Three days had passed in the blink of an eye. Yeah, who would believe that.
But, during these days nothing significant happened. Except the fact that I had to stay up all night everyday after that mysterious near death experience.
As for the rest - I spent my time attending classes, lunch with the trio, going to library, training, studying until midnight, and repeat.
This have practically become my routine ever since I 'arrived' here, and honestly, I had no complaints. The monotony was comforting in its own way. At least, it was predictable.
But today was different.
Today, I was going outside.
For the first time since I woke up, I was finally going to see what was beyond academy's walls. And if I had to be completely honest, I wasn't sure how to feel about it.
On one hand, I was thrilled. A part of me was genuinely excited. I had no idea where in the world this academy was built—only that the nearest town was called Veltria. Up until now, everything beyond these grounds was a complete mystery to me.
On the other hand… I was afraid.
Because I was going out with Aeron's party.
And I could already list at least ten different cliché events that could happen the moment we stepped into town.
- Some poor kid getting their pouch stolen, followed by a dramatic chase through the marketplace.
- A random noble picking a fight with us, possibly over Livia or Emilia.
- A commotion caused by some dangerous criminal conveniently escaping custody at the worst possible time.
- The classic "mysterious figure watching from the shadows."
- etc...
Or, if I was really unlucky…
- An assassination attempt aimed at one of us...
I shook my head. No, that's too much.
I was overthinking things.
However, I had already prepared for the worst, just in case. A few emergency items, some self-defense measures, and a plan to slip away if things got too chaotic.
Everything was under control.
So there was no need to worry.
…Right?
"Knock-! Knock-!"
"..."
I had a pretty good guess who it was.
When I opened the door, I was immediately greeted by the sight of the protagonist himself.
Aeron stood there, dressed in a high-quality dark coat with intricate silver embroidery, paired with a neatly tailored shirt and boots that were just flashy enough to look expensive but not obnoxiously so. Combined with his naturally good looks, he truly fit the role of a fantasy romcom protagonist.
He gave me a quick once-over and smirked. "You really weren't joking back then, huh?"
I glanced down at myself. My usual academy uniform. Not exactly ball-worthy or outing attire.
"Yeah," I replied simply, locking the door behind me and pocketing the key.
Aeron chuckled. "Well, at least you'll have something decent by the end of today."
I had no response to that.
"Let's go."
We walked side by side, leaving the dormitory behind. The academy grounds stretched far and wide, and as we moved through the stone-paved paths, I couldn't help but realize just how massive this place actually was.
It took us nearly ten minutes just to reach the main gates.
And there, waiting for us, were Livia and Emilia.
Both of them were dressed elegantly but practically—Livia in a stylish yet functional short coat, while Emilia wore a refined yet modest dress suited for nobility.
A carriage stood just outside the academy gates.
Ah. So they had already made arrangements.
"Morning," Aeron greeted with a casual wave.
"Morning," Livia replied cheerfully, while Emilia gave a polite nod.
I merely gave them a small nod in return, then followed them as they stepped into the carriage.
Without a word, I took the window seat beside Aeron, letting the others settle in.
As the ride began, I turned my gaze outside.
For the first time, I saw the academy from an outsider's perspective.
The grand stone walls. The towering spires. The sheer vastness of its lands.
It was massive.
And as the carriage moved forward, the realization settled in.
For the first time since I 'woke up' in this world…
I was truly leaving.
Thankfully, my face remained as calm and indifferent as ever. Otherwise, the trio would have definitely noticed something off about me. Which would raise uneccesary questions.
The carriage continued down the road, moving past open plains and into the dense greenery of a forest. I quietly took in my surroundings, storing away any useful information I could gather.
From what I observed, there was nothing but this forest and a small lake between the academy and the town of Veltria. And of course, a lone road cutting straight through the forest.
The forest itself didn't seem too dangerous. According to what I overheard from passing students before, it housed only low-ranked monsters—nothing that could pose a real threat to carriages or travelers.
Normally, these creatures stayed inside their habitat, only rarely attacking the roads.
Normally.
And that was exactly why I suddenly had a bad feeling about this.
Because if there was one thing I had learned after waking up in this world, it was that 'normally' meant absolutely nothing. Not to mention who I was travelling with.
I could already picture the next event unfolding.
A classic monster ambush, maybe?
Hopefully, I'm just overthinking—
"SCREEECH-!"
I barely finished my thought when a distant growl echoed through the forest. Followed by more sounds.
And cries of help.
Smoke curled up ahead, black and thick.
Ah.
A flag is a flag, huh?
"Driver, speed up!" Aeron ordered, his voice sharp.
"Yes, sir!" The driver cracked the reins, urging the horses forward. Not that I could blame him. It wasn't just the protagonist's party who cared about innocent lives.
Sitting in silence, I observed the trio.
Each of them pressed their rings or necklaces—an action that caught my attention immediately.
Aeron pulled out a sleek silver sword from his ring. Emilia revealed a fine-crafted bow with arrows, their surface glinting in the dim light. And Livia now held a staff, not unlike those seen in high fantasy settings but neverthless one.
I leaned back slightly, watching them out of the corner of my eye.
For the first time, I actually wondered how strong they were.
Aeron was the protagonist, so he must be obviously powerful. That much should be a given.
But Livia and Emilia…?
They weren't just love interests, were they?
And the weapons and the classic storage rings, which got me curious.
I know of spatial magic and other stuff, but seeing it in action was different. So… could I get one of those too? Maybe I should ask them later. Or Zephyr, since he seemed knowledgeable about things like this.
Still, I shelved that thought for later.
Because at that moment, the carriage arrived at the scene.
And just as I expected—
A burning carriage stood at the center of the road, its front broken and engulfed in flames. Around it, at least ten winged monsters circled like vultures, their hungry forms illuminated by the fire.
Four armored soldiers fought desperately to protect a beatiful young noblewoman and her maid, both standing near the wreckage.
Ah.
It's the 'Save the Beautiful Noble Lady' scenario.
Ding-!
[Scenario Triggered - "Noble in Peril"...]
What did I say...