The Store Window

Jackpot… this is insane!

Kael’s eyes sparkled as he scanned the list inside the store window. He could once again enjoy the modern conveniences he had given up on in this life.

Chocolate, soda, ramen—even triangle kimbap and convenience-store lunch boxes! Things he thought he would never see again in this lifetime were now within reach.

The terror of having to survive more than thirty-three years inside Tartaros Academy on nothing but coarse black bread and water had weighed on him like a mountain. But the existence of this store window completely overturned that nightmare.

What should I pick first?

After a brief moment of thought, he spoke directly to the window.

The aluminum can that appeared in his hand was ice-cold. It seemed the items were summoned already chilled. He pulled the tab carefully and took a cautious sip.

The crisp carbonation burst against the back of his throat with intense refreshment. This body had never tasted cola before, so it hesitated for a second, but the memory etched into his soul instantly resurfaced.

“Ahhh~ That’s the stuff!”

Kael let out a satisfied sigh. A single sip of ordinary cola from Earth felt like a drink from the heavens in this world.

For a brief moment, he even thought coming to Tartaros Academy had been the right choice. He took several more gulps, and the can was empty in no time.

At that exact moment, the store window appeared again.

“Dispose of it,” Kael answered.

The empty cola can in his hand vanished in a flash of light. He stared down at his now-empty palm in surprise.

“It’s gone?”

It looked like the system cleaned up trash automatically. That meant he wouldn’t have to worry about garbage at all.

Tartaros Academy was said to be enchanted with various spells that automatically maintained cleanliness, solving issues like laundry and cleaning. Still, the store window offered a power that would remain even after leaving the academy. It would continue to be incredibly convenient.

Kael closed the store window and began walking toward the academy buildings. As he strolled slowly across the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠plaza, he noticed that no other students were visible—probably because he had set out quite early.

While he walked, the sound of new students passing through the gate behind him reached his ears. It seemed the main wave of entrants was only now arriving.

Well, everyone probably wants to spend even a little more time with their families.

Unlike him, who hadn’t even received a proper farewell. They must have wanted to delay their arrival as long as possible. Regardless, the plaza was quickly filling with voices, so Kael turned his head to look at them.

The students emerging one by one from the gate carried their own clothes and weapons, but every single face was dark with gloom.

“To think I would end up in a place like this…”

“Father, why didn’t you ever make a bastard child?”

The newly arrived students muttered in voices thick with despair. Those who followed showed similar reactions.

Despite their flashy, aristocratic attire, their eyes were filled with nothing but hopelessness and resignation.

Some of these faces look familiar.

Since most of those dragged here were children of Caldria Empire nobles, it was only natural he recognized a few. He had seen them in high society. Like him, they had been sent to this hell to fulfill their family obligations.

“Oh, Iron Skin?”

“Sharp Perception?”

A few students showed interest in the special abilities they received the moment they stepped into the academy. But their expressions quickly turned gloomy again.

“It’s a good ability, but…”

“What’s the point of getting stronger? Damn it. I heard there aren’t even any decent beasts to hunt here.”

Kael figured, as expected, that everyone except him had received combat-related abilities. Come to think of it, he had never heard of anyone receiving a non-combat ability among those who gained powers at the academy.

I suppose it’s because I’m a reincarnator that I finally received this special privilege.

Kael smirked as he recalled the store window. Unlike the combat-focused abilities the other students received, his store window offered nearly limitless applications.

Especially in a place like Tartaros Academy, this ability would hold tremendous value.

Depending on how I use it, this power could be worth infinitely more.

There was a saying that too outstanding an ability would only create enemies. But this one, if used even a little cleverly, would place him in a position no one could afford to oppose.

Just then, a newly arrived student caused a stir throughout the plaza.

“It’s the young lady of the duchy!”

“To be able to see the young lady even in a place like this—what an honor!”

A beautiful young woman with long pink hair and emerald-green eyes, possessing an adorable charm.

Irina!

Irina Rosengart. Kael’s expression hardened at her appearance. She was his former fiancée—the woman who had dealt a deep wound to his pride. With elegant, graceful steps, she accepted the students’ greetings and spoke warmly.

“It’s nice to see everyone. I look forward to our time together.”

Watching Irina, Kael remembered that she had only one older brother—Bard Rosengart, the heir to the Rosengart Duchy.

Naturally, the heir Bard would never be sent here. That was why Irina had been dispatched to Tartaros Academy in his place.

So even their family didn’t produce a bastard child either.

Being sent to Tartaros Academy as the family representative was a horrific hell for noble children. But ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠for bastards, it was an opportunity.

Normally, they would never be officially recognized as children of the house, nor granted the family name. However, if sent to Tartaros Academy, a bastard would be formally accepted as a member of the family and even granted succession rights. This was because the academy would retaliate otherwise.

The famous story of a noble who forcibly stripped a bastard of the rights earned by attending Tartaros Academy in their stead—only to have his entire house collapse under countless curses—was well known.

Because of that, bastards who attended the academy had no choice but to be granted succession rights and official status within the family. And when combined with the powerful abilities gained inside the academy, they often rose up as threats capable of overthrowing the original heir.

Outside, the time spent was four years excluding vacations, but inside it amounted to more than thirty-three years to build one’s strength.

As a result, many cases had occurred where bastard-born graduates, armed with overwhelming power, returned to push out the original heir and seize control of the family.

That was why most noble houses, even if they had bastards, were extremely reluctant to send them to Tartaros Academy unless absolutely necessary.

If it were Irina, they would have sent a bastard in her place rather than let her come. But if it were me, I would have just sent the bastard anyway.

Duke Aberwin would have done exactly that. He would never create a threat to the eldest son Gerard’s succession rights just for a mere second son.

The fact that Kael—who couldn’t even use magic—had been enrolled in the Department of Magic made the duke’s intentions painfully obvious.

Recalling that truth while looking at Irina brought last year’s events rushing back to Kael. The words she had thrown at him when ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠she declared their engagement broken resurfaced.

“I have no intention of marrying a talentless man who can’t handle either the sword or magic.”

Her declaration and those words had spread throughout high society, turning Kael into a laughingstock. If the Aberwin Duchy hadn’t stepped in to suppress the rumors, the mockery directed at him would have continued endlessly.

Irina, I will make you regret that arrogant disdain with which you looked down on me.

Then, the plaza grew noisy once again.

“Her Highness the Princess!”

“Welcome, Your Highness!”

A breathtakingly beautiful woman with dazzling golden hair and ruby-red eyes, radiating elegant dignity, had appeared.

It was the Third Princess, Elenora Caldria.