The Dragon's Letter and a Peaceful Journey
The Altmain Imperial Academy. While the imperial family handled the surface-level operations, the true power lay with the dragon race, making it the continent's premier educational institution.
This was the world I had fallen into—the primary setting of the game Grimoire. Nearly all the episodes unfolded here.
“What level of protagonist am I as an incoming student?”
Resting comfortably on a soft leather seat along the peaceful carriage road, I delved into my memories and recalled the Grimoire lore.
The world’s so-called hero, Eiden Cashmil, would use the grand power he accumulated at the academy to resolve continent-wide crises… the most protagonist-like man there was.
Although he was still just a backup hero who hadn’t even reached the height of my memories yet.
No matter what, every chapter revolved around him. So I needed to estimate his enrollment timing.
“Hmm.”
The problem was that I had failed to calculate the exact moment. It left me strangely puzzled.
I pressed my forehead firmly at the end of my recollection, but nothing surfaced.
I had been in this world for nearly five years now.
I had grown so familiar with life as Isaac Havertz that it felt like second nature.
Originally, more than worrying about academy admission, I had to focus on confronting Douglas and the Sephirot.
Moreover, even in the in-game narrative centered on Eiden, the world’s detailed chronological system had not been properly applied.
For that reason, determining the precise timing for the novel’s “Year 833 of the Empire” was difficult even for me.
I pieced together the timeline around the only thing I remembered: when the Blood Witch—Lotty—appeared as the villain.
“Let me see.”
Even allowing for a margin of error, it probably wouldn’t differ much between second year and third year.
I calmly tapped the mental calculator.
In other words, the conclusion was either “I was already enrolled,” “I enrolled alongside me,” or “I enrolled one or two years later than me”?
“…”
I paused for a moment, then made a grim expression. It seemed my calculation hadn’t been particularly meaningful after all.
Still, since the empire hadn’t announced the hero’s existence, it was reasonable to assume he hadn’t enrolled yet.
“Hah.”
Sighing, I decided to abandon the prediction. If I had to choose, I hoped he would arrive one or two years later than us… even if that wish was dashed.
No matter what, what I had to do was clear: sweep away every Sephirot pawn inside the academy.
Glancing out the window at the landscape beginning to darken, I rested my chin on my hand and relaxed.
The distance from the Havertz Duchy to the city where the academy was located, Haendel, was roughly five days by carriage.
It was nothing more than moving leisurely.
I wasn’t one to speak of it, but in reality, what problem could arise with the combined power of a grand mage and a witch?
I felt a slight worry about the conversation with Tia before the entrance ceremony, but…
Fundamentally, she was a woman who cherished her students deeply. Considering I would soon become her student, what could possibly go wrong?
I closed my eyes comfortably and slowly let my tension ease as I prepared to rest for a while.
Just as my consciousness began to drift toward the depths.
“Wait a minute… Isn’t it a bit odd that she called me to talk right before the entrance ceremony…?”
I blinked my eyes once more and suddenly recalled a rather ominous possibility.
…Wasn’t this exactly the intention of a certain eccentric dragon who cherished her own student but thoroughly rejected outsiders—meeting me before I could become her student?
“…”
Immediately afterward, my vision went dark.
I must have been quite tired.
*****
What kinds of incidents could happen during a carriage journey? Several came to mind at once.
For example, bandits appearing, or encountering a pack of monsters. Or perhaps the wheels could simply sink into a mud puddle in the most ordinary way.
And on our five-day journey—not long, but not short either—
“We’ve arrived! Master, and sister.”
“…”
Surprisingly, not a single incident or event occurred. The carriage reached Haendel without any trouble.
In this dangerous world, any event would normally be unremarkable, but exceptions always existed.
In truth, during those five days, several suspicious groups had lingered within my detection range. They were probably bandit factions.
‘Well, a big bandit would have to be quite foolish to target the Duke’s carriage.’
Originally, those with poor heads couldn’t even commit banditry. The stupid bandits had already died, and they had apparently recognized the Havertz family crest from afar.
In short, it had been an extremely peaceful carriage journey. It made me wonder if there was anything worth remembering besides sleeping for five days.
The only episode that remained in my memory was the bullying of Elena by Lotty under the guise of education…
“Oi, Lady Charlotte.”
“Follow me. Sister.”
“Eek… sister…”
“That’s right. You’re so pretty.”
Apparently inspired by my disciplinary style, she later created even a Blood Whip.
But what truly moved me was the immediate reaction that followed—Elena’s tearful response.
What had the girl said?
“I-I can’t… Sister, please don’t… Only Master can punish me there…”
It was clearly along those lines.
At that moment, Lotty had truly recoiled in genuine disgust and stepped back. In truth, real madness had been involved.
Stepping down from the halted carriage, I glanced at Elena.
“!”
The moment my gaze met hers, she lifted her head with a bright, mischievous grin.
“Every time I receive Master’s gaze, my body grows hot… Is this what they call love?”
“To me, it just sounds like a disease. How about we meet a priest instead?”
“You’re so mischievous, Master.”
I had originally intended to point out that her outfit wasn’t even a proper maid uniform, with its deep cleavage exposed.
But now was the time to remind her of her duties. I sighed and gestured behind her.
“Mischievous? Before you say that, shouldn’t we first look around, Elena?”
“Huh? N-no?”
Waving her hands, she blinked, then turned to look behind her.
“Ah…”
The light-blue-haired girl, who had been sleeping until moments before, noticed the fierce glare directed at her.
Although older than me, Lotty, who was a full head shorter than Elena, froze her voice coldly.
“You.”
“…”
“I distinctly remember warning you not to harass my brother without permission.”
After that single sentence.
Crack!
“!? Ah, ow…!”
She pinched Elena’s earlobe between her thumb and forefinger and yanked her down. Elena let out a pained cry, but Lotty said with a sneer,
“Don’t be dramatic. I didn’t even squeeze hard.”
“There’s no way. If you keep ignoring me, what did I say I’d do to you, Elena?”
“Th-that’s…”
“Answer.”
Lotty lowered her voice to Elena, who was hesitating, and the girl had no choice but to respond.
“I-I’ll tear off her b-boobs… y-you said…”
“Correct. You remember. Then why are you doing it?”
“Waaah… I’m sorry, please forgive me.”
Elena’s shoulders drooped helplessly in her gloomy answer. I wondered if I should stop it, but after watching them for five days, it had probably become their way of playing together.
‘I’ll leave it to them.’
It wasn’t something that concerned me. It seemed their bickering was just one of their ways of having fun.
I decided to leave the two girls alone and instead turned my head exactly east from the carriage’s stopping point.
“…”
No need to look long. Once the direction was set, the academy’s scenery was easily visible.
The first thing that entered my vision was the clock tower that reached toward the clouds. Surrounding it were ancient stone buildings that harmoniously formed the courtyard.
The Altmain Imperial Academy of the Green Dragon.
The destination had been reached. The moment I realized that, something in my chest flashed with light.
Rustle.
Wondering, I rummaged through my chest and pulled out a single note, which had been enclosed with Tia’s letter.
Soon the note transformed into a sparkling arrow, and then—
“Follow the light, Isaac Havertz.”
“What kind of tea do you like?”
“…”
The guided tour had begun.