Chapter 12

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 12

Chapter Title: Practical Combat Studies (1)

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Regressor Aden

Sending him back to the dormitory first,

the chairman quickly cooled her flushed face and regained her composure.

"It really startled me when he just called me out like that... Eris..."

It had been nearly five hundred years since anyone had called her by name, in her close to seven centuries of life.

In those hollow eyes of his, she could now clearly see worry and regret, and even tender affection—emotions that were all entirely new to her as a dragon.

And on top of that, hearing her name after five hundred years...

'It's okay, Eris.'

Such an embarrassingly sweet line—she'd never heard anything like it in her dragon life.

Thinking back on the emotions in his eyes and those words made her face heat up again.

"Hoo! No, calm down! Get a grip!"

To be so shaken just from hearing her name once—what would people say about the Frontier Academy's chairman?

Now wasn't the time for such distractions; she needed to think about the future.

The academy's collapse that Aden had mentioned... She didn't even want to imagine it.

And ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠he'd definitely said something about saving the world too...

'What kind of danger is coming in the future...?'

The world's destruction—it was something she'd vaguely anticipated once she realized Aden was a regressor.

What on earth was going to happen in the future?

If it was the end of the world, it had to be something beyond anything she knew.

'Argh!! Seriously... what the hell happened?!'

What had happened to give Aden those world-weary eyes?

What kind of connection did they have in the future for him to look at her with such feelings, even in his jaded state?

How many apocalypses had he seen, and how many times had he looped through it all?

There wasn't a single thing she could know right now.

'If only I knew about his last loop...'

If she could at least learn what he'd gone through in the previous world...

Or if he could just tell her about the future events...

She wouldn't be this distraught.

'But if that were possible, he probably wouldn't have had to loop so many times...'

Dwelling on it now was pointless.

There was just far too little information...

'Guess all I can do for now is watch...'

Other than observing what the regressor did, there didn't seem to be any immediate countermeasures she could take.

"Haa... This is complicated. So complicated..."

The embarrassment from moments ago vanished like it had been washed away,

leaving only a tangled mess of thoughts swirling in her mind.

Inside the academy dormitory,

Aden was wrapping up his day and organizing his thoughts.

What he'd thought would just be an entrance ceremony had turned into a surprisingly eventful one.

Eris mistaking him for a regressor had been startling, but not bad.

It would make it easy to brush off the sources of his sudden actions or info as "because I'm a regressor."

'Too bad I can't spill all the future details...'

But planting that sense of urgency about the future in Eris was enough for now.

'Classes start for real tomorrow...'

With the entrance ceremony over, tomorrow marked the official beginning of academy lessons.

Frontier Academy was a thorough meritocracy.

His class, as the top entrant, was S-Class, consisting solely of the top 10 students, separate from the others.

'I'll get to properly see all five heroines tomorrow...'

As the five with the game's highest growth potential, they were all in the top 10.

Tomorrow was the day he'd meet them ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠all properly.

'Time to sleep for now...'

It was early to turn in, but with first period tomorrow, he decided to hit the hay early.

'Feels like I'm back in my school days or something...'

Lying in bed with that thought, he let the wave of sleepiness wash over him without resistance and closed his eyes.

It had been a tiring day.

Chirp- Chirp-

Warm sunlight flooded the room.

Birds chirped outside, and his body felt refreshingly light as he greeted the morning.

'Uh...? Oh, shi—'

Whenever he woke up to such a refreshing morning from his school days, one thing always followed.

He was late.

It was what always happened when he sprang out of bed feeling great.

He quickly sat up and checked the time.

[AM 7:00]

"Phew... Good, I'm safe."

It was 7 a.m.—plenty of time before class. The tension eased.

He could take his time washing up and still make it to the academy without rushing.

"Gotta prepare leisurely."

First day heading to the academy he'd only seen in the game—it had him buzzing with excitement.

He washed up slowly, changed into the academy uniform, and stepped out the main gate.

The grand, elegant academy buildings welcomed him into view.

Heart light, he passed through the main entrance.

A translucent blue window popped up to greet him.

Confirming the simple achievement clear and the new main quest window, he headed to the classroom.

This main quest involved steadily uncovering and eliminating the ongoing crises until graduation—nothing different from the game.

"Approaching Crisis" was the overarching main quest that appeared upon enrolling, cleared by preventing the academy's collapse until graduation.

Creak—

Opening the classroom door upon arrival, a few already-seated students turned their gazes to him.

'Heroines here are... Isabel, Libia, Cecilia so far. Out of 10, two main ones missing...'

Among the eight or so students, three figures particularly stood out.

"Ah! Aden, long time no see!"

"Good to see you, Aden."

Libia and Isabel waved cheerfully, as if forgetting their entrance ceremony spat.

Most classroom eyes turned our way because of it, but they didn't seem to care.

'Well, they're celebrities to begin with, so stares are nothing new. Besides, only about five others here excluding us...'

"Hey, Libia, Isabel."

He waved back and walked over to sit with them.

"Aden! Did you sleep well yesterday? I was so nervous I barely slept..."

Libia spoke with a tired face.

"You should get proper rest, Libia."

As he replied and they chatted lightly,

Bang—

A girl with gray hair and golden eyes burst in, slamming the door loud enough to echo through the room.

Behind her, timidly hunching, was a girl with green hair and eyes like she embodied nature itself.

The remaining two heroine characters.

Imperial Princess Aren Reinhardt,

and Princess of the Elf Forest Arbel Reina.

Am I imagining it...?'

The moment the princess entered, she scanned around like searching for something, her gaze seeming to lock onto him.

'Talking to the princess sounds exhausting...'

If she was true to the game, conversing would rapidly drain his energy.

He'd have to talk eventually, but not now.

'Please just walk past...'

He spotted her heading straight for him and prayed she'd pass, but sadly, her steps stopped right in front of him.

"Hey, Aden! Great speech, loved it!"

A boisterous tone that sounded tiring just to hear.

Casually calling his name without reservation.

"How'd you come up with that speech? I was dying laughing!"

Like old pals of ten years, the princess slung an arm around his shoulder and fired off questions.

"An honor..." "Hey, drop the formal talk—it's the academy, right?"

She cut off his polite response.

"You said it yourself, Aden? Let's chat anytime if you're free—I'm curious about you!"

"Uh... sure, later when I have time."

"Sweet! Oh, but Aden!..."

Unlike her agreement to talk later, the princess's question barrage continued, leaving his head spinning and his refreshed body tiring again—until a savior appeared at the door.

"Everyone, back to your seats."

A woman with black hair and hollow red eyes: Practical Combat Professor Elina Levan, and their S-Class homeroom teacher.

"Oh... prof's here. Catch you later!"

Even the chattering princess returned to her seat at Elina's arrival.

"The princess sure is lively..."

"Not one to talk coming from you, Libia."

Libia, slumped beside him, commented tiredly, only for Isabel to jab back.

"What?! I'm not that bad! Oops!"

Libia's voice came out louder than intended; she clamped her mouth and glanced nervously at the professor.

Elina glanced at the source of the noise but continued indifferently.

"Since it's the first day, no other subjects today."

Her dignified voice filled the classroom.

"I'm here to gauge your levels. Everyone, follow me to the auditorium."

With that, she turned and exited.

The students, puzzled at first, soon followed to the auditorium one by one.

"Whoa, her presence is no joke..."

Agreeing inwardly with Libia's murmur after the professor left,

Mercenary King Elina Levan—she was the Practical Combat Studies professor,

and unlike him, a genuine battle-hardened war hero.