Chapter 13
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Is This the Life of an Academy Insider?
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"Hm. What a refreshing morning."
Unlike yesterday, I woke up amid an oddly bustling atmosphere.
I opened the window, and a cool spring breeze carried excited chatter inside.
That's right. Today was finally the first day of the semester.
Having crashed right away last night, I woke up feeling more refreshed than I had in ages.
I skipped mana training. I couldn't afford to miss the first day of school after grinding for a whole week.
As I got ready for school, I dove into the gallery posts that had piled up overnight.
"Browsing the gallery first thing in the morning... It's been a while."
This early-riser lifestyle was a novelty for me.
I'd always stayed up late scrolling and slept in.
Now that I was at the academy, it felt like they were forcing me into a productive routine.
After skimming through the posts, I fired off my own and headed out of the dorm.
📰 Breaking News
Subject: Muggle's first day heading to school.
Author: Kim Muggle
It's finally the first day of school at the academy. I'll be heading out, so take care, Mom and Dad.
Thanks for teaching me magic all this time.
And keep sharing the good stuff from now on lol.
(Gif of cadets heading to the academy)
💬 Comments
— CantDoThisEither
Man, I miss the academy scenery...
— CantDoThisEither
It's exactly like Lara... No wonder the cadet uniforms look similar.
— CantDoThisEither
Mages' tastes are all the same no matter the dimension. Have a good day.
— Environmentalist
Is this what it feels like sending your kid off to school?
— Anonymous
Have a safe trip, Muggle... Don't let on that you're a muggle there.
— Anonymous
What do you even do on the first day? Academies these days are pretty standard.
— Meditation King
Don't neglect your meditation.
— Anonymous
No class placement stuff? Getting ambushed during the placement exam is first-day canon.
— Anonymous
Lmao yeah, that's real. Something always goes down on day one at academies.
I scrolled through the comments as I walked toward the academy grounds.
Around me, some cadets walked alone, while others went in groups of three or five.
Losers like me naturally walked solo.
Those walking together were either returning students or, if freshmen, mostly nobles.
Nobles would've already built networks in high society.
Yet even among those nobles, one freshman trudged along alone.
Lame Mage. There was Elrim Shuskalra, the redhead, walking by herself on the roadside.
"Should I... say something?"
We'd met once, so I considered greeting her, but my feet hesitated.
Classic shut-in introvert trait. Even knowing someone, you can't initiate first. Spot them, and you grit your teeth, avoid eye contact, and pretend not to see while passing by.
"If we make eye contact by chance, it'd be awkward to greet or ignore... Better just scroll the gallery while walking."
For introverts like me, this was a major dilemma.
Especially at places like the academy, where you inevitably end up with a bunch of vaguely familiar classmates.
Running into them in the halls is painfully awkward.
If you spot them from afar, you can't shout without drawing attention. Up close, you still can't greet them. Instead, you internally debate a thousand times and end up pretending not to see.
That's how you become a loner. Fellow introverts get it.
📰 Breaking News
Subject: Spotted Redhead on the way to school.
Author: Kim Muggle
Muggle loner heading to school solo, but spotted Redhead.
She's noble-born or something, but seems like she has no one to walk with either. Redhead's over there all alone. Not a famous noble? No idea why she's solo.
Those in the know get it—this is a super awkward situation. What if we make eye contact? Should I greet first? But initiating feels weird. What to do? Just head down and speed past?
💬 Comments
— CantDoThisEither
Wasn't this guy the commoner who made a noble do the Grand Prostration?
— Anonymous
Lmao his balls are huge. But yeah, among mages, status doesn't matter. Skill is king.
— Anonymous
True, but a former muggle pulling that off is wild lol.
— Wandering Battle Mage
Means you're doing great. Among mages, skill rules. Don't flinch at status—keep making them Grand Prostrate. It'll be fine later, but early academy days have lots of status-flexers.
— Anonymous
Everything sorts itself out with skill anyway.
⭐ Top Comment
— Orgasm
What're you on about? Go hit on Redhead NOW...! Go go!
— Anonymous
Kim Muggle's such a mega simp. What's so hard about saying hi?
— MagicIsNotHard
Exactly, saying hi isn't hard^^ That's how you step out of your room slowly^^
— Anonymous
Connections matter in mage society. Sure, past Archmage realm you ignore everyone, but before that, you tangle with others a lot.
— CantDoThisEither
Aw what the hell. You made her Grand Prostrate and now this. What's hard about greeting someone you know? Go say hi.
— MagicGirlLulu-chan
Hawawa, Kim Muggle reeks so bad. Greeting someone you know is normal!
What the hell with these guys? Why are they all saying the sensible thing?
I posted seeking sympathy for my loneliness.
Hm. Maybe I should act like I know her. Truth be told, spotting that red hair made me want to tease Elrim right away.
I strode up to Elrim, who was walking alone.
"Hey, Lame!"
"Eek!"
Elrim jumped and turned around.
Heh. Maybe because of yesterday, she was completely deflated.
"W-what, you idiot. Keep it down. Don't call me Lame in a crowded place like this!"
"That's a fact, though. By now, word's probably spread that you're Lame Mage."
"N-no it's not! And I'll beat you next time, so don't get cocky!"
"Pfft. With that lame skill? Anyway, why're you walking alone? No friends?"
"Urk..."
She bristled at first, but deflated at the friends jab.
Her face stayed aggressive, but she suddenly seemed lacking in confidence.
"I-it's not like I don't have any?"
"You do. A noble, even. Can't say the same as a commoner."
"That's class discrimination!"
Isn't that what a regular commoner like me should say?
That's when a new comment notification pinged from the gallery.
💬 Comments
— CantDoThisEither
Hey, just in case—don't tease her for being alone. She's not a kid.
— Anonymous
Kim Muggle seems like he'd do it lol.
— Anonymous
She might slap you.
— MagicGirlLulu-chan
No matter how oblivious, you wouldn't braindead that. Just hang with her if she's friendless.
Are these guys watching me or what?
She started it yesterday—why's it on me?
'Tch. Fine, I'll listen. They say connections matter for mages below Archmage realm.'
Can't ignore Archmages.
She's from a pretty prominent noble family anyway.
No one else to walk with, so tagging along briefly is fine.
Honestly, the Grand Prostration vented all my anger. Having acquaintances is good.
"Ahem. So, where's the entrance ceremony? Academy's huge."
Still hard to be direct. Shut-in trait. Need an excuse.
Of course, I really didn't know the way to the ceremony.
Follow the crowd, sure. But this lets us go together naturally.
"You don't even know that? How the hell did you get in with that brain?"
"Want another Grand Prostration? Rematch?"
"Ugh, habit... Anyway, follow me. This way."
And so, I headed to the ceremony hall with Elrim.
Walking to school—on the first day, no less—with someone felt odd.
Strangely, it filled a void in my chest.
"Hmph."
For some reason, Elrim occasionally hummed to herself as we walked.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
-Next up, the pledge from our top incoming cadet.
"Not me for top spot, huh..."
The ceremony was in full swing. After the boring bits, it was time for the top cadet's pledge.
Honestly, I'd hoped it was me.
Not even runner-up.
"Pfft. You as top cadet? Think a lame like you could?"
"Getting called lame by a lame feels weird."
Elrim, seated to my left, smirked irritably.
She lost to me, yet kept needling.
Not just then—she'd been poking at me nonstop.
And how does she make that face? Practicing to piss people off?
So used to it now, I figured it was her personality.
Her saying it as a lame just made it funny.
"Ian probably lost points for rolling around. Without that, he might've contended for top."
Hisenna, to my right, chimed in.
We'd run into each other at the hall by chance and ended up sitting together as a trio.
For some reason, they avoided talking to each other, sandwiching me in the middle.
They just dodged eye contact. Even after the Grand Prostration.
"Rolling that much is such a no-go..."
Top spot slipping because of rolling, huh.
Mages really hate physical moves in duels, as rumored.
But it was an emergency. Only one spell— what was I supposed to do?
"Eh, top would've been a hassle anyway. I couldn't go up there."
"Really? You're so unique, Ian. Top enrollment at Merhen Academy is a huge honor."
FYI, Hisenna was a top contender but lost to me and missed runner-up too.
She seemed pretty bummed about it.
Might be different otherwise, but she looked down now.
Means it's a prestigious spot for cadets.
"That top cadet's super pretty for a guy."
"You don't even know who the top is? Floridel family direct heir."
"What's a Floridel, otaku?"
"Typical commoner. You reek—scoot over?"
"Another Grand Prostration?"
After a few more jabs, Elrim explained the top cadet.
Name: Chayuri Floridel.
Floridels, one of the eight Archmage Duke families, are known for androgynous beauty.
Pale beige hair like settled ash, snow-white skin, refined features.
Generations of that beauty mean their magic is elegant and graceful too.
"Eight Archmage Dukes... News to me."
"Mana forms differ slightly per person. Even same spells vary in lines or feel—that's why. Mana is partly genetic, so Archmage Duke families especially show refined mana and spellcasting. Our Perryhill family, for reference, has precise, interlocking mana."
Hisenna added.
Comparing Elrim and Hisenna's magic: Elrim's rough and explosive, Hisenna's like a perfectly fitted puzzle.
Same effects, but different skins per person.
"So refining your mana during training changes it a bit too."
"Yes. High-realm mages cultivate it post-genetics. Eventually, it becomes most 'you'."
"Takes mad skill to refine, though. You'd take forever—or never reach it."
Hm. Learned another world fact today.
Refining mana to my style. Just developing in my optimal way, basically.
Soon after, the ceremony ended with notice of the afternoon Class Placement Exam.
Details later, but apparently it's a Beast Hunt.
📰 Breaking News
Subject: Damn, missed top spot fml (Academy entrance ceremony recap)
Author: Kim Muggle
Thought I'd snag top with my rank-5 magic dominating the entrance exam, but epically failed.
Top guy's from some famous family—pretty for a dude. Must be big deal.
Afternoon's Class Placement Exam: Beast Hunt? Can I even do that?
Currently heading to lunch with Redhead and BigBoobs.
💬 Comments
⭐ Top Comment
— Anonymous
Damn so jealous. This the academy insider life?
— Kim Muggle
What makes it insider?;
— Anonymous
Lunch with two cuties isn't peak academy harem life? What is?
— Anonymous
Kim Muggle was all hype.
— Anonymous
Jealous. Want that academy youth...
— Orgasm
Redhead n BigBoobs 3P?! Line 'em up on all fours n XXX slap slap slap n XXXX triple... Nyaaah~!
— Anonymous
Fuck lol this guy's only into one thing.
— Anonymous
But yeah jealous af.
— CantDoThisEither
Fml how do you roll in the exam and get top.
— Anonymous
Thought he'd get top, delusions confirmed.
— Environmentalist
Pretty boy top cadet suspicious af.
— Anonymous
Needs watching yeah.
— Kim Muggle
What to watch for?;
— Orgasm
Hoooooh?! 4P time...!
— Wandering Battle Mage
Beast Hunt? Roll all you want. Gonna be fun.
— ExplosionIsArt
Explosion magic crushes Beast Hunts.
— Meditation King
Don't forget to meditate before the exam.
— Anonymous
Beast Hunt for class placement? Something's gonna pop off lol.
— ExtremeEfficiencyFanatic
Canon. Don't flex—stay cautious in placement exam. Who knows what'll happen.
— CantDoThisEither
Yeah, be careful. Master defense magic. Practiced since yesterday?
— Kim Muggle
Ah, dueled Redhead so didn't properly practice rank-2s. Only tried three. Can't skip Grand Prostration tho.
— CantDoThisEither
Fml at least drill 'em before going. You got basic freshman level, so no need for above rank-2 often. But practice defense plenty. No telling what'll happen.
— Kim Muggle
OK OK; But it's an academy exam—what big deal? They'll protect us.
— Anonymous
Lmao his future's set.
— Anonymous
But him getting cocky and something happening would be more fun.
— Anonymous
Classic muggle safety-blindness lol.
— Anonymous
Something happening on academy day one is canon lol.
"Why are these guys stirring up anxiety?"
The gallery Archmages suddenly scaring me about the Class Placement Exam.
All safety measures are in place anyway.
Of course, gotta do well, but dying? Nah.
"Hm? What was that, Ian?"
"Nothing. Let's eat."
I skimmed the Archmage comments and headed to lunch.
