right!" Korwa snapped his fingers. She folded his arms across his chest, then nodded slowly as she said, "Every event is bound by the law of causality! I'm sure they're all connected"
"Ugh, here we go again! Why do you always have to meddle in other people's business?" Shamar sighed immediately, then quickly turned his face away and said, "In the end, I'll be the one affected! You really have a talent for getting involved in problems, don't you…"
"Really?" Korwa blushed. She nodded slowly, then gave a wry smile and joked, "You don't need to praise me…"
"Korwa, that's not a compliment!" Irina frowned, slightly annoyed and wanting to slap her. After taking a deep breath to clear her mind, the woman with bright blue hair immediately tapped her own forehead. "I'm starting to feel stupid for taking this conversation seriously. Please respect our concerns…"
"Okay! I appreciate your feelings, you know." Korwa didn't care about that. She made a circle with her thumb and index finger, then gave a sly smile while asking, "Setting aside your situation and valuing our relationship, can I ask for a favor? Because this is really interesting. It'd be a shame if I didn't join in!"
"No!" Shamar immediately refused. He leaned forward slightly, gave a sharp glance, and said, "As you know, our position is currently vulnerable. If we make a wrong move, we might be labeled as traitors by both tribes!"
"Ugh! So stingy! You'd give the debt right away, but when asked for help, you act so arrogant!" Korwa furrowed her brows, looked down, and quickly turned away. Placing her right hand over her mouth, the purple-haired woman continued, "Even… the debt you owed last month for buying that statue toy—!"
"Alright!" Shamar slammed the table and stood up immediately. His face turned pale, cold sweat poured down, and his body began to tremble. "What do you need, Miss Korwa! I will definitely fulfill it!" the man said anxiously.
"Honey, you owe Korwa again? To buy a toy statue?" Irina's gaze darkened instantly, filled with anger mixed with murderous intent. While supporting her chin with her right hand, the blue-haired woman slowly widened her cold smile and said, "But we're short on money, you know. Last month's electricity and water bills haven't been paid yet…"
"Eh—!" Shamar stepped back, quickly turning his face away and evading, "Who owes money? No, no! Korwa was just joking…"
"No need to lie, my dear." Irina stopped smiling. She placed her right hand on the table, revealing the wedding ring on her ring finger. While gazing warmly, the blue-haired woman continued to ask, "Yesterday I checked your collection and saw one more item in the closet. How much do you think it would sell for?"
"I'm sorry, I do owe Korwa!" Shamar immediately bowed his head, surrendering and submitting. "I truly regret it!" he said loudly.
This briefly caught the attention of the people in the cafeteria. However, they chose to ignore it and continue with their activities. Pretending not to hear and not caring.
"Good then, good boy. You've been honest…" Irina gently took her husband's hand. She asked the burly man to sit back down, then gently stroked his head and said, "Don't do it again, okay. Promise."
"I-I will, Ma'am…"
Shamar trembled in fear, his face growing paler, and cold sweat continued to pour down. His wife's kindness seemed to hint at something terrifying. It made the burly man submit, unable to argue or give any reason.
"Wow, you tamed him well." Korwa continued to tease them. She took a moment to breathe, feeling slightly satisfied after pranking Shamar. 'It feels good…'
"So, Korwa…" Irina didn't take it as a joke. She quickly turned her head, sharpened her gaze, and asked, "How much did my husband borrow?"
"A lot! A lot! If you count from college until now, it's a lot!" Korwa made a circle with her fingers again. Not wanting to reveal her friend's secret any further, the purple-haired woman immediately made another request. "But I'll consider it paid off if you help me!"
"About the guest from Jann? What exactly do you want to do?" Irina sighed deeply. After shaking her head, she anxiously confirmed, "Want to meet him? Wouldn't it be easier to use your rights as a teacher—?"
"That's not it!" Korwa interrupted. She snapped her fingers again, then took the Data Cube from the briefcase on the chair. After placing it on the table, the purple-haired woman began explaining, "I want you to find information about the reason for the guest's arrival? Anything, as long as it can help…"
"Oh, is that all? Really?" Irina was a little surprised that his request was so simple. She looked away for a moment, then remembered her college days and fell into deep thought. "All right, I agree. If it's just information, I can help you."
"Hmm?" Korwa smiled. She pressed the surface of the Data Cube with his index finger, then activated it and opened the projection screen. While accessing her personal account page and digital files, she asked curiously, "You already have the information, right?"
The projection feature resembled grains of sand illuminated by light. It looked somewhat abstract, dominated by blue hues, and had six sides like a cube. It functioned solely as a projection, while the sensor mechanisms and data were stored within the device.
"Before leaving, Father mentioned some information about the guest…" Irina also took out the Data Cube from her handbag. She placed it on the table, activated it, and opened the projection screen. While sorting through the digital files, she said anxiously, "They say he's a very important person, with connections to the government and some nobles in Jann. There are even rumors that he has met the Emperor."
"Does that mean he's a noble?" Korwa was a bit surprised. After opening the data transfer channel, she received several document files from Irina. "He's still very young, isn't he? How did he gain such significant influence in the government? Is it because of his lineage?"
"I don't know, his background is a bit strange. The political influence he has is too great for the son of a City Official." After completing the information transfer, Irina immediately deactivated the Data Cube and stored it in her handbag. She took a moment to catch her breath, then glanced at the table next to her and continued explaining, "Besides, both of his parents are deceased. That student shouldn't have that much authority…"
"It sounds very suspicious…" Korwa glanced over as well. Noticing the strange looks from some of the teachers sitting nearby, she also deactivated the Data Cube and stored it in her briefcase. "Is that information accurate? Who's the source?" the purple-haired woman asked to confirm.
"I think it's fairly accurate; the source is directly from Father…" Irina stopped glancing around. While staring straight ahead and smiling wryly, the blue-haired woman continued to assure them, "Otherwise, how could he have given us this information?"
"So, were you told to investigate that guest? Or…"
Korwa intended to dig deeper for information. Considering Shamar and Irina's situation, he felt they were both hiding something. Related to the political issues in Almiah, or the conspiracy behind the visit of the guest from Jann they were discussing.
"We were asked to monitor the movements of the other tribal chiefs," Irina answered honestly. Rather than letting her friend act recklessly, she chose to reveal information from the Al-Miah Hua tribe. "Additionally, it's likely that the student has the authority to bring someone to Jann."
"Made into a fiancé, huh?" Korwa nodded, understanding the potential problems that could arise from the guest's visit. "Even though he's still a student, he already has that much authority? Scary. The Elders must want to bring their children closer to gain connections," he muttered anxiously. He understood that this could affect the tribal hierarchy in Almiah.
"A political marriage, right?" Shamar spoke up. The burly man glanced at his wife, then wore a somber expression and said, "Something you'd want to avoid at all costs, even if it means giving up your inheritance and being shunned by close relatives…"
"Don't worry, this time it's not me who's being arranged to marry. Besides, I already have you now…" Irina smiled softly, blushing slightly and looking away. Trying to focus, she held her breath for a moment and continued, "To be honest, I'm quite worried about this. Despite his extraordinary profile and achievements, there are many unreasonable rumors surrounding him."
"A visit from Jann isn't unusual, is it?" Korwa tried to lighten the mood. She attempted to appear relaxed, shook her head, and said, "Even though the guest is a Pure Human and has influence in the government, he's still a student."
"That's not what I'm worried about…" Irina held her breath for a moment. She dared not say it aloud, quickly glancing at her husband and asking, "Dear, can you explain it? It's… just a rumor, right?"
"Eh?" Korwa was curious again. She looked at Shamar, then gave her a wry smile as if she were threatening her. "What rumor is that?" he asked in a stern tone.
"I think it's just a rumor…" Shamar lowered his head. He wasn't joking or pretending; he was genuinely showing fear and anxiety. "In some reports I read at the office, that student was once referred to as the Singularity."
"The Singularity? Wait! Isn't that—?"
Korwa was stunned, her face suddenly pale as she forced a grim smile. She held his breath for a moment, then hid his expression with her right hand and sighed irritably. She struggled to control her overflowing emotions, torn between curiosity and fear.
"That's right." Shamar nodded. Understanding the issue at hand, he continued with a worried expression, "That identification was also applied to the Ark Messiah, a figure worshiped by the majority of Almiah's inhabitants as a god…"
"Ah, this is getting more interesting…" Korwa lowered her hand, revealing a satisfied smile as if considering it an opportunity. "If it's true, this will definitely be very interesting. New knowledge will be revealed, history will finally move forward again!"
"History?" Shamar looked confused. "What does it have to do with history?" he asked indifferently.
"Our history seems to have stopped in the Age of Light; there are no major events in the present. Monotonous! However…" Korwa tried to hold back a smile, then shook his head and continued, "I think this will bring about change, whether for better or worse. Something that could alter the stagnant state of the Solus Empire."