A True Man in a Romance Fantasy
Rattle! Clatter! I was currently heading to the Imperial Capital for the opening ceremony. I was riding in a cheap carriage that rattled so violently my butt was starting to ache. If we kept going like this, I wasn't sure if my backside would survive the trip.
The seat was as hard as a rock, and the wheels were so cheap that they rattled at every opportunity, almost as if they were keeping time to some erratic rhythm. The journey to the Imperial Capital would take a full day, rest stops included. I wished I could arrive even a moment sooner, but things rarely go as planned. In the end, I was stuck riding this piece-of-shit carriage all day long.
I don't even want to think about it... On top of that, I had to head straight to the academy the moment I arrived in the Imperial Capital. It was going to be exhausting as hell. I decided to worry about that later. To stave off the motion sickness and boredom, I looked out the window.
"Wow..."
The sky was a deep, ocean blue. Lush, vibrant green forests teemed with life, and a nearby lake sparkled as if filled with countless gems. Seeing this made me realize all over again that I was truly in a fantasy world. It wasn't that such sights were completely nonexistent in the modern world, but they certainly weren't this easy to come by.
But... even that was only a temporary distraction. The carriage rattled so violently that I couldn't sleep or even rest comfortably. They could have at least provided a decent carriage... But what could I do? Since things had turned out this way, I decided to practice my Aura control. It wasn't the ideal environment for meditation, but this, too, would be good training. It was a test of my concentration.
Closing my eyes inside the carriage, I sank into meditation and began to sense the surrounding Mana. Normally, sensing mana within a single month was an impossible feat, but perhaps due to Hound's innate talent, I found it surprisingly easy. An enigmatic extra possessing a five-fold mastery speed perk and the qualities of a Sword Saint—before I possessed him, Hound already had one star. But now, two stars resided in my heart. And soon, it would likely become three.
This was the fruit of a month of relentless, non-stop training. While not entirely impossible for someone of my age, reaching this level as a commoner was an extraordinary achievement. I wasn't a Special Scholarship Student for nothing.
Rattle! My brow furrowed. In the end, my concentration shattered.
"Whew..." I took a slow, deep breath to sink back into meditation. Forcing myself to endure the carriage's violent rattling and sheer discomfort, I focused on the mana. As I regulated my breathing and concentrated, I felt faint blue lights gathering toward my heart. My task was to gather these tiny lights, merge them with my body's vital energy, and forge them into a star.
Clatter! "Ah!" Just as I was finally getting into the zone, another violent jolt scattered the light I had barely managed to grasp. Hearing my voice, the coachman glanced back.
"Is everything alright back there, sir?"
"No, it's nothing. Just remembered a bad memory..."
"We'll be stopping for a break in about four hours, so please hang in there a bit longer."
I didn't want to waste this idle time, so I tried my best to concentrate again, but...
Rattle!
"..."
If only the wheels were slightly better... And four hours? If I had known it would be like this, I would have brought a history book or something. Reading would have been much easier.
"Sigh." A frustrated sigh escaped my lips. But what choice did I have? If I just sat here doing nothing, I would go mad from boredom. Despite the terrible environment for focusing on mana, I didn't give up and closed my eyes once more. Sensing the faint light, I strained with all my might to grasp it. I could feel the light gathering in my heart.
Jolt! My eyebrow twitched. But this time, I didn't lose my grip. Just a little more, and I think I can reach 3-Star... Thanks to the perk, I could feel my aura improving even with the faintest traces of light. Perhaps I had adapted after countless attempts, because now, even the violent rattling couldn't break my meditation. At this rate, I'll be fine. Four hours flew by as I continued my training.
"We've arrived at a village," the coachman's voice woke me.
"How long are we staying?"
"About an hour." The coachman took off his straw hat and stepped down from the carriage. "If you don't have a place to eat..."
"It's fine. I have something else to take care of."
"Alright then. Just come back when you're finished with your business."
The coachman walked off with familiar steps, clearly accustomed to this village.
I finally had some free time. I decided to make do with the beef jerky I brought from home for lunch and use this opportunity to reach the 3-Star rank. If I meditated properly, using the energy I had accumulated so far combined with the mana I gathered in the carriage, it was entirely possible.
I sat up straight on the hard seat and sank into deep meditation. The blue lights that had felt so faint just moments ago now burned intensely. Just a little more! Just a bit more! Thump! Thump! Thump! My heart pounded violently. I felt aura surging from deep within my chest. I did it. Three stars—the 3-Star rank.
"Whew..." With this, the homework I hadn't finished before admission was complete. Honestly, I hadn't been sure if I could pull it off, but I was glad I did. It wasn't impossible, considering the synergy between Hound's insane talent and the perk's effects. Even if I arrived at the academy right now, I would easily rank among the strong.
But if I recall correctly, Lutera's rank is the highest at this point in time...
Lutera Edelian. One of the male leads in the novel I had possessed, and the heir to the Duke of Edelian. Hailing from the empire's greatest family of swordsmen, he was a genius who had already reached the 4-Star rank at the tender age of seventeen. He was skilled enough to immediately make a name for himself as a mercenary on the battlefield, which said it all.
But more than anything else, I absolutely detested Lutera Edelian. He was the bastard who broke his engagement with my favorite villainess, Micaris Merian, and left her deeply scarred. I wanted to beat him to a pulp. To do that, I had to surpass him. The difference between 3-Star and 4-Star. It probably wouldn't take too long to catch up. It took me a month to go from 1-Star to 3-Star, so wouldn't it be possible in two or three months?
While I was lost in thought, the coachman returned.
"Oh dear, I'm terribly sorry. You were waiting for me. We'll set off immediately."
"No, it's fine. It actually gave me a good chance to rest comfortably."
"Haha, I suppose you're not very used to carriages, are you?"
This feeling was strangely familiar. It was exactly like when a taxi driver strikes up a conversation out of nowhere.
"Haha... I guess so."
With an awkward laugh, I closed my eyes to meditate again as the coachman started the carriage.
"It's only three more hours to the Imperial Capital, so please rest easy."
Three hours left. I might as well spend the remaining time gathering aura. But I felt like I was forgetting something important... Well, it's probably fine. I sank back into meditation to the rhythmic rattling of the carriage.
The Imperial Capital finally came into view. Before long, we passed through security and entered the city.
"We've arrived."
"Thank you for your hard work."
As I stepped down from the carriage, the coachman gave a polite nod and departed. It was late evening. First, I needed to enter the academy and head to my assigned dormitory.
Hmm. Looking around on my way, the streets were bustling despite the late hour, as expected of the capital. Taverns were packed, and even the shopping districts and theaters were still open. The Imperial Capital really is something else. As I watched the crowds and took in the sights, I soon arrived at the academy. Two knights stood guard at the entrance.
"I'm Hound, registered for the dormitories."
One of the guards, who had been nodding off, blinked open his bleary eyes. "...Show me your admission papers."
"Here it is."
As I handed over the document, the knight's brow furrowed. "A commoner?"
"Yes, I was admitted as a Special Scholarship Student."
"Haa... Fine, go on in."
The instant shift in attitude upon realizing I was a commoner made me realize that the male leads weren't the only arrogant bastards in this world. Not that it mattered to me at this point...
Upon entering the academy, a massive map was displayed in the central lobby. Thanks to that, I made it to the dormitory without any trouble. When I arrived, a woman wearing glasses who looked incredibly strict was waiting.
"What is your name?"
"Hound."
"Ah..."
It seemed she wasn't too thrilled about a commoner like me either. Well, it made sense. A commoner entering an academy full of nobles as a Special Scholarship Student was bound to ruffle some feathers.
"Go to Room 302."
"Thank you."
Following her directions, I stepped into Room 302 and couldn't help but gasp.
"Isn't this place nicer than my actual house?"
Befitting the empire's top academy, the room was incredibly spacious and furnished with elegant, antique furniture. Wanting to wash away the fatigue of the journey, I immediately dove onto the bed.
*Plop.*
I was exhausted after spending the long trip focusing entirely on my aura training. Going from a rattling carriage to a plush, luxurious bed made all my fatigue melt away instantly. The nobles sure have a lot of money to throw around. It was best to sleep early tonight for tomorrow's opening ceremony. My eyes slowly grew heavy. Faced with the power of a luxury bed for the first time in my life, I had no choice but to melt into sleep.
A low murmur of voices woke me. After a light stretch, I tidied myself up and stepped outside, only to be greeted by a sea of nobles.
"What do you think of the Kirzawa family?"
"Have you decided which faction to align with?"
As expected of noble conversations. Since the third floor of the dormitory where I stayed was mostly occupied by lower-ranking nobles, their topics of conversation were entirely about family status and politics. Well, I suppose that was normal for them. Having no one to talk to, I left the dormitory and headed straight to the academy's grand auditorium. The hall was packed with nobles. I hate crowded places... But there was nothing I could do. I found a decent seat, sat down, and after a short wait, the opening ceremony began.
"We welcome all the noble students to Estrada Academy, an institution that has always strived for the future of the empire..."
Blah, blah, blah. It was boring as hell. I had just discovered another similarity between this fantasy world and the modern one. First the chatty driver, and now the tedious principal's speech. I guess people are the same wherever you go... Since listening to it was pointless anyway, I closed my eyes to meditate. At that moment—
"...And now, representing the incoming class, the top-ranked student, Lady Micaris Merian, daughter of Marquis Dinlight..."
Hearing her name, my eyes snapped open. I stared intently at the center of the grand auditorium. Even from a distance, she was unmistakable. Long, flowing blue hair that exuded the charm of scattered roses. Captivating, rabbit-like crimson eyes. The very reason I had fallen in love with this novel, and the reason I had wished to possess someone in this world. It was Micaris Merian. Just as the novel described, she possessed a truly mesmerizing beauty. I couldn't see anything else but her. I couldn't hear what she was saying, nor could I hear the reactions of the crowd around me. It was a dream come true.
Ah, wait a minute. Seeing her brought back the most crucial event that I had completely forgotten. Micaris Merian's downfall began right at the start of the story. The classic first movement of a cliché romance fantasy: The Annulment of the Engagement. At the opening ceremony, Lutera falls in love with the female protagonist at first sight. As for the reason... honestly, even as a reader of the novel, I didn't really know. He just suddenly approached the protagonist and asked her to marry him... Only the author would know the reason. Anyway, completely infatuated with the protagonist, Lutera would unilaterally announce the annulment of his engagement to Mika at the commemorative party for the nobles the very next day. Because of that, the other nobles began to look down on Micaris, whose reputation had plummeted—even though she was the daughter of Marquis Dinlight. Insults became the norm, and all sorts of slander and rumors began to circulate. As a result, Micaris slowly lost her mind, earning her the title of "villainess." And the catalyst for that entire tragedy was happening tomorrow.
What could I do here? I fell into deep contemplation. Should I divert the protagonist's attention? Or should I challenge Lutera to a duel? No, what right does a commoner have to interfere in the affairs of nobles... My head felt like it was going to explode. When I was reading the novel, I had been filled with the desire to save her, but I had never actually thought about *how* to do it. After all, I wasn't a character in the book back then. Moreover, I was currently just a powerless commoner. The real problem was that as a Special Scholarship Student, I was bound to attract the cliché bullying, making me an extra who had to worry about his own survival first.
But I couldn't just stand by and watch one of my absolute favorite characters walk down the path of ruin right from the start. Just then, an idea struck me. A personal knight. High-ranking noble ladies could appoint a personal knight even within the academy. If I became her personal knight, I would have a valid pretext to beat Lutera to a pulp for bringing shame upon my master, Micaris. My current rank was 3-Star. Lutera was currently a 4-Star, so it wouldn't be an easy fight. Especially for someone like me who lacked real combat experience. "..." Well, even if I lost the duel, it would draw the attention away from Micaris and onto me, so it wasn't a bad plan. Wait, but wouldn't that mean I'd be ruined instead? Bah, why even worry about that? All I have to do is win.