Chapter 9: Another Beginning (1)
Time passed quickly.
The first day of class, which should have started a week ago.
Having finished all my preparations, I woke up earlier than usual and headed to the main auditorium.
That was because, except for the Hilts classes, everything else took place there.
No matter the year, it was tradition for professors from all five dormitories to take turns teaching a joint class to all students on the first day, so there was no chance of confusion.
Sure enough, countless other freshmen like me were heading in the same direction.
‘Still just as overwhelming.’
Even from a distance, the massive, imposing building was instantly recognizable, and I couldn’t help but click my tongue again in awe.
The main auditorium.
If one were to pick a symbol of the Academy, that building would definitely be among the top choices. It could be called a collection of every form of magic and engineering skill.
If I remembered correctly, the dwarves had personally designed and constructed it as a gesture to prove their friendship as long-time allies.
Since the dwarves had vanished from the continent 200 years ago, that meant the auditorium itself had stood for at least two centuries.
Yet, looking at the way it gleamed as if it had just been completed, it was hard to believe it had endured that much time.
“Hoo.”
Before I knew it, I had arrived right in front of the main auditorium and let out a small breath.
‘Finally.’
It was finally beginning.
“…Alright.”
No matter what happened, I must never be shaken.
This was a chance that would never come again—a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity I couldn’t afford to waste.
And also, to avoid that kind of ending again.
“Alright.”
With that renewed determination, I stepped forward confidently.
…And yet, despite my resolve, I ended up squeezing my eyes shut.
“……”
My breath caught in my throat.
I didn’t need to place a hand on my chest to know—my heart must have been pounding wildly, ready to burst at any moment.
“Um, if it’s alright, may I sit here?”
“Huh? Ah! Of course, Your Highness! Please, have a seat!”
“Thank you, you’re very kind.”
The reason was none other than the woman who had taken a seat within arm’s reach of me.
Velita Levymne Bestrang.
‘Just my luck, first thing in the morning.’
Out of all the seats, why did it have to be near me?
Thanks to that, I’d be stuck looking at her all day.
Or perhaps I should be grateful she didn’t sit directly beside or behind me.
“Finally, the first class! I’m so excited—don’t you agree?”
“My twin siblings are sitting together over there. Sometimes I think it would have been nice if I’d been born a few years earlier. Being born just half a year early has brought me no end of trouble. They’re called my younger siblings, but since the three of us are the same age…”
“Oh, you mean the youngest ones? Yes, they’re adorable children. But they are a bit younger, and besides… it seems they’re going through a bit of adolescence lately…”
“Wow, but more than that, these chairs are so soft! They feel nice, but I hope I don’t end up dozing off!”
With her signature bright smile, Velita chatted pleasantly with the students around her.
And around her, countless students gathered—regardless of gender, nationality, or even race.
It was a scene that clearly showed just how much she was admired and respected by so many.
For me, knowing that nearly half of the people in this hall would end up dying at her hands, it was a sight that defied description.
“……”
Velita Levymne Bestrang.
Called the treasure of the Empire, she would, in just a few years, incite a rebellion.
And she would seize victory in the civil war in an instant, staining the Empire in blood.
The first blood spilled was that of her own siblings.
The eldest Imperial Prince, the most senior of the living royals.
The Second Imperial Prince, her full-blooded brother and first in line to the throne.
The Fourth Imperial Prince, suddenly appointed as the next Emperor and becoming the seed of discord.
Even the Fourth Imperial Princess, who had been living a blissfully ignorant life…
All of them met a brutal end.
And they weren’t the only ones.
Anyone who irritated her, displeased her, or seemed even slightly dangerous became a target for purging.
The number of people who died like that was impossible to count.
‘…And I was one of them.’
In truth, I knew how to ruin her plans right this moment.
It was simple.
All I had to do was expose the fact that she was plotting treason.
The Velita I knew would have left not the slightest trace until the day she put her plan into motion.
But no matter how careful she was, she wouldn’t have anticipated someone returning to the past with knowledge and memories of the future.
In other words, my very existence could become the key to shattering her scheme.
In fact, I could clearly remember a few events and pieces of evidence that would be more than convincing.
If I could bring those things to light, her plan would collapse in an instant, and furthermore, both my family and I would no longer face execution at her hands.
“Hmph.”
But I soon shook my head and let out a short sigh.
That was because I knew better than anyone else that the method I had just thought of was something I could never do—something I must never do.
‘How ironic.’
The woman who was called a butcher in the Empire would, in the end, become the savior and protector of the continent.
It was for that reason that so many heroes had left her alone.
If she were to die, the continent would almost certainly fall to ruin.
She was the only one who could transform the Empire—under its new ruler—into a power far beyond comparison to before, rallying not only other nations but even other races into an alliance capable of opposing the demonkind.
In other words, ruining her plan would mean that not just my family and me, but far more people than in the original future, would end up dead.
There were bad jokes, and then there was this.
…Honestly, I just wanted to throw everything away and run.
But even if I ran recklessly, the end would likely be no different from before.
And if I acted carelessly, I would end up quietly disposed of without anyone knowing.
If there was at least one possible way…
‘The heroes.’
Seven people who had gathered to save the world.
Even Velita hadn’t dared to touch them.
What’s more, their families and acquaintances hadn’t suffered so much as a scratch.
Among the imperial family, only the Third Imperial Prince and the Third Imperial Princess had remained unharmed, and that was precisely why.
Because each of them would one day be called the Dragon Emperor and the Great Sage.
‘Even if it’s a crude plan I came up with myself…’
In the end, that was the only method I could think of right now.
To bring them to my side.
To form a bond with them deep enough that they would protect me.
At least until I came up with something clearer and more concrete, it would be best to move with that as my rough goal.
“…Tsk.”
But easier said than done.
Knowing, to some extent, what those people were like, all I could do was sigh.
Wouldn’t befriending a dragon be a more realistic story?
Screeech!
While I was lost in thought, the lecture hall door opened with a loud noise.
Followed by the confident sound of footsteps.
A moment later, a few students who recognized the person who entered began to call out in excited voices.
“Oh my, it’s Sir Yul Runberg?!”
“The Guardian of the Imperial Family!”
Yul Runberg.
A man who had earned the title of Sword Saint in his twenties and by his thirties was known to have no rival—a direct knight of the Emperor.
He was famous across the entire continent, and for those who dreamed of becoming knights, he was an object of aspiration.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you all.”
Famous for his striking looks as well, he greeted us with a smile.
Thanks to the artifacts installed in the main auditorium, his voice rang out clearly everywhere, and a moment later, the students’ cheers erupted.
“Some of you may already know me, but for those who don’t, let me introduce myself first.”
Skillfully calming the students, he wrote his name stylishly on the chalkboard.
The massive stone tablet linked to the board immediately engraved the words he had written.
“My name is Yul Runberg. I am honored to serve as one of the knights guarding His Imperial Majesty, and this year, I will be teaching the Crowns’ joint class at Arpentia Academy.”
Standing at the center of the massive, theater-like semicircular auditorium, Yul Runberg spoke with ease.
Even with thousands of eyes fixed on him, his demeanor never faltered.
“Does anyone have a guess as to what I’ll be teaching in this joint class?”
As soon as his question ended, several students shot their hands up.
He glanced around the auditorium and pointed to a boy seated in the middle.
The chosen boy stood up and answered in an excited voice.
“Yes! I think you’ll be teaching us about swordsmanship and chivalry!”
“Haha.”
He chuckled softly.
“I would have been honored to do so, but unfortunately, that honor belongs to another professor.”
“You mean…”
“In the joint class, I will be teaching social etiquette and culture.”
A murmur of surprise spread through the hall.
As if expecting such a reaction, Yul Runberg continued explaining with a smile.
“If I were a professor of the Hilts, I might indeed be teaching swordsmanship, just as you guessed. But I stand here as a professor of the Crowns.”
He drew the Crowns dormitory emblem simply on the board.
“Arpentia Academy has a history of no less than three hundred years. And the only dormitory to have been part of that history from the very beginning is the Crowns. Ah! Of course, I don’t mean to belittle the other dormitories.”
He added with a playful chuckle.
“I was originally from Hilts myself.”
When a few students laughed, he nodded in satisfaction and continued speaking.
Standing in the auditorium, he moved with the ease and presence of a stage actor.
“In the old days, the Wolpen Knights who set out to save the continent alongside the noble Great Emperor numbered thirteen, including the Emperor himself.”
He began retelling a story that everyone already knew, but in a vivid, captivating way.
The tale of the first dwarven chieftain who united his kin and joined hands with the Emperor.
The tale of a High Elf of royal blood who came to the Emperor bearing only a bow.
The tale of a half-orc knight who swayed the hearts of orcs who had sided with the demons, bringing them over.
Of a saintess and a holy knight who joined them, of a foreigner who saved them all from a deadly crisis, of a woman who had once been a commander of an enemy nation persuading her homeland to side with the Emperor…
After speaking for a while, his voice suddenly sharpened.
“After all was accomplished, the Emperor never forgot the knights who aided him, nor the countless others who helped. That is why he decreed there should be no division by race, origin, or nationality. In fact, the Empire in its early days took the form of a union of multiple kingdoms.”
Yul clapped his hands sharply, drawing everyone’s attention.
“Now, can you guess why I’ve suddenly told this story?”
He looked around.
“Unfortunately, contrary to the Emperor’s will, disgraceful incidents have been occurring. And this is also one of the Empire’s long-standing problems.”
By this point, I had realized why he had started his class differently from my previous life.
‘Because of Yuran’s incident.’
It seemed her situation had become known.
And Yul Runberg was a well-known moderate and pacifist.
On top of that, being of mixed Imperial and foreign blood himself, her case must have struck him deeply.
“The social etiquette and culture I will teach are not merely those used in noble society. I will be covering manners, customs, and languages that will be useful not only here at the Academy but even beyond its walls.”
He walked slowly along the front of the auditorium.
“There are many people here. And the moment you are under the roof of Arpentia Academy, you are all the same—students. Keep that truth firmly engraved in your hearts. And, like the noble Great Emperor who led all in defending the continent, strive to be someone who can embrace everyone.”
Finishing in a sincere tone, he glanced around once more before flashing a charming smile.
“Now then! Let’s leave the heavy talk here. To lighten the mood… yes, does anyone have any questions for me? I’ll answer them earnestly, so feel free to ask anything.”
At his invitation, students glanced around before quickly raising their hands.
“Who was your strongest rival?”
“What school of swordsmanship do you think is the strongest?”
“When was your first kiss?!”
“What do you think of Basil Everglenn, the northern giant who also holds the title of Sword Saint?”
He fielded the questions skillfully, drawing enthusiastic responses from the students.
And in the midst of it, I felt someone’s gaze.
Velita.
It was her.
She was looking at me.
“……”
I didn’t need to turn my head to know.
I showed no reaction.
She smiled with her eyes, then turned her attention back to Yul Runberg.
“……”
It must have been a coincidence.
Unlike her, I couldn’t smile, and I slowly turned my head as well.
Thankfully, I didn’t feel her gaze again after that.
…Probably.
“Lian.”
After the first class ended, I was heading to the outdoor training grounds like the other students for the Hilts’ joint class.
Someone called my name in a low voice, stopping me.
Recognizing who it was, I raised my hand in greeting.
“Well, look who it is—Allen!”
Allen Amiel, who had approached me, started to bow but stopped halfway and extended his hand instead.
It seemed he still misunderstood, thinking I was hiding my identity.
When I took the hand he offered in a friendly manner, he spoke in his usual flat tone.
“It’s good to see you again, Lian.”
“Yeah, good to see you too. We met sooner than I expected.”
Shaking his hand lightly, I asked in a quiet voice,
“More importantly, how’s your health? Are you alright?”
“Thanks to you, I’m perfectly fine. I actually came looking for you to express my gratitude.”
He gave me a small bow.
“Because of you, I feel even better than before. Truly, thank you.”
“Think nothing of it. It was nothing.”
“Nothing, you say…”
At that, Allen let out a small laugh.
Before long, we were walking side by side, chatting idly as we made our way to the training grounds.
Contrary to what I’d thought, Allen was a pleasant conversational partner—someone I could talk to comfortably.
“By the way, I wonder what kind of person our professor will be this time.”
“Why? You sound like you’re looking forward to it.”
“Well, of course.”
At my question, Allen mumbled as if embarrassed.
“Though it’s a bit shameful to admit, I do have the dream of becoming a great knight someday. Of course, it’s the kind of thing others might laugh at if they heard.”
“Well…”
Knowing what he was called in my past life, I found it hard to respond.
Whether he knew my thoughts or not, his voice carried a trace of excitement.
“If Yul Runberg isn’t the Hilts’ professor… then honestly, I can’t imagine who could be teaching for Hilts.”
“…Well, whoever it is, it’ll be surprising.”
Knowing exactly who the professor for this class would be, I gave a vague answer.
Before long, we arrived at the training grounds and, like the other students, found a suitable spot to line up in neat rows and columns.
“Who could it be?”
“Someone even more exceptional than Sir Runberg… I have no idea.”
“Come to think of it, they did say the professor for this class had been changed, right?”
Even while maintaining order, the students chatted endlessly.
I didn’t know how long they’d been talking when, at last, someone appeared in the distance.
Clip-clop.
Even from far away, the distinct sound of hooves rang out clearly.
As the sound drew closer, most of the students couldn’t hide their expressions of shock.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Before we knew it, a sharp voice spoke from the platform—a woman with blue hair.
“My name is Deiare. For the next year, I will be the one teaching you basic physical conditioning along with the fundamentals of martial arts and weaponry in the joint class.”
Finishing her introduction, she tapped the stage lightly with the tips of her hooves.
Each time she struck the floor, a small but distinct and heavy sound echoed.
“Any questions?”
Deiare.
The blue-haired centauros looked down at us from the platform as she spoke.
“Good. I’ll take that as no questions.”
She muttered in satisfaction, then pointed toward a large tree in the distance.
“Then run.”