Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: I Think That Person Came to See You
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"...And with that, I conclude my speech. Thank you all for listening."
As Leonhardt's long, long speech came to an end, the strange gazes directed at me also vanished.
Earlier, when my eyes met Glacia's, she had immediately looked away.
But even after that, I could feel her gaze on me from time to time. Once I became aware of it, it was so distinct I could clearly tell she was watching me.
‘Strange.’
I couldn't understand why Glacia was looking at me. Perhaps our few encounters yesterday and the day before had left a strong impression on her. Or maybe my words—that she would only understand after spending time with me—had piqued her curiosity.
…
The rest of the entrance ceremony consisted of concise speeches, mostly about the mindset required of the cadets.
Most of it was the usual fare.
Things like using one's power to help the weak, contributing to the empire with one's abilities, and hoping everyone would shine in their own way...
“The cadets who have entered the Grand Royal Academy! Each and every one of you is like a shining jewel, so you should all carry great pride in your hearts…”
The words that followed made me chuckle in spite of myself.
'Everyone, a shining jewel.'
Is that really true?
From what I knew, getting into the academy was just the first hurdle. After enrolling, countless people were crushed by the differences in their traits and the harsh reality of it all.
They were, in a word, 'weeded out.'
The majority of cadets found themselves unable to advance further within the semester, falling into a state where graduation offered little hope.
How many of them simply stayed in their class, wasting their days away?
As far as I knew, there were roughly a thousand cadets in this vast auditorium right now. Each class had a capacity of about 250, and within those, smaller divisions like A1 and A2 were categorized with about 50 students each.
And this was just the number of new students in the 'Combat Class' this year.
Beyond that, in separate areas of the academy, there were upperclassmen who had enrolled in previous years.
In addition, there were the academy instructors who would teach us, the facility staff in charge of various areas, and even the numerous knights and mages stationed at the academy to prepare for any unforeseen dangers...
An almost countless number of people were at this academy.
A place where it seemed the empire had poured all its resources.
Right here, at the Grand Royal Academy.
“...With that, we will now conclude the entrance ceremony.”
The headmaster's words marked the end of the ceremony.
“It's finally over. Do you know any cafes nearby? The apple pie there is amazing.”
“Apple pie? I love apple pie!”
Had they already become friends during the ceremony? Watching a few groups move off together in twos and threes, I also rose from my seat.
'I should probably try to make some friends.'
I muttered to myself, my heart feeling heavy for some reason.
My trait was one thing, but considering this was an academy, I couldn't just get by on my own.
Social skills and the ability to get along with others were important.
But there was something bothering me.
Even though I was assigned to C-Class, the average trait for most students here would be 'Rare.' It was the norm for those with Common traits to enter D-Class 99% of the time. For someone with a Common trait like me, it was awkward to initiate a conversation.
As I was walking.
*Tap, tap.*
Suddenly, a hand tapped my shoulder. I turned my head to see a young man with short, orange hair.
He had a rather cheerful impression and a bright smile. For a moment, I wondered what he wanted.
“Having a hard time adjusting to the academy, too?”
“Uh... yeah, I guess so.”
I was surprised by his sudden approach, wondering what this was about.
“Looks like we're in the same boat, then. As you can see, I'm also in C1-Class. Let's see, your name is Han Cheon-seong...? That's a pretty unique name. I'm David. Call me whatever you're comfortable with.”
He spoke in a friendly manner while looking at the name on my tag, and I found myself nodding dazedly.
“Right. David...”
“Han Cheon-seong. You don't have any plans after this, do you? I was thinking of looking around the academy before heading to the dorms. If you have time, I thought it'd be nice to explore together.”
“No plans. I'd appreciate that."
As I answered, I felt like things were working out more easily than I'd expected.
I'd thought I'd have to spend my time alone until the first lecture, but then this friendly-looking guy approached me.
'I've never heard his name before, so he's probably just an extra.'
Well, I guess that doesn't really matter when it comes to being friends.
“Wow. I’d heard about the academy's reputation, but I never expected the entrance ceremony itself to be this grand and spectacular. To be honest, I find it pretty amazing.”
“Yeah. It's not often you see this many people gathered in one place."
“Hey, for someone who thinks that, Han Cheon-seong, you looked pretty calm. Honestly, I was looking for someone to befriend, and you caught my eye. You seemed so composed, just looking around during the whole ceremony.”
“Oh, that's just... I guess I'm not easily intimidated.”
As I played along and headed for the exit, I saw Luna and Millia walking not too far ahead.
They seemed to be chatting excitedly, like fish in water.
"...?"
Our eyes met again by chance.
*Whip.*
Luna immediately turned her head away. Just from that gesture, I could already tell... that becoming friends with her was a lost cause.
“Hey, Han Cheon-seong.”
David's strange tone made me turn my gaze back to him.
“Huh?”
“You rascal. Already checking out the female cadets?”
“No, it's not like that...”
“Come on, no need to be shy with me. You were just looking at the girl with pink hair, right? I think she's in our C1-Class, too. But from what I overheard earlier, she seems to have a really strong personality."
He asked with a sly voice, and for a moment, I was so dumbfounded I had to laugh.
'Me, interested in *her*?'
Even if I were to find someone I liked later, it would definitely not be Luna.
My ideal type was a sweet, good-natured girl.
“No. I just happened to glance her way. I'm not actually interested.”
“Really? I thought she was the prettiest in our class, so my eyes were drawn to her. But yeah, with a personality like that, I doubt anyone would dare approach her.”
I completely agreed with David's slightly regretful comment.
Luna Vermont.
Objectively, her pretty face, combined with her eye-catching hair color and style, made her quite popular.
Even now, people passing by were stealing glances at her. But no one actually approached...
In a way, she was the heroine destined to be involved with the good-natured Leonhardt.
Luna's personality was the absolute worst.
'But me, getting involved with her...?'
Even though we'd be in the same class, I felt I should avoid Luna to keep from getting caught in any unnecessary trouble.
“By the way, Han Cheon-seong. What's your trait?”
As David and I talked, the question I'd been expecting finally came up. I flinched internally but maintained a calm exterior.
“...Spearmanship.”
“...Spearmanship?”
“Yeah. It's a Common trait.”
I continued as if it were nothing.
He had approached me first and seemed friendly, so I'd hoped we could become friends. But honestly, I wasn't getting my hopes up.
If he acted strangely after hearing about my trait, that would be the end of it.
I naturally looked at David, and just as I'd expected, he was blinking in surprise.
“You find it a bit strange, too, right?”
I asked with a smile, thinking this was probably as far as our friendship would go.
“Uh... honestly, it's really unexpected. I naturally assumed you had a Rare trait. A Common-grade Spearmanship... and it's a close-range type, too.”
“Right. A close-range type.”
Answering his specific question, I was reminded once again.
That in this world, there was a clear hierarchy among traits.
On top of the four grades—Legendary, Unique, Rare, and Common—they were also divided by close-range and long-range.
Close-range types were generally looked down upon compared to long-range ones. In that sense, my trait could be considered truly insignificant.
'Not only is it Common, but it's also a close-range type.'
I met the eyes of the still-surprised David, gauging his reaction.
If he looked down on me after hearing what I said, we couldn't hang out together.
But.
David's reaction was a little different from what I had expected.
“Wow, Han Cheon-seong. You're really amazing.”
“Me... amazing?”
Hearing such praise for the first time, I looked at him, and David nodded calmly.
“You said you have a Common-grade, close-range trait, right? And yet you still got into C1-Class? Just how strong are you?”
“What do you mean, strong... I just have a Common trait.”
“That's my point. That makes you even more amazing in my eyes. Usually, people with Common traits end up in D-Class, right? But you got into C1-Class, the top of C-Class, with a Common trait. Doesn't that mean you're that much stronger?”
Far from looking down on me, he expressed his admiration with a bright smile.
Looking into his eyes, I couldn't sense even a hint of condescension.
Dazed by this completely new reaction from someone who'd heard about my trait, I asked blankly.
“This is the first time I've heard that, so it's really strange. So, David, what's your trait?”
“My trait is... Focused Enhancement.”
“Focused Enhancement?”
“To be specific, it's a Rare-grade trait. Simply put, it's the power to enhance anything. I can do simple things like strengthening my own limbs, or with a bit more application, I can enhance various tools I'm holding. To be honest, I'm not that proficient yet, so enhancing tools is still difficult...”
He trailed off at the end with an awkward laugh, which made me even more baffled.
“Isn't that a really good trait?”
“Come on, what do you mean good? Compared to the kids with truly amazing traits, mine is nothing.”
David shook his head, playing it down, but I couldn't understand it.
—Focused Enhancement.
Despite its name, as soon as I heard the description, I could see the trait's endless potential.
At its simplest, it could be seen as physical enhancement, but it was a skill several levels above that.
He could wield and enhance any weapon, or even enhance tools.
That meant it was great for direct combat and for playing a support role.
And...
'He has such an overpowered trait, and he's not looking down on me?'
Just as I was finding his perspective even more incomprehensible,
David's steps came to a sudden halt.
"Han Cheon-seong."
"Yeah? What's up?"
"...I think that person came to see you."