"Young master, are you sure you are alright?"
"I told you, Vanessa. I'm alright."
"Really?" She looked at my face with narrowed eyes. "Young master, I have known you for five years. I can notice when you are downcast."
I smiled wryly.
"I just had a bad dream. It's nothing to worry about."
"Another nightmare?"
"… Something like that."
Vanessa sighed while tidying my clothes.
"Well, I won't ask then. However, you should tell me if you are feeling unwell, understood?"
"Somehow, I feel like the positions of master and servant have been reversed."
"What can I do when my master is such a handful."
She really did not hesitate to diss me.
I shook my head and looked at the mirror, seeing a handsome but a bit sickly young man with black hair and black eyes wearing the uniform of Central Academy.
"You look handsome young master. The girls in your class will be impressed."
I rolled my eyes.
"Stop joking. Is everything ready?"
"Yes. I already packed everything you need for today's classes."
"As expected of Vanessa, you sure are reliable."
"Of course I am. Hurry up, young master. You don't want to be late on the first day of class."
I nodded and checked the time.
7:30 in the morning.
I need around ten minutes to reach the classroom, so I have 20 minutes of leeway.
"Let's go."
Vanessa nodded and followed behind me.
"By the way, Vanessa. Were you allowed to come with me to class?"
Vanessa shook her head.
"Unfortunately, I wasn't. I talked to the faculty and they allowed me to follow you inside the campus, but I must wait outside the classroom during classes."
"What a shame."
"I quite like this arrangement. I'm sure that young master would have made me take notes If I was allowed inside the classroom."
You really know me well.
We continued bantering playfully until we left the manor. Outside, we found my two sisters waiting for us.
"Good morning, Linsley."
"Morning, big bro~"
"Good morning, Seela, Lina."
"Are you ready for the start of your academy life?" Seela asked with a grin. "This can be the perfect opportunity for you to get yourself a girlfriend."
I felt Vanessa twitch and sneak a glance at my face, but she quickly hid it.
Still, I managed to catch it. I decided to feign ignorance, though.
"I have no plans for a relationship in the short time, sister. You know it."
"Yeah, yeah, you have said that dozens of times. However, there are a lot of nice girls in Central Academy. Perhaps you will meet someone you fancy. I'm allowed to have hope."
"True, that could happen," I admitted.
It's very unlikely, though.
I'm someone trying to save the world. Losing time in romance is not something I can allow myself.
Seela accompanied us to the classroom before leaving for her class.
The classroom was almost full. It seemed all the students had decided that it was better to avoid being late on the first day.
Fortunately, Lina and I managed to find two adjacent seats still empty.
Despite the classroom being almost full, it was strangely silent. Only a few people were whispering to each other, while the rest of the class was silent with solemn expressions while waiting for the professor.
"The atmosphere is really tense," Lina whispered.
"Well, today is the first day of class. It's normal some of them are nervous."
"You don't seem nervous brother."
Well, I'm not.
In the first place, I did not come here to learn.
My circumstances are very special. There is little that I can learn here when it comes to becoming stronger.
The reason I came to Central Academy was to find something.
At that moment, a teacher entered the classroom.
It was a tall woman, with short black hair, blue eyes, and a stern expression.
She introduced herself immediately.
"My name is Melissa Dellia, a bishop-level martial artist. I'll be in charge of your class for the next three years."
After her introduction, she looked around the classroom as though engraving the appearance of every student in her eyes.
"I know all of you are prodigies." She continued. "Some of you came from impressive backgrounds, being taught by impressive teachers since you were a child. However, I hope you don't underestimate Central Academy due to it."
"Central Academy is an institution with a long story. It has produced hundreds of powerhouses, and many famous personages graduated from here."
"Perhaps you are unaware, but every student who graduated from this place reached the level of a bishop at the very least, and some of them managed to become rooks."
"In other words, as long as you work hard and don't waste this opportunity, you are guaranteed to become a bishop at the very least." She stated.
She then looked at some students and smirked.
"Of course, some of you won't be satisfied with that. I'm sure that many here aim to become a rook, and some even dream of one day becoming a king."
"I can tell you that it's not impossible. Central Academy will do its best to nurture you to the best of our abilities. As for the rest, it depends on you."
At this moment, the instructor looked around with a solemn expression.
"I hope that none of you gives up midway and drops out. Every year some students fail to keep up with the academy's teachings. I want to believe that this year it will be different."
All the students listened to her words silently.
Some of them were brimming with excitement, and others seemed a bit nervous. A small minority seemed confident.
All of them were the most elite of their generation, chosen from millions of peers to study in the most prestigious academy in the world.
This place was a gathering of prodigies.
The instructor was satisfied with their response and nodded.
"Let's start the class. Today, I'll give you an introduction to what you can expect from Central Academy, also, I'll explain to you about the classes and the ways you will be evaluated."
***
Last chapter of this week.