Gilbert's Controversies and Incidents
Orion Academy is vast.
The buildings alone are spacious enough to feel a bit excessive.
As Juyeon and Rohan headed back to class together after their meeting, conversation was inevitable at that distance.
"Rohan."
"Yes, Instructor."
"Have you introduced yourself to the friends you'll spend the next two years with?"
"Thanks to Gilbert, this sociable guy sitting next to me, I've made a step forward."
The rest could come gradually.
Juyeon nodded at his words and offered advice laced with experience.
"Make friends you can trust with your back during your time at the academy."
"Yes, ma'am!"
"You'll run into these faces even after graduation. The world of those who live by strength is narrower than you think."
"I'll keep that in mind."
Juyeon's advice might seem like standard clichés at first glance, but Rohan didn't let it go in one ear and out the other.
Someone genuinely worrying about his success and caring for him.
That alone made it a joyful, special moment.
"Grades are important, of course. But in this world, there are things more valuable than visible scores..."
Juyeon's nonstop advice continued breathlessly until they neared the classroom.
Rohan felt a lot from his conversation with her.
Even sentences that might seem cold on paper carried the emotions of an instructor and pioneer.
"And... if there's anything else you need to discuss besides part-time work, come find me anytime."
Before Rohan could respond, that marked the end of her advice.
Juyeon slid the front door open with a rattle and entered the classroom first.
Rohan followed, hurrying to set his bag down and sit next to Gilbert.
"We'll begin morning roll call."
Juyeon's method was straightforward.
Check for absentees, confirm the cadets' conditions, relay announcements.
Then wrap it up quickly and give free time.
"First period will cover an introduction to Orion Academy's facilities. Rest quietly until it starts. Understood?"
""""Yes!""""
With roll call over, Juyeon strode out of the classroom.
As her footsteps faded, Gilbert sprang up from his seat like he was possessed.
"No time to dawdle—!!!"
Rohan, startled beside him, shot him a what the hell's wrong with this guy? look.
Gilbert finally gave the greeting he'd skipped at the start of roll call.
"Rohan. A mighty and strong morning to you. For a man of my stature to forget to greet a friend—unthinkable."
"...Yeah. Your face looks even more shadowed today?"
"The highest praise—thank you. Now, I have urgent business. Be back soon."
Wherever he was headed, Gilbert vanished from the classroom.
And with him gone, a voice came from Rohan's seat behind.
"As expected of Gilbert Carniat. Still pulling his usual antics."
A male cadet fiddled with his horn-rimmed glasses and muttered.
Next to him, a beastkin cadet was dozing through the short break.
Who's that?
Rohan asked the glasses guy—someone he didn't remember from the game—for his name.
He placed a hand on his glasses and introduced himself.
"Dick Wikitree. I've already got your name down, Rohan."
"Dick?"
"Yup. The friend snoozing next to me is Lu Fay, the bear beastkin. Careful not to mistake him for any other beastkin—he hates that."
Rohan's ears barely registered the sleeping beastkin's name.
How's a guy's name 'Dick'?
Swallowing his shock, Rohan asked about the earlier mutter.
"Why Gilbert?"
"You don't know? Every cadet worth their salt already does, so no one reacts to his stunts anymore. That's my guess."
"I'm clueless about that stuff. We've got time—fill me in."
"You seriously don't know."
Dick shook his head in disbelief and began explaining.
"Gilbert Carniat Controversy and Incident #1: Wisp Core Ingestion."
This guy's speech pattern is wild.
Rohan just watched the show for now.
"He nearly died swallowing the core of a wisp, a monster hypothesized to spawn from high-density mana. Family nearby gave emergency aid to save him, and when asked why, he said he was curious if it'd make his mana stronger."
"..."
"Gilbert Carniat Controversy and Incident #2: Flight School Confession."
"That flight school in the Sepia Archipelago?"
Dick nodded.
Rohan knew of it too.
The Sepia Archipelago was a nation of floating islands. They used airships or special bridges to travel between them.
In his memory, all the NPCs piloting those airships were flight school grads.
"He got a public confession from the school's idol girl. Shocked a ton of guys."
"Ooh!"
"But he turned her down flat, then out of nowhere proposed to a classmate watching. Graduated flight school and enrolled here with his fiancée."
"So he's off to see his girlfriend now?"
Dick nodded vigorously at Rohan's question.
Then, with dead seriousness, he added a footnote.
"Spawned a theory: Gilbert Carniat owns a hypnosis app. Personally, highest probability of all theories."
"You went to the same flight school as him?"
Dick adjusted his glasses in affirmation, and Rohan chuckled.
Seemed like he was one of the shocked guys too.
"He's got a bunch more controversies and incidents. That's why people who know Gilbert Carniat don't bat an eye at his usual antics."
"Got it."
Rohan was thrilled—he'd made a way more entertaining friend than expected.
"But even Gilbert Carniat has one person he's truly afraid of, from what I hear."
"Who? His parents?"
Rohan could tell.
This guy's speech was quirky, but overall, he had solid verbal skills.
With all the bait laid out, he couldn't resist asking.
"He's the youngest in the Carniat family. From what I've gathered, rumor has it he fears the eldest daughter... his sister."
"Perfect timing—should ask the man himself?"
"What?"
As Dick wrapped it up as just a rumor, Gilbert returned to class.
Rohan's gaze shifted his way, lips curling up.
"Gilbert."
"What's up?"
"Dick here was singing your praises nonstop."
The sporty-haired giant crossed his arms and sat. His eyes went to Dick in the back.
He extended a pot-lid-sized hand like it was a joyous reunion.
"A new friend! Delighted! What's your name?"
"You crazy... We were classmates for three years at flight school. You forgot?"
"Oh ho, same school! I'm Gilbert Carniat!"
Dick started to say more but gave up, shutting his mouth with a resigned look. He shook the hand anyway.
Rohan, satisfied with the scene, called out.
"Gilbert."
"Hm?"
When asked point-blank if he had a sister,
Gilbert's face darkened ominously.
"Sister... There's this gorilla up top, gender aside."
"Gorilla?"
"Just imagine my face with longer hair."
It was a brutally sincere statement.
How long did their chat last, including Dick in the back?
"Attention."
Juyeon returned, gathering the cadets' eyes.
"Line up in the hallway, two rows, shoulder to shoulder. Wake any sleeping neighbor."
The Orion Academy tour began.
Class 1's first stop: the gym.
It boasted massive space, packed with mana-powered exercise equipment.
Just looking made Rohan itch to jump in and work out.
"Accessible 24/7 with your student ID. AI assistance for unfamiliar machines. Showers inside, and if you get injured..."
Rohan listened, heart pounding.
Starting tomorrow, dawn workouts here, shower, then academy—perfect.
"Moving on."
Next came the affordable cadet cafeteria, the academy library, audiovisual room, and more.
They methodically learned spots essential for two years as cadets.
And whenever Juyeon introduced a place,
she always ended the same way.
"Use them with mutual respect, no disputes."
…
…
"Hmm."
Rohan lounged on an academy bench, chewing jerky.
Morning had been facility tours, theory curriculum intros, subject overviews.
But afternoon meant real training.
No urge to stuff himself and get sluggish.
Part-time job...
So now he was job-hunting in earnest.
More openings than expected.
But conditions made them tricky to meet.
Scroll, scroll.
How far had his thumb scrolled the listings?
"!?"
Rohan bolted upright.
A terribly familiar shop name caught his eye.