Darkness
I collapsed onto the classroom desk after all the regular classes had finally ended, letting out a long sigh as I blinked slowly.
'Ugh…'
What kind of insane schedule was this on the very first day?
The academy was a gathering place for boys and girls in the prime of their youth, brimming with energy and each possessing outstanding talent.
When people of similar age, with skills equal to or surpassing their own, were all crammed together, it was only natural for fierce competition to ignite.
That was why accidents resulting in injuries were common during the sparring matches that determined entrance rankings.
Because of that, the academy's infirmary was so skilled it was practically called a squad of priests. Still, holy power didn't erase all the aftereffects of treatment.
That was a long tangent, but the point was that the first week after the entrance ceremony consisted solely of theoretical classes with no practical combat training.
And true to its reputation as the empire's finest academy, it skipped the usual orientation and dove straight into those brutal theory sessions on day one.
After sitting through hours upon hours of lectures, I felt like my brain was drowning in exhaustion.
'Maybe I should head back to the dorm…'
I'd crammed in way too much information at once. My head felt like it was about to explode.
The other students still had bright, sparkling eyes, showing no signs of fatigue. But unlike them, I was already a half-dead corpse. After all, my actual age was nothing to scoff at.
"Selena, what are you doing today?"
As I pushed myself up and glanced over, sure enough, Selena—the one currently receiving the most attention in the entire academy—was surrounded by classmates from our year.
'Man…'
She really was something else.
It wasn't sarcasm or anything. I meant it purely and sincerely.
Her overwhelming talent played a part, but more than that, it was her looks and aura that drew everyone's favor and captured every gaze.
It was impossible not to be impressed.
It wasn't an exaggeration to say that every single person in Class A, except for me, was directing their eyes and interest toward Selena.
Those with good social skills hovered around her, desperately trying to squeeze in even one more word, while the less sociable ones simply watched her quietly from afar.
Or, if not that, they pretended to give off a "I'm not interested in you" vibe while secretly paying attention to her anyway.
Seeing all that, it was only natural to think she was incredible. At the same time…
'That must be exhausting.'
Having that many people around you, being loved by so many (even if not romantically), also meant it was that much easier to earn the hostility of others.
Human relationships were like that. If you differed from them even a little, or went against their wishes in the slightest, all those countless favors could flip into enmity in an instant.
Of course—
"Oh, I'm planning to go to the training grounds today."
"…What?! On the first day?"
"They say the academy's training facilities are incredible, so… I'm curious."
Seeing her innocently express her love for the sword like that, it would be hard to hold any hostility toward her… but still, humans weren't simple enough to be summed up in just one way.
In fact, there were characters in the novel who did hold animosity toward her.
As for me?
'Time to get the hell out of here.'
Getting involved with Selena was bad enough, but I absolutely could not follow that group.
Following them would mark the beginning of the event.
No one was paying attention to me, so I quietly slipped away, tiptoeing out of the classroom.
Finally stepping through the classroom door and out into the hallway, I broke into a smile and hurried along.
'Success!!'
Today, for once, there was no bad luck screwing me over!!
Well, ever since enrolling in the academy, it had been one misfortune after another. It was about time things went my way for once.
…The event?
Who cares about that crap.
Selena and the male leads would handle it just fine on their own.
"Haaaawn."
After using my brain for the first time in a while, drowsiness hit me hard. I let out a lazy yawn and trudged toward my dorm room.
…Of course, I hadn't understood a single thing.
If I had to make an excuse, it was that I basically had zero knowledge about swords to begin with.
The only thing I'd learned from the knight who taught me and my brother long ago was a simple breathing technique.
As a noble, I'd studied the history of the empire and basic etiquette, but when it came to the sword, I was completely illiterate.
If I'd gone into the administrative department like I was supposed to, it would've been much better. After all, as a high school graduate from South Korea, I was far superior to these otherworldly people when it came to calculations and paperwork. But swords were a different story.
In my previous life, I'd never exercised at all. So suddenly being forced to learn about swordsmanship? It was only natural that none of it made any sense.
Anyway.
'Better hurry back and sleep.'
Shoving things I didn't understand into my head was bound to make it feel like it was about to burst. And no, it definitely wasn't because I was bad at studying.
As I walked along thinking that, my mind naturally drifted to the event that was about to unfold.
'Selena and the Class A students who headed to the training grounds unexpectedly became absorbed in their training. Since they were all exceptionally talented with the sword, they burned with competitive spirit while watching each other.'
'Lost in training and unaware of the passing time, Selena absentmindedly glanced out the window—and jumped in surprise.'
'It was night. A pitch-black sky with not a single light. It was far too late.'
'Had that much time really passed? Her personality, the one that made her lose track of time whenever she focused on the sword, had kicked in once again.'
'Thinking that, Selena hurried to tell the others it was time to head back when she sensed something strange and slowly turned her gaze.'
'The view outside the window was dyed completely black. Even on the darkest nights, the stars and moon that shone so brightly had vanished as if erased.'
'Only then did Selena realize something was wrong. She took a deep breath and raised her sword once more.'
This event was literally designed to imprint the existence of 'them' onto Selena and the male leads.
That was why it was an event that could be resolved with just Selena and the male leads alone.
'…Though I still don't get why guys who can sneak past the academy's tight security end up losing to them.'
Anyway, there was nothing for me to worry about.
The fact that the students managed to stop the intruders despite suffering some injuries and casualties was, in itself, an incredible achievement.
With that thought in mind, I opened the door to the dorm and stepped inside.
All day long, the only thing I'd been thinking about was returning to my dorm room. Ever since Selena, and everyone else.
There were too many things I had to pay attention to.
Even so.
Despite how much I'd been looking forward to it.
I couldn't throw myself onto the bed like I'd planned. Instead, I just stood there blankly, staring out the window.
"They say the academy's training facilities are incredible, so… I'm curious."
"Ah… Then maybe I should go too…?"
"Me too! Me too!"
"…I'll go as well."
"Since it's the first day, maybe we should train a bit…"
The moment Selena awkwardly smiled and spoke up, the students around her began agreeing with her one by one.
The scene itself wasn't particularly strange for Selena.
People always gathered around her. She hadn't done anything special, yet everyone showed her favor.
From the day she was born until now, after enrolling in the academy, it was something she'd experienced countless times.
From those who flocked to her side to those who pretended not to care while secretly paying attention—all of them.
That was exactly why.
Because every student's gaze was fixed on her.
His presence stood out even more.
He was looking at her too. But unlike the others, his gaze wasn't filled with unconditional favor.
It would be more accurate to say he was watching her reaction.
In fact, he was quietly slipping out of the classroom all by himself, careful not to be noticed by anyone. It seemed he hadn't realized that his behavior was actually drawing Selena's attention.
"Let's go already!"
"Should we grab something simple for dinner on the way?"
"Yeah, yeah. There's a sandwich place right in front…"
Naturally, a large group of students had gathered around Selena as she headed toward the training grounds.
They chatted cheerfully among themselves, walking alongside her.
Selena mingled with them, laughing and talking as well.
The boy who had defeated her. The only boy who showed no interest in her. The boy who, in fact, seemed to be avoiding her.
She set those thoughts about him aside for now. For the moment, she was simply laughing and chatting with kids her own age, just like any other girl her age.
And.
Behind her and the students.
The scenery visible through the windows.
Was slowly, eerily.
Being swallowed by darkness that devoured even the sunlight.