09. 3,827th Class Enrollment
09. 3,827th Class Enrollment
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The entrance ceremony was held on the sports field in front of the main building where the classrooms were.
By the time Sihwan and the others arrived, it was already packed with people. Excluding the A-Class, there were 466 new students alone, plus their families and friends who had come to celebrate the entrance ceremony, and even scouts from various guilds there to scout talent—the place was absolutely swarming.
And up on the platform, Chief Instructor Ha Yeon-seo along with instructors like Yu Ina were busy doing something.
"Now we're really enrolled."
As he walked toward the A-Class area, he drew some stares.
They'd clocked that he was human.
"A real human."
"I thought it was just a rumor, but there really is one..."
"That person behind him—is that a Noblesse?"
"What? So he was a slave owned by some Noblesse family?"
No one seemed to know Sihwan's exact identity, so all sorts of wild guesses were flying around.
"What a load of nonsense."
Eun-hye was a bodyguard assigned by the Yu Family, but seeing her, they assumed Sihwan was some kind of slave.
It felt utterly ridiculous, yet somehow hilarious.
"It's hard to imagine a human in the Tower being a free person. Especially with an elf like me next to you, and Noblesse and Beastkin following behind."
"Fair point."
In a place overflowing with racial supremacists, the fact they were treating him like a slave was practically generous.
"Hey! Sihwan-gun!"
As he reached where the A-Class folks were gathered, the pink-haired demon Sasha waved him over with a grin.
Rihana, meanwhile, avoided his gaze, while the others shot him hostile looks and ignored him.
This must be what a bullying scene looks like.
Of course, Sihwan saw himself as the one bullying the rest.
"Stop adding -gun to the end. It's cringey."
"Why? It's just how I talk!"
"You drop it when you're being serious."
"Heh."
Silly face or not, she was someone you couldn't let your guard down around.
Word was, the moment she made Tweed her personal attendant, she had him castrated. No wonder his face always looked dead inside.
When asked how much grudge she must've held to go that far, she just said she was bored.
Truly, in every way, an untrustworthy woman with a shady past. He couldn't bring himself to like her one bit.
"Rihana."
"What."
"You need to report in."
"Ugh... Are you insane?"
"Everyone's got some kind of mental issue."
"What bullshit, seriously."
"Whatever. Anyway, head to the slums with me after this."
"You're going? Why?"
"Why what? It's my land—I'm going."
"..."
Rihana bit her lip, looking pissed.
Eleonore gazed at her with pity.
For her, it'd be freedom in three months, but Rihana might have to suffer like this forever.
Of course, Rihana found that look even more annoying.
"Quiet."
At that moment, someone silenced the buzzing sports field: Chief Instructor Ha Yeon-seo.
She lightly adjusted her hair fluttering slightly in the wind and scanned the crowd.
Her ear, visible at a glance, still sparkled with that blue gem earring.
"Looks like everyone's here."
A short phrase.
She wasn't even using any amplification magic, so it wasn't a booming voice, but the entire field went dead silent like mice frozen in fear—no one missed it.
She praised the 466 who had passed the final exam and announced the start of the 3,827th Trainee Batch entrance ceremony.
First up, a brief introduction of the faculty.
But with around eight Noblesse among them and the rest all Advanced Races, it wasn't some sales pitch like "Our school has these outstanding talents teaching your kids!"
Their eyes alone screamed, "Don't bring petty complaints. If you don't like it, leave. Not prepared? Leave. Or just die."
Could an introduction be any more high-pressure?
Thanks to that, not just the trainees but even their celebrating friends and family were all on edge.
Some were even breaking out in cold sweats—her presence was that intimidating.
Of course, to Sihwan, it was like news from another world.
"As you all know, enrolling in the Academy means declaring you'll devote everything to the advancement and progress of our society. Whether you end up in the vanguard of the Conquest Army, climbing the Tower first, or staying on each floor to explore Temples and Dungeons for internal stabilization—it's all dangerous, dirty work."
She gave a straightforward speech listing the mission, duties, and rewards of Tower Warriors. It was pretty standard stuff, but these events were inevitably boring no matter what, so the tension on the field gradually eased.
After about ten minutes like that.
Suddenly, Yeonseo brought a woman Sihwan had never seen before onto the platform.
Long black hair, a beauty frozen stiff with nerves.
And big breasts.
She had this oddly familiar vibe, vaguely resembling Yeonseo.
"With the 3,827th Trainee Batch, I'll be stepping down as Chief Instructor due to personal matters, so let me introduce her now. She's the new Deputy Chief Instructor, and in three months, she'll succeed me as Chief Instructor."
"I-I'm Ha So-young."
She was trembling in a way that didn't suit a Noblesse at all.
It was visible to the naked eye—how nervous must she be?
"Ha? Her sister?"
"Ha So-young-ssi is the youngest granddaughter of the Ha family, from what I know. She's on the timid side, so she hasn't handled big businesses, but now she's come down as Chief Instructor."
Eun-hye's explanation.
Looks like with Yeonseo flying high, her sister had been sent down.
"I'm currently the Deputy Chief Instructor...but, uh, sis—,"
"Chief Instructor."
"Ah! As the Chief Instructor said, I'll be taking over soon, so I'll be handling the actual duties... P-please take care of me!"
An adorably un-Noblesse-like display.
It brought dad smiles to faces across the field, dissolving the tension.
Yeonseo wasn't pleased.
A true Noblesse should lord over the masses from on high, not tremble like this in front of a mere few hundred.
With a displeased look, she directed her to sit in the back and reclaimed the spotlight.
"Anyway, dragging this out would just be boring, so we'll hear from the trainee representative and wrap up the entrance ceremony. Ryu Si-hwan, come up to the platform."
"Huh?"
He'd never heard of this.
Shouldn't they give a heads-up for something like this?
Staring in disbelief, he saw Yeonseo and Yu Ina behind her stifling laughs.
"..."
Was this some prank to mess with him?
Sure, he'd screwed them over plenty, but this was childish!
Unforgivable.
"Ha. What a joke."
They probably thought he'd panic.
But who was he?
The arrogant Demon King—no one could match his aggro.
A mere few hundred people wouldn't faze him.
He strode boldly to the platform and climbed up.
"What's a human doing up there?"
"Why's the human there?"
"Didn't you hear? The rep for this batch is human."
"No way that makes sense."
"There were rumors he married a Noblesse."
"Cut the bullshit, please."
"But his name sounds so Noblesse-y."
The field buzzed.
Sihwan sneaked a quick butt-touch on Yeonseo where no one could see, caught her changing expression, then stepped forward briskly.
Felt like he was a pastor or something.
Everyone staring intently.
"3,827th Trainee Batch rep."
That short line amped up the murmurs.
"Quiet down, all of you."
"..."
Arrogant tone.
Would all these Advanced and Outer Races listen to some human? Doubtful—but surprisingly, they shut up.
Not so much obedience as sheer absurdity leaving them speechless.
"Like Yeonseo said, you'll either join the Conquest Army or get thrown into guilds tackling Dungeons and Temples to stabilize the interior."
"What the hell's this guy's deal? He's just repeating the Chief Instructor word-for-word."
"Why's a trainee acting like an instructor?"
"Who even is this punk?"
"Did he just call the Chief Instructor by name?"
Each word from Sihwan spread fresh bewilderment through the trainees.
"But I have zero intention of living like that. Hate the idea of joining someone else's guild or army, following orders."
"???"
"And some of you think I'm a slave just 'cause I'm human—listen up."
He boldly thrust his right arm skyward, pointing with index finger in full power pose.
"I will conquer this Tower."
"...What?"
Everyone wondered if they'd misheard—even Yeonseo, arms crossed in the back like "go on then," was stunned, thinking "is he nuts?"
Conquer the Tower?
"And those so-called gods or whatever fucking losers, plus the Dragonians and Noblesse who can't do shit against them and just whimper—I'll put them all beneath me."
"Crazy... bastard?"
Universal shock.
What the hell was happening? They couldn't process it.
Sure, gods were enemies anyway.
But lumping Dragonians and Noblesse in there to provoke them?
With Noblesse swarming right behind him?
"This isn't my goal. It's my already-achieved future—and the reality you'll face."
As mouths gaped wide, Sihwan stood alone, utterly composed.
"Rejoice. You have the Tower's future lord as your classmate—the most glorious batch in Academy history."