Just before the start of the second semester, most students had returned, and you could see them bustling about. Although the school year had yet to officially begin, the lively atmosphere made it feel like it had already arrived.
"Ah! Adrias, right?"
As I went to the dormitory management office, the housemaster recognized me.
"Have you heard the news?"
"Yes, I just checked."
"Adrias, you've been assigned a new room in Dormitory 313 at Dérégion. You can move your belongings now. Do you need any assistance with that?"
"No, I'm fine."
"Then, once you've moved your things, please return the keys to the Mulfery Dormitory."
"Understood."
The Mulfery Dormitory I originally stayed in was free, whereas Dérégion felt like an upgrade with paid accommodations.
With the keys from the housemaster in hand, I headed back to the Mulfery Dormitory. I didn't have much to move, but there were still a few things left.
'It happened earlier than expected. It's not a significant advance, but I never thought it would happen earlier than scheduled. Originally, mysterious events in the Mulfery Dormitory occurred during the middle of the second semester. In the game, they happened after the mid-term evaluations, assuming they were based on what Kyle left behind. But I erased all traces of Kyle myself, even hunted him down. So why did the events occur earlier?'
One thing was certain: something had happened with the instigator of these events. If there hadn't been a trigger for him, this incident wouldn't have occurred.
'Perhaps it's progressing much faster than I anticipated.'
If that was the case, then the events in the Mulfery Dormitory would be on a cute level. As time passed, more bizarre things would happen in this episode, and it was crucial to find out how far it had progressed.
"Senior, are you done talking?"
As I exited the management office, Lucia, who had been waiting, looked at me with a curious expression.
"Yeah."
"Where are you going? The newly assigned dormitory?"
"Dérégion. It's a bit closer."
"Yeah, let's go together, then."
I'd noticed over the past few days that Lucia, who always seemed sleepy and had a melancholic atmosphere, appeared more energetic. Perhaps she had recovered from her illness. I'd have to get used to her being more lively.
"I'll pick up my stuff first."
"I'll help you."
"Though, it's just clothes and books. It won't take long, so wait around here."
Since Dérégion was on the opposite side, there was no need for Lucia to come back and forth. However, she followed behind me.
"Waiting is boring. Let's go together."
As she said this, she subtly glared at me.
"Also, I'm curious. Rumor has it that ghosts appear. Is it true?"
"It's no lie that two people died. Something strange happened for sure, so we need to be cautious."
The reason the incident occurred first in the Mulfery Dormitory was probably due to its location. In the game, it always happened here first.
Behind the Mulfery Dormitory was a mountain called the "Golden Maple Forest."
{T/n: I don't know why the mountain is named 'Forest'}
It was quite extensive, and students occasionally went hiking there. In the autumn, the scenic views made it a popular spot on the academy grounds.
'It's definitely a place like that.'
A hidden piece related to the main episode, or rather, not hidden at all.
In any case, there was something hidden in that mountain.
This episode was related to that mysterious entity.
'It's set to have existed even before the academy was built, unknown to academy officials and professors.'
I wondered if that made any sense, but since it was the game's premise, there was no point in questioning it. Anyway, I had my own plans for this episode, so I didn't intend to stop it.
Though I thought there might be some student casualties due to it, I would do my best to prevent that. The first two deaths were unavoidable since I couldn't predict the timing. After all, I didn't know everything.
"Like senior, there are people moving their belongings."
As Lucia pointed out, there were students who, like me, had returned not long ago, and they were seen moving their stuff. It seemed like they had received help from servants as they were carrying an enormous amount of luggage.
Many students had gathered in front of the dormitory. Everyone had come to witness the strange events, but security personnel were restricting entry, except for those involved in moving belongings.
"Are they real ghosts?"
"But if they're ghosts, aren't they monsters? Can't we deal with them using magic?"
"Against a powerful ghost, students wouldn't stand a chance."
"But even when the faculty members checked, they found no traces."
"That's a real mystery. I want to go in and see for myself."
In general, students at Rodren Academy were so confident in their abilities that they occasionally exhibited such reckless behavior. They had nothing to fear, having passed various assessments in practical combat.
However, I wasn't too concerned because I knew the truth behind these events. As long as they were cautious at night, no more victims would be added unless they stayed overnight in that dormitory.
"Hey, did you hear that just now?"
"What?"
"I overheard it by chance, but it's about Dianne Alven."
"Dianne senior? Why?"
"They say something's wrong with her. She's muttering to herself, ignoring greetings, and wandering around."
"Where is she?"
Suddenly, the students who were gossiping turned to look at me. If I didn't mishear, the situation had become a bit troublesome.
"Oh, Adrias senior!"
"Tell me more about what you heard just now."
It seemed like I had some work to do as soon as I arrived.
.
.
.
.
In the Rodren Academy's newspaper club, there was a guest. Marvin Garrett, a second-year student from Balkan Academy, one of the two major academies in the magical world.
He looked around the clubroom for club activities and said, "It's indeed Rodren Academy."
"This is nothing special. It's weaker compared to other major clubrooms."
Kram, a fourth-year student from the Department of Magic and the club's chief editor, waved his hand dismissively.
"Freshmen who will guide us around the academy grounds will arrive soon. Until then, feel free to look around."
"Understood."
Marvin looked around the room and then gazed out the window. Despite being a prestigious academy like Balkan Academy, it was inevitable that Rodren Academy would be lacking in terms of facilities when compared to the Empire's academy.
"The campus itself is incomparably spacious."
After examining the campus map for a while, Marvin sighed in admiration while looking at the grounds reserved for the Knight Department.
Balkan Academy specialized exclusively in teaching magic, so the Knight Department was unfamiliar to him.
He had heard that they often collaborated with Knight Department students, and he couldn't help but wonder what kind of activities they were involved in.
Just then, students entered the clubroom.
"Hello. I'm Dexter Bright, a first-year student from the Department of Magic, and this is Richard Wilson, a first-year student from the Knight Department."
"Nice to meet you."
Marvin returned the greetings of the two first-year students.
"It's nice to meet you too. I'm Marvin Garrett, a second-year student from Balkan Academy. I had the opportunity to visit Rodren Academy by chance, so please take care of me."
Marvin was a member of Balkan Academy's newspaper club. Every year, students from different academies visited each other as part of their club activities, and clubs like the newspaper club often engaged in these activities.
"I heard that Balkan Academy doesn't have a Knight Department. Would it be alright if you introduce the Knight Department first?"
"Of course, we'd be happy to."
The Rodren Academy students led the way for the visitors, and the official tour began.
As they rode the magical transportation to the Knight Department, they started talking.
"So, except for the evaluations, you won't meet much, right?"
"Excluding the clubs, that's generally the case. Oh, but there's a tournament where we compete in skills."
"Speaking of which, I heard this year's tournament was quite unusual."
When the topic of the tournament came up, Dexter spoke on behalf of the Knight Department, instead of Richard, who had been chatting until now.
"That's right! This year, the Department of Magic won the championship!"
"Really? So, the Knight Department has been winning up until now?"
Dexter's enthusiasm didn't sit well with Richard, who immediately intervened.
"It's been twelve years. We always took both the championship and runner-up positions otherwise."
"But this year, and probably next year too, the Department of Magic will win."
Suddenly, the two first-year students began to argue, and Marvin found it quite interesting.
Within the academy, having these two departments compete against each other was a learning experience.
'Does this competitive spirit actually help with growth?'
Marvin quickly made a note in his notebook while observing their interaction.
"Well, will we be able to win next year?"
"If you saw the tournament, you'd know, right? Can anyone in the Knight Department beat Senior Dianne?"
"Wait a moment. I'm curious about something. Does Rodren Academy have student rankings or anything like that?"
When Marvin asked this question, both Dexter and Richard looked at each other before shaking their heads.
"Officially, we don't."
"Does that mean..."
"We have our own rankings in the newspaper club, though."
When Dexter and Richard nodded at each other, the train carrying them to the Knight Department arrived at their destination.
"Perfect timing! May I ask if I can see it too? I'm also part of a newspaper club, and I'm quite interested in this kind of gossip."
"Since we've just arrived, I'll show you firsthand."
Richard's words made Marvin smile.
"You'll show me firsthand?"
"Let's see it together since we've just arrived."
Following Richard, Marvin walked towards the training grounds.
Even though it was just before the start of the academic year, the place was packed with students training.
"Wow!"
"There are individual training rooms, but apart from things like practicing family secrets or sword techniques, most of us train here together. It's more efficient, and we can exchange advice."
Richard pointed out the students in the training area, who were selected as the strongest by the newspaper club.
"First, the first-year students. Do you see that female student over there?"
"Yes, I do."
"That's Serena Erestial, the youngest daughter of the Erestial Family, and she's one of the top three first-year students."
"Her strength is impressive."
Marvin admired her as he watched her lifting heavy weights effortlessly.
However, Richard's next words surprised him.
"She used to train with equipment twice as heavy as that. But recently, she changed her training routine."
"Twice as heavy!"
"Serena used to use a greatsword, but she's been trying out different types of swords lately. Still, she's impressively strong, and that's why she's one of the top three first-years."
"What about the other two?"
"Chris Yuno, the son of Lord Yuno, who's also known as an Aura Master, has been using the private training rooms lately and is hard to find. He occasionally comes out to train, but I don't see him today."
While Richard was explaining, Marvin noticed a particularly striking male student. He had brown hair and striking blue eyes. Despite wearing knightly armor, his athletic physique showed defined muscles.
Marvin had an instinctive feeling that this student was an exceptional powerhouse, even without knowing more about him.
"Who is that..."
"Ah, you recognized him right away. That's Louis Artman, the third of the Three Strongest in the first year, or, honestly, he's considered the strongest first-year."
"The strongest first-year? How would you rank him among all the students?"
Marvin asked a genuine question, causing Richard to hesitate for a moment. Dexter stepped in to answer.
"In our newspaper club, we estimate that, overall, he's in the top five."
"Wow! Impressive. Didn't you say he's a first-year?"
"Louis Artman is considered a genius who has broken the records of the Monas Academy's top scores throughout history."
Despite not being from the same Knight Department, Dexter's high regard for Louis intrigued Marvin, and he nodded.
"So, even though they're in the top 3, how do the other two compare?"
"Excluding Louis, the other two are considered average. Overall, they might be within the top 30."
"Such a difference makes Louis stand out even more."
The descriptions of the second and third-year students followed, but none of them shone like Louis.
"One of the Four Heavenly Kings of the third year..."
"Oh? Hey, look, Vivianne Velocan!"
As Richard was explaining, Dexter suddenly called out, pointing to someone passing by.
"Vivianne Balkan? Is that the same Vivianne who was the runner-up in the tournament?"
"Yes, that's her."
"Wow."
Marvin was aware of the runner-up in the tournament. Rodren Academy's Spring Tournament had such an impact that it garnered attention even in other countries.
"She's beautiful."
Despite being the runner-up in the tournament, Marvin had expected her to look a bit more hardened. However, she appeared exceptionally graceful. Seeing her graceful figure amidst the muscle-bound students training in the gym was surprising.
"But Louis Artman and Vivian Balkan... They are quite different."
After hearing the description of the students in the second and third years, Marvin felt that there was no one like Louis Artman among them.
"Second place in the official academy rankings, Vivian."
Richard's gaze showed that he was deeply infatuated with her.
"Compared to the student we just saw, Louis Artman, I don't feel the same about her."
"But in terms of skills, Vivianne is superior."
"Is that so?"
"Absolutely. They even had a direct duel, so I'm sure of it."
"A duel? And Vivianne Balkan won?"
"That's right."
This was new information to Marvin. He had heard stories about Louis Artman but had never seen him in person. Learning that Vivianne had dueled with Louis was a revelation.
"He did quite well. But in the end, Vivianne won easily. Louis is undoubtedly exceptional for a first-year, but Vivianne is speculated to be even stronger than most active knights."
"Wow."
Marvin wasn't aware of this duel between Vivianne and Louis. Information like this needed to be gathered locally. As individuals who might become influential figures on the continent in the future, analyzing the personalities of Rodren Academy students was essential for the newspaper club.
"Quite a peculiar incident."
"We wanted to investigate it too, but it seems to have resulted in casualties, so it's not easy."
While curious, Marvin understood the situation regarding the strange incident. He restrained his curiosity and didn't pursue it further.
"Speaking of that, do the Magic Department students have rankings or promising students as well?"
"Of course!"
Dexter, as if waiting for this question, exclaimed loudly. He turned to Richard, appearing smug as he explained.
"To be honest, it's not like our Knight Department, where talents are scattered broadly. Even among the first-year Magic Department students, while some are known as the 'Three Strongest,' it's not as impressive as the Knight Department. The second-year students are similar."
Dexter grinned widely.
"But starting from the third year, things change. In the third year, we have the one and only, Lucia Everlast..."
"Lucia? She didn't even participate in the tournament. What is there to evaluate?"
Richard suddenly interjected, and Dexter glared at him. Richard, however, shrugged it off nonchalantly.
"Why? It's the truth, isn't it? Sure, Lucia is called a genius, but that's all within the Magic Department. She didn't even participate in the tournament, so she's not ranked in our newspaper club rankings."
"That's... true."
Dexter reluctantly acknowledged Richard's point.
"Well, being a mage isn't all about combat. Even if you're not strong, you can still change the world through research and experiments."
"Our Magic Department shines the most in the fourth year."
Dexter spoke up again, as if to challenge Richard. This time, Richard had no response and simply turned away.
"Our official rankings have a clear number one: Dianne Alben. She's a genius mage who's ranked even higher than most graduating students and brought victory to the Magic Department for the first time in twelve years."
"Oh, she's right there."
Richard pointed toward a spot where Dianne Alben was standing. She was silently gazing at the sky, muttering to herself.
"Oh, that's Dianne Alben! I've always wanted to meet her."
"Shall we go greet Senior Dianne? She's a kind person and will surely engage in conversation."
As expected, there was quite a gathering around Dianne. It was inevitable for a person of her fame.
"But there's something I've been wondering..."
"Yes, go ahead."
"You mentioned official rankings earlier. Is there also an unofficial ranking?"
"Oh, well..."
Just then, the chattering around Dianne fell silent. The atmosphere turned suddenly chilly, and Marvin and the members of the newspaper club looked around, surprised.
"Oh..."
Richard's mouth fell open unintentionally.
Approaching them was a man with long, jet-black hair tinged with emerald. He was walking towards them with an impassive expression. A worn-out sword, which seemed out of place for a mage, was strapped to his side.
"Who is that?"
A cold and intense aura enveloped them. The man's presence alone overwhelmed the surroundings.
While he was carrying a sword, the worn-out robe he wore made it unclear which department he belonged to. Dexter, trying to find his voice, opened his mouth with great effort.
"He is..."
A man who exuded a cool and sticky energy.
"Unofficial Ranking 1st."
Upon Dexter's words, Marvin's eyes widened.
Richard nodded subtly.
"Adrias Cromwell."