Mob A: "I heard the new students this year are all very strong."
Mob B: "Yeah, yeah, especially that noble princess. Uwahh, just comparing myself to her makes me feel inferior."
"Hey, why are you comparing yourself to that final boss?"
Hearing many people passing by with their peers makes me feel even more excited.
My name is Ether. I am just an ordinary young man you can find anywhere. With hobbies and tastes similar to any other young man you might meet.
I happened to be accepted into Lunara Academy, the best academy in this empire-or perhaps the best in this empire.
Yes, this empire is the strongest empire in the world, so the best academy here should be the best academy in the world.
Yes, there is nothing wrong with my logic.
Oh, and even though I was accepted into the best academy in the world, it doesn't mean I'm strong or special.
I'm only ranked 176 out of 200 students. Clearly not a ranking worth being proud of. Even I thought I wouldn't be accepted here.
So yeah, from that you can tell I'm only slightly stronger than the average person and almost no different at all.
Alright, enough of that small monologue. Right now, I'm frozen in front of the academy gate because I'm too nervous to enter.
The gate itself is enormous, made of dark metal engraved with intricate patterns. Beyond it, I could see large buildings standing proudly, like palaces built for royalty.
I'm too nervous thinking about what I should do in this academy, how I should behave, and how I should interact with all these talented people.
However, seeing many people interacting normally, far from what I had imagined, makes my nervousness ease a little and even gives me some excitement.
And just as I gathered my courage and was about to step into the gate—
Suddenly—
"UUUWOOOOOOHH, FOR YUNOOO!!!!!"
"FOR YUUUUNOOO!!!"
"FOR YUUUUNOOO!!!"
"FOR YUUUUNOOO!!!"
"UWOOOOOHHH!!!"
W-what?
The ground trembled slightly.
In front of me was a group of people led by a burly man with a large and sturdy build.
They were running fast, but somehow still orderly and not breaking formation, as if they had trained for years.
Mob C: "Ah, isn't that Reinhard Sol and his squad?"
Mob D: "Reinhard Sol?! You mean Reinhard, the future general of the Yuno Kingdom? What was the academy thinking accepting him—and not just him, but also his army?!"
Mob C: "Who knows, that's the business of those in power above. To hell with whatever they're planning."
"More importantly, if they're already here, then—"
DING-DONG
SHIITTT, I'm late.
"Ah, yeah, we're late."
I was too focused on what I had just seen that I forgot how long I had been standing in front of the gate.
When I came to my senses, I realized they had already run far away and disappeared.
Without thinking anymore, I hurried into the gate while running after them.
But damn, they're so fast that I can't even see their dust.
"Hah… hah… If I'm not mistaken, the academy should be starting the ceremony in their hall now."
"But where—"
Suddenly—
"Ough!"
"Oughhh!"
Because I was running at full speed without paying attention to my surroundings, I only realized that I had just bumped into an old woman.
Seeing the items she was carrying scattered on the ground, I immediately helped her pick them up.
"S-sorry, I didn't look ahead properly."
Grandma: "It's alright, it's also my fault for not seeing you running."
"Maybe it's also because I'm already old, so it's fine, haha."
Even though she said that while smiling and laughing, I knew she was just trying to ease the situation.
However, joking about one's physical condition and aging, even if it's about oneself, isn't a good thing, so—
Ether: "as an apology, let me help you carry these things, grandma."
Grandma: "Are you sure, young man? Aren't new students supposed to be in the hall for the opening ceremony right now?"
Ether: "It's fine. After all, this is my fault for bumping into you, so please give me a chance to make up for it."
Grandma: "But—"
Ether: "No buts, grandma. I've already decided."
After all, even if I run now, I'll still be late. So rather than being late for nothing, it's better to be late for helping.
Maybe because she could see the determination in my eyes, or knew arguing with me was pointless—
Grandma: "Hah, alright then. Thank you for your help, young man."
She replied with a resigned expression.
Ether: "No, no, you don't need to thank me. From the beginning, it was my fault."
I said with an uneasy expression.
Grandma: "Haha, you're such a sweet boy, aren't you? Then let's go."
Ether: "Yeah, let's go."
She said that with a smile, which I returned with a smile as well.
On the way, I chatted a little with the old woman.
"So even though they are the most talented in the empire, they still talk and make friends like normal people?"
Grandma: "Of course! What did you think? That the students here are all strange and arrogant monsters?!"
Ether: "Uhh… hehe…"
I could only laugh awkwardly while scratching the back of my head, because honestly, that's exactly what I used to think.
In my mind, people accepted into such a prestigious academy must be arrogant, prideful, and eccentric like geniuses usually are.
And that was also the reason why I was so nervous in front of the gate earlier.
Because I didn't know how to act around them, since I'm just an ordinary person, not a genius like them.
But now, my fear and nervousness have disappeared because I know they're just like me.
Hah, I guess reading those novels was a bad influence on me.
Because a novel is still a novel. It can't fully describe reality; there must be a lot of imagination from the author.
Proof is, there isn't a single student here who is arrogant or prideful. At least, according to the old woman.
Even at the gate earlier, many people interacted normally. There was no sign of arrogance in the air.
Which, once again, makes me feel excited about my life at this academy.
And as I was immersed in my inner monologue, it was suddenly interrupted by the old woman's voice.
Grandma: "Oh, here we are."
She said while pointing at a building with a design and style different from the others around it.
Unlike most buildings in the academy that use marble and stone, the building in front of me used wood as its main structure.
Creating a unique and contrasting scenery with its surroundings.
"Haha, talking with a kid like you is really enjoyable. I didn't even realize how much time had passed."
Really? I'm pretty sure 70% of our interaction was just me monologuing. But even so—
"Of course, maybe you didn't feel the same since you had to talk to an old person like me, haha."
Ether: "Hm hm." I shook my head and smiled sincerely at her.
"Talking with you was very enjoyable. Even I didn't realize the time passing."
"Let's talk again sometime, grandma."
That answer came from the depths of my heart, because talking with her didn't just remove my nervousness, but also made me excited about my academy life.
At first, she looked at me with a surprised face, then it changed into a sincere smile.
Grandma: "I knew it, you really are a sweet child."
Ether: "Hehe…"
"O-oh yeah, where should I put these things?"
I said quickly to hide my embarrassment from being praised.
Grandma: "Just put them here."
Ether: "Okay."
Grandma: "Once again, thank you. My old body doesn't have to carry these things because of you."
Ether: "No need to thank me. From the start, it was my fault. Oh yeah, I should go."
"See you, grandma."
I said while waving my hand.
Grandma: "Take care."
I nodded while continuing to run.
After running for quite. A while, I realize something - how did that old lady get here? Wasn't it said that only staff and students are allowed during opening ceremony?
And academy city is quite far from here,
isn't it?
After thinking about it for while, I shook my head.
Maybe she's part of staff too. After all, if she wasn't how could she get in? And why am I even thinking about this?
This is too pointless.
After running for quite a while, I realized something—
Where the fuck am I?
Yes, I'm lost. This academy is too big, and it's impossible for a new student like me to know the entire layout.
"But still, getting lost on the first day…"
Okay, calm down. Let's start from the beginning.
I finished helping the old woman, then ran away. But after running quite far, I ended up getting lost.
No, didn't I run in the same direction as before?
Is my sense of direction really this bad?
I'm sure I just ran forward, not in another direction.
"Hahhh… what should I do now?"
Right now, I'm walking on a pathway surrounded by magnificent buildings like palaces, decorated with beautiful statues.
But none of that catches my attention. My focus is on finding the right path.
And as I was thinking hard about how to find my way—
Suddenly, a loud roar echoed.
It instantly broke my focus and made me fall to the ground.
"ANGGGGGGKKKK!"
Ether: "Akhh…"
The roar was so loud that even though I covered my ears, they still hurt.
It felt like my ears were about to burst, and even gathering the focus just to stand was difficult.
I could only remain half-kneeling.
And as I began to process what was happening—
BOOOOMMM
A loud crash sounded in front of me, as if something massive had fallen.
No, not "as if"—something really did fall and destroyed the large statues in its way.
Debris and dust scattered everywhere.
Ether: "Cough cough…"
What the hell is happening?
And at that moment, I saw the "thing"—no, the "creature" in front of me.
It was a dragon, about 8–10 meters tall, with a roar that shattered ears.
Ether: "You've got to be kidding me…"
How could something like this enter the academy? Isn't this supposed to be the best academy in the empire?
The creature seemed to notice me, and without hesitation, it started attacking.
"Shit!"
I tried to run and dodge its attacks, but because of its roar and the scattered debris, I sometimes slipped or fell.
Even so, I kept trying to escape.
But it seems Lady Fortune wasn't on my side.
After running with all my strength, I was trapped in a hopeless situation.
In front of me was a large wall blocking my escape. On both sides, there was nothing I could use as a shield.
Hah… is this the end?
Am I going to die before even enjoying my academy life?
Damn it.
And as I had already accepted my fate and waited for death—
"Hiyahhhh!"
Before I could process anything, someone appeared, holding a large sword.
She struck the monster right on its head and defeated it in a single blow.
"Hey, are you okay?"
She had a beautiful face with long pink hair. After killing the monster, she jumped down and held the greatsword with one hand.
As if what she just did was completely normal.
"Hey, hey, can you hear me?"
"Yeah, I know. After something like that, you must be in shock, right?"
She kept talking in front of me as if nothing major had happened.
"But it's fine now, because I, Aurelion Valemyr, the ninth princess of the Lunaria Empire, have come to save you."
Yeah… I take back my words.
I'm no longer excited or looking forward to my academy life.
I want to go home.