No, I'm not crazy! …At least, I think I'm not.
There were a few reasons. Good reasons, actually, for choosing the seat right next to Melissa Hall. And despite the horrified looks I was getting now, I was fine.
Well… more or less.
First reason: the perfect position to observe Ren from afar. Since he was the core of this entire story, I didn't want to get too close too early and risk altering an important event. Even though I knew that, sooner or later, it would be inevitable.
Second reason: nobody had the guts to approach Melissa. Which meant nobody to bother me. Basically, I was hiding inside the lion's den. I just had to hope I wouldn't get eaten. A minor detail.
After all, I knew it was inevitable that I'd become a target for certain bullies in the future, especially Jin and his lackeys. The problem? Jin had an absurd crush on Melissa. He looked murderous at anyone who dared to even say her name.
And right now, he was sitting a few rows behind me, glaring as if he wanted to burn a hole through my skull. I could already imagine what would come later.
Third reason: silence.
Melissa almost never spoke, and nobody dared to sit near her. Naturally, that made this corner the quietest spot in the classroom. Perfect for… sleeping during lessons. Yes, I know myself well. And I know exactly how lazy I am.
And the fourth, and perhaps most important reason: I planned to make some deals with Melissa in the future. Sooner or later, I'd have to get close to her anyway. Even if, at the moment, she probably wanted to kill me.
Among the three main heroines, Melissa was the most closed-off. As far as I remembered from the novel, she was the only one who stayed alone until the very end. Even the Ice Queen, Amanda, ended up with Ren, while Emma paired with Kevin.
Melissa, on the other hand, drowned herself in research and theories. A desperate attempt to earn recognition from her own father. Ironically, someone who never truly valued her.
That said, Melissa was ridiculously brilliant. Her intellect justified every ounce of arrogance she radiated. At twelve years old, she won the Humanity Treaty Award for a discovery that shook the scientific world and propelled human advancement forward. A true intellectual monster.
And honestly? She had always been my favorite character. The anger outbursts, the spontaneous insults, the looks of pure disdain. It was all so… entertaining to watch.
But back to the present. As I settled into my chair, I could feel a gaze of pure disgust coming from my side. Melissa looked at me the way one looks at a wet dog walking into the dining room.
The only reason she hadn't kicked me out yet was simple. I hadn't opened my mouth. And I had no intention of doing so.
Melissa hated noise. She despised stupidity more than anything in the world. She wasn't just a sadistic girl who enjoyed watching others suffer. She held grudges. And she paid them back with interest.
So for now, the best thing I could do was stay very, very quiet.
Donna continued explaining the basic concepts of the course, making it clear she wouldn't go too deep in this first introductory class. After roll call, which of course took longer than usual for obvious reasons, she finally led the entire class out of the room.
Most likely for weapon selection.
We stopped in front of a massive room. Donna stood at the front and turned on the lights like she was about to open a vault.
— There is a wide variety of weapons here, so feel free to choose the one you find most suitable.
A curtain of display cases slid open, revealing an entire world of metal and wood. Nunchaku, greatswords, short sabers, spears, and even equipment that looked like it came straight out of a laboratory. Everything was organized by size and function, either hanging or resting on polished stands. You could get lost just looking at it all.
— I would be very careful if I were you. If you damage any weapon here, be prepared to pay up to five hundred thousand units.
Donna said it casually, and the effect was immediate. The sparkle in many students' eyes dimmed. Some began staring at the weapons as if they had suddenly become sacred relics. Others were clearly calculating the risk-to-reward ratio of a careless swing.
— I advise you to choose a weapon suited to your style. Testing is fine, as long as you can afford it.
She scanned the nearly two hundred students with a controlled smile and continued.
— Before taking a weapon, scan your student card to register it in the database. After that, take your weapon and meet me at the main practice area.
With that, she turned and left. The moment she disappeared down the corridor, the room erupted into noise.
"Wow, the Witch of Calamity is actually amazing in person!"
"She's so hot!"
"Damn, I think I just fell in love!"
"Pfft. Like she'd ever go for you. Get real, clown."
"Wanna fight?"
The usual chatter. Groups forming, giggles, nervous excitement, brewing rivalries. Ren and I ended up somewhat isolated in a corner, which was perfect. Being a protagonist must be exhausting. Imagine having a whole entourage following you around just to see if you eat properly.
I made my decision quickly.
A slim black katana caught my attention. Discreet scabbard. Calm, functional appearance. The moment I placed my hand on the hilt—
Speaking of the devil.
Ren and I grabbed the same weapon at the same time. We stared at each other. A silent contest of strength began. I felt Ren tugging, testing my grip. I held firm. My arm didn't even tremble.
A second later, a bead of sweat slid down his temple. He let go.
— Alright. You win.
He muttered it, clearly embarrassed, before picking up a straight, thin-bladed sword instead.
Ren turned away to look for a weapon better suited to his Keiki style, or so I assumed. His choice was aesthetic, obviously, but also practical. Keiki favored clean, straight strikes, so a katana wouldn't be ideal for what he did.
As for me, I preferred something more versatile for breathing techniques.
The katana measured a full meter in length, with a seventy-five-centimeter blade. It looked massive for my size, but it settled comfortably at my waist once I strapped it on. I scanned my card, registered the weapon, and heard the database confirmation beep.
It was officially mine.
Swoosh. Swoosh.
I swung twice through the air. The hum was sharp and clean. The blade felt like a special alloy. Durable. Sharp. The scabbard sat comfortably. I turned the weapon in my hand, sheathed it in one smooth motion, and smiled faintly.
Students began heading toward the training field. Most had already left. I stood up as well, katana at my waist, calm steps, following the flow.
A vast expanse opened before me as I arrived at the training area.
The entire training complex was roughly the size of two soccer fields.
In the upper-right corner stood a shooting range divided into five distances, ranging from one hundred to five hundred meters.
In the lower-right corner, more than a dozen training dummies awaited close-combat practice.
The dummies were made of Forlum, an extremely durable metal capable of withstanding the impact of an A-rank demon.
Thanks to their Forlum bodies, students could train freely without worrying about breaking them.
The central area of the training grounds was completely empty.
It was mainly used to practice movements and footwork.
Basically, a free space where anyone could train whatever technique they wanted.
In the upper-left corner stood a massive gym fully equipped with cutting-edge machines. More importantly, it housed a gravity room capable of reaching up to ten times normal gravity.
With the gravity room, students could temper their bodies by increasing the gravitational force acting upon them.
Finally, in the lower-left corner of the training field, a fifty-meter-long pool came into view.
The pool was one of the most popular areas, as it was extremely useful for physical conditioning. Thanks to special medical ingredients added to the water, it helped muscles recover much faster from fatigue.
— Alright. As I said before, since it's your first day, you don't need to push yourselves. I'll be here supervising all of you.
Gathering everyone's attention, Donna smiled lightly as she looked over the training grounds.
— Now go train. Time waits for no one.
Instantly, everyone moved.