Day of Enrollment

Chapter 27 - Day of Enrollment

-

Dazzling rays of light pierced through the morning, abruptly pulling me from my slumber. The sun, having ascended into the sky, cast its brilliant morning through the expansive glass windows, rudely assaulting my still-sensitive eyes, forcing me to close again when I tried to open it.

"Ugh...!? M-My eyes!" I groaned, grappling with the intrusion.

The merciless sun, an unwelcome alarm clock, forced my drowsy brain to wake-up, demanding I acknowledge the significance of the day. That's right! Today marks the time that Me and Luna will enroll at the Imperial Academy.

Feeling excited, I left the embrace of the plush double-sized bed and ventured out of the elegant room Rina-san had graciously offered for the night, heading straight for a refreshing shower.

Rina-san provided us with separate rooms. Luna and Lily seemed to harbor unspoken thoughts about it but nonetheless, they quietly accepted the arrangement. I wonder if Rina-san noticed their reasoning of silence...

* * *

After an Invigorating Shower, I emerged from the bathroom, and descended down the dining room. Three figures, seemed to have risen earlier, we're engaged in a girl conversation over breakfast.

"Good morning, everyone" I greeted, joining for a meal.

"Good morning, Master."

"Morning, Sai."

"Ara? Good morning, Sai." Rina-san took a plate laden with sausage ang eggs then placed it on the table as she beckoned me to sit. "Come, sit and eat with us."

Seating next to Luna, I accepted the plate Rina-san set before me and commenced my meal. While the girls continued their conversation, I silently eat my fill.

It was a habit of mine to enjoy eating without any interruptions, unless someone directly addressed me, though. Nonetheless, as long as no one reaches me, I'm eating my meal here on the side.

"Master, it's time for your enrollment. Please prepare yourself, and we'll go together with Lily and Rina-san to the Academy," Luna reminded me.

"Huh?" Finishing a bite, I looked at Luna. "What do you mean 'me'? I plan to enroll you too at the Imperial Academy, you know."

Luna paused, then let out a surprised scream. Uwah—?! I'm pretty sure I told her about it, though?

"D-Did I forgot to tell you?" I replied, visibly confused.

"Eh? Um, well... you did," Luna mumbled. "But I didn't think I was included when you said it..."

"So that's how it is..." I mused. "Well, that settles it. The three of us, including Lily, will be attending the academy after we finish enrolling."

"I-I see... thank you, Master," Luna said, flashing a sweet smile. The other two beamed as well when they glanced at Luna.

But, If I think about it, Luna had spent her entire life as a maid in our residence until now. Attending school and making friends must be a dream come true for her. Observing Luna's radiant happiness, I couldn't help but smile in satisfaction. I'm so glad my first encounter was Luna...

After breakfast, we prepared ourselves for the enrollment to the Imperial Academy. While standing in the Villa's entrance, I noticed something unusual about Lily's elven ears.

"Lily, is it just me, or are your ears not as pointy as your mother's?" I inquired.

"Hn? Ah, didn't I tell you?" Lily brushed her hair aside, revealing her less pronounced elven ears. Oh, seems like she's not too insecure about it. "The truth is, I'm actually a half-elf."

My eyes widened as I begin to ponder. "I see, so that means your father..."

"Yes, my father is a human," Lily replied.

Looking at it, it wasn't Lily's unwavering justice that drew the noble's animosity but most likely, their racial difference. Damn, you got to respect his courage for openly embracing his ideals despite the prejudices. He's him!

Pondering, I noticed Lily watching me, her eyes darting nervously, lips pressed together, wearing a somewhat forlorn expression.

"What's wrong, Lily?" I asked.

"N-nothing, really... It's just that half-elves are often hated by both humans and elves," Lily admitted, looking downcast. Oh, so I was right...

"Is there a feud between the two races or something?"

"Kind of... individuals born of different races often face discrimination," Lily explained. So, the setting was the same as any other game, huh. How ordinary.

"I see." I Lightly flicked Lily's elf ears. "I like your ears, Lily. They're pretty."

"R-really?" Lily's eyes lit up. I shot her a nod, and Lily beamed a smile in response. "Fufu~! You really are a weird guy..."

"Fufu, bold early in the morning, aren't we, Sai?" Rina-san, who overheard our conversation, came and teased us. I didn't notice her...

Luna, who also heard the conversation, pursed her lips and looked away. Understanding the implicit tension, I approached Luna and began to caress her head.

"Don't worry, Luna. I like you too," I whispered in her ear, eliciting her face into a blush.

We then proceeded to the carriage, headed for the Imperial Academy. Surprisingly, the academy lay relatively close to Rina-san's villa, a mere 15-minute journey by carriage. We disembarked, thanked the driver, and finally, entered the bustling grounds of the Imperial Academy.

""W-Woah...!"" Visibly astonished, Me and Luna responded in unison. Our excitement peaked as we observed students of various races—humans, elves, dwarves, demi-humans—walking alongside us.

With that in mind, the three of us headed to the faculty to complete our enrollment.

"Um... Luna, right? And then..." The female receptionist paused, hesitating. "S-Sai Crimsonheart."

Whispers and glares from the people around us caught my attention. Odd, did I miss something?

"Ahem~! After this, we'll have an entrance test and exam. Please proceed to the next room for the test," the receptionist instructed.

"I see, thank you very much," I replied, leaving the faculty with Luna and Lily. The enrollment fees for both Luna and me amounted to a mere 10-Gold Coins, surprisingly reasonable. I thought it will be more expensive, but I won't complain. Again, I feel like something is wrong...

As we exited, I leaned towards Luna.

"Luna, did you notice the reaction when the receptionist mentioned my name?" I inquired. Since Luna had a history with me, maybe she had some insights regarding what happened.

"Ah... Haha..." Luna awkwardly laughed. "You see, Master's done quite a few remarkable things in your early days that you've yourself quite a bit of a reputation..."

"I-is that so..." I scrunched my face in embarrassment, contemplating on the deeds of my past-self that had inadvertently turned me into a celebrity. You know, I feel like I don't even want to hear it...

Setting aside the hall of shame, we proceeded to the next segment—the entrance exam. The Imperial Academy, one of the capital's largest institutions, is one of the top dogs in terms of student's education and performance.

The Main buildings and facilities were divided to organize on where the students will go on their specific subjects. In the game, the Academy will play a crucial role for the player, allowing them of Portal use and access to the dungeons. Enrolling here will grant us permission to access these vital resources.

Anyhow, with numerous students enrolling this year, looks like Me, Luna, and Lily will be separated in different facilities, huh. How unfortunate.

* * *

As I walked toward my assigned exam location, curious sound caught my attention behind nearby Academy Building where I'm currently standing at. The other students don't seem to hear it, and the sound was kind of concerning so I ventured to investigate.

"—?!" Peeking around the corner, my eyes widened at the sight of three guys ruthlessly assaulting a beastwoman.

"Ora, Ora, you bastard."

"N-no...! Please, someone help me...!" The Beastwoman covered her face, crying out for help. She was bruised, concerningly so. Is that blood on her hands...?!

(Visual image. See comments)

"That's what you get, you animal." One of the guys kicked her in the face.

"Know your place, you beast. You don't belong here."

I couldn't stomach the sight in front of me. Without hesitation, I sprinted towards the bastards.

"Y-you— Ugh!!"

"Basta— Ugh!"

"AGGGHH!!!"

A well-aimed punch to their stomachs left them groaning on the ground.

⟨⟨Bloodlust⟩⟩

Dense fog of mana spreads-out of my body. The aggressors who were kneeling on the ground trembled as killing pressure assaulted their very soul.

"If you don't get out of here in three seconds, I will crush your balls next!" I warned.

"Hiee!!"

"Let's get out of here now...!!"

"W-wait...!!"

The three, paralyzed by fear, scrambled away. The release of my Bloodlust skill was enough to send them fleeing. As the tension lifted, I approached the barely conscious beastwoman.

It's bad, she is a mess, her body is seriously injured, and she even broke a rib.

"Don't worry; I gave you a potion." I crouched beside her, helping her drink the Healing Potion by gently pouring it into her mouth. Gradually, her injuries, including a broken rib, began to heal. The beastwoman, barely conscious moments ago, eyes widened, quickly attempted to stand but staggered and fell.

"Don't force yourself; let the healing complete," I advised.

"D-did you give me a potion?" She looked at the empty bottle and paled. "Oh no...."

The beastwoman promptly assumed a dogeza pose, surprising me with her suddenness.

"I'm so sorry. I don't have anything with me, but please don't hurt me," she pleaded.

"Eh? N-no, I don't mind. I gave you one because you needed help urgently. You were seriously injured, so it was necessary," I reassured her. Seriously, just what did this girl get to experience for her to react this much. I'm starting to get concerned...

"I see..." The beastwoman stood up. "Thank you very much for saving me."

"Y-yeah, no problem. Take care of yourself," I said, standing. "Well, I'm going now. Take care."

"Yes, thank you again for saving me." The beastwoman waved as I left.

I took a glance to the beastwoman if she is okay. Now that I saw her in full picture, I couldn't help but notice her cuteness. With orange hair tied in a ponytail, fluffy fox ears, and a black jacket that draped over her small figure, she wore a knee-length skirt and, surprisingly, a pantyhose! My attention was captivated by her thick, wagging orange tail. Demi-humans truly were fascinating. They're the best!

While I secretly glanced at the beastwoman whom I just saved, I was startled when she called out to me, asking for my name.

"Mister! Can I know your name?!" she shouted, still waving.

"Sai! Sai Crimsonheart!" I replied.

"Hehe, I see." The beastwoman, full of energy, walked away. It was hard to believe she had been severely injured just minutes ago.

"Well then, I should go now." Musing to myself, I proceeded toward the building where my exam awaited. Ah, I realized I hadn't asked for the beastwoman's name. Well, perhaps we might meet again on a later date.

————————————————————————————————————————————

『Lily Helianthus』 current stats:

『HP: 360』

『MP: 20』

『Armor: 0』

『AGI: 180-360』

『DEX: 25』

『ENDURANCE: 60』

Armor: None

Weapon and Equipment:

『Platinum Bow』

Accessory:

『Steampunk Boots』

Skills: None