Attendance scores are important. They're a standard for measuring diligence.
Even if you fail an exam, you can still get basic points if you attend regularly.
"Riley."
"Yes."
"Horr."
"Yes!"
"Hesemann."
"Here."
Today, the same professor was taking attendance.
"Ah, and one more thing."
But something new was added at the end.
"We have a returning student. Student Leon?"
Then, a young man with short hair sitting at the very back slightly raised his hand.
"So you're Leon. Hmm. You're from the class of '19 but still a freshman. Did you take a leave of absence after just half a semester?"
"...Yes, Professor. That's correct."
"What were you doing before coming back to school?"
After a brief pause, the returning student answered the professor's question.
"I enlisted in the military."
"Hmm. As an officer?"
"As a regular soldier."
"...Aren't you from a noble family?"
"Yes, I am."
But why did he enlist as a regular soldier instead of an officer?
The professor's eyes seemed to ask, "What's this? Is he an idiot?"
"Well… I suppose you set a good example as a nobleman. In any case, work hard."
When the professor finished speaking, the seated students looked at the military veteran who had returned to school.
Everyone had curious looks in their eyes. Gazes filled with interest.
A nobleman who enlisted as a regular soldier instead of an officer?
No! They were class of '22, but this person was class of '19!
My goodness, they were in the same year but from different enrollment years!
Of course, such interested looks lasted exactly three seconds.
A freshman with a different enrollment year. End of story. That's all there was to it.
Everyone lost interest in the returning student and focused on the professor's lecture.
Actually, let me correct that. They began falling into a powerful lullaby.
Professor. Please. It's the first day of the second semester, please end early…
---
Teaching Assistant Marcus was checking the student roster for the second semester.
Then a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes.
The reason was that he had spotted a name he hadn't seen in a long time.
'Leon?'
At first, he thought he'd seen wrong. But he hadn't.
His junior by three years. They weren't particularly close, but somehow they had gotten to know each other.
Marcus, who had been chuckling to himself, looked up at the sound of a knock.
"Come in."
The door opened, and the person who entered was none other than the subject himself.
"What? Leon? Is that really you?"
"Oh, Senior Marcus?"
"I'm a teaching assistant now."
"Ah, yes."
"Come in quickly. Close the door first."
He never imagined they would meet like this.
He thought Leon had taken a leave of absence and just disappeared.
Now that a lot of time had passed, Marcus opened his mouth.
"Have all your emotional wounds healed?"
"Ah, damn. If that's what you want to talk about, I'd rather not."
"No. Not happening. My junior who suffered from unrequited love."
Leon.
His true identity was a military veteran returning to school after taking a leave of absence because he was rejected after confessing.