The academy’s entrance ceremony finished in less than two hours.

An entrance ceremony isn’t an event that takes much time to begin with, and the atmosphere wasn’t particularly different just because it was the academy’s entrance ceremony.

Above all, from a gameplay perspective, there’s no need to put much effort into making an entrance ceremony that most players skip.

The ceremony progressed relatively quickly, with Princess Seraphine’s short speech as the overall top student and the awarding of scholarships and prizes to the top and second-place students of each department taking up most of the event.

Expecting some chaos around the stage, I deliberately left the auditorium a bit early and waited outside for Ethan to come out. {GalaxyTL/Axiomatic}

I thought it might feel stuffy if I stayed inside the crowded auditorium to wait, and I figured Ethan would notice and follow me outside.

While I was standing there waiting for the awarding of the top and second-place students to end, suddenly, a male student who looked like a freshman approached me and asked me something.

A bit flustered by the strange man approaching me, I answered with a cautious question.

 

“Excuse me.”

“…Are you talking to me?”

“Yes. I’m a new student so I’m not familiar with the academy’s geography. Could you tell me where the building for the Pharmacy Department is from here?”

“The Pharmacy Department Building is past the Martial Arts Department Building in front of the auditorium, then on the right. After turning right, the first building you’ll see is for the Technical Department, and the one after that is the Pharmacy Department Building.”

“Ah, I see. Thank you!”

 

…I was cautious for nothing. It was just a question asking for directions.

I suppose I couldn’t help but be tense, considering the somewhat unsettling atmosphere of Luminor Academy.

As a place where powerful people from all over the empire gathered, this academy was a place where you could occasionally encounter people who had lost their sense of decency and manners.

Thinking that, I was blankly staring at the auditorium entrance again when, this time, a woman in white priest robes, who looked like she was from the Theology Department, approached and asked me a question.

 

“Excuse me, could I ask where the Theology Department Building is, sister?”

“The Theology Department Building also serves as the academy branch of the Aurelian Church. If you follow the main road in front of the auditorium, you’ll see the Magic Department Building. If you go around half of that building to the back, the Theology Department Building is right behind it.”

“Thank you, sister. May the goddess’s blessings always be with you.”

“Excuse me, where is the academy’s Central Park…?”

“The Central Park is to the left of the central Main Building. If you follow the main road here, you’ll see a building with a bulletin board – that’s the Main Building.”

“Ah, I see.”

“How do I get to Dormitory Building 3…?”

 

…What’s going on?

Somehow, it feels like I’m getting a lot of questions asking for directions today.

I felt quite flustered by this situation where new students were flocking to me even though I was just waiting for Ethan to come out in front of the auditorium after the entrance ceremony ended.

As soon as my eyes caught the clothes of the academy maids guiding people at the auditorium entrance, I could roughly understand why people were asking me for directions.

Come to think of it, I’m wearing a modified academy uniform right now.

Looking at this outfit that seems half mixed between a maid uniform and the academy uniform, it’s not so strange that people might mistake me for an academy-employed maid.

From the beginning, I made this outfit to give a clear impression of being a servant, and it would be difficult for the eyes of new students entering the academy today to distinguish it from the attire of the academy staff.

Well, it seemed Ethan would need a bit more time to come out of the auditorium anyway, so I continued giving directions as a kind of volunteer work in the meantime.

Having seen the ending 24 times, I already had a rough map of Luminor Academy in my head, and giving directions to send people inside quickly to other places would also help somewhat in quelling this chaos. {GalaxyTL/Axiomatic}

Even in a fantasy world, new students are still new students. It was kind of fun, feeling like I was guiding underclassmen from my school in my previous life.

While thinking about that and explaining the academy’s geography to other new students for a while…

This time, a noble-looking male student with a somewhat sly appearance approached me to ask for directions.

 

“…Excuse me, I’d like to ask for directions.”

“Ah, yes.”

“I was supposed to meet an acquaintance at the student cafeteria after the entrance ceremony, but it’s too complicated, and I’ve forgotten the location that I was told. If it’s alright, could you guide me there…?”

“Judging by your attire, you’re a student from the Swordsmanship Department, right?”

“…Ah, yes, that’s right.”

“The student cafeteria is behind the Main Library Building if you go up from the Swordsmanship Department Building towards the library.”

“……”

 

He stood there blankly as if he had something more to say, but I deliberately avoided making eye contact with him and ignored him.

I naturally shifted my gaze to another approaching new student, pretending to give them directions.

I was planning to ignore this annoying noble youth and guide other new students while waiting for Ethan.

Unfortunately, the sly-looking guy didn’t seem to understand the intention behind my words and actions at once.

 

“A senior from our department told us to come to the back gate after the entrance ceremony, is there such a thing as a back gate at the academy?”

“The back gate is along the large road between the Archery and Pharmacy Department Buildings…”

Grab!

“……Ah.”

 

I suddenly felt pressure gripping my arm from where that noble had been standing until just now.

I could roughly guess what he was thinking by grabbing my arm, and curses towards him naturally came to mind.

…It would be nice if he could just take the hint and leave.

 

“The cafeteria is behind the way from the Swordsmaship Department Building towards the library…”

“I’m sorry, but it’s hard to understand with your explanation.”

“……”

“Couldn’t you guide me directly? I feel like I might get lost if I go alone.”

 

What bullshit, utter bullshit.

I made eye contact once with the noble youth, trying to make a move on me with such an obvious ploy.

Exercising my last bit of self-control, I answered as politely as I could.

 

“I’m sorry. I don’t have the leisure to do that much for new students.”

“Are you, a mere academy servant, defying the words of me, a scion of the Raidenhart family?”

 

…You little shit.

If I deliberately show disinterest and give a sign to leave, you should just leave; you really have no tact at all. {GalaxyTL/Axiomatic}

Not only do you have terrible manners, grabbing someone’s hand out of nowhere, but now, you’re arrogantly reciting your family name?

Seemingly unaware that I was looking at him with eyes full of contempt, the man, who introduced himself as a scion of the Raidenhart family, started tugging on my arm again, urging me to walk.

Reaching the limit of my patience, I shook off his arm and cursed at him.

 

“I’ll forgive you just this once, seeing your pretty face. Guide me to the academy cafeteria quickly…”

“You’re talking shit, you fucking bastard.”

Slap!

 

Not caring about the gazes around us, I struck the palm of my hand against the forearm of the Raidenhart scion, who was trying to drag me away, and pulled my wrist out of his hand that had momentarily lost strength.

To the stupid guy looking down at me with an incredulous gaze, I poured out the thoughts in my heart.

 

“What are you doing…”

“I should be the one asking what you’re doing, you fucking bastard. Don’t you have a mirror in your dorm room? What kind of confidence do you have that makes you think I’d naturally follow you? Huh?”

“……What?”

“Are your ears as fucked up as your face? Why would I guide someone I just met, like you, to the student cafeteria? What’s so pretty about you? This is really fucking ridiculous. Seriously.”

“……”

 

Unable to anticipate this reaction from me, Raidenhart trembled, unable to hide his bewilderment.

 

Shing.

 

Then, as if thinking his pride had been hurt, he suddenly drew the sword at his waist and pointed it at me.

I thought he was just an ordinarily stupid noble youth, but he turned out to be completely insane.

 

“Kn-kneel down and apologize right now! How dare a mere academy servant show such disrespect to me, a scion of a count’s family…!”

“Go fuck yourself, you bastard. I thought only your ears were decorative, but are your eyes too? Don’t you see the emblem of the academy on this uniform? Why would I be your servant? Huh?” {GalaxyTL/Axiomatic}

“……What did you say?”

“And stop bragging about being a scion of a count’s family or whatever, you idiot. This isn’t your territory, it’s the academy. This is where all the elite noble scions from across the empire gather. Do you think your ‘Count’s Scion’ title is some amazingly special title that no one can match?”

“……”

 

The Raidenhart brat looked around bewilderedly, seemingly at a loss for words at my logical argument.

Perhaps because of his suddenly drawing of his sword, other people’s attention was drawn, and various figures started to surround and watch me and Raidenhart in a circle.

 

“Wh-what’s going on? Is there a fight?”

“Didn’t that man try to drag that woman away earlier, and she refused? Aren’t they fighting because of that?”

 

I was planning to let him go if he put away his sword and left even now, but it seemed he couldn’t easily put his sword away due to the sudden gazes gathering around.

In the end, if he didn’t put away his sword, I would have to draw my own sword to defend myself.

 

Shing.

 

“……?”

 

Raidenhart frowned, seemingly a bit dumbfounded at the silver dagger I pulled out from inside my uniform.

To the guy who still couldn’t come to his senses and wouldn’t put away his sword, I held out the blade of my silver dagger and said:

 

“This silver dagger alone can handle a sword wielded by a bratty new student like you, so come at me if you dare.”

“…What did you say?”

“You told me to kneel down and apologize earlier, right? Well then, try to win. If you do, I’ll do whatever you want, whether it’s an apology or me begging for my life.”

“You insolent bitch of unknown origin…”

“But the moment you get beaten, the honor of the Raidenhart family that you’re so proud of will fall to the ground. It’s all thanks to the Raidenhart brat who attacked with a longsword and was pathetically defeated by a woman who isn’t even in the Swordsmanship Department.”

“……”

 

He seemed to have listened to my words to the end, even in this situation, as Raidenhart rolled his eyes, glaring at me as if contemplating whether to attack or not. {GalaxyTL/Axiomatic}

Since I was showing such a confident attitude, he seemed hesitant to attack.

After all, the academy is a place where all kinds of strong people from the empire gather, so he couldn’t rule out the possibility that the woman in front of him might actually be skilled.

…But at this point, the chance to resolve this peacefully had already passed, and I had also become interested in dueling him.

To make the arrogant noble scion’s resolve firm, I deliberately spoke once more to provoke him into attacking me.

…All to stimulate the inferiority complex that the guy who introduced himself as a ‘scion’ of the Raidenhart family would likely have in his mind.

 

“Ah, no. Come to think of it, you don’t need to worry about the honor of the Raidenharts.”

“…What do you mean?”

“It’s obvious, isn’t it? Whatever stupid things a disposable son below the third son with ambiguous successor qualifications does outside has nothing to do with the Raidenharts’ honor, right?”

“YOU BIIITCH…!!”

 

As if I had finally struck a nerve, the enraged Raidenhart rushed at me with his sword.

I gripped the silver dagger tightly in my right hand and focused my gaze on the incoming sword until the end.

 

Clang!

 

The blades of my dagger and his sword clashed, ringing out once across the open space in front of the auditorium. 

Raidenhart’s expression showed clear bewilderment at his sword flying away due to my Shockwave.

I, too, quietly confirmed the direction of this duel after crossing swords once.

This looks like an event where I can earn some XP after so long.