"Phew."
I let out a long breath and wiped the beads of sweat from my forehead with a handkerchief.
After a thirty-minute trek from the library, I had finally arrived at Eredor's Hall of Truth.
Just walking here is a workout in itself.
The Union campus was so vast that a tram system connected the various academies, but I had chosen to walk as a substitute for my morning exercise. Walking all the way from the central library to Eredor's Hall of Truth provided a decent burn.
Regardless, once I reached the hall, I scanned the directory to find my destination.
Hall of Truth, 5th floor, Room 501, right?
Creeak—
I walked down the strangely deserted hallway and pushed open the door to the lecture hall. The room was pitch black; I couldn't sense a single soul inside.
The time was 8:40 AM.
With only twenty minutes left before the lecture, there should have been at least one or two diligent model students already seated. I stared into the dark, empty hall and shrugged.
It was just as I suspected.
They aren't children, yet they pull such childish tricks.
Giving me the wrong classroom location. I smirked and double-checked the letter I had received last night.
Hall of Truth, 5th floor, Room 501. There was no mistake in the writing.
Beatrice may not like me, but she isn't petty enough to pull something like this.
It was likely a student or a faculty member nursing a grudge against Roen. Of course, this was all within my expectations. It was the kind of event you frequently encountered when playing as a commoner protagonist.
I didn't set out at dawn for nothing.
The reason I had come all this way, despite predicting this exact situation, was for a hidden quest that only triggered under specific conditions. It was a chance encounter quest that could only be activated at the very beginning of the semester in a specific empty classroom.
As I stood there, quietly staring into the void of the room, a sound reached my ears.
Rustle—
"Oh, someone's here."
Along with a sudden sign of life, a girl's voice drifted out from the darkness of the lecture hall. Having spotted me, she spoke up tentatively.
"Um… isn't this the Introduction to Intermediate Magic classroom?"
A white-haired girl who resembled a cute rabbit. Her name was Bell.
She was a commoner who had transferred into the Union during the first-year winter break. I knew from the game's lore that she was being ostracized by a group of nasty nobles at Eredor because of her background. That was why she, like me, had ended up in this empty classroom.
However, her academic performance and magical aptitude were top-tier, and she possessed an incredibly rare trait that made her a character worth knowing.
For 'Roen' in particular, she was an essential contact. She might just be the key to allowing a half-baked mage like Roen to actually use magic.
I'm lucky. To meet her on the first try.
In any case, I had beaten the odds and successfully triggered the hidden quest. Despite the wasted trip, I was in a great mood. I turned toward her with a smile.
In response to her question about whether this was the right room, I slowly shook my head.
"Doesn't look like it. Isn't that obvious just by looking?"
Did she really not find it strange to be sitting all alone in a dark, empty hall? She was certainly as dense as her character description suggested.
Click—
With a flick of my finger, I hit the light switch on the wall. As light flooded the room, Bell's face turned pale the moment she saw me.
"Gasp! R-Roen…"
She gasped my name and hastily bowed her head.
"I-I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! It was rude of me to… on our first meeting…"
It seemed the constant bullying from the nobles had traumatized her. And if the noble in question was the infamous scoundrel Roen, her reaction was perfectly natural.
I helped Bell up as she continued to bow so low her head nearly touched the floor, then gestured with my chin, sounding intentionally annoyed.
"That's enough. Just be quiet and follow me."
"Huh?"
"If you don't want to, you can stay here by yourself."
"N-No! I'll follow you!"
Bell grabbed her bag and hurried after me as I walked out. Even as she trailed behind me, she was a bundle of nerves. She was chewing on her fingernails so intensely that if I left her be, she wouldn't have any left.
I should probably calm her down.
To soothe the anxious girl, I decided to strike up a conversation.
"You must be a second-year to be taking this class."
When I spoke, Bell quickly pulled her fingers from her mouth and answered.
"Y-Yes. I'm a second-year."
"You're a second-year, but you act like a freshman."
"Ah… I transferred in the middle of winter break. So I'm practically a new student."
"I see. Is this your first time in this class too?"
"Yes. I had to go back home for a bit because of work, so I started the semester late and missed a few classes. This is my first time attending the intermediate magic lecture."
It seemed her situation was similar to mine, having missed the start of the term while stuck in a hospital room.
I nodded and asked, "I see. Do you know anyone here?"
"No… I'm sorry."
I hadn't even accused her of anything, but Bell apologized again. Her self-esteem was far too low. I'd have to fix that eventually.
"Stop saying you're sorry. If you say it one more time, I won't let it slide."
As I hardened my expression and spoke sternly, Bell finally corrected herself.
"Sor— No. I understand."
"Good."
I nodded, then pretended not to know her name.
"So. What's your name?"
"Bell. It's just Bell. I don't have a last name."
"A commoner, then."
"…"
At the mention of her status, Bell hung her head low. Having been bullied since arriving at the Union, she clearly had a complex about her origins. I didn't press the issue. Instead, I added:
"You must be talented to have entered the Union as a commoner."
"…!"
Perhaps because it was so unexpected, Bell's eyes shot open, and she slowly lifted her head. I didn't say anything more, but for some reason, her footsteps seemed a little lighter as she followed me.
*
Five minutes before class.
Bell and I safely arrived at the correct lecture hall for Introduction to Intermediate Magic.
Creeak—
As the door opened, every eye in the room turned toward us. With my entrance, the buzzing classroom fell silent in an instant.
I was used to this reaction by now. I was fine, but I was worried that Bell might get caught in the crossfire just for being seen with me.
"Phew. We made it. Thank you, Roen… sir."
"It was nothing. And you don't need to add 'sir.' Just call me by my name, like you did at first."
"R-Right. Roen."
"There you go."
It didn't seem like she had completely opened up to me yet, but I was satisfied with having made an acquaintance. I would build our relationship gradually; she was an indispensable asset to Roen, after all.
I parted ways with Bell and headed for a seat in the back. The lecture hall was shaped like an amphitheater, with the back rows elevated and the front rows lower, like stairs. The front seats, close to the professor, were reserved for the diligent model students. The back seats were the domain of delinquents like Roen.
At my appearance, the slackers lounging in the back began to watch me cautiously.
"…"
They quietly spat out their gum and stealthily lowered the feet they had propped up on their desks. Even if they were troublemakers disowned by their own families, their infamy was nothing compared to Roen's, which had spread across the entire continent.
Screech—
Ignoring the delinquents, I pulled out a chair and sat down.
Nice view.
The vantage point from the back was excellent, offering a clear line of sight over the entire classroom. Moreover, this seat had the added benefit of avoiding unnecessary attention. Professors rarely bothered with the delinquents in the back.
Of course, to achieve my main goal for taking this class—increasing my interactions with the main characters—I would eventually have to move to the front.
…But not now.
Right now, I was a complete novice when it came to magic. No matter how much in-game knowledge I had or even with the encyclopedia in my possession, facing a professor's direct gaze and a barrage of questions would be a burden. At the end of the day, I was a modern person with no degree in magic.
For now, I would observe from the back. Once I got used to the academic environment, I would gradually move forward. Until then, I would focus on grasping the situation and adapting to this world.
As I sat quietly without causing trouble, the gazes fixed on me eventually scattered. The classroom grew noisy once again with the chatter of students.
Three minutes before class.
Creeak—
Someone opened the back door and entered. I casually glanced over to identify the newcomer.
She's here.
The same impressive red hair I had seen before.
Click-clack.
A light, graceful stride befitting royalty, with shoulders held back in confidence. A golden star, symbolizing the Student Council President, was pinned to the collar of her pure white uniform.
It was the arrival of Eredor's Student Council President, Beatrice, and her Chief of Staff, Yuliana.
However, unlike the students who revered Elena almost like a saint, the reaction to Beatrice was calm. Eredor was an academy for mages, and mages were a breed interested only in their own research and magical achievements. They didn't pay much attention to others.
Of course, not everyone was like that. A few students moved to get on the good side of Beatrice, the imperial princess. After entering the classroom, Beatrice accepted greetings from a few students and then stood tall.
Then, she personally addressed me in the back.
"You're early today, Roen."
Her greeting was a clear jab at my usual habit of being late. But this time, I had a retort ready.
"That's right. I made an effort since it's the first class. Though, thanks to a certain someone, I was almost late."
"…?"
At my words, Beatrice furrowed her elegant brows before letting out a small sigh. Even without a detailed explanation, her sharp mind had quickly grasped the situation.
"Is that so? It seems there was either a misunderstanding in the process of relaying the classroom location to you, or a malicious misinterpretation by someone."
She scanned the students in the hall, then offered me an apology.
"On behalf of Eredor, I apologize for that."
Beatrice placed a hand on her chest and offered a formal noble's apology. Just as the Student Council President held absolute power, her responsibility was also absolute. She was not exempt from any incident that occurred within Eredor.
At Beatrice's unexpected reaction, Yuliana, standing beside her, flinched.
"…"
It was a movement so small that no one else would have noticed, but I saw it because I had been watching Yuliana closely.
So that's how it is.
I had a rough idea of the situation now.
"It's fine. I know it's not your fault. It was probably the result of someone's excessive loyalty or a petty desire for revenge. And if you think about it, this is my own karma. No need to worry about it."
"…If you say so. In any case, I will take measures to ensure this does not happen again."
Beatrice probably wanted me kicked out of Eredor more than anyone, but she wouldn't resort to such petty methods. This was likely orchestrated by Yuliana. Whether she did it directly or simply turned a blind eye to someone else's actions, I couldn't be sure.
Still…
If Yuliana, Eredor's administrator, was involved, this probably wouldn't end with a simple prank like a wrong classroom location. It meant there were a few more obstacles ahead.
…Interesting.
A special event that hadn't occurred in the game. The novelty of it, like playing a DLC for Myrillin Saga, made me chuckle inwardly. I would refuse any major changes to the main story, but I could gladly enjoy small events like this.
After Beatrice left, I began to deduce who else had planned this. Many people held a grudge against Roen, but not many had the power or influence to harm him directly. If I narrowed down the suspects from that perspective…
Assistant Professor Demer.
I silently looked down at a man preparing for the lecture on the platform below. He was a typical petty villain character who had a certain ill-fated connection with Roen.
It all started during their first year when Roen bumped into him in a corner while he was struggling down the hallway with a pile of documents. A small altercation had occurred then. Not that Roen even cared about Demer; it was just Demer fuming on his own.
"…"
As I continued to stare at him, our eyes met for a moment. I didn't look away, but he hastily turned his head and pretended to organize his papers.
That reaction confirmed it.
Alright. So how will he play this?
And how could I turn this to my advantage?
I gave him a slight, knowing smile and waited for the class to begin.
Dong—
As the clock struck the hour, the grandfather clock in the classroom rang out loudly. Soon, a stern-looking old woman walked up to the platform.
The head of the Basic Magic Department, Martelzier. She opened her mouth to address the gathered students.
"Alrighty, everyone. Let's begin our lesson~"