Since Rohan came early, he wondered if he might be the first one here.
With that thought in mind, Rohan slid the door open with a creak.
Someone’s here?
Inside the classroom was a male student tending to a modern-style crossbow.
Their eyes met, and an awkward atmosphere seemed to fill the room.
Just as Rohan parted his lips to greet him, the student abruptly turned his head and focused intently on his crossbow again.
“……”
Thanks to that, the greeting he had prepared sank back into his stomach.
Rohan stood there for a moment and surveyed the classroom.
Can I just pick any seat?
There were a few desks with bags placed on them as if to mark someone’s claim, but many seats remained empty likely because of how early it was.
Rohan wanted to concentrate in class, so he chose a seat near the front and sat down.
When he reread the academy’s guide, students began trickling into the classroom one by one.
Everyone’s so diligent.
After glancing away briefly, he noticed that more than half the seats were already filled.
Perhaps, like him, they had come early out of excitement for the academy.
Either way, it was a good thing. As the students settled in, the room began to hum with energy.
A group that seemed to already know each other broke the initial silence, melting the tension in the room.
As conversations spread, the comfortable atmosphere made Rohan feel satisfied.
– Class 1 is supposed to be the best, right?
– Do you think the academy would blatantly create that kind of disparity? Look at yourself; you can’t even beat Ben, and he’s in Class 5.
– …….
– Anyway, I’m more curious about who our instructor will be.
Rohanwho had been observing the growing number of students while going along with the atmosphere suddenly came to a realization.
He barely recognized any of their faces. Most of them were unfamiliar to him.
Hmm… Were there about 30 students you could talk to in the game? Now that I think about it, that was across the entire academy.
If that’s the case, were these other students the ones represented as shadows in the game, filling up the background?
Thinking that made him feel something indescribable. He shifted his gaze to a different group.
What was that one’s name again?
While mentally organizing information, he checked the students he only recognized by face but hadn’t interacted with in the game.
Just then, a deep, resonant voice struck his ears.
“You there, boy.”
“?”
He turned his head to find the source of the voice and saw a giant of a man standing with his arms crossed, dressed in the student uniform.
He was easily over two meters tall. His height was ridiculous.
If not for the uniform, Rohan might have mistaken him for an instructor.
“Is the seat next to you empty?”
“Uh… Yeah, it’s empty.”
“That’s excellent news! May I sit there?”
Rohan pulled the chair out and told him to make himself comfortable.
The giant plopped into the seat beside him and said he looked forward to working together. The chair let out a strained screech under his weight.
Why does this guy’s art style feel completely different from everyone else’s?
His facial features were so bold and sharp they looked like they’d been drawn in thick ink. His distinct presence was already making an impression.
It felt as if he’d just returned from some kind of extraordinary adventure.
“You, boy. What’s your name?”
“Rohan.”
“Rohan, is it? It has a fine ring to it.”
What kind of way of speaking was that? Calling a classmate “boy” was certainly strange.
He was intrigued by this unique character that he had never met before and asked,
“Then what should I call you? Should I call you ‘boy’ too?”
“Gilbert Carniette. Feel free to call me Gilbert. That would be appreciated.”
Rohan mulled over the name and quickly sifted through the information in his head.
Gilbert…
As expected, there was nothing. It was the first time he had heard the name. It wasn’t one he had ever come across in Abyss City.
But then, wasn’t that the case for the vast majority of unfamiliar students here?
“Now that I know your name, Rohan, there’s no need to call you ‘boy’ anymore.”
With that, Gilbert began pulling items from his bag with precise movements before setting them neatly on the desk.
He snorted in satisfaction and nodded, then jumped out of his seat and disappeared through the front door.
At the same time, the back door swung open with a clatter!
As if exchanging places with Gilbert, Ichinose and Noah entered the classroom.
“Yaaaawn… I’m so sleepy…”
“Noah, cover your mouth when you yawn.”
Everyone’s gazes locked onto the two of them like arrows.
They really felt like celebrities.
Still, few students seemed inclined to seize the chance to get close to them or gaze at them with admiration.
Most of the students at Orion Academy took immense pride in their abilities, which often ignited a competitive spirit when they looked at the two.
If there was an unusual exception to this rule, it would be the beastkin students from Tigrova who avoided making eye contact with Noah Frozenheart, a member of royalty.
“No, see~ I’m so sleepy… Carry me.”
Noah staggered and tried to wrap her arms around Ichinose’s petite frame.
However, Ichinose gracefully evaded Noah’s clumsy attempts with her eyes still closed.
“Instead of saying nonsense, why don’t you go wash your face?”
“So coldhearted!”
Even as Noah grumbled behind her, Ichinose paid her no mind and continued to search for a seat. Suddenly, she stopped walking.
Tilting her head gently, she opened one eye slightly and greeted Rohan.
“Good morning.”
“Oh, good morning.”
Rohan returned her greeting calmly, though inside, he was thrilled enough to do somersaults.
The feeling of having a casual conversation with Ichinose Yui still felt like a dream to him, and the sight of the two of them together was always heartwarming.
“Huh?”
Trailing behind Ichinose with a half-dazed expression, Noah Frozenheart blinked a few times. Her blue eyes regained their brightness as if she had just woken up from a dream. Her sharp nose twitched and her round ears flicked slightly.
Then she turned her gaze to Rohan and walked purposefully toward him.
“Noah! Where are you going this time?!”
Noah Frozenheart ignored Ichinose’s suggestion to sit down and instead stood in front of Rohan.
Rohan met Noah’s clear gaze and didn’t look away as he watched her wagging her tail gently.
“Hmm?”
Noah stared at the seated Rohan and wore a puzzled expression on her face.
She began sniffing around, moving her head this way and that.
Rohan, unable to comprehend her behavior, simply observed in silence.
After a long moment of sniffing, Noah straightened her back.
The girl licked her lips lightly and moistened them before speaking.
“You smell tasty. How interesting.”
“Me?”
“Mhmm!”
Her response was completely honest, devoid of any pretense. Meeting her gaze, he couldn’t help but smile.
He had a pretty good idea of what she was talking about.
Do I really smell that much like jerky?
Perhaps hearing it from a beastkin with gleaming fangs made it feel oddly serious, and that in itself was genuinely amusing.
“Noah!”
Ichinose, who had just set down her bag, approached and tugged at Noah’s arm in alarm at her remark.
Noah resisted with a face full of injustice and tried to persuade Ichinose.
“I’m serious! You should smell him too, Nose!”
“Wh-What kind of shameless suggestion is that?!”
Watching the two bickering in front of him, Rohan felt an overwhelming urge to film them on my phone and save it as a memory.
Rohan suppressed the strong temptation and reached into his pouch.
Just as he opened it to take out some jerky to share with Noah, a large shadow loomed over them.
Gilbert had returned.
“Ladies, the instructor will be here soon. Please make way.”
“Wow! Why are you so big? How many hamburgers can you eat?”
“Noah…! Why are you acting so rudely?!”
In Abyss City, it wasn’t common to see Ichinose Yui flustered. Yet here she was, providing a rare and precious sight.
The commotion was chaotic, but Rohan found the situation amusing.
“Three hamburgers at most.”
“You’re a light eater. How many can you eat?”
When the question turned to him, Rohan simply waved her off with a casual goodbye.
Noah was already being dragged away by Ichinose.
“As the daughter of the Snow Tiger Emperor, I expected her to have a cold, icy demeanor. But she’s more like a stormy whirlwind.”
Gilbert, with a solemn expression, took a seat and crossed his arms as he shared his thoughts.
Rohan who knew the public image of the Tigrova royal family stayed silent and simply listened.
“Rohan, do you have any connection with those girls?”
“I’m just vaguely acquainted with Ichinose.”
When Rohan added that Noah Frozenheart seemed to be the friendly type just from her demeanor, Gilbert rubbed his shadowed face with a deeply serious expression.
“Have I been trapped in a coffin called ignorance, being nailed down by the stereotypes instilled in me by the world….”
Watching Gilbert, Rohan let out a small chuckle.
This guy truly had a peculiar personality.
Gilbert added a bit of casual conversation, a bit of information about the academy, and a bit of rumors regarding the new students’ curriculum.
As they exchanged stories, blending into the bustling classroom for a moment—
“Instructor?”
“It seems so.”
The lively atmosphere abruptly gave way to silence.
The students felt it. A great presence was approaching.
Clatter!
The door opened, and a woman in a suit stepped inside.
What stood out most wasn’t her fiery red hair but her piercing gaze. The aura she exuded was so intense, it made one hold their breath.
“Nice to meet you.”
The woman clicked her heels as she walked to the lectern, drawing the full attention of every student.
Those who recognized her identity froze in sheer astonishment.
Especially for the students from the Three Nations Alliance, her face was one they could never fail to recognize.
Even Ichinose was wide-eyed and couldn’t conceal her emotions.
“I’m the instructor in charge of Class 1. My name is Joo-yeon.”
At that moment, a notification window appeared before Rohan.
[Achievement unlocked: ‘Encountering the Dragon Slayer’.]
[You have earned 50P as an achievement reward.]
Leave a Reply