Chapter 271: Absurdity
Chapter 271: Absurdity
Parent-Teacher Conference...
Upon hearing this familiar yet foreign term from Anna's mouth, Lyon couldn't help but feel slightly dazed.
In the past few days, he had been involved in numerous bizarre incidents. Not only had he engaged in battles of wits with opponents possessing various extraordinary abilities, but he had also ventured to an asteroid over 70,000 kilometers away from Earth, where he faced off against the Aquarius Director, one of the twelve District Chiefs whose ranks were equivalent to True Gods.
Without being too modest, Lyon's strength, though not yet at its peak, had already surpassed that of an ordinary person. With the additional influence of his connection to the Shell Duke, he now possessed the ability to subtly impact a small portion of the world.
Just a few days ago, he had thwarted the Aquarius Director's plot, indirectly protecting a significant figure in the world. Now, he was about to attend a parent-teacher conference at his younger siblings' school, organized by the Community School. As a parent offering advice, he would also discuss the future academic paths of those two little rascals.
It was all quite extraordinary.
"What's wrong?"
After waiting for a while without a response from Lyon, who seemed a bit dazed, Anna looked at him with concern. She leaned in and asked softly, "Are you still feeling unwell? If you're not feeling better, it's better to rest at home today. I can handle the parent-teacher conference."
"Hmm... No, I'm fine. I've sobered up from the wine."
Noticing the worry in his sister's eyes, Lyon's heart warmed, and he smiled, shaking his head. "I was just thinking about something interesting, so I got a little distracted. Plus, I've been so busy with work that it's rare to have time to spend with you all... The carriage is here, let's get in!"
...
As the public carriage approached and came to a stop by the roadside, Lyon reached out to shield Anna's head as she gracefully entered the carriage. He followed suit and sat down beside her by the window.
"Oh, right," Lyon said, as if remembering something. He asked curiously, "I recall that the elementary division of Bridge Academy has a six-year curriculum, right? William and the others enrolled half a year late, and they're not even in the second grade yet. Isn't it a bit early to discuss their future education now?"
"It's not too early," Anna replied, shaking her head. With a mix of happiness and worry, she explained, "Bridge Academy is one of the top academies. When it comes to a student's future path, arrangements need to be made very early on.
Typically, the first year is spent teaching basic knowledge and identifying areas of potential. During the second and third years, efforts are made to cultivate and explore different directions.
If a student's talent in a particular direction is limited, then another direction is pursued. Once the student's future goals are more or less set, the fourth, fifth, and sixth years focus on intensive learning.
During these three years, in addition to targeted subjects, students need to communicate with corresponding high schools, participate in school activities, build relationships with teachers, and strive for entrance exam exemptions or letters of recommendation from teachers at those schools..."
Wow, is it that competitive? Lyon couldn't help but be amazed after hearing Anna's explanation, as he didn't know much about this aspect. "William and the others aren't even seven years old yet. Isn't it a bit early to be thinking about all this?"
"It's definitely not too early," Anna said, giving him a glare. She continued, "They enrolled when they were over six years old, and they'll graduate when they're almost thirteen. By then, they'll need to choose their future high schools. Over 90% of students can only go to ordinary high schools, where they learn a skill to make a living. When they graduate at sixteen, they go out into the world to work, and even jobs like typesetters in publishing houses or furnace workers in factories are considered good jobs.
Only less than 10% of students can get into those exceptional high schools. After three years of hard work, they can try to obtain recommendations and exam qualifications to further their studies at renowned universities. How can we not start early?"
"..."
Oh right, according to the kingdom's laws, 16 is already considered an adult, and university education is far from universal. Only a small portion of students with exceptional circumstances and talents are eligible to consider it. Most people start working immediately after graduating from middle school.
So, although they may seem like "kids," the significance of the last three years in community school is almost equivalent to what I perceive as "high school." It's normal for the competition to be intense and start early.
At this thought, Lyon combined it with Anna's previous words and pondered for a moment, roughly understanding the underlying logic behind the school's approach.
Considering the kingdom's admission process, it isn't a relatively fair unified exam. Instead, schools conduct their own admissions, interviews, and written tests, which opens up more opportunities for those who can navigate these "paths."
After all, even if there's no significant barrier to participating in exams and interviews, as long as you provide a community school graduation certificate and meet the standards in various foundational subjects, theoretically, anyone who passes both trials can gain admission.
But with schools like Bridge Academy conducting "career path investigations" as early as the second year, and then intensively studying for their target schools for several years, occasionally participating in activities at corresponding middle schools, and becoming extremely familiar with the interviewing teachers—perhaps even knowing the exam scope—it's impossible for students from ordinary families and schools, without explosive talents, to compete.
So, while it may seem like equal opportunities, where everyone has the same path and destination, in reality, while you're still practicing running, others are already installing cybernetic limbs or even building teleporters directly to their goals.
This is ridiculous...
Lyon shook his head slightly, then patted Anna's hand gently as he noticed her tense expression. He whispered reassuringly, "Don't worry. William and Melanie are just being playful, but they're not incapable. They're both smart. As long as they study diligently, they'll have bright futures. Moreover, my salary isn't low, and..."
In any case, even if they can't attend the best schools, finding them good jobs won't be too difficult. If all else fails, supporting them for a few more years won't be an issue."
"I'm most worried about this!"
Upon hearing Lyon's words, Anna couldn't help but become angry. "A few days ago, the community school teacher asked the students about their future expectations. Do you know what Melanie wrote?"
"Hmm... What did she write?"
"She wants to find a handsome and rich husband to support and spoil her! Then she'll eat, drink, and be happy for the rest of her life!"
"..."
Mentioning Melanie's "couch potato" dream, Anna clenched her fists, gritting her teeth. "After the teacher saw the form, she talked to Melanie for half a day, saying she couldn't rely on such things for her future. This little rascal removed finding a husband, and instead wrote that for the first half of her life, you'll support her, and for the second half, William will. Then she'll play with dolls, eat snacks, drink bubble tea, and be happy forever!"
"..."
Indeed... This form aligns perfectly with my perception of Melanie...
"I said it's a bit too early for this!"
After being stunned, Lyon fell silent for a moment, then tried to console her. "It's normal for a child to give such an immature answer when asked about their future. You don't need to be too upset... By the way, what about William? What did he write?"
"His answer... was mature."
At Anna's words, she took a deep breath and said, "He wants to rebel, overthrow the monarchy, and become king himself. Then, he'll lead an army from west to east, conquering the twelve kingdoms and ruling the world."
"..."
(End of Chapter)
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