Episode 27: Townsperson A Enrolls in the Higher Academy

I finally turned fifteen. Here is how my situation looked at the time.

Name: Allen Rank: C Age: 15 Divine Protection: Wind God Skills: Stealth, Appraisal, Alchemy, Wind Magic, Multi-Cast, Chantless Residence: Luluden Funds: 34,519,728 Level: 37 Physical Strength: C Mana: A Achievements: Goblin Labyrinth Conqueror, Goblin Slayer, Orc Slayer, Youngest C-Rank

I had become the youngest C-rank adventurer in history. Even after shelling out twenty million for my enrollment fees and tuition, my savings were still overflowing. I owed this fortune largely to that hidden altar; by any metric, I had already succeeded as an adventurer.

I hadn’t originally intended to reach C-rank so quickly, but the pressure from the Guild intensified once they recognized my Orc Slayer achievement. My mentor eventually talked me into claiming the record for the youngest rank-up, so I spent my fourteenth year taking on escort missions and bandit subjugations until I hit the mark.

My level sat at thirty-seven. In the context of the game, that was high enough to win the final battle against Fallen Anastasia.

While I hadn't seen much real combat lately, I had been diligent with the swordsmanship training I’d requested from my mentor. Thanks to that, I managed to pass the martial portion of the entrance exam—though I couldn't actually beat the examiner. The magic exam, naturally, was a breeze. If anything, the hardest part was holding back enough to ensure I didn’t stand out.

I’ve used my Stealth skill to cloak every skill and blessing I have, save for Wind Magic. If the academy found out a student possessed this much power, I’d likely be dragged into all sorts of tedious trouble.

Until the Condemnation Event occurs, my top priority is to remain inconspicuous. So far, the only things I’ve done to deviate from the original Scenario were providing the Scroll of Appraisal and the simple fact of my own existence as an outsider slipping into the academy.

From here on, I intend to let things proceed according to the game’s script as much as possible. By intervening at the Condemnation Event, I will stop the villainess, Anastasia, from falling into darkness. That, in turn, should save my mother, my mentor, Monica, my seniors, and eventually the entire Royal Capital.

I can do this.

The season of dancing cherry blossoms arrived, and the time finally came for me to enroll in the all-boarding Royal Academy—the primary stage of the otome game.

Dressed in a crisp, brand-new blazer, I passed through the gates of the Royal Academy and headed toward the auditorium for the entrance ceremony. Posted at the entrance were the exam results in descending order, along with our class assignments.

1st: Anastasia Kleiner von Ramslett (Noble) 2nd: Allen (Scholarship) 3rd: Amy von Braises (Noble) 4th: Marcus von Beinz (Noble) 5th: Claude Justine de Westadale (Noble) 6th: Oscar von Wimlett (Noble) 7th: Margaret von Altmund (Noble) ... 11th: Karlheinz Bartille von Sentlaren (Noble) ... 21st: Leonard von Jukes (Noble)

──── B-Class ────

22nd: Vandalen von Seeben (Noble) 23rd: Heidemarie Asmus (General) 24th: Isabella von Luyinberg (Noble) ... 39th: Glen Whiteberg (General)

It looked like they had accepted a total of thirty-nine students this year. The labels in parentheses indicated the enrollment type: "Noble" for the aristocracy, "Scholarship" for those who passed the special entrance exam, and "General" for commoners. Incidentally, being a "Scholarship" student only meant I was exempt from the written exam; it didn't come with any actual financial aid for tuition.

For some reason, I had been placed in A-Class. I had no desire to get involved in the main story events, so B-Class would have been much better, but...

Well, there was no sense crying over spilled milk. Naturally, every other student in A-Class was a noble. Even in B-Class, there were only three slots for commoners.

I took a seat in the back corner of the A-Class section, hoping to remain invisible. After all, I wasn't even allowed to speak to my classmates. According to the etiquette training I’d received before enrollment, a commoner addressing a noble of their own accord was considered an act of disrespect.

In short, I was forbidden from speaking until spoken to. Even after that initial contact, I wasn't allowed to initiate further conversation without their express permission.

I didn't mind this at all, given my goal of staying out of the spotlight, but if I were a normal kid who’d enrolled with high hopes, finding my "loner" status legally mandated would have been enough to cause a mental breakdown.

After a short wait, the other students began filing in.

Anastasia entered the room, trailing an entourage. She was every bit the staggering beauty I remembered, possessing an aura that set her worlds apart from a commoner like me. She was elegant, yet fundamentally unapproachable. Her striking features were fixed in a cold, expressionless mask that made her look more like a marble statue than a person.

Anastasia spared me a single, fleeting glance before sitting in the front row, looking entirely uninterested.

Next came Crown Prince Karlheinz and his group. The other four capture targets were all present, as well. Every single one of them radiated a crushing, "heartthrob" energy.

If I were a girl who had played the game, I’m sure my heart would have been thumping in my chest. Instead, looking at them just made me feel weary. Even if it was just a game, these guys had spent a lot of time wooing me in my past life; as someone who didn't swing that way, it had been a source of significant psychological trauma.

They also gave me a brief look before taking their seats beside Anastasia.

Finally, the heroine entered—Amy, with her unmistakable pink hair. If I recalled correctly, she was the illegitimate child of a Baron, and had been raised as a commoner until only a few months ago.

She glanced my way, and to my shock, she walked straight toward me. She spoke in a voice as sweet and thick as syrup.

"Hellooo there. I’m Amy von Braises. You’re Allen-san, the scholarship student, right? It’s so nice to meet youuu."

Wait, what?

In the game, the heroine was supposed to be staring at the Crown Prince during the entrance ceremony, her heart all aflutter!

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Amy," I replied, fighting to keep my voice steady. "I am Allen. Just a commoner. I look forward to working with you."

"Allen-san, you skipped grades and graduated with perfect scores when you were eleven, didn't you? I was attending the same school as a commoner back then, and I remember everyone talking about ittt."

Amy blushed slightly, looking up at me with shimmering eyes.

She was... honestly, she was adorable. She was the heroine of an otome game, after all; it made sense that the capture targets would fall for her.

Still, I didn't remember her character being quite this sugary or airheaded.

And so, my academy life began—already haunted by the distinct premonition of trouble on the horizon.