episode_0013

Due to battling throughout the night yesterday, I was sleep-deprived and fell asleep as soon as the carriage departed.

In the meantime, the carriage crossed the border and arrived in the Liana Empire. When I woke up, the scenery had completely changed.

From the barren wasteland to a lush forest filled with dense trees, the landscape of the Liana Empire passed by.

As befitting a grand empire that unified three nations, various races were bustling on the streets.

People of different races, some flaunting massive maces on their backs with bulging muscles, and elven archers integrated into human society, adventurers of diverse backgrounds were visible on the streets.

“Seeing it like this, it feels real again….”

A fantasy world.

It was different from what I had experienced within the confines of the Duchy.

Beautiful landscapes reminiscent of Western European tourist destinations that delighted the eyes.

Intertwined within were staffs, armors, and magical backgrounds, all elements of an enchanting game fantasy world.

“We will soon arrive at Ariel Academy!”

Not long after, the coachman shouted.

After about 30 minutes, the carriage entered the entrance of a building and came to a stop.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“You too.”

Together with Sara, we got off the carriage, exchanged greetings with the coachman, and entered the academy.

About four escort knights followed us, carrying our luggage.

“Hey, fatty, don’t walk so close. People might misunderstand thinking we’re close.”

“I’ve been called fatty for ages, but I’m not that anymore, am I? I wish you’d stop calling me that.”

“Why shouldn’t I call a fatty a fatty? Stop the nonsense and stay away.”

“….”

I really want to punch her in the face.

Anyway, once school starts, dealing with you, who’s like an enemy, will be over.

Leaving the irritable Sara behind, I walked ahead.

A towering building with a large analog clock at its sharp peak.

On either side stood two huge, majestic white square buildings, almost guarding the clock tower.

Large enough to accommodate thousands of students amusingly.

In terms of the story, it was the empire’s top academy that fit within three fingers’ reach.

Comparing it to Korea, it would be like Seoul National University… no, more like Stanford University.

“…Looking at it this way, it’s truly remarkable. How much did the game development team invest in graphics?”

While admiring it, Sara’s voice interrupted.

“Hey, fatty! I said stay back, who told you to go ahead?! If you’re unhappy, follow behind me!”

I could hear Sara throwing a tantrum from behind.

After sending off the two escort knights who helped move our luggage to the dormitory,

I set off to explore the building.

The dormitory didn’t have much to see.

Slightly better than my room in the Duchy….

I hadn’t expected such a lavish interior with luxurious beds and spa bathrooms.

With over a thousand students attending, how did they manage to pay attention to each detail in the dormitory?

If they spent that much money, they might as well have ventured into the motel business.

However, the area transitioning to the academy building was different.

Honestly, I was impressed.

Spacious lecture halls that could easily accommodate fifty people.

Each seat arranged pyramid-style like foreign universities, and the blackboard and lectern at the center bottom looked like they were made for lectures.

Additionally, the marble corridors stretching up to the twentieth floor with geometric patterns drawn on them.

Studying at such a magnificent school would be thrilling. The interior design, which captured the fantasy of a magical school beyond mere aesthetics, made one’s heart swell with grandeur.

“If this is just the beginning, what about the training grounds?”

Today is the day for back exercises.

Exercising in such a sophisticated building should yield good results.

Unable to contain my excitement, I immediately rushed up to the second floor.

The lecture halls on the second floor were similar to the first floor.

However, I knew there was a training ground at the end of this second-floor corridor.

When the protagonist character was trying to increase his strength stat, he often frequented the gym… no, the training hall.

Since the game didn’t provide a detailed view of the interior, the thought of seeing it in real life made his heart race with excitement.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

The sound of footsteps on marble echoed through the silent corridor.

There was no one else in the corridor but me. I had come early, and most students were supposed to arrive in the evening.

And so, I arrived at the end of the second-floor corridor.

In front of me, a luxurious door seemed to be covered with several red mini cushions.

‘This must be the door to paradise!’

Unable to contain my excitement, I immediately grabbed the door handle and pushed it back, opening the door.

Creak….

“Prepare your back muscles… Today is your judgment day….”

“Hmm?”

Eek, there was someone inside.

A woman doing push-ups as part of her warm-up routine, leaving her exercise equipment behind.

If she heard the muttered words earlier, it might have been a bit awkward.

Thinking this, I quickly shut my mouth and felt greatly embarrassed.

“You, you’re…?!”

“……”

The person alone in the training hall recognized me.

Not only that, I also knew her.

“I apologize!”

“W-where are you going?! Stand right there!”

Like a lost pedestrian, I hastily slammed the door shut and ran down to the first-floor stairs.

.

.

.

“Pant, pant… She probably won’t be able to follow me here….”

I engaged in a chase with her following behind, eventually escaping into the male dormitory where I had come from earlier.

The pursuer was Aria of the Silvesta family.

Aria, whom I had once saved during the Griffin battle.

Forgetting momentarily about her attendance at the academy amidst its grandeur.

Getting involved with her would only bring headaches.

Aria is the heroine of the game’s protagonist, Cain.

Cain, like a Conan figure, carries all sorts of disasters and incidents in his stories….

Getting involved with characters around him?

Having a smooth academic life is out of the question. Why should I go through all this trouble if I’m just going to suffer?

My goal is to quietly graduate from the academy, laying the groundwork and building connections to navigate this daunting world.

If I graduate from Ariel Academy, a somewhat stable life is guaranteed.

Therefore, the rule is not to make any connections with key game characters.

‘Cleaning up my reputation and starting over… If they find out I’m the infamous loser Gongja Sian, who knows what troublesome situations I might get dragged into. They might even misunderstand and think I’m getting involved with heroines.’

Luckily, having lost some weight, it seems people around me don’t recognize me… It’s fortunate.

Now, as long as I don’t run into Aria, I can live quietly.

“…Maybe I’ll work out tonight.”

Disappointed, I did bodyweight exercises in the dormitory and waited until evening.

From the afternoon, noises started coming from the neighboring rooms, indicating that the students had finished moving in.

Now it’s time to go eat dinner.

The student cafeteria will start operating from tonight.

What would a cafeteria in an academy with swordsmanship and magic be like? It’s probably just a place to eat like any other….

I couldn’t help but have unexpected thoughts. With that in mind, I opened the dormitory door and headed to the third floor where the cafeteria was located.

.

.

.

As expected, it was an excessive expectation.

I thought there would be a system to order food with magic, but it seemed they preferred the conventional method of ordering from the menu and counter staff, as if investing magical power in such a system was wasteful.

The restaurant was spacious enough to accommodate around 500 people.

Thanks to this, there was no need to line up at the entrance.

After passing by several counters, I arrived at a corner that seemed to serve Eastern cuisine.

I ordered a dish that looked like it was made of rice and found a table to sit at.

“Oh my…! The illegitimate son of Count Garias, Luberne, is secretly in love with the Fourth Princess…?! Is this information accurate?!”

“That’s right! A friend of my younger sibling who works at Count Garias’s place told me! …Soon, the Fourth Princess will reach the age for romance! Who will she end up with…?”

“Interest… Intriguing! What should I do… I’ve been chosen by Luberne!!”

“Oh, over there! Shh! Everyone, take a look at the newly seated table next to us!”

“Huh? Why… Oh my.”

“Who is he?! Which family is he from?! Isn’t he a total handsome man?! If he just loses a bit of weight, he’d be exactly my style!”

“My heart’s Luberne is finally ready to leave… Ah, now my heart belongs to that man…”

Sitting alone, the chatter from the neighboring table overlapped and reached my ears.

I couldn’t quite make out what they were saying, but thanks to it, I didn’t feel bored as the sounds filled the void.

Soon, the signal that my meal was finished resonated through the amplification magic.

I received a dish resembling black curry and returned to my table.

Upon tasting it, it wasn’t bad. Rice mixed with soy sauce…? Seeing a few pieces of meat, it seemed like I could get enough protein.

As I was halfway through emptying the plate while eating,

-Clank.

Someone sat down across from me with a plate.

I was momentarily puzzled.

With so many tables around, why sit at mine…?

Curious, I raised my head and looked ahead.

“You, hey…! Cyan?”

A young man with a sharp appearance widened his eyes and pretended to know me.

Who is he?

I asked him with a puzzled expression.

“…Who are you?”

“You, you! It’s Cyan, right! That voice… You seem to have lost weight and gotten a bit thinner, but it’s definitely Cyan!”

He greeted me enthusiastically.

What kind of nonsense is this while I’m eating?

Wait, did he recognize me as Cyan?

Could it be… the comrade of the previous foolish Cyan before possession?

“Hey! What are you doing there! Did you catch another sucker?!”

“That guy can’t bother people, so he’s frustrated…”

While thinking such thoughts, two men who seemed to be friends of the man who was talking to me slowly approached.

As they came closer, he shouted again in frustration.

“Hey, hey! Look at this guy!!”

“Huh? …A guy who looks like an unlucky parasite. Who is he?”

“Is he someone whose face doesn’t appeal to them anymore for scamming?”

As his friends failed to understand his intentions, he jumped around frustratingly.

“No, you idiots! Cyan! It’s Cyan-! Huh?!”

“What’s Cyan?”

“Why is he suddenly like this…”

“……”

Should I move seats?

After contemplating hundreds of times, perhaps missing the timing, the man who recognized me exploded in a furious voice once again.

“Cyan!! This guy is Cyan-!! Look closely at his face-!!”

“Cyan?”

“That makes no sense…”

The three of them stared intently at my face.

Awkwardly.

As they blinked their eyebrows a few times, their expressions gradually turned to shock.

“Huh…? Huh…? Focus on the face…”

“Aligning… huh…? Huh huh…? Huh huh huh……?!!”

“Huh huh huh?! Huh huh huh huh-?!!”

“Huh huh huh huh-?!!”

“What did I say, you idiots! Cyan! Cya-aan-!!”

“……”

Amidst their commotion, the gazes of everyone dining nearby turned towards us.

In that embarrassing situation, I simply ignored the fools and the surroundings, steadfastly finishing the remaining food.

“…I should eat quickly and head to the training ground.”