episode_0114

The academy’s entrance ceremony concluded within less than two hours.

Entrance ceremonies weren’t known for being time-consuming events, and the atmosphere at the academy’s ceremony wasn’t particularly different. Especially when considering it from a gaming perspective, most players would skip the entrance ceremony, so there wasn’t a need to make a big deal out of it.

With the majority of the event being taken up by the brief speech of the overall top student, Seraphine, and the distribution of scholarships and awards to department heads and vice heads, the ceremony proceeded relatively quickly.

Anticipating a bit of confusion around the stage, I purposely left the auditorium quickly and waited outside for Edan to appear.

It seemed unnecessary to wait inside the crowded auditorium, and I had a feeling that Edan would notice and follow me outside.

As I stood quietly outside the auditorium, waiting for the schedule of the department heads and vice heads to finish, a male student who appeared to be a freshman approached me and asked something.

Slightly taken aback by the unfamiliar man approaching me, I responded with a cautious tone.

“Excuse me.”

“…Yes, can I help you?”

“Yes. I’m a new student and I’m not familiar with the layout of the academy. Could you tell me where the Pharmacy Department building is located?”

“The Pharmacy Department building is located to the right after passing the Combat Department building in front of the auditorium. When you turn right, the first building you come across is the Technology Department building, and the next one is the Pharmacy Department building.”

“Ah, I see. Thank you!”

…I was being overly cautious. It was just a simple question about directions.

I couldn’t help but feel a bit tense, considering the slightly awkward atmosphere of Luminor Academy.

Being a place where people from all over the empire gathered, the academy was a spot where individuals who had lost their sense of concepts and manners could occasionally be encountered.

With these thoughts in mind, I found myself staring at the entrance of the auditorium again, only to be approached by a woman in a white priestess robe who clearly looked like she was from the Theology Department.

“Could you tell me where the Theology Department building is located, sister?”

“The Theology Department building is part of the Aurelia Church’s academy branch. If you walk along the main road in front of the auditorium, you’ll come across the Magic Department building. Turn around that building and the Theology Department building will be right behind it.”

“Thank you, sister. May the grace of the goddess always be with you.”

“Could you tell me where the central park of the academy is located…”

“The central park of the academy is located to the left of the main building. If you follow the main road from here, you’ll come across the building with the central bulletin board, which is the main building.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Where can I find Dormitory Building 3 of the academy…”

…What’s going on?

For some reason, it seemed like I was getting a lot of questions about directions today.

Despite just waiting outside the auditorium for Edan to come out, I couldn’t help but feel a bit flustered by the influx of new students approaching me in this situation.

Casually noticing the attire of the academy maids guiding people at the entrance of the auditorium, I could roughly grasp the situation as to why people were asking me for directions.

Come to think of it, I had modified my academy uniform to resemble a maid outfit.

The outfit I had made from the start gave off a clear impression of being a servant, and it was designed to make it clear that I was a staff member. For the new students who had just entered the academy today, it would be difficult to distinguish between the attire of academy staff and me.

Well, it seemed like Edan would need a bit more time to come out of the auditorium, so I continued to guide people and provide directions in the meantime.

Having played a game where I had seen the ending 24 times, I already had a rough idea of the map of Luminor Academy in my head. By helping people find their way and directing them to different locations, I could also contribute to calming the chaos.

After all, even in a fantasy world, freshmen were still freshmen. It felt somewhat enjoyable to guide them as if they were my juniors from a past life.

With these thoughts in mind, as I was explaining the academy’s layout to other new students, a slightly scruffy-looking noble male student approached me for directions.

“…I, uh, wanted to ask for directions.”

“Ah, yes.”

“After the ceremony, I was supposed to meet a friend at the student cafeteria, but it’s so crowded that I’ve forgotten the location. Would you mind guiding me there…”

“Judging by your attire, you must be a student from the Martial Arts Department, right?”

“Oh, I see.”

“The student cafeteria is located behind the Martial Arts Department building, towards the main library building.”

“… ”

Although the guy seemed to have something to say, he stood there as if lost for words. I deliberately ignored him, avoiding eye contact, and smoothly shifted my gaze to another new student who approached.

I had planned to ignore the annoying noble guy and guide other new students while waiting for Edan. Unfortunately, the guy with a fussy appearance seemed clueless about my intentions and actions.

“Our senior from the department told us to come to the back gate after the entrance ceremony. Is there even a back gate at the academy?”

“If you follow the main road between the Archery Department and the Pharmacy Department buildings…”

-Thud!

“…Ah.”

Suddenly, I felt a pressure gripping my arm from where the noble guy had been standing. I could somewhat guess why he had grabbed my arm, so curses naturally came to mind.

…If he could just take a hint and leave me alone.

“The student cafeteria is located behind the Martial Arts Department building, towards the library…”

“I’m sorry, but your explanation is hard to understand.”

“… ”

“Shouldn’t you guide me yourself? I might get lost if I go alone.”

He’s being a pain. He’s really pushing it.

I met the gaze of the noble guy who was trying to manipulate me with obvious means and, with my last bit of patience, I politely responded.

“I’m sorry. I don’t have the luxury to guide new students like that.”

“Are you defying me, a member of the Leidenhardt family, just because you’re a mere academy servant?”

…Damn it.

I tried to show indifference and give him a clear sign to leave, but he didn’t get it. Now he’s even mentioning his family name?

Realizing that he didn’t notice my contemptuous gaze, the guy who introduced himself as a member of the Leidenhardt family grabbed my arm again and started urging me to move.

I pulled my arm away from him, fed up with his behavior, and cursed at him.

“Take a good look at your half-assed face and consider yourself lucky this time. Hurry up and guide me to the academy cafeteria.”

“What the hell are you doing?!”

“What I’m doing is none of your business. Seriously, what kind of confidence makes you think I would follow you to the cafeteria just because I find you pretty? It’s ridiculous.”

“… ”

The dumbfounded Leidenhardt, unable to anticipate my reaction, suddenly drew his sword and aimed it at me, thinking his pride had been hurt.

I thought he was just a stupid noble guy, but he turned out to be a complete lunatic.

“Get on the ground right now and apologize! How dare you, a mere academy servant, show such disrespect to a member of the earl’s family!”

“Shut up, you bastard. Are your ears just for decoration? Can’t you see the academy emblem on my uniform? Why would I be your servant? Huh?”

“…What?”

“And stop flaunting your earl’s family title. This is not your family estate; it’s an academy. It’s where nobles from across the empire gather to learn and grow. Do you think your earl’s title is something extraordinary here?”

“… ”

Speechless, the Leidenhardt guy looked around in embarrassment, seemingly realizing that his pride had been hurt. The sudden appearance of the sword-wielding guy drew the attention of others, and they surrounded us, watching intently.

“What, are you guys going to fight?”

“Earlier, that man was trying to take that woman with him, but she was resisting, right? Is that why they’re fighting?”

Even now, I had intended to sheathe my sword and let him go, but the sudden attention from the surrounding onlookers made it impossible for me to let go of my sword so easily.

In the end, if he didn’t sheathe his sword, I, too, had no choice but to draw mine to defend myself.

*Swoosh.*

“…?”

Raidenhart furrowed his brow slightly in surprise as I brandished the blade of my jingado, which I had pulled out from my robe pocket.

Still not coming to his senses and refusing to sheathe his sword, Raidenhart, I pushed the blade of my jingado towards him and said, “A newbie like you wielding a sword can’t even handle this jingado, so if you want to challenge me, go ahead.”

“What did you say?”

“Earlier, you demanded that I apologize by kneeling on the ground, right? Then why don’t you try to defeat me once. I’ll do whatever you want, whether it’s apologizing or begging for your life.”

“A conceited, arrogant woman with an unknown background…”

“However, the moment you are defeated by me, Raidenhart’s honor, which you boast about so proudly, will be tarnished. Thanks to Raidenhart’s child who challenged a woman who isn’t even part of the swordsmanship department and was humiliatingly defeated.”

“….”

Even in this situation, Raidenhart seemed to hesitate whether to listen to my words until the end or to challenge me, as he stared at me, rolling his eyes.

With my confident attitude, even Raidenhart seemed to hesitate to easily challenge me.

As the academy is a place where all the empire’s strong gather, he couldn’t rule out the possibility that the woman in front of him might be a skilled fighter.

However, by this point, the opportunity to easily resolve the situation had already passed, and I was already interested in a duel with him.

To make the arrogant nobleman’s decision firm, I deliberately provoked him once more to make him challenge me.

To stimulate the inferiority complex that the man, who introduced himself as the ‘heir’ of the Raidenhart family, might have.

“Oh, no. Come to think of it, you don’t need to worry about Raidenhart’s honor.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s obvious, isn’t it? Even if a mediocre third son or below of the Raidenhart family does something stupid outside, what does that have to do with Raidenhart’s honor? Right?”

“You…!!”

Seemingly agitated by the part that concerned him the most, Raidenhart grabbed his sword and rushed towards me.

I tightly gripped my jingado in my right hand and focused my gaze on the incoming sword.

*Kraaang!*

As our two blades clashed, the sound of metal reverberated through the courtyard in front of the grand hall.

In the face of the shockwave and the bewildered expression on his face as his sword flew away, it was clear that Raidenhart was indeed taken aback.

…And I quietly confirmed the direction of this duel by exchanging swords once.

This is an event where I can earn some experience points after a long time.