“Laguna Ver Brave.”
A voice called out from behind me while I stood over the examiner, who was pathetically rolling his eyes back into his head.
Turning toward the entrance of the gymnasium, I saw an elderly man standing there.
His ashy-brown, permed hair had long since lost its luster. He had sharp, hawk-like eyes and a long beard tied at the chest.
Clad in a high-quality robe—dull in color but adorned with intricate decorations—he was a man I recognized.
His name was Volsea Gran Cascade.
He was the Headmaster of Ether Academy and one of the few who held the title of Sage.
“I thought it was noisy in here, and it turns out it was your doing.”
“Yeah, well.”
In this kingdom, the middle name "Gran" was proof of ducal lineage.
The House Cascade was one of the three ducal houses in Etherdam.
I remembered Volsea well because he had appeared often in the game.
He was depicted as a man of high character who believed that within the walls of the academy founded by the Great Sage, all students—noble and commoner alike—were equal scholars.
The game itself was a love story between a noble and a commoner.
He was the type of character who would subtly assist the protagonists within the academy when they struggled with the gap in their social standing.
If that’s the case, shouldn’t he stop separating them into the Special Class and General Class?
Well, various noble interests must be swirling around, and that sense of "specialness" is apparently vital to the nobility.
“Hmm.”
Volsea turned a sharp, all-seeing gaze toward the shattered black target, the wall with a massive hole blown through it, the unconscious teacher who had soiled himself, and the wooden sword with an iron core. He spoke briefly.
“You pass.”
“Thank you.”
I offered my thanks honestly.
Volsea was a character on the protagonists’ side, and he held a position that did not favor discrimination.
Even if I was from House Brave, it was helpful that he seemed to maintain an unbiased perspective.
“I wish to ask you one thing.”
“What is it?”
“What magic can you use?”
“All of them.”
Whether it was the Four Elements of fire, water, wind, and earth most popular in this great magical nation, the Variant Elements like ice and lightning, or the Dual Polarities of light and dark, holy and evil, and positive and negative—if it could be learned and used, I could use it.
“And which among them is your specialty?”
“Barriers. That’s why I learned all the others.”
I had learned everything because it was necessary.
To survive in the Brave Territory, and to resist fate.
Not a single piece of the puzzle could be missing.
When I answered honestly, Volsea stroked his beard, looked thoughtful for a moment, and spoke.
“In that case, I suppose a waiver for your academic subjects will be fine as well.”
“Is that all right?”
“If there is no falsehood in your words, you cannot be measured by the yardstick of fools.”
By “fools,” did he mean the examiner rolling his eyes?
Or the idiots who could only see the surface of things?
Or perhaps the rotten people sitting idly on their status?
Volsea’s words seemed to carry multiple layers of meaning.
“For one of your blood, there is no great difference between the General and Special Classes.”
“I see.”
“Even so, do you still wish to enter the Special Class?”
I didn't particularly want to.
Even if they weren't as bad as this examiner, House Brave was a target of discrimination, just like the assassins sent from the Royal Capital.
Since there would be less trouble, the General Class would have been fine; I just wanted to lead a modest school life while blending in with the other students.
Initially, I had intended to bow my head and beg for mercy there, but I couldn't say that now.
“There is someone I must protect there.”
My fiancée, who had been toyed with by fate.
“The academy will be noisy this year. Numerous fates will intersect and become intricately intertwined, sometimes even descending into madness.”
After saying that, Volsea questioned me once more.
“Even so, will you step into the Special Class?”
“I have no intention of running away.”
“Very well.”
Volsea stared intently into my eyes, then spoke as his aura softened slightly.
“By the authority of the Headmaster, I approve your entry into the Special Class.”
“H-Headmaster!”
The examiner, who had regained consciousness at just the right time, became flustered upon hearing Volsea’s words.
“He was born in The Abandoned Land! Furthermore, his fiancée, the former Daughter of a Duke, caused a horrific incident! Far from just enrolling him, if you permit his transfer into the Special Class, he will surely disturb the peace of the academy!”
“Fool!”
A single shout.
Along with Volsea’s booming voice, magic power spilled from his body with the force of a torrential waterfall.
“Hiee!”
To the examiner, who turned pale and cowered under the pressure, Volsea spoke.
“Within the grounds of this academy, who are you? If you are a noble, then leave at once.”
“……I am a teacher.”
As he spoke, sweat dripped from the examiner’s downward-turned face.
The pressure was incredible.
“Then conduct yourself like a teacher. If you think a problem will occur, then show the way so that it does not; show the way so that it never happens again.”
“Y-Yes…… My apologies……”
“Then make arrangements to have the wall repaired immediately.”
“Yes……”
The examiner fled the gymnasium.
After watching him leave, I bowed to Volsea once more.
“Thank you very much.”
“Under the name of Sage, I do not condone discrimination based on a student’s status, but I shall not intervene in problems caused by other factors. It is your own responsibility if you are loathed due to a misunderstanding of how to carry yourself.”
He was saying it in a roundabout way, but he basically meant that if people hated me because of my attitude, I had to fix that myself.
But it seemed like a lot of people might misunderstand those words.
Shouldn't he have made it easier to understand? Like, "let's try to be considerate of others' feelings."
“I understand. In the Brave Territory, those who sit idly on their power are the first to die. But when I feel I must wield it, when I believe I must fight, I will not hold back.”
That was the Brave way.
“……Do as you wish.”
With only that, Volsea also turned to leave the gymnasium.
I wonder if that was it?
Was he saying that if something happened that pushed me to my limit, it was okay to let loose?
Well, I had no intention of going on a rampage.
All I wanted was to lead a fun academy life with Alicia.
“Laguna Ver Brave, there is something I forgot to tell you.”
The Headmaster came walking back.
And he had made such a cool exit, too.
“Considering the circumstances you've been placed in, I am allowing you to use that house as a special exception, but you are both students first and foremost. Strive for a wholesome relationship.”
“Ah, yes.”
Those were the words released from that refined voice and sharp gaze.
I've taken it to heart, Headmaster.
I have no intention of becoming a Beast of Brave.