Typically, the announcement of class assignments, determining who you’ll be learning alongside for the next year, is an event filled with excitement and anticipation. It’s one of those moments that stirs curiosity, whether you like it or not, making it hard not to feel a thrill. Even in my first life, I couldn’t help but look forward to this moment, wondering who’d be in the same class.

However, in this second life, there’s no such thing as anticipation. Instead of excitement, I’m overwhelmed by despair, a feeling that has completely thrown my emotions into disarray. Anxiety is all I can feel in my chest.

The new students gathered in front of the school gate. Five hundred people in one place made the area feel cramped, even though it was spacious. But no one seemed to care; the freshmen eagerly waited for the announcement. Among them, I prayed desperately.

—Please, anyone but her… Please, don’t let her be there!

The allocation chart was posted on a large board. Cheers erupted from the crowd as students rushed to see where they had been placed, rejoicing or lamenting over the results. I scanned the list, pleading silently.

“Look, Clay! We’re in the same class! You and I are in the same class!”

The loud voice of a battle maniac echoed next to me before I even realized she was there. I ignored her entirely. After all, I already knew this would happen. Students admitted through recommendations or scholarships were typically placed in the same class. Known as the “Special Advancement” class, it also included the top 15 students based on exam scores. That meant it was a given that Freesia and I would end up in the same class.

“This is amazing! Now we can duel anytime!”

Judging from her reaction, it seems she didn’t know this beforehand. In a way, she’s lucky to be enjoying the class announcement so genuinely.

—That’s fine, but…

While the boisterous young lady beside me shook my body enthusiastically, my gaze was fixed on the board. The most important thing was to confirm whether the root of my destruction—her—was also in the Special Advancement class. Memories from my first life couldn’t be trusted here.

Honestly, I can barely remember the details of that time. Thinking back, even my memories of when I first met her are hazy and unclear. While it’s understandable for memories to fade with time, I wish I could recall this more clearly. All that matters now is whether the source of my trauma is in the Special Advancement class or not…

“She’s… not here.”

Even with my vision still shaking from being jostled, I carefully scanned the Special Advancement list. To my relief, the name that heralded despair wasn’t there. Although I noticed a few names that triggered other memories of trauma from my first life, I felt an overwhelming sense of relief that hers wasn’t among them.

—Just thinking about it makes me shudder…

“Thank goodness…”

“What’s with that relieved look? I’ve told you from the beginning that we’re in the same class!”

“Oh, right. Yeah, I’m glad. That’s great… really.”

“What’s with that half-hearted response?!”

I brushed off the misunderstanding and anger of the muscle-brained girl beside me with some noncommittal replies.

“All right, everyone, follow me to your classrooms!”

By the time I noticed, several teachers were standing in front of the board, directing students to their respective classrooms. Knowing I wasn’t in the same class as that ticking time bomb of trauma meant I’d already cleared the biggest hurdle of the day. Now all I needed was to keep a low profile, avoid attention, and distance myself from sources of trouble to enjoy a peaceful school life.

“Leaving me behind? What nerve! Wait for me, Clay!”

—Can I really pull this off?

Her loud voice added another layer of unease to my concerns.

The academy was vast and unfamiliar to the new students. For those who didn’t know where the classrooms were, it must have felt like a maze. Without guides, it was easy to imagine students getting lost almost immediately—or, rather, it was already happening.

“This place hasn’t changed a bit…”

Returning to the academy after several years, I could see that the lavish interior, which hardly resembled a place of learning, was enough to distract even those walking to their classrooms. While everyone around me was looking around with restless curiosity, I was struggling with a wave of nausea. Having walked these halls countless times in my first life, I couldn’t experience the novelty others felt. Instead, a mix of nostalgia and trauma weighed heavily on me, making it impossible to feel at ease.

“It’s amazing, Clay!”

“Yeah… sure…”

Standing beside me, Freesia was visibly thrilled. I wished she’d calm down a little. As the daughter of a duke, couldn’t she act with a bit more dignity? And as a young lady, couldn’t she be a little more composed? Not that I expected much—it seemed this version of her had grown far too carefree compared to the one from my first life.

—Did that forehead flick scramble her brains?

I couldn’t help but think so. Somehow, I felt partially responsible for how she’d turned out. How would I even apologize to her father, Duke Ivern, for this?

“Would groveling on my knees suffice?”

Lost in such ridiculous thoughts, I found myself at our classroom before I knew it. The Special Advancement class was separated from the other classrooms, in a location that felt deliberately isolated. The atmosphere was oddly tense.

Because I’d been walking slowly at the back of the group, other students were already inside the classroom. The teacher who had guided us here seemed to be different from the homeroom teacher, as the classroom was filled only with students. From outside, I could hear snippets of conversation.

Though I’d avoided sharing a class with my greatest source of trauma, this room—the Special Advancement class—still held countless remnants of my past traumas. It was a veritable Pandora’s box, and entering it required significant resolve.

“What are you standing there for? Aren’t you going in?”

“...”

Despite my hesitation, this inconsiderate girl opened the door without a thought and walked right in, dragging me along by the arm. Seriously, what was her deal?

The moment we entered, all eyes in the room turned toward us. The emotions behind those stares varied.

“Hey, is that…?”

“That’s the one who got in through the back door…”

“And next to him, the ‘Ice Demon’?”

“You’ve gotta be kidding me…”

There was curiosity, suspicion, and even resentment. Most of those emotions weren’t directed at Freesia, but rather at me. It seemed the rumors about me had already grown exaggerated, and I could feel the faint hostility—almost like ridicule—in their stares.

—Will I be able to get through this?

Even though I’d resolved the biggest issue, this moment made it clear that my worries about academy life were far from over.