"......"

"......"

A heavy, oppressive atmosphere filled the classroom. On one hand, some students were genuinely surprised at the sudden entrance of Freesia and me. On the other, there were those who glared at me with piercing hostility, whispering amongst themselves. The latter group was clearly antagonistic towards me, and I had no clue why a group of people I'd never met or spoken to would look at me with such seething contempt on our very first meeting.

———No, it’s obvious why. But even so, isn’t this going a bit overboard?

"Oh, there’s an open seat at the back. Clay, let’s sit there," Freesia said cheerfully.

"......"

While I was confused, Freesia, completely oblivious to the tense atmosphere—or perhaps entirely incapable of sensing it—spoke casually.

———Why are you so naturally trying to sit next to me?

I wanted to retort, but I had bigger problems to worry about. Freesia’s comment caused the students glaring at me to intensify their hostile stares. This girl, while clueless on the inside, apparently had enough outward charm to attract a certain number of admirers.

———Let me tell you, she's not worth it, folks.

I silently warned her more deluded admirers. But my current predicament didn’t improve one bit. I glanced around, trying to find someone who looked approachable, but I quickly reconsidered.

"Ah, damn..."

Among the students was none other than the prince who had been the cause of my trauma in my first life, serving as the representative for the new students. Our eyes seemed to meet for a moment, but I desperately hoped I was imagining it and immediately looked away.

There was no one in this classroom willing to save me. Meanwhile, the battle maniac next to me urged, "Come on, let’s go already." If you’re so eager to sit, go alone. It was starting to feel like the entire world was against me.

———Would they forgive me if I groveled right now?

Such a foolish thought crossed my mind, and I almost knelt down in desperation, but my body froze just in time.

"Alright, good morning, everyone! Looks like everyone’s here, huh?"

A long-drawn-out voice broke through the tension as a man entered the classroom. With his arrival, the suffocating atmosphere in the room shifted. Everyone’s eyes turned to him, but he seemed entirely unfazed by their attention. He cleared his throat once.

"Ahem, I’m thrilled to see so much youthful energy on the very first day, but for now, everyone, take your seats."

"......"

The students glaring at me reluctantly obeyed his commanding presence and sat down. Taking the chance, I also found a seat—not next to Freesia, of course, but at a nearby open spot. However, the battle maniac immediately seated herself next to me anyway.

———Why???

My questions were endless, but for now, I ignored her and focused on the man at the lectern. The students who had been glaring at me earlier were now completely subdued, sitting silently. It was no surprise. This man, who stood casually before us, was a rather notorious instructor at this academy.

With disheveled blue hair and a lazy outfit that looked like pajamas, he didn’t remotely resemble a teacher. But every student here, including me, knew exactly who he was.

"Nice to meet you all! I’m Volt Electrica, your homeroom teacher for this year’s Special Advancement class!"

———Better known as the Academy’s Demon Drill Instructor.

Though he looked sloppy and laid-back, one should never underestimate him. Chronostaria Academy of Magic and Swords, which annually produced candidates for the Seven Peerless Swords, owed much of its success to this man.

His classes were notoriously grueling, causing countless students to sustain serious injuries, lose their motivation, and even drop out entirely every year.

———I can’t count how many times I puked during his lessons.

He was definitely one of my traumas. Everyone here had heard the rumors about this man. While I had known in advance, my classmates clearly hadn’t expected him to be our homeroom teacher. Many of them were visibly tense. Oblivious—or perhaps indifferent—to their reactions, Volt continued speaking.

"I love combat! What I hate is dealing with idiots! Anyway, I heard there are four Inheritors this year, so I’m really looking forward to training you all. I’ll be pushing you hard, so get ready!"

No one dared respond to Volt, who was smiling brightly. His casual tone carried an unnerving resemblance to that of a certain grumpy old man I knew. After finishing his brief introduction, Volt naturally moved on to the next topic.

"That’s it for my introduction! Now it’s your turn. Let’s go one by one. We’ll start with... let’s see, how about the prince, our new student representative?"

"Understood."

The prince, seated at the back of the classroom, stood up when called. All eyes immediately focused on him. Even I couldn’t ignore him, despite wanting to, so I reluctantly turned my gaze his way.

"Some of you may already know me, but let me introduce myself again. My name is Chronos Chronostaria. I am the second prince of this kingdom. However, I don’t want rank or status to matter here—I want to get along with all of you. I enjoy reading and observing people, and I don’t particularly dislike anything. I look forward to studying with you all."

Majestic and composed, his introduction was impeccable. He neither cowered under the pressure of dozens of eyes nor exuded an oppressive aura, radiating instead an unexpected warmth. As expected of a prince, his charisma was on another level. A few female students even let out excited squeals.

"Alright, next up—"

Using the prince’s introduction as a cue, Volt continued calling on students one by one. The Special Advancement class had a small group of twenty-five students, so the introductions progressed smoothly—until the twenty-fourth student stood up.

"I’m Gaian Buster, one of the test entrants. I came to this academy to become one of the Seven Peerless Swords. So, don’t get in my way—especially you privileged slackers who got in through recommendation because of your fancy family backgrounds."

"......"

His harsh, pointed words cut through the air. And judging by the way he glared at me, there was no doubt who his remarks were directed at. While other students had also expressed hostility towards me during their introductions, this one was by far the most blatant.

"Oh, I like that! Ambition is always good!"

For some reason, Volt seemed to enjoy it.

———Why are you encouraging him?

"Hey, what’s your problem!? Clay is amazing—!"

Before I could respond, Freesia had already started glaring back on my behalf. Please, stop making things worse. I just want a peaceful life.

"And finally, it’s your turn."

"Alright..."

Despite my silent protests, I was the last one left. Forced to introduce myself, I rose from my seat, immediately bombarded by a wave of hostile glares. Sighing internally, I kept my introduction brief.

"I’m Claym Bradley. I enjoy physical activities. I hope we can all get along. Nice to meet you."

"Alright, applause!"

———It’s over.

I surveyed the silent classroom, certain my introduction had been dull but unproblematic. There was no way anyone would clap—except for one person.

"Huh? Why isn’t anyone clapping!?"

The lone exception, the duke’s daughter seated next to me, clapped enthusiastically. Her kindness was both heartwarming and excruciating, leaving my spirit utterly drained.

"I want to go home..."

I missed Alice. I just wanted her to comfort me. Emotionally defeated, I couldn’t focus on the light orientation that followed.

Truly, the academy was a pit of despair. A repository of trauma.

And so, I added yet another entry to my collection of embarrassing memories.