9. The Academy Is a Small World
9. The Academy Is a Small World
Snap.
My eyes opened before the break of dawn.
It was around the time when the window outside was still painted with the dim light of dawn.
"......."
The first thing I felt upon opening my eyes.
The texture of the top-grade duck-down duvet softly wrapping around my body.
And instead of the pungent stench of monster blood piercing the tip of my nose, a subtle, luxurious fragrance of air freshener lingered gently.
Feeling an instinctive sense of foreignness, I reflexively reached out for a sword I hadn't even placed by my bedside, only to freeze when my hand grabbed the corner of a fluffy pillow.
Ah. Right, I'm at the academy.
After defeating the Demon King.
Unable to return home and forcibly enrolled like this, it was already the morning of day two.
"⋯⋯."
I rubbed my dry face with both hands and got out of bed.
"I woke up way too early."
Even while thinking that this was no longer a battlefield of tearing flesh and splattering blood, but a place filled only with peaceful daily life.
The habit of sleeping lightly under the tension of never knowing when my head might get lopped off wasn't something that could be fixed overnight.
No matter how soft the bed was, survival instincts engraved down to my bones woke me up far earlier than the scheduled time.
"...Still, it's been a while since I slept without dreaming."
I really had no idea how long it had been since I got actual, proper sleep like this.
Whether the herbal tea Ciel gave me did the trick,
or whether it was thanks to Lucia completely draining my energy yesterday, I didn't know.
Just not having the nightmares filled with the voices of the dead that usually haunted my sleep made the sleep quality top-notch.
"Uggghhh...."
Cracking my stiff neck from side to side, I stepped down from the bed.
"I hope today is peaceful."
Peace and tranquility, utter serenity.
Ever since I came here—no, perhaps even before that—it was the motto I desperately yearned for.
Being able to spend a day comfortably without a single worry.
In the past, I hadn't realized what a massive blessing that was, but now that I knew, my longing for it was even greater.
'...Let's wash up quickly.'
Kkiiik.
After taking a quick shower and opening the wardrobe, I found it packed full of numerous school uniforms tailored to my measurements.
I didn't know when they had stocked up clothes that fit my size, though.
'Well, what's good is good.'
After taking out and putting on the uniform that was neither too tight nor too loose,
Pause.
"This damn necktie is...."
After going through that fiasco yesterday, I tried to tie it properly this time, but.
I only knew how to wrap blood-soaked bandages; there was no way in hell I would know how to tie a neat knot on such a flimsy piece of cloth.
If I had known this would happen, I should have practiced tying neckties back when I was in my original world.
'Oppa, are you an idiot?! Why do you still not know how to tie a necktie!'
'I can live just fine without knowing.'
' ... Are you an idiot? All adults know how to do at least this much!'
'It's a hassle.'
'Ugh, seriously ... you idiot, idiot! It's not like I can tie it for you forever!'
"⋯⋯."
The past conversation with my younger sister flashed past like a panorama.
"...Hyejeong-ah. I really should have at least practiced like you said."
Belated regret rushed over me, but it was already far, far too late.
In the end, I compromised by roughly wrapping it around my neck and yanking it tight.
"This should be enough."
I did a final outfit check while looking in the mirror.
At least it looked much more plausible than yesterday. Surely no one will stop and call me out over this.
Kkiik.
As I opened the room door and stepped into the living room, a mouthwatering, savory aroma wafted over.
"Ah. You're awake? Good morning!"
After a clattering sound from the kitchen, Ciel, wearing a small apron around his waist, greeted me with a radiant smile.
"What... are you doing right now?"
On top of the dining table sat freshly toasted bread with piping hot fried eggs placed on top, along with a fresh salad.
I didn't know about the other dormitories, but here where I was staying, the Elysium Dormitory was equipped with a kitchen capable of simple cooking.
One could think of it as a hint to handle meals independently in the dorm instead of pointlessly buying food outside, but.
That wasn't entirely the case either, given that a cafeteria available to both male and female dormitories was separately provided.
Thinking of it in another sense, don't waste money in strange places,
and buy ingredients to cook and eat for yourself—maybe it carried that kind of instructive lesson.
Or not.
"Hm? Since I woke up early, I whipped something up real quick."
No, I can tell just by looking.
I know, but.
Even so, I never imagined there would be a freshman trying to cook and set a full meal like this starting from the very next morning.
"It seemed like you were waking up just in time, Han, so I made something simple to match.... Do you... not usually eat breakfast?"
Fearing that I might dislike it, he was fidgeting anxiously and reading my expression.
"Why is a dude wearing an apron and cooking meals? You could've just gone to the cafeteria to eat."
"Ah.... B-But the student cafeteria is crowded and noisy."
"You looked really tired yesterday, so I wanted to let you rest even a little bit more...."
As he mumbled and averted his gaze, his cheeks were slightly flushed.
'...He really is a guy, right?'
Looking at him like that, suspicions that he might not be a boy but a cross-dressing girl naturally popped up.
Normally, a twenty-year-old guy wouldn't go out of his way to prepare a heartfelt breakfast for his roommate.
I forced down the suspicious thoughts creeping up in my mind.
Deureureuk.
"I'll eat well. Thanks."
Pulling out a dining chair and sitting down, I took a bite of the toast; the taste of crispy toasted bread and soft egg danced in my mouth.
"H-How is it...?"
"It's delicious."
It was an honest assessment.
It probably wasn't too difficult to make, but. Well. How should I put it.
The ingredients were good, but maybe because I could feel the care put into it.
...It tasted even better, so to speak.
'Just how long has it been since I ate a meal someone cooked for me like this.'
It had been so long that I couldn't even remember anymore.
"......."
Maybe that was why.
Why I unnecessarily spoke in a gruff tone to someone who had gone through all the trouble of making me a meal.
"What a relief...."
At my unremarkable words, Ciel's face brightened up.
Sitting across from me, he rested his chin on his hands and stared intently at me eating as if watching some cute animal.
"Aren't you eating?"
"Mm-mm. I already ate before you came out, Han."
"...Is that so."
His gaze was a bit burdensome, but.
It felt awkward to ask what he was staring at to someone who had gone out of his way to make breakfast.
Asak.
Striving to ignore his beaming smile, I quickly finished the meal.
*
The academy's morning was extremely lively.
So lively, in fact, that along the walkway bathed in morning sunlight, students in uniform gathered in small groups of threes and fives, chattering away as they headed to their respective classrooms.
And mingled among them, I was walking together with Ciel.
"Haa⋯haat!"
Seongkeum. Seongkeum.
"H-Hanah. You're too fast...!"
Trotting behind me with short, quick steps, Ciel panted for breath.
"Your pace is just too slow. And walk a bit further apart if possible."
"Huh? Why?"
What do you mean why.
Wondering if he was being serious, I halted my steps and looked at him.
"...Don't you remember what happened yesterday?"
At my words, Ciel paused, and as if recalling the misunderstanding with Lucia yesterday, his face turned bright red as if it were about to pop.
"Eyy, t-that's... a misunderstanding!"
Yeah. It's true that it's a misunderstanding, just like you said. It is, but.
It's not like you're my lover.
If other kids had seen you wearing an apron and serving me breakfast this morning, they would've believed it as an established fact.
In any case.
"The academy is a small world. In a narrow place like this, rumors spread in an instant."
"......."
"I'm already on that girl's bad side. If you want an easy school life, you'd better keep your distance from me outside."
Still, since I came here, I liked Ciel, so I gave him advice with genuine sincerity in my own way.
What good could possibly come from getting entangled with a rootless, old-fart freshman who was half-forced to enroll like me?
On top of that, I was someone who might have been firmly marked on the hit list by a foul-tempered ducal lady.
I didn't care about myself, but I couldn't let this guy suffer collateral damage just for hanging around with me, could I?
Despite my heartfelt words, Ciel shook his head side to side and instead clung even closer to my side.
"No. It's fine. I don't think it's polite to avoid someone just because you're scared of others' gazes."
"......."
"And besides? We're in the same class, so keeping our distance would be way too sad...."
Is this guy really an idiot?
Or does he just have ironclad mental fortitude?
"⋯Suit yourself."
"Y-Yeah⋯!"
Looking into such pure eyes, it felt wrong to push him away any further by force, so I simply let out a short sigh and quickened my pace.
*
The classroom for the class Ciel and I belonged to was on an upper floor of the main building.
Apparently, it used an entire circular tiered lecture hall with an open, sweeping view.
Eldain Academy had a large student population fitting for its massive grounds,
and because of that, it was a dime a dozen for students to rush their steps so as not to be late for classes.
It wasn't any different for us, although we had slipped out of the dormitory a bit early.
"Still, I'm glad the distance is close. Right, Hanah?"
"Yeah."
Fortunately, the building was situated not far from the dormitory.
Was it considered a courtesy because it was a place gathering only the top-ranking students in the academy?
"Ah. This must be the place!"
Since the building itself wasn't on the larger side, we were able to find Class A, or more precisely Class A-1, without getting lost.
Deureureuk.
Feeling burdened about entering through the front door, I opened the back door and entered, finding the atmosphere subtly subdued.
'...Is it because it's the first day?'
While taking steps forward with a puzzled face for a moment,
I felt the gazes in the classroom zeroing in on our direction.
And at the center of those gazes.
"...Ack."
"...Kh!"
Lucia de Valois, who was sitting in the very center of the front row of the classroom, was also there.
The moment our eyes met, Lucia gasped and whipped her head away in a hurry.
She turned her head so violently that her blonde hair practically made a whipping sound in midair.
Shivering with a face that had turned pale white, her reaction looked as if she had seen a ghost.
Of all things, to think we'd be in the same class.
Just making eye contact was already giving me a stress-induced stomachache.
'What a fucking shitshow. Seriously.'
"H-Hanah. There's an empty seat over there. Let's go that way!"
"Yeah."
Ciel lightly tugged at my sleeve and pointed to a corner seat in the very back row of the classroom.
Whether it was in the auditorium yesterday or here, should I consider it a stroke of luck that both of us prefer the corner?
'Or maybe he's just being considerate because of me.'
It didn't seem like this guy would naturally prefer a corner seat.
Just looking at him, he looks like a model student who would love sitting in the very front row.
Feeling unnecessarily apologetic, I scratched my head vigorously, followed Ciel to take a seat, and glanced around at our surroundings.
Whether it was because this was Class A or not, the number of students wasn't very large.
At most, a little over ten people was the entire roster.
And.
"...There are familiar faces too."
"Hm? Did you say something just now?"
"Nothing."
Figures I had seen in the game caught my eyes here and there.
"......."
For example, over there, the woman sitting by the window, staring blankly outside.
That girl radiating an aura that subtly discouraged approach was bound to be the Imperial Princess,
"...Tsk."
and the red-haired man sitting stiffly in the front row as if locked in a war of nerves with Lucia was....
'I've seen him somewhere, but I can't remember.'
Rather than forcing myself to recall, I shook my head to shake off the stray thoughts.
Seeing how he didn't come to mind right away, he probably wasn't someone important.
In the first place, I barely even remember the female characters, so there's no way I'd remember the male characters.
Of course, there were several others besides them.
Starting from someone who looked like they had a tragic backstory at first glance,
to bastards so pathetic that it was bizarre how they even got into this class.
'...Did they bribe their way in or something?'
Whoa, whoa. My focus is wandering again.
'Let's not care.'
Kkiiiik─
As I shook my head vigorously and silently looked straight ahead, the sound of shoe heels approaching echoed across the quiet classroom.