“…I’m so nervous…”
“What’s there to be nervous about? You’re just attending the entrance ceremony,” Grandpa said, tilting his head in confusion. He’ll never understand this feeling since he’s not a fanboy.
—The extreme tension of being in the same space as my favorite character.
By the way, I’m currently sitting in a corner of the academy’s lecture hall, surrounded by unfamiliar faces, probably seated in order of academic rank. Meanwhile, Grandpa is in the spiritual realm, and we’re communicating telepathically through a connection.
But it’s not just being in the same space as my favorite that’s making me nervous. I’m also worried that the protagonist might discover my true identity.
Kai, the protagonist. A wildcard whose actions are unpredictable. Sooner or later, I’ll have to deal with him.
“—We will now begin the 400th entrance ceremony.”
It seems I was lost in thought, and the ceremony started without me noticing.
Hurriedly, I stood up and bowed along with everyone else. Luckily, I managed to blend in without drawing attention.
The ceremony proceeded smoothly, and finally, it was time for the freshman representative’s speech. The person who ranked first in the year gives this speech, so it naturally reveals who the top student is. In the game, Hera was clearly the top student, but with Kai’s unexpected strength, it’s uncertain now.
However, to my relief, Hera stood from her seat and ascended the stage. It looks like she really did take the top spot.
So far, the story is following its course. It seems that some form of narrative force exists in this world.
Otherwise, Hera taking first place would be a bit of a stretch. Kai likely outperformed her in both magic measurement and the mock battle, and if he’s a reincarnated character, it’s hard to imagine him messing up on a written exam either.
Yet, despite that, Hera is the top student… Well, it’s possible Kai lost points for poor behavior, but if even his personality is being manipulated, then I’d say it’s safe to call it the world’s narrative force at work.
But enough about that. I need to focus on Hera’s speech.
I sharpened my senses to the max, focusing all my attention on Hera. Right now, my feelings are like those of a fanboy watching his favorite idol.
As Hera stepped onto the stage, she briefly glanced around as if searching for someone, then showed a hint of disappointment. Despite that, she quickly put on a dignified expression and began to speak.
“—With the arrival of this warm spring, we, 1,000 students, are able to celebrate our entrance into the Royal Magic Academy. During our time here, there may be moments of confusion or hardship, but I hope to overcome them together with my fellow classmates. With the guidance of our principal, teachers, and senior students, we pledge to continue our efforts. On behalf of the 400th cohort, I, Hera Dragonslay, express our gratitude.”
As Hera finished and bowed, the teachers started clapping, and soon, the entire hall followed suit.
Of course, I was the first to clap. Honestly, I had been ready to clap before the speech even started.
And when I clapped, did Hera briefly meet my eyes? I thought I saw her expression soften for a moment… but maybe it was just my imagination. She’s far too radiant for me to think she’d recognize someone like me.
Amid the thunderous applause, Hera made a graceful bow and descended from the stage. I watched her from my seat, feeling like a proud parent watching their child’s big moment.
Well—there’s no need to pay attention to the rest of the ceremony, so I’ll just tune it out.
I decided to take a nap.
“…Found you.”
As Hera descended from the stage, a faint smile crossed her face.
“Um… my class is…”
After the entrance ceremony, I checked the paper magically assigned to me that listed my class and headed toward the classroom. I’ve been to this academy hundreds of times already, so I wasn’t at risk of getting lost.
For the record, I was placed in Class C, the one where neither elites nor problem students gathered—exactly the class I was hoping for.
Being in the same class as Hera in Class S would be nerve-wracking; who knows what kind of strange behavior I might exhibit. The higher the class, the stronger the nobles’ sense of superiority, so I’d rather avoid that. On the other hand, the lowest class, Class F, is notorious for being full of troublemakers—way too much hassle.
Class C, if I recall correctly, is the only one without any main story characters. I’m not completely confident about that, but I distinctly remember there being one class that was full of NPCs, so this should be it.
In other words—Class C is the most peaceful, laid-back class in the academy.
Feeling a little excited to see the classroom I’d seen countless times in the game now in real life, I opened the sliding door. The familiar sound of the door creaking echoed through the room as I glanced around—
“—…Huh?”
My gaze was instantly drawn to one student sitting by the window in the far back corner of Class C. I was so shocked I couldn’t look away.
There sat a boy with an incredibly handsome face, gazing melancholically out the window.
I knew that boy very well. I had used him in my party constantly throughout the game.
“Wh-Why is the protagonist’s friend character here…?”
It was Arthur Windstorm, a friend of the protagonist Kai, one of the most powerful characters in the game, and someone who was supposed to be in Class F, the lowest-ranked class.
…Maybe there really is no narrative force controlling this world after all.
Such thoughts raced through my mind as I stood there, stunned.
