Chapter 7
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Top Student (2)
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"The dorm is better than I expected?"
Aren marveled as he gazed at the dormitory assigned to him.
His room was the size of a small officetel, if he exaggerated a bit. It was so spacious that he could believe someone had just bought him an apartment outright.
And not only that—the furnishings were luxurious, befitting accommodations used by nobles. No, most nobles used places like this. The furniture was fully equipped as standard, and there was even a magic-powered refrigerator.
But the most unique feature of the Academy dorms was...
Knock knock knock.
—"Oh, Aren? Are you in there...?"
The strict lack of separation between the men's and women's dorms.
...At this point, it wasn't a dorm at all—it was basically an officetel.
He opened the door, and Lydia greeted him with an awkward wave.
"Oh, hi...?"
"Come on in."
He led her inside. She'd only come for a quick greeting, but now she found herself in a guy's room(?) and stared at his back with a trembling heart.
"Um... have a seat on the bed for a sec. I'll grab something to drink."
"Okay..."
He brought orange juice.
Sitting side by side on the bed created a strangely intimate atmosphere.
After all, a young man and woman in their prime were sitting together on a bed, not a sofa.
Even someone with no libido would start imagining things in such a suggestive situation.
In other words, Lydia had entertained such thoughts, if only briefly.
And so, their conversation began amid the peculiar mood.
"How's your dorm, Lydia? Same as mine?"
"M-my dorm?"
"Yeah."
He was curious.
What did a girl's room look like?
"...My room is the same as yours, Aren. Just the layout is mirrored left to right..."
"Got it."
As he chatted with Lydia, a document suddenly appeared before him.
"Oh? A document?"
"It's from the Academy President."
"The President...?"
"Yeah."
Ignoring Lydia's surprise, he slowly read through it.
"Hmm..."
...
"Lydia."
"Yes?"
He set the document aside and spoke.
"Since I'm the top student, I have to give a speech on stage at the entrance ceremony."
"Eek...! Really?"
"Yes."
Lydia jumped in shock. A speech from the podium—and as the top student, no less...!
"Wow... you're amazing, Aren! O-of course, I thought you'd definitely be top student...!"
He chuckled and patted her head.
She froze for a moment but soon leaned into it casually, even pressing her head subtly against his hand.
"Hehe..."
"Anyway, they want me to come up with the speech content."
"Hehe... Huh? Sorry, Aren. I didn't hear that."
"......"
She looked up at him with an embarrassed smile.
"...It's nothing."
"It doesn't seem like nothing... Ah! Don't mess up my hair...!"
He ruffled her hair wildly.
'Guess I'll think about the speech later.'
After Lydia left, he'd work on it.
The day of the entrance ceremony arrived quickly.
Aren entered the grand auditorium where the ceremony was to begin and sat with Lydia, as usual. What had started as a casual encounter while asking for directions had somehow turned them into close friends.
"Aren, have you thought about your speech?"
"No."
"Huh...?"
She jumped in surprise, then urgently grabbed his arm.
"Did something happen, Aren?"
"No, nothing happened."
"Then why...?"
"I just overthought it."
"Shouldn't you come up with something now...?"
"It's fine, Lydia."
That day, after sending Lydia home, he'd racked his brain for a speech, even digging through memories from before his possession. But nothing fitting came to mind.
For some reason, all he could think of were full-power speeches, full-power speeches, full-power speeches.
...He regretted not studying more famous speeches as general knowledge, but it was pointless in the end.
'I was approaching it wrong from the start.'
This was the Academy.
No one expected a mere student to deliver something profoundly moving or blood-boiling. The atmosphere was completely different.
Trying to craft something lofty and grand was why nothing came to him.
"Besides, I'm no good at dressing things up with flowery rhetoric."
That's for nobles.
All that stuff about warm spring days or bright days in full bloom.
The President probably wasn't expecting that from him anyway. He was just having the top student speak, so he'd say whatever felt right instinctively.
"You sure...?"
"Yes."
"Still... umm..."
Lydia furrowed her brow.
...First time I'd seen her do that.
"Hey, Aren... you're not planning to say something weird like you came to rescue your wife during the speech, right...?"
"?"
"W-well, like when we first met, or recently with Veronica—"
"Lydia."
"—so I was worried... Yes?"
"No need to worry."
He wouldn't go that far, even on stage.
He knew how to read the room.
"R-really? I must've misunderstood..."
"Yes."
As they chatted, the ceremony began.
First, everyone stood to greet the President on stage.
Then came the long, drawn-out address from the Academy President—not the principal, but the head honcho. Aren kept his head still and let his eyes wander.
"Students. I am the President of the Academy——"
.
.
.
.
"——And so, I hope you all learn much at the Academy and contribute to the Empire as fine talents. That is all."
After the tedious 30-minute address, the main ceremony finally began.
The Academy professors stepped forward, followed by the Student Council President.
"Gasp... that's the one and only Princess, Aren."
Lydia's quiet trivia was a bonus. Aren didn't know much, so he listened gratefully.
"Nice to meet you, underclassmen. I am Agnes Erzenia, President of the Student Council. First, congratulations to all you new students entering our Academy—..."
Thankfully, Princess Agnes's speech was short and to the point, unlike the President's.
As she stepped down from the podium—
"......?"
—for some reason, their eyes met.
'...Not my imagination.'
The Student Council President would know who the top student was, so it wasn't a coincidence.
Even otherwise, Aren stood out appearance-wise.
"Now, the top new student representative, please come forward for the representative speech."
Aren's turn came quickly. Lydia, sitting beside him, made a small fist pump.
'Fighting, Aren!'
He nodded to her and headed to the podium.
All eyes turned to him instantly. He could hear whispers as he passed.
Awe, jealousy, envy, denial.
A torrent of emotions poured from students and professors alike.
Especially intense denial from the professor who'd introduced himself as Lorenben and the Magic Tower Lord's disciple in the front row.
'The reason... I have no idea, but it's obvious.'
How dare a mere commoner.
Something like that? Cliché, sure... but it fit nobles like Bertan Young-sik from the entrance exam.
Anyway, where there was denial, there was positivity too.
Professor Sierra and some commoner-origin professors, plus many students in the back rows.
'...Now I know what to say.'
Seeing the contrast solidified it.
Finally, he gazed down at the crowd with languid eyes.
"...I am Aren, the new student representative and top of this class."
Negative glares stabbed from Professor Lorenben, the Magic Tower Lord's disciple, and a few others.
Why they hated him on sight? No idea.
'But I know one thing.'
If someone hates you for no reason, give them a reason to hate you.
I'm about to put that into practice.
"I know some of you here look down on me."
The auditorium buzzed at Aren’s abrupt statement.
But he ignored it.
"I have just one thing to say."
He deliberately stared at Professor Lorenben and the Magic Tower Lord's disciple, who were sending negative vibes.
They flinched, feeling crushed under his gaze.
But he could see that flinch twist into intense denial and humiliation.
Aren chuckled softly and delivered his final line.
"If you don't like me, don't mutter behind my back—come at me instead."
If it bothers you that much, do something about it.
"...This top student's a lunatic."
Student Council President Agnes smiled as she watched Aren.
"That's why I like him."