A considerable crowd was gathering at the academy auditorium for the entrance ceremony.
Chairman Eris watched the scene from her chairman's office.
"The entrance ceremony is already here..."
A week had passed since the entrance exam ended and she had pressured the regressor.
Finally, Frontier Academy's entrance ceremony was about to begin.
"Ugh, I really couldn't figure out a single thing..."
Aden...
It had been a week since she decided to admit the regressor into the academy and wait.
As chairman, she had been monitoring him the entire time.
"If he's a regressor, shouldn't he be moving to stop the forces of evil, potential threats, and all that fear?"
But the regressor Aden...
His actions over the past week were far removed from any of that.
'Simple physical training... feeding stray cats... helping merchants outside the academy... finding a lost balloon for a kid...'
'What the hell is this... really...'
His week of activities made him seem like nothing more than a kind academy student number one.
It was hard to believe he was a regressor.
'Could it be...'
'I'll live happily.'
What if...
What if the regressor was so tired of regressing that he'd given up on this cycle...?
What if his promise to live happily was actually code for abandoning this cycle...?
'No... that's just paranoia.'
She shook the thoughts from her head.
It was an overblown idea.
If he'd truly given up on this cycle, why enter the academy?
Why go out of his way to take first place and draw attention?
She was surely just overthinking things because her senses had been on edge lately.
So what exactly was going to happen in the future...?
...
"Ah... screw it, I don't know! I'll just ask him after the ceremony!"
Chairman Eris.
Her race was dragon.
A species accustomed to eternity and waiting.
Yet true to their belief of heaven above heaven, only I reign supreme,
they were also a race sorely lacking in patience.
Thus, making her previous vow to wait seem empty,
she decided to ask him directly after the entrance ceremony.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇⚙ Achievement ⚙{Feeding Stray Cats} cleared. Did you feel sorry for that stray cat and feed it? But indiscriminately feeding strays out of pity can harm others too! Oh, looks like an angry citizen with horns is charging over. Run! Agility +2⚙ Achievement ⚙{Leave the Heavy Lifting to Me!} cleared. You helped those troubled merchants. Just hearing their thanks afterward is energizing! Strength +2⚙ Achievement ⚙{Divinity of Small Kindness} cleared. You showed a small act of kindness on the street. All great things start from the small ones. May your small kindnesses gather into a divine heart. Divinity +2Physical training completed. - Stamina +1Physical training completed. - Stamina +1Physical training completed. - Stamina +1⚙ Unique Trait ⚙{Last Hero} assists your growth. - Stamina +3
On the day of Frontier Academy's entrance ceremony,
Aden headed into the building where it would be held, pleased with the simple achievements that came to mind outside the academy, his physical training, and the outstanding growth assistance from his first unique trait activation.
'My stamina gains from training doubled...'
It was cheat-level performance, befitting something called a unique trait.
With that thought, he walked toward a building deeper inside than the one where the exam had been held.
The grand interior auditorium of the massive building was filled with several hundred people.
"Ah! Here, here!!"
Shortly after entering the auditorium,
he turned toward the clear, bell-like voice that stood out even amid the crowd.
Libia Clawit.
She was calling him from the front row.
Without hesitation, he walked over to her.
As the top scorer, the seat next to where Isabel and Libia sat had to be his.
"Long time no see, Libia, Helm."
"Long time no see! I told you to drop the formalities. It's awkward as hell!"
"Call me Isabel too. And no honorifics in the academy. Even if it's just formality, rules are rules."
The academy rule that status meant nothing inside.
It was just a nominal rule, but if they didn't want honorifics, there was no need to insist.
"Alright, fine... no need for them anymore anyway."
"Yeah! Sounds way better!"
"Entrance ceremony's starting. Sit down, both of you."
As Isabel spoke, the auditorium lights dimmed completely, leaving only the stage illuminated.
"Alright, everyone, take your seats!"
A voice infused with mana echoed through the hall.
As all eyes turned to the stage,
Chairman Eris appeared on the previously empty platform.
"We will now begin Frontier Academy's entrance ceremony."
"Before that... I prepared a super boring speech and all, but you guys don't want it, and I'm busy, so let's skip the entrance speech this time."
....?
Skip the speech?
In the game, it always played no matter how many times you repeated it.
'Butterfly effect from me taking first place?'
Either way, it was a good thing.
Having heard that super boring speech multiple times in the game,
he had no desire to sit through it again.
It was great for him,
but the professors murmuring in confusion behind suggested it wasn't pre-agreed.
Her profile said she was willful with some stage presence, and it seemed true.
"Moving right along, we have a welcome speech from the top student of the second years."
"Cherwin Arkan, please come forward."
At the chairman's call, a female student stepped forward.
She had light yellow hair and the same blue eyes as Isabel.
Cherwin Arkan, princess of Arkan Kingdom.
The student council president of Frontier Academy, hailed as the kingdom's greatest talent.
"Greetings. I'm Cherwin Arkan, top of the second years. First, welcome to the academy. Moving forward in Frontier Academy—"
She began her speech from the podium.
Her beautiful voice filled the auditorium.
'Too bad... this one doesn't get skipped...'
Of course, having heard it countless times in the story, it was just as boring.
After Cherwin's speech ended, the chairman resumed from the stage.
"Next up, introducing the faculty who will teach you all."
"Swordsmanship Professor Lena, come out in order."
With those words, the professors came forward one by one.
Even the faculty introductions right after weren't skipped.
"Swordsmanship Professor Lena Kyle. Nice to meet you."
"Magic Professor Raon. Looking forward to it."
"Practical Combat Professor Elina Levan."
The three essential course professors came out in order and introduced themselves.
Their personalities shone through.
Lively, taciturn, emotionless.
Among the powerhouse faculty, each boasting top-tier strength, these three stood unparalleled,
and they were the ones he aimed to turn into allies.
After that, introductions continued.
Magic circle and rune relations, dungeon practicum, magic swordsmanship, and more.
Various course professors came forward one after another.
"Alchemy Professor Baal. Pleased to meet you."
A familiar name reached his ears.
'Alchemy Professor Baal...'
The man standing on stage, smiling politely.
A spy who infiltrated Frontier Academy in the game,
and an executive of the evil organization Ixion, bent on reviving the evil god.
'He was the boss signaling the start of Frontier Chronicles' brutal difficulty...'
Infamously called the newbie shredder,
a boss that made countless newbies weep blood.
'I shed my share of bloody tears catching him too...'
Seeing that smiling face made anger well up.
'I'll kill that bastard myself.'
He vowed to rip off that smiling mask and avenge the newbies.
As he thought that,
the faculty introductions ended, moving to the next segment.
"Next, the speech from the top entrance exam student."
"Top entrant Aden, come to the stage."
Top entrant speech...
In the game, he'd only ever watched Isabel do it.
It felt a bit novel.
"What...? He's a commoner...?"
"How did that guy get top spot?"
"A mere commoner..."
As he stood and walked to the stage,
questions and dismissive remarks flew from all directions.
'Ugh... annoying.'
Hearing most of the ignoring stares and doubts irked him a bit.
On stage, a speech script and podium stood before him.
'Come to think of it... does that work...?'
He'd forgotten about it until the entrance speech jogged his memory—there was an achievement.
At the end of the first-year academy ranking, the top student gives a speech to the juniors.
It passes by normally, but if the protagonist is ranked top,
a speech event triggers.
Choosing only the worst, provocative lines clears the achievement {Taunt, Perhaps?}.
There wasn't much extra even if done properly,
so most players who hit top rank did it once for the achievement.
'No downside... might as well try.'
No major penalties even in the game, so he decided to go for it.
Plus, he wanted to see those smug faces twist.
"What's up, why isn't he starting?"
"Nervous, huh."
"No wonder, a commoner in over his head."
The murmurs grew louder since he hadn't started even after reaching the stage.
As the chairman seemed about to intervene amid the noise reaching the stage—
"You fucking bugs—"
The hall fell silent at the single phrase booming from the stage.