Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: First Day of School #02
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‘This morning assembly is dragging on forever... Has it really only been twenty minutes?’
The academy basically operates on a university-style lecture system, but when it comes to managing students, they use a class system.
Apparently, this structure was created early on to act as a buffer against political conflicts, or feuds between races or individuals. But to me, it just looks like the lazy author mashed the two together.
Lectures can be attended freely without registration?
For exams, as long as you pass the minimum number in your strongest subjects, you're good, no restrictions?
Even someone like me, who never went to college in real life, knows a university system wouldn't be that baseless.
‘That damn author must've thought academy stories were a total cakewalk.’
Anyway, one of the few byproducts of this half-assed class system in this shitty academy is this morning assembly.
It's technically skippable, but it's the time when teachers relay academic schedules, self-study happens, or suggestions for the school are made.
Of course, I already have the academic schedule memorized down pat, so Teacher Senia's empty chit-chat doesn't even register.
The problem is the protagonist sitting right in front of me, pissing me off just by existing.
‘Is he deliberately trying to rile me up?’
After sitting next to Shaomei and Jorba—who were in the back—I'd been glaring daggers at Kaiyen the whole assembly, but the guy just listens to Claire's babble and gives fake laughs in response.
‘Either ignore me completely or sneak a glance and smirk now and then?’
That slight curl of his lips at the corner makes my blood boil.
In the novel, it's described as a smile that stirs the hearts of women, but to me, it looks like a gigolo mocking me to provoke.
“Seriously, Big Brother, are you even listening? First period, you're taking class with us, right?”
What bugs me even more is the guy next to me.
Not Shaomei—it's Jorba, who's been closely observing me while pretending not to. He's seriously getting on my nerves.
“That's right, Arthin. You missed three weeks of classes, so be grateful when this big brother and Shaomei offer to help and join us. Right?”
They say eyes don't lie, but this sly bastard is even smiling with his eyes, talking to me as friendly as ever.
If Shaomei hadn't warned me beforehand, I might've actually fallen for it.
“Uh, yeah... What class did you say again?”
“See, you weren't listening at all—!! First period's Professor Helik's swordsmanship class!”
“Oh right, sounds good. I'll join you.”
I pretend to soothe Shaomei, who's puffing out her cheeks, but it's all an act.
‘Kaiyen's definitely taking Professor Helik's class, right?’
‘Of course, Big Brother. I secretly eavesdropped on Claire before self-study started.’
We'd already planned our basic approach to Kaiyen yesterday, assuming he'd regained his memories.
To dodge Jorba's suspicions, Shaomei used her eavesdropping skills and honed senses to pick up on chatty Claire's conversation, then steer the topic my way once I sat down.
“You interested in swordsmanship too, Arthin?”
“Yeah, after facing off against Sion, I realized the empire's swordsmanship is pretty impressive. Plus, the professor's that Professor Helik—the former Giant Slayer.”
The guy probes for openings right away, but improvising like this is a breeze for me.
The academy's schemers are no slouches compared to Jorba. Just give him a reasonable excuse, and he's satisfied.
“Fair enough. Shaomei and I took it a few times, and it's not bad. Lots of cute girls attend too.”
Thank god he has the restraint to back off once convinced.
“You? You'll probably just flirt with girls during class. Your grades okay?”
“Of course! Not as good as you, who beat Sion after three weeks, but I've got natural talent in physical stuff.”
“Young Lord would get way stronger with proper training, but he won't even listen when I suggest it.”
“My time is better spent contributing to society by entertaining beautiful ladies, Shaomei.”
Watching Jorba self-praise obnoxiously while his slightly brighter red hair sways makes me want to smack him.
But it's an undeniable fact. I've watched him consistently—he's talented enough to excel at anything.
If I'd possessed Jorba Pelkas instead of Arthin Ludwig, the difficulty of this trash novel would've dropped by at least five times.
We even have similar red hair, so without the talent gap, original Arthin might've envied or admired Jorba.
‘Hmm? Wait a sec? That's weird.’
“By the way, Jorba, you've only taken classes with Shaomei this whole time?”
“What can I do, Arthin? Shaomei clams up around strangers, so without you, I had to stick by her, right?”
This jerk definitely said last time I was hospitalized that he'd skip classes to hang out with girls alone.
“He says that, but he's always ditching me to go play...”
From Shaomei's grumbling, it seems he plays around whether I'm there or not.
‘Violet should be joining our group around now, right?’
Violet usually joins our trio between the first and second week. Smooth-talking Jorba helps her when she's struggling alone in class and introduces her to us.
So why hasn't he brought her in yet?
I glance at Shaomei, and she mouths it knowingly.
‘He's too busy watching you, Big Brother, so he's putting off playing with girls.’
Damn, my fault again.
But I can't leave Violet wandering alone any longer.
It'd be good to have another person in the group to help me and Shaomei.
‘If I step away, both Shaomei and Violet would eat lunch alone without friends...’
I still can't forget how Violet's expression brightened every regression when she ate and hung out with us.
This time she has memories, so it'll be different, but I should still look out for her.
‘I'll bring Violet in a few days, then we can all join up.’
I whisper that, and Shaomei pouts her lips where Jorba can't see.
She can't still be plotting to jump me, right?
“Alright, that's morning assembly for today. Everyone, do well in your first lecture. Lenny and Mikoto, don't be late to alchemy again?”
Right then, Teacher Senia ends assembly and heads out the classroom door. I hurriedly turn my gaze to Kaiyen.
“Okay, let's go prep first!”
Damn it, before I can say anything, Claire drags Kaiyen toward the lecture hall.
There are ways to approach during class, but I want to talk one-on-one during break!
“Wait, I gotta hit the bathroom then catch up to the lecture hall! Go ahead!”
“Huh? Arthin, do you even know where it is?”
“Third Swordsmanship Hall, right? Don't wait!”
Jorba probes suspiciously again, but I brush it off since Kaiyen's more important. I grab my stuff and chase after them into the hallway.
‘Shaomei told me’ should cover it!
“Whoa, they got that far already?”
I don't know why they're walking so fast while I pack, but I see Claire and Kaiyen heading down the stairs at the end of the hall.
The crowd in the hallway makes it hard to run and catch up, so I shout loudly toward Kaiyen.
“Wait! Hold up, Kaiyen! I need to talk to you!”
It's noisy right after assembly, but he's this novel's overpowered protagonist.
He should hear me calling him even in this din.
And sure enough, Kaiyen pauses on the stairs and turns to look at me.
“Wait there! I'll come to you!”
He definitely heard. Pushing through people in my urgency draws complaints.
“Eek!”
Then, one of the people I lightly shoved stumbles back dramatically and falls.
Why overreact like that? She looks genuinely hurt, though—not acting. Guess my training made me shove harder than I thought unconsciously.
“Sorry! I'm in a rush right now!”
“Hold on, you're just gonna shove someone over and leave?”
I bow quickly to apologize and move on, but her friend grabs my wrist and yells.
Damn, break's only twenty minutes—I can't get stuck here!
“You're Arthin Ludwig, right? Think you can go wild now that you won one duel?”
“No, I really am in a hurry!”
“Hurry or not, does that mean you can shove people around? Apologize properly to my friend!”
She seems like a noble lady, screaming loudly for an apology, drawing stares and murmurs from the crowd.
“I apologize for my rudeness under the excuse of being busy! I'm truly sorry!”
No choice—I bow deeply. I am at fault, even if rushed.
“No, I'm not hurt bad...”
“Ha! That half-hearted apology shows no sincerity! Do you even know manners?”
But this friend acting as her champion is odd.
The victim herself says it's fine after my noble bow, yet this girl cuts her off and pushes harder in front of everyone.
“Why are you staring? Planning to challenge me to a duel too, like you did the Wise family heir?”
Ah, her sharp reaction gives it away. Kingdom noble faction lady?
The Wise family's influence is top-tier in the palace, so cornering me now lets her score points with them by punishing their embarrasser.
“Such a rude, mannerless man. I won't accept your duel or forgive your rudeness—I'll report this to the student council!”
She shows firm intent to escalate as the crowd gathers.
'Ah, fuck, another frustrating plot twist!'—Just as I think that—
“Did you say you'd report to the student council, lady of House Harbor?”
At that voice, the murmuring hallway freezes.
“Yes, an incident this rude belongs before the disciplinary committee, doesn't it?”
The lady continues confidently, then senses the odd silence and slowly turns to see everyone staring behind her.
“Well, the student council promotes student rights and mediates conflicts between houses and nations—it doesn't have the leisure to handle such trivial matters personally.”
“...Ah, Imperial Princess Agnes!”
Realizing the speaker is the student council vice president—the empire's imperial princess—her face drains pale in real time.
“I'm the vice president right now. Besides, the one who fell seemed ready to accept your apology—must we escalate?”
“...M-my friend was scared of that man's notoriety. This concerns our honor...”
“Is that so? If it's a matter of house honor, even the student council can't intervene.”
Agnes smiles softly at the lady, whose stiff expression eases slightly, and continues.
“Then, could I personally ask you to let this slide, lady of House Harbor?”
But her voice held no smile.
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◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ And after that, things ended more anticlimactically than expected.
In a way, it's natural. Unless you're some loose cannon like me, ignoring the student council's recommendation is tough.
Especially when Agnes Ermengarde, the empire's imperial princess and vice president, personally asks to bury the incident.
No matter their kingdom roots, they can't speak up rashly.
Plus, the actual victim teared up at those words and scolded her angry friend to drop it, so the yelling lady vanished with her friend, and the crowd dispersed at Agnes's word.
“...So, why'd you drag me here?”
The problem: by the time the commotion ended, Kaiyen had vanished, and I'd followed Agnes—who wanted a word—to the secluded back of some building.
‘I'm grateful she saved me just now, but...’
Our plan was to contact Kaiyen all afternoon, then meet the four of us in the evening. Agnes's sudden appearance threw me off.
Plus, she drags me here for a talk, then stares at my back silently for three minutes already.
“...Arthin, how much do you remember? About the previous regression... or your past life.”
Agnes suddenly turns to me with an out-of-left-field question.
Past life memories? Why ask that suddenly?
“I remember everything... Not the tiny details, but all the big events, especially recent ones. Got something you wanna ask?”
Maybe the empire's rebellion or something similar came to mind?
I can tell her if so. Butterfly effect or not, it's a doomed world—mess it up, reload, done.
“...I see. You remember everything, Arthin...”
But Agnes's reaction is weird. Fidgeting hands, flushed face—like the Agnes I know when she's thinking romantic thoughts...?
“Then, do you remember our last promise from that life?”
“That life...”
Ah. Those words jogged it instantly.
The final promise before parting with Agnes, heading to the Demon King's castle via the back door.
“If you come back alive... you said you wanted to hold our engagement ceremony and spend our first night together... You didn't forget, right...?”
I did. Definitely. Full of confidence it'd succeed this time, I promised her in that cool romance-novel style.
Forgot all about it after the Demon King assassination failed and I died from poison.
“...In a way, I did come back alive... so keep your promise...”
Agnes grabs my frozen, brain-dead hand with both of hers and gazes up pleadingly.
“Can I be your fiancée now...?”
With a thrilled voice and beet-red face, Agnes says, facing me.