*Whooosh, crash!*

The deafening roar ripped through the air.

Hundreds of sword fragments stormed like a violent wind. It was a sight that would make anyone feel awe. It was as if the scene itself flaunted the impenetrable wall of talent.

---

But.

There was one boy who stood, unafraid of the disaster.

His golden hair fluttered in the wind.

He stretched his arm toward the approaching wave, as if to stop it.

---

“Shatter.”

---

Everyone thought the boy was reckless.

However, as soon as the incantation left his lips, the course of the battle flipped.

---

*Boom!*

---

The screen shook with a loud explosion.

Beyond the flashing scene was the sight of shadowy darkness, rapidly swallowing everything around it.

An ominous, pulsating darkness.

---

*Clang!*

---

Then, the barrier surrounding the circular arena shattered.

The once unreachable wall of talent had broken like mere glass.

The fragments scattered into dust.

It all happened in less than three seconds.

---

*Hoo.*

---

The golden-haired boy exhaled calmly.

He seemed to think the result was only natural.

The scene paused as he casually brushed off the remaining mana from his fingertips.

---

“...”

---

The faculty members stared at the screen in silence.

They had replayed the scene several times, but the shock had yet to wear off.

---

The sharp killing intent.

The mana waves that stretched to their limits.

Even in a perilous situation, the boy remained composed.

It all far exceeded the level of a mere student.

As they sat in uneasy silence, one person finally spoke.

---

“...Is this student really a new academy entrant?”

---

Their voice was filled with disbelief.

It was a sentiment that seemed to reflect the thoughts of every faculty member present.

They were like malfunctioning machines, sputtering for a moment before suddenly bursting into chatter.

---

“What did I just witness?”

“Quick, rewind the scene! Wasn’t there some kind of error in the recording?”

“No way...”

“Is that kind of magic even possible for a student?”

“Did he reverse the flow of mana to cause that dispersal? That's not something a student should be able to do. It’s incredible!”

“Where on earth did this kid come from?”

---

Their eyes were fixed on the screen, glowing with excitement.

Having completely overturned their predictions of a crushing defeat, the boy’s unexpected victory sent waves of astonishment through the faculty.

It was as if they had just discovered a rare gem that would make a name for itself in history.

---

“I didn’t expect much from the son of a snake, but... his talent is remarkable.”

“I never thought I’d see a genius surpass Her Highness the Princess.”

“This is beyond the level of a graduate. Isn’t it?”

“Honestly, he’s at least at a teaching assistant’s level... maybe even a professor’s if we push it.”

“Whoa, let’s not go that far.”

“Yeah, that’s a bit much, right?”

---

The young professor scratched his head awkwardly.

It seemed he had gone too far with his praise.

After all, the professors of Gallimar Academy were monsters in their own right, each of them on an entirely different level.

---

Of course... there were always exceptions.

And this was exactly what the boy had intended.

He had carefully controlled his power during the barrier-breaking moment, revealing only a portion of his true abilities.

To others, he would appear to be nothing more than a “raw talent with immense potential.”

---

“Still, it’s impressive.”

“‘Impressive’ doesn’t even cover it. His skills are better than the teaching assistants, and he’s only a kid.”

“At such a young age, he’s already at this level... the future holds great things for him.”

---

The faculty had no idea.

The boy could have easily wiped out the entire faculty if he had wanted to.

Sometimes, ignorance was a blessing.

The oblivious professors continued their heated discussion for some time.

---

“Let’s settle down.”

---

The one to bring order to the chaos was the headmaster.

The elderly man remained calm, his white hair shining in the light. His eyes reflected the wisdom of many years, unwavering despite the astonishing events.

---

“Selena.”

“Yes, Master?”

“It seems we’ve found our top student for the *Class Allocation Exam*.”

“It seems so.”

---

Selena responded with a lukewarm reply.

Her red eyes, clouded with fatigue, blinked slowly.

Her purple hair hung loosely, and in her delicate hand was a familiar bottle of strong liquor.

It was a clear sign of intoxication.

---

“...”

---

The headmaster stifled a sigh.

He wanted to reprimand her for her behavior, but for now, he held back. He owed her a debt, after all.

Instead, he spoke in a gentle, coaxing tone.

---

“I made a mistake.”

“What do you mean?”

“Regarding the top student. I doubted the papers you approved and even imposed conditions on you.”

“Oh... right, that.”

---

Selena shrugged, indifferent as always.

Her reaction suggested she hadn’t cared much about it from the start, but the headmaster still felt uneasy.

---

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine.”

“I knew you’d say that... but is there anything you want?”

“What do you mean?”

“If there’s something within my power, I’ll grant it.”

“Hmm.”

---

Selena finally showed some interest.

She paused to think, then, with a faint smile, made her request.

---

“Well then, I’ll tell you. From this year’s class, I...”

---

Her words left the other professors wide-eyed in surprise.

They stared at her in disbelief, but Selena didn’t care. She simply raised the bottle to her lips and took another sip.

---

My plan had fallen apart completely.

Originally, I had planned to lose dramatically and pass the top student position to someone else... but things had gotten too complicated.

I hadn’t accounted for Charlotte’s overwhelming sense of compassion.

---

Still, it wasn’t all bad.

I had managed to establish a connection with the Little Prince, and we even shared a few brief conversations.

Her reaction wasn’t too bad either.

At least she didn’t seem wary of me.

---

‘Given Charlotte’s personality, I doubt she’ll go around talking about me.’

---

Besides, there was no point in dwelling on things that couldn’t be changed.

Not that I could turn back time anyway...

Well, there was one person who could turn back time, but I wanted to avoid getting involved with them at all costs.

For now, this result was good enough.

I lifted my head with that thought.

In my hazy vision, I saw the circular arena.

---

“Hm.”

---

I was sitting in the waiting area, observing the next match.

In the arena stood a pink-haired girl and a blue-haired noblewoman with twin buns.

I quietly checked the match roster.

---

[Test 23]  
[Regia Pyloratz vs. Emilia Beniti]

---

‘Ah... the showdown between the protagonist and the villain.’

---

I already knew how this would play out, thanks to the original story.

I recalled the relevant scene.

---

[EP1. The Stranger]

Regia entered the academy with excitement in her heart.

Awaiting her was an event—none other than the *Class Allocation Exam*.

Though the pressure of being a top student weighed on her, she was more excited about meeting new people.

She had hoped to use this opportunity to make connections with the other students.

---

‘I’m going to make friends this time.  
I’m a little nervous, but I’ll do my best!’

---

Regia, who had wandered her entire life without making a single friend, had made a promise to herself.

This time, she would build meaningful relationships.

But in the arena where she confidently walked...

---

“You’re pathetic.”

---

She was thoroughly defeated.

Her opponent had been a poor match.

It was none other than Emilia Beniti, the second-most talented student after Charlotte.

---

“You need to recognize your place.  
This is a space for the worthy... not some lowly commoner like you.”

---

The protagonist, who had entered the academy as a commoner, was naturally treated as an eyesore by the villainous noblewoman.

The *Class Allocation Exam* gave Emilia the perfect chance to crush Regia, both in ability and spirit.

---

“Leave, stranger.”

---

Her cold words became a deep scar in Regia’s heart.

And so, the first episode of the story opened with the protagonist facing defeat.

---

“...This is worrying.”

---

I muttered to myself.

I knew that growth came through trials.

Even though I understood it was a necessary process, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for Regia.

As I watched the exam unfold with a heavy heart—

---

“She’s really getting crushed.”

---

The soft voice came from the fox sitting beside me.

Irene, dressed in her maid uniform, was leaning back in her chair, watching the exam.

She tilted her head and asked me a question.

---

“Didn’t you say that pink-haired girl was a summoner? Why isn’t she summoning anything and fighting barehanded?”

“Oh.”

---

She was right.

There wasn’t a single summoned creature in the arena.

The wyvern that had stood proudly during the entrance ceremony was nowhere to be seen. Only the trembling pink-haired girl remained.

I chuckled bitterly.

---

“There’s a reason.”

“A reason?”

“It’s Regia’s weakness, you could say.”

---

Regia was unable to summon anything when she panicked.

Summoning required strong mental fortitude, but Regia’s was far below average.

In urgent situations, her summoning would almost always fail.

In the original game,

 if she was affected by the “Confusion” status, all her skills would be locked.

She was powerful, but a character who required careful management.

---

‘She overcomes that weakness in the later parts of the story... but this is still the tutorial phase.’

---

So, it was no surprise that the exam was going this way.

---

“That's unfortunate.”

“It is. But this is also part of Regia’s charm.”

“But how do you know all this? There’s no way she told you all that...”

“Do you really want to know?”

---

I smiled slyly.

My lips curled into a sinister grin, giving off an eerie vibe.

---

“...No, I think I’ll pass.”

“That’s good to hear. I was wondering how I would answer you.”

---

For some reason, everyone always avoided my gaze when I smiled like this.

It had become quite useful when I wanted to dodge tricky questions.

Irene quickly changed the topic.

---

“Anyway, that aside... isn’t she going to get hurt? All she’s doing is casting basic spells.”

“She’ll be fine.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“I just have a feeling.”

---

Even though Emilia played the role of a villain, she was someone who adhered strictly to her own rules.

She might have broken Regia’s spirit, but she wasn’t the type to physically harm her.

---

“Though, I have to admit... I’m still a little worried.”

“That’s surprising.”

“Hmm?”

“I didn’t think you’d worry about anyone. I thought you didn’t care about anyone at all.”

“Haha, how could that be? I’m just a regular human.”

“...Are you really human?”

“Well, what do you think I am?”

“A chimera?”

“...Let’s stop this.”

---

It felt like I’d had this conversation before.

A psychopath, a monster... now a chimera?

At this point, I was curious what outlandish answer she’d come up with next.

---

‘I’ve been so good to her, yet all this time she’s been thinking of me like I’m some Frankenstein.’

---

I sighed dramatically.

To express my sorrow, I grabbed the fox’s tail.

---

“Hyah?!”

“This is your punishment.”

“W-wait...! N-not the tail! It feels too weird... Hic!?”

“You’ll just have to endure it.”

---

I stroked the fluffy bundle of fur.

After a while, as I continued to “educate” the fox, the announcement echoed through the arena.

The exam had come to an end.

---

[Test 23 has ended.]  
[Students, please follow the instructors’ guidance to exit the arena.]

---

Two girls stood in the center of the arena.

The villainous noblewoman turned away coldly, while the protagonist knelt in defeat.

---

[Regia Pyloratz has forfeited. The winner is Emilia Beniti.]

---

There were no surprises.

The pink-haired girl stood frozen for a moment, then staggered to her feet.

She walked out of the arena on unsteady legs, her back looking especially lonely.

---

“Well... shall we get going too?”

“Already? There are still about ten teams left.”

“Someone needs me. When your friend is going through a hard time, you should stay by their side.”

“What are you up to now...?”

---

I just smiled in response.

The sky above looked especially dark. It seemed rain was coming, with clouds gathering thickly overhead.

I glanced at the fox and asked softly.

---

“Irene.”

“What?”

“It looks like it’s going to rain.”

“I brought umbrellas... but why did you ask me to bring three when there are only two of us?”

“There’s someone I want to share it with.”

---

I answered simply.

---

“I don’t want them to be alone.”

---

Well then.

Let’s go comfort our protagonist.