The trip to the mansion near Clearwater Academy took about four hours. Clearwater academy was an academy on top of a hill in the southernmost part of Dionde City. The hill was protected by Grand Duchy, because the hill was owned by his duchy. In fact, Grand Duchy Stormhill was the sole investor for Clearwater Academy for a long time until last two years of instability. The royal golden family decided to interfere with the academy and put their own investment, thus, revamping the system and replacing few senior staffs.

            It was to put a dent to Grand Duchy, because a duchy with absolute power of the youth would be threatening for the golden family sovereignty.

            ‘And royal family still said that we’re blood related, how funny.’

            ‘What kind of family would hurt each other? I doubt my mother would hurt them, yet, they tried to ruin Grand Duchy over and over.’

            Aster remembered that he saw one of the aces in Clearwater Academy whom he had his eyes on, suddenly working in golden palace when he was in captivity. It shocked him because Aster was the one who recommended him and fund all his study and basic needs, yet, he decided to betray him and work with royal family instead.

            ‘No, he didn’t betray me. He was obviously devoted to my duchy, but he had no choice but to accept royal family invitation. Grand Duchy Stormhill had two years of incumbent because of my fault, and now my duchy has to pray the price.’

            The mansion near Clearwater Academy wasn’t spacious, but it has all the necessary requirement for him. Two master bedrooms, five smaller rooms and plenty of rooms for servants and guards. It was made entirely of high-quality wood, which made it sturdy even after a decade since it was built.

            Aster immediately walked to the office and read the document he had requested. The data of Clearwater Academy freshmen and graduates, after reading the freshmen and read their origins, Aster slammed the table.

            “Who allowed these people to enroll!” Aster roared. This was just short report, Aster was afraid that Clearwater Academy had been littered with corruption and nepotism. The academy was meant to be the gate for poor people who were smart to continue studying, and also for nobles, for them to get better connections with each other.

            But this, when he saw the enrollment, there were few wastes of people who were rich, but not capable enough to study. Yet, they were accepted.

            Aster called Jain and said, “We will inspect Clearwater Academy tomorrow morning! This is ridiculous.”

            “Yes, Young Lord.” Jain replied. He saw grim expression of his master and asked, “Young Lord, may this subordinate know what made you irritated?”

            Aster glared and replied, “Because they ruined the academy that has been painstakingly worked by my family.”

            “They?”

            “The royal family, they had been targeting the academy for a while, because of my captivity, I couldn’t even check the freshmen enrollment!” Aster roared again. “Especially for this year enrollment, there is a pair of siblings that shouldn’t be here. Mariette and Tuskan!”

            Jain seemed to catch who these pair of siblings were. Which made him surprised, because these two people shouldn’t be in Clearwater Academy, no, they shouldn’t be in Golden Camellia at all.

            ‘Who invited them in?’

            After Aster calmed down, he ordered Jain out and gazed at the stack of documents in the table, he vowed to his beloved house.

            ‘My duchy, I will protect you.’

***

            Aster looked from inside the carriage, the Clearwater Academy main hall was still the same. A spacious hall with white pillars surrounding it, there were students who wore the uniform of the academy, black suit with starched collar for the male and female had black or blue blazer with white shirt and high waisted, knee-length skirt. Both had academy pin on their chests.

            The academy pin had slight difference, one stay meant they were freshmen or junior, two stars meant they were sophomore, and three stars meant they were senior who were about to graduate. Aster nodded in satisfaction, at least their uniform hadn’t changed.

            The dean waited for Aster patiently. Aster said that he didn’t want a party just for a visit.  Thus, the student council president didn’t prepare anything but to keep the safety of this Young Lord. Aster raised his head and raised one eyebrow before he chuckled.

            “You are Esther, right?”

            Esther who had been expecting Young Lord Aster smiled and bowed respectfully to him, “Yes, Young Lord, my name is Esther Yvette, I will be the guide for your tour today.”

            Aster recalled the first time he met Esther was during his seventeenth birthday. She was shy and her hands trembled so much because of nervousness.

            “How could you become student council president? You looked so nervous back then.”

            Esther’s face twitched, in fact, her leg was still shaking right now. But once she was told that Young Lord of Grand Duchy would come and inspect the academy, she tried to fight her nervousness by staring at Aster’s painting in dean office every day, so she wouldn’t die by that unhuman appearance. The dean office and staff office had Aster’s painting in line with Charles painting as Crown Prince.

            Everybody knew that Aster was the real chairman of Clearwater Academy since he was twelve, but he became inactive for two years and during that inactivity, people from royal family went in and challenged Grand Duchy’s sovereignty in this academy.

            At first, the staffs and senior students tried to fight, but when the royal threatened the staff with their sword, and the senior students with letter of weight. They were silenced.

            Esther was one of the senior students who still remembered about Aster’s status as chairman and how hard he worked to develop this academy. Thus, she had admiration to this young man who was about the same age as her.

            ‘To be able to lead and manage an academy at such young age, it’s amazing.’

            “Sir, please follow me, I will guide you around the Clearwater Academy.”

            “Hm.” Aster nodded and followed Esther who toured him around the academy, from the main hall, dormitory, classrooms, teachers and professors’ room, public facilities, et cetera. It was very similar from two years ago. Nothing had changed, although, when he checked the list of administrative staffs, there were definitely many shifts and switches.

            “How about the student council?” Aster asked while he was following Esther to the principal office.

            “Student council? As far as I observe, nothing has changed, sir,” Esther replied.

            Aster realized something suddenly. He squinted his eyes suspiciously towards Esther.

            ‘This girl, has been the student council president for a year. How could a second princess from a non-political house able to become the president?’

            To be the student council president in Clearwater Academy was required to be extremely intelligent and backed with important status. Esther had noble status, but her status definitely wasn’t enough for this.

            Aster recalled the fact that nothing had changed for two years in student council’s system. The council didn’t have a member from Roagelt city, the capital of Golden Camellia.

            ‘Does the council stay the same… or she returned the council to its original state after she held in power?”

            Aster frowned.

            ‘This girl isn’t simple.’