"Hey, how's the air back there? The front rows have it pretty clear. After all, I'm the only one in the first three. But that's fine. If students got too enthusiastic about history, I'd start worrying about the future of the Starry Kingdom. Still, if you don't put even a little effort into the past, you might want to start worrying about your grades.

"Turn to page 173. In the year 871, Court Chancellor Bledo Usgail drafted the Nobility Act and became the first of the new nobility to receive the Empress's Blessing of the Stars. The contents of the Act are as follows…"

The history professor wasn't a rigid, old-fashioned scholar. On the contrary, he carried himself like a witty, stylish gentleman. But even his personal flair couldn't save the lecture from its inherent dullness. Unless he threw in a few scandalous duke jokes or minister anecdotes, the atmosphere drifted between a drowsy haze and muddled lethargy.

For Sonya, the only benefit of attending was the...