The orientation venue was a lavish, tiered lecture hall with around forty seats.
My noisy exchange from a moment ago seemed to have made me quite the spectacle among some of the students.
They were staring in my direction with keen interest.
A refined-looking man with red hair styled in an undercut walked over to my side.
"Are you Kai Heinemann?"
He asked with an intrigued tone.
"Indeed, I am. And you would be?"
"I'm Hijiri Mikagami."
Hijiri, was it? As I recalled, that was the name of the Holy Amelia Kingdom's Paladin.
"I see. Looks like we're in the same class, so I look forward to working with you. Though I don't seem to see the Hero anywhere?"
I had heard that starting this year, the Hero had transferred from an academy in the Holy Amelia Kingdom to study here at Babel. To prevent chaos, a special entrance exam had been held on a different day from the general admissions, and every member of the Hero's party had reportedly passed with unprecedented scores. They were people of extraordinary caliber. I had assumed it only natural that they would be assigned to this Specialized S-Class.
"Ahhh, the moment Mashiro learned you were in this S-class, she flatly refused to join."
Wait, you could refuse? If I had known that, I would have refused as well.
"She seems to dislike me quite a bit."
"There's a good chance you're part of what changed Gil so much. Honestly, I think it's only natural."
"Gil changing wasn't particularly my doing."
I meant it. The fact that Gil managed to safely return from the stray path he had taken was his own achievement, seized after enduring hardship and despair. I had merely provided the opportunity.
"I have a rough idea about that. I know a huge part of it was due to that monster of a Prime Minister, too. Even so, your influence played a big part in Gil maturing so much mentally. That's how I see it."
"Is that so? And what if that were true?"
"Nothing, really. I'm not like Mashiro. For better or worse, I don't have that strong of an attachment to the demon race or monsters of this world."
"Hmm. Hardly the kind of statement one would expect from a core member of the Hero's party, famous for their discriminatory views."
"Discriminatory, huh...? Yeah. That's how the public sees us. I find that deeply frustrating, but considering Mashiro's recent words and actions, I unfortunately can't deny it, which stings."
Hijiri voiced that heavily contradictory thought with a lonely look.
"Hey, Hijiri! Stop talking to that incompetent fool and get over here already!"
Satoru the Sage called out to Hijiri with an overtly displeased scowl. Looks like the little Sage dislikes me too. Still, much like Hijiri, the fact that he dutifully attended this class might make him more mature than the Hero.
"Yeah, yeah."
Hijiri shrugged his shoulders and walked away.
"Now then."
I suppose I should find a seat as well. It didn't appear that seating was assigned by individual or affiliated academy. Just as I was about to sit down in an empty spot nearby—
"Kaa-kun?"
A familiar voice resonated from behind, striking my eardrums. Snapping my head around to look over my shoulder, I saw a beautiful girl with waist-length red hair standing right before my eyes.
This nostalgic feeling. Those gentle eyes, paired with that glossy, well-kept red hair... I had known this girl for a very long time.
"Yes... Lena, it has been a while."
It was Lena Grot, my childhood friend and the person I was most attached to before being trapped in that labyrinth.
Lena stared at me for a moment, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes, and then—
"Kaa-kun!"
She threw her arms around me. Burying her face into my chest, she went completely still. Ever since we were children, whenever Lena was hurting or sad, she had a habit of burying her face in my chest and crying. I imagined she was crying this time, too.
I let out a soft sigh and gently stroked the back of her head with my right hand, just like old times, when—
"Kai!"
A boy with long blue hair tied in the back raised his right hand and shouted my name.
Today was truly turning out to be a day full of reunions.
"Hey, long time no see, Keith."
Keith Steinberg. One of my precious childhood friends from the Fortress City of Lamoor.
Keith stared intently, looking me over with great care.
"Ah, Kai... did your vibe change a bit?"
He voiced a question that was rather awkward to answer.
"Yes, well, I went for a bit of a make-over recently."
It wasn't as though I could tell him I was abducted and confined in a labyrinth for a hundred thousand years. So, I tried to scrape together a feeble excuse.
"We haven't seen each other in a long while, so I guess that makes sense. But strangely enough, it doesn't feel unnatural. I think it suits you, that make-over."
While feeling deeply grateful to my close friend for validating my lame, spur-of-the-moment excuse, I pressed on.
"Thanks. So? Are you two joining this S-class as well?"
I forcefully steered the subject away. Having grown up like siblings with Lena and Keith, they would sometimes notice subtle changes in me that I didn't even realize myself. Continuing to talk about me carried countless risks and not a single benefit.
"We Tower students got the order to join this S1-Class, too. Lena was pouting up a storm, complaining that she'd be too busy to see you again, Kai. At least now I won't have to waste my energy trying to talk her down."
Judging by the sheer emotion in his voice, there was likely a good deal of truth to that. Lena had always been strangely stubborn; if she set her mind against something, she would flatly refuse.
I had heard that because students belonging to the Tower had a demanding curriculum, their classes started earlier than usual. Lena and Keith were probably already on quite a grueling schedule.
"There don't seem to be assigned seats, so let's go sit down."
When I urged Keith and Lena, who was still clinging to me and refusing to let go—
"Okay!"
Lena wiped her tears with her right sleeve, nodded with an innocent smile, and latched onto my right arm. She probably wasn't going to leave my side for the rest of the day.
"Sounds good. Let's sit."
Keith agreed, and the three of us took our seats side by side.