First day of the Academy

Chapter 30 - First Day of The Academy

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The class discussion proceeded routinely for me. Instructor Sherry delved into the fundamentals of Magic, explaining its intricacies and applications for living beings.

Most students maintained their decorum, paying earnest attention to the lesson—especially Luna and Lily, who seemed to be studying a bit too ardently. Sora, our designated Protagonist, mirrored the girls' diligence; his focus was unwavering. As expected of our Protagonist...

As for me, of course, I listened attentively. Although, I was already well-versed in the material. One lesson I learned from our earlier sessions was that Instructor Sherry hated inattentiveness. When she caught me dozing off, she promptly summoned me to the blackboard to answer questions related to the ongoing topic.

Little did she know, she had picked the one person who possessed a wealth of knowledge in this world. Well, not everything, but you get what I mean.

Eventually, I manage to answer questions with most refined answers possible. What? You think I'm those typical guys who can only attain averagely? I may look like your typical delinquent, but I'm no means a stupid person.

* * *

"It feels kind of unfair to see you answer some questions without listening," Lily voiced her complaint during lunch at the Academy's cafeteria.

"You can say I already got my advance lesson." I replied wryly.

"Ahaha..." Luna emitted an awkward smile.

Seated at a group table, we took advantage of the instructors' mandated hour-long recess. Lily, Luna, and I engaged in casual conversation. Sora, whom I invited, offered his opinion,

"W-Well, it's kind of understandable if you fully paid attention to the discussion. But for you, who is not listening at all and manages to give a good answer... I'd say Lily-san is correct this time. Yeah..."

"And here I thought you're going to side with me..." I retorted. I can't really blame them, though. Compared to them, I had a head start.

"W-Well... Sai is pretty capable, so something like that is easy for him..." a girl from a nearby table chimed in.

The Demi-human fox girl I had saved yesterday, joined our group. Before heading to the cafeteria, she had approached me with gratitude.

Earlier before the Cafeteria...

"Um... Thank you for saving me yesterday. I thought it was going to be over for me, but you saved me," she expressed, visibly moved. "You even gave me a Potion... I will never forget your kindness for the rest of my life."

"Haha, you're exaggerating..." I said awkwardly. "Anyways, it's no problem for me, umm..."

As Seia hesitated, I reminded her of her introduction during the initial class gathering. I wasn't present that time when the class took their introduction.

"I forgot to introduce myself. My name is 'Seia.' I don't have any surname as I am a commoner," she said, a bit crestfallen. "Even though we have different positions... I hope we get along..."

She bites her lips, quivering as her resolved slowly fall apart from the toll of introduction. For her to take a risk for the sake of befriending me... I'm touched by her sincerity.

I reassured her with a tap on the shoulders. "Likewise, I hope we get along," I said, throwing in a wink.

Thank God Sai was a handsome dude, If I were to do that over the past me, I would've died inside... socially as well, most likely.

But wait... Seia... where have I heard that name before...

Seia's eyes lit up, and she let out a sigh of relief. "Haha... I thought you were going to reject me. I'm so glad," she said, a bead of sweat forming on her cheek. It probably had clearly taken a toll on her... Poor girl.

"Of course, I wouldn't do something like that," I assured her, suppressing any lingering thoughts.

"Well, your reputation isn't that good, so that's to be expected," a voice suddenly remarked. It was Lily. "Hey Sai, may I know what you did in the past that made these people hate you?" she asked, a hint of anxiety in her tone.

"That was pretty inconsiderate of you," I retorted. "Well, the thing is, I don't actually know either—"

"Ah! I-I'm so sorry..." Lily apologized anxiously in the middle of my sentence.

"No, it's fine. I don't really mind it, actually," I reassured her.

However, the uncomfortable stares from the boys prompted me to redirect the conversation.

"This place is not good for such conversations. How about we go to the cafeteria? I'll have Seia-san come with us, is that okay with you?"

"Eh? um... of course, I'll go call Luna, wait for me," Lily said as she retreated.

"Um... is it okay for me to come with you, Sai-kun?" Seia asked anxiously.

"Of course, the more, the merrier," I replied. "Plus, just 'Sai' is enough. I'm not really comfortable with honorifics."

"Um... okay, then you can also call me 'Seia' only."

"Got it, nice to meet you, Seia."

"Likewise, Sai."

And so began our budding relationship. I also invited Sora to join us, which he agreed upon my invitation.

Compared to my old world, the people here seemed much more open to forming friendships. If this were in my old world, they would probably think I'm a creep, or they would be forced to accept my invitation, making the whole group awkward.

After finishing our lunch and having an enjoyable conversation, we headed back to our classroom. While reflecting on the day, I noticed Lily and Luna getting closer to Seia. They were laughing and talking like very close friends.

But more than that, the sight of the three beautiful girls in front of me couldn't help but make me smile, in a different meaning.

"Why are you smiling?" Sora asked, looking at me perplexed.

"I can't help but smile seeing those three in front of me," I replied.

"W-well, the three sure are beautiful, so I can't blame you for that..." Sora replied awkwardly.

He's probably thinking something different—looking at her reaction to me.

"Especially Luna; I heard she is the talk of everyone right now, especially the boys and other students who saw her fight yesterday," Sora added.

"Heh, did something happen on her side?" I asked.

"I also saw it, how she defeated her opponent after the whistle had just blown," Sora continued. "Not only is she very beautiful but also very strong—a perfect combination."

"Of course, it's Luna after all," I said confidently, which made Sora giggle at my reaction.

"Lily is also one of the few mentions. Although, I heard the other students say that she could possibly rival Luna if only she gained a little."

It couldn't be helped; Lily had been on the run alone, chased by assassins sent by the higher-ups. When she was trapped in the cave chamber, she had only the Life Essence she could eat for a week. Even I couldn't help but notice that her body was very malnourished, with her bones and ribs sometimes sticking out when we were together.

Anyhow, they were right though. If Lily gets a bit of meat to her body, she can stand toe-to-toe against Luna. After all, Lily is a bundle of potential.

Ah, speaking of growth...

"I guess it's that time for Lily to take, huh..." I mused.

"Sai?" Sora said, tapping me to pull me back to reality. "Did you say something?"

"Ah no, just ignore it," I deflected. "How about Seia?"

"Seia, huh? Well, she's also kind of attractive, but I didn't hear anything from the others."

"I see..." I grinned. "You'll start to hear her name later on."

It was heartening to witness the girls garnering attention from their peers. But man, our Protagonist, seemed to possess a knack for forming connections. I pondered how he effortlessly accomplished this feat. Although, looking at my current reputation, I doubt it'll be that simple...

* * *

After lunch, we returned to class, and the bell rang to resume our studies. The discussion continued smoothly until the bell signaled the end of the school day. Before dispersing, Instructor Sherry made an announcement.

"Ah! I forgot to mention, we will be having a student exploration, so please prepare yourselves as it will begin next week," she informed.

A buzz of excitement and speculation ensued among the students. It seemed the long-anticipated student exploration was finally approaching. With this event, I could tap into exclusive academy resources to finally make myself stronger.

As the students dispersed, I bid farewell to Sora and Seia, and we made our way back to the Villa.

* * *

That night...

Finding myself alone in the backyard of the Villa, my gaze wandered as I searched for the perfect spot to undertake a certain task.

"I guess this place will do fine," I mused, retrieving the Mana Flower's Seed from my Magic Pouch and commencing the excavation with the assistance of my Beaver Shark.

"I guess it's time for Lily to maximize her Mana as well," I muttered, focusing on my work.