During the orientation, opening remarks were given by the head teacher—who had just been reprimanding the staff member earlier—and Rasputin Grahart, followed by introductions from the Babel faculty assigned to teach the S-class.
There were twenty students in the S-class, which was by no means a large number.
Among the familiar faces, in addition to my longtime friends Lena and Keith, Roman was present as well. Judging by his thoroughly foul mood, I gathered he was disgruntled about being placed in a different specialized class from Laila.
According to Lumine, Laila had also been selected for a specialized class, ending up with Lumine and Rose. Roman had likely wanted to be in that one. He wore a sullen scowl the entire time. That said, attendance was typically only about once a week—at most three times—so I hardly thought it was worth getting worked up over.
Aside from them, the only others I recognized were the holy knight Hijiri and the Sage Satoru from the Hero's party, whom I had just met.
Following the introductions, each instructor began laying out the specifics.
There was one S-class per academic year, spanning S1 through S6 up to the sixth and final year at the Tower.
Apparently, starting this year, the academy had tightened the requirements for advancement; failing even a single time resulted in a permanent forfeiture of the right to attend any academy in Babel. This effectively eliminated the traditional scheme where royals and nobles would attend sporadically from childhood just to coast through the six-year curriculum. Furthermore, the entrance examinations had been made stricter, completely closing the door on admissions via personal connections. A welcome change, to be sure.
The S-class curriculum would focus primarily on practical training, while standard desk lectures would be held at each student's home academy. Moreover, exams would be administered as standardized tests across the S1-Class, and failing meant immediate expulsion.
It was fair to say that every policy outlined guaranteed impartiality. If pressed to find a flaw, it would only be that variations in written exam scores might emerge depending on the quality of instruction at each respective academy.
Even so, that disadvantage was offset by the fact that enrollment in the S-class granted unrestricted access to Babel's facilities. That included Babel's archives, where students were even permitted to borrow books freely. With that available, one could easily study enough on one's own. As long as opportunities for practical training were secured, it wouldn't pose much of a hindrance.
All the same, the man overseeing this S-class was that polished, slender figure, Rasputin Grahart. From what Rose and Chloe had told me, he was deeply steeped in the Central Church's doctrine—the very picture of meritocracy, Gift supremacy, and sheer self-interest.
Yet the curriculum he presented was, at least so far, remarkably solid and fair. On top of that, why had he shielded me at the reception earlier? There shouldn't have been any benefit in it for him whatsoever. And his parting words carried an ominous hint of danger in a different sense, sounding just like one of my subordinates. His present actions simply didn't match his past reputation.
Even according to that extraordinarily skilled broker in the Holy Amelia Kingdom, Rasputin was the living avatar of lineage-based Gift supremacy. While political rivals like Rose and Chloe might carry a degree of personal bias, I couldn't imagine that informant would be mistaken as well. In which case, someone like me, who possessed the Gift 'The Most Incompetent in the World,' should have been the most detestable sight imaginable to him.
Well, either way, it wouldn't change how I acted. I would simply do as I pleased.
Once the orientation concluded, I went to a Babel diner to have lunch with Lena and Keith.
"What is it? Is there something on my face?"
I asked, puzzled, as the two of them looked at me with smiles.
"Nah, I just didn't think the day would come so soon when the three of us could share a meal like this again."
Keith's wistful words prompted an immediate reaction.
"That's so true~! Lena's super happy too~!"
Setting down her spoon, Lena beamed and clung tightly to my arm.
"Lena... We're eating right now. Wait until you're done."
I chided her, just like I used to when we were little.
"Okaaay."
Playfully sticking out her tongue, Lena let go of my arm, scooped up some soup with her spoon, and took a sip.
"In the end, since you came here, Kai, does that mean the Heinemann Sword Style is really..."
"Yeah, Roman will probably inherit it."
Come to think of it, we used to have that sort of ugly family feud back in our hometown.
Now, however, I had severed all ties with the Heinemann Sword Style. I was currently making my living as a single swordsman and hunter. In a sense, this had been my dream and deepest longing for years. Ironically, it was precisely because the Fortress City of Lamoor was so discriminatory that I was exiled, stumbled upon that Easy Dungeon, and managed to fulfill my wish. Had it not been for Lamoor, I doubt I would have gained my freedom so easily.
"Then! Then! What's going to happen to Laila-chan!?"
Lena leaned forward across the table. Struck by how uncharacteristically earnest she looked, I replied,
"Nothing bad. Apparently, Laila told her family straight out that she would choose her own path. Her life belongs to her now."
I had no intention of getting overly entangled with Lamoor. Even so, if they tried to force her hand, I wouldn't show any mercy—not even to the Helner Family. I would crush them without hesitation.
"I see... Thank goodness."
Placing both hands over her generous chest, Lena breathed a deep sigh of relief. As her childhood friend, she must have been worried sick.
"Hey, Kai, I've been hearing some strange rumors around town..."
Fixing me with an intense gaze, Keith hesitated, finding it hard to get the words out.
"Rumors? Which ones?"
People seemed to be saying whatever crossed their minds about me. It was rather unfortunate that I couldn't dismiss every last one as entirely baseless.
"What do you mean, which ones? Just how many are you expecting, Kai?"
Keith's expression hardened. He really was sharp. He latched onto my casual phrasing and immediately tried to dig out the exact truth. Lying to him was pointless; he would see right through it anyway. In that case, it would be better to narrow the scope myself.
If that was the case, it had to be that one.
"Are you talking about me serving as Rose's Royal Guard?"
"Yeah."
The fact that I had been appointed Rose's Royal Guard was a matter of public record, acknowledged by the Holy Amelia Kingdom. It was bound to reach their ears sooner or later, and knowing the truth wouldn't put either of them in harm's way.
"It's true, more or less. Of course, I'm only a stand-in. The true Royal Guard will be someone else."
I wasn't lying. I was merely a pinch hitter. I had someone like Zack in mind for the actual post. Taking him on as a disciple in the first place had been for that very purpose, and he wasn't the type to refuse an order from me.
"I see... So that's how it is! Is that why the way you talk changed, too!?"
Somehow, Keith convinced himself and nodded repeatedly. He was far too clever for his own good. Just as expected, he had filled in the blanks with his own imagination and pieced together a plausible explanation.
"Kaa-kun is just Kaa-kun, you know~! Ehehe!"
Letting out a bright, cheerful giggle, Lena nuzzled her cheek against mine.
"Like I said, Lena, wait until you've finished eating."
"Okaaay."
Replying obediently, Lena turned her attention back to her food.