The sparring sessions continued. Meanwhile, it looked like my turn in the magic section wouldn't come anytime soon.
On the other side of the arena, I saw Pong stepping up. He wore a large shield and sword. Hmm... looks like he's a tank-type.
The match began. But the moment Pong moved, I could already tell—it was way too predictable. His movements were slow, stiff, and clearly lacked experience. A direct hit landed, and—just as expected—Pong was sent flying, rolling twice across the ground... just like Alex earlier.
But…
He genuinely looked like a pig rolling in the mud.
[He looks like a roast pig turning over medium heat.] Apolo's voice echoed beside me. His tone was flat and analytical, like delivering a research report.
"I think we should give him a bit of encouragement."
[I don't think that's necessary.]
I glanced at Alex—who had already recovered and was now standing outside the arena—shouting words of support to Pong. For some reason, that spirit seemed to reach him. His previously blank gaze suddenly lit up. He rose to his feet, gripping his shield with determination.
"Wow... maybe this is the power of friendship," I muttered, arms crossed.
Pong prepared to charge. He took a deep breath and shouted, "Shieldbash!"
He slammed his shield toward the instructor. But of course... it was useless. With a single move, he was down again.
Alex immediately ran to him, kneeling beside Pong's fallen body, clutching his shoulder, shouting with passion.
Ah, the climax of a Shounen Protagonist scene.
"Rey Lucien, step forward."
Suddenly, my name was called.
Just as I was enjoying the drama of Alex and Pong's friendship, my voice rang out from the magical speaker. Guess it's my turn on stage.
—
After the sparring session, Pong dragged us to a fairly upscale restaurant. Pong, fired up with energy, dragged us here and insisted on treating everyone.
Well, I had no reason to refuse. Who could say no to free food? Meanwhile, Alex seemed a bit thoughtful before finally speaking up.
"Sir Rey, why didn't you show your true strength?" he asked with a furrowed brow, visibly confused.
What was he expecting from me? Did he really think I'd flaunt all my power, make everyone gasp in awe... and start collecting love interests like some protagonist in those cliché novels that sell overpowered abilities as their main charm?
I let out a quiet sigh. "Alex, hiding your power is part of strategy," I replied calmly.
Alex looked surprised by my answer. I continued, my tone still relaxed but firm.
"Listen, you remember your dream, don't you? To become a Knight like Sir Lancelot. This academy is your chance to shine and move forward. As for me... I'll just be an Alchemist. I won't show off my swordsmanship or any other combat skills. I'll stick to magic. Magic that's... average."
"I understand," Alex replied shortly, but with renewed determination in his voice.
"This is your stage, Alex. Let the world know you as Alex, the Knight of Lucien." I ended my advice while sipping the tea the waiter had served.
Alex clenched his fists, his eyes glowing. It was as if he had just received spiritual enlightenment.
Meanwhile, Pong, having just finished ordering, joined our table. He greeted me cheerfully. "Sir Rey, your match was pretty great! You cast spells super fast too."
"Thanks, Pong. You fought well too. Maybe you could train with Alex."
"Of course! I was planning to ask him anyway. Though, obviously, it won't be free, right?" he said with a sly grin.
Hah. This pig actually has a talent for business. No wonder—he came from a farming family that trades in fresh beef and dairy.
"You'll only pay... if your skills improve," I replied casually.
"Hehe~." Pong chuckled, rubbing his belly. Alex, on the other hand, looked even more excited at the thought of having a new training partner.
As lunch was wrapping up, noise erupted from a distant table.
"Hey, move it! This place is for nobles, not commoners like you," a man sneered, clearly bullying two girls sitting quietly nearby.
One of them had bright red shoulder-length hair. The other had long, jet-black hair that flowed down to her waist.
I let out a long sigh.
Just as I thought... the red-haired one was the protagonist of this cursed game. And the black-haired one—her childhood friend—was also one of the potential heroines.
Yes, you heard me right. Heroines. Because both the protagonist and her potential love interests were all girls.
From various comments and story summaries I had read—don't ask why I even bothered reading those before transmigrating—the main route of this otome game was utterly ridiculous. The female protagonist dreams of becoming a Knight, an independent, charismatic woman filled with the spirit of freedom. And naturally, with all that charm, she attracts everyone—both men and women.
The game even allows for flexible routes, including a reverse harem with princes and pretty boys, pure girls' love, and what hardcore fans call the "Best Route"—which, in my opinion, is a nightmare: a reverse harem of both men and women.
I still can't believe what kind of idiot wrote a story like this. Even a chimpanzee could probably draft a more coherent plot. But apparently, everything's forgiven in the name of "romance and drama." And beneath all that, this world still hides real dangers—monsters, kingdoms at war, and even a rumored Demon King still alive.
Yeah. An otome game... with a setting full of chaos and absurdity.
The nobleman kept ranting about class differences between highborns and commoners. Not to mention, he kept glancing at the black-haired girl—more specifically, at her body. Honestly, even though I never played this otome game, I did glance at the character visuals of the protagonist, her childhood friend, and a few other key characters. And yeah... I'll admit, the childhood friend had some eye-catching assets.
The argument dragged on. Alex wanted to step in, but I stopped him. Eventually, the guy threw down a handkerchief, challenging the protagonist to a duel.
"If you lose, that girl becomes mine," the noble said while eyeing the black-haired girl.
This was the game's opening plot—where, as scripted, the protagonist gets challenged. The outcome is already decided and marks the beginning of her rise. A commoner defeating a mid-tier noble with the title of Viscount—just above Baron. Classic.
Me? I had no interest in getting involved in such clichés. So who cares? After finishing my meal, I walked out, followed by Alex and Pong.
For some reason, as I left, the black-haired childhood friend glanced at me for a moment. But so what? I couldn't care less about any of them.
—
A week passed, and we were now officially students of Tharsaros Academy. After doing my best to suppress my abilities and completing all the tests, I was placed in Class 1, Alchemist Department, C-level.
For popular departments like Warrior and Mage, the classes were ranked from S, A, B... all the way to F, where the losers gathered. Several non-combat departments also existed.
Classes S and A were where the game's main protagonists and antagonists gathered. Alex made it into Warrior Class A along with Pong. Quite surprising, considering Pong's actual combat skills were below average. Did he bribe a teacher to get in?
Our classroom had 15 students, with desks arranged in a semi-circle. It felt more like a college lecture hall than a typical magic school. This academy was more like a faculty than anything else.
"Alright everyone, my name is Fiona," said a girl with pink braided pigtails.
"We'll begin by choosing a class leader to manage class activities. Anyone interested in nominating themselves?" she asked, glancing around.
No one volunteered. So it was decided—Fiona officially became class leader. In this academy, there were no homeroom teachers—the class leader held all the responsibilities. But of course, it wasn't a thankless job. Class leaders received privileges and payment from the academy.
"First of all, this academy doesn't use real money," said one of the Alchemist instructors seated near Fiona.
The teacher pulled out a small magical artifact— a low-tier storage pouch. He handed it to Fiona and asked her to distribute it to the students.
The artifact could store items in a space about one square meter. Inside were official academy plaques displaying each student's name and class level, a complete academy handbook with maps, and 100 white gems radiating magical energy. These were the official currency—not just for the academy, but the entire city surrounding it.
"Take care of that artifact," said the instructor. "Whether you graduate or get expelled, it's yours to keep. It's a special right for officially accepted students. The gems can also be exchanged for gold coins."
The students were excited. Getting a free magic artifact was no small matter. At the Magic Tower, they cost up to 50 gold coins.
The instructor then gave a brief explanation of the academy's system and introduced himself. Official lessons would begin next week, once all second and third-year students returned from winter break.
"That's all for today. After this, you're allowed to choose additional departments, either combined tracks or non-combat ones," the instructor said before leaving the room.
Fiona, who had remained calm, spoke up again. For some reason, she'd been glancing at me several times. I frowned slightly... was there something wrong with my face?
"Alright, everyone. Let's work together from now on. If we cooperate and produce great results, our class might even rise from C-level to B-level," said Fiona cheerfully. Her chest jiggled slightly as she spoke.
"Eh...?!" I flinched—not because of her body, but because of what she just said.
A class could rise in rank?
I had never seen spoilers or info about this from viewers during my past livestreams. There's no way they'd miss such an important feature, right?
Is this one of those elite schools where classes compete for promotion?