The Unflappable Dorm Mom and the Kusogaki in the Mirror
Click-clack, click-clack. The sharp sound of heels echoes down the hallway of the Imperial Academy's White Class Dormitory. Right now, I'm heading to my very own private room, specially made just for me, with the dorm supervisor in tow. Of course~ I can't share a room with those dumb, worthless losers, or I'd go insane☆ Duh. Heh, even today, that clueless little freshman who bombed the entrance exam was yapping at me nonstop~ Well, kids who can't recognize genius always get extra pissy like that. Jealousy like this? Pfft, I dealt with plenty in my past life—no biggie~☆ I already know how to handle it. Just crush 'em with overwhelming skill, and they never bother you again. Thanks to that, my mana’s almost tapped out, but at least the annoyances won’t bug me for a while. From what I felt this afternoon, relationships with mediocre losers are nothing but a hassle and a waste of time.
But... aside from that irritating freshman who tanked the newbie rankings... there was one formidable foe whose future moves have me on edge. The professor guiding me through the dorm—tall and slender in her long Gothic dress, glasses perched on her nose, clutching a slim staff. The very dorm supervisor leading me now.
“From today onward, Kesera, you'll be staying in the dormitory.”
“Yup~ About time☆ You the supervisor? Pfft... total old auntie vibes.”
“Hehe, if you wanna call me that so casually, that's fine by me.”
Right then, I felt a chill—something icy. She was the first person who didn't snap back at my jab. Ever since I was little, I've acted this way to keep the extreme haters☆—those gross losers—from clinging to a prodigy like me and being a pain. But this supervisor, who's gonna be tied to my daily life... for some reason, she's slithering in like an eel, trying to get chummy.
“Supervisor auntie~ Bet you're an old spinster~☆ Unloved lady~☆”
“I hear that a lot. I'm just waiting for the love that suits me. Hehe.”
“Ugh... pathetic. You reek of spinster.”
We'd barely exchanged a few words, but she radiated this nauseating aura. It wasn't scary or oppressive—it was different. Her eyes, slyly coaxing like she was humoring a kid, sparked an instinctive dread. Wait, she's just a weak professor—why the hell does she give off this vibe?
“Shall we chat more about love? Hehe. Of course, I am a spinster~”
“Nah, we're from different generations, so nothing to talk about~☆”
“If there's a generation gap, isn't it fun to learn what the other doesn't know~?”
“Pass, auntie?☆”
“'Auntie' feels warmer than 'supervisor'~ Hehehe.”
She's a tough one. I... couldn't spit out a single line to tank her favorability. I need to shake off nuisances early, but this worthless☆ professor seemed utterly immune to anger.
“Here we are—this is the room for you, Kesera.”
I figured a single room meant something basic like the dorms from my past life, but nah—with my family background, expectations were high. Compared to the Ascentrius mansion worthy of Le Armo, it's a far cry☆, but it still felt like scoring a fancy, fully loaded 800-square-foot apartment.
Only downside? No servants. Academy students gotta fend for themselves.
“Well then, have a good night, Kesera.”
“Yeah, bye~ Auntie~☆”
“Got it~ I'll wake you for breakfast tomorrow, but from then on, I expect you to rise on time like a proper academy student and attend all your classes~”
“Fine, whatever... spinster-stinking auntie☆”
She gently closed the door and vanished. Wait, doesn't a normal person snap by now? Slam it at least once? What kind of freak is she? Maybe I don't know this world as well as I thought. People like that actually exist?
“Hoo... annoying☆”
I plop down at the desk and flip open my diary first thing. It's my ritual to keep my memories sharp. Is this the penalty of being born into nobility? I need to grow up fast so my memory and calculations return to their old glory—such a drag.
But... I never imagined the bald old geezer next door was the academy president. Ever since my fever and all those lingering illnesses, I'd seen him around, so I just figured he was Mom's neighbor dude. No affair or anything—Dad's away a lot, but their alchemy sessions are so steamy even I get sick of watching. Anyway, I thought the wig-wearing academy prez was just your run-of-the-mill hack mage, but surprisingly, he gets magic...
Whatever. That's secondary.
“That worthless☆ geezer dared hit me...?”
The spot where he smacked me still stings. I hate getting hit by loser geezers. This kid body's emotional bucket is so small, feelings overflow and tears leak out. Sure, it's normal at this age... but I still hate it. Maybe I should whip up a vector shield spell like those light novel protags, one that unconsciously wraps around me?
“Yawwn~☆”
A massive yawn hits. Scribbling today's events in the diary brings on the sleepies. Partly 'cause my body's young, but mostly from the mana I burned practicing for the ceremony. Idiots think pretty magic pops out just by squeezing mana. I got too lenient, and now I'm wrecked. Tomorrow, though? Time to wreck house. Ice spear spells are just basic arithmetic en masse—flashy, but meh.
Sleepy as hell, so I head to the wardrobe to ditch this long robe... and spot the full-length mirror.
Right, tomorrow it's not robes—academy uniform, they said?
“Those losers couldn't even tell me that~☆”
If it's common sense to wear it for rehearsal, fine—but weak idiots' common sense is just bias☆. Anyway, gotta dress myself from now on, huh?
I unpack the luggage pile and pull out the academy uniform. My family stuffed everything in—nothing missing. Huh? Why's there an evening dress? Kid-sized, perfect fit too. No way I'm going to nighttime events. Duh... everyone knows those are makeout spots for boys and girls. Eww... creepy☆ Gross☆
Sure, born a girl means I gotta do ladylike manners and stuff... but linking up with a guy? No thanks, hate the thought. Obviously. I'm a guy, after all.
I wore dresses for family photos on holidays, but at home, I stuck to shorts. Luggage has 'em, but no bra yet—chest's flat—and undies are boxers. No secondary traits, so I don't even look girly. And sharing a bed with a guy...? Gut-churning revulsion hits—gonna puke.
But... the girls' academy uniform's a skirt. That fluttery flare skirt.
“Sigh... at least let girls wear shorts, you thick-headed old men☆”
Light blue spiderweb skirt and cape with frilly white lace, silk blouse underneath. Brooch connects the cape—hands shake just looking at it. Total girly-girl design, right? Robes I'd wear... but this? Tomorrow. Alone. On me.
“Ugh...”
Whatever, the girl in the mirror's an ultra☆ cutie anyway. Red twintails for max adorbs... total girl. I knew this was me seven years ago—why's my face burning red?
Ahem... better try it now than tomorrow, ease the shame a bit.
“Hah~ It's just skin-deep☆”
This flimsy blouse, fluttery skirt? Whatever, throw 'em on.
Cotton shirt first, blouse over, one button done. Cape and brooch easy, then skirt. Side button adjusts waist—got it. All set, I stand tall in the mirror and smirk confidently.
And there she was—a perfect kusogaki sneering right back at me.
“Ah...”
I knew it. Acting bratty to push people away just makes me look like an arrogant kid. My personality's trash, what can ya do? But the mirror shows it plain: a kusogaki.
“Worthless☆”
Even I wanna slap the itchy, squirmy me in the reflection. Guess I gotta accelerate time magic for faster growth. Gotta outgrow this kid look, see less of that.
With that resolve, I raise my staff and deploy fourth-dimensional acceleration magic around me.
And I realized too late that this time acceleration doesn't just spur 'growth'—it triggers puberty too.