Another ■■■: Reluctant Top Scorer and the Entrance Ceremony
Before I could even come to terms with the fact that I'd become a top student overnight, Triam Academy's entrance ceremony kicked off.
Sionel had given me a thumbs-up upon hearing I ranked third among the new admits, but the label of "top student" didn't sit well with me at all.
If I attract aggro right now, I'm seriously fucked…
No need for complicated overthinking—just recalling what I'd done made it clear why the word felt so unwelcome.
Who am I?
The human who'd pissed off a dragon princess, razed an island to the ground, and forced her to drop out voluntarily. Shocking didn't even begin to cover it; it was downright horrifying. And I wasn't delusional enough to hope no one knew. To those in the know, I was already branded the world's biggest lunatic.
In that situation, receiving an award would skyrocket attention on me—in the worst possible way.
[Welcome, students entering our academy. I am Telic Faust, headmaster of this institution.]
But before I could devise any countermeasures, the ceremony began. I'd sketched out a no-show plan, but skipping would only tarnish my reputation further, so here I was in the academy's grand auditorium—crying all the way after having visited once before—like it or not.
To make matters worse, as an award recipient, I'd been shoved to the front row with the other students.
"Ah."
A sigh escaped me unbidden. Why the hell was I standing here? I could feel countless gazes boring into me even now. If stares had physical force, I'd have been skewered dead already.
[Triam Academy, proud educational institution of the Elumhult Empire, strives to provide equal learning opportunities to all students…]
The headmaster droned on from the podium, but I'd tuned out his speech long ago. Honestly, who actually listens intently to the headmaster's address?
"As expected of the empire's greatest archmage…! Every word radiates dignified intellect!"
But the others around me seemed to disagree.
"Even in mere welcoming remarks, there must be profound truths we can't yet grasp…!"
…Wait, was I the only one not paying attention? Hidden wisdom in that boilerplate fluff?
[You will witness and experience many things here at our academy, growing steadily…]
"Ahh…! So the truth ultimately permeates our very lives…!"
"As expected—ideas beyond us mere mortals…!"
No, these guys were straight-up cultists. Obsessively mining meaning and emotion from every syllable? That's cult behavior if I've ever seen it. Just take those ritual phrases at face value.
[…And with that, the welcome address concludes. Now, allow me to introduce the students who will shine in this entrance ceremony.]
While I gawked at the fanatics' fervor, the interminable welcome mercifully ended, ushering in the moment I'd dreaded.
Fancy talk for "awards," but to me, it was a public execution. I stood ready to ascend the stage like a lamb to the slaughter, my face grim. Mental prep was all I had, anyway.
[Award recipients, please come to the stage.]
But blocking my path to the podium—making a mockery of my resolve—were two figures. Two of them, no less.
[Please give a warm round of applause for the students on stage!]
Clap clap clap─
Each burst of applause cracked my resolve to somehow navigate academy life unscathed. Two piercing stares, fiercer than any before, stabbed right at me.
[First, the student who claimed first place in this academy entrance exam: Sidus de Sidereus.]
One belonged to Sidus, who'd surely chosen to drop out herself. Murmurs rippled through the auditorium among students like me who knew her story.
Headmaster Telic, seemingly aware of the unrest's cause, addressed Sidus's admission directly.
[Many of you seem puzzled by Sidus's acceptance. To clarify: she scored the highest in academy history—an talent we couldn't afford to lose. Considering her voluntary withdrawal, we've voided it and deemed her passed.]
In short: they bent the rules for her sky-high score because they didn't want to lose her. Officially, anyway. Realistically? Probably diplomatic favors for the empire.
But special treatment wasn't fair. Rejected examinees and even current students had every right to gripe.
Telic pressed on, as if preempting those complaints.
[Rest assured, fairness is intact. Sidus's enrollment is conditional on maintaining top grades each semester. Fail, and she's expelled immediately.]
High risk, high reward. To dodge scandal, Sidus had embraced the potential for even greater infamy—and earned her spot.
If she slipped on grades, the academy would boot her without mercy, dooming her to humiliation worse than failing the exam.
"Er… that doesn't seem totally unfair…."
"The academy wouldn't lie about that…."
Thanks to the stipulation, students seemed to accept her enrollment. In an elite haven like this, sustaining top marks demanded serious grit and effort.
[If anyone has concerns, visit me after the ceremony. For now, let's proceed.]
As murmurs died down, Telic swiftly seized the shifting mood and moved on.
[Next, the student I'm introducing…]
The other figure beside Sidus—who'd been glaring daggers at me—stepped forward. A girl with striking golden ponytail and red eyes.
She might not know me, but I remembered her crystal clear.
[Second place in the entrance exam: Evan Aste!]
Of course. How could I forget this game's protagonist?
*
Ever since possessing Lerven and landing in this world, one nagging worry had plagued me.
What happened to the protagonist character 'Evan Aste' now that I, the player, existed as 'Lerven'?
Lately, survival had consumed me, pushing it aside. But ironically, it resolved itself amid unwanted chaos.
…The protagonist, 'Evan Aste,' exists. But is the original Evan inside?
One mystery solved, another arose.
Was this Evan the original—blissfully ignorant of Triam Academy's trials, growing through them? Or a 'possessor' or 'returner' who knew her future, hogging every opportunity?
The former? Fine. The latter? Bad news for me.
From webnovels, those types hated new variables. If she was possessed, she'd be hyper-vigilant toward me.
No version of 'Lerven' should place third in the entrance exam.
Either way, close observation was essential.
[Next: third place in the entrance exam, Lerven!]
My reverie over Sidus and Evan at the stage's edge shattered as Telic called my name.
I schooled my face, pocketed my thoughts, flashed a slight smile, and stepped forward.
Clap clap─
But as I advanced, the thunderous applause dwindled to near silence.
Glancing toward the faint claps, I spotted Sionel and a few who seemed oblivious to my rep.
Guess I've been blacklisted from the start.
Makes sense—no one wants to cheer the guy who insulted royalty and risk ruining their life. Especially with those two up front glaring holes through me…
[…Let us honor these fruits of effort and perseverance with awards.]
Even Telic faltered at the unexpected quiet before pushing through. He handed certificates, shook hands, and offered welcomes one by one.
Only after everyone on stage, including me, received theirs did the suffocating ceremony end.
"…Time to bolt."
The second the entrance-cum-execution wrapped, I blended into the exiting crowd to dodge potential drama.
Dorms were assigned post-ceremony—solitude awaited.
Rush─
But alas, my plan tanked. The orderly crowd split like the Red Sea before Moses.
Eerily unnatural. But I clocked the cause easily.
"Long time no see. Hope you've been trembling in fear?"
"…If I say I have, will you let it slide?"
"Nah, no chance."
Sidus de Sidereus, blocking my path—
"Mind if I cut in?"
"Eh?"
"Huh?"
"I have business with him too. Just this once—mind yielding?"
—or so I thought. The protagonist, Evan Aste, blocked me as well.