Insignificant Emily and the Intellectual Idiots

Chapter 4

I didn’t call them idiots at first. I’m not uncultured enough that I go around calling people I just met idiots. Well, before I died, I did call some people I had never met idiots. That was because of some online articles I read—but that was justified. Anyway, you’ll find out soon enough why I call them idiots. I know because I found out much later.

Before introducing you to the idiots, let me tell you more about Lefern’s Second Academy. All the students here live in the dormitory. Of course, we don’t have any limitations on students like Lefern’s Third Academy does. We can wander around the grounds, and nobody bats an eye if we don’t return. As long as you don’t die—dying is not permitted. You can’t die and revive yourself, either.

Wait, but killing is okay. Isn’t this world crazy? I can’t believe you’re allowed to kill people—one of the perks of being nobility. Of course, just because you’re allowed to kill someone doesn’t mean you’re spared from a trial. Even nobles can be put on trial and sentenced to years in prison for killing people. However, the sentence is usually reduced, as insulting a noble is a crime that applies to dead people too.

That isn’t right. Has the caste system always been like this? The lower you are, the worse you’re treated. Whoever said that fantasy was a fantasy? Anyone in their right mind would go bonkers in this world—I am, even though I’m in a noble’s body.

I’m starting to get worried about the Earthlings who have been relocated without consent to this world due to God’s negligence. Ah, but there probably isn’t anyone like that. It makes me feel better, thinking that I’m a rare case.

Lefern’s Second Academy is divided into roughly two sections, not by gender, but by rank. Students who are counts or higher in rank have their own rooms, while lower and foreign nobility share rooms. I heard the counts and higher nobles often interact with Lefern’s First Academy. You could say that this place makes history. Nobles interact with one another as students—birds of a feather and such (talk about old-school ties). That’s how it works in this world too. No, that’s how it literally works in this world.

While our classes are held in separate buildings, we share the library and cafeteria. Luckily, Lefern’s Second Academy is pretty small. I heard that the Grandier Academy has nine cafeterias. Why do they have so many? Exactly how big is Grandier? I’ll have to visit sometime. Anyway, I follow Agatha to the shared cafeteria.

There are four educated and smart academy students. They’re handsome—I think. Actually, I’m not sure, but two of them are pretty good-looking. Yes, at least half of them are attractive. They are the most handsome people I’ve seen since I came here. Birds of a feather, huh? I see this is where all the birds are gathered. The other two are pretty average, though.

Agatha Llewellyn is the only girl in their group, which means she is also an idiot. I didn’t realize until the following semester that these five people were the elites of Lefern’s Second Academy—not that it really matters.

Anyway, they all seem to have different majors because they all hold different books. Aren’t you all elites from prominent noble families? Why do you have to study? Man, this world—how wonderful. I guess everyone has to study, but I want to break free from those restraints.

“Say hello, everyone. This is Emily Ritibel, Miss Amnesia of the astronomy department,” Agatha says. Miss Amnesia is my nickname—it stuck once people around the school discovered I’d lost my memory. Agatha continues, “These are brilliant elites of our academy, though they’re not as good as me.”

“Hello, elites who aren’t as good as Agatha,” I say, politely echoing her words. I don’t think I made a good first impression.

I’ll introduce everyone eventually, but this is a historic moment. To me, at least. These people will all make a name for themselves later. Of course, there are some people who never will. It can’t be helped. He didn’t have a major that would make him famous. He studied a field that was hard to get a job in, like me. However, he wouldn’t have to worry about making ends meet because he’s from an affluent family, like a bohemian bourgeois. You can study whatever you want if you have a lot of money.

At that time, when I didn’t know anything, I wished he would be blessed by the god of this world. Who was I worried about? That was such a stupid wish. Anyway, if you have any hope for these academy elites, I will show you now, and I will devote myself to smashing your dreams to pieces. Of course, this will take time.

I calmly look at the elites of Lefern’s Second Academy. The most brilliant person here is Agatha Llewellyn, who makes that claim. Agatha’s family, the Llewellyns, are said to be the descendants of the Lord of the Mage Tower in the North. Of course, the Mage Tower now operates as an association, but the president is always a Llewellyn. Everyone said that’s impressive, but I don’t know yet. After all, I’ve only been in this world for three years. You might say that’s enough time to get used to this place, but it’s absolutely not.

It wasn’t ever made clear why Agatha was at Lefern’s Second Academy in Belifera, instead of staying in the Northern Continent, which was famous for magic. She could’ve even gone to the Grandier Academy in Ludwig. The important thing is that Agatha is chewing us all up in Lefern’s Second Academy. She’s the head of the class.

Aren’t you curious how Agatha and I ended up sharing the same dorm room? Well…

“Agatha. Please tell Miss Amnesia that her greeting was rude,” someone says.

That’s because Emily was also at the top of her class. I’m sorry, Emily. You’ll be shocked when you get back. I’m probably getting in the way of your future career, but it’s all right.

This is Emily’s life, but it’s my life too. Who can say anything when I’m ruining my own life? I’m not going to listen to anyone other than Emily. It doesn’t matter what Baron and Baroness Ritibel and Emily’s older brother, Callum, say. Emily Ritibel is the only one who can insult me.

“Yeah. Seems like she lost her manners along with her memories,” another person says.

I don’t know their names, so I can’t tell you who is who. Just pretend that one of the good-looking ones and one of the average ones are talking.

Agatha turns to me.

“That’s what they say.”

“Yeah, I know. I was just trying to be witty,” I say with a smile.

I’m met with silence. Truly, I was just trying to be witty. If anything, the handsome guy is being rude. Lost my manners? The greatest insult for a noble is talking about their manners. He basically gave me the biggest insult he could, and I immediately understood.

Admittedly, it took me a bit of thought. In this world, people use different languages depending on their station in life. There are groups of people who don’t realize what is rude or not. Then you have your classists, who claim that it’s not an insult to call these groups uncivilized because the concept wouldn’t even exist in their language. Those would be your counts, marquises, dukes, and royalty. I doubt we’d have royalty here, though.

“Whitley,” Agatha says, relaying what I said. Even if she doesn’t relay my words, everyone here knows.

At some point, the silence becomes chilly. These gentlemen clearly don’t have a sense of humor. No, wait. This is my fault. Of course, they wouldn’t understand this high-level joke. Humor is hard to understand. Anyway, I try to save the situation by grabbing my skirt and giving a little curtsy, like I see in comics.

“My deepest apologies if I have been rude, kind sirs.”

Suddenly, Agatha bursts out laughing, clapping her hands. Unfortunately, I have no idea why she is laughing or why these men are looking at me in shock. I wonder if I disrespected them in some way. Maybe it’s because I’m just standing here, but one of the seated people speaks.

“Don’t worry about it, Emily Ritibel,” he says disinterestedly.

I know I’m not the smartest, but even I noticed some things in the brief period I lived with the nobility. Perhaps what I said was a little too courtly.

“To what do we owe the pleasure, Lady Emily?” The man continues to speak in that courtly tone. Agatha is wheezing over a chair now. I would learn later that the man who spoke was Oscar Bram.

“I simply wish to know why the earth spins, not the heavens. Are you a wise man who can tell me the answer?”

Oscar Bram is a student from the Department of History and someone who will become very close to me in the future—and not in a weird way, but as a friend. There is one reason why we became friends. He’s the guy I was talking about—the one who will have trouble finding a job in the future. There aren’t many positions for historians, and he has no use for his major.

After I speak, everyone turns to Agatha. I can tell she relishes the looks on their faces, but I don’t know why.

“She’s here just for that?”

“How did she get into the astronomy department? Isn’t this common sense?”

“Agatha, if you didn’t want to tell her, you could’ve just said that.”

At the time, I thought these guys were just being jerks. Anyway, their words are all like daggers to my heart. I know why the ground spins—it’s hard to explain. I know it’s common sense, but that’s why it’s hard to explain. How do you prove something that’s common sense?! It’s common sense!

“She probably just wanted to introduce Miss Amnesia of the astronomy department to us,” someone else says.

Of course, some people can prove common sense. They just need research and investigations to prove it. However, I’m not a researcher or an investigator. Maybe the real Emily Ritibel is, but I’m not.

I eventually discover why the ground spins—not that these guys are any help. My question is, why did Agatha introduce me to them?