Adelaide and Tomoe took seats near the back of the large lecture hall, pulled out their laptops, and got ready for the lecture. Tomoe spent a couple of minutes preening herself, and pinned a small Japanese Rising Sun pendant to her jacket lapel.
"Good morning, class! I am Isaac Haber, your economics professor. Today we will be covering the basics of economics, and the various market types, models and ideologies," said the professor.
His eyes fell on Adelaide's striking appearance, causing him to blink and gulp before he continued:
"Now, who can tell me the two main economic ideologies that dominate our 21st century?" he asked.
"Capitalism and Communism," rumbled a huge Algerian student, sitting near the front of the classroom.
"Correct. Capitalism and Communism, one decrees that economic prosperity is best left to the individual, while the other seeks to control and regulate the flow and distribution of resources. Now who can tell me the inherent disadvantages of unchecked capitalism?" asked Isaac.
"Unchecked capitalism can lead to creation or consolidation of monopolies," answered another student with spiky pink hair.
"Yes, that is correct. If unchecked, capitalism can result in the creation of monopolies, where essential products services are controlled by only one entity. This can cause unfair prices, and exploitation," said Isaac.
Adelaide started to tune out as Isaac went into a diatribe on how a socialist, or a mixed model of economics, while not ideal, was the most realistic of economic philosophies, along with praising the modern approach of considering diversity, inclusion and environmental sustainability into economic and business planning.
"I take it you disagree with my stance Fräulein?" asked Isaac, noticing Adelaide's lack of attention.
"I just find kowtowing to incompetence and administrative oversight to be a detrimental to profits and efficiency, Professor," replied Adelaide.
"Are you calling me incompetent, Fräulein?" blustered Isaac.
"Not in the least, Professor. However, you do see that mandating diversity quotas is detrimental to acquiring the best people for the job, don't you?" shot back Adelaide, her statement eliciting ripples of hostility towards her from the other students.
"As a foreign student here myself, I agree with Adelaide's viewpoint. Reserving places and seats, just because I am of a specific gender or ethnicity is frankly an insult to my intelligence and competence," said Tomoe, in fluent German.
"I was right. Tomoe is my Japanese counterpart," thought Adelaide, as the classroom erupted in shocked and angry protests.
"All right, that's enough! Now take down these notes!" shouted Isaac, bringing the class back to order.
"Insufferable little brats! How dare they try to dismiss and undermine the great strides we have achieved in ensuring equity and diversity?!" he thought furiously, as he began to dictate notes on the various economic models.
----
"Quite a first day. It looks like we just made enemies of the vermin and inferiors infesting this institution," chuckled Tomoe, as she and Adelaide walked out of the main campus.
"You're quite accomplished at blending in Tomoe, I'm sure you'll be able to charm your way back into their good graces, unlike me," observed Adelaide.
"Oh, please! Like I'd want to associate with the riffraff after meeting you! It feels so refreshing to be myself and drop the liberal Japanese girl act!" laughed Tomoe.
"Looks like your ride is here. I'll see you tomorrow Tomoe," chuckled Adelaide as a large black BMW sedan, with the Japanese flag flying from its hood, pulled up beside them, flanked by Japanese embassy security guards on motorcycles.
"See you tomorrow Adelaide," said Tomoe, getting into the car and waving as it drove off.
With a final wave Adelaide turned and walked towards her parked coupe.
Her security detail waved, and pulled off their helmets as Adelaide approached them.
"Adolf, Max, I assume everything was under control?" asked Adelaide by way of greeting them.
"Our entrance seemed to have scared the cowards off, Mistress Adelaide," chuckled Adolf, the man on her left.
"Indeed, they appeared equally upset with our bikes as with your car, Mistress Adelaide," rumbled Max.
"This university reeks of misplaced idealism, societal decay, and misguided foolishness. However, I promised Father that I will attend for at least one semester. I shall count on you to protect my possessions in my absence," said Adelaide, gently running her leather-gloved hand over her car's long black hood.
"You may rely on us, Mistress Adelaide," said Adolf, bowing his head along with Max.
"Thank you. Now let's get back to the estate. I can't stand much more of this place," said Adelaide, unlocking her car and stepping into it.
Adolf and Max donned their helmets and started up their motorcycles. The silence in the parking lot was shattered as their powerful engines roared to life, and Adelaide pulled out of the parking lot, leaving the university with her security detail of Adolf and Max discreetly tailing her car.
----
"I just had the most unsettling experience," grumbled Isaac Haber, as he and Yosef sat together in the privacy of the admissions office break room.
"Let me guess, Fräulein Adelaide Albrecht?" asked Yosef shrewdly.
"Yes! I felt like I had a target painted on my forehead! That Japanese friend of hers was no better, blatantly showing off the rising sun flag!" grumbled Isaac.
"Come now Isaac, surely you're being unfair. I'll admit, that her appearance and demeanor took me by surprise as well, but surely those things have nothing to do with Fräulein Albrecht. And the rising sun flag is still used by the Japanese military," said Yosef frowning.
"Albrecht openly challenged my stance about responsible economic practices, and had the audacity to equate diversity quotas with incompetence!" snarled Isaac.
"Are you going to cry just because a young, well-dressed, purebred German woman dares to disagree with you and your friends in the World Economic Forum? Get a grip, man!" snarled Yosef.
Isaac opened his mouth to argue back, but then decided against it.
"Y-you're right, I'm sorry. I think I'm getting too old for this," he sighed, before heaving himself out of his chair to leave for the day.
"More like too sensitive! I can't believe you got this rattled by a pair of spoiled rich girls!" thought Yosef, as he too left for the day.