Chapter 3: Entrance Ceremony
This country is under occupation.
It’s the Aasgard Empire, a vast nation that controls nearly half the world.
In other words, it’s an empire with nobles, royalty, and an emperor.
I don’t remember the exact historical context, but Japan was occupied with lightning speed.
Japan’s Self-Defense Forces are among the best in the world.
However, that’s in the real world; in this world, there are KOGs.
Tanks? They’re no match for KOGs.
The invasion capabilities of giant, flying knights are immeasurable.
KOGs aren’t indiscriminate weapons of mass destruction, but tactical weapons, and they are indeed exceptional instruments of invasion.
Japan was invaded.
That’s already in the past, but as a result, the name “Japan” was taken away, and this country became a colony of the Aasgard Empire.
That was the setting.
It was just a story in a game.
But in this world, it’s reality.
“Well, I’m going now. Be careful next time, you perverted idiot, Mitsurugi-kun.”
“Yeah, thanks, Kaguya.”
“D-Don’t call me by my first name!”
“Ah, sorry. Kaguya.”
“Hmph!”
Kaguya, her face flushed, turned on her heel and walked away.
“Kaguya… she was cute…”
Kenyya thought, watching her back.
Since he’d been calling her Kaguya every day, it felt strange to call her Kurokami-san now, so he’d just stick with Kaguya. If possible, he wanted her to call him Kenyya, so maybe he’d ask her next time.
◇Kaguya’s Perspective
“What is with that guy!”
Kaguya, who had been hugged by a member of the opposite sex for the first time, was flustered and her heart was pounding.
And to be called by her first name so casually.
“Thinking about it makes me angry… but he was looking straight at the royalty…”
The royalty.
The rulers who control this world.
The Second Prince, Lord, is said to be very eccentric and compassionate.
Even so, they are royalty, the rulers.
A resident of a colony who doesn’t bow their head before them could be cut down without question, and no one could complain.
In the first place, there are no laws to judge royalty, so they could be killed just because they were disliked.
Yet, he looked straight at them.
“For us Japanese, royalty are the enemy. And an object of fear…”
Kaguya decided to keep Mitsurugi Kenyya in mind.
Was he an idiot, or was he a big deal?
The fact that he was a pervert was already confirmed in Kaguya’s mind.
“Maybe he could be an ally…”
She thought that he might be able to help with Kaguya’s goals.
(Huh?)
At that moment, Kaguya remembered being called by her name.
“Did I say my name?”
◇Kenyya’s Perspective
The entrance ceremony was held on the grounds.
But the grounds weren’t for sports.
They were a training ground with many KOGs lined up around it.
“Wow, they’re really moving.”
Several KOGs were lined up around the area, probably for the entrance ceremony.
Next to them, upperclassmen who seemed to be pilots were standing next to the KOGs’ faces, waving.
There were about 300 students entering in total.
About 200 blonde students in front, probably Aasgard Empire citizens.
The race that ruled this country sat in chairs.
And behind them, a group of about 100 black-haired people, probably Japanese, like us.
The race that was ruled in this country stood and listened.
It was clearly discrimination, or maybe it was to make us understand the hierarchy.
A man stepped onto the platform in front of the students.
The surroundings buzzed; he was a celebrity.
I knew him too, the Empire’s First Spear.
He was called the War God, respected by the Aasgard Army, and feared by other countries.
A veteran warrior of the Empire, a top-class KOG pilot.
He was a very popular, handsome middle-aged man, even as a KOG character.
I think he was in his late 30s.
He was a stern, dandy old man, a muscular, THE soldier who showed no signs of aging.
“Greetings, everyone! I am Zeke Sylphid, the head of this Ward 13 Special District Military Training School and the representative of the Ward 13 Special District Garrison.”
Ward 13 Special District, they didn’t say the name Japan, they wouldn’t let us say it, that was the rule for the countries occupied by the Empire.
It was a measure to make us forget the country called Japan.
“I evaluate based on ability. I use what I can. I use the strong, even if they are Second-Class. So, Second-Class Aasgard Empire Citizens, do your best.”
Second-Class Aasgard Empire Citizen.
This was honestly an unfamiliar term.
I’d look it up later.
The entrance ceremony ended without incident.
There were some unfamiliar words, but I didn’t memorize all the settings, so it couldn’t be helped.
It was like knowing a character from a certain street fighter game, but not knowing the details of each character’s settings.
After the entrance ceremony, we immediately moved on to class assignments.
Looking at my admission certificate, it said Class E.
I went to the class as directed and opened the door.
And there.
“Kaguya!”
“Don’t come near me, pervert.”
Kaguya was sitting in a seat as a classmate.
There were probably about 30 people in a class.
It was more like a university than a school, with the teacher’s desk at the bottom.
“Alrighty then.”
“Huh? Why are you sitting next to me!”
“Nice to meet you! I’m Mitsurugi Kenyya, nice to meet you!”
“Even if you greet me with such a straight face, I won’t forget what happened…”
I tried to give a refreshing greeting to change my first impression, but it didn’t seem to work.
Kaguya looked at me with a bored, jaded expression.
“Let’s get along, we’re both Japanese.”
“I don’t know if you’re an idiot or what, but it’s better not to use the word ‘Japan’ here. It’s a punishable offense.”
“Just for saying Japan? No way…”
“What are you? Were you in cold sleep or something?”
“There’s a lot I don’t know, so I’d like you to teach me.”
“Why me? That’s a pain.”
With that, Kaguya turned away.
As expected of the Tsundere Princess. She wouldn’t open her heart so easily.
Kaguya being tsundere was cute.
Kenyya, returning to his otaku self, smiled as he gazed at her profile.
Then, surrounded by his entourage, he came.
A black-haired student, probably Japanese, stood up and knelt.
(I guess I should do it too…)
“You can relax, and it will hinder future classes and training. Kneeling is exempt within this school.”
Lord told the students.
“Be grateful, Second-Class!”
The entourage made a fuss, telling them to be grateful for the royalty’s grace.
The former Japanese raised their faces and took their seats.
“Hey, Kaguya. What’s with this Second-Class thing?”
“Huh? You really don’t know anything, how have you been living? You can just look it up on that device.”
Then Kaguya pointed to the KOG Device she had placed on the desk.
(It has a search function…)
“Thanks!”
Kenyya looked it up.
The UI was almost the same as in the original world, so it wasn’t too difficult to use.
“Let’s see… Second-Class is… search.”
There, an inhumane law established by the Empire was displayed.
At the top of this Aasgard Empire was, of course, the 98th Emperor, Aasgard Orgord.
And then the two princes and one princess called royalty.
Next were the nobles.
There were dukes and counts, etc.
This was probably the same system as in medieval Europe.
These were the special beings.
And next were the First-Class Aasgard Empire Citizens.
These were the so-called ordinary people, who were given basic human rights and freedom.
And then there were the Second-Class Aasgard Empire Citizens.
These were people who could become Second-Class if they became soldiers or contributed to the Empire.
Second-Class citizens were allowed to marry each other, and they were given certain rights.
And then there were the Third-Class Aasgard Empire Citizens.
This was tragic.
They were mainly the people of the invaded countries, judged to be unworthy of becoming Second-Class.
They were not given freedom of occupation and had to do the work given to them by the Empire.
And they were not given the freedom to marry or have children.
“This is… like slavery.”
Kenyya learned a part of this world.
And in order to become a First-Class Aasgard Empire Citizen, one of your parents had to be a First-Class Aasgard Empire Citizen.
In other words, a world system that was heading straight for elitism.
Anyone living in the Aasgard Empire aimed to become First-Class.
As a result, the blood of the survivors of the invaded countries would become diluted.
A country is its people, and if you truly want to rule, you need to plant the people, just like the word colony.
That’s why they were trying to eradicate the Japanese blood in this country.
Understanding that fact, Kenyya felt pain in his heart as he imagined the treatment the Japanese had received.
Kenyya sighed as he looked at the KOG Device.
But the classroom became noisy, and he had to raise his face.
“Hey, is that the Ice Princess?”
“Seriously, that long silver hair must be her.”
“S-She’s beautiful. Her beauty is as rumored…”
A girl entered the classroom.
Her silver hair, which reached her waist, was wavy and flowed to one side.
Her nape was visible, and it was very sexy.
Her skin was white, and yet her chest was large, making her rather voluptuous.
And yet, her eyes, like emotionless ice, shone blue.
Her proportions were outstanding.
I know the name of the girl who walks with a straight posture, like a model.
Zeke Sylphid, the top of the Imperial Army stationed in this country, who is also the principal, and is known as the War God.
The young lady of the Sylphid Estate.
The top-class female Knight in the world of KOG, known as the Silver Ice Princess.
“Reina…”
She was the second Heroine that Kenyya had to protect.