On the First Day of Work, a Window Was Broken

“Well… I guess today marks the start of my regular work?”

The day after the entrance ceremony.

Having finished the handover from my predecessor and the adaptation period, I got dressed in the necessary attire at the dormitory to go out for my monumental first day of work.

A skirt and sweater, plus the white coat that could be called the symbol of a health teacher. And even the red rosary proving my religious affiliation.

“…I’ve really become an old lady now.”

But putting on such attire wouldn’t soften my fierce expression.

As soon as I faced the full-length mirror, I saw dark circles under my sunken eyes.

Even the girlishness I had cultivated while chasing love in my childhood had long since disappeared after rolling around on battlefields for so long.

Well, it doesn’t matter now that I’ve declared myself single.

“…Alright, this should be good enough.”

After that, I finished my preparations by roughly tying my hair and left the faculty dormitory to step directly onto the school grounds.

I could hear the teachers I met on the way whispering about me, but what does it matter?

You act like nobles as befits nobles.

I’m going to live as I please unless you openly diss me.

-Crash!

Just as I was about to head to the infirmary, my workplace, without much thought.

I felt my nerves stand on end at the sound of breaking glass that echoed through the corridor.

“…What the hell is this?”

Wasn’t the entrance ceremony just yesterday?

Why am I suddenly hearing the sound of breaking glass from a classroom where new students are gathered?

---

Maris Academy.

Located at the center of the continent and on the empire’s border, this was an international educational institution where anyone could enroll regardless of race or nationality if they passed the entrance exam and reached the age of 14.

This policy was maintained even during the war, designated as an ‘extraterritorial area’ under the agreement of each country, and after the war, it has become established as a symbol of peace, further encouraging exchanges between factions.

In other words, here, everyone could be respected beyond borders.

“Why is there a commoner here?”

But that was only in terms of factions.

The class system still exists in each country, including the empire, and because of this, the superiority between classes was maintained almost absolutely.

There was bound to be dissatisfaction with the system that provides scholarships regardless of class as long as grades are guaranteed, commonly called the ‘commoner selection’.

Especially if it’s a place where the ‘elite class students’ who achieved the best results in the entrance exam are gathered.

“Well, that’s…”

There was a boy receiving glares from these elite class students.

Dale Enberton.

A small boy with an unusually small build for a 14-year-old. His well-groomed hair was long enough to reach below his shoulders, making it not strange to mistake him for a girl, but he was clearly wearing a male student’s uniform.

But does gender matter in this situation?

“…Dale Enberton.”

Facing off against this boy was a girl with red twin-tails standing as if representing the class.

Her furrowed brow was surely due to her dissatisfaction with the boy in front of her.

“You confidently entered this classroom and introduced yourself, but coincidentally, everyone including myself finds your presence unwelcome. After all, unless you pulled some trick, it should have been impossible for you to enter here.”

“N-No, I…”

“No, you must have. Not only did you enter the elite class, but as a commoner, you even took first place ahead of all of us. Isn’t this unprecedented in this academy?”

Binz Jegret.

Including her, who belonged to an ancient family of the empire, all the students gathered here had one unwavering value.

That is, no matter how hard humans try, they cannot go against their environment.

Just as well-supplied soldiers can exert proper military strength, it’s natural for commoners with disparate support to be inferior to nobles.

In such a situation, for a commoner to push them aside and take first place in the entrance exam.

Wouldn’t anyone find it strange?

“Yeah, I wasn’t the only one who thought so, right?”

That such confidence didn’t end up being merely subjective was clearly evident from the reactions of the surrounding children.

“A mere commoner got better grades than us? That’s nonsense.”

“He’s short and skinny. Is it because he grew up malnourished?”

“Where did he get the money to bribe the examiners with such a background…?”

“He might have coveted a spot in the elite class, but this is going too far.”

“If he’s a commoner, he should be satisfied with just staying in the regular class like a commoner should.”

Murmur, murmur.

Slander and insults directed at one student.

As the small body gradually curled up amidst this, Binz, who had been silently facing him, let out a deep sigh.

“…I guess we have no choice but to check.”

“Check? What do you mean…?”

“There might be a one-in-a-million chance, after all. Conveniently, there are no regular classes for the next week, so we’ll have plenty of time to check.”

Saying this, Binz took off the glove she was wearing.

After throwing that glove on the floor, she immediately shouted towards Dale.

“Dale Enberton. I, Binz Jegret, hereby formally challenge you to a duel!”

She took off the glove in her hand and threw it at the opponent.

This was one of the empire’s customs and meant declaring a duel while considering the opponent as an equal.

An equal.

In other words, for the duration of the duel, they would not be bound by social status.

“Um… by duel, you mean?”

“Of course, it’s a magic duel.”

Literally, a duel where the use of magic is allowed.

It’s accompanied by danger to that extent, but in this academy, there should certainly be minimal protective measures in place.

If one is good enough to be in the elite class, they should be capable of a proper fight beyond their peers.

“Magic…”

But Dale couldn’t take those words lightly.

Binz furrowed her brow as if noticing something.

“I hope I’m not asking the obvious, but you’re not incapable of using even basic magic despite being admitted to this academy, are you?”

“Ugh…!”

At that moment, the boy’s small body shrank.

As if understanding everything from that, a sneer burst from Binz’s lips.

“Well, after all, the entrance exam was just a written test, so even a commoner might have been able to master the theory. But did you really think that we, including myself, just studied theory and gave up first place to you?”

As a rule, nobles are trained not only in theory and practice, but also in etiquette as nobles, and in clerical work and management necessary for politics from an early age.

Passing the written entrance exam alone is not enough to prove oneself as an excellent student.

“This academy will continue with practical skills after regular classes start… but it’s obvious what will happen if you can’t even use basic magic by then.”

Were you happy to be treated as an excellent student and receive a scholarship from the entrance exam?

But after that, if you can’t prove your superiority in various fields, that too will end up being just a momentary dream.

If grades aren’t guaranteed, you won’t be able to pay for necessary supplies or activity fees, let alone tuition.

“Ugh, uuu…”

As soon as this cold reality was taught, Dale turned his reddening face towards Binz.

A petite build that’s hard to believe is the same age as herself. The tears welling up in his clear eyes even stimulate the protective instincts of those facing him.

As if facing a younger girl…

‘No, he’s not a girl!’

Right, wasn’t he wearing boys’ clothes from the start?

Even that was a size too big, so he had to roll up the sleeves once, but there was no denying that he was a 14-year-old boy since he had been admitted to this Maris.

‘Well, as a man, he should have at least some competitive spirit.’

Yes, even this aggressive attitude is just provocation.

Binz had no doubt that this small boy would accept her duel.

The sight of both hands clenched tightly at his chest was surely due to the frustration he felt at this moment.

‘Come on, show us. If you really have something…’

“Waaaaaah!”

But what came out next was not acceptance of the duel, but crying.

Everyone was taken aback, but by the time they came to their senses, that small body was already running towards the classroom window.

“Wh-What!? Wait…”

“You’re all too mean!!”

-Crash!!

The window shattering spectacularly against the curled-up body.

While everyone stared with their mouths wide open at the spreading fragments, Dale had already fled hastily into the forest behind the school grounds.

“What…”

An unexpected turn of events.

The first to speak in the silence was Binz Jegret, who had been in direct conflict with Dale.

“Did he just run away in front of someone who declared a duel!?”

It was something that everyone, including Binz, couldn’t help but be surprised about.

Taking off and throwing a glove itself means acknowledging the other person as an equal, regardless of class.

She had done this to a commoner, not even a fellow noble, yet he not only refused but just ran away without even expressing his refusal!

“What’s going on?”

Just as she was feeling indignant about this, a sudden voice drew everyone’s attention to the classroom exit.

The one who had just opened the door and entered was a woman with a haggard impression wearing a white coat.

“…You’re Teacher Seine Velvet, right?”

“Oh, you know me?”

“Yes, you introduced yourself at yesterday’s entrance ceremony.”

Of course, being the largest academy, there are easily hundreds of teachers here.

Unless someone is famous enough to transcend their affiliated country or nationality, it’s difficult to remember, but in her case, she was exceptionally memorable to many students.

A dark and gloomy atmosphere.

It was far from the nobility of an aristocrat, the mystique of a high-level magician, or the purity of religious figures, yet she possessed a ‘magical charm’ that captured the gaze of those who faced her.

Like a shadow writhing in darkness, she gave off a sense of caution, yet an atmosphere that made you want to look closer out of curiosity.

“What? A student broke the window and ran away?”

The woman widened her eyes as soon as she heard from the surrounding students.

Still with that devilishly charming atmosphere.

“Shit, this is fucked up.”

In a tone completely at odds with that.