Lupus Class I

The big tower clock of the Octagram Academy was pointing between 9 and 8 when I arrived at the Eagle realm, where the lecture halls were located.

"30 minutes are enough for me to find where my class is…"

Without a wayfinding sign, it would take me that much time to navigate this large building. But, there was no way an academy as prestigious as Octagram didn't have one.

A huge–three meters tall bulletin board, could be seen as soon as I entered the building. It was placed in the middle of the intersection, facing each path in a cardinal direction; South, East, West, and North.

Let's say that the direction of the exit door was the south. So, to the north was a grand staircase that led to the next floor. The east and west path was a long corridor and at its end, large statues were displayed.

Along the wall hallways, collections and trophies were displayed, protected by transparent glass. The glass had been enhanced by strong magic so it won't break easily. At least, the strength that equals C-rank or B-rank could break it in multiple hits.

Students were flocking in, crowding the hallways as they made their way to their classes.

Noticing that none of the students were heading towards the east and west corridors, it appeared that all the classes were on the second floor.

I checked the building interior map on the bulletin board just to make sure.

According to the map as well as the way signs which had been mounted on either the walls, ceilings, and placed on the floor. It was showing the direction of where each path led to.

The sign pointed to the grand staircase telling the students, especially me, that the classrooms were on the second floor. So, without further delay, I headed straight to my classroom.

As I arrived in front of my classroom, I noticed a metal sign above the double doors with the name 'Lupus' intricately carved into it, along with a tribal pattern that resembled a wolf.

Entering the classroom, I could see that half of the seats were already occupied. Most of them were occupying the front to mid sections, while only a few of the students were seated on the elevated platform at the back.

Some of their attention shifted to me, mostly the female students. Some just stared at me with fascination, and some whispered among themselves.

When I passed by them, they looked away shyly and entered their inner monologue.

But of course, there were some that bold enough to keep their stare on me, even blocked me with their hands, asking if I was single.

'What the hell? What's wrong with these girls?! Even Lux never had this kind of situation on his first day!'

It was challenging to get away from them, but I managed to do so after kindly answering their questions and giving them my contact. However, as soon as the class ended, they would likely swarm around me.

I needed a scapegoat if I want to escape from them…

I continued on my way to my seat at the back, where a black-haired boy was already seated there alone.

"Mind if I sit here?"

The boy looked unfazed by the commotion, unlike the other male students. Judging by his whole demeanor, he seemed like someone who enjoys being laid-back and avoiding attention, a true extra character.

That was the reason why I decided to sit here, as a fellow extra character but had a different kind of situation, I might feel related to him in some way.

"Go ahead."

He said nonchalantly, his golden eyes gazing lazily ahead, not bothering to acknowledge me.

Sitting on the two-person chair without armrests, I hung my bag under the sleek, well-polished desk coated with carbon.

Around ten minutes later, the classroom filled with noises as soon as a familiar figure entered the class.

It was Ember.

Despite her stunning appearance that could easily rank in the top ten for beauty in the academy, no one dared to get close to her.

Her cold, piercing eyes gazed ahead, exuding an aura that clearly warned people not to approach her.

'Why out of all people, do I have to be in the same class as her?'

Don't get me wrong, I was glad that she was here. But, my gut told me that she was going to be trouble. I did not know what it could be, but…

I let out a sigh. Complaining wouldn't change anything. After all, I was just a student. Unless I became a professor, I didn't have much control over the situation.…

"Hmm?"

Looking at Ember who looked like a lost child, she was sweeping the entire seat column with her eyes.

I met her gaze. And at that moment, she immediately walked over in my direction, where I was seated.

Wait.

Wait, wait.

Wait, wait, wait!

Why did she walk over toward here?!

As she approached my seat, I kept my gaze on her, while feeling a little uneasy.

But, it looked like I was too assuming, thinking she was going to talk to me. Turned out, she was just looking for an empty seat, and coincidentally, it was the one in front of me.

Still, there were still empty seats around the middle row, so why would she sit right in front of me?

'Does she actually have a feeling for me?'

It could be, considering that she suddenly gave me an earring yesterday. Though I doubt that was the case, maybe she had her own reason for choosing her seat, just as how I chose mine.

Ember sat down in the seat in front of me without sparing me a glance. At that time, I was thinking about whether this was a chance for me to give back the earring to her.

But, when I was about to open my mouth, a voice that sounded sweet and captivating rang out in the air, interrupting all the noises the classroom once had.

"Attention!"

The voice belonged to a woman with petite stature, wearing a cream formal teaching coat, round glasses, and a red tam hat. By small, I meant that her height was short, probably around 150 cm to 160 cm tall.

She had pale blonde hair styled in a short bob, with the ends falling just above her shoulders. Her hair was cut in a straight fashion with slight curls at the ends, framing her face and enhancing her features.

Her eyes behind the round glass scanned the classroom as she stepped onto the podium in front of the class, placing a thick book on the desk.

The noises subsided completely when she did that.

Smiling, she introduced herself.

"Nice to meet you, class!"

She started cheerfully.

"My name is Carolina Monte, and I'll be your homeroom teacher!"

Murmurs were voiced among the students as she introduced herself.

Did not want to miss any chances, I used my Clairvoyance skill on her.

[Name: Carolina Monte (Female)

Age: 24

Race: Human]

Usually, it was the senior professor who had reached the age of 30 that became the homeroom teacher, that was the youngest age a professor in the Octagram could become a homeroom teacher.

But, she was only 24 years old and had already become the homeroom teacher. She must be that good if she could become one when she was probably the youngest professor.

Carolina continued, gesturing animatedly as she spoke.

"I am actually an alumnus of this academy. Just graduated 3 years ago, I'm sure some of you already know who I am, right?"

Just as she said, some of the students in the class nodded in recognition at her.

If you asked me whether I knew her or not, well then, my answer is yes, I knew her.

Though she was not a character I had written about, I knew about her through the data gathering I did occasionally.

She was the top graduate in the academy 3 years ago. Unlike her fellow peers who continued their careers as either a hero or a mercenary. After graduating, she was applying to become a professor at Octagram, the reason she gave in one of her interviews was that she just like to teach.

"Since I was young, I've always liked to lecture and teach my siblings. Many people doubting me that I won't succeed as a professor, but here I am, as a homeroom teacher and the youngest professor in the academy."

She cleared her throat.

"Ehem. So, I've been teaching for three years now and I absolutely love it!"

Putting down her round glass on the desk, she scanned the room.

Most of the male students were mesmerized by her eyes when she took the glasses off.

Her eyes were a mesmerizing shade of blue, reminiscent of the turquoise waters of a tropical lagoon. They were the kind of eyes that could captivate anyone's gaze with their brilliance and depth.

Long, pale lashes framed her eyes, adding an enchanting allure to their already striking appearance. Her lashes were naturally curled, giving her eyes a wide-eyed, innocent look that was both cute and alluring.

Not gonna lie, I was also captivated by the beauty of her eyes. I had never seen an eye that beautiful…

"I'm excited to get to know each and every one of you and make this semester a memorable one!"

She smiled, her eyes lit up with a radiant joy, and they crinkled at the corners, adding to their charm. They had a way of making everyone around her feel special and cared for, as if they were being seen with pure affection.

Imagine being her lover… You'd die of diabetes.

The students nodded eagerly. They seemingly couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth and reassurance from her genuine smile.

Carolina then went on to outline the class rules and expectations, using a mix of humor and firmness to keep the students engaged.

"Now, let's talk about our class rules, especially in my Monstronomics class every Tuesday."

Every class of the first year had 5 classes, mainly Combat Theory, Monster Theory, Combat Training, Dungeon Theory, and History class.

As today was Tuesday, it meant that we would have a Monstronomics class after this introduction ended.

"First, no sleeping in class, unless you're a cat. And even then, I expect you to participate in our discussion!"

The students chuckled, and even I found myself cracking a faint smile.

Carolina continued, "Second, no talking during class, unless you want to taste my mute spell being cast on your mouth!"

She winked, displaying a mischievous glint in her turquoise eyes. Her firmness was evident as she set clear expectations for the students' behavior in her class.

"I want to hear your thoughts and opinions during our class discussions, so please feel free to raise your hand and participate. However, I also expect everyone to respect each other's speaking turns and not talk out of turn during class to ensure a focused learning environment."

"Also, lastly, don't be shy to ask questions when you don't understand."

She eyed her students for a while before slapping the desk with the thick she had brought.

Bam–!

"Now, before we start the class. Shall we take attendance first?"