Chapter 13: Gilbert/Controversies and Incidents

Released:

Orion Academy was vast.

The buildings alone were so spacious that it almost felt excessive.

As Joo-yeon and Rohan finished their meeting and walked together toward the class, it was only normal for them to have a conversation along the way.

“Rohan.”

“Yes, Instructor-nim.”

“Have you introduced yourself to the companions you’ll spend the next two years with?”

“Thanks to a friendly seatmate named Gilbert, I’ve managed to take the first step.”

The rest would come naturally with time.

Joo-yeon nodded at his reply and continued with advice grounded in her own experience.

“During your time at the academy, make sure to forge friendships with people you can trust to have your back.”

“Yes!”

“You’ll keep seeing these faces even after graduation. The world of those who live by their strength is smaller than you think.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

The advice Joo-yeon offered might have sounded like typical, well-worn phrases, but Rohan didn’t let it go in one ear and out the other.

Having someone genuinely wish for his success and sincerely worry about him—

That alone was a joyful and special moment for him.

“Grades are, of course, important. But even so, there are things in this world more important than visible scores…”

Joo-yeon’s continuous stream of advice carried on without end until they were close to the classroom.

Rohan was finding much to reflect on in their conversation.

The words alone might have seemed cold, but they carried the emotions of an instructor and a mentor.

“And… if there’s ever something you need to discuss beyond part-time work, feel free to come find me at any time.”

Before Rohan could even respond, her words marked the end of her advice.

Joo-yeon slid the front door open with a rattling sound and entered the classroom first.

Rohan followed her inside, walking quickly to place his bag on the seat next to Gilbert before sitting down.

“We’ll begin the morning assembly now.”

Joo-yeon’s approach was remarkably straightforward.

She checked for absentees, asked about the students’ physical conditions, and delivered any announcements.

After wrapping up the assembly swiftly, she would give them some free time.

“For the first period, I’ll be introducing the Orion Academy’s facilities. Until we begin, stay quiet and take a rest. Understood?”

“”””Yes!”””””

Once Joo-yeon finished the assembly, she strode out of the classroom.

The sound of her footsteps faded, and as soon as it did, Gilbert suddenly leaped out of his seat with a burst of energy.

“There’s no time to hesitate─!!!”

Rohan was startled and stared at him with a “What’s wrong with this guy?” look in his eyes.

Gilbert, as if realizing he had skipped formalities earlier due to the assembly, offered a belated greeting.

“…I see. Your complexion is even sharper today.”

“Thanks for the highest compliment. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some pressing matters to attend to.”

Without explaining where he was headed, Gilbert disappeared out of the classroom.

From behind Rohan, a voice rang out.

“As expected of Gilbert Carniette. Still showing off his eccentric behavior.”

A male student adjusted his horn-rimmed glasses as he muttered to himself.

Next to him, a beastkin student was snoring away and making the most of the brief break.

Who is that?

Rohan didn’t know the glasses-wearing student and asked for his name.

With one hand on his glasses, the student introduced himself.

“Dick Wikitree. I, Dick Wikitree, already know your name is ‘Rohan.’”

“Dick?”

“Yes. Dick Wikitree. The friend sleeping here next to me is Lou Fey, a bear beastkin. He doesn’t like being mistaken for anything other than a bear, so be careful about that.”

The name of the sleeping beastkin didn’t even register in Rohan’s ears.

How is that a person’s name? Seriously?

Barely managing to swallow that thought, Rohan asked about the earlier muttering.

“What about Gilbert?”

“He’s famous, isn’t he? Any student who knows anything is already aware of him, which is why no one reacted to his antics earlier.”

“I’m not really in the loop about that stuff. We’ve got time, so fill me in.”

“Hah, I can’t believe you don’t know.”

Dick shook his head from side to side as if he had no choice but to explain.

“Gilbert Carniette, controversy and incident #1: The wisp inhalation incident.”

What’s with this guy’s way of talking? Seriously?

Rohan simply watched the guy rambling for a moment.

“There was a time when Gilbert nearly died after swallowing the core of a wisp, a monster hypothesized to form in high-density magical power. His life was saved thanks to the quick first aid of a nearby family member. When asked why he did it, he said he was curious if it would make his magical power stronger.”

“…….”

“Gilbert Carniette, controversy and incident #2: The Chroma Flight School Confession Incident.”

“That flight school in the Sepia Archipelago?”

Dick nodded in confirmation.

Rohan was familiar with the school’s existence.

The Sepia Archipelago was a country made up of numerous floating islands, connected by airships or special bridges for inter-island travel.

From what Rohan remembered, all the NPCs who piloted those airships were graduates of Chroma Flight School.

“He received a public confession from a woman known as the idol of the flight school. It was an event that shocked many male students.”

“Oooh!”

“But right after rejecting her confession outright, he suddenly proposed to a fellow classmate who had been watching nearby. After graduating from the flight school, Gilbert enrolled in Orion Academy with his fiancée.”

“Then I guess he might have gone to visit his girlfriend?”

When Rohan asked this, Dick nodded and then added a footnote with an endlessly serious expression.

“There’s a hypothesis derived from this incident that says that Gilbert Carniette possesses a hypnosis app. Personally, I think this is the most plausible among the many theories.”

“So you must’ve gone to the same flight school as Gilbert?”

When Dick adjusted his glasses slightly and confirmed with a nod, Rohan chuckled.

It seemed like Dick was one of those male students who had been deeply shocked.

“Besides that, Gilbert is involved in numerous controversies and incidents. That’s why anyone who knows about him isn’t surprised by his antics.”

“I see.”

Rohan felt genuinely pleased to have made such an unexpectedly funny friend.

“But I heard that even Gilbert Carniette has one person he’s afraid of.”

“Who is it? His parents?”

Rohan had a sense about it.

This guy’s way of speaking might be strange, but when you look at the big picture, he was actually pretty good with words.

The bait Dick had laid out so far was thick enough that Rohan couldn’t help but take the hook.

“Gilbert is the youngest in the Carniette family. From the information I’ve gathered, there’s a rumor that he’s afraid of the eldest daughter of the family… in other words, his older sister.”

“Perfect timing. Should we ask the man himself?”

“What?”

Just as Dick was wrapping up his explanation by calling it a rumor, Gilbert returned to the classroom.

Rohan’s gaze shifted to him with a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“Gilbert.”

“What is it?”

“Dick here has been singing your praises non-stop.”

The broad-shouldered giant with a buzz cut folded his arms and sat down. His gaze then landed on Dick in the back row.

Then, as if greeting an old friend, he extended a hand as big as a pot lid.

“A new friend! Nice to meet you! What’s your name?”

“Hey, seriously… We were in the same class for three years at flight school!”

“Ooh! So we went to the same school, did we? I’m Gilbert Carniette!”

Dick seemed ready to say something more but gave up, closing his mouth with a resigned expression. He shook his head as if tired of the conversation.

Rohan, seemingly satisfied with the scene, called out to Gilbert.

“Gilbert.”

“Hmm?”

Without hesitation, he bluntly asked if Gilbert had a sister.

Gilbert’s expression darkened dramatically.

“A sister… Well, if you count a gorilla whose only difference from me is being female, then sure.”

“A gorilla?”

“Just imagine my face with longer hair. That’s what she looks like.”

The sincerity in his words made the statement feel brutally honest.

How long did their chatter go on, even including some talk with Wikitree in the back?

“Attention.”

Joo-yeon suddenly returned and drew the students’ attention.

“Line up in pairs in the hallway, in neat rows. If anyone next to you is sleeping, wake them up.”

With that, the Orion Academy tour began.

The first stop for Class 1 was the fitness training room.

It boasted an incredible size and was equipped with numerous devices that allowed for exercise using magic.

Just watching it made Rohan want to jump right in and start working out.

“If you have your student ID, the fitness training room is accessible 24/7. There’s an AI system, so if you’re not familiar with any equipment, you can get assistance. It also has shower facilities, and if you happen to get injured while exercising…”

Listening to the explanation, Rohan felt his heart race with excitement.

Starting tomorrow, he planned to do his morning training here, then take a shower and go straight to the academy.

“Let’s move on to the next location.”

Afterward, they were introduced to other facilities, such as the cheap student cafeteria, the library within the academy, the audiovisual room, and more.

They gradually familiarized themselves with the places they would need to know during their two years as students.

And every time, Joo-yeon concluded her introduction of a location with the same words.

“Be respectful and use these facilities without causing disputes.”

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“Hmm.”

Rohan lay sprawled on a bench in the academy, chewing on a piece of jerky.

The morning had been spent on orientation, covering the layout of the academy, the curriculum, and brief introductions to each subject.

He had heard that proper training would begin in the afternoon.

Not wanting to feel sluggish from overeating, he hadn’t indulged in a big meal.

Part-time job…

Thanks to that, he was now enthusiastically searching for a job.

There are more openings than I thought.

But the conditions attached to many of them made it hard to find a suitable match.

Swish. Swish.

How long had he been scrolling through the job listings with his thumb?

“!?”

Rohan suddenly sat upright from his reclined position.

A familiar store name appeared on the list.

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