Chapter 102
Chapter 102: School Bully?
***
The night in the Royal Capital was exceptionally lively.
Unlike all the other cities I had visited before, even the other two royal capitals that shared its reputation, Winter City and the Emerald Capital of Narangard, when the sky turned completely dark, both the markets and shops would pack up, and there would be hardly any pedestrians on the streets.
But here was different. Even though the two crescent moons were clearly embedded in the sky, the city was still bustling. Colorful and brilliantly bright lights overshadowed the moonlight pouring down from the night sky, coating the city in dazzling colors.
The streets and alleys were filled with people who had finished dinner and come out for a stroll. Occasionally, when someone encountered an acquaintance, they would greet each other, gather together to exchange pleasantries, or perhaps even agree to walk together. Their pace of life wasn't as compact as in my previous life, this time of day was probably the most leisurely moment.
Some taverns and snack shops operating along the roads were packed with people. Three to five people gathered around a table, and their cheerful laughter could be heard from far away. Sometimes you could even see establishments with flashy signs and names like "Pink Manor" or "Rose Garden." Young women dressed provocatively would typically stand at the entrance, and whenever they saw a man walking alone, they would twist their waists, wearing exaggerated smiles on their faces, and approach to strike up a conversation.
It was obvious what kind of places those were.
After a while, I saw several people wearing matching blue-white clothes, berets with shield emblems printed on them, and swords at their waists pass by. Carlos told me last night that they were the "Arbitration Office" of the Royal Capital, specifically handling matters like city security and civil disputes. They had offices established in almost every major district. I suppose this was one of the reasons why the Royal Capital could be so lively at night.
"Cute little miss, would you like to try some freshly baked waffles? They're still hot! Smell that rich milky aroma, guaranteed delicious!"
I turned my head to see the uncle at the stall holding up a baking mold and smiling at me. The waffles on it were steaming hot, their golden yellow color looking very appetizing.
"How much?"
"15 copper coins each, delicious and affordable~"
I tilted my head and thought for a moment. "I'll take 4."
"Coming right up~" The uncle took out some kraft paper from the side, blowing air as he wrapped up the waffles one by one and handed them to me. "Here you go, miss. Be careful, they're hot."
I counted out the money and gave it to the uncle, then took the kraft paper, opened it, took out one waffle and bit into it, before wrapping the other three back up and putting them in my small shoulder bag.
"Miss, don't wander around outside too late by yourself. Stay safe and go home early! Your parents will worry~"
"I know."
After responding to the enthusiastic uncle, I continued walking forward.
I had been wandering aimlessly on the streets like this for quite a while now.
At noon, I had wanted to make some Captain Grey for myself to eat, but when I got to the kitchen, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Later, I randomly bought something to eat. When I returned to my bedroom and took my textbooks in hand, I couldn't concentrate no matter what. My mood was inexplicably irritable. When I lay down on the bed, I couldn't sleep, and I didn't know what I should do, everything felt meaningless.
Then I went out the door and kept walking until it was already dark. This way, I could kill enough time. Besides, with my constitution, I wouldn't feel tired anyway. Before I knew it, I had walked all the way to the Royal Academy.
The long line of people that had formed in front of the academy gate yesterday had long since disappeared. It seemed the testing had all been completed. I walked to the main gate, took out my academy badge from my shoulder bag and showed it to the guards standing watch. After they confirmed it, I stepped into the academy.
The campus was already full of students. Whether they were freshmen who had just enrolled or returning students who had spent a comfortable vacation, everyone should be here now. After all, tomorrow was the opening ceremony, and anyone who entered the academy after tonight would be punished.
Walking past brightly lit lamp posts, I relied on my memory to reach the tower dormitory named "Ceylon Lakeside," more than half of the windows were now lit with flickering candlelight. The students had already moved in, and the noisy laughter that occasionally rang out subsided somewhat the moment I stepped inside the tower.
Then came a wave of discussion.
"Hey hey..."
"Look at her!"
"Holy crap, a freshman? Is she in our dorm?"
"She's so beautiful it's unbelievable... Gal, what do I do? I'm in love."
"...I think I am too. Oh no! My heart is beating so fast."
"She has black hair..."
"This is just wonderful. I feel like life from now on will be full of meaning~"
The students all leaned over the 1-meter-high railings on each floor, poking their heads out to stare at me. Their whispered discussions couldn't escape my ears at all, and listening to them made my mood even more irritable. I lowered my head and climbed the spiral staircase, then heard someone whistle from above.
"Hey pretty girl, look up here~"
I ignored them and quickened my pace. I really hated this feeling of being watched like a monkey. I just wanted to get back to my dormitory quickly.
"Hahaha! She's not paying attention to you, Alex!"
"Got rejected, huh?"
"That trick of yours is way too old-fashioned."
"Hahaha—"
After a burst of laughter, that voice sounded somewhat annoyed.
"...I don't believe it!"
"Hey hey, Alex, what are you trying to do?"
"Haha, the casanova is going on the offensive..."
"But she's got black hair. Don't make her cry."
"Come on, let's go too."
"Are you guys serious... Can't you be a little gentler with the freshmen? She looks so innocent."
"What do you know? How many wolves are there in this academy? A little beauty of this caliber, if we don't make the first move, she'll be snatched up by someone else soon enough."
When this conversation reached my ears, I knew that annoying people were going to come looking for me. As expected, when I reached the 10th floor, several tall figures blocked my path. The leading man had fiery red short hair and appeared to be about 24 or 25 years old. His features weren't bad, but his eyes were small and pointed in shape, making him look somewhat fierce.
When he saw me coming up, he leaned against the railing with his right hand supporting his chin, the corner of his mouth slightly raised, putting on what he probably thought was a cool, roguish expression.
"Are you a freshman, little miss? What's your name?" the man asked.
Of course I wouldn't respond to him. Frowning, I walked to the right, trying to go around them and continue upstairs. I had only taken two steps before he blocked me again.
"Don't be in such a hurry to leave, little miss. Let's get acquainted."
I impatiently raised my head to look at the face of the man who was more than two heads taller than me.
"Move."
"Don't be like that. I just want to know your name," the man said with a smile.
"I don't want to. Move."
"Hey Alex, you should tell her your name first. That's basic courtesy, right?"
"He's getting less and less serious about hitting on people."
"Why don't I give it a try instead? You're not doing it right, haha—"
The people standing behind the man started egging him on, and the students around us were all staring this way, their whispers constantly reaching my ears.
"...That girl got targeted by Alex."
"How terrible... Getting bullied by the academy troublemakers on her first day..."
"Well, that's to be expected... She's so pretty, it would be strange if Alex and the others let her go. It was only a matter of time..."
"Hey, should we stage a heroic rescue?"
"Forget it. That's Alex we're talking about. Who would dare..."
"Shh, be careful they hear us..."
My brow furrowed even deeper.
From what they were saying, this person in front of me seemed to be a bully character in the academy?
Did the Royal Academy also have people like this...
"Haha, sorry, sorry, that was rude of me. My name is Alex, Alex Commons Clive, a level-5 student at the Royal Academy. May I ask, what is the name of this noble and beautiful young miss?"
When the man stated his last name, a flash of pride appeared in his eyes.