Chapter 013. Uninvited Guest (1)

The western district of Vera Academy has traditionally been a spacious area filled with dormitories and lecture halls for students. Perhaps due to the start of a new semester, the atmosphere in each class was bustling with excitement.

It was only natural that, despite feeling a bit awkward and somewhat tense, each student's face reflected a faint sense of anticipation, reminiscent of the bright future of the continent.

"Phew..."

However, not everyone could be in a good mood.

The girl who sighed deeply, Delia, was in a troubled state of mind. She had fainted during the entrance exam after being startled by a skeleton that had jumped out of the darkness, which led her to be placed in a B-Class, much to her dismay.

An evaluation given without her being able to showcase her abilities. And this news had surely reached her father, the stern duke of the empire, who had supported her in every way since her birth.

"Ahh..."

Just thinking about what kind of reprimand would await her upon returning home was enough to make her feel uneasy. Unlike the others who were filled with expectations, she could only let out deep sighs.

"Delia, why do you look so worried?"

"Ah. Mari."

Whether she knew of Delia's worries or not, a girl approached her and spoke.

This girl, Mari, who was said to be from the western Gallia Kingdom, had been assigned a room next to Delia's dormitory, and thanks to her natural sociability, they had already become friendly despite the semester just beginning.

"When I see you sighing, you look like a cat caught in the rain."

"Is that a compliment?"

"Indeed."

"...I know it sounds unfortunate, but if my father finds out that I, who was called a promising talent in the territory, ended up in B-Class... it would really cause a stir."

"That's unfortunate, but right now, you need to focus on the situation at hand."

"Yeah, I know that."

Delia replied and let out another deep sigh.

She didn't know where Mari's territory was, but it was clear from her words that Mari had grown up surrounded by much love from her parents and those around her.

Perhaps even Mari wouldn't think that way if she were to meet her father. After all, a duke of the empire carries a unique sense of intimidation just by existing.

"It's quite fascinating, isn't it? There are so many people, yet it doesn't feel like everyone is here."

At Mari's words, Delia lifted her head from the desk and looked around.

Indeed, there were an enormous number of students. The academy had students from first to fourth year. The ones sitting in this classroom were all first-year students, participating in the B-Class of the course "Understanding and Mastery of Mana."

This meant that even at this very moment, countless students were preparing for classes within the vast academy grounds... It was a scale that didn't quite feel real, even though she was a student there.

"Out of the blue, Delia, do you know something?"

"Hmm?"

"I think the men of the Vera Empire are more handsome than those of the Gallia Kingdom. Their skin looks smooth, and they seem tall."

"...Is that all you've been looking at?"

Delia, taken aback by the sudden whisper, stared at Mari.

She knew that Mari was from a rural baron family in the neighboring country, but what was with the talk about boys at the academy?

Delia snorted in disbelief. Although she was currently struggling with feelings of depression due to the entrance exam results, she was still a noble lady of the duke's family. She thought it was time for a stern lecture for her new friend and was about to rise when...

"Look over there, Delia. That guy."

"..."

She still hadn't regained her composure!

Delia thought, but soon, against her will, her head turned to look, and her face flushed.

'Maybe I need more training.'

Yes, as a noble lady of the duke's family, there was a certain dignity she needed to uphold... But still, it wouldn't hurt to at least take a glance at the subject of her friend's excitement.

As Delia compromised with herself internally, she eventually found the person Mari was pointing at after turning her head back and forth.

"Wow."

"Right? I told you I was right!"

Nodding vigorously.

Just moments ago, she had intended to give Mari a stern talking-to as a friend, but that thought vanished, and Delia was now enthusiastically nodding her head.

He was a man with a striking appearance.

His hair was as blue as the sky above. In stark contrast, his red jewel-like eyes sparkled with light... And that wasn't all. He had a tall stature, and though his physique was hidden under his clothes, the cold impression he gave off made Delia's face feel hot just by looking at him.

The man who had just entered the classroom quietly surveyed his surroundings.

It seemed he was looking for an empty seat, and after a moment of scanning the classroom, he confidently walked over and sat next to Delia and Mari. Naturally, Mari, who had been quietly observing, suddenly clung to Delia and began to whisper excitedly.

"What should we do? He's sitting next to us!"

"What, what should we do? It's just because this was the only empty seat."

"Should we talk to him?"

"Um... Ah, no."

Did he hear Delia's words?

"Hello."

Ignoring Delia's words, Mari spoke to the man, leaving Delia with no choice but to internally groan.

'Why did you even ask then!'

But voicing that thought was a completely different matter. So, Delia swallowed her words with difficulty and could only watch her friend's antics in a daze.

"...Nice to meet you."

"I'm Mari from the Gallia Kingdom. This friend sitting next to me is the famous lady of the Hindenstaufen duke family, Delia."

"M-Mari!"

Without a care, Mari revealed her identity. Naturally, Delia wanted to stop her, but the water had already been spilled.

"From the Gallia Kingdom? Is that true?"

"She's the daughter of a baron family whose name isn't well-known."

"...I see. My name is Veris."

"That's a nice name."

Whether he knew how Delia felt or not, Veris nodded with a somewhat sour expression at Mari's cheerful compliment.

What did that mean? Delia felt a wary gaze from Veris, who suddenly acted so friendly, and she raised her hand to cover her face.

'Veris?'

However, one fact struck her mind.

'C-Could it be that robe-wearing elf from back then?'

Delia wondered why he had worn a robe and kept his hood up back then, despite having such a face.

* * *

As soon as Veris sat down and was approached by the talkative girl, he couldn't help but express his confusion.

'From Gallia?'

It was strange.

He remembered seeing the girl named Delia on the first day he arrived at the academy. But Mari's introduction and reality seemed to be drastically different.

'It must be Maria, not Mari.'

< Stats >

Maria Theresa von Winsburg de Vera

Strength: 75

Intelligence: 90

Mana: 93

Agility: 68

Charm: 92

Was there anyone living in this world who didn't know the name of the Vera Empire's royal family?

Maria Theresa.

Even someone as oblivious to the world as Veris would be lying if he said he hadn't heard that name.

'What kind of game is this? Is the princess hiding her power? What could this mean?'

What on earth was a princess of the empire and a new student at the academy doing suddenly popping up in a B-Class classroom? Moreover, her stats were quite high, making her an unfortunate talent to be in B-Class.

"How did you get into the academy, Veris? No, your name sounds familiar. I feel like I've heard it long ago…"

What made Veris even more bewildered was that this clueless princess seemed completely unaware that her identity had been revealed and was happily chattering away.

Usually, someone from the royal family would act with more gravity and exude an oppressive atmosphere, but watching her, he wondered if it was even possible to be this lighthearted. Or perhaps she was just pretending to be someone with a light demeanor.

"...So I defeated a band of thieves. Despite my delicate appearance, I'm quite capable, you know?"

"Ah, yes."

Even as the class was about to begin, Maria continued to chatter away. Veris was only responding with short answers, yet she seemed to enjoy talking to him so much that she was now sharing adventure stories unprompted.

Delia, sitting behind Maria and shaking her head, looked strangely haggard, as if all her energy had been drained.

Seeing her unfortunate state, Veris couldn't help but break into a sweat.

'What a mistake.'

Originally, the only talkative person around him was Gunther. But they say there's always another sky beyond the sky.

That was exactly what the situation felt like. He had thought Gunther was the most talkative person in the academy, but this princess, hiding her identity, was several times worse.

─ Rattle.

"Silence."

But no matter how talkative someone is, there are clear limits. The person who saved Veris from the sudden noise was none other than a robust middle-aged man.

He seemed to want to convey, "I'm a professor," with his shiny bald head and small glasses that suited him well.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Professor Theon, and I'll be teaching you for the year."

After introducing himself, Professor Theon silently surveyed the students sitting in the classroom.

Perhaps because it was the first class, a strangely heavy silence hung in the air.

"I have an interesting proposal."

"A proposal?"

When a student responded to his declaration, Professor Theon nodded and slowly walked around the classroom before stepping up to the podium. His intense gaze, encompassing all the students, indicated that he was not an ordinary person.

"Professor, isn't the light reflecting off your head blinding?"

"Shh."

"Among you, if anyone can handle white mana, or if they themselves can, please report to me. I will put your name on the scholarship list and recommend you to a higher class, risking my honor as a professor."

Murmurs.

A small commotion arose among the students at Professor Theon's strange proposal.

"White mana? What on earth is that?"

"I've never heard of it before."

The students' reactions seemed to be something he had anticipated, as he raised his hand to quiet the noise and paused for a moment before continuing.

"Then, I will now begin the class."

As he spoke, Professor Theon's gaze landed squarely on Veris. It was a fleeting moment that no one else noticed, but Veris did not miss it.