Chapter 74
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: The Protagonist of This World
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“Hee hee hee.”
Laughter kept bubbling out of me. Whenever the joy started to fade, I just looked back down at the letter in my hand. And then the thrill would surge up from the depths of my chest again.
What I held was my admission notice to the academy. My name was clearly written on it. The seeds of effort I had quietly sown for sixteen years had finally borne fruit.
“That makes you so happy?”
In the garden of the Rahel Tani estate, Roselia asked as she shared tea with me. I tamped down my overwhelming emotions just a bit and quietly lifted my teacup.
“Yes. It’s been my dream my whole life.”
“A modest dream.”
She sounded dismissive, but a faint smile played on Roselia’s lips too.
“I hear a lot of promising students are enrolling this year.”
Camilla, sitting across from me, carefully chimed in.
“Word around town is the Hero and the Saintess are enrolling together. It feels like the Demon King might even revive or something.”
A flicker of mild interest appeared in Roselia’s eyes. Meanwhile, knowing what was to come, I quietly shut my mouth.
The Demon King wouldn’t revive. The only legend about it was from two hundred years ago, when it supposedly covered half the continent in disease and claimed millions of lives.
Besides that, neither the main story nor the DLC ever featured the Demon King directly. It was just a “god” worshipped by the Black Altar—a mere figurehead with no real existence.
Instead, there are plenty of threats just as bad as the Demon King.
The poet who commands the black monsters. The archbishop of the Black Altar. Ancient creatures sealed underground for thousands of years. And others besides.
I glanced sideways. The mother and daughter were laughing warmly. In the original story, they would have become villains threatening the world someday.
But not now.
“When’s your enrollment?”
As Roselia pushed her teacup aside, Sierra approached to clear the table.
“About a week from now.”
Yes. In a week, the curtain would rise on the Kairen Chronicles.
Plenty of time to steel my resolve. I should make some extra scrolls in the meantime.
I placed my hand on the stack of scrolls secured to my garter belt beneath my blouse. The poker-card-sized scrolls slid smoothly between my fingers.
I shuffled and spun them in one hand for a while, playing with them, then secured them back in place.
I can do this.
Hot ambition and fighting spirit pounded in my heart. Clutching my fist, I dreamed of a massive leap forward.
The academy.
Finally, it was time to unfold my dreams.
Bidding farewell to Roselia’s endless nagging, I rode in the carriage for about an hour until a grand gate adorned with cutting-edge magical devices welcomed us.
Passing through the gate and walking along the lavishly decorated park led to a row of buildings in similar style stretching out.
That was where Camilla and I would part ways. Unfortunately—or perhaps fortunately— we’d been assigned to different classes.
Now alone, I felt a light sense of liberation instead.
I carefully opened the door to one of the buildings, revealing an amphitheater-style lecture hall in majestic splendor.
Soft light filtered in like threads through translucent curtains draped between arched windows. The dark mahogany wooden floor echoed pleasantly with each step.
The classroom was adorned with intricate decorations. Amid them, the excited buzz of students tickled my ears.
Tension, anxiety, excitement, joy. Countless emotions flitted across the faces of youth. Surely, I was no different.
But I kept a calm, expressionless face as I stepped inside.
No one greeted me or struck up a conversation. Of course not. We hadn’t even exchanged names yet.
It was awkward, but I didn’t show it. Eyes forward, steps confident, I pressed on.
As I moved to find an empty seat, a hair color impossible to ignore entered my view.
Black hair like Camilla’s. But a white streak flowed down through it, shimmering and asserting its presence.
That alone was enough to draw the eye, but what stood out even more was her face.
Flawless, smooth skin with a delicately refined nose. Above it, clear gray eyes held a deep glint.
A face where handsomeness and beauty coexisted in perfect harmony.
The protagonist of this world was now right before my eyes.
Lucky me.
The academy’s three-year program was more like college than high school, if anything. Though divided into classes, it was really about choosing your own majors and courses.
This class was probably grouped almost randomly too. Just a division for announcements and admin convenience. I wouldn’t even be taking classes with them, so it meant little practically.
We’d all gather like this maybe three or four times a semester at most. Still, running into the protagonist here was a clear advantage.
She’s a girl.
I’d wondered what the gender-variable protagonist would look like depending on player choice. Now the mystery was solved.
Hair falling below her shoulders. Curves more pronounced than mine or Camilla’s clearly marked her gender.
I naturally averted my gaze and headed to an empty seat.
My goal was to build a connection with the protagonist, but I had no reason to rush over. I never planned to approach first anyway. I knew full well that wouldn’t get me into the Hero Party.
Calming my mind, I sat leisurely, gazing out the window and waiting patiently.
Sitting quietly like that, snippets of student chatter drifted to my ears. First day meeting everyone, yet they’d already formed groups so quickly. Amazing.
And the most standout was, of course, the protagonist.
Three female students surrounded her, working hard to keep the conversation going.
Familiar faces. All characters from the early parts of Kairen Chronicles.
For instance, that brown-haired woman was a bare-fisted physical dealer. The yellow-haired girl wielded a spear—low rank but popular early-game for its utility.
And finally, the one with the striking red hair.
She was a fire magic user, well-known among players by her nickname “Fire Flower Girl,” borrowed from another game.
Already acquainted with the heroines?
And somehow, impossibly soon after meeting, the Fire Flower Girl was already blushing faintly toward the protagonist.
Even in the game, she didn’t open up that fast. Protagonist charm at work, I suppose. A bit enviable, too.
It’s fine. I’ll make tons of friends too.
I’m too introverted to approach people first. But I didn’t think it was a big problem.
This was the academy—a place where fresh-faced youths gathered to form new bonds.
Surely, someone would notice me sitting alone and come over to talk. I didn’t know who yet, but feeling grateful in advance, I quietly gazed out the window, waiting.
Nice weather.
Bright sunlight softly settled on my face through the window. Just like the academy classroom I’d dreamed of for so long.
Outwardly nonchalant, I smiled quietly inside.
I waited like that.
Shifting positions now and then—crossing my legs, folding my arms—silently waiting for that eventual friend.
But all that came was the lively laughter of students already in groups.
As time slowly passed, a wave of impatience began to rise.
…Huh?
Weird. Why wasn’t anyone talking to me?
Me, sitting here all alone?
At least one person should come over and say hi, right?
My eye muscles twitched at the unexpected silence. I forced my gaze to the window, hiding my inner turmoil.
It’s okay. Someone will come soon.
They’ll greet me brightly, offer a hand naturally, and we’ll shake on our budding friendship.
No way I can’t make even one friend, right?
Ridiculous thought.
Swallowing a hollow chuckle, I crossed my arms.
Stay calm, embrace the beauty of waiting, and eventually, the reward would come.
I waited like that for a good while.
“Welcome, cadets! I’m Celine, your instructor for this class!”
In the end, it wasn’t a new friend who appeared, but the instructor.
I ended up just sitting there quietly, staring out the window.
The instructor who introduced herself as Celine was giving a brief overview of the academy.
“Hey, Allensia.”
The red-haired student lightly tapped her neighbor’s thigh.
The girl called Allensia turned her gray eyes to look at the redhead.
“What?”
“See that girl over there?”
The redhead subtly pointed. Following her finger, a certain girl came into view.
The girl had skin paler than snow, with sky-blue hair cascading past her shoulders. The strands shimmered faintly, as if infused with light.
Under long lashes, her bored sky-blue eyes gave an air of authority. Cold yet captivating in a unique way.
“She’s super pretty, right?”
Allensia had to nod at the redhead’s words. Leaving aside personal taste, anyone would call her beautiful.
“But her personality seems kinda iffy.”
She couldn’t argue with that either.
Her blue eyes fixed motionlessly on the instructor. That indifferent, deep gaze exuded an oppressive pressure, like looking down on the world.
Undeniably the natural poise of nobility.
And her eyes were sharply narrowed, as if she were angry.
Doesn’t seem easy to get close to.
That was Allensia’s first impression.