Lunch came as a relief after the morning's classes. Lukas made his way to the dining hall, a grand building with vaulted ceilings and long tables arranged in neat rows. Students clustered in groups based on social circles, nobles with nobles, commoners with commoners, and the occasional mixed group that defied convention.
Marcus was already waiting near the entrance, waving him over.
"There you are," Marcus said with a grin. "I heard about your match with Aldric. Second time you've beaten him in two days. He must be furious."
"Aldric?" Lukas asked as they joined the food line.
"The guy you just fought. Aldric Fenton, son of Viscount Fenton. He's been trying to establish himself as someone important since day one, but he keeps picking fights he can't win."
Lukas grabbed a tray and started loading it with food. "Not my problem."
"Maybe not, but you've definitely made an enemy. The Fenton family has connections to some of the more... influential noble factions."
"I'll deal with it if it becomes an issue," Lukas said simply.
They found a table near the middle of the hall and sat down. The food was decent, roasted chicken, fresh bread, vegetable soup. Better than what Lukas had eaten in his previous life.
"So," Marcus said between bites, "what made you decide to come to the academy? I heard the Grant family usually sends their promising children here, but you were never mentioned in any social circles."
Lukas shrugged. "Just felt like it was time."
It wasn't much of an answer, but Marcus seemed to accept it. They ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Marcus spoke again.
"You know, you're different from what I expected. The rumors made you sound like some spoiled noble who couldn't even swing a sword properly. But watching you fight... you're skilled. Really skilled."
"People exaggerate," Lukas said.
"Clearly." Marcus paused. "Hey, if you ever want to train together, let me know. I could use a sparring partner who won't go easy on me."
Before Lukas could respond, a shadow fell over their table.
He looked up to find three students standing there, upperclassmen based on their year badges. The one in front was tall with sharp features and an arrogant expression.
"You're Lukas Grant?" the upperclassman asked.
"Yes," Lukas replied carefully.
"I'm Damien Kelso, second year. I've heard interesting things about you. Beat Aldric twice, placed sixteenth in the entrance exam despite being labeled a failure. That takes either skill or luck."
"Mostly luck," Lukas said, hoping to end the conversation quickly.
Damien smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I don't think so. How about we test that luck? There's a sparring session for upperclassmen and first-years tomorrow evening. You should come. Unless you're afraid of fighting someone with real experience."
It was a clear challenge. Several nearby students had stopped eating to listen.
Lukas met Damien's gaze. He could refuse, but that would just invite more challenges later. Better to deal with it now.
"Sure," he said. "I'll be there."
Damien's smile widened. "Excellent. Don't disappoint me."
The upperclassmen left, and the dining hall gradually returned to normal noise levels. Marcus let out a low whistle.
"You just accepted a challenge from Damien Kelso. Do you know who he is?"
"An upperclassman with too much free time?" Lukas guessed.
"He's ranked fifth among second-years in combat ability. He's also ruthless, likes to humiliate first-years to establish dominance. You just painted a target on your back."
Lukas took another bite of chicken. "Like I said, I'll deal with it if it becomes an issue."
Marcus shook his head but didn't press further.
After lunch, Lukas returned to his dorm for a few hours of free time before evening activities. He lay on his bed and closed his eyes.
[You have been idle for 1 hour]
[+1 to all stats]
[Current Stats: Strength 42, Agility 42, Mana 42, Endurance 42]
His stats were approaching the level of experienced knights now. Another week and he'd surpass most of the academy's instructors. The thought was both thrilling and concerning. Power came with attention, and attention brought complications.
A knock on his door interrupted his thoughts.
Lukas opened it to find a girl standing in the hallway, someone he vaguely recognized from Combat Theory class. She had short brown hair and wore the standard academy uniform.
"Can I help you?" he asked.
"Are you Lukas Grant?" she asked, sounding slightly nervous.
"Yes."
She thrust a folded piece of paper at him. "Princess Seraphina asked me to deliver this to you."
Before Lukas could respond, she hurried away down the hall.
He unfolded the paper. The handwriting was elegant and precise.
Mr. Grant,
I would like to speak with you regarding your performance in today's classes. Please meet me in the academy library's private study room 3B at seven this evening.
—Princess Seraphina
Lukas stared at the note. This was not good. Princess Seraphina was the first heroine in the novel, the one who would eventually fall for Ace after he saved her from an assassination attempt. Her getting involved with Lukas this early was a deviation from the plot.
He could ignore the invitation, but refusing a direct request from royalty would cause problems. Better to meet with her, answer whatever questions she had, and try to redirect her attention back to Ace.
At seven, Lukas made his way to the library, a massive three-story building filled with countless books on magic, history, combat techniques, and various academic subjects. The private study rooms were on the third floor, reserved for important students and research projects.
He found room 3B and knocked.
"Enter," came Seraphina's voice.
Lukas stepped inside. The room was small but comfortable, with a desk, several chairs, and shelves lined with books. Princess Seraphina sat at the desk, her golden eyes studying him as he entered. Her two attendants stood by the door.
"Mr. Grant," she said. "Thank you for coming."
"Your Highness," Lukas replied with a slight bow.
"Please, sit." She gestured to the chair across from her.
Lukas sat, keeping his expression neutral. Seraphina watched him for a moment before speaking.
"I'll be direct. Your sudden improvement is remarkable. According to records, you showed no particular talent during your childhood training. Yet in the span of days, you've defeated trained fighters and demonstrated tactical thinking beyond most first-years. How do you explain this?"
So that was it. She was suspicious.
"I trained privately," Lukas said. "Away from my family's watchful eyes. I didn't want them to have expectations I couldn't meet."
It was a weak excuse, but believable enough. Plenty of nobles trained in secret to avoid family pressure.
Seraphina's expression didn't change. "And this private training suddenly made you skilled enough to place sixteenth in the entrance exam and defeat Aldric Fenton twice?"
"I worked hard," Lukas said simply.
"I see." She leaned back in her chair. "Mr. Grant, I'm not here to interrogate you. I'm simply... curious. There's something different about you. Something I can't quite identify."
Lukas remained silent, unsure how to respond.
Seraphina continued. "The academy will test you in ways you haven't experienced yet. Political games, dangerous practical exams, and students who will see you as either a threat or a tool to be used. I suggest you be careful about who you trust."
"I appreciate the advice, Your Highness," Lukas said carefully.
"That's all I wanted to say." She stood, and Lukas followed suit. "You're free to go. But Mr. Grant, if you ever find yourself in a situation where you need assistance, you may come to me. Consider it an offer of goodwill."
Lukas nodded. "Thank you."
He left the room, his mind racing. Seraphina was clearly suspicious, but she hadn't pushed too hard. The offer of assistance was unexpected, maybe she saw him as a potential ally in the academy's political landscape.
Either way, he needed to be more careful. Too much attention too quickly would cause problems.
Back in his room, Lukas collapsed onto his bed.
[You have been idle for 2 hours]
[+2 to all stats]
[Daily Skill Lottery Available]
[Would you like to draw?]
He selected yes.
[Drawing...]
[Skill Acquired: Intermediate Sword Mastery (B-Rank)]
[Previous skill Basic Sword Mastery (C) has been replaced]
Lukas sat up. An upgrade. His sword skills had just jumped significantly. With B-rank mastery and his current stats, he could probably hold his own against most academy instructors now.
Tomorrow's sparring session with Damien was going to be interesting.
---
Elsewhere in the academy, Ace Reinhardt sat in his room, staring at another system notification.
[QUEST UPDATE: Prove Your Worth]
[Lukas Grant has gained increased attention from Princess Seraphina]
[Additional Objective: Demonstrate your abilities at tomorrow's sparring session]
Ace clenched his fists. Every time he tried to focus on his own growth, Lukas Grant somehow appeared in his path. First the plaza incident, then the entrance exam, now even Princess Seraphina was taking interest in him.
It wasn't jealousy, at least, that's what Ace told himself. It was frustration. He'd worked so hard to get here, to prove himself worthy of being at this academy. And yet Lukas seemed to accomplish the same with minimal effort.
His system had given him power, but it required combat and achievement to grow. Lukas appeared to be getting stronger without even trying.
"I need to train harder," Ace muttered to himself.
He stood and grabbed his sword. If he wanted to surpass Lukas, he needed to push himself beyond his current limits.
The training grounds at night were empty. Perfect.
---
In her private chambers, Princess Seraphina reviewed her notes on Lukas Grant. Something about him didn't add up. His sudden improvement, his calm demeanor, the way he carried himself, it all suggested someone with far more experience than a sheltered noble's son should have.
She'd lived her entire life surrounded by politics and deception. She could recognize when someone was hiding something.
The question was: what was Lukas Grant hiding? And more importantly, was it a threat to the kingdom?
She would continue observing him. If he proved to be dangerous, she'd deal with it. If he proved to be useful, she'd consider making him an ally.
Either way, Lukas Grant had caught her attention.
And Princess Seraphina never forgot someone who caught her attention.
---
[SYSTEM NOTICE]
[Timeline Divergence: 18%]
[Multiple major characters showing altered behavior patterns]
[Warning: Original plot structure becoming unstable]
Lukas slept peacefully, unaware that his simple desire to live quietly was slowly unraveling the story's carefully constructed narrative.