Standing

Ludwig's head felt as if it were about to split—not from pain, but from the sheer overload of information sprawled across the board in incomprehensible symbols and formulas. The sheer volume of content was staggering, and his mind struggled to make sense of any of it. He pulled out his notebook, pen ready, hoping to at least jot something down, but the moment he prepared to write, the teacher nonchalantly began wiping the board clean.

Ludwig's mouth dropped open. "What the hell, man…" he groaned under his breath.

"Shhh!" the student sitting next to him hissed, her voice sharp but whispery. Ludwig turned to glance at her—she was disheveled, her hair a chaotic mess, and the bags under her eyes suggested a severe lack of sleep. Despite her exhausted appearance, her eyes were bright, sharp, and focused, scanning the material as though her life depended on it.

"Quiet," she muttered. "If I lose focus now, I'll never catch up."

Ludwig could only sigh in resignation. His hopes for the semester dwindled by the second, and after this rocky start, he couldn't imagine how he would survive, let alone succeed. He was late, confused, and, frankly, way out of his depth. The class dragged on, and when it finally ended, he realized he had even more questions than when he first walked in.

Just as he packed his notebook, a group of students approached his desk. Ludwig was caught off guard by the attention.

"Say, Ludwig," one of the students said. She was a striking blonde, her posture regal, and a delicate insignia embroidered on her uniform hinted at noble status. 'Nobility,' Ludwig mused internally.

"What family are you from?" she asked, her voice dripping with polite curiosity.

Ludwig hesitated. "I… I come from a distant family," he replied, choosing his words carefully. He was painfully aware of how his background on Earth meant nothing here.

Her brow furrowed slightly, her smile growing a touch more strained. "Nobility, I presume?"

Though his parents had wealth and influence in the human world, Ludwig's family had no ties to nobility. Feudal systems had long been abolished on Earth. He shook his head slightly, unsure of how to frame his answer.

"No, not nobility. I wouldn't say that," he admitted, thinking that merchants would be the closest equivalent to his family's status.

Instantly, he felt the shift in the air. A few students exchanged glances, the spark of interest in their eyes dimming. One girl muttered under her breath, "A commoner. What a waste of good looks," before turning on her heel and walking away.

The rest followed suit, their enthusiasm fading as quickly as it had appeared. Most of the students dispersed, their curiosity gone. Only a few remained, their gazes a mix of mild interest and amusement.

"I suppose you've received a recommendation from the Tower, then," a male student said, his tone more respectful. "You must possess some remarkable magical talent, no?"

Ludwig shook his head again, this time more firmly. "Not really," he said honestly.

Another wave of disinterest swept through the remaining students. They lost whatever intrigue they had left and walked away. Soon, Ludwig was left with only one companion—the girl who had been sitting next to him during class.

"You're an idiot," she said flatly.

Ludwig blinked in confusion. "What? Why?"

She sighed, clearly exasperated. "Why did you tell them the truth? If you had stayed mysterious, dodged their questions, or just given vague answers, you wouldn't have made yourself a target."

"A target? I don't understand…" Ludwig began, only to stop as she waved him off.

"You just told them you don't come from a powerful background. You have no one to protect you. And you were recommended by the Tower without having any real magical abilities. You think they're going to leave you alone? No, you've just marked yourself as the perfect candidate for ridicule."

Ludwig frowned. "But… how does this lead to bullying?"

The girl gave him a withering look before tossing a notebook onto his desk. "These are my notes for the entire semester. It's your only hope of passing the exams."

Ludwig looked at her in surprise. "Why are you giving this to me?"

"I've already memorized everything," she said, walking away. "You'll need it more than I do."

Ludwig flipped through the pages, noticing the meticulous notes, small sticky tabs, and countless scribbles that filled every available space. The amount of effort she had put into this was staggering. He glanced back at her as she moved toward the door, only to notice a group of students watching her—watching both of them—with cold, calculating eyes.

"Keep your head down," she warned over her shoulder. "Otherwise, you'll end up in serious trouble."

One of the other girls standing near the exit stuck her leg out as if to trip her, but the girl simply stepped over it, clearly used to such petty tricks. A snort came from the group as the failed attempt drew their scorn.

Ludwig let out a long breath. "So, this whole school runs on hierarchy," he muttered to himself. "Just like all those stories."

Inwardly, he shook his head. How absurd. He hadn't expected students in this magical world to act so… superficial. But it was a lesson learned, and Ludwig knew that. He had made a mistake, but at least it had come early. If he was going to survive in this place, he needed to keep his head down and not make himself a target. Better to learn from these small blunders now, while the stakes were low.

Ludwig tucked the notes into his ring, standing up from his seat as he prepared to leave. As he walked toward the exit, a notification suddenly appeared in front of his eyes.

[You're entering a hostile environment!]

One of the students standing by the door opened his mouth as if to say something, but before any words could leave his lips, a loud sound pierced the room.

"KAW!"

The students froze, and Ludwig looked up to see Bulgasal perched on his shoulder, cawing loudly. The raven flapped its wings menacingly, and the tension in the air dissolved immediately. The group of students backed away, clicking their tongues in frustration, realizing that they couldn't make a move while the headmaster's pet was there.

Without another word, they dispersed, leaving Ludwig alone with Bulgasal.

"Bulgasal," Ludwig muttered, "thanks for showing up. Things might've gotten ugly."

"You're the ugly one! CAW!" Bulgasal screeched.

"I didn't mean you," Ludwig sighed, rubbing his temples.

"Follow me! To your dorm room! CAW!" the bird ordered, pecking at Ludwig's shoulder to prod him forward.

The crow led Ludwig through the winding halls of the Academy, pecking incessantly whenever he slowed down. After what felt like an eternity of enduring the constant jabs, they arrived at a quieter part of the campus—the dormitory area.

Bulgasal led him to an empty room with a single bed. "The Headmaster has granted you a private room! Keep a low profile, avoid mingling with others, and study well! CAW!" the raven commanded before flying off through the window.

Ludwig glanced around the room. It was simple but comfortable, with a single bed, a desk large enough for study, and a small bookshelf that contained a few familiar titles. Some of the books were straight from Bastos Van Dijk's personal collection—he recognized them immediately.

He sat down on the bed, deep in thought. There was so much to consider, so much to plan. He needed a clear goal.

Two major quests loomed before him.

First, there was Necro's Eternal Quest, with its primary objective: to outgrow Bastos Van Dijk's control. It felt like the beginning of a long, impossible journey—an overarching mission that could span years, if not decades. It was like one of those sprawling main quests in the MMORPGs Ludwig used to play, where each step led to more challenges, more mysteries, and more danger.

But that quest wasn't achievable in the near future. It was something far off, something to work toward.

His second quest, however, was more immediate: to graduate from the Academy. Three years of study stood between him and the chance to advance from a grunt skeleton to a Skeleton Mage.

Ludwig smiled faintly. It was a long road ahead, but at least now he had a clearer sense of direction. With Bulgasal's words still echoing in his mind, he resolved to keep his head down and focus on his studies.

For now, that was all he could do.