First Lesson
Gently…
“That is why you are all members of the Lichten Academy….”
Gently…
As the lecture time arrived, the professor of the class entered the classroom and began the orientation. However, the gaze of the other students was fixed on me and Sophia.
“Hm?”
If I were to be called the most prominent student in this academy right now, it would be this young lady sitting next to me, not paying attention to the class and instead staring at my face.
“hehehe.”
She is an examiner with extraordinary talent, who has reached the level of a sword expert at a young age and has the potential to become the youngest sword master. She is also the illegitimate daughter of the President of the Republic, a rising star in the continent.
Click.
This young lady, poking my cheek with her finger…
Honestly, it doesn’t make sense for the only daughter of the supreme commander of a powerful nation that governs the map of this continent to come to the academy.
And to send a daughter who could become even more vulnerable due to competition with the Empire?
Even though the Lichten Academy is supposed to have a neutral position, it’s still hard to believe.
But this novel, [Eclipse], resolves that improbability with Sophia’s overwhelming power.
I never expected a first-year academy student to defeat a professor in a duel.
Even though it’s said that she has the physical abilities to enter and leave my room from last night, it’s not a real regression, just a dream.
But it’s better to sit in the back like this.
Even now, sitting at the very back, if I had sat in the front, everyone would have been watching my every move, including Sophia.
It’s not just about gaining the interest of the nobles.
Within this academy, even the faction that conspires against me will become interested in me….
If I had gathered a little more strength, I would have been able to handle it even if that faction had noticed me. But now, it’s a bit tricky.
“Hoo….”
“Oh, you scared me!”
Suddenly, Sophia put her lips close to my ear and blew air.
I almost screamed in surprise, but I managed to swallow it down.
“W-what are you doing, Sophia-nim?”
“hehehe… Does it bother you so much, the gaze of other students?”
But she just smiled brightly at me.
“I don’t care at all. The only one who can make Sophia here feel self-conscious is you, Secretary.”
This woman… Was she always like this?
At this point, she seemed colder and more rigid.
“Sophia.”
“Yes?”
“Call me Sophia. You are the only one who can address me by name. …Right, at this point, my father must still be alive. I could introduce you to him.”
And then, her face unexpectedly turned red.
…I really can’t believe it.
Did I fall into a hallucination?
Sophia, who had never blushed even once until the end of the novel, is blushing so easily like this!
What kind of dream did I have?
“Sophia…”
“You can skip the formalities. You and I are on such terms.”
“…Is that so?”
“Quickly.”
“Got it.”
“Alright.”
As I spoke softly, she smiled brightly as if she was satisfied.
Wasn’t she the one who never smiled even when her own episode ended in the novel [Eclipse]?
Wait, is this the Sophia I know?
“By the way, I heard that the Saint visited your room last night.”
Despite the professor explaining something in front, she came over to talk to me without paying any attention.
…But how does she know that?
The Saint clearly came after Sophia left and some time had passed.
“What happened?”
Her voice, which had always sounded warm, suddenly felt cold.
Was it… an illusion?
“Why would the Saint visit your room late at night?”
“They sensed… something impure.”
“Impure?”
Maybe the reason the Saint visited my room was because of Sophia’s visit.
But I felt that I couldn’t answer with the reason as it was.
For some reason, if I answered like that, it felt like I wouldn’t be able to see tomorrow’s sun.
“Yes. I heard that something suspicious was detected in that room. So, you came to purify it in the middle of the night.”
Although not entirely the truth, I answered based on the truth.
“Hmm…”
Sophia pinched her chin with a doubtful expression.
As if trying to gauge whether this empty talk was the truth.
“You have a habit of looking slightly upward every time you lie.”
Huh.
What? Did I have such a habit?
How do you know that?
“…It seemed like your gaze hesitated a little to call it a lie. I don’t really know. I thought I knew everything about you.”
Sophia smirked.
“But you wouldn’t lie about something like this. I remember. The sight of you swearing to protect only me. You wouldn’t cheat on me like that.”
Phew…
How did I get away with that?
Wait, but technically I didn’t do anything, right?
I wasn’t even cheating in the first place! We’re not even involved!
“However, if you were to deceive me and cheat on me.”
Snap.
The desk crumpled like paper in Sofia’s clenched hand.
“At that time, I’ll probably train a peanut and make it my own pet.”
For some reason, her words didn’t sound like a joke at all.
* * *
Office of the Principal of Lichten Academy
“Why is that?”
“As I mentioned, all the class schedules at the Academy are arranged before the start of the semester. And that’s why all course registrations are done in advance. That’s also why there are hardly any changes in the courses taken by students after the semester starts.”
From Noble mtl dot com
Standing in front of someone’s desk, the saint Artoria was arguing.
The target of her argument was none other than the principal of Lichten Academy, the philosopher Beatrice.
Despite having the appearance of a mere 10-year-old girl, she was the most brilliant genius from the Academy, having reached the 8th circle through overwhelming magical abilities.
“But I heard that in unavoidable circumstances, you can change the course until the orientation week!”
“Of course.”
“In that case, can’t I change my course as well?”
“That… um…”
Beatrice felt a throbbing in her head.
When the Holy Maiden of the Empire and the daughter of the Republic’s President enrolled in the academy earlier this year, she thought it wouldn’t be easy.
Even though it was an academy attended by nobles and high-ranking individuals, having two people from such influential backgrounds enroll was unexpected.
She was thinking of just getting through this year and retiring quickly…
And now one of the maidens suddenly came and said she wanted to change the course she was taking.
And she wanted to take it together with that student, Secretary Grancoignell.
“As I mentioned before, it’s only in ‘unavoidable’ situations. It could be a problem with the professor of the class or a conflict between students. It’s not about changing the lecture just to get closer to someone or to listen to someone you like!”
Requests to change classes because they wanted to take them with someone they liked had been pouring in.
They were energetic students, and they held high social status.
Of course, it was only natural. But if we were to grant all these requests, the order of the academy would be disrupted.
That’s why the academy had been ignoring these requests all along.
They should have registered for the classes earlier. If they were dissatisfied, they could leave the academy, couldn’t they?
Fortunately, the students who made such requests were those who held positions that could be suppressed by the power of the academy.
Wouldn’t those with high social status like nobles, at least for the sake of their reputation, refrain from asking to change classes for someone they liked?
But why a saint! Why of all people, a saint!
“N-No, it’s not like that!”
Well, it sure looks like it. Your face alone screams ‘girl in love’.
“I-I already have a partner that Deus has decided for me. We’re already close…”
The saint blushed and fidgeted.
Goodness gracious. What a fuss.
“Anyway, unless there’s an unavoidable reason…”
“Ah, it really can’t be done!”
Ah, I don’t know.
Whatever.
Just go.
I dismissed the saint with an air of indifference and sent her out of the principal’s office.
Ah.
First, let me take a little break….
Bang!
“Director! Something big has happened!”
The secretary opened the door and rushed in.
“Something big? Can’t you see that I’m taking a break? Who dares to come in without knocking!”
Do I have to control these lower-ranked people again? Ugh.
Why am I so stressed these days, seriously.
“Well, well, what is it?”
“T-That… “
“Well, what is it now?”
“T-That… the Empire’s princess…!”
“The princess? So what?”
Why is she…?
Come to think of it, I heard she will also attend the Academy next year. She sure talks a lot.
“The princess is at the Academy’s main gate right now!”
…Oh my god.
I should really give that damn director a good punch.