Chapter 81
Chapter 81
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: First Day at Melbrit
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"......"
This was the boys' dormitory.
There was zero chance my roommate could be a girl.
The guy who crawled out of bed was skinny, almost sickly-looking.
Even though our eyes met, he just bowed his head slightly and got ready to leave without saying a word.
Only when it was time to go did he speak up.
"......Wanna grab some food?"
"Sure."
I headed out of the dorm with my roommate, whose dark circles looked like they were about to reach his chin.
"I'm Decal. You?"
"......Aba. Aba Loun."
He was from a noble family too?
No...... I needed to think differently from the start. People like me or Karen, with no family background at all, were probably the rarity here.
I followed Aba for about ten minutes along the corridors connecting the buildings. Gradually, female students started appearing, and I couldn't have been more pleased.
Where did they find all these beauties? The average attractiveness level was insanely high. What a treat for the eyes.
"Watch out."
Aba said as he walked ahead.
"For what?"
"......Staring at female candidates for more than three seconds without reason docks points."
"......"
I was about to ask what that meant when I noticed the male enforcers eyeing me like hawks. I shrank back.
This wasn't a joke?
Aba continued in his listless voice.
"Here, points are everything. Enforcers are watching everywhere."
"Even so, just for looking......"
"Check the back of your notebook."
I flipped to the back as instructed.
Decal
Total: -1pt
···Looking at female candidates outside of class time. -1pt
Was this for real?
The souls I'd earned the hard way as an adventurer were being spent on this?
"Look over there."
"That's Lord Veil Noah."
Noah strode across the courtyard with majestic poise.
Did she see me?
Huh?
"......"
Noah exchanged a few words with an enforcer, and the deduction on my notebook vanished.
Back to a total of 0 points.
She'd said she was in a position to override all the enforcers. Right, Noah's support had begun.
Feeling great, I entered the cafeteria with Aba.
A ton of candidates were already seated and eating. It wasn't like they'd only gathered pubescent kids.
But with enforcers watching, mixed groups were nonexistent. Girls with girls. Boys with boys. Utterly segregated.
Now Noah's words were starting to sink in.
That phrase I'd glimpsed on the notebook during the brief deduction: outside of class time.
Private interactions with female candidates were impossible outside those hours...... Why stick to such a stifling system?
Truth was, they didn't have to—they could fabricate reasons galore if a boy and girl were together. The school could pin anything on you.
So I stopped thinking about it.
"What do you want? Nothing too pricey."
Aba said.
"What's good?"
"Udon and inari sushi."
"I'll have that. How much?"
"Meals are paid with points here too. You just arrived, so no points yet—I'll cover it."
"With points?"
Sure enough, the menu on the wall listed udon · · · 1pt.
I sat and ate with Aba.
"Thanks. Dig in."
"Everyone's shocked at first. Melbrit's system is unlike anywhere else."
"If you get deducted, do you starve?"
"When it's rough, just eat outside."
There were no rules against going out.
"But skipping class or not being in the dorm at bedtime auto-deducts......
The more you wander, the harder it gets to stay at Melbrit."
"......"
Brutal.
The restrictions and surveillance outside class hours were no joke.
I could dodge enforcer eyes to some extent, but the pressure on other candidates must be immense.
"Look over there."
The male candidates stirred.
I instinctively knew Karen had entered the cafeteria.
I snuck a peek at her while everyone else was looking.
Even with deduction threats, Karen's uniform drew every guy's gaze in an instant.
Isn't her top a size too small? Those breasts are no joke. And those healthy thighs peeking from under her skirt—damn.
Lucky roommate? Karen was already mingling with a group of female candidates, including Stia.
Time to bail. I averted my eyes and focused on eating.
"......Ugh."
Aba shuddered.
"What's up?"
"That redhead candidate just now...... you see her?"
"Yeah. Killer tits."
"......No, I really can't stand that."
"Slender type?"
"Not exactly...... but boobs that big are scary. Like, when they're so huge getting hit by them would hurt—that's when they freak me out."
"......"
Aba was trembling like he meant it.
Everyone's tastes differ, but that was a unique way to put it.
Scary starting from the point where they'd hurt on impact.
I pictured myself getting smacked by Karen's tits.
Hmm...... Gotta ask her to do that next time.
"The blonde next to her is perfect......"
Aba grinned sheepishly, sharing his type.
"Stia, right."
"You know her?"
"We were together during the exam.
I like all girls. Pretty is pretty, big or small doesn't matter."
"Face matters most."
Talking girls was still the fastest way for guys to bond.
Even with deduction risks, the instinct to scan hot girls held strong.
As long as you didn't ogle openly like before, it was fine.
Since so many had looked at Karen and Stia, I dodged deductions naturally.
But I wasn't satisfied with that.
Outside class, the cafeteria was the only place with this many female candidates gathered.
Couldn't waste that precious time without checking them out.
After eating, back in the room, I asked Aba.
"Aba. How are years divided at Melbrit?"
"No years."
"Then classes together?"
"Divided by points into ranks. 0 to 500: Rabbit rank. Up to 1,000: Wolf rank. Up to 1,500: Bear rank. Above that: Dragon rank. Classes accordingly."
Like adventurer ranks.
Adventurers used metals like silver, gold, diamond. Melbrit used beasts.
Freshly enrolled me, Stia, and Karen were Rabbit rank.
"......Points really are everything."
"Now you get it? To graduate Melbrit safely, lay low. Flashy actions or eyeing pretty candidates don't last."
"Hmm."
"Not saying you, Decal. I've seen four roommates already......"
Made sense—solid advice.
No way Aba was scaring me for no reason.
He bought my meal and explained the system kindly. I genuinely appreciated him.
"Got it. Thanks."
"......I'm napping. Afternoon class starts at 3 PM."
Aba stripped and slinked into his bed.
I lay on mine, sorting my thoughts.
Short time, but enough to grasp Melbrit's quirks.
Outside class: strict opposite-sex interaction ban.
To the point three seconds staring at a girl = deduction.
Public dating or hand-holding? Impossible.
Suspicious night moves? Enforcer brain-blast.
Any impure-minded guy would've quit already.
But I was different.
Melbrit's security was no big deal to me.
Hypnotizing every enforcer on campus to hunt targets? Way too inefficient.
That'd get me caught—no saving me, even Noah.
But playing the diligent student, racking up points? Easy for me.
Targets so far:
0 points: Stia, Karen—rising together.
Hypnotizing and corrupting Stia? Piece of cake, same rank.
But higher ranks: Mid? Diana maybe. Top: Tillia. Dragon rank elites: #1 Herka Philote, #2 Neris Rike.
Above even them: student council president Shia.
Climb points steadily, hypnotize top girls.
No flashy moves outside class till then.
......Perfect.
Calmly plan and wait.
A cheerful bird chirp from the bed panel.
15:00~18:00 Afternoon class time.
Melbrit candidates, proceed to the main building.
0~500 points···
As Aba said, classes split by points.
Even same building might mean top girls nearby—faint hope.
But the map crushed it.
0~500 couldn't use main building at all. Separate distant one.
Main access: Wolf rank minimum.
"Aba. Heading out first."
Opening the door, notebook chimed.
+1 point just for hearing class notice in room.
Late? Deduction.
Recalling the map, I headed to Building 2.
Soul graphics (working title) made it look shabby vs. main, but it was fine.
Melbrit standards were top-tier isekai-wise.
Corridors to Building 2: candidates already there.
Sub-rooms too?
A5 map: my classroom, far right. Assigned?
Room fit 100 easily, but only about 30 including me.
Why so spacious?
Different content?
My guess solidified over time.
No Stia or Karen.
Even if first here, unsurprising.
No armed candidates—all empty-handed like me.
"......"
Ten minutes to start, energy drained.
No Karen, no Stia? Really?
Teacher not Esty?
False hope.
Enter: portly man with graying hair. Stubborn vibe.
"Sit where you like, in groups. No isolates. I'm Ronwell, teaching protection magic and theory."
Ronwell didn't meet eyes, kept talking.
"Half of you have zero points. Lucky not to deduct in my class—pay attention.
Negative points? You won't last days."
Threat or warning? Then class began.
Honestly, lost on me.
Mana this, circulation that—irrelevant to me, handling magic since transfer.
"Haa......"
Sigh escaped.
Ronwell pointed. "You, black hair. Name?"
......Me?
"Decal."
"Bored sigh 'cause you know it all?"
Ugh. Bad luck.
"Answer, sit with bonus points. What was Iple of Daytoon Kingdom, first great mage's magic?"
"Urk...!"
Exactly what I wouldn't know.
No answer—Ronwell smirked mockingly.
"Basic basics. Magic candidate doesn't know? Won't see your face next class. Sit."
"......"
Attitude poor -3pt, subpar level -10pt, improper uniform -2pt
Total: -14pt
Score drop stung.
Even common-sense stuff here? Alien worlder problem.
Uniform? Other guys buttoned blazers fully. Mine open.
Marked as suspect.
Ronwell prickly but dutiful. No nitpick.
Just pissed.
Expected Stia, no dice.
End class dinged, tweak score and leave? Mood killer.
So I scanned other girls.
Stia-level beauty? Prime target.
None.
Glasses girl minimum. Anyone now......
That's when eyes hit gloomy corner girl.
......What.
So hunched, missed her.
But felt familiar.
Yesterday's gate.
......Yeah.
Creepy witch outfit, black hair to calves.
Uniform now, but hair gave it away.
0-point newbie mage like me.
Interest piqued.
"You there!"
Ronwell jabbed at me.
"Better leave if just eyeing others."
"......"
Perfect timing. Ronwell drew attention.
Snap.
I flicked my fingers.