The Royal Academy, attended by young talents between the ages of 18 and 25.

More commonly known as Pendragon Academy, it was somewhat similar to a military academy. Social status didn’t matter; within its walls, everyone was simply a student or a cadet. Whatever someone had been outside didn’t matter.

…except for criminals, of course.

Because of these characteristics, the Academy attracted countless different types of people. Many students enrolled hoping to break through the limitations of their social status.

However, the entrance exam was extremely difficult, and even if someone succeeded in gaining admission, graduating was no easy feat. Besides fulfilling credit requirements, failing to achieve a passing score in certain specialized subjects or falling below the standards could easily lead to expulsion.

The average graduation rate was just 10%.

Out of a thousand students who entered, only a hundred would graduate—an exceptionally rare sight. However, graduating from the Academy meant opening doors to high-ranking positions in the kingdom, which is why even nobles rarely quit.

Despite how difficult it was, the new students weren’t intimidated; in fact, they were filled with confidence. They believed in themselves, with the firm conviction that they would definitely graduate.

And why wouldn’t they? These were individuals who had been recognized for their talent. Simply gaining admission meant they had been hailed as prodigies and geniuses since childhood.

So, they arrogantly dismissed the fear of being expelled.

…However, the confidence to become the best was sorely lacking.

That was because this semester, there were several geniuses who could only be described as legendary.

For example…

“Is that the mage over there?”

“They say she opened the magic realm on her own.”

“A genius indeed.”

A strikingly beautiful woman with blonde hair.

Her beauty was reminiscent of a mystical being, like a fairy, but what stood out even more than her appearance was the faint blue glow surrounding her.

Mana.

A talent bestowed upon only a few humans—the gift of a mage.

Simply being born with it was an incredibly rare blessing, as if nature itself had favored them.

Her name was Irene Windler.

A commoner by birth, she was one of only ten mages in this year’s incoming class.

However, her talent stood out even among the ten, which was why everyone’s attention was drawn to her.

According to the newspaper article published the previous day, the Duke of Galahad had even taken her in as his ward...

With such news, it was only natural that people’s eyes would be on her.

“…Ugh.”

However, Irene Windler didn’t seem to enjoy the attention. She blushed and turned her head shyly, as if uncomfortable with all the stares.

As she did, the crowd’s attention shifted to others.

The disciple of the Mercenary King.
The eldest son of the Sword Saint family.
The second daughter of the Chancellor’s house.
The son of a merchant.
The descendants of mystical races.

Without a doubt, these were the big names of this semester.

“To be fair to past classes, this year's group is truly extraordinary, isn’t it?”

“Who could disagree?”

“There are already people in the royal family keeping an eye on some of them.”

“Hm, yes.”

“Even among such prestigious talents, I’d say that man is the most likely to become the top student this year.”

“Indeed…”

“I agree.”

Among the countless prodigies, there was one who shone especially brightly.

A man with a noble and dignified aura, exuding an overwhelming presence that made him look like a sculpture.

His name was Roen Dmitri de Lionel.

The illegitimate son of a grand duke. But his status as a bastard was overshadowed by his overwhelming talent.

It was said that his skills were already on par with many seasoned knights, and that he had pioneered new ground in the field of aura techniques.

While the gazes directed at Irene Windler were filled with wonder and amazement, the looks sent toward Roen were a mixture of envy and awe.

Many, driven by their jealousy of his illegitimate status, were determined to surpass him somehow.

“-----.”

Yet, his expression showed not the slightest hint of emotion.

His cold, inhuman face made him appear as though he was proclaiming, I am different from you.

That probably contributed to making him more unlikable, but ordinary people could only admire him.

With his noble lineage, overwhelming talent, and the distinction of being the top student, both commoners and nobles alike sent looks of admiration his way.

[We will now begin the entrance ceremony. Cadets, please take your seats, and guests and guardians, please be seated as well. Once again, the entrance ceremony will now begin, so we ask the guests and guardians to please take their seats.]

With the promising and brilliant cadets in the background, the entrance ceremony finally began.

Irene Windler.

She was trembling slightly, though she was trying hard to hide it.

And with good reason—attention made her extremely uncomfortable.

In truth, she would much rather skip the Academy altogether and spend her days lounging comfortably at home. Like a pet squirrel, she wanted nothing more than to relax in a cozy place without a care in the world.

That was the kind of person Irene Windler was.

But Irene had to attend the Academy.

And the reason for that was none other than…

[Wow, Arin! Look at all these people! There are so many!]

‘Stop talking. I’m so nervous I could throw up.’

[You’re just too timid, Arin. You should try enjoying the moment.]

‘Do you think I’m someone like you?’

[What’s an insan?]

‘Someone just like you.’

[…You always say things I don’t understand.]

A loud voice rang out in Irene Windler’s mind. It belonged to a woman who had been with her for the past seven years, and who, at the same time, was the original owner of this body.

If anyone saw this, they might suspect schizophrenia, but Irene wasn’t schizophrenic. She retained memories of the world she originally lived in.

That’s why she had to return.

And she had an obligation to return this body to its original owner.

‘I swear, I’ll find that damn angel and pluck every single one of their feathers!’

Grinding her teeth, Irene seethed at the thought of the one who had dragged her into this world.

[But, Arin, just to clarify—are you sure that the angel you’re looking for is really at this Academy?]

‘Yes, definitely! They appear at the end of the original story to help the female lead.’

[Ah, the duke’s biological daughter?]

‘That’s right.’

[Hmm, the duke’s daughter… I wonder what she looks like. I’m so curious! Hehe.]

‘…It must be nice to have such simple thoughts.’

Meanwhile, she was having a mental breakdown.

‘So far, everything has been following the original storyline, so the heroine will definitely appear.’

She had already confirmed that events were unfolding according to the plot of the original story.

Which meant that, at the final moment, she had to catch the angel, subdue them, or at least threaten them to find a way to return.

To end this frustrating coexistence and give both herself and the original owner their respective happy endings.

…But.

‘…Why is the male lead here?’

There was one thing Irene Windler couldn’t understand.

It was the fact that the man radiating an imposing presence on the other side of the room was here.

Roen.

The male lead of the original story, who, under normal circumstances, should have staged a rebellion and taken over his ducal household at a young age, becoming the Iron-blooded Grand Duke.

But contrary to the original story, Roen had not initiated the bloody rebellion. Instead, he was now enrolled in the Academy, in the capital.

Seeing this, Irene’s mind was in turmoil.

Who knew what kind of butterfly effect this deviation from the original plot would bring?

Swish.

Eek!

Suddenly, Roen’s gaze seemed to land on her, as if he’d sensed her looking at him. Irene quickly averted her eyes, lowering her head.

Even though she had broken eye contact, she could still feel the sharpness of his gaze, like a blade pressing against her scalp. But she couldn’t look up.

[Arin, you’re such a coward.]

‘Shut up.’

[Aw, Arin said something mean to me.]

…This was so annoying.

This girl was five years younger than her, and yet!

‘…Wait, I’m not an old grouch.’

After dealing with this bratty personality for seven years, it felt like her own personality was starting to deteriorate.

For her to go back to her normal, kind self, she needed the day to come when she could finally capture that angel.

So she could pluck out every last one of their feathers and settle the score.

‘My entrance exams…!’

In her fury over being dragged into this world the day before her university entrance exams, Irene vowed never to give up on her revenge against the angel.

The rage of a high school senior about to take their exams burned deep and hot.

[Oh, Arin, look! Over there, the teachers!]

‘They’re professors, not teachers. Get your words—oh?’

Irene blinked in surprise.

On the platform, among the professors introducing themselves, there was someone whose presence felt… different.

How should she describe it?

It was as if…

‘Why does it feel like Tom Hardy from a mafia movie is standing in the middle of a romance story?’

To be more specific, she was reminded of one of Tom Hardy’s mafia roles from a film.

And it wasn’t just her imagination—people had fallen silent.

…it was as if, for a moment, the genre had completely changed.

Ihan.

‘…Did I dress wrong?’

He had chosen his most formal outfit, following the instructions to dress neatly. He ended up wearing a tailcoat, thinking it was appropriate.

But this wasn’t a party, so he had thrown on a suit-like ensemble. It was tidy, clean, and he thought he looked pretty decent.

He had even slicked his hair back with some pomade, thinking he looked rather fine.

It wasn’t too shabby—at least, he thought his first impression wouldn’t be a bad one.

However, the clothes were a bit tight.

Not because he had gained weight, but because his muscles had grown recently. His arms and chest were bulging in the suit.

Thankfully, the tailor had done a good job, and the fabric was stretchy enough that it wouldn’t rip. Still, it felt a little awkward.

‘Well, I didn’t know they’d wear casual clothes….’

Most of the other people were simply dressed. Hardly anyone wore dresses or tailcoats. Most were just wearing simple, clean outfits.

Compared to that, his outfit felt over the top, and the proof was the moment he stepped onto the platform.

…There was silence.

Yup, I’m throwing this out as soon as I get home.

‘Let’s get this over with.’

Ihan looked straight ahead, focusing only on Roen.

There was a reason for this.

He needed to leave a strong impression on the guy, and it was better to focus on one person than let his gaze scatter everywhere.

So Ihan opened his prepared script to introduce himself when—

“Hmph, a demoted knight dares to show his face so shamelessly.”

Crack…!

The room fell silent for a completely different reason.

The cadet who had just spoken was now covering his mouth, realizing how loud he had been. Ihan smiled brightly at the sight.

‘…Why did I even bother with a script?’

I should just be myself.

CRACK.

The platform shattered beneath his feet.