After Kevyn came Durandal.
Durandal had expected Elysia to step up immediately, but instead, the other girl made a gesture inviting her to go first.
Though she found it a bit odd, Durandal herself didn't really mind.
So, after stepping onto the platform, Durandal picked up a piece of chalk directly, wrote her name on the blackboard, and said, "Durandal. That's my name."
With that, she turned her gaze to Miyako, waiting for her seat assignment.
"Ahem, straight to the point, I see."
It took Miyako a moment to process this. After a brief pause, she cleared her throat lightly and assigned Durandal to the very back of the classroom.
There was no helping it—everywhere else was full. Durandal would just have to put up with it for now.
Seats would be rearranged after the upcoming exams based on everyone's results.
The last to take the stage was Elysia, who received the most attention from the class, especially the male students.
With a sweet, captivating smile, she said in a melodious and enchanting voice, "Hi, everyone~?"
"My name is Elysia~ I'm so happy to be in Class 2-A and to spend the next two years of high school with all of you."
"I'm sure we'll build a deep and lasting friendship~? But there's one thing I need to make clear first."
At this point, Elysia suddenly cast an utterly infatuated glance toward Durandal, who had already taken her seat in the last row.
The look made Durandal frown, an uneasy premonition stirring inside her.
Before Durandal could react, Elysia blew a flying kiss right in her direction and winked. "You see, I like Durandal the most~"
Yeah, right!
Elysia added viciously in her heart.
Hmph, hadn't Durandal told her to tone it down at school?
And that it'd be best if she stuck close to Durandal?
Fine then~ She'd do exactly that~
Not only would she do as told, she'd make sure everyone knew that she and Durandal had a special relationship.
That way, all those boys and girls who—just as Durandal had predicted—would genuinely develop feelings for her would inevitably direct their resentment toward Durandal, wouldn't they~
Just thinking about it lifted her mood~
Miyako, standing nearby, hadn't expected Elysia to use her self-introduction as a chance for such a bold declaration. For a moment, she was at a loss for words.
She hesitated, wondering whether she should seat Elysia next to Durandal.
Although she wasn't the type of teacher who opposed high school romances, she was still concerned about whether this would affect both students' academic performance.
But before Miyako could make the seating arrangement, Elysia had already slung her backpack over her shoulder and dashed to sit beside Durandal.
Thanks to Elysia's earlier statement, many eyes were already on Durandal.
Now, seeing a beauty like Elysia eagerly take the seat next to Durandal without even waiting for the teacher's instruction, even those students who didn't have any particular interest in Elysia began to feel a twinge of displeasure.
After all, kids at that age were naturally competitive.
No matter how they looked at it, they couldn't see what was so special about that ice-cold Durandal to make Elysia so devoted.
Noticing the numerous jealous and resentful glances now directed at Durandal, Elysia rested her chin in her hands, elbows propped on the desk, and looked triumphantly at Durandal—as if declaring some kind of victory.
"Having fun?"
Durandal was almost amused by Elysia's childish antics.
Is this how you stir up trouble?
Did Elysia underestimate her, or overestimate their classmates?
Durandal was certain that, aside from maybe academic subjects where she might not match Mei, even someone as athletic as Kevyn couldn't surpass her at this stage, okay?
If not grades or sports, what else could their classmates possibly compete with her in?
Fighting?
Even if she didn't use the power of Dea Anchora, nor the power of Palatinus Equinox, nor even the power of Bright Knight: Excelsis, and relied solely on the power of Valkyrie Gloria, these kids wouldn't stand a chance, okay?
"Lots of fun~?"
Elysia admitted outright.
Durandal nodded. "I think it's pretty fun too. But Elysia, have you considered what your own image will become after saying all that?"
Elysia: ?
Suddenly, as if realizing something, Elysia's expression shifted slightly.
Yeah, by doing this, she'd definitely piled a mountain of resentment onto Durandal.
In the future, whether inside or outside the class—or even the school—anyone who admired Elysia would inevitably pick a fight with Durandal.
That would certainly add plenty of 'excitement' to Durandal's high school life, but that was about it.
The most important point was… Durandal wasn't going to play along with her act!
So in the eyes of outsiders, wouldn't it just look like Elysia was desperately chasing after Durandal, while Durandal remained completely unmoved?
So, she, Elysia—a beautiful girl blessed with both intelligence and looks—was going to become the tragic heroine pining after unrequited love in everyone else's minds?
No way~~~
She regretted it now.
Was it too late to turn back time to before the self-introductions?
Seeing that Elysia seemed to have finally grasped the severity of the situation, Durandal patted her head. "Consider this my way of comforting you in advance."
Elysia: "..."
She had thought today would be her chance to turn the tables and finally outmaneuver Durandal, but it seemed she still couldn't win~ How frustrating...
Sure enough, Elysia declared, she loved all of humanity—except Durandal!
After patting Elysia's head, Durandal turned her attention to Miyako at the lectern.
She was genuinely curious about what kind of knowledge this world's high schools were teaching that allowed a high school student like Mei to publish academic papers that even scholars from Mu Continent praised.
After a full day of classes, Durandal's conclusion was… it really wasn't much different from the knowledge she'd been exposed to before her transmigration.
So it wasn't a matter of this world's high school curriculum—it was all about Mei herself.
Of course, that was pretty much what Durandal had expected.
On another note, it was worth mentioning that this world's technological level had already reached—and in some areas, surpassed—that of the early 21st century from before her transmigration.
Equations like E=mc² had long been proposed by Dr. Einstein from Mu Continent.
That's right—the Previous Era also had a scientist who looked exactly like the Einstein from 50,000 years later in Anti-Entropy.
However, nuclear bombs had not yet been invented.
According to descriptions in the Elysian Realm about Vill-V, it was she who ultimately created the nuclear bomb.
Because of this, after the Herrscher of Corruption incident, she was haunted by the fact that her invention had led to the destruction of humanity's last three cities, and she went on to redesign the 5th Divine Key into the Great Hibernation, which later helped Kevin, Fu Hua, Su, Fuxi, and Nuwa survive the long period of Earth's restoration.
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