As soon as a new semester starts, students naturally ask about each other’s well-being and chatter about what they did during vacation.
After the summer break, students returned to the academy, all packed with stories, and began appearing one by one in the classroom where the first liberal arts lecture of the second semester, ‘History of the Continent,’ was about to start.
“Wow, starting the first class with the history of the continent? Isn’t that a bit unfair?”
“How can they start the first class with such a boring lecture?”
“Seriously. Ugh, I don’t want to attend class…”
Gossip floated around the classroom, as students hadn’t seen each other for nearly two months, so they had a mountain of stories to share. Groups of students gathered excitedly to talk about what they had experienced over summer vacation.
“I went to the Parinia beach during the summer…”
“I went to the imperial capital for a retreat with my father…”
“I just trained at the villa throughout the break.”
As students exchanged their summer tales, a male student suddenly blurted out some thrilling news, his expression revealing he had discovered a huge secret.
“I happened to overhear the professors talking… There’s a transfer student!”
“What? A transfer student?”
“Yeah, I heard there are two of them!”
“Two? Are you sure you didn’t mishear?”
This newfound topic, sparked by the information from one male student, quickly spread among the students. The arrival of newcomers was bound to be a hot topic.
“But isn’t the transfer exam super hard? I heard it’s tougher than the entrance exam—”
“They must’ve studied really hard.”
“Maybe having one is plausible, but two?”
“Did you hear what departments they’re from?”
“Are they male or female?”
Information from one male student quickly began to spread like wildfire. By the time the class was about to start, everyone was discussing that topic. Each time the door opened, all the students turned their heads to stare at the newcomer, then returned to their gossip.
“If they haven’t shown up yet, doesn’t that mean you misheard?”
“No, I’m telling you! I really heard it!”
“Still, they should be here by now, right?”
Five minutes before class started, students concluded that the male student who first mentioned the transfer student must have ‘misheard.’ Although he showed a disgruntled expression, there was still no evidence to back up his claim.
Having suddenly become a liar, the male student stared desperately at the door.
‘Why hasn’t the transfer student come when I was so sure there were some?’
On the other hand, there was someone who showed no interest in the transfer student. Martina, a first-year student and representative of the Magic Department, was one of them. She looked at the door with a worried expression and spoke up.
“I don’t see Elisa.”
“Elisa? Who’s that?”
“She’s in the same Magic Department. The female student with purple hair, you know?”
Martina shot a disbelieving look at the girl who asked the question. The girl opened her mouth with a sheepish expression.
“Oh, that gloomy girl… right?”
“Ugh… that’s correct.”
Though Martina was not pleased with the reply, she nodded without voicing her discontent. After all, perceptions of Elisa might differ, but they were mostly the same.
“Why isn’t she coming…?”
“Maybe she’s sleeping in?”
“Elisa has never been late even once.”
Even if she was gloomy and walked alone, the girl was diligent, which was Martina’s image of Elisa. Therefore, she genuinely worried about her.
Three minutes until the class started.
It was a nerve-wracking moment.
‘If she’s late on the first day, the professor might not like it…’
Just as the worried look on the overly kind-hearted noblewoman’s face began to show, the door opened one minute before class began. Most students, caught up in their conversations, didn’t bother to look at the door, but a few still glanced over with a faint expectation.
And those students finally got to taste the fruit of their patience.
“P-pink hair?”
“Is that who I think it is?”
“The Saint… is a transfer student?”
“What’s with that chair? It has wheels!”
“More importantly, who is the guy pushing that chair…?”
In an instant, a surge of gossip overwhelmed the students. A Saint appeared gliding in on a moving chair, accompanied by a towering man in knight’s armor pushing the chair, and three female students clustered together around him.
The bizarre scene had the students whispering excitedly.
“I thought there were two transfer students?”
“Look behind! There are three more girls!”
“Who’s that man?”
“He’s in knight’s armor. Must be a knight.”
“Is it normal for a Saint to have a knight escort to class…?”
The students hurriedly speculated, desperate to satisfy their curiosity. The appearance of new characters—especially a Saint—was bound to cause a stir!
Such curiosity was about to explode. Amidst it all, Martina stood in amazement, staring blankly at the group of the Saint.
‘W-why is Elisa there? And who is that…?’
Martina recalled the events from a few months back. She remembered Elisa standing in front of a dungeon, alongside the knight who had been assisting her. She hadn’t expected to see them again.
“Is one of them Violande? She’s not a transfer student.”
“Then there are three transfer students?”
“Elisa isn’t one of them.”
“Then who is the girl with red hair…?”
The Saint, Karina, who received all the curious gazes, took a seat at the far back, glancing over the numerous stares as if it were nothing. Used to being in the spotlight throughout her life, she casually engaged in conversation with Johann beside her.
“Please don’t frown too much. It might surprise the students.”
“Since I’m not used to receiving attention.”
The man responded with a disgruntled expression, crossing his arms and leaning against the classroom wall. Naturally, as an escort knight, he couldn’t sit down.
“Johann, you stand out no matter where you go, you know?”
“I’m infamous for various reasons.”
“Well, I guess it isn’t so bad, right?”
The bulky escort knight slowly surveyed his surroundings, overhearing the excitement and reverent gazes directed at them. He inwardly sighed at the sheer amount of attention he would have to endure from now on, while he watched Karina pull out her textbooks.
‘To think I could enter the academy like this. It’s quite nostalgic.’
Despite the ambiguous position of being an escort knight, he had never expected to step into a classroom but felt emotional as it happened. He finally got to see in reality scenes he had previously watched in games. Johann kept those feelings tucked away as he scanned the room.
He noted curious eyes focused on Karina. While a few students showed interest in him, they were but a minority. No matter how grand his presence, it couldn’t compare to that of the Saint.
‘Familiar faces are quite visible.’
From the couple he had seen last time, Martina and Lewis, to Bratten, who avoided eye contact with a shocked expression when their gazes met, he recognized several faces he had seen before.
Including them, many of the students looked eager to say something, but unfortunately, the professor in charge of the history of the continent, Professor Galeon, was already standing at the front of the classroom.
“Ahem, let us begin!”
With a mix of disappointment and sighs, the elderly professor started his lecture, hiding his curiosity.
——————–
The lecture I hadn’t heard in years utterly crushed my expectations for fantasy world classes.
“The great Emperor Helios during the imperial year 731…”
The professor, who continued speaking in a voice that seemed to lull students into sleep, did not differ much from those I had often encountered back in Korea. Even as I tried to perk myself up by stretching my neck and glancing at the students, about one-third of them were already slumped over, unable to withstand the boredom.
Amazingly, Millia was not among that one-third.
I had thought Millia would slump down first.
The girl, known for her impatience with boredom, remained perfectly still, staring at the blackboard. It was genuinely surprising. Moreover, seeing her take diligent notes indicated she was actually paying attention. This meant that Elisa and Karina, who sat beside her, seemed to be concentrating better as well.
Well, it made sense, considering they were all top students.
I was dying of boredom.
Why do History teachers all have voices that induce sleep?
Can’t they make the class a bit more enjoyable?
…Of course, the class isn’t supposed to be entertaining, but I hoped it wouldn’t be to the point of making us doze off.
Anyway, the lecture gradually approached its conclusion. It was evident as students began to stir back to life like newly revived zombies.
Which meant I would soon be freed from this tedious lecture.
No more standing around with aching legs.
While I was amused by the sight of students sneakily glancing at the clock,
“Ah, today, the Saint has come to listen to my lecture. Together with the new student, I see.”
Perhaps feeling a bit regretful about not mentioning the new transfer student, the professor outright referred to Millia and Karina. Now we’re in the spotlight. Well, it was unavoidable.
“You’re Millia Quartz, right? Then, Millia.”
“Yes!”
“Could you tell us what happened in the imperial year 536?”
Wait, that wasn’t covered in the class. Seeing the faces of the students, it seemed like basic common knowledge.
Millia stood up eagerly at the professor’s question without the slightest hesitation, and shouted:
“In the imperial year 536, Count Telomere’s rebellion occurred!”
Did… I just answer that right?
With slightly anxious eyes shifting towards the professor, he smiled back at her.
I guess that was the answer, huh?
“Wrong, Millia.”
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