Knight's Qualifications (1)
"Huff... huff..."
"Where'd all that spirit you showed back then go?!"
The man with tanned skin—no, Instructor Fran—was yelling right in my ear.
"You're ruining my reputation!"
"S-sorry... sir!!"
Rumors had it that Fran had been bragging about me to the other Knight Department professors. That he'd spotted a true genius and gotten me specially admitted.
It had been two weeks since I enrolled at the Ler Kang Imperial Academy.
"What the hell is dead last, dead last!!"
My initial evaluation scores were at the absolute bottom of the entire Knight Department.
Fran, who had clutched his neck in shock upon seeing them, couldn't take it anymore and started putting me through one-on-one training. Right now, he was making me drag a log while running, claiming my basic strength was lacking.
I could still fight like I did against Fran if I held a spear in both hands, but not every situation at the academy involved weapons.
Just the other day, during basic physical testing, I'd come in dead last by a landslide.
"Rion, you little shit. Be honest with me."
"W-what about...?"
"That can't be you, right? What, some fairy-tale doppelganger?"
Fran had reached the point of denying reality.
"A guy aspiring to be a knight skips training to chase skirts... You know the rumors flying around?"
"What... rumors?"
I was already out of breath and on the verge of collapse, and his constant yapping was pissing me off. But I couldn't just ignore what had come out of Fran's mouth.
Rumors? What rumors about me were spreading?
"First off, that General Department girl, Alessia Habron."
"Ah... Alessia, you mean?"
"Yeah, word is even nobles are bowing their heads and begging her to go out with them."
Those nobles probably didn't meet a happy end. Alessia might smile and brush it off the first couple times, but...
"...They're still alive?"
"One persistent bastard made it out alive, apparently."
Alessia's treasure vault was packed with artifacts, and who knew what might crawl out of there. I'd skimmed it once before, and there were things that could obliterate a person outright.
All I could do was hope he hadn't run into any of those.
"Next up, the Magic Department's goddess."
"...?"
"I'm talking about Erin Zerna."
Erin was being called a goddess in the Magic Department, huh.
"Some pint-sized goddess."
"You... well, you can say that, I guess."
Fran seemed like he wanted to say something but just rubbed his face and trailed off.
"And those two are chasing after you like lovesick puppies."
"Y-yeah..."
"Rumors are swirling that you must've hypnotized them or something. People are saying we should drag in some priests for a black magic check."
The mention of priests made my gaze drift to my chest without thinking. Erin had left a scar there with her black magic, and it was still there. Come to think of it, with my heart pounding faster from training, she was probably feeling every beat right now.
Priests, huh...
Speaking of priests, someone else came to mind.
The saintess, one of the game's heroines.
The saintess from the Holy Kingdom would come to the empire's academy under the guise of studying abroad in our second year.
She'd probably regressed too. Lucia had said all the heroines had.
We'd cross paths eventually. No need to go all the way to the Holy Kingdom just to meet her now.
"Alright, training's over for today."
"Hoo... thank you, sir."
"You did the work, not me. Still, your basic stamina's improving faster than I expected. Most people take way longer."
Taking in Fran's words, I replied while tying it to a hunch I'd had lately.
"Like it's going back to how it was?"
"...Yeah, you could put it that way."
I knew my growth was abnormal too. My spear skills were holding steady, but the muscle gain and stamina boosts were way out of proportion to my workouts.
Factor in what Erin had said when she made my Mana Heart, and my body clearly had some kind of anomaly.
Oppa manifesting Aura from a Mana Heart? Keep that under wraps for now.
Erin had told me to hide it so no unwanted attention came my way while she looked into related info.
"Oh, Rion. Hold up."
"...?"
As I grabbed my jacket to leave, Fran stopped me.
"You heading to the General Department now?"
"...Yeah."
"Know about the other rumor?"
I shook my head. What other rumor could there be?
"The one about who that guy is—the one monopolizing Alessia Habron and Erin Zerna's love, the one you're waiting for."
"Lady Camilla! Have you heard the rumor?"
"What rumor, Lady Piena?"
Camilla de Croizen was popular among the noble ladies.
Her family's reputation for producing promising knights was impressive, no doubt. But it also painted them as a sweaty, muscle-bound clan.
Some ladies fancied the Croizen men's brawn. Most, though, preferred a more balanced, handsome type.
Enter Camilla, the Croizen eldest daughter: beauty, manners, the textbook noble lady. The curiosity about "a Croizen lady" turned to envy. Her flawless poise drew everyone to her side.
"Rion from the Knight Department! You have to know the name, right?"
"...Yes, I've heard of him."
"Get this: Alessia Habron and Erin Zerna are both in love with him, and he's standing guard at the General Department's after-school path every day, like he's waiting for someone!"
"..."
Camilla said nothing. Thinking she was all ears, Piena bubbled on excitedly.
"Rion! A commoner specially admitted on recommendation from that infamous Instructor Fran! But do you know what's really important?"
"No idea... I haven't heard."
"His looks! Ladies who've seen those shining golden eyes fall head over heels at first sight. But because he's a commoner, they pine in secret without confessing!"
Camilla didn't notice her hands clenching. She was too focused on Piena's words.
"So now, a bunch of ladies are hoping they're the one he's waiting for?"
"...Talking without knowing a thing."
"Pardon?"
"Oh, nothing. Just mumbling to myself."
Camilla had let her inner thoughts slip unconsciously. Relieved Piena hadn't caught it, she started walking.
Not toward the path where Rion waited every day, but another route.
Piena, as if she'd been waiting for this, piped up.
"Lady Camilla, you always take a different path from everyone else, right?"
"...Yes."
"Let's check it out today!"
Piena grabbed Camilla's wrist and took off running. Camilla, caught off guard, got dragged along without resisting.
By the time Camilla snapped out of it, other girls had her surrounded—clearly prepped in advance.
Their motive was simple.
The one Rion from the Knight Department was waiting for.
It's gotta be Lady Camilla 100%!!
Even sheltered noble ladies were still teenage girls, brimming with romantic curiosity.
To them, a handsome commoner and a beautiful duke's daughter in forbidden love? Peak entertainment.
No matter who passed on the after-school path, Rion never reacted. He only left after everyone was gone.
Process of elimination left Camilla as the only one.
"Lady Camilla, walk to the dorms with us?"
"Sure..."
Camilla didn't want to take the path ahead. Walking it meant facing Rion for sure.
My heart... won't stop.
But against her wishes, her heart hammered wildly.
He was alive—the man whose death had shattered her last life. Something she'd only imagined was now unfolding in reality.
Do I even deserve to look at your face?
Honestly, she wanted to see him. With this second chance, she craved his first moments in this world.
All his firsts—unfiltered, every single one. Yet Camilla stayed put.
She'd given up the sword, growing up like any other lady. The life she'd once found boring turned out bearable.
Maybe because she'd fully let go of the blade. Nothing stirred her anymore.
"Ah..."
Camilla halted.
A spark lit in Rion's once-dull golden eyes.
"Eek!"
"It's real!"
The other ladies' squeals rang out, but Camilla and Rion saw only each other.
Camilla slowly spoke.
"Long time no see, Rion."
She was terrified. He'd have no memories from before the regression, she'd been told. But what if he did?
What if he resented her?
As Rion's lips parted, Camilla squeezed her eyes shut without realizing.
Even with her eyes closed, she sensed someone standing right before her. Sword or no sword, her honed instincts remained.
"Long... time no see, Camilla."
Long time no see.
That single phrase from Rion's lips sent Camilla's heart plummeting.