The entrance exam is over.
Actually, calling it an exam is a bit of a stretch—it’s more about measuring abilities and assigning classes before admission. Except for a few idiots who got caught cheating, we’ll all see each other again as freshmen.
And now that I think about it, maybe I went a little overboard.
Of course, since I’ve already taken over this body, I’m determined to do what I want and as much as I can. But still, beating all the freshmen in the practical exam might have been a bit too much fun.
It’s already done, so no regrets, but I’m worried about how to handle all the attention coming my way.
Even if my stats are top-tier right now, it won’t be long before I’m just average—or worse, below average. I need to find a way to not fall behind.
“What are you thinking so hard about?”
Just then, Seria, who was walking ahead of me, glanced back and asked.
Right. I was being dragged along after Seria’s declaration of “Follow me” right after the practical exam, without any resistance.
Considering what I’d done, and the fact that she usually avoids me, I just followed without saying a word, which made me reflect on the situation.
“Just… I guess I got too excited.”
“Well, you did make history at the academy, so I guess it’s fine.”
You wouldn’t understand my struggles… Unlike you, who’s destined to become the strongest in this world, I’m just an extra trying not to flunk out of the academy.
But Seria wouldn’t know that, so I just laughed it off. Well, what’s done is done.
From our conversation, I could tell she wasn’t mad, so I decided to ask something I’d been curious about.
“By the way, where are we going?”
“The lounge. The supervisor who treated you asked me to bring you.”
Wait, you’re taking me to *that* person? No wonder we’re going the opposite way of the exit.
I thought we were just avoiding people and heading somewhere quiet, but we’re actually going deeper inside.
“Here we are. They’re waiting, so let’s go in.”
We arrived at the lounge. Opening the door, I felt a warm, comforting air. There was a soothing scent too. It felt just like a nurse’s office.
Well, it’s called a lounge, but it’s more like a clinic for treating injuries or bad conditions during training.
Inside, there was a table and plenty of beds for the injured, but only one bed was occupied.
Makes sense. I made sure not to hurt anyone while taking them all on.
Lilith collapsed on her own after going berserk, so she doesn’t count, and Seria… I’m really sorry. Should I headbutt you again?
“You brought him? Good, both of you, sit here.”
The supervisor… now that the exam’s over, should I just call her Professor?
Anyway, since she called us over, I couldn’t headbutt Seria again and just sat down.
I went and sat down facing the main view.
“Do you like coffee?”
“I eat everything well.”
“I’m fine.”
Seria isn’t really a fan of coffee. If she had to drink something in a place like this, she’d probably prefer tea.
In the end, since neither of them really likes it, if you want to give them something they enjoy, just buy them milk or strawberry juice.
Of course, in places like this, coffee or tea is mostly the norm, so there’s no helping it.
On the table, two cups of coffee, a glass of water, and some simple snacks were placed. The professor who called me took a sip of coffee and began to speak.
“Let me introduce myself first. I’m Reina Trier, a professor at Rubetia Academy.”
The Trier family. A prestigious healer family that has inherited healing traits for generations.
To put it bluntly, even Rubetia can’t treat the Trier family lightly, which shows just how high the status of the Trier family is.
I already knew from the first time I saw her, so I just nodded lightly, but Seria expressed her surprise with a slightly excited voice.
“Ah…! No wonder you seemed familiar, you’re a noble from the Trier family!”
“No need for such grand titles. Since we’re at the academy, just call me Professor Reina Trier, regardless of family.”
“Yes. Professor Reina Trier.”
A cliché rule of the academy. Equality regardless of status.
Of course, it couldn’t prevent implicit discrimination among students, but at least it kept the academy from becoming completely power-driven.
Thanks to that, even someone of very high status… At the point where the academy’s name is Rubetia, hiding it is meaningless.
Even Princess Seria Rubetia could live here as just ‘Seria’ and not ‘Rubetia.’
Moreover, the Trier family was a ducal family, with prestige rivaling the royal family… So the two of them being comfortable with each other wasn’t really a burden.
“I remember that. I went to see you when you were still in diapers, and you grabbed my finger back then.”
“I don’t remember that at all. But… Rudion is here too, so talking about diapers and stuff is a bit…”
“Don’t be shy.”
How comfortable must they be to talk about such things without hesitation?
The two, who had only known each other through family cooperation, now talking without regard to status, somehow looked like sisters.
As I sipped my coffee without interrupting their cheerful conversation, Professor Reina suddenly turned her gaze to me.
“By the way… Rudion?”
“Yes?”
“How are you so calm?”
Her eyes were looking at something quite extraordinary.
Well, if Rubetia and Trier were sitting right in front of you having a conversation, even the average noble would be trembling so much they couldn’t even pick up a coffee cup.
And I’m a commoner. A commoner looking so unfazed in front of a princess and a ducal lady, even an academy staff member who values equality would feel a sense of disparity.
But…
From my perspective, there wasn’t much to say. I couldn’t just blurt out, “I’m a transmigrator, so I know everything,” right?
So I just brushed it off.
“Well… I don’t really care about that kind of thing.”
“Hmm, I have a lot I want to say… but it feels like we’re not on the same page, so I’ll drop it.”
Good call. I wouldn’t know how to explain it either.
But it seemed my vague answer pleased her, as Seria smiled brightly and steered the conversation toward me.
“Still, with that level of ability, isn’t such boldness actually natural? I feel like the royal family will be scrambling to keep you close later, and if you’re too timid, that’ll be a problem.”
“I agree. This kid… even I, who pride myself on having seen a lot, was surprised.”
“Really? It’s the first time I’ve been treated like this by someone who knows my name, so I was flustered at first, but now it kind of makes sense…”
“It’s a good thing it’s your first time. Thinking there are more like this kid out there is a bit dizzying.”
“That’s true.”
Excuse me, you two? Aren’t you subtly dissing me right now?
Girl talk is scary. Praising me while casually roasting me in the same breath.
Their conversation continued for a while longer, only ending once the cups on the table were all empty.
“Whew. That was a fun chat for a change. Honestly, other professors and students tend to avoid talking to me.”
Professor Reina said this as she cleared the empty teacups and sat back down.
Finally, we got to the main point.
“Aren’t you curious why I called you here?”
“Of course. By now, everyone else is probably heading back to prepare for tomorrow’s entrance ceremony.”
“It’s nothing too serious. It’s just… I’d like you to visit the Student Council with Seria from now on.”
“Huh?”
The Student Council? Why would I, who hasn’t even had the entrance ceremony yet, go to the Student Council?
“If the professor tells you to go, just say ‘Yes, Professor~’ and go. Why so much backtalk? Take a page out of Seria’s book.”
“But Seria’s situation is different. She’s a princess, and I’m just a commoner.”
“If we’re going by that logic, you’re a once-in-a-millennium warrior…”
Well, that’s true. I’m convinced.
“The reason you called us is something we’ll hear from the Student Council, right?”
“You catch on quick in these moments. That’s right.”
In the end, I ended up tagging along with Seria to the Student Council, even though she would’ve gone alone originally.
I already knew why they called us, but there’s no need to act like I know everything.
Since there was no need to spend more time here, I immediately left for the Student Council room with Seria.
And so, the lounge where Rudion and Seria had been fell quiet.
Just as it seemed the space, which had been filled with constant chatter, was finally quieting down, the only person lying on the bed in the room opened their eyes.
“Huh.”
“You’re awake? Mana exhaustion has lingering effects, so you probably won’t be able to move right away. Take it easy for a while.”
“Uh… where am I?”
“This is the lounge where people who got injured or exhausted during the practical exam come to rest. You’re the second and last guest today.”
“What about the exam…”
“It’s long over.”
Oh, don’t worry. The level you showed was definitely enough to be placed in the advanced class.”
Lilith wasn’t sure whether to be happy about that or horrified by the fact that even at the advanced class level, she couldn’t even touch a hair on that guy’s head.
Yeah, that guy… What about Rudion? Even though he charged at her so hard that she passed out, he probably wasn’t even a little tired, right?
“Rudion? He didn’t leave the training ground until the exam was over. Didn’t even look tired. Didn’t even seem to be managing his stamina. It’s kinda amazing, really.”
He was fine? How does that even make sense? He must’ve already fought dozens of battles before facing her.
She knew she was lacking. She had been lucky to awaken, but before that, she was just a princess who had learned a few self-defense techniques.
Still, she didn’t expect to feel this powerless during the entrance exam.
‘The world really is vast. I’m glad I came to the Academy.’
She wasn’t particularly disheartened by the wall she had hit. Her goal from the start was to grow stronger and take revenge on the Demon Army, so she just set that wall as her new target.
Someday, she too would possess the power to dominate everyone, just like that guy who had toyed with her.
Though, compared to the original, she had set her standards a bit outside the norm, but Lilith would never realize that.
‘…But now that I think about it, I was all like, “Oh, I’ll definitely win against that kid with my tricks and stuff.”‘
Suddenly, her face flushed with heat. If she could go back now, she wouldn’t have acted so arrogantly.
She had actually studied Holy Power superficially after awakening as a Saintess.
And that superficial study was the problem.
The Dunning-Kruger effect… The peak of foolishness, right? People with vague knowledge tend to be particularly arrogant and not humble at all, and Lilith was exactly that.
Realizing her blunder too late, Lilith felt like she wanted to kick the blanket, but her body, still suffering from the aftereffects of mana exhaustion, wouldn’t move as she wanted.
All she could do was squirm slightly.
Reina, seeing Lilith start to squirm, chuckled.
“Finally starting to feel embarrassed? Good, be embarrassed. It’s all part of the experience.”
Reina giggled as if she had seen something cute, but Lilith, feeling even more ashamed, squirmed even more violently.
Leaving the squirming Lilith behind, Reina went to brew another cup of coffee and sat back down at the table, enjoying her leisure.
Normally, dozens of students with various injuries would have been bustling around here for hours, but this exam was different.
Thanks to a very special student who participated in this entrance exam—Rudion.
“Thanks to him, I got to enjoy a sweet overtime. I should ask if he wants to join my direct team next time.”
If Rudion had heard that, he might have retorted, “You say such terrifying things so casually,” but since he had already left a while ago, there was no way for him to notice Professor Reina’s terrifying attempt at slave recruitment.
