"I'm really exhausted..."

I’m utterly drained, both physically and mentally. Already, I yearn for the warmth of my home. To feel homesick on the very first day of school… it seems all my accumulated traumas have left my psyche alarmingly fragile.

—And it’s all thanks to the battle maniac who spent the entire day sitting beside me shouting, “Fight! Fight!” like an incessant echo.

Even after leaving the classroom, she kept pestering me, insisting I accompany her to the training grounds. Shaking her off proved to be a nightmare. By the end, she even tried following me to the boys’ dormitory! Thankfully, her attendant, Leia, stepped in just in time to help. If not for her intervention, I swear that girl would’ve barged right into my room without hesitation.

“Is this what I have to deal with every day from now on??”

A terrifying premonition sent chills down my spine. I can’t endure this—having to constantly listen to the endless gripes of a battle maniac will surely drive me insane. How is it that handing her off left me more drained than relieved?

—Is this the so-called initiation into academy life...?

Lost in thought, I found myself standing before the boys’ dormitory on the academy grounds. Finally, the one safe haven this academy has to offer. My nerves settled somewhat—this is likely the only place where encounters with the likes of that battle maniac or the prince, or any of my other sources of trauma, are highly unlikely.

“If I just stay in my room, I’ll be fine.”

Regaining my composure, I proceeded toward the room I’d be spending the next year in. I’d already collected the key from the dormitory caretaker at the front desk. Most of my belongings had apparently been transported from my family estate to my room, so I only needed to do a little unpacking to survive this first day of school.

“Who’s my roommate, I wonder? Last time, I managed to secure a solo room through some rather underhanded means, but this time, I hope to build a good relationship with my roommate.”

Chronostaria Academy of Magic and Swords emphasizes fostering harmony among its students—most of whom are training to become knights or warriors. Therefore, first-year students are required to share a room with another person to develop cooperation skills.

If nothing’s changed from my first time here, my roommate should be a timid-looking boy. But who knows for sure? Too many things about this timeline have already diverged drastically. Just today, I’ve encountered more changes than I expected. Even if my roommate is different, it wouldn’t surprise me—it wouldn’t even be strange.

“Just… please don’t let it be anyone from my class who seems to have it out for me—like Gaian Buster or those other guys glaring daggers at me.”

I’ve already accumulated enough grudges. Sharing a room with someone like them would make for an unbearably awkward atmosphere. Worse, my room would no longer feel like a sanctuary.

—Please, no. Anything but that.

Anyone else, I’m sure I can manage. I’m confident I can get along with most people. Ideally, I’d share a room with someone who isn’t in the Special Advancement class, isn’t a noble, and is just a regular, harmless student. That would be a blessing.

“Here it is…”

With a prayerful heart, I passed through the first floor and walked down the second-floor hallway until I reached the room the caretaker had assigned me. And—it’s a corner room. Lucky me.

The dormitory, home to all the academy’s students, is quite spacious. Among the countless rooms, a corner room feels special; you only have a neighbor on one side, which somehow gives the impression of fewer potential issues. Statistically, it also seems less likely to result in any disputes with neighbors.

“A good start.”

All that’s left is for my roommate to be harmless. Someone already seems to be inside, as I can hear noises coming from within.

“Unpacking?”

But the sounds are… chaotic. It’s far too noisy to simply be unpacking. It sounds more like someone is building something. I can only imagine how the neighbors must feel about the racket.

—To think I might end up not as the one troubled by noise, but as the source of it…

That’s something I hadn’t anticipated.

“Well, whatever.”

Putting aside concerns about the noise, I knocked on the door. Barging in without notice might startle my roommate, and first impressions are crucial. Better to approach this courteously.

Given the commotion inside, I wasn’t sure if my knock would even be noticed, but my worries proved unfounded.

“Ah, y-yes! C-come in!”

The noise abruptly stopped, and I received permission to enter. Opening the door, I prepared to greet my new roommate enthusiastically—

“I’m Claim Bradley, your roommate. Pleased to—huh?”

The words froze in my throat.

“H-hi, n-nice to meet you… M-my name’s Weiss Brightness… L-let’s get along…”

Standing before me was a timid-looking boy who seemed utterly devoid of confidence.

His beautiful blond hair fell over his eyes, but even with his face partially hidden, it was clear he was exceptionally good-looking. Not just handsome—his features were so delicate they could easily belong to a girl. A small, nervous creature of a boy… someone I knew all too well.

“Wha… why… why are you here…?”

“Eh? Eh? D-did I do something wrong!?”

The polite, harmless demeanor I’d been projecting slipped away entirely. That’s how much of a shock this was. My body trembled involuntarily, a chill ran down my spine, and my brain screamed at me to “Run!”

I hadn’t seen this coming.

Earlier, I’d said I didn’t mind anyone as long as they weren’t glaring at me or harboring a grudge. I’d also wished for a harmless, ordinary student. I’d like to take back my words and add a few conditions.

“Why…?”

On the surface, this boy seemed to meet all the criteria I’d listed just minutes ago. If anything, he was perfect.

But no. This is different. This isn’t about appearances. I’d never imagined this. I must truly be cursed by the world.

Because—

“S-sorry! I’m sorry!!”

The boy standing before me, repeatedly apologizing for no reason, was one of the many traumas of my previous life—none other than the Hero himself.

“Can we swap rooms!?”

Why is the Hero my roommate? And why does he seem so timid, so unsure of himself—so utterly different from the Hero I remember? It took me a few moments to recognize him, and even that felt far too late.

It seems this long, exhausting day is far from over. Somehow, I was certain of it.