Alphin the Herta focused his mana into his ears to enhance his hearing.
If an ordinary person moves mana to a specific part of the body, they lose the ability to move the rest of their body except for the part where mana was moved.
However, Alphin experienced no such hindrance no matter how he moved his mana. In fact, he had mana to spare.
This was because Alphin possessed dozens of times more mana than the average person.
This had been the case since his birth — the unchangeable truth of the world as decreed by the heavens.
– Seriously? Banned from the snack shop for a whole week?
– It was UFC, not WWE.
– Aren’t you supposed to be starting some kind of revolution or something?
On the third floor of the Lumere Building, in the Student Council Room,
Alphin was eavesdropping on the real-time conversations of the first-year students on the first floor.
For a human, hearing sounds from the first floor all the way up on the third floor of the same building was practically impossible.
Still, the amount of mana Alphin possessed was no longer on a human level.
“Are you listening to me?”
“Ahhh, sorry…”
His hairstyle was a rare sight, combining features of both a wolf cut and a stepped hairdo.
His jet-black hair tinged with blue and sapphire-like eyes.
His entire presence exuded a chilling aura. Merely making eye contact could make one’s shoulders shake.
“I don’t have much time. As the student council president, I have a heavy workload. The only reason I’m giving you my time is because you are Alphin the Herta.”
Zion Rowlight, a third-year student, the closest aide to Princess Nipia, and the president of the Lumere Academy Student Council.
With his deep, cave-like voice, Zion made Alphin tremble once more.
“So, what is your business here?”
“I… business…”
“…I don’t understand what you mean.”
Alphin and Zion sat facing each other across a table.
However, because Alphin’s voice was too low to be heard, communication wasn’t going smoothly, which was understandably frustrating for Zion.
“I know you’re someone who gets nervous easily. Calm your breathing and speak slowly.”
Zion handled Alphin with utmost care, ensuring not to rush him.
Having honed his social awareness to the max while assisting Princess Nipia, Zion had already noticed Alphin’s timid nature the moment they met.
Of course, if Alphin had been anyone else, Zion would have already dismissed them. The reason Zion patiently waited in his seat for Alphin was because the person fidgeting their fingers in front of him was none other than Alphin the Herta.
The prodigy mage blessed by the celestial gods.
The girl who, at a young age, mastered several advanced magic spells and became a role model for all mages.
The worldwide fame Alphin bore on his shoulders was enough to make even the busy Zion wait a few minutes.
“First-years…”
“Release the snack shop restriction?”
As soon as his statement was anticipated, Alphin grew rapidly introverted.
His already hunched body became even smaller, and the thought of hiding in a mouse hole crossed his mind.
People tend to feel unstable psychologically when their inner thoughts are exposed.
A creeping sense of anxiety arises, leading to various negative thoughts.
In Alphin’s case, the timid personality doubled this effect.
“Conclusion first: Absolutely not.”
Overpowered by Zion’s firm stance, Alphin simply nodded without saying a word.
“Separate from Princess Nipia’s instructions, your first-year level is lower than the others. There are only two people in Class A: you and Yuren Star Dust. Moreover, a week ago, Yuren Star Dust even missed class.”
Alphin knew better than Zion about the cause of Yuren’s absence.
In fact, Alphin was the biggest victim of the first-year snack shop ban.
Since morning classes, he’d been receiving private one-on-one lectures from an unfamiliar professor. Though it was awkward, he managed to endure. The lesson proceeded more smoothly than expected due to the professor’s abilities.
The problem arose afterward.
During lunchtime a week ago,
a group of female students approached him.
Saying that banning first-years from the snack shop was unfair, they claimed that he was now the only hope for their year.
When he regained his senses, all his peers’ hopes were pinned on him.
Had Yuren Star Dust been present, or had there been more people in Class A…
While such thoughts raced through his head, a man approached him.
Mate Daelight.
His eyes showed a calm and strong will.
After the disastrous orientation, many thoughts raced through Alphin’s mind.
He initially intended to live quietly through his school life, intending to graduate without any friends.
「Why not just sleep if there’s nothing to learn?」
He indulged in such lazy thoughts and slept through his first class, his head on the desk.
And he was severely reprimanded.
He had ruined the atmosphere from the very first class because of one mistake, and he felt ashamed to look at his classmates.
He glanced around, hoping for some encouragement, but avoided eye contact when he caught sight of a female student.
He would’ve felt less guilty if she’d had a stern expression.
But her expression clearly showed disappointment.
Disappointment with Alphin the Herta, the sole A-class student and the first year’s hope, who was part of the Magic Department.
He had no plans to lift his head again after the orientation ended.
Until a male student began loudly snoring.
Neither Alphin’s face nor his voice was familiar.
However, a simple glance at his features indicated that he was not the type to sleep during the first class.
He sacrificed himself to divert Professor Tiren’s attention.
Braving the menacing stares of countless students, he did so willingly.
That night, Alphin firmly vowed to prevent the dreaded title of “Bottom Class” from being placed on the first-year students.
However, the following morning class revealed that it was all a futile dream.
“It’s almost been half an hour. You may leave.”
Without a word, Alphin headed towards the door.
All he had to do was pull the cold doorknob in his hand, and he could escape this hellish place.
What about the students who have faith in me?
No.
It’s not entirely my fault. There’s no need for me to feel guilty.
While shaking his head, he turned the icy door handle.
The refreshing breeze seeping through the crack encouraged his escape.
One step forward was all that was needed to return to his peaceful daily life.
“Can… I say just one more word?”
However, now that he didn’t have to make eye contact,
he felt emboldened to speak his mind, just this once.
“Please… don’t hate the first-years too much.”
…Bang.
No sooner had he said this than he slammed the door shut.
Only Zion himself knows the expression he wore at that last moment.
“Phew…”
He exhaled deeply, regaining his much-longed-for sense of calm.
How could this simple act make him feel so deeply content?
Alphin soothed the lump in his chest with both hands.
“Alphin! How did it go? Was it resolved?!”
Unaware of the impending doom of five new girls approaching from the cafeteria, two of whom he had spoken with earlier.
The sheer number of five was overwhelming for Alphin to handle.
“Did it work out like you wanted? Can we go to the snack shop now?”
“S-sorry.”
Without hesitation, Alphin bowed his head, briefly glancing down and then away.
When he uttered the word “sorry,” he saw the immediate expressions of disappointment on the five female students’ faces change all at once.
The unspoken disappointment was clearly evident in their expressions.
It was like seeing the face of someone who had given up on everything.
“Ah… I see.”
Frustrated with his own naivety, Alphin bit his lower lip tightly.
*
It had been a week since starting at the academy.
The spring’s chilly breeze brushed against his skin.
A night when the moonlight felt unusually bright.
The roof of the Ether Building was wide open.
“Who’s there?”
Clearly, someone had arrived before him since the door was already open.
The front was empty, the sides as well.
Even glancing upward revealed nothing—no people flying in the air, only the sliver of the moon and stars.
So, the only option left was behind the wall where he stood, facing away from the roof entrance.
“Yikes!!”
Sure enough, it was Alphin the Herta up on the roof,
who toppled backward the moment their eyes met.
“Ouch…”
Though tempted to extend a hand to help him up, it was obvious Alphin might find it burdensome, so he left him be to stand up on his own.
“Is my face that scary… enough to make you fall over just by looking me in the eye?”
“N-no! Oh, good evening!”
“Really?”
Nodding energetically, Alphin confirmed the truth with such earnestness.
It was just a joke, but he didn’t expect such a vigorous denial.
“Why are you here? The weather’s chilly.”
All of Alphin’s emotions were visible through his body language and facial expressions.
He clearly hadn’t anticipated this question, and the awkwardness was plain to see.
As usual, but even more so, he tried his best not to make eye contact, which was very characteristic of Alphin, the king of cowards.
“There’s a rumor going around.”
Just like Alphin earlier, I leaned against the wall and sat down.
Bending my left leg inwards and stretching out my right leg straight, I found it comfortable, though perhaps a little awkward-looking.
“Huh…? What, what rumor?”
“The rumor that Alphin the Herta went to the student council room.”
Alphin clenched both hands on her skirt tightly, so much so that the fabric of the skirt crumpled slightly.
She bit her lips tightly and, in the moment of silence, exhaled heavily five times.
“It’s because of that, right? That’s why you’re here.”
“…Yeah, I didn’t get what I wanted.”
Alphin squatted and stared blankly at the starry sky.
‘Why isn’t he the hero?’
The moonlight merged with and sparkled in her chestnut hair.
Through her hair, her bright yellow-green eyes occasionally became visible.
“I… I’m planning to drop out.”
Was that why I doubted my own ears even more?
When I turned my head sharply to look at him,
“Somewhere deep inside, I felt like I should tell you.”
Alphin was already facing me with a gentle smile.
