June 05, 2062, Monday, 6:30 A.M
Brrnnngggg-! Brrnnngggg-!
Russell woke up from his sleep and quickly did his morning routine; he took a quick shower; prepared and eat his own breakfast. He almost didn't have time even for a little exercise aside from stretching his body.
It's almost been a month since he went to the Hidden Dungeon: The Oldest Root of Yggdrasil. With everything he experienced, before even the classes started, made him realize how failed his unpublished novel was and he felt like it was for the best that he didn't manage to publish it.
His unpublished novel, [The Forgotten Swordsman of Ruined Star], started on this very day, but with underlying mysteries that he didn't want to delve into, he never cared about solving what was behind his reincarnation as he enjoyed this life more than his previous one.
He didn't want to think about anything when "it" started, but rather, he wanted to survive the future, along with his family that he didn't have in his previous life, even if the story he knew changes as it progresses.
"Money can buy happiness, but it cannot buy long-lasting genuine emotions."
He muttered after reminiscing about something.
With how poor their family was until just a few years ago, all he did at his young age excluding his mental age was to overcome his "Social Anxiety" — the thief of self-confidence whether from this world or the world before the Emergence.
"I don't want to remember that."
He mumbled while he was standing in front of a square mirror attached to the wall inside his dormitory room, combing his slightly wet short deep black hair.
What he planned this time was to observe if the story he knew would still unfold despite the existence of the Untouched and Unknown Elements he encountered or learned respectively.
'Even if I wanted to see it unfold, it'll be hard... and I can't just ask Freya about whatever happened between those people.'
He thought inwardly. Being an A-11 student, he's very far from even attempting to observe the daily academic life of the characters he had written about.
After some time, he then checked everything in his quite spacious dormitory room that was not even comparable to the A-1 dormitory rooms before he left.
...
Ding-!
As the High-Speed Elevator opened, Russell heard some students talking about their impressions or how they feel being a student in the prestigious academy.
"Whoo... I'm f*cking nervous, man."
"Don't take everything with you bro, do you think you're the only one?"
"Hahaha! Me, too. We're just first-year, you know!"
"By the way, have you seen what they look like in person?"
"You mean...?"
"Yes! It's an honor to see them in person even from afar!"
"But... have you heard some rumors?"
Chatters- Chatters-
Russell listened to numerous students chattering as he guessed some of what they were talking about. Most of them were about how nervous they were on their first day even though they reside in the Obelisk Academy for a few weeks already.
Ding-!
Just less than 5 seconds, they reached the ground floor of the Andromeda Building.
'It's a mix of nervousness and excitement.'
He thought as he walked out of the spacious High-Speed Elevator.
The Obelisk Academy's reputation came from the seemingly flawless teachings of the professors, as well as the resourcefulness that never seemed lacking. But, the most important thing about the Obelisk Academy was the safety of students that was guaranteed unless an unexpected factor occurs. The security guards in the Obelisk Academy range from A- to A+ rank.
'But it's not the security guards that are really dangerous.'
He cackled at the thought of how he had written about the Obelisk staff or personnel.
"Oppa!"
His little reverie has been broken by Freya's joyful voice, his younger sister. She's sitting on one of the lobby seats in the waiting area section. He looked at her who waved her right hand with an excited smile on her face, he then smiled back and nodded in response as he approached her.
"Why didn't you go first?"
Freya's deep blue eyes constricted before she pouted at her older brother's question.
"Tsk. What do you mean by 'why'? Of course, I'm waiting for you. Also, there's still plenty of time before it starts, you know!"
He scoff at his younger sister who seemed serious.
"Right... let's go, poker-face sister."
He said with a straight face, trying to contain his laughter.
"What did you say?!"
She pricked up her ears upon hearing her older brother's words in a serious tone; however, knowing him, she knew that he was joking.
"Ouch! Ouch!"
His hair got pulled abruptly for a second or two before they started to walk towards the Obelisk Auditorium.
...
According to the Obelisk Website — where necessary announcements were being updated — the Student Welcoming Ceremony was scheduled at 7 A.M.
'It's 15 minutes left.'
Russell glanced at his smartwatch that every student in the Obelisk Academy has. From Andromeda Dormitory to Obelisk Auditorium, it would be at least 10 minutes of walking.
"Oppa, how do you feel? Are you excited? And... have you eaten breakfast yet?"
'I'm surprised she made a friend.'
He thought, because Freya's personality was quite talkative when it came to him, but rather fierce when it came to "most" but not all people.
Based on her question, specifically about the one being excited, he fell into thought.
'It would be a lie if I say I'm not feeling that way.'
He's somewhat excited since it would be the first time he would see the handsomeness or gorgeousness of the main character, as well as the major characters or the soon-to-be companions or thorn of the main character in his unpublished novel.
'I wonder what they look like personally.'
Although they were either the daughters or sons of the TOP 5 Players, they barely appeared in public as they deemed it irrelevant.
"Hmm... I've eaten my breakfast, and yes, I'm quite excited."
He smiled at his younger sister. It's not a smile that's necessary just to show some face, but rather it's a genuine one.
"Heh heh! Me, too! I'm excited!"
He glanced at her expression and felt like his younger sister's deep blue eyes shined brightly while she clenched both her fist and formed an uppercut gesture.
"It doesn't look like it, though?"
He followed up with a sarcastic tone.
As a person who had to overcome his "Social Anxiety" previously, he was a laid-back person when it came to communicating with others; however, it was a different case when it was about interacting with his younger sister and parents.
Whoosh-!
He received a weak punch on his left shoulder just a second after he said those words, but it only somehow grazed him.
...
"Good luck, Freya!"
Arriving at the Obelisk Auditorium, the two of the separated and took their respective seats based on the class they belonged to.
And not strange enough, the gazes of most of the students landed on the leftmost front of the rows of seats where Russell's younger sister was sitting with other A-1 students, but some of their seats were empty, and yet to be filled.
Even though the classes haven't started yet, belonging to the A-1 class could already gain someone popularity, just like how Freya was somehow recognized by some of the students when she was visiting him in his dormitory block.
If Russell was not wrong, there were at least 480 first-year students at this very moment with 40 students in each section from A-1 class to A-12 class. He excluded some of the seniors and security that's on the entrance, as well as the Obelisk staff that's on different assigned work.
Russell looked through the massive Obelisk Auditorium.
With the 480 first-year students sitting in their respective seats, at least 1/6 of the whole interior area has only been occupied.
The interior of the auditorium was about 60 meters in height, 180 meters in length, and 120 meters wide. It was designed like an arc as there's a wide stage on the other end, against the entrance, of the auditorium.
There were three gigantic chandeliers hanging acutely above the ceiling that was probably powered by Magic Stones.
Russell — who was sitting on the leftmost back of the seat arrangements with his classmates he didn't know — grasped the Obelisk Auditorium structure.
..
After a few minutes, the time hit exactly 7:00 A.M., then, a woman with a waist length platinum hair, purple eyes that seemed to be perfect in shape, and a voluptuous body under a white blouse seemed to take the breath away of most male students, and quite several female students as she walked towards the middle of the stage where a podium with three high-quality microphones was situated.
"Welcome new first-year students!
"I am here to announce that the Student Welcoming Ceremony will now commence!"
A captivating voice reverberated within the entirety of the Obelisk Auditorium; a voice that soothes the emotional and mental condition of those who head it.
Russell's jaw dropped as he saw the physical features of the woman standing on the stage. She was one of the characters in his unpublished novel.
'What the f*ck is this...?'
Seeing her personally caused Russell's mind to be a mess, an opposite effect of her soothing voice that rang in everyone's ears.
'She is d*mn gorgeous!'
He had no idea that it was the kind of gorgeousness he would witness personally.
'She befits a model.'
She was one of the professors in the Obelisk Academy that Russell wouldn't be able to mostly meet or see as she only handled the A-1 to A-3 class of first years.
She was also an SS+ rank player that's contracted with the Constellation [Witch of Dreams] which specializes in Mental Attacks. Although that's the case, she didn't lack in physical combat prowess unlike the contrary popular belief that a "Witch" uses a staff weapon which could mistake her for having a Mage-related profession, she's actually the owner of a very ominous scythe weapon named "Fog of Nightmare Scythe" (Legendary), with a high-grade Scythemanship "art" called "Swings of the Playful Witch" (S+).
'if she's not concealing her aura... almost everyone here even me would have either fainted or died already.'
Russell thought about the terrifying power of the players in the realm of S- rank and above.
Contrary to her captivating voice, she was a very strict woman in the field of teaching; knowing full well the difference between the seriousness and triviality of the situation.
'She's the youngest SS+ rank in the human domain.'
He thought as he organized what he knew about her in his mind, then her still captivating voice resounded in everyone's ears.
"I'm Ayleen Mayfield."