**Galimar Academy, the continent's most prestigious educational institution.**

With the passing of winter and the arrival of spring, the academy was filled with the fresh breeze of a new semester. It was the day of the entrance ceremony.

In the auditorium, where new students had gathered, the ceremony was already in full swing. The eyes of the young students sparkled with excitement.

_"We congratulate all of you on your admission."_
_"I am Gaston Galimar, the dean of this academy. Before we begin with introductions..."_

The voice of an elderly man echoed throughout the room.

The white-haired man standing at the podium was delivering a formal greeting, but even so, it carried enough weight to excite the students. Most of them listened intently, their hearts filled with anticipation.

But not everyone was so focused.

Some students whispered quietly among themselves as if they had something interesting to discuss. The topic of their conversation was a certain boy.

_"Did you hear about the top student this year?"_

The rankings of the entrance exam had been released a few days earlier, and the unexpected results left many students in shock.

_"I can’t believe Her Highness, the princess, didn’t take the top spot. It’s hard to believe."_
_"Do you know anything about this top student?"_
_"I heard he's the son of the Snake House..."_
_"The Snaikers family? Sure, they’re a prestigious house, but they’ve never had any ties to mana, have they?"_
_"That’s what’s strange about it."_

The First Princess had been hailed as a once-in-a-generation genius, a person whose reputation rivaled even the greatest heroes. For her to have been ranked second in the academy’s entrance exam was difficult to accept.

And the student who had taken the top spot was an even more surprising figure.

_"The youngest son of the Snaikers family?"_
_"He’s been shrouded in mystery. He’s never made an appearance in social circles..."_
_"Their family hasn’t interacted with others for years. What’s going on here?"_
_"Oh, right. My friend saw him at the entrance exam—the Snaikers boy."_
_"Really? How was he?"_
_"Well..."_

As rumors spread, interest in him grew even more. Those who had witnessed the exam firsthand knew the boy’s performance hadn’t been all that impressive.

_"They said he was mediocre at best."_
_"Mediocre? That's being generous. He barely scraped by into the middle ranks."_
_"Then how did he outrank Her Highness? Do you think there was an error in the rankings?"_
_"It’s possible. There was a similar mistake once before."_
_"Whatever the case, it’s clear..."_

Public opinion quickly turned negative.

_"The top student is a fraud."_

Quiet snickers spread among the students, tinged with hostility.

Those who rise to the top are often met with envy and resentment, especially when they seem undeserving of their position.

_"Top student, huh? Ridiculous."_
_"My father always said he didn’t trust the Snake family. Too secretive, too sly."_
_"How dare he take Her Highness’s rightful spot."_

The boy from the Snake family found himself in such a situation. It wasn’t his intention, but he had inadvertently earned the contempt of his fellow students.

The students, now viewing him through a lens of prejudice, cast cold glances toward the podium.

_"That concludes my address as the dean of this academy."_
_"Next, we’ll hear a speech from the top student of this cohort. Yuda Snaikers will now deliver the new student representative speech."_

The sound of footsteps echoed sharply as a blonde boy ascended the stage. His steps were casual, but there was an air of dignity in his movement. His initial impression wasn’t bad.

_"Hello, everyone. I am Yuda Snaikers, honored to be delivering the new student representative speech."_

With his eyes slightly narrowed, Yuda greeted the students with a faint, unsettling smile. His voice carried a strange, ominous tone.

---

Sometimes in life, unexpected disasters strike.

Just when I thought everything was going according to plan, it all came crashing down.

Unfortunately, I was in one of those situations now.

*“I’m the top student?”*

The role of a background character, someone who could blend in with average grades and go unnoticed—that had been my dream. And now, that dream was shattered in the most spectacular way.

To make matters worse, I had to give the new student representative speech.

The headache from this impossible reality was making my head throb.

What the hell was going on?

Based on my entrance exam scores, I should have barely scraped by in the middle ranks, let alone claimed the top spot. And why didn’t the academy inform me about this speech ahead of time...?

*“We sent a letter to the Snaikers family.”*
*“We even received confirmation, so... you didn’t get the message?”*

I had no words. Damn it.

The academy clearly hadn’t expected this either.

No one would have guessed that a student who ranked first in the entrance exam would be treated as if he didn’t exist by his own family.

‘Ugh, what a mess.’

Even if they didn’t care about their son, there should be limits to how much they ignore me.

No wonder Yuda turned out so twisted in the original story. He could really use some family counseling.

*“Yuda, you’re up next. Please get ready.”*

I had reluctantly accepted my fate as the new student representative.

It was infuriating, but there was no way out. All I could do was comply.

Stiffly, I made my way forward. I could feel the stares growing more intense as I approached the podium.

“...”

All eyes were on me.

From the main characters of the original story, to the dean, the staff, and the other students—everyone was watching me.

This was far too much attention for someone like me, but...

What could I do? If I had to do it, I’d do it.

I couldn’t put the entire auditorium under hypnosis. Holding back my frustration, I began to speak.

_"Hello, everyone. I am Yuda Snaikers, and I’ll be delivering the new student representative speech."_

At least I had my “smiling mask” trait to help me out. I didn’t have to worry about stumbling over my words or making mistakes.

As I surveyed the students, however, I noticed something strange.

“...”

“Hm?”

The students were unusually quiet.

A chilling silence hung in the air. I tilted my head in confusion, mentally picturing a question mark floating above me.

_"Is something wrong, everyone?"_

What’s with this overly serious atmosphere?

Aren’t kids normally chatty and restless in situations like this?

Were they nervous because it was the entrance ceremony?

Thinking that, I started to relax.

Maybe they were just kids, after all. It was kind of cute how anxious they were.

_"Haha... You all seem so tense. I guess the entrance ceremony is making everyone a little nervous, huh? That’s adorable."_

I hadn’t planned to stand out with this speech.

I just needed to say what everyone wanted to hear.

If I were the typical protagonist, I’d use this moment to challenge the entire school, but that wasn’t my style.

I had no intention of holding on to the top student position for long.

I just wanted to make a good impression on the key characters and then return the position to its rightful owner.

The top spot may come with perks, but it’s also a hassle.

I wasn’t the type to chase after unnecessary fame.

*I just want to reach the ending.*

There’s no point in me forcibly clearing the way.

I was just a player who loved the game. I simply wanted to see my protagonists overcome their limits and reach the end of the world.

Being a supporting character who occasionally lends a helping hand—that’s the role I wanted.

Yes, I was the shadow.

I aspired to be an unnoticed extra.

With that in mind, I continued my speech with a faint smile.

_"I’m sure you’ve all heard about me. Somehow, I’ve been honored with the top student position."_
*Not sure how I ended up with it, but here we are. Nice to meet you.*

_"I was worried that things might be boring, but it seems my expectations were right after all."_
*I had my doubts, but you all seem brilliant, so that’s a relief.*

_"So, this is the continent’s greatest academy, huh?"_
*This really is the continent’s finest academy. Impressive.*

_"I’m really looking forward to my time here."_
*I’m genuinely excited about what’s to come.*

As I continued to share pleasantries, murmurs started to rise from the students.

They must have been impressed by the attitude of the top student.

Yes, I’m your man. That’s right.

I’ve been trained in Korean etiquette, so I’m always humble.

_"I look forward to seeing what you all can achieve."_
*I look forward to getting to know you.*

_"My seat is always open, so if anyone wants to challenge me, feel free. I’ll welcome all challengers."_
*I’m always open to making new friends, so don’t hesitate to come talk to me.*

_"I hope you can all meet my expectations."_
*I hope we can all get along well.*

A warm invitation to friendship.

It almost felt like a scene from a slice-of-life story about youth.

_"Well, I think that’s enough for now."_

As I was about to conclude my speech, I thought of one last thing to say before stepping down.

_"Oh, one more thing—I’m not a villain, so don’t hate

 me."_
*I know I have narrow eyes, but I’m not a bad person, I promise.*

With that final, slightly cheeky line, I wrapped up my speech.

I felt satisfied with how things went.

I must have left a positive impression on the students. I smiled warmly as I stepped down from the podium.

*Perfect.*

I had faced a bit of a challenge, but I had pulled it off smoothly.

Even if I stepped down from the top student position later, people would probably think, “Well, he wasn’t the best, but at least he was a decent guy.”

With that thought in mind, I returned to my seat, feeling content.

---

_"Hello, everyone. I am Yuda Snaikers, and I’ll be delivering the new student representative speech."_

The moment the boy’s first words rang out, the entire auditorium froze.

It was as if they had all been struck silent at the same time.

No one knew why. It was just instinct.

They felt that something terrible would happen if they didn’t shut up immediately.

“...”

A cold silence washed over the room.

An indescribable unease crept down their spines like a cold tongue licking their necks. Even as the unpleasant sensation spread, the students were too paralyzed to move a muscle.

What was this ominous feeling?

There was no mana, no killing intent, no visible aura of power. And yet, this sense of dread was suffocating.

*Scratch.*

Even the sound of a board scraping seemed like it could sever their heads.

Most of the students were drenched in cold sweat, and some were struggling to breathe.

_"Hm? What’s wrong with all of you?"_

Trembling eyes were fixed on the podium.

A thick tension hung in the air.

The students’ fear was palpable, and their skin prickled with goosebumps.

It was a sensation they couldn’t explain.

By all appearances, the boy had no real power.

His mana levels were below average, and even what little he had was faint. He wasn’t physically trained, either.

Everything they could see told them he was weak. And yet...

*Why do I feel like this?*
*He looks like a wimp, but I can’t relax.*
*It feels like my body is freezing up.*
*It’s not magic or illusion or an aura... So why do I feel this... dread?*
*Damn it. How could this fraud be the top student...?*

For some reason, their instincts were screaming at them.

There was no logical explanation for it.

Their minds told them they could crush him easily, but their instincts were warning them to be cautious.

To beware of that boy.

Most of the students were filled with confusion.

Only a handful of the top-ranking students remained calm, watching the stage with curiosity.

Whether he was aware of the atmosphere or not, the boy with narrow eyes continued his speech with a sly grin.

_"Haha... You all seem so tense. I guess the entrance ceremony is making everyone a little nervous, huh?"_

The opening of his speech was an obvious provocation.

He was taunting the students who had been frozen in fear just moments before.

_"That arrogant little...!"_
_"He’s acting all high and mighty when he’s nothing but a weakling!"_

Some of the students glared at him, but Yuda carried on without a care.

_"I’m sure you’ve all heard about me. Somehow, I’ve been honored with the top student position."_

There was an underlying sharpness to his words.

The boy seemed fully aware of the rumors circulating about him and was mocking them.

_"I was worried that things might be boring, but it seems my expectations were right after all."_
_"So, this is the continent’s greatest academy."_
_"I’m really looking forward to my time here."_

He glanced around at the students.

It was a loaded gesture.

It felt as though he was looking down on them, as if they were insignificant. His words dripped with condescension.

_"I look forward to seeing what you all can achieve."_
_"My seat is always open, so if anyone wants to challenge me, feel free. I’ll welcome all challengers."_
_"I hope you can all meet my expectations."_

With that, Yuda displayed outright arrogance.

If anyone had a problem with his position, he was daring them to come forward. He would face them head-on.

His words, though calm, carried a menacing edge.

It sent a shiver through the atmosphere as it settled over the boy like a cloak of unease.

_"Well, I think that’s enough."_

As his speech drew to a close, Yuda flashed a smug smile and stepped down from the podium, leaving the students in stunned silence.

_"Oh, right."_

_"I’m not a villain, so don’t hate me."_

His final words echoed in the now quiet auditorium.

The students could only stare at his retreating figure, wiping away the cold sweat from their foreheads.

---

_"That was surprising."_

“...”

The white-haired old man murmured in admiration.

**Selena** snapped back to her senses at the sound of his voice. Still hazy from the effects of alcohol, she tried to focus her eyes, her long purple hair cascading down.

The voice called out again.

_"Selena."_

_"Yes, Dean."_

This time, she responded without delay.

Sitting beside her was her mentor and the dean of Galimar Academy, **Gaston Galimar**.

He was watching the boy with interest.

_"You’ve chosen an interesting student."_

_"Thank you."_

_"Even though he doesn’t seem to possess much power, he still managed to captivate the entire room with his charisma..."_

The old man’s lips curled into a faint smile.

The boy wasn’t suited to be the top student, but with proper training, he could still bloom into something remarkable.

_"It’s a shame. Such a promising student, yet because of your stubbornness, he’s already made enemies among the other students."_

_"...I understand."_

_"If you understand, then it’s even more frustrating."_

The dean lightly tapped Selena’s head.

As she silently accepted his scolding, the old man asked her a quiet question, concern evident in his voice.

_"This time, I won’t help you. Are you confident?"_

_"What do you mean...?"_

_"The placement exam."_

A few days ago, during a faculty meeting, a condition had been set for Selena as a form of punishment for arbitrarily selecting the top student.

_"Do you really believe that boy will be able to maintain his top rank?"_

Though it was framed as a question, it wasn’t really one.

The dean had already concluded that the boy would fall in rank during the placement exam, and the other faculty members seemed to agree. Some were even snickering among themselves.

Ignoring their immature reactions, Selena answered quietly.

_"We’ll see."_

Her red eyes, tinged with indifference, stared into the distance.

She recalled the pressure she had felt from the boy during the entrance exam, the mysterious fear that had weighed down on her.

_"We’ll know soon enough."_

With that, the woman turned her head away, her response simple and unhurried.