Ch. 203
Chapter 203
After the introduction session ended, I moved to the waiting room behind the stage.
“Student Villed.”
Chariot, who had followed behind me with a pale face, spoke in a voice that nearly crawled along the floor.
Since he had forcibly dragged me—someone from a high-ranking family—onto the stage and turned me into a laughingstock, it seemed he thought it was his fault.
Knowing that nobles lived by their honor, his reaction was only natural.
“I-I’m sorry. I truly didn’t mean to do that on purpose. I had to somehow get you up on stage……”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“……Pardon?”
Hearing my answer, Chariot slowly lifted his head.
Judging from the way his voice still trembled with anxiety, he seemed unable to believe what I had said.
“I said it doesn’t matter.”
“Y-you truly mean that?”
“Do you want me to repeat myself several times? Stop bothering me.”
“Th-thank you…….”
Even after that, Chariot kept bowing to me persistently before finally leaving.
‘I can kind of understand why he’d keep apologizing like that even after asking three times.’
If another noble had gone through something like this, it wouldn’t have ended with mere anger. They would have used every possible means to discipline Chariot.
But since I had simply brushed it off and said it was fine, he must have found it unbelievable.
After Chariot left, I thought I would finally have some quiet for a while, but……
“Puhahaha!”
A fluttering mass of red hair caught my eye.
Kaylin had already approached me and burst into laughter while slapping my back. Each time she hit me, bits of chaff stuck to my clothes fell off. And I had no idea where that strength came from—it hurt quite a bit……
“Young Master, what on earth are you wearing~! I almost laughed too! Ah, I already did. Puhuhu!”
“Don’t laugh.”
“But how can I not~! It looks like it doesn’t suit you, but at the same time it fits you perfectly—that’s what makes it so funny!”
Beside Kaylin stood Ren with his brown hair.
“I knew you would come, Mr. Villed!”
Ever since I had appeared on stage, he had been staring at me with shining eyes.
The gaze had been so burdensome that I had deliberately avoided even looking in his direction.
……Not long after, the sound of heels approached, and swaying violet hair entered my view.
“It’s been a while.”
With the chandelier’s light reflecting off the brilliant golden badge on her chest, she shone even more dazzlingly.
It was Elined of the Pinjer family.
“You were here too.”
“I am a Schuler as well.”
Elined looked at me directly. Unlike the others, there wasn’t even the faintest smile on her lips.
She seemed unconcerned about my attire and made no mention of it.
Soon, I also met the emerald eyes of the Crown Princess.
I bowed formally at the waist.
“Your Highness, it has been a while.”
“……Yes. You seem to have been well.”
The Crown Princess offered only a formal greeting in return.
“Ah, right!”
Kaylin suddenly bounced as if she had remembered something.
“I heard the new students are already spreading rumors~ They say you’re building a house? Can we come visit?”
“Mr. Villed is building a house?!”
As if struck by a brilliant idea, Ren clapped his hands and asked me,
“If it’s completed, how about holding a party at your livestock shed like last time? I would very much like to attend and congratulate you!”
“Wow~ That sounds fun! Let’s have a party! Miss Pinjer, Your Highness, you’re coming too, right?”
“…….”
Elined crossed her arms but gave a slight nod.
However, Arlhart remained silent, and Kaylin tilted her head.
“Hm? Your Highness doesn’t want to? Then maybe just Ren, Miss Pinjer, and I will go?”
“……I didn’t say I don’t want to.”
When the Crown Princess answered, Kaylin grinned mischievously.
“Hehe, what’s this? So Your Highness secretly wants to go too? Well, the Young Master’s livestock shed parties are pretty fun!”
“You’re not even asking for my opinion?”
It felt like unnecessary trouble would arise again.
When I sighed and said that, Kaylin simply laughed it off.
“You’re going to allow it anyway~ You’ve never told us not to come.”
“Then don’t come.”
I answered flatly, and Kaylin’s smiling face turned pale.
“……Y-you’re joking, right? No! I’m sorry! Let us have a party! I really wanted to see the house you’re building!”
Kaylin grabbed my arm with both hands and shook it desperately.
“…….”
With my arm seized, I turned my head elsewhere.
The first person I noticed tucked away in a corner was Sia.
It seemed she had been watching me for a while. When I looked at her, she hurriedly turned her head away.
Perhaps she disliked troublesome things, or perhaps she simply didn’t want to acknowledge me.
……I could also feel the cold gazes of the other Schuler students.
Everyone here wore impeccably pressed uniforms and far more refined attire than usual.
Some were adorned with medals and badges, others with Hawkeye’s uniform caps, Magitech Department goggles, or Finders’ compasses.
Some had waxed their hair or put on makeup, clearly having dressed up for the occasion.
Compared to them, I looked pitiful and shabby. They likely saw me as an eyesore that tarnished the name of “Schuler.”
I could understand such reactions well enough, so it was something I had to endure.
Yes. I simply did not belong here.
“By the way, why were you so late? You showed up right when it was almost over.”
Kaylin asked curiously.
“Who knows. An assistant suddenly came to the livestock shed and dragged me away.”
When I explained how I had ended up on stage, Ren and Kaylin blinked in confusion.
“That’s strange. You’re saying Mr. Villed was the only one who received no prior notice? We were informed a week in advance……”
“You still don’t get it?”
A deep voice echoed from afar.
I turned toward it.
It was Kunking, his hair even sharper from the wax.
He was seated on another sofa, his feet resting on the table.
“There are bastards all over the Academy who pretend to be good people on the outside but are rotten inside.”
Kunking crossed his arms and continued without even looking at us.
“If someone doesn’t suit their tastes, they simply don’t bother informing them. That was Dedencman.”
At his words, Kaylin and Ren fell into thought.
“Hmm, the person in charge of this Schuler introduction……? Who could it be?”
“I’m curious as well.”
Elined quietly pondered with them before finally speaking first.
“I heard that after the Schuler introduction, there was an explanation of the second-years versus first-years opposition training. The explanation was given by the supervising professor. So perhaps the person in charge was from Hawkeye’s……”
At that moment—
Creak!
“Quiet. Attention.”
With the sound of the door opening, a voice cut sharply through the waiting room.
The murmurs died down quickly.
The one who entered was a young blond man wearing glasses—Professor Jennings of Hawkeye.
He wore a perfectly tailored Imperial coat and a uniform cap.
One could tell from his appearance alone that he was a thorough perfectionist.
Beside him stood Chariot in identical attire, hands clasped behind his back without moving an inch.
“Gentlemen and ladies, I am Jennings, responsible for strategy and tactics in this opposition training.”
Naturally, all Schuler students turned their attention to him.
“The format will be a mock war. The organization is simple. All first-years versus second-year Schuler.”
A mock war.
What had circulated as rumor was now confirmed by the professor himself.
Some furrowed their brows; others slightly raised the corners of their lips.
“You are Schuler chosen by the professors. You represent your peers and are concentrated in the upper departments.”
At that, several students subtly straightened their backs.
Was it pride? Or relief at having their status acknowledged?
“However, that fact does not guarantee clear superiority in this training.”
Jennings paused and swept his gaze across the room.
It was not a look of expectation—it was closer to a warning.
“The objective of the first-years is singular: ‘How long can they endure against the upperclassmen’s forces?’”
Someone snorted quietly. Someone else stiffened.
“Conversely, the second-year Schuler’s objective is simple. Maintain overwhelming superiority while controlling the front lines. The possibility of even one defeat is not under consideration.”
Several expressions hardened.
This was not encouragement. It was a clear standard.
Jennings raised one finger of his left hand.
“The first-years’ advantage lies in one thing: numbers.”
He raised a finger on the other hand.
“The second-years’ advantage lies in one thing: experience.”
Then he concluded calmly,
“Prove which side is more suited for war. Any final questions?”
A brief silence.
The Schuler students exchanged glances.
“Question! I have a question!”
Kaylin sprang up like a coiled spring, raising both hands.
Jennings nodded quietly.
“If we perform well in this opposition training, what reward do we receive?”
A reward.
Certainly important—something to fuel competitiveness.
Jennings nodded.
“Students who achieve high contribution in this opposition training will be awarded merit points.”
A small murmur of admiration spread.
The Academy operated on a merit and demerit system.
Merit points could be accumulated to purchase various privileges or items.
Conversely, accumulating demerits brought penalties.
However, I was quite distant from anything called “merit.”
In fact, I was currently under livestock shed disciplinary punishment due to reaching the maximum demerits.
“The opposition training will be held once per week. Read the manuals distributed beforehand and prepare accordingly. That is all.”
Jennings swept his Imperial coat as he turned to leave.
……By pure coincidence, our eyes met briefly.
But—
“Tsk.”
He clicked his tongue and walked out the door.
As the sun set and evening turned violet, I was eating under the golden lamp in the warehouse.
“……So that’s what happened.”
“Oh…….”
Rafin’s eyes sparkled.
After I explained why I had briefly left earlier and that I would be participating in weekly training, Rafin looked greatly intrigued.
“You’re lucky to be a Schuler, Villed. It sounds fun.”
“Fun? It’s just troublesome…….”
When I replied, Rafin turned to Sia, who was sitting beside him.
“You’re lucky too, Sia. You get to do something fun with Villed.”
Sia, who had been hurriedly eating her omelet rice, met Rafin’s eyes. Her face instantly turned pale. Like a hamster, she puffed her cheeks before forcefully swallowing.
Then—
“……C-cough, hack!”
As if choking, she beat her chest.
“Hey. Water.”
When I handed her a cup, she practically snatched it and gulped it down.
After letting out a sigh of relief, Sia spoke to Rafin, who was staring at her with shining eyes.
“……Hmph. It’s just dealing with a bunch of weaklings who come in droves. There’s no way it’s fun.”
She shot me a sharp glare.
“What are you going to do?”
Sia could visually see others’ magical power.
She knew that the magical power within my body was absurdly weak, so she must have been curious.
I shrugged.
“I’ll run as much as possible. Losing to first-years would be quite humiliating.”
“Hmph. Pathetic.”
Sia snorted and resumed eating. ……Then, as if tossing it out casually, she muttered,
“If there’s nowhere to hide, come to me.”
“…….”
I stared at her for a while.
It was not something I would ever expect to hear from Sia.
She frowned as if finding my reaction strange.
“What are you staring at?”
“……Did you just say you’d help me?”
When I asked, she blinked.
Then her expression twisted, and she shot up from her seat.
“W-what are you thinking? If you get beaten by freshmen, the entire second-year class gets mocked! That’s why!”
“Come to think of it, you’ve been talking more lately. You seem different.”
“Shut that mouth before I kill you!”
With her face flushed red, Sia shouted, brandishing her spoon like a weapon.
For the sake of survival, I had no choice but to comply and stay quiet.