11 - The Class A

The moment Professor Ludger entered, the atmosphere shifted. Conversations died down like a switch had been flipped.

He walked to the center of the class, his coat fluttering slightly, his expression as stern as ever.

"I'll keep it simple," he began, his voice crisp. "I'm not going to waste your time with introductions. You'll get to know each other on your own. Starting today."

The class blinked in surprise. No formalities, or traditional introduction?

He snapped his fingers, and a stack of papers materialized on each student's desk.

"That is your course selection form," Ludger said. "Unlike the other classes, which follow a fixed curriculum, Class A is structured around each student's individual growth. You'll pick your own path. That freedom comes with responsibility."

Ellen glanced down at the form. There were countless boxes to check, each one representing a different subject or discipline.

Mana Control, Energy Affinity Recognition, Aura Mastery, Shaping Energy Constructs, Elemental Magic, Non-Attributed Magic, Magical Theory and Law, Runic Inscription and Enchantment, Combat Training.

And those were just on the first page.

"Goddamn, do we really need that many?" Ellen muttered, flipping through the pages.

"You might be surprised, but last year, there were complaints about there being too few," Caelan said, already scanning his own sheet.

"What? That actually happened?" Even Sylva blurted out her disbelief without thinking.

Realizing she'd spoken too loudly, she immediately lowered her gaze. "S-Sorry..." she whispered.

"Haha! Yeah, that's what happened," Caelan said with a grin. "Before, there were only 56 classes. Now? Roughly 70 or so."

"Yeah, those people are sick," Ellen said, still flipping through lazily. Choosing classes felt alien to her. In the past, her family simply hired instructors for her at home.

But despite herself, something in her stirred as she read the list. Excitement?

SLAP

Ellen slapped her cheek lightly.

Sylva and Caelan jumped.

"For god's sake, Ellen's influence is burdening me," she muttered. Her logic, her instincts, they were being twisted by the original Ellen's mind. Especially when she wasn't consciously thinking.

"You may choose up to six classes to start," Ludger continued. "Each one is supervised by a specialist. Your choices will determine your schedule, your instructors, and your long-term growth. Choose wisely."

His sharp gaze swept across the room. "You have fifteen minutes. After that, I expect your forms on my desk."

The classroom burst into life with the rustle of paper, scribbles of pens, and murmured opinions. The weight of freedom hit hard.

What they expected to be a chill morning class had turned into a critical decision.

Ellen tapped her pen thoughtfully against her lips.

Mana Control and Aura Mastery are musts, she thought. Shaping Energy too, maybe. But Elemental Magic? Do I even need that?

Beside her, Sylva agonized over Runic Inscription versus Magical Theory, while Caelan confidently ticked his boxes without hesitation.

Suddenly, Ellen stood up.

"E-Ellen?" Sylva called out timidly, but Ellen didn't respond.

She walked over to a cluster of students huddled together. Her eyes scanned them.

"Any knights here?"

The abrupt question stunned the group. They looked at one another, confused.

A tall boy with sandy brown hair hesitantly raised his hand. "I—I am."

Ellen approached him without hesitation. "Let me see your course selections."

The boy blinked, surprised by her directness, but handed over his form. Ellen's crimson eyes scanned it briefly before her brow furrowed.

"'Aura Mastery,' 'Weapon Enhancement,' 'Energy Form Reinforcement,' and… 'Kinetic Response Training?' Aren't these all the same thing with different labels?"

The boy gave a sheepish chuckle. "Well, no. They all build on different fundamentals. Like, Aura Mastery is about controlling your internal energy, Weapon Enhancement focuses on channeling aura into physical weapons for reinforcement, Energy Form is about stabilizing your aura during external manifestations, and Kinetic Response is about reflex training with energy surges. Like moving in sync with it."

Ellen stared at him.

"…That didn't help."

He laughed awkwardly. "Uh, yeah, it's… kinda niche until you get into them."

Ellen tilted her head, eyes narrowed in obvious skepticism. "Why not just group them together and call it aura stuff?"

Several students tried to stifle their laughter.

Ellen was smart. Sharp, logical, and deeply observant. But that didn't change the fact she had only been in this world for a little over a week. Again, she's like a baby in this world...

And yet, there was something strangely captivating about the way she furrowed her brows, lips slightly parted in confusion. Her way of asking question repeatedly. And how she confidently took a seat among them.

Some of the girls nearby exchanged hushed whispers, their cheeks lightly flushed.

"Ain't she kinda... handsome?"

"Right? I didn't get a good look before but, even this side of her is charming."

"Ugh, she's going to have a fan club by the end of the week, I swear."

Ellen sighed and handed the form back. "Well, thank you, I'll pay you back later."

She turned and walked back to her desk with long, confident strides, the sun catching in her still-damp hair. The group she'd spoken to just stared after her.

Caelan let out a low whistle. "She really does things her own way, huh."

Sylva, who had been nervously watching from behind her desk, let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. She thought that Ellen is really cool and want to become like her.

And then, the thought hit her like a weight.

'Ah… someone like me could never…'

Meanwhile, Ellen returned to her seat, dropping into it with a small huff. She scratched one of her previous picks off the list with an irritated frown.

"Kinetic Response, my ass," she muttered.

Her eyes scanned the room again. And caught the look on Sylva's face.

"What's up with her?" she asked lazily, glancing sideways to Caelan.

"The usual," Caelan replied simply. "Lack of self-confidence."

Ellen furrowed. "…You people are going crazy."

With a sigh, she went back to the form and spent the next five minutes carefully selecting each class with deliberate thought.

Her final choices are, Aura Mastery, Mana Control, Combat Training, Understanding of Mana and Aura, Non-Attributed Magic, and Weaponry.

"Oh, we've got two classes together," Caelan said as he peeked over at her form.

"But Mana Control and Non-Attributed Magic? Isn't that a bit off-track for a knight?" He added

"For no reason at all," she replied dryly, leaning back. "None of the other knight courses looked helpful. Might as well dip into magic."

The truth, of course, was a little different. Some of the protagonists were taking those classes. She needed to keep close in order to progress the story safely.

"And Sylva…" Caelan glanced toward the girl. "You went full-on mage path, huh? As expected."

The class was buzzing with chatter again, students comparing choices and trying to predict which instructors would be the harshest.

Then Professor Ludger checked his watch.

"Fifteen minutes have passed," he announced, cutting through the noise like a blade. "Someone collect the forms. Now."

A short silence followed. No one moved.

Until—

"Your form, please."

The voice was soft, but carried a natural elegance. One by one, students looked up with surprise.

"A-ah, right, sorry!" someone stammered, handing over their sheet.

It was Cecilia San Etienne, the only true noble in the room. And most people thought she would never do something so mundane as this.

However, Ellen knew the reason. Cecilia needed allies. Powerful ones. In a class filled with powerful commoners and lesser nobles, showing humility was a good move.

Once all the forms were collected, Professor Ludger took the stack without so much as a nod.

"Class is dismissed," he said curtly. "You're free for the rest of the day. But don't waste it."

He turned to the board and tapped it once with his finger. Magical script glowed faintly, revealing a list of rooms, departments, and training areas.

"Visit the courses you've selected. Observe, ask questions, get a feel for your instructors. By tomorrow, you'll be locked in."

With that, Professor Ludger left the classroom without another word.

The students began rising from their seats, excitement and tension rippling through the air like static.

"Now, Ellen, want to check classes togeth—huh? Where is she?" Caelan blinked, turning in his seat.

"S-she left... as soon as Professor left," Sylva replied, hugging her course form.

Caelan let out a dramatic sigh. "Well, that's too bad. Guess it's just you and me now." And without waiting for a reply, he began dragging Sylva toward the hallway.

The poor, introverted Sylva, plagued with social anxiety and her shy nature, could never refute someone like Caelan. And so, she followed him, unwillingly, like a kitten being pulled by the tail.

---

Meanwhile, Ellen aimlessly strolled around the academy grounds.

The sun was warm, the breeze mild, and yet she felt... uninterested.

Should I go and visit those classes? she wondered, kicking a pebble off the stone path. I don't feel like it.

Eventually, she plopped down on a nearby bench, arms stretched out behind her, legs lazily crossed.

"This place is boring..." she muttered. Her eyes scanned the clear sky, frustration leaking into her voice. "I want to go to a brothel."

"Why are you talking about brothels?"

The sudden voice made Ellen blink. A girl appeared beside her as if summoned by that very word.

Brown hair, blue eyes. Her posture was relaxed, her expression unreadable. Half amusement, half curiosity. A face Ellen knew well. It's no other than the main protagonist of the game.

She sat down on the bench casually, as if they were already friends.

"You don't look surprised," Ellen said.

"Why would I be?" the girl replied with a teasing smile. "You look like the kind of person who'd say something like that."

"And you look like the kind of person who like to eavesdrop."

"Maybe I am." She chuckled, leaning her head back. "Anyway, how's freedom treating you, fellow classmate?"

Ellen glanced sideways. "What do you want?"

"Nothing in particular. I'm just surprised that a classmate of mine wants to go to a brothel."

"Oh yeah? Your reaction says otherwise."

"Hmm. Is it that obvious?"

"Not to most," Ellen said. "But I read people well."

The girl laughed, a clear, genuine sound that rang against the quiet garden.

"You're interesting," she said. "I like that. You don't walk around trying to be liked. Refreshing."

Ellen tilted her head, a smirk forming. "And you could say the same to yourself."

"Is that so?" the girl said with a mock sigh. "You know, I was planning on ditching. You in?"

"Depends. What are we going to do?"

"Something more fun than watching adults explain mana flow diagrams," she grinned. "How about a little trip to the city?"

Ellen leaned back again, stretching her arms. The breeze tickled her cheeks.

"Sounds good," she said. "I was getting bored anyway."

"Right?" The girl stood up and offered her a hand, not out of politeness, but like she was pulling someone into mischief.

Ellen took it.

"Charlotte Lilt," the girl said. "Call me whatever you want."

"Ellen," she replied simply.

The two of them walked off together. And just like that, they skipped orientation.