Lucius strolled through the winding halls of Valtherion Academy, his mind torn between irritation and curiosity. His gaze flickered over the rows of classrooms he passed, each one containing students just as intense, aloof, or, in some cases, as outright obnoxious as he remembered from the novel. Each step brought him closer to his assigned classroom for first period, and he couldn't help but wonder if his real experience would match what the author had written.
If the students in these classes are as smug and rude as the author portrayed them, he thought, then I'm in for a real treat.
As he reached his assigned room, he took a peek inside. The high-tech equipment gleamed under the fluorescent lights, each piece of machinery a testament to the Academy's blend of magic and technology. A sleek array of monitors, data displays, and arcane terminals filled the room, designed to track and analyze mana particles with mind-bending precision. He remembered the author's painstakingly detailed info-dump about this classroom and its tools—one of those chapters he'd usually skim but now appreciated for practical reasons. At least all that info would come in handy here, giving him a solid head start on the material.
A voice from behind broke his concentration. "Hey, you."
Lucius turned to find two senior students approaching, their gazes sharp and appraising. One was a tall, lean guy with sandy hair and a perpetual smirk; the other had short-cropped hair and an intense look, clearly the more serious of the two.
"What's a first-year doing snooping around here?" one asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.
Before Lucius could respond, the taller one nudged his friend and muttered, "That's him, isn't it? The one who fought Soren in the first phase of the Admission Tournament. Brutal, from what I heard."
The other student's lips curled with disdain. "Figures. Rumor has it he's got a pretty rotten reputation even outside the academy. Just our luck."
Lucius felt his irritation grow. Great, thanks, "old Lucius," for setting the bar so low. He could feel the judgment in their eyes, like he was already living up to every terrible thing they'd heard.
Taking a steadying breath, he replied, "I was just checking out the classroom. Since it's on my schedule, I thought I'd take a look."
One of the seniors scoffed, a disbelieving grin on his face. "Confident you'll make it past the last two phases, are you? I wouldn't get too ahead of myself if I were you."
Lucius narrowed his eyes. "I will pass. Despite the odds, I've always picked the fights that stand to benefit me the most."
The two seniors exchanged glances, visibly unimpressed by his response. Clearly, they weren't used to first-years with this much nerve.
Before they could retort, a voice called their names from further down the hall. A professor's voice, judging by the tone of authority. They both grumbled under their breath, but not without throwing Lucius a final glare.
"Keep your wits about you, Foster," one of them warned. "Assuming you pass, you'll have a bigger target on your back than you think."
With a final sneer, they walked off, muttering insults just loud enough for him to catch. Lucius rolled his eyes. The author really went out of their way to make every noble brat in this place an arrogant pain. Then again, he couldn't say he was surprised; nobles were, by and large, spoiled, pompous, and used to having things handed to them.
He stole another glance into the classroom, taking in the rows of desks, the holographic displays, and the intricate mana-tracking devices. He remembered reading about this exact setting back when he first read the novel, and he could feel a faint smile tugging at his lips. I might have gotten stuck with a character I didn't choose, but it's still pretty amazing to be here, seeing this world come to life.
His eyes drifted down to his wrist, where his Aetheris glinted faintly. With one last glance at the classroom, he shook his head, his expression softening with a hint of nostalgia. It's cool to be in the novel, but I really wish I'd transmigrated as anyone else. This kid's reputation is gonna be a nightmare to deal with.
But then again, fate had brought him here as Lucius Foster, of all people. Or maybe fate just has a dark sense of humor, he thought, chuckling to himself.
Just then, the system screen flickered in front of him, its message hovering in the air: "The World Snickers At You."
Lucius's smirk faded into a deadpan glare as he stared at the words. "If there really is someone watching," he muttered, "then here's a big 'screw you' to whatever god finds this funny."
With that, he dismissed the screen and continued down the hall, inwardly wondering if the universe would ever give him a break.