Chapter 273

"Teacher, I believe my expectations for my future are actually very realistic."

While the other pair of siblings were rushing to the battlefield in a carriage, this pair had already taken their completed forms and gone ahead to find the homeroom teacher in charge of the parent meeting.

After placing the "Continental Unified War Draft Outline" on the desk, William, standing beside it with his hands behind his back, frowned seriously at the teacher who was forcing a bitter smile:

"Unlike my sister's stupid freeloader dream, my dream has a very real chance of coming true.

Of course, if you call my brother and sister over, to avoid getting beaten pointlessly, I might be forced to deny the feasibility of this plan—but since the idea itself is correct, I won't truly back down.

And if you use force to pressure me, Teacher, you won't just lose my sincere respect—you'll also lose the position of Minister of Homework in my future new kingdom. So I urge you to think carefully before reporting me."

"…"

This is… killing me…

Watching William, who stood before him like a miniature adult, solemnly "advising" him, the homeroom teacher of Class One, Grade One at Shipbridge Academy couldn't help but twitch his lips twice, at a loss for words.

If you say this kid is dumb, he's only six or seven but already knows how to negotiate with you—and even draws grand pictures, offering the position of "Minister of Homework" to win you over. He's a pure little genius.

But if you say he's smart, his dream is astonishingly absurd: he plans to overthrow the royal family and even boasts of conquering all twelve kingdoms. Frankly, I really want to meet his parents and see what kind of family could raise such a bizarre child—both foolish and brilliant.

"Teacher, I know you don't believe me, and you think I'm childish."

After waiting a moment without the teacher speaking, William took the initiative:

"I admit the plan I wrote on the form earlier was rushed, so it seemed unfeasible to you—but I've reorganized my thoughts these past two days and written a new version of the 'Continental Unification Plan,' guaranteed to satisfy you!"

Amid the teacher's near-collapse expression, William opened his notebook… his "Continental Unification Plan" proposal, pointed to a world map cut out from his geography textbook, and said seriously:

"After I overthrow the royal family and unify the kingdoms, I plan to cultivate ties with the great nobles of the coal-rich regions of the Blackwood Kingdom, then cut off their coal shipments to the Northern Kingdom in winter, depriving them of heating and forcing them to launch a premature southern invasion—where I'll ambush them with careful planning."

Pulling out a charcoal pencil he'd picked up from Lyon's bedside, William drew a thick, black X over the region of Lyne County, then continued in a childish, persuasive tone:

"Just imagine the situation then! If we can crush the Northern Kingdom and avenge the War of National Defense six years ago, I'll solidify my throne—and all future military campaigns will receive full support!

After that, we'll use war reparations from the Northern Kingdom to buy massive quantities of seafood from the Saio Kingdom, forge an alliance with Saio, the 'Nation of a Thousand Sails,' then follow the core strategy of 'befriending distant powers while attacking nearby ones, coordinating land and sea forces,' to launch a swift surprise attack and seize the mineral districts of the Storm Kingdom's Vandashton, then exchange vast energy minerals for technology and weapons from the Mechanical Capital, Korok.

After ten to fifteen years of effort, once we've accumulated sufficient military strength, we'll control key ports and vital land transport routes to force the trade-dependent Morna Kingdom to submit, dragging it onto our war chariot.

Then, with a pincer movement, we'll destroy the Oleson Kingdom in one battle—it's half its territory sandwiched between us—and seize its most vital grain-producing regions, solving our kingdom's chronic southern food shortages, plugging our final weakness, and finally beginning our true quest for dominance!"

"…"

Looking at the series of plans scribbled in crooked, childish handwriting, William's homeroom teacher finally broke. Her lips trembled as she asked:

"You… you've always loved my geography class… just because you were planning all this?"

"Not just your geography class—also Logan's history class."

William said seriously:

"To carry out my plan, I must master both subjects. Though I scored only five points in math, I've self-studied geography and history up to fourth-grade level, and read every related book in the library for children under ten—I now have the foundational knowledge to begin implementing my plan."

"…"

So you really did study hard for that dream of unifying the world!!!

Looking at the "Unification Plan" on the desk—though written in childish script, it was surprisingly well-structured, with diagrams added where needed, and no glaring flaws—William's homeroom teacher swallowed hard and forced herself to advise:

"This… the hardest part of any endeavor is the beginning. Look at your plan—it assumes you've already overthrown… uh… already become king. That starting point is too high.

As the saying goes, 'A merchant finds it harder to earn his first copper coin than his tenth thousand gold coins.' So instead of unifying the whole world, why not be more realistic? Start with a near-term goal—like… uh… scoring twenty points on your next math test?"

"Hmm…"

After listening carefully to his teacher's advice, William frowned, thought for a moment, then nodded with clear admiration:

"No wonder you're the teacher I respect—others only look far ahead, but you're the only one who notices the path beneath your feet, warning me not to trip over this little stone called the royal family. It seems the position of Minister of Homework is a waste of your talent."

"…"

"Anyway, thank you for the reminder. I'll go find Professor Logan now and ask him for historical records of past coups—see how to overthrow the royal family and become the new king!"?!?!

Wait! That's not what I meant! Come back! Come back here!

Watching William grab his notebook and cheerfully head toward the history department's office, the homeroom teacher jumped up to chase him—but whether from sitting too long or the shock she'd just endured, she felt the room spin and collapsed back into her chair.

"Teacher? Are you okay?"

"I'm… I'm fine. Thank you."

After catching her breath, looking at the concerned Melanie leaning over her, the slightly plump homeroom teacher couldn't help but plead:

"Melanie, when you go back, please try to talk some sense into your brother—make him give up that dream! Even if you can't convince him, please don't let him say anything about rebellion, okay?"

"Okay… I guess?"

Hearing the teacher's request, Melanie's big eyes darted around, then she grinned:

"But if I help you, Teacher, won't you help me too? Like… just approve the form I filled out and stop making me revise it again and again, okay?"

"That… that really won't work…"

Looking at Melanie, whose form wasn't as absurd as William's but still just as troublesome, the plump homeroom teacher took a deep breath and sighed helplessly:

"Melanie, it's not that I'm forcing you to change it—but think: if you do nothing and let your brother and brother support you, what will others think of you?"

"They'll probably envy me."

"…"

"Haha, Teacher, I was just joking!"

Seeing the teacher's lips tremble again, Melanie shook the little braid Anna had tied for her and grinned:

"I'm not as dumb as William—I know being a freeloader gets you laughed at."

"Then why do you still…"

"Because my life is mine—not meant to please others."

Melanie lifted her small face, expression serious:

"Teacher, people who care too much about others' opinions live exhausting lives. All you need is to know what you truly want, then strive for it. Do others' gossip really matter?"

"…"

"If it really won't work… Teacher, I revised the form again. Please look at this version."

Amid the plump homeroom teacher's bewildered expression, Melanie handed in the form, serious as ever:

"Like William, I've thought carefully these past two days about how to achieve my dream.

First, William is unreliable—he'll give me the best life, but if he has to support me, he'll definitely bully me. Anna won't work either—she'll hate me and force me to work. So the best choice is my older brother.

He never forces people, and he never scolds or hits me or William. So if I can find a very rich woman he likes, and somehow marry him off to her, I'll never have to worry about the rest of my life!

Oh, Teacher, when we filled out the form, you said it's just for collecting information and won't be sent to our parents… you didn't lie to us, right?"