Arthur leaned forward, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "So… since you're reborn, how many years did you live in your past life?"
Kazuki replied without hesitation. "Seventeen years in total."
Arthur did the quick math, his brow furrowing. "And you've lived eleven years in this life. So technically… that makes you the eldest sibling among all of us."
Kazuki blinked, caught off guard. "That's all you have to ask?"
Arthur shrugged helplessly. "I mean, come on. I don't even know what else to ask at this point. I'd need time to actually think of the right questions."
"…Alright?" Kazuki said, his expression a mixture of confusion and amusement.
The moment of awkward silence was broken when Shang spoke, his tone steady. "So, Kazuki. What is your next plan?"
Kazuki straightened, his voice calm but deliberate. "I'll tell you everything in order, one step at a time. But for now, my first priority is simple—I want to consume all the academic information from every grade of the Royal Academy."
Both Shang and Arthur glanced at him in surprise. "Why?" they asked in unison.
Kazuki's gaze hardened. "Because if I want to, I can hold all that knowledge in my mind—history, geography, science, every academic principle this world has recorded. All of it may become crucial in the future. Staying in the academy for seven more years, slowly waiting to graduate, would be a waste of my time. My plans will carry me far beyond these walls before then. That's why I intend to absorb everything now. Once I do, I'll no longer need the academy as others do. Though for now I will stay for 2 more years"
Shang tapped his finger against the desk thoughtfully. "And yet, you say you'll remain there for another two years. Can you give me a short explanation?"
Kazuki paused, then nodded. "In short… to prepare the next generation. What's coming cannot be stopped, and someone has to shape the ones who will inherit the battlefield. Most civilians know nothing of what truly happened with North Ryehem. To them, it was just a strange night when a number of people were suddenly relocated to solitary confinement. They spin conspiracies, whisper theories, but soon… they'll forget. Ordinary life will bury the memory."
He lowered his voice, the weight of his words sinking into the chamber. "That is why, for now, I will act like a normal student. I will train among them, fight beside them, and quietly prepare them. When the time comes… they must be ready for the war that approaches."
Shang's eyes narrowed slightly. "Which war?"
Kazuki exhaled slowly, his gaze drifting toward the window as if he could already see the storm on the horizon. He sighed, leaving the question unanswered—for now.