This morning, Dean Medea suddenly summoned me through the dorm manager.
At first, I was hesitant, but the manager said it was a school tradition for the top-ranked new student to have a private meeting with the Dean.
Outside the Dean's office door.
I straightened my clothes and knocked on the door.
Knock—knock—
“Dean, it’s I, the Sword Demon.”
—Oh, come in.
An alluring voice came from behind the door.
I cautiously pushed the door open.
The massive desk was piled high with books and scrolls, and the bookshelves were densely packed with ancient texts.
The window behind the desk was made of stained glass.
The soft light created an ancient and dreamlike atmosphere.
To put it simply, it was like an extension of the academy library, just a bit too messy.
“Oh my, our Sword Demon has lost quite a bit of weight! You’re completely transformed now, child.”
“…….”
“Wait a moment. Put your clothes on properly before you speak.”
Medea was hastily pulling up her slipping robe.
I had clearly knocked and announced myself.
She was a straightforward woman, in every sense of the word.
Her outward appearance and inner self were so consistent that it made her even harder to deal with.
“Should I come back later?”
“No, what are you saying! Even if I am like this, I’m a busy person!”
The collar of her robe seemed intentionally loose; a slight movement would reveal her chest.
I averted my gaze, but Medea, for some reason, excitedly buttoned up her robe.
Each time her translucent skin peeked through her clothes, the red magazine I saw in the library yesterday flashed in my mind.
“Would you like something to drink? Green tea, coffee, black tea, etc.
We have almost all the drinks sold in the school supermarket.”
Medea cheerfully brushed her hair back and said as she opened the refrigerator door.
I nodded vigorously in agreement.
Because I couldn't bear the high prices at the campus supermarket, I had started drinking tap water two days ago.
This was no time to worry about pride.
When it was time to accept, I had to accept.
“Um, then, I’ll have green tea.”
“Hmm, what?”
When old habits slipped out, Medea blinked rapidly a few times.
A fleeting look of confusion crossed her face.
“Do you want it cold?”
“Ah, yes.”
Medea smiled slightly, handed me a bottle of green tea as if tossing it, then sat down opposite me, crossing her legs.
The compressed flesh of her legs looked somewhat provocative.
“What do kids know about green tea, green tea.
Sword Demon, you look like an old man, don’t you?”
“Pfft—!”
Hearing that, I couldn't help but spit out my green tea.
The edge of Medea’s robe got wet.
“Oh dear, you really are something.
Drink slowly, drink slowly.
No one’s going to snatch it from you.”
She widened her eyes, then walked over and sat next to me, gently patting my back and wiping my mouth with her sleeve.
I secretly glanced at her, thinking.
‘If only she weren’t seventy years old.’
I calmed my cold heart and nodded slightly.
This was a sign of gratitude.
Then a cheerful smile appeared on Medea’s face.
“How is academy life?”
“…Hmm, it’s alright…”
To be honest, it wasn’t easy, but how could I say “No, the academy is terrible?” in the face of her rare concern?
‘However…’
What needed to be said still had to be said.
“But, are the prices at the campus supermarket always this expensive?
A bottle of water costs ten thousand….”
When I said that, Medea burst into laughter.
Laughter?
What was so funny about commoners?
Medea laughed until tears came to her eyes, finally calming down a bit, and took a sip from her teacup.
The rich aroma of black tea wafted over.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.
Sword Demon, you’re so cute and funny speaking in that housewife-like tone.
If I upset you, I apologize.”
She took another sip of tea, then lightly tapped her cup with her finger and said.
“Right?
The campus supermarket is ridiculously expensive, isn’t it?
Every time I want to buy something there, my hands tremble violently.”
“Even the Dean?”
I asked in confusion, and Medea sighed, adding.
“This position, nominally, is the Dean.
The salary is low, and the benefits aren’t great either.
To be frank, it’s just an honorary position.
The previous Dean pushed it onto me, and I’m temporarily holding it, but I also really want to get away from that desk quickly.”
Medea seemed lost in thought, her voice trailing off.
The afterglow of the setting sun shone on her, and her profile had a premature beauty different from Abel’s.
After watching for a while, a faint smile appeared on her face.
“Why?
Am I too pretty, lost in thought?
Or will we both collapse together in the academy?”
‘How sweet, huh?’
Medea even thought that if she could escape from this academy, she wouldn’t have to carry out those annoying plans anymore.
As I swallowed and put on a serious expression, Medea chuckled softly and poked my forehead with her slender index finger.
“Our little Sword Demon is so cute.
But not yet.
When you grow up a bit more, I don’t know, but right now you’re a student, and I’m a teacher.
Let’s talk after you graduate.”
Medea seemed amused, giggling and crossing her legs instead.
Then she pulled out a card from her bosom and handed it to me.
“Here, little Sword Demon, use this.”
“What is this?”
“It’s a staff discount card.
Anyway, I don’t buy much, so it’s not very useful.
If you compare the discounted prices, it should be similar to prices outside the academy.”
“Is it okay to just give something like this to a student?”
“If a student is hungry, as an educator, isn’t this small thing acceptable?
Besides, there’s already such a thing as a top-ranked student privilege.
So, don’t feel burdened, just take it.
In fact, I feel a bit sorry for giving it to you so late.”
She looked at me and winked.
Normally, I would think she was mischievous, but now I just found her cute.
I even felt that the age difference was just a facade.
As my lips trembled slightly with joy, Medea maintained her smile and clapped her hands, saying.
“Anyway, let’s end today’s discussion here!
I have some arrangements.
Thank you for taking the time!
If you need to consult about anything, feel free to come see me anytime!”
Just as I nodded in greeting and prepared to leave, Medea called out to me.
“Oh, that’s right.
Was the magazine interesting?”
“…….”
“Heh heh, our little Sword Demon is a man too, huh?
If you want to see the real thing, just tell me anytime, okay?”
I didn’t look back and left the office directly.
Sage Medea.
To me, she was a woman I couldn't handle.
***
Contrary to what I expected, academy life proceeded calmly and peacefully.
Fearing I might encounter Chloe in the classroom, I deliberately avoided her gaze, but somehow she had already integrated into the class and made friends.
Occasionally, our eyes would meet, and she would let out her characteristic “Eh?” sound, blushing and turning her head away.
Each time, Chloe’s new friends would give me a cold glance.
However, I was an admitted special student after all, and I had become accustomed to those emotionless gazes mixed with disdain.
I wasn’t the only special student in the class.
It was just that their numbers were few, and for some reason, they were somewhat distant from each other.
Perhaps it was a kind of self-respect as special students.
Nevertheless, I was still proud of my past self for insisting on choosing the Orchid Class instead of the upper classes.
Now, students in the Star Class and Dragon Class should be competing with each other, forming factions, and engaging in political struggles.
Even under the protection of miracles, the competition there was astonishingly fierce, and if I were assigned to that class now, I might be ostracized in various ways, unable to even maintain my solitary otaku life.
‘Actually, it’s going pretty well.’
Thanks to the staff discount card Medea gave me, my overall quality of life also improved.
Although not rich, I could at least eat balanced meals.
Bowing three times a day in the direction of the Dean’s empty house felt insufficient.
Moreover, nutrition spread throughout my body, and the effects of my training became increasingly noticeable.
Perhaps it was a growth spurt; I gained muscle no matter how much I ate, and grew taller no matter how much I slept.
In fact, the waist of my school uniform pants had become noticeably shorter than before I enrolled.
Looking back, although I wasn’t consciously aware of it, I was faithfully fulfilling my duties as a student.
I consistently participated in morning runs and training, and diligently kept up with theoretical classes.
So far, so good.
Although it hadn’t been long, I hadn’t made any moves that would negatively impact the main storyline, nor had I drawn attention to myself.
The instructors also tacitly acknowledged my status as the top-ranked new student.
If this state could continue for three years, I felt invigorated, as I seemed to be able to achieve the bright future I yearned for.
“For now, it’s just…”
As I rested my chin in my hand and gazed blankly out the window, the classroom atmosphere suddenly became noisy, and all but two or three students had left.
Of course, no one told me what happened.
Anyway, I didn’t care and decided to take a nap during the short break.
Whenever fatigue struck, I needed a short nap to concentrate on class.
The afternoon theory class was about the history of the academy’s founding process.
Although there was a saying that history is a mirror that illuminates the future, to me, this class was just useless.
I clicked my tongue and carefully selected a textbook to accompany my nap.
“History books are too hard, and this one has too much graffiti on the cover; it’ll get my face dirty…”
Just then.
“Wow, is that him?”
“Oh my god, he’s really handsome.”
“He wouldn’t come to our class, would he?”
“Ah, it must be the Star Class.”
The commotion in the hallway grew louder.
For some reason, a subtle atmosphere permeated among the students.
I didn’t want to pay attention and continued to choose a pillow when a strange sense of unease quickly swept through my heart.
“What’s the date today?”
I took out my phone to check the date.
“May 5, 2034”
“Could it be?”
I rushed out of the classroom and found the focal point of the students who had already gathered outside.
There were too many people.
I squeezed through the gaps in the crowd and moved forward.
Midway, someone bumped into me and gave me a disdainful look, but I didn’t care.
It took a lot of effort to push my way to the front row.
I adjusted my hurried breathing, quickly looked around, and then asked a casually dressed female student next to me.
“Who came today?”
“????”
“I’m in a bad mood, can you not talk to me?”
He deliberately showed an impatient expression, looked at me with raptor-like eyes, and said, “If you don’t want to die, answer me.”
I widened my eyes and threatened him slightly; he flinched and gestured with his eyes in a direction.
Immediately after, my head also involuntarily turned in that direction as if drawn by a magnet.
Then I muttered blankly.
“He’s here.”
The protagonist of this world.
Leon Van Reinhardt.
He clearly was.