Lamieli Academy Entrance Ceremony (7)
Zeke scratched his head and slipped out of the entrance ceremony like he was fleeing.
The academy principal was supposed to show up later, too.
His mana speech seemed to have hit them way harder than expected, so he figured it was best to make himself scarce for now.
Today's his first time meeting his new boss, and he might end up pulling out what little hair the guy has left.
A faint prick of conscience stirred in him—the tiny shred he had left.
'Gonna catch hell for this later. Tsk. Wait, I wasn't like this before!'
In the dark fantasy world, no matter how desperately he declared things, people who'd already given up on life wouldn't even bother listening.
Once a wick was soaked in blood, it wouldn't catch fire.
So, as always, he'd just given it the slightest spark—just enough to make it flicker.
But this? This was like starting a massive blaze that could swallow a whole mountain without breaking a sweat.
Zeke kept forgetting this wasn't that grim, damp hellhole.
This was a romance fantasy world, one where hope lingered more than he'd thought.
'Fuck it. If I cause a scene, I cause a scene. It's academy policy—what're they gonna do? Right?'
He brushed it off like that. Nothing was actually resolved, of course.
As he walked, he spotted two women glaring daggers at each other up ahead.
'Huh? That's... Serena, right? And the redhead in front... gotta be Iriel Yustia. Hmm. Not quite on Serena's level, but still a real beauty.'
Zeke had no intention of jumping in and getting involved with her.
He just checked her face from afar.
Then, suddenly, Iriel Yustia glanced his way and raised her hand.
'Wait, no way...'
He couldn't just stand there. Zeke quickly gathered mana in his legs and kicked off.
BANG!
The ground cracked open with a massive boom.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"Z-Zeke."
Zeke shot over in an instant, positioning himself between Serena and Iriel, grabbing her wrist tight.
Iriel couldn't believe it.
She'd thought he was just watching from afar even with Serena there.
Figured he was her guy after all, and relaxed.
"Wh—when?! Ah, no, my wrist hurts! Zeke!! Let go!!!"
A massive sense of betrayal crashed over her.
His white-gloved hand gripping her roughly.
Her wrist hurt, sure.
But more than that, she'd believed Zeke would never betray her.
She even wondered if those glaring eyes were fake.
If this was just some lookalike.
But ten years later, this face, this aura, those eyes—they were unmistakably Zeke Clayman.
Iriel bit her lower lip hard and glared back at him.
"Z-Zeke!! How could you!!! How could you do this to me!!!!"
She screamed, her face flushing beet red.
Zeke's expression didn't budge an inch.
"Say something!"
"Iriel Yustia."
Zeke caught his breath.
"Get lost."
Iriel had been thrilled and full of expectations at meeting Zeke again after so long.
But the words from this man she hadn't seen in ten years? Unbelievable.
Just three words.
He'd changed so much.
Like he wasn't the Zeke she remembered at all.
Iriel's eyes shook.
In disbelief. She slowly shook her head.
"No... you... you can't do this to me. You can't..."
Zeke didn't know the history between this body and this woman.
But from her reaction, it ran way deeper than he'd guessed.
He let go of her wrist.
'Ugh, this is exhausting.'
He'd been up since dawn primping, used mana for that speech.
Then, seeing Serena in danger, he'd scraped together what little mana his legs had and sprinted over.
'But this is the right call for now.'
Iriel had pulled some vicious, villainess-level scheme.
One that forced even a bystander like Zeke to intervene.
Right in front of him, she'd planned to humiliate and shame Serena.
Then declare Zeke was her side.
If he didn't shove her away properly now, Serena's sense of betrayal and insecurity would never fade, no matter how much time passed.
Zeke had already set his course in that chat with the principal.
Whatever ties this body had with Yustia, he wasn't continuing them.
As he stood there, dazed and bone-tired, tears spilled from Iriel's eyes, trailing down her cheeks.
She rubbed them away with the back of her hand and spoke.
"You... you can't do this to me! Zeke!!"
Her hands trembled, face scrunched up trying to hold back the sobs.
"Hic... sniff... You'll regret this!!! I'll make you regret it! Hic."
Spitting some classic third-rate villain line, Iriel turned and bolted.
Hands covering her face—she was crying, from the look of it.
Zeke was stunned.
'What? Isn't she supposed to be the villainess...? I figured she'd glare with pure hatred, vowing to kill me or something...'
To Zeke from the dark fantasy world, it was almost cute as a threat.
'Where I'm from, grudges start with a smile and a knife to the gut.'
Even cute threats could turn ugly anytime.
Sending her off like this left a bad itch between his shoulder blades.
'Using Judgment Eye here might really push it, though.'
Zeke scanned around for other threats, anyone he needed to watch.
'Clear. Serena's here, so it'll be fine. Yeah, let's check now.'
Judgment Eye
Watching Iriel's red hair whipping as she ran, Zeke drew in ambient mana and focused it into his eyes.
"Nngh."
He gritted his teeth.
[Betrayal 40%, Distrust 25%, Possessiveness 15%, Expectation 10%, Sadness 5%, Fear 2%, Affection 2%, Hatred 1%]
'What the hell.'
Through Judgment Eye, Iriel's soul looked white smeared with sooty grime—like murky gray.
On par with the saintess from the dark fantasy world.
Her innate nature wasn't bad; just dirtied by her surroundings.
Compared to Serena, it was street filth level, sure.
But in the dark fantasy world? She'd be a fairy.
And yet, hatred at just 1%.
Despite all that betrayal, no real thirst for revenge against him.
'Seriously? What the fuck did this body get up to...'
Serena, who'd been staring wide-eyed from the side, felt emotions swell and crash over and over.
Joy. Doubt. Betrayal over secrets unspoken. Sadness. Happiness. Resentment. Circling back to relief.
"I-instructor..."
She stared at Zeke's back, then grabbed his collar.
But then.
"Ah, today... too much... strain..."
Suddenly, Zeke's strength gave out, and he collapsed right there.
"I-instructor!!!"
Zeke's eyes fluttered open with a twitch.
A dark ceiling came into view.
"Familiar ceiling... wait, no, unfamiliar one."
He glanced around, piecing together the situation.
The darkness outside the window suggested night or early dawn.
The familiar crest on the door—Serena's mansion.
"Must've been a pain dragging my fainted ass here. Did you call a doctor?"
Next, he checked his body.
Thankfully, it was back to normal, like before.
"Embarrassing. Passing out after using power. Demons would laugh their asses off."
Using the romance fantasy world's pathetic mana scraps the same way as on the Dave Continent?
Like running 220V gear on 110V without a transformer.
Simply coating a sword in mana and swinging? No big deal.
But big named skills like Judgment Eye kept overloading him, draining his body each time.
"Maybe I should learn this world's mana techniques."
He recalled the magic he'd learned before.
Track down a magician, learn proper mana control—using power would get way easier.
But Zeke hesitated to decide rashly.
'...'
He was scared.
Solving this body's issue might be simple.
But was gaining power through training truly right?
Dark fantasy strength felt alien in this romance world.
Instinct screamed he'd revert to his old dark fantasy self.
'Haven't fully accepted this sword instructor gig yet, huh.'
Haah.
A sigh escaped.
'Yeah. Meet the main heroine first, decide then.'
Zeke rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
Expected stubble from skipping a shave, but it felt smooth.
Clack―
The door opened, and Serena entered with a tray.
Steam rose from a fresh bowl on it.
Spotting him awake, she hurried over.
"Oh? Instructor!!! You're up? Feeling okay?"
"Mm. How long was I out?"
"...About two days. The doctor said it was just exhaustion and sleep... but if you didn't wake today, I was taking you to the clinic tomorrow."
Zeke shook his head firmly, refusing.
"I'm fine. No need for that. But two days gone— what's the academy schedule like now?"
He asked with a straight face.
Grrrrr…
'Shit.'
His stomach growled loud. Serena stifled a giggle.
"Was... gonna eat it myself, but join me."
"Mm."
He eyed the tray in her hands. One bowl of soup, one spoon. She'd skipped proper dinners nursing him.
'But only one spoon?'
"Better fetch another bowl of soup."
"No. Kitchen staff's off—it's late."
Serena perched on the bed's edge, set the tray on his lap.
Then scooped soup, blew on it gently.
Held the spoon to his lips.
"Here, instructor. Ahh~"
'Uh... what?'
Zeke's mouth parted in surprise.
She slipped the spoon in smoothly.
Gulp.
"Hehe. Good eater. Two days... no, couldn't eat at the ceremony either, so three days. More?"
Serena beamed, blew on another spoonful, offered it.
Each time, Zeke's mouth opened slightly; like a mother bird feeding her chick, she spooned it in.
After a few bites, Zeke grabbed her hand firmly.
"Eh?"
"That's enough for me. Your turn. Was for you anyway, right?"
"Th-that... instructor, y-your hand..."
Serena squirmed, face crimson.