"Are you awake, young master?"
"Good morning, Berno."
The first thing I saw when I opened the door was Berno's familiar face.
"By the way, you… ah, never mind."
"Pardon?"
I had been ready to scold him for yesterday's incident the moment I saw him, but as soon as the words reached my tongue, I let them go.
Some things can't be fixed by nagging.
Common sense doesn't grow overnight.
Instead, I simply asked, "Did you prepare everything I asked for?"
"I brought everything, just as you instructed," Berno replied, tilting his head slightly. "But… may I ask why these are necessary?"
"You'll find out soon enough."
I took the bag from his hands and peeked inside.
Hmm. Good.
Everything was exactly as I'd specified—no mistakes, no missing items.
Perfect.
I'd be needing these things later today.
"The uniform suits you well, young master," Berno said with a small smile.
"Does it?"
I turned toward the mirror.
The deep black of the Imperial Academy uniform stood out sharply against my white hair.
Its style was surprisingly modern—a strange blend of Chinese and Korean high school fashion with a hint of Japanese school uniform.
A small part of me felt disappointed.
For a world that looked like something out of a grand fantasy, this uniform felt almost too contemporary.
Still, it didn't look bad on me, so I decided not to complain.
I slung the bag over my shoulder and headed for the Academy gates with Berno trailing just behind.
Since the Imperial Academy is filled almost entirely with noble students, each student is allowed to bring along a knight or a servant from their family.
Naturally, Berno was the one chosen to accompany me.
Originally, Count Bermoore wouldn't have allowed it—he had hoped sending his son to the Academy alone would force him to mature.
But my unexpected runaway incident shortly after I possessed Louis's body must have rattled him more than he let on.
In the end, he relented and assigned Berno to stay by my side.
I suspect his true reason wasn't for my comfort or safety.
No, Berno's presence was less about assistance… and more about keeping a close eye on me.
I would've preferred to come alone, but… this can't be helped.
I brought this upon myself.
"I'm pretty sure it's this way," Berno said confidently after we passed through the Academy's main gate, pointing toward a tree-lined path.
I slowed, frowning. No matter how I looked at it, that was definitely not the direction of the auditorium where the entrance ceremony was being held.
"…Isn't it the opposite way?" I asked.
"Ah, really?" he replied, blinking in mild surprise.
I stared at him. Wait a second… don't tell me—
"…You don't know where we're going, do you?"
Berno gave a sheepish chuckle. "Haha. I, uh… have a bit of trouble finding my way."
"You're directionally challenged?"
"Maybe a little."
"Then how in the world did you even get to my lodging?"
"Oh, the coachman dropped me off right at the door," he said, as if that explained everything.
I dragged a hand down my face, feeling a headache forming. A knight with no sense of direction. What a tragic combination.
The Academy grounds were enormous—far bigger than the Count's estate. Even ordinary people had trouble navigating here. With Berno? He'd probably get lost twice before breakfast.
"Is it… over there, maybe?" he asked a moment later, pointing at yet another random path.
"No, you idiot," I sighed.
"Haha, sorry."
I pressed my fingers to my temple. "Unbelievable."
It seemed I'd gained not a companion, but a burden.
After several wrong turns and more than a few deep breaths on my part, we finally made it to the auditorium.
The sight stopped me in my tracks.
As expected of the Empire's only Academy, the hall was breathtaking—vast and glittering like a venue for a royal ball. The polished marble floors reflected the light of grand chandeliers, and elegant banners lined the high walls.
"Wow," Berno murmured, eyes wide.
I nudged him forward. "Stay here until the entrance ceremony starts. And don't wander off."
"I'll come to where you are, young master."
"No. Just stay here quietly."
"…Understood."
After making sure Berno was settled in the second-floor seats, I headed down to the first floor.
I found the seat with my assigned number and sat down, letting my gaze wander across the massive auditorium.
All around me, nobles filed in with carefully measured steps, every movement dripping with dignity and elegance. Their polished manners and refined posture screamed aristocrat.
I almost laughed.
That noble aura wouldn't last long. Give it a few months at the Academy, and even the most self-important heirs would be sneaking late-night snacks and complaining about exams like any other student.
I knew it because I'd already read all this in the webtoon.
Shaking my head with a faint smile, I leaned back in my chair.
The Academy itself was proof of the Empire's cleverness.
Twenty years ago, as peace stretched on and the Empire's history grew longer, the power of the nobility ballooned without restraint. Discrimination against commoners had become a way of life, and the gap between classes widened until it was almost unbridgeable.
It was Emperor Astra III who finally stepped in.
To break the cycle, he founded this very Academy, forcing the children of nobles to live, study, and train alongside others—sometimes even commoners. His goal was simple: reshape the minds of those who would one day inherit titles and influence.
And it worked.
Generation after generation, the nobles who passed through these halls began to change.
Of course, not everyone approved. Many commoners still see the Academy as a playground for the privileged. And despite its mixed enrollment, the core student body remains overwhelmingly noble.
Ironically, teaching nobles advanced swordsmanship and magic only made them more dangerous.
Their growing military power now poses a quiet threat to the imperial family. The Emperor keeps his grip through laws and a few well-placed systems of control, but… who knows how long that balance will last?
Not that it's my problem.
I'm not the eldest son, so I won't inherit the family title. As soon as I graduate, I'm planning to travel the world. Politics, power struggles—none of it concerns me.
All I need to do is enjoy the Academy life I once only read about in the webtoon.
"Please take your seats!"
The announcer's clear, ringing voice cut through the growing chatter.
"We will now begin the twentieth entrance ceremony of the Academy."
Around me, the crowd settled, the rustling of robes and whispers fading into silence.
"First, we will hear the opening address from the principal."
I knew these lines by heart.
Then, an elderly man stepped onto the stage, his long robe sweeping across the polished floor.
My heartbeat quickened.
The principal.
In the webtoon, this was the exact moment where the real story began.
As he reached the center of the platform—
BOOM!
A deafening explosion shook the hall.
"Kyaaaah!"
Screams erupted from somewhere in the audience as the floor trembled beneath us.
I shot to my feet, heart hammering.
So it begins.
The story of this world was finally starting in earnest.