Me, the Top Student? (2)
Galimard Academy, the continent’s foremost educational institution. As winter yielded to spring, a fresh wind swept through the academy. It was the day of the entrance ceremony.
In the auditorium where the new cohort of students had gathered, the event was well underway. The young children’s eyes sparkled with excitement and anticipation.
“I congratulate every one of you gathered here on your admission.”
“I am Gaston Galimard, headmaster of this academy. Before I continue with the formal introductions…”
The elderly voice rang out across the hall. It was nothing more than a customary address, yet it possessed a strange power that stirred the students’ hearts. Most of the children listened with rapt attention, drunk on expectation.
Not all of them, however. A few students were whispering among themselves. They seemed to have found an especially interesting topic, trading quiet words back and forth.
The subject of their conversation was a certain boy.
The First Imperial Princess was known as an unparalleled genius. Her reputation could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with any hero of the age. The news that such a girl had been relegated to second place in a mere academy entrance exam was almost impossible to accept.
Especially since the one who had taken first place was an even more unexpected figure.
As eyewitness accounts spread, the topic grew even hotter. Anyone who had watched him during the practical exam knew his performance had not been particularly impressive.
Public opinion flowed in a negative direction.
The students swallowed their quiet laughter. A subtly flickering hostility. Those who rise to high places are always resented. The resentment grows even fiercer when someone unworthy claims the throne.
The snake-like boy found himself in exactly that position. Though he had not intended it, the result was that he had earned the collective resentment of the student body. The children glared at the stage through colored lenses of prejudice.
I will conclude my words here as headmaster.
Next will be the freshman representative speech by this cohort’s top student, Yuda.
Please come up to the stage.
Click. Click. The sharp sound of dress-shoe heels echoed as a golden-haired boy ascended the platform. Despite his rather relaxed stride, an air of refinement flowed from him. His first impression was unexpectedly favorable.
“Hello. My name is Yuda Snakers, and I have been tasked with delivering the freshman representative speech.”
His eyes were narrowed into thin slits. The boy offered the students a somewhat unsettling smile as he greeted them. There was something ominous in his voice.
Life is full of unexpected accidents. Plans you thought were proceeding smoothly can suddenly collapse entirely. Sadly, that was precisely the situation I found myself in right now.
Me? The top student?
I had planned to play the role of an inconspicuous extra, quietly coasting by with middling grades. That dream had just been smashed to pieces in spectacular fashion. To top it off, I was now forced to give the freshman representative speech. A headache throbbed at the sheer unreality of it all.
What the hell is going on? My entrance exam scores should have barely scraped the middle ranks at best. And if there was going to be a representative speech, the academy should have notified me in advance…
“We sent a letter to the Snakers family.”
“We even received a confirmation reply… Did you perhaps not receive the relevant information?”
I had nothing to say. Fuck.
The academy probably hadn’t anticipated this either. Who would have imagined that a talent capable of taking first place in the entrance exam would be treated as nonexistent by his own house?
Damn father.
It’s one thing to have no interest in your son, but there should be a limit. This is exactly why Yuda became twisted in the original story. I seriously feel like staging an intervention.
“Student Yuda, it is almost your turn to take the stage. Please prepare.”
The freshman representative speech I had somehow ended up responsible for. It made me want to scream, but there was no escape. I simply had to endure it.
I walked stiffly toward the platform. The closer I drew, the more I felt the weight of countless gazes.
“……”
By now every eye in the auditorium was locked onto me. Characters from the original story, the headmaster, the faculty, and all the other students were staring in my direction.
It was far too heavy a burden for an introvert, but… what could I do? When they tell you to jump, you jump. I couldn’t exactly hypnotize the entire auditorium.
Swallowing bitter tears, I opened my mouth.
“Hello. My name is Yuda Snakers, and I have been tasked with delivering the freshman representative speech.”
Thank goodness for the Smiling Mask trait. At least I didn’t have to worry about stuttering or making mistakes.
After offering myself that meager comfort, I turned my eyes toward the students… and immediately noticed something strange.
The auditorium was far too quiet.
A chilly silence hung in the air. I tilted my head, a question mark practically floating above it.
“Is something the matter?”
What’s with them? Why are they so well-behaved? Kids this age are usually noisy no matter where they go. Maybe they’re just nervous because it’s the entrance ceremony?
That thought eased some of my own tension. Guess kids are still kids after all. They have their innocent sides.
“Hehe… Seeing how still everyone is, it appears you are all quite nervous about the entrance ceremony.”
How cute. Absolutely adorable.
I had no intention of standing out during the speech. I would simply say pleasant, safe things. A typical protagonist might declare war on the entire student body here, but I lacked the nerve for that.
I had no plans to remain top student for long. I would simply leave a faint impression on the original characters and then return the position to its rightful owner. The top spot came with good treatment but also endless annoyance. I had no interest in unneeded fame.
I just need to see the ending.
There was no point in me forcing a clear. I was simply a player who loved the game. All I wanted was to watch our protagonists break through their limits and reach the end of the world.
Being a helpful extra operating from the shadows was enough for me. Yes. I am a shadow. I aspire to be an inconspicuous supporting character.
Having reaffirmed my goal, I continued with a gentle smile.
“I assume you have all heard about me. Against all expectations, I have been granted the position of top student.”
I don’t know why I’m top student either, but please take good care of me anyway.
“I was worried it might be boring… but it seems my expectations were correct after all.”
I was a little worried, but everyone really does seem outstanding. What a relief.
“So this is the continent’s greatest academy.”
This is what the best academy on the continent looks like. Pure admiration.
“I am truly looking forward to the days ahead.”
I’m genuinely excited.
As I offered these pleasant remarks, a low murmur began to spread among the students. They must have been moved by the top student showing such humility. That’s right, that’s exactly right. Your big brother here received proper K-manners education, so I’m always humble.
“I look forward to it.”
I look forward to it.
“My seat is always open, so anyone who desires it may challenge me at any time. I will gladly accept.”
My seat (as a friend) is always open, so anyone who wants to get close is welcome anytime.
“I hope you will all manage to satisfy me.”
I hope we can all become good friends.
It was a warm, friendly line that evoked a scene straight out of a youthful slice-of-life story.
“I believe that should suffice.”
The allotted time for my speech had come to an end. I wrapped up my words roughly. Just before stepping down from the platform, one last thought occurred to me.
“Ah, one more thing. I am not a villain, so please do not hate me.”
Even though I have narrowed eyes, I’m not a bad person.
It had been a rather satisfying time. This much should have planted a sufficiently positive image among the students. I left the stage with a benevolent smile.
Perfect.
There had been a few rough patches, but I had overcome them admirably. I had definitely left an impression. Even if I later stepped down from the top position, perhaps I would still receive evaluations like That guy’s skills weren’t much, but his character seemed decent.
Spinning happy delusions, I returned to my seat.
The moment the boy’s first words echoed through the auditorium, every student froze in place. As if by prior agreement, they all closed their mouths. They didn’t know why. It was pure instinct. If they didn’t shut their mouths right now, something terrible would happen.
A bone-chilling silence flowed downward. An inexplicable sense of alienation licked wetly at the backs of their necks. Even as an unpleasant sensation stained their entire bodies, the children could not move a single finger.
What was this ominous feeling? They sensed no mana, no energy, no killing intent, yet this gut-wrenching premonition refused to fade.
Even the mere creak of a floorboard sounded like a death sentence. Most students were drenched in cold sweat; some were breathing so harshly it seemed they might suffocate.
“Hmm? Is something the matter?”
Trembling eyes remained fixed on the stage. Tension rippled across its thin surface. The goosebumps that had risen as if ready to burst at any moment perfectly captured the students’ terror. It was a sensation impossible to explain.
The boy’s power was clearly mediocre. His mana was average at best and thin even then. His body showed no signs of physical training. Every piece of visible information marked him as weak.
Yet…
Why do I feel like this?
He clearly looks like a weakling… but I can’t let my guard down.
It feels like my arms and legs have gone stiff.
It’s not magic, illusion, or spirit pressure. Then what is this terrible sense of alienation…?
Damn it. A foam top student, yet…!
For some reason their senses were sounding alarms. There was no evidence. Their reason insisted they could crush the opponent at any time, but their instincts screamed the opposite. Beware that boy.
Most students looked utterly bewildered. Only a few of the highest-ranking students maintained calm expressions, watching the stage with intrigued eyes.
As if aware of the atmosphere, the narrow-eyed boy began his speech with a sly smile.
“Hehe… Seeing how still everyone is, it appears you are all quite nervous about the entrance ceremony.”
The opening was an open provocation, a malicious greeting that mocked the students who had been frozen stiff just moments ago.
“That arrogant little…!”
“He’s so weak a single punch would send him flying…!”
Some students widened their eyes in fury. The boy continued regardless.
“I assume you have all heard about me. Against all expectations, I have been granted the position of top student.”
The words carried a strange bite. He was openly laughing at the rumors circulating about him among the students, as if he knew every word.
“I was worried it might be boring… but it seems my expectations were correct after all.”
“So this is the continent’s greatest academy.”
“I am truly looking forward to the days ahead.”
His narrowed eyes slowly scanned the students. The implications were clear. He seemed to be treating them like insignificant insects. Contempt dripped from the boy’s tongue.
“I look forward to it.”
“My seat is always open, so anyone who desires it may challenge me at any time. I will gladly accept.”
“I hope you will all manage to satisfy me.”
On top of everything, the boy displayed an arrogant attitude. If anyone was dissatisfied with the top spot, they should stop muttering behind his back and step forward. He would face them personally. The calm yet oppressive tone blended with the boy’s presence to create an unsettling atmosphere.
“I believe that should suffice.”
The allotted time had run out. The boy roughly concluded his speech. As he stepped down from the platform, he left one final remark with an unpleasant, crescent-eyed smile.
“Ah, that’s right.”
“I am not a villain, so please do not hate me.”
An echo rang through the silent auditorium. The students could only wipe the cold sweat from their foreheads and stare at the boy’s retreating back.
“How astonishing.”
“……”
The white-haired elder murmured in admiration. Selena snapped back to her senses at the sound. Her mind was still hazy from drink, but she forced her eyes to focus. Long purple hair cascaded down her back.
The voice called again.
“Selena.”
“Yes, Headmaster.”
This time she answered without missing a beat. Sitting beside her was her own master and the headmaster of Galimard Academy, Gaston Galimard. He was gazing at a certain boy with clear interest.
“I have marked a rather entertaining child.”
“Thank you.”
“Though I sense no great power, the charisma to overwhelm an entire crowd is impressive indeed…”
The old man’s lips curved into a gentle arc. The boy was not material for the top position, but with polishing he could bloom into a truly beautiful flower.
“It is regrettable. Because of the crown you forcibly placed upon him, that child is now receiving hostility from many students.”
“……”
“Do you understand? Because of the crown you stubbornly forced onto his head, he is now hated by numerous students.”
“…I am aware.”
“If you are aware, then that itself is quite impudent of you.”
The headmaster lightly rapped Selena’s head. As she silently accepted the gesture, the old man quietly asked his disciple a question laced with concern.
“This time I will not help you. Are you confident?”
“What do you…”
“The class placement exam.”
During the faculty meeting a few days ago, a condition had been imposed on Selena as punishment for arbitrarily deciding the top student.
“Do you truly believe that boy can maintain the top position?”
It was phrased as a question, yet it was not. The headmaster had already concluded that the boy’s rank would plummet during the class placement exam, and the rest of the faculty shared his view. A few were even quietly laughing among themselves.
Selena ignored their childish reactions and spoke lightly.
“Who knows?”
Her red eyes were steeped in indifference. She recalled the overwhelming pressure she had felt from the boy during the entrance exam, and the unknown terror that had crushed her.
“We will find out soon enough.”
The woman answered simply and turned her gaze away.