Ch.27Meeting (2)

As Rina mentioned, the academy had posted a notice about the new student gathering. I’m confident that no student would be unaware of it since they put up notices on the corridor bulletin boards like large posters. I quickly checked the detailed schedule and venue by reading each notice posted on the bulletin board.

The gathering is scheduled for next Saturday, and the location is the main auditorium where the entrance ceremony was held. Attendance is optional, but due to Rina’s pressure, it would be beneficial for me to attend.

“What? You’re going to attend the new student gathering?”

“Yes.”

Time passed, and the weekend arrived.

After finishing my simple workout and writing, I headed to the training ground to meet Nicole. She must have just finished all her duels as her entire body was drenched in sweat.

Nicole wiped the sweat dripping down with a towel and asked in a slightly confused voice.

“Suddenly? I thought you hated that kind of thing?”

“Somehow I ended up having to attend.”

“…Somehow?”

Nicole’s voice suddenly turned a bit cold. At the same time, her golden eyes visible through the towel covering her face grew fierce. Being an older sister who deeply loves her youngest sibling, she must have sensed that something was up with me.

I hurriedly opened my mouth as soon as I saw Nicole’s gaze, which could feel chilling. It felt pathetic that I had to be so careful with every word even to my own sister.

“Sis, there’s nothing for you to worry about. I’m just attending out of curiosity.”

Nicole responded with a tone suggesting she didn’t quite believe my lie but would let it slide.

“…Fine then. Did you come looking for me because of the gathering? To ask about it?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm… the gathering…”

Nicole roughly wiped the sweat from her face and began to think deeply. I waited until she opened her mouth.

“Hey~”

“Huh?”

While standing still and waiting, a familiar voice entered my ears. A husky yet boyish tone.

When I turned my head, I saw Nicole’s friend, Adelia Cross, walking toward us from a distance. She too must have just finished all her duels, as sweat was pouring down like rain.

“What were you talking about? Let me join in.”

“Eck.”

As Adelia approached, she wrapped one arm around my neck in a friendly manner. I was beyond surprised—I was bewildered by the sudden skinship.

The reason wasn’t just the skinship but Adelia’s attire. She was currently wearing what’s commonly called a sleeveless top.

I could clearly feel the soft touch of her bare skin, and the subtle body scent mixed with sweat stimulated my sense of smell. For someone like me who had zero contact with the opposite sex except for family, it was truly stimulating.

Even in my previous life, I didn’t interact with others due to the shock of losing my parents, which made this situation all the more embarrassing.

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing? Get away from my brother right now!”

Nicole must not have expected Adelia’s skinship either, as she shouted and hurriedly pulled her away. Thanks to that, my neck was freed from Adelia’s arm, but I couldn’t stop my face from burning.

However, Adelia just chuckled at Nicole’s fierce reaction and joked around.

“Are you worried I might do something improper to your brother? Don’t worry. Although your brother is cute, he’s not my type.”

“Shut up. To me, you’re just a dangerous element. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten about throwing that ball at Issac?”

“…That was truly a mistake. I’m really sorry.”

When Nicole brought up the incident from two weeks ago, Adelia had nothing to say and immediately apologized.

And as Nicole continued to glare at her with a venomous look, Adelia seemed a bit embarrassed and quickly changed the subject.

“Anyway, what were you talking about? I came because I was curious.”

“…Nothing much. Issac decided to attend the new student gathering.”

“New student gathering?”

Adelia’s eyes widened as she shifted her gaze to me. Her sky-blue eyes were filled with deep interest.

“New student gathering… brings back memories. It was really fun back then.”

“You might not know, but it was the worst for me.”

It seems Nicole and Adelia had also attended a new student gathering before.

Moreover, while Adelia was smiling as if she had quite enjoyed it, Nicole had an expression of disgust. Truly polar opposite reactions.

“Anyway, the new student gathering is similar to a social gathering in many ways, but not exactly the same. New students and seniors gather together to laugh, chat, and have fun. It’ll be more fun than you think, Issac?”

“Is that all? Aren’t there political discussions like in social gatherings or balls?”

“What would kids like you know about politics? As the term suggests, it’s a gathering to build friendships.”

“Hmm…”

I wonder if Nicole knows. That none other than Rina, the imperial princess who has close ties to politics, persuaded me. But I won’t mention it out loud as it might cause unnecessary worry.

After listening quietly to Nicole’s explanation, I began to ask various questions.

“Are only new students attending?”

“Except for a few seniors and teaching assistants, it’s mostly new students.”

“What should I wear? It’s not mentioned in the notice.”

“You can wear your uniform, but it’s better to dress neatly. As they say, clothes make the man, right?”

“I understand for nobles like us, but what about commoners?”

“Clothes here are quite affordable. And Halo Academy also provides scholarships to commoners.”

Nicole answered all my questions diligently and then clapped her hands as if she had a good idea.

“Right! This is a good opportunity to buy clothes for Issac. The timing is perfect since I just finished my duel.”

“I have clothes I brought from home.”

“You’re planning to wear those? Absolutely not. This sister will dress you up for once, so just follow me.”

Suddenly, the conversation has shifted to shopping. But it’s not so bad, since I’ve been cooped up at home all this time, Nicole probably knows more about fashion than I do.

Nicole, having made up her mind to go shopping, said to me with an expectant face.

“Wait here until I finish washing up. I’ll be back quickly.”

“Okay.”

“Adel, do you want to come too?”

“I’ll pass. I want to sleep now.”

So Nicole and Adelia headed off to wash up. I watched as the two walked down the dark corridor and then sat down on the ground. The cool sensation of the stone floor transmitted through my buttocks.

While waiting, I pondered how the gathering would proceed.

‘Is it like a welcome party for new students?’

Even if it’s a welcome party, I doubt there will be talent shows like in university from my previous life. Here, entertainment culture isn’t very developed, and they might even consider such things vulgar.

Most likely, a host will lead the proceedings at first, and then free time will be given afterward. They might invite musicians to play instruments to enhance the atmosphere.

Although I’m attending this gathering semi-forcibly because of Rina, I’m secretly looking forward to it. Perhaps it might somewhat alleviate my extremely narrow social circle?

‘Come to think of it, all my acquaintances are women?’

Cecilly, Marie, Rina, Cindy, Adelia.

These five are people with whom I’ve formed connections since entering the academy and have maintained smooth relationships until now. Moreover, they approached me first, not the other way around.

In my previous life, after my parents passed away, I lived almost completely cut off from my surroundings, and that hasn’t changed after reincarnation. My current parents also worried about my personality, but I’ve been living without any issues.

‘Looking at it this way, it seems like there might be a problem with my personality…’

I prefer to form deep connections with a few friends rather than making many. Also, I don’t approach others first but wait for them to approach me.

I don’t have the courage to approach strangers first, nor do I have the exceptional sociability to become friends with someone just seconds after meeting them. Honestly, I’m grateful to those who approached me willingly.

Even though they sometimes put me in difficult situations, I can overlook that much. As long as it’s not related to the Biography of Xenon.

“Issac?”

“Yes?”

“Why are you spacing out? Let’s go now.”

While I was lost in thought, Nicole had returned after changing her clothes. I got up from my seat at her words.

“Did Adel go ahead?”

“Yes. She wanted to come along, but she said she was tired today and went back first. By the way, since when did you start calling Adel ‘sister’?”

“Adel told me to call her that. We had a conversation when you went out for a duel.”

“Hmm… really? She didn’t say anything unnecessary, did she?”

“Not really? Except for pinching my cheeks and asking about my ideal type?”

“That bitch…”

Maybe I shouldn’t have said that. I couldn’t help but feel uneasy at Nicole’s expression, which was starting to distort like a demon.

“Sigh… never mind. I’ll think about that later. Issac, do you have any clothes in mind?”

“Formal attire, perhaps?”

“Formal attire…”

Nicole looked me up and down at my answer about formal attire. Then she nodded and said as if she had a rough idea.

“Indeed, since Issac is slim, formal attire would be perfect. A style that’s not too flashy but modest overall?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm… but it would be good to have a patterned scarf. And let’s choose a suit color similar to your hair color.”

“Red? Wouldn’t that stand out too much?”

My hair is already red, to be precise, bright red, which makes me stand out even from a distance. Moreover, my eyes shine like a beast’s golden eyes, so once someone meets me, they can never forget.

But despite my question filled with rejection, Nicole wiggled her index finger and spoke.

“There’s something you’re misunderstanding, Issac. Even without the clothes, you stand out anywhere just with your red hair.”

“… …”

“Even Dave became known for his red hair before he became famous for his skills. People who didn’t know Dave’s name knew about the red-haired guy.”

If that’s the case, I have nothing to say. As I thought before, red hair seems to be rare, almost non-existent, in this world.

“Come to think of it, do you know what our brother is doing now?”

“I’m not sure? I sent a letter, but he’s probably still in training? I don’t know the details either.”

“Are you thinking of joining the Navy Knights too, sis?”

“I’d like to if possible, but the Navy Knights isn’t just anyone’s pet dog; it’s not easy to join. The competition ratio is as high as 1 to 100, and many people transfer elsewhere because it’s too tough.”

Hearing this, I can somewhat understand how strong my father is. He wasn’t just an ordinary knight but rose to the position of Knight Commander, so he must have been treated as a tactical weapon in the Empire of Minerva.

Moreover, the Navy Knights fight more with other races than with humans. Although things have been quiet recently, in the past, they frequently clashed with beastmen who crossed the border, and even fought with elves.

I was thinking that my father might be like a hidden master from fantasy stories, but then moved on to another question.

“Did you attend the new student gathering too, sis?”

“Yes.”

“Did you wear a dress?”

“It was the first time in my life I wore a dress.”

“Did anything happen then?”

It’s a bit awkward for me, her brother, to say this, but my sister Nicole is a very beautiful woman who takes after our mother. Moreover, thanks to the consistent training under our father since childhood, she has a healthy, fit body.

A beauty like her attending a gathering in a dress? She must have received all sorts of attention, especially numerous advances from men.

And my prediction was correct.

“…It’s not a good memory. The men were so clingy that I couldn’t even enjoy myself properly. I never attended any gatherings after that.”

Nicole’s expression darkened slightly. Her voice was filled with annoyance and regret.

“I see. As expected. Nothing else?”

“I have no intention of telling you, so mind your own business.”

“Understood.”

I immediately stopped pressing further, as it would be troublesome if I upset Nicole. Besides, the hardships of a beauty like Nicole are something I, as a man, cannot understand.

When I stopped questioning, Nicole smiled mischievously and asked subtly.

“Why? Does Issac want to see his sister in a dress?”

“No. Not at all. I think I’d just hurt my eyes.”

“Hahaha. Our Issac is good at jokes too?”

“Ouch!”

In the end, my cheek got pinched. She might have thought she was pinching lightly, but given her formidable basic grip strength, it felt extremely painful.

Anyway, leaving the affectionate conversation between siblings behind, we soon arrived at the clothing store. Being located in the bustling area of Halo Academy, the store was quite large.

“Welcome. How may I assist you?”

As we entered the store, a guide welcomed us with a business smile. While I hesitated slightly as it was my first time in a clothing store, Nicole responded skillfully.

“We’re looking to get a men’s formal attire. Where should we go?”

“The men’s formal attire section is over there.”

“Thank you. Let’s go.”

“Okay.”

As we walked around looking at our surroundings, we reached the men’s formal attire section. True to its name, various formal attires were displayed.

I felt a bit put off by the department store-like feel, but I let it slide thinking, “It’s fantasy after all.” There’s nothing more foolish than applying common sense from my previous life.

“Sigh… this is no good either. Don’t you have anything else?”

“I’m sorry, sir, but this is the last one we have.”

“What? Are you joking? Only this much?”

As we entered the section, it seemed there was already a customer. But the situation was a bit strange.

“Our mansion has more clothes than this! How can you say this is all you have?”

“I apologize. But these are all the clothes we have in our store.”

“Is an apology all you can offer? Shouldn’t you somehow bring more?”

A man, presumably a customer, was making a scene, and a woman was visibly at a loss.

Nicole and I headed in the direction of the sound to see what was happening. After all, we needed the help of an employee to get a suit fitted.

When we finally reached the source of the commotion, I couldn’t help but widen my eyes.

‘That guy…’

Three people were standing in front of a full-length mirror: the man who had shouted, the female employee who seemed at a loss, and lastly, a man standing at a distance with clothes draped over his arm.

The man who had shouted was wearing an incredibly flashy formal attire. Even to me, who is unfamiliar with this world’s fashion, it looked like it would command an enormous price.

But more than that, the man’s appearance caught my eye. He was relatively handsome, but his expression was so hostile that it completely overshadowed his looks.

“Damn it… I should have brought something from the mansion. I thought Halo Academy would be decent, but it’s not at all.”

“… …”

“…Huh?”

The man, who had been muttering as if troubled, seemed to notice Nicole and me looking at him and turned to face us.

When our eyes met, his eyes widened slightly, and he showed a slightly surprised expression.

“You…”

“… …”

The name of the man wearing the flashy formal attire is Jackson. He’s the young lord of a count’s family who tried to hit on Cecilly and Rina on the first day and got thoroughly rejected.

He’s also someone who holds a grudge against me because I receive attention from Cecilly and Rina. I can tell because he glares at me with fierce eyes whenever we attend the same class.

I didn’t care at all, though. I’m too busy to pay attention to just one person.

Anyway, setting that aside—in the suddenly quiet situation, I pondered what to say and then quietly opened my mouth.

“Hello.”

“… …”

At my nonchalant greeting, Jackson’s face contorted.