Shuchiin Academy is located in Tokyo and occupies a large area.
As one of Japan's most renowned aristocratic schools, Shuchiin Academy has a complete education system.
From kindergarten and elementary school to junior high, high school, and even university, Shuchiin Academy covers almost a person's entire academic life.
Of course, because land prices in Tokyo are extremely expensive, the elementary school and kindergarten share one campus, while the junior high and high school are located on another.
As for the university, Shuchiin Academy University's competitiveness in Japan is not strong. Not to mention comparing it with top universities like Tokyo University and Kyoto University, even compared with schools like Waseda and Keio Gijuku, Shuchiin Academy falls far behind.
The real purpose of Shuchiin Academy University is simply to issue diplomas to the children of aristocrats and powerful families whose academic performance is average and who cannot enter good universities.
At this moment, the junior high and high school divisions of Shuchiin Academy were holding a school-wide assembly.
The school president, Adolf Pescarolo, dressed impeccably, was giving a speech to all the teachers and students.
"Our Shuchiin Academy is one of the oldest schools in Japan, with a history of nearly three hundred years."
"In the year 1700, the Edo shogunate feared the power of Western science, so it established the Gakushuin, which was the predecessor of Shuchiin Academy."
"At the beginning, Shuchiin Academy only allowed the children of aristocrats and samurai to enroll. From that time onward, becoming a student of Shuchiin Academy was a symbol of status."
"However, in modern times, Shuchiin Academy has abandoned those outdated customs. We no longer only recruit from aristocratic and samurai classes, which no longer exist in modern society. Instead, we recruit from society as a whole."
"Under this new system, Shuchiin Academy has kept up with the times and remains one of Japan's most famous prestigious schools."
President Adolf Pescarolo, as usual, first introduced the school's history to inspire pride among the students and strengthen their sense of belonging.
Shirogane Miyuki, a first-year student at Shuchiin Academy High School, sat among his classmates.
He scoffed at the president's words.
However, the president had not mentioned the biggest problem of Shuchiin Academy.
From the very beginning, as a school for aristocrats, it was filled with bribery and backdoor deals.
Even people without the ability to study could enter this prestigious school through such means, receiving elite education and excellent academic qualifications that ordinary people could never obtain.
Even today, this remains Shuchiin Academy's greatest function.
As for the so-called recruitment from society at large?
Well, in modern times science and technology are no longer monopolized by the aristocracy. Knowledge has spread to countless households.
Because the general population is so large, the chances of geniuses appearing among them are much higher.
Shuchiin Academy did not open its doors to commoners because it wanted to keep up with the times. It did so because if it did not recruit from the general public, its university acceptance rate would drop drastically.
Within a few years, the school would collapse.
Miyuki was a new student who entered the school through the public entrance examination.
His deviation score exceeded 77, which was the basic requirement for Shuchiin Academy to recruit commoner students.
Even though he knew this school was actually humiliating to commoners like him, Miyuki still chose Shuchiin Academy without hesitation.
Besides the fact that he could genuinely receive a better education here, the main reason was that the school waived all of his tuition fees.
For the financially struggling Shirogane family, this was the most attractive benefit.
However, after arriving at Shuchiin Academy, Miyuki began to regret it. He would rather work part-time to pay tuition than remain here.
Because Shuchiin Academy has an extremely despicable tradition, the distinction between mixed-blood and pure-blood.
"Are these people watching too much Harry Potter? Do they really need pure-bloods and mixed-bloods?"
So-called pure-blood students are those who have attended Shuchiin Academy continuously since kindergarten.
These students share one thing in common. Their families are either wealthy or powerful.
If your parents lack social status, you simply cannot enroll in Shuchiin Academy.
Mixed-blood students, on the other hand, are people like Miyuki, who were recruited because of their academic performance. They are simply tools used to improve the school's university admission statistics.
Pure-blood students look down on mixed-blood students.
Those who received elite education from childhood understand how society operates.
They know very well that studying well now does not mean much. Once people graduate and enter society, those with ordinary academic performance but powerful backgrounds are far more likely to succeed and climb to higher positions.
There is nothing to be done about it. Their parents have influence and their families have resources.
Miyuki received a severe blow here.
He still maintained excellent academic results. If his grades dropped, he would be expelled.
But most students in the entire school looked down on him and did not take him seriously. As for the other mixed-blood students, they did not even understand the idea of supporting each other.
Most of them were bookworms who only focused on maintaining their grades. They simply endured the arrogance of the aristocratic students.
"If it really doesn't work out, I'll just drop out."
"With my grades, finding another high school that waives tuition won't be difficult."
"After entering university, I'll apply for student loans. At worst, I'll struggle for a few years. Once I graduate and get a job, things will get better."
Miyuki clenched the bag of bread in his hand.
Damn it, the bread sold at Shuchiin Academy costs twice as much as outside. From now on I should cook for myself instead of buying food here.
He had already begun thinking about dropping out.
His only concern was his younger sister Kei, who was also attending the junior high division.
But after thinking about it again, he realized he did not need to worry about her.
She was doing much better than him.
Perhaps because she was a girl, combined with her personality, Kei was very popular at school. She had even become good friends with Chairman Fujiwara's eldest daughter.
She also joined the junior high Student Council and became the accountant.
Kei had completely integrated into Shuchiin Academy with Moeha's help.
As for Miyuki, no one guided him and he had no powerful background supporting him.
"This year, as usual, Shuchiin Academy will hold an international exchange program."
"The aristocratic school from France will arrive tomorrow and conduct a period of exchange learning here."
"In order to show Shuchiin Academy's connection with society, we will also hold an open campus day tomorrow so that visitors can tour the academy."
"The specific arrangements have already been planned by the Student Council. We hope all students will cooperate with the teachers and the Student Council to complete this event."
"Oh, and the Student Council President from the previous term, Fujiwara Toru, who graduated with excellent grades and was admitted to Tokyo University, will return to Shuchiin Academy as a graduate representative to attend the event."
As the president finished speaking, whispers immediately spread among the students.
"Fujiwara Toru? Is that the one who received the Red Ribbon Medal?"
"It's Fujiwara-kaichou! I didn't expect him to return to the school. He's my idol!"
"Wow, our handsome Student Council President is finally returning to visit his alma mater. I've saved all the videos of him online and watch them several times every day!"
"Is Fujiwara-kaichou really that influential?"
"That's the future Prime Minister of Japan. When Fujiwara-kaichou entered Shuchiin Academy and Tokyo University, he said his goal was to become the Prime Minister!"
"But won't the Prime Minister end up being that first-year Fujiwara Chika?"
"Ah? No way. The day Fujiwara Chika becomes Prime Minister is the day Japan is destroyed!"
Miyuki listened to the whispers around him.
Of course he knew Toru.
He knew the name, but Toru did not know him.
Miyuki only felt gratitude and admiration toward him.
He was grateful because Toru had allowed his sister to work at his store, which greatly eased the financial pressure on the Shirogane family.
He admired him because Toru was the only mixed-blood student who had ever become Student Council President at Shuchiin Academy. With overwhelming prestige, he forced the entire school to submit to him.
Just like the second and third-year students now, they were all his followers.
Toru entered Shuchiin Academy in his third year.
At that time, no one knew he was from the Fujiwara family. Everyone thought he was just an ordinary student. Because of that, many so-called pure-blood students targeted him, just like Miyuki was being targeted now.
But Toru used swift and decisive methods. Within three months, he forced the Student Council President at that time to step down, then dissolved the Student Council and reorganized it.
It was said that the former Student Council President who was forced out could no longer be found anywhere in society.
After that came the year when Toru ruled Shuchiin Academy. Even the school president had to watch his expression.
When everyone later learned that Toru was from the Fujiwara family, the oldest Kazoku family, the admiration of Shuchiin Academy's students reached its peak.
"Let me tell you, in the history of Shuchiin Academy only two mixed-blood students became Student Council President. The first one was forced to drop out in less than three months."
"Only Fujiwara-kaichou entered as a mixed-blood student and forced the Student Council out within three months. Even our president had to kneel and lick Fujiwara-kaichou's shoes!"
"Really?"
"Anyway, everyone says so."
The legend of Toru became more exaggerated as it spread.
On the stage, President Adolf Pescarolo's face darkened.
I never did such a thing.
Regardless, the entire academy became lively because of the event.
Second and third-year students were excited about the return of their former Student Council President.
First-year students from the junior high division had only heard of him but had never seen him.
"As expected of Fujiwara-sama."
Sitting in her seat, Hayasaka, dressed like a gal, sighed.
She had also been in the junior high division at the time and had never met Toru.
But now she was certain that the students' descriptions were not exaggerated. If anything, they were not exaggerated enough.
Toru was someone who could shoot down helicopters with missiles. Only she knew that secret.
Hayasaka secretly glanced at Kaguya sitting nearby with a blank expression, and her heart stirred.
The next day, Shuchiin Academy was decorated with lanterns and colorful banners. All the students prepared together for the upcoming event.
(To be continued.)
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