Chapter 5 - First Day of School

Chapter 1: First Day of School

Wake up, work, come back home, play games, and sleep. That was my old routine as a streamer. Yesterday was a great Sunday for a speedrun, so I decided to take on a new internet challenge called RGS.

"Hey chat! How's everyone doing? This week we're diving into an RGS, so start sending your suggestions while I share the live stream!"

After sharing the live stream, I took a break because the viewers were suggesting games that took way over four hours to complete. The worst part was that I couldn't complain since RGS stood for "Random Game Speedrun."

It was time to pick a random comment. My hand trembled with excitement. I was pumped for my second RGS… Or so I thought.

"'Sexist Kingdom Love School'? What kind of bad joke is this, chat?"

A darn dating game! Or, for those familiar with this genre, an otome game. To make it worse, this game was on the speedrunning site, and the leaderboard was packed with names!

An otome game…

I quickly did a light search about the game contents. At first sight it seems like a dating game set in a world with outdated, sexist values. Great. Just what I needed. My stream website is gonna love to ask me about it.

"How can an otome game be so competitive? It makes no sense! It's just a game about wooing guys in a world where women are treated like property! And just with the title, that should be banned or something, right?"

"How did they even manage to sell a game with this theme?"

I installed the game and inspected it: progression, characters, locations, story, speed, and for some reason, battles. I get it that they tried expanding the genre, but fighting and romance don't mix…

But oh boy it fucking did.

And the way that the company didn't got sued for having the explicit word "Sexist" in the title, is that the female lead after getting into the capital, saw how bad the world view was.

So she with her powerful element of light and water starts cleaning the woman's view by being the center of the events of the story line. A cool feature about the game was that after every grand episode, a journal appears at the end of the episode showing Razelitta's impact.

I suppose I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is David, or as I was known back then, "Quake Play's" (my streaming channel). Because… I might be in an alternate reality right now.

But first, let me explain how I ended up here.

I played the game blindly at first and then after watching videos and runs of my RGS opponents, I felt ready enough for my speedrun and started it.

It was decent! 3 hours and 45 minutes, but that time meant twenty-fourth place on the site. Don't think it was bad, there were more than five hundred places.

Frustrated but also excited, I decided to take this challenge to another level with my chat:

"Chat, I'm going for the gold medal in this game just for you guys!"

And there went my sanity. That's how my fanatical pursuit in this game began: dialogue length, screen time, routes, items, bugs, glitches, button combinations, game system mechanics, and notes. A bunch of notes might I add.

All because I was frustrated that I couldn't even get third place.

Then three days later, without going live, I achieved my first-place record, but since it wasn't on a live stream, there was no proof. So, I started another live stream and made more attempts.

I tried, tried, and tried, but that 1-hour and 57-minute run didn't repeat itself.

During my fifth and final attempt, something strange happened.

Right after the character selection (post-start), several confirmation screens appeared. Trying to speedrun, I clicked too fast and didn't read what was written…

That's a mistake I can't forget. If I had noticed that those weren't natural or scripted to appear, all of this wouldn't happen.

And then literally one microsecond while doing that button smashing, I found myself staring at a mirror. And I don't mean on the monitor, there was no monitor anymore.

In that situation, I continued staring at the mirror, confused.

"What just happened?" I wondered aloud, not understanding my situation.

I decided to scan my surroundings. It was a spacious room. In the middle was a huge bed, a black-painted wooden wardrobe, a balcony, a hallway leading to three doors, and where I was now, a vanity with a mirror above.

And actually looking into the mirror, it was me…?

'Me? A red-haired girl with sparkly silver eyes?'

To confirm my appearance, I touched my face, and as expected, the mirror did the same.

"This can't be happening. Right?" I shook my head, the mirror did the same.

I noticed something else strange again. My voice wasn't the same as before. It looked more like a girl's voice than my usual masculine voice.

'Okay, maybe not so masculine'

"No, no, no, no, NO!" I screamed, and slammed the wall. But the only result was the walls lighting up in small blue diamonds.

I scratched my head in search of an answer. Everything had drastically changed. The only thing that convinced me something had happened was the computer controller. That stayed with me, in my hands.

I lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling, searching for answers...

To my surprise, an answer came! Amid my memories, there were flashes of 2D Images with dialogue boxes.

A bit strange to say the least, these memories seemed to have come straight out of a 2D visual novel game.

Then the light bulb finally went off in my head. I had entered "Sexist Kingdom Love School." I didn't pull this idea out of thin air; there was more proof that I was here.

These implanted memories in this body, they contained various information; from this girl running away from home to being found and interrogated by Captain Kevin. One of the dateable characters.

The fact that I met a Captain Kevin eerily similar to the one in the game wasn't my only clue. The city I was in now was called Marabeal, the same name, appearance, and history as the game.

And lastly, I — or she, whatever — was enrolled in Burialle Academy. A school teaching magic, swordsmanship, and general knowledge.

As you can see, everything pointed to me being inside the game.

Shaking the thoughts of constant despair out of my head, I jumped out of the bed and started gathering things around the room.

"System, time and date!" In this world, there's a magic called "System." It transmits information and blah blah blah. It's like a virtual assistant. But in the game, the System was just the game's system, so the dev's inserted a self-insert object to explain some game features.

"15 minutes until your classes start, Auka Geevolaince."

"Auka Gee-vo-laince"? Who's that? Never heard of this name in the game. And this beauty, either. I thought as I was finished inspecting a backpack I searched for.

I grabbed some things the old Auka had to take to school and left the room.

Apparently, I'm now Auka Geevolaince, a class D student enrolled in the swordsmanship faculty and obliged to take general knowledge classes. I'm 18 years old and a first-year student.

My talent with swords is garbage, and I was dumb in general knowledge. I mean, they are considered average in the universe but I'm nothing in the game standarts. I'm only enrolled in Burialle because the law requires women to be educated. It was just luck.

Since Burialle is one of those premium schools where only the best students can get in. Excluding the space-filling students they don't count.

But that's going to change.

'With my gamer and speedrunner knowledge of this game, I'm definitely going to get rich and live peacefully until the underworld dragon is resurrected by the cult of whatever and defeat the dragon.

Apparently, based on this girl's memories, today is the second day of classes. For those outside of S and A classes, it's the day to choose a magical tool.

So, let's see if Burialle will evaluate me correctly or not, shall we?'

Leaving the dormitory, I stepped into the hallway that made me blink several times. How could someone spend this amount of money on details for a single hallway of a single dormitory?

I shake my head not having time to be impressed, which failed. I can't even comprehend why, why does this hallway have a red carpet, golden bordered wooden tables with candles, paintings everywhere, metal cameras…

'Wait, a camera? Why does this medieval type world have a modern invention used for security?'

Finding the stairs out of the third floor I was, I was greeted with the sight of no one being on the second floor either. 'Has everyone already left for school?'

I continued my way down and to my relief two light blue uniformed girls were friendly talking going to the exit.

So as a good silent stereotype person, I clenched this destiny gift and followed them until we parted ways in the school entrance. The grounds were meticulously maintained, with lush gardens and grandiose architecture that mirrored the virtual world I once knew. It was surreal, almost as if every pixel had been transformed into reality.

The girls entered the school, while I decided to calm the inner transmigrator first, I felt the fresh morning air, and watched the sun just beginning to rise over the horizon, casting a warm glow on the sprawling campus of Burialle Academy. And only then, I stepped inside.

The pathways were already bustling with students making their way to their respective classes. Which confused me, since I thought at the dormitory that I was kind of late compared to the other dormitory girls.

I glanced towards any possible clue I could gain to find where I'm supposed to go and I found and walked towards the class signs, which for god's sake it was still there even after the first day of school. I saw that Auka was in class 1.410. So now I decided to only focus on going upstairs.

While walking on the new floor which was kind of plain if not by the choice of materials, I saw that there were a bunch of turns and doors. The doors are all different colors for some reason.

I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings just yet. I was focused in the task of finding my class so I don't get suspended in the mere second day of school.

And I also notice the mix of excitement and nervousness on the student faces. Probably because today is the day of their whole lifes, the day of the magical tool. They shouldn't know that though…

Now that I saw everything I needed and got to understand how these corridors work, I decided to see what was in this notebook I got in Auka's drawer.

"The academy was renowned for its rigorous curriculum in magic and swordsmanship, attracting the best and the brightest from across the kingdom."

'Wow, Auka was investigating the school? I would never have seen this coming.'

I clutched the notebook that the old Auka had used, despite the first pages being used for school notes the rest got filled with notes and doodles about the academy and its students. Flipping through the pages, I saw names and descriptions of the boys she had fancied, like Prince Luthar, with little hearts scribbled around his name.

"Prince Luthar, this prince beside the first sight of having a cold demeanor about women, he is actually a sweetheart! Very gentle and respectful and also likes girls who are cute. (Kyaa~ I might have a chance with one of the six!)"

'Nevermind, this girl is… I don't even know how to describe girls in their personal life. Anyway, she definitely did a 180 in this book. First it was seriously toned at the academy and now it has a love interest.'

It was almost endearing, her naive hopes and dreams. Luthar doesn't like girls in general, I don't know how but she got lured into the guy's political move. But those thoughts were a distraction. I needed to focus on the reality of my situation.

The "six" she had written about weren't just a personal thing. This title really exists within and outside the game. It signifies the hardest targets of the game: the royal princes.

Unlike many other games, the princes are truly difficult to win over. Players often have to dedicate an entire run to one of them. Just one wrong step means you've failed the route.

To "conquer" them, you can't just click the "talk", "spend time" or "gift" button. If you do that, you've either wasted time that could have been used to improve your magic or earn money, or you might rarely notice a trait that would make the prince change his preferences.

What I mean is: these borners with silver spoons in their mouths deserved their cool title.

Tearing out the irrelevant pages, I tossed them into a nearby trash can, clearing my mind of any sentimental clutter.

I stopped in one of the windows to the gates and street. The academy was just like in the game "Sexist Kingdom Love School," right down to the smallest detail. The city of Marabeal, where the academy was located, was identical to the one in the game, both in appearance and history.

The realization that I was now Auka Geevolaince, an 18-year-old first-year student in Class D of the swordsmanship faculty, weighed heavily on me. I had the memories of this girl, her life, and her experiences, 'Even though they are in 2D somehow…'

But I know I also am David, the great speedrunner with a massive community in Quake Play's. Here I somehow turned into a young adult girl who had a whole life away.

I didn't know how to feel about this, I was now a medium talented swordsman but also armed with my gamer and speedrunner knowledge. This duality was both a blessing and a curse.

I am glad to be in a place where magic is a thing, but at the same time knowing this game plot… it is scary.

I sighted hardly shaking my head out of this, if I remember correctly I had 15 minutes before class when I was at the dormitory which means I can't waste time philosophizing here.

Walking through the corridors once again, I marveled at the intricate tapestries depicting historical events, the grand chandeliers illuminating the hallways, and the occasional glimpse of advanced magical technology that was seamlessly integrated into the school's infrastructure.

If I'm right, which I know I am, today was a significant day for all students outside of the S and A classes. It was the day we would choose our magical tools, a crucial step in our training. Based on my memories from the game, I knew this process would determine our future success as hunters or soldiers. The pressure was immense, but I was determined to excel.

As I made my way through class D site, which in this maze is hard to find the exact room. I began to think about the game's storyline.

The main plot was centered around the player; as Razelitta, forming relationships with various characters while navigating the challenges of becoming a top student at the academy and cleaning the sexist values in society.

But beyond the romantic subplots, there were deeper, more dangerous elements at play. Political intrigue, hidden organizations, and the ever-present threat of monsters loomed over the seemingly idyllic school life.

In this game, there were two protagonists. Razelitta and a chosen character between three choices. One guy who was nerdy, a girl who was silent but bold with seemingly no embarrassment, and a dude with anger issues.

I know this is a bad description about them, but this is how I remember their personalities.

Anyway, as the action character, you are stronger than Razelitta in fighting skills. So you always somehow get into danger and save the day behind the scenes. By fighting the danger with your swords, magic or your… fists.

Now that I thought about it, I couldn't help but wonder how much of the game's storyline would come to pass here. Would the key events unfold as they did in the game? How much influence will I have over the narrative now that I was living it?

The thought of navigating this complex story in real life was daunting, yet it filled me with a strange sense of purpose.

Lost in these reflections, I almost missed the turn. Shaking off my thoughts, I refocused on the task at hand. With the knowledge from my countless playthroughs, I felt a mix of apprehension and excitement as I prepared to face the challenges ahead.

'1520? Wasn't here supposed to be 1409? God I'm so confused, who the heck hired this architect? He should be fired!'

I sighed as I shouted at the school. I came back and continued straight, even though it was the E class place, at least here the numbers are ending.

So I figured that while walking, I should at least give myself the context again of what happened until now in the story.

The game starts simply. A commoner girl from a small village, loved by everyone there, decides to gain the nobility's support to help her village's dire situation. This commoner then walks to the capital.

A small detail often overlooked in this part of the story is that the distance between the capital and the "village" is no less than 2,000 kilometers.

It's said she walked for twenty-six days to reach the capital, which makes me wonder about the sheer size of this world if this kingdom alone is bigger than my entire country.

Another detail, the "village" was just a few cities away — Yes, the village is a semi-modern city like the capital and other cities, but the narrative calls it a village due to its size — from the kingdom border with the neighboring kingdom.

Leaving this off-topic aside, when she finally arrives at the capital and pays to enter, she's shocked by the city's state. With her pure protagonist heart, she helps an old lady being attacked for being slow.

But in the midst of the verbal beating by the eighteen-year-old girl, Prince Luthar, with no intention of helping, orders the other shop owners to stop harassing the old lady.

Luthar's intention had nothing to do with romance or altruism. It was purely a political move. The six princes were and are in a succession dispute.

However, luckily for the protagonist, Luthar applies the law that girls should be in school. And once again, coincidentally, all other schools are full, so she is placed in Burialle by pure coincidence.

Since the prince didn't know she wasn't from the capital, he managed to force her to study there.

Normally, it wouldn't be possible for a girl from outside the capital to have any type of job or study in the luxurious institutions of the capital.

That's how the protagonist managed to enter Burialle Academy despite not having a surname. And she got to stay because of her talent and appearance.

Of course, here, hair colors denote magic. Since she excels in two elements with maximum mastery, her hair color is half golden yellow, half ocean blue, with a thick line of pure white absorbing the colors slightly at the edges.

Her appearance alone screams: "I am the protagonist!"

Dragging myself out of this narration, I bumped into someone.

"Ouch... are you okay, um..." The girl with heterochromatic eyes, one yellow and one blue, glanced at the right side of my uniform. "Lady Geevolaince."

"Ah, yes, I'm fine, thanks," I replied, looking back at the girl whose appearance seemed to scream, "I AM THE PROTAGONIST!"

Wait a minute...

"I'm sorry, I'm a bit late, these corridors are so confusing right? But I guess we don't have time so, bye-bye!" She quickly picked up her fallen books and skipped away to the other side.

The games don't show how beautiful this girl is. My goodness. Her eyes seemed to shine, matching the vibrant color of her hair, which matched her eyes.

"How I wish I had a girlfriend like her..."

'I just appeared like a loser in front of my only possible waifu...' I mentally collapsed like those dramatic characters, but only in my mind. I'm not a loser!

I shook my head, better not think about that practically and clearly coincidental encounter. I walked to my classroom, 1.410, which means first floor (year), fourth group, and tenth room.

Arriving there, I was faced with a bunch of extras (in the game) and one I knew all too well.

The one I knew was obvious, the character most like my style except for the part where he lacks endurance, one of the three chosable action characters. Dorian Stormkeep.

Well, I can't just stand here admiring the guy and describing him since it's not the best time.

I then made my way to the almost opposite main character seat. While the main character's seat is at the back near the window, I sit at the back of the first row.

As I suspected, the teacher, who came covered in his coat and pants not letting a single cell of his skin exposed below the head, quickly moved to the center of the board and started a speech.

"Well, as some of you might be gossiping, today is the day to choose your magical swords. As you all know or should know, magical tools are essential for us mana users. Can anyone explain why to save us some time?"

'This is my chance to gain acknowledgement with the teachers and get to stay in the academy!' I thought while starting to create a game plan to this new found live.

"Over here!" I frantically raised my hand as high and fast as I could.

"Yes, go ahead, Dorian," said the teacher, pointing to Dorian, who was on the other side of the room compared to me.

Ah, right, this otome game has a problematic theme... How am I supposed to fix this, damn it! And what about my survival?

"Professor Lang, magical tools are essential for us collectors and even for the rare producers, because mana is a very uniform and stable energy. So, we need to use magical tools to make mana flow and be processed to our will."

"Very good, as expected from a genius, but your answer is still too long, young Stormkeep." Said the professor as he face palmed.

"Still?! But I reduced it to one paragraph and in one breath?"

The teacher placed one of his hands on his forehead and sighed heavily, then glanced in my direction with a smirk.

"You there, could you show young Stormkeep how he should answer?"

This old man must not be thinking of anything good to give me permission while smiling this intensely.

"Of course, Professor Lang. The reason is that magical tools are one of the only ways humans can use mana. And consequently, magic. Obviously."

"Very good! Two lines. Do you see, young Stormkeep?"

The lilac-haired boy clicked his tongue and turned to the window beside him.

"Well, continuing, as you are in the sword arts faculty, we will give you more sword options than others." Okay now I noticed how the professor's voice is somewhat weak and emotionless. The game really is accurate huh.

"Now, the part many may not know, we at Burialle Academy will give you the magical tools, but choose wisely because once chosen," He did a slight pause and stared at the class intensely. "You can't change them unless you awaken a new talent or have a similarly convincing reason."

The professor started to head out but stopped and said, "Also, one of the first-year students will duel with one of the second-year students. It might be a good duel to observe, so I request your presence. Goodbye."

Before he got out of the class he whispered something that I could hear, "Just what I needed, that threat is not enough to start a day I suppose."

'threat?' I pondered over this, I didn't remember this professor of course but the word he left whispering got me thinking.

'Is this something to be aware of?' I shake my head. 'There's no time to do this I have to come up with a good weapon for me for this next two years of pure lore dangers.'

With that, the students, in a 6:1 ratio between boys and girls, left the room. Among them, I was particularly anxious. Since in this school, if I still remember... It's elitist. Everything is based on talent and nothing else.

With a racing heart, I left my desk, holding myself back from running. After all, in this elitist school, students from groups above Class D laugh at our faces, and those in Class D laugh at those below or equal to Class E.

'Too much stuff to process...'

Even though the school is attended only by top-tier individuals, Burialle Academy categorizes the top-tier into seven classes: S, A, B, C, D, E, and H. Yes, the school skipped F and G, I know. 

Class S is for people akin to heroes, Class A for those with the strength of commanders and generals, Class B for strong individuals, and Class C for those who are strong but couldn't stand one-on-one with someone from Class B. 

The other three classes are considered shameful: Class D for those just above or near average, Class E for nobility with average talent or no talent, and Class H for those who are just there to fill space.

Turning the corner towards the bathroom, I saw three students in deep blue uniforms bullying a kid in a green uniform. This school doesn't just have social classes; Burialle also encourages students to bully others to relieve stress. 

The reason is simple: in the academy's eyes, the strong relieve stress from training and study, and the weak get motivated to train harder and rise from their class during the festival.

"What festival is that?" Easy, it's the epicenter of the fourth episode. The festival is called the Grand Festival of Academic Demonstration, or G-FAD among the students.

Inside the academy, it's an opportunity, while outside this fortress-like institution, it's an event akin to the Olympics where promising students are bet on for quick money, and parents get to see how much their children have improved.

There is also the hunters company, which is like a place where strong people go to become hunters of that company to wipe out Magrents. Which is similar to wild animal but in a magical world.

There is also that thing where people can purchase a hunter for their own motives.

Ahem, off-topic. The guild and the army also get the eye to look out for promising hunters or soldiers.

"Please, stop! I have to get to attend to get my sword," the boy in the green uniform pleaded.

'Well, since it's not my fight, farewell, extra character number whatever.'

I ignored my urge to use the bathroom to avoid getting involved with those guys. Making enemies here is like asking to die. Just at the start of the story, there are six. Six student factions. Is that important now? No.

But I'm not heartless; I would help the guy, but I'm just a Class D student. So imagine me going up to a bunch of Class C students to stop them from bullying someone from Class E. What authority would I have? I'd probably make the poor guy's situation worse...

So I decided to dip just like that.

As I wandered through the lavish halls of Burialle Academy, I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the grandeur of the place. The corridors stretched endlessly, each one a testament to the institution's wealth and prestige.

The walls were lined with intricately carved wood panels, their dark mahogany gleaming under the soft glow of crystal chandeliers. Each door I passed was painted a deep, regal violet, indicating a staff-only room, while the others were the color of the class they belonged to.

The windows, spaced precisely eleven steps apart, offered a glimpse into the well-manicured gardens outside, their lush greenery a stark contrast to the cool, sterile interior of the academy. The sun's rays filtered through the stained glass, every detail screamed opulence, a reminder that I was in a place where only the elite thrived.

But these details, while impressive, were not my focus. I was searching for the stairs to the ground floor, trying to familiarize myself with the layout of this school.

I could feel that my emotions were a chaotic mix of excitement and anxiety. Even though I know what will happen or my fantastical situation. But still regardless of what my emotions were trying to tell me, I had to navigate this maze.

As I walked, I passed several classrooms, each one marked by the color of the class it belonged to. The doors to Class S were a dazzling white with star details, a clear symbol of their superiority. Class A had golden doors, Class B orange, Class C deep blue, Class D light blue, Class E green, and Class H a dull gray. Each door I passed felt like a reminder of the rigid reality that defined Burialle Academy.

Students milled about in the corridors, their chatter a constant hum in the background. Groups of Class S and A students stood out, their pristine uniforms and confident postures a stark contrast to the more subdued demeanor of those from lower classes.

'I wish I had been transported here as a S class student!' I couldn't help but feel a pang of envy as I watched them. They moved with an air of certainty, as if they belonged here, while I still felt like having a wild dream I had no control of.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I spotted the staircase leading down to the ground floor. Relief washed over me as I descended the steps, the sound of my footsteps echoing in the empty stairwell.

The ground floor was even more impressive, if that was possible. The white marble floors gleamed under the soft lighting, and the walls were adorned with portraits of the past great honor students. Yep they definitely won't be appearing later in the game right developer?

 Each painting seemed to watch me as I passed, their eyes following my every move. 'Okay, that's just creepy, dude.'

As I approached the hall where the distribution of magical tools was going to take place, which was the subjulgation training room, I could feel the tension in the air. The room was filled with students, all eyes fixed on the stage where the professor was supposed to be speaking.

My heart raced yet again as I stepped into the hall, taking in the sight of my classmates, each one eagerly awaiting the ceremony to start.

The professor, a tired-looking man with drooping eyelids, struggled to stay awake as he waited. He was giving some advice to some people, mainly students in orange uniforms. His voice was barely audible over the murmurs of the students.

I scanned the room, and my eyes landed on a shining figure, Razelitta. The one and only female lead of the game. Well, she isn't the only one since one of the three action characters is also a female so...

I just shrugged my shoulders and went to the place where most of the same light blue uniform students were.

I couldn't help but feel a certain hostility surge of anger being sent at me. I felt threatened, but this wasn't the time to make enemies. I had to focus on my goal: finding my new placement in this academy and proving my worth.

Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself for what lay ahead, determined to make the most of this opportunity.

A bunch of gray uniforms students got here a little after I did. Thank god I found my way before them, or else I might have been sent to the principal's office...

The person in the stage side eyed that class H students have shown up and cleared his throat and speaked: "Well, with all the students here, I... will give... some..." The professor said, collapsing onto the table after just a few words, "notes so you... can resonate with..."

"Spit it out, old man! I can hardly stand being near these academy trash!" a student in a deep blue uniform shouted, pointing directly at the students in green and gray uniforms.

Curious about who it was, I was stunned to read the name "Tristan Vaelhurst."

The room fell silent for a moment until the professor decided to continue, "You can... resonate with the magical swords..."

"Which clearly none of these... losers will manage or need magical tools!"

'Ah! I remember this scene!' I thought, recalling the game whose name must not be mentioned here.

"Why waste budget on these pieces of trash?! What will they do? Save the world by lifting a little book with basic wind control?"

Several glances were directed straight at Tristan, among them all four playable characters, including the protagonist. 

And this was the perfect opportunity to know exactly where in the plot I was. Was I in the action-only, romance-only, or a crossover between action and romance? And which characters were chosen!?

As if responding to my question seeing this scene, a gentle female voice emerged amid the murmurs."You there, that's too cruel!"

"Cruel? But what I said is true, show me if you think it's not."

[Advance and challenge Tristan?]

[Yes or No]

...With that, Tristan challenged the voice, which clearly belonged to the protagonist.

'Why is my vision a bit blue now?'

"Eh? But I don't like fighting; fighting is bad. No one should fight!" Razelitta complained, as my head slid across what had turned blue for some reason.

Apparently, it was only happening to me, as everyone else was focused on one point: the drama of any elitist school.

'Okay, this is already annoying me.'

The world returned to normal. 'Ah! Back to normal. It must be something with my low mana... I'll check with the doctor or something.'

I kept looking at Tristan and Razelitta go into arguing, Razelitta's arguments weren't strong enough to back her down and only made the already proudful person even more proud of himself.

[Time limit reached]

[Assuming the player chose "No"]

"Hey!" Another female voice entered the scene. "What did you call us from class D?"

I turned to the source of the voice, and I could already tell who it was.

"I challenge you to a duel after I get my magical tool." The girl said in a fast pace.

" 'Tool'? You haven't even decided what you'll use for the rest of your life, and you dare challenge me? Tell me your name."

"Isabella Fiorelle. Only daughter and single." She was slightly below average height, with bright red hair tied in a loose ponytail. Her eyes were a petrifying emerald green, and she wore a light blue uniform.

"Tristan Vaelhurst, I accept your duel, middle-class nobility!" He was taller, with carefully styled hair to match his shining platinum blonde. And to complete his look, his eyes were an ice-blue color.

The two stood side by side, glaring at each other, Isabella looking up and Tristan slightly down.

But to interrupt my amusement at knowing I was on the half-and-half route with "Izzy" as the chosen character, the professor, who previously had been falling asleep while talking on the stage, quickly stepped in to separate them and said:

"Wow, another duel involving first-years on the second day of school? This year at Burialle will definitely be exciting!" The professor said enthusiastically, smiling while separating the two.

"Since my dopamine is hitting, to resonate with the magical sword or tool, just talk to the weapon. Imagine it has a consciousness and converse with it," he said normally, then added: 

"In my case, I just told mine that I would use it to destroy monsters and enemies, period," the professor returned to his pathetic state of exhaustion and walked back to the podium.

"With that out of... my speech... we have... nothing else, great!"

Unlike the professor, who quickly recovered and did a poor job of ending the dispute, the students were anxious about Isabella and Tristan. Some whispered, "Fight! Fight!" while others just trembled.

And me? Smiling at my glorious rise in Burialle Academy.

"You're dismissed, choose with... care."

The professor then slammed his head into the podium he was talking in.

Well, what a weirdo. He did that and left the students while sleeping with a satisfied smile.

I turned to see if now without the professor Tristan would be in anger and still talk back to Izzy.

And surprisingly to me, Tristan was chill waiting with his companions in class C.

With not enough tension in the air, everyone decided to stay quiet. Which made the mood even more heavy for some reason.

But to alleviate our tension, a voice came out of a metal looking box. "Don't worry about this tired man, please students stay in line until your class is called."

The System continued by saying "Class B may proceed, Class C Room 01 may proceed."

Tristan's classmates decided to move on. Tristan lingered for a moment, gazing at Izzy, before heading towards the door beside the stage where the sleepy professor was dozing with a satisfied smile.

[Speedrunner in a otome game. Scene changing.

Isabella Fiorelle; Izzy is a 18 Years old girl. The only daughter of the Fiorelle bloodline, she is one of the three possible action characters in SKLS. Because of her harsh childhood her personality develop as being a quiet girl but when she speaks she doesn't give a fuck and say what's on her mind with a straight face.

Class D first year Room 03 student. Isabella relationship with Auka: Doesn't even realize who Auka is.

Her fighting style is the definition of adaptability; but she mostly uses double daggers. Her afinities are with magic and overall speed, her main atribute is combustion magic.

Izzy's current fighting style is using double daggers slashing them while enhancing her swings with tiny or all-out explosions.

Can equip: Warhammers, Daggers, Bows, Staffs, Scrolls, Tools, Swords and Whips. Everything possible to equip in a character except for shields.

Overall status: Extreme; Speed. Good; Endurence, Stealth. Middle; Strenght, Magic. Downsides; Luck, Resistence, Social. Debuffs; Woman, Hard learner (-50% XP rate)

Honestly chat, don't take me as sexist here but Izzy's debuffs are conter-effective to our speedruns. Besides that, her role as a middle term chosable character is really great; she has all afinities which makes you able to switch weapons before certain fights. And also her walkspeed/runspeed is good but still Dorian's light shield glitch makes her outside battle speed useless in the late game.]

And so, I waited.

And waited.

Tristan's return brought a new distraction as he proudly displayed his new magical tool to Izzy.

'What a childish move...'

But again, waiting.

I waited.

Finally, Class D started to be called!

So I eagerly awaited.

And waited.

And... finally, I got bored. Something that should have happened long ago.

All this time, I stood here motionless, occasionally glancing at the other characters. I should have used this time to ponder my transmigration, but no. Instead, I stared at the clock like an idiot.

Dorian attempted to strike up a conversation with me in hopes of befriending me, the one that managed to shorten the explanation earlier in the day, but come on! He's not going to stick around after this prologue.

And having a main character will only make my life worse. If he were a background character, I wouldn't mind chatting, but a danger flag? Haha! No.

'Sorry, I'm starting to get aggressive from this damn waiting. Let me cool down.' To calm myself, I glanced around the room once more.

Most of the higher-ranked students had already left, while the "minority" still waited in line to exit. 

Looking back, I could see at least a dozen other Rooms waiting in this queue. I might have felt sorry for them if I were in a better position, perhaps.

"Class D, Room 10, you may proceed!" The announcement came from a technological device embedded in the ceiling.

'Well, it's time to go.' With the system's cue, my class eagerly walked into the subjugation hall. 

However, I wasn't sure if they should be this enthusiastic, given that one of our classmates from another room had just threatened a Class C student. But I kept that thought to myself and followed the crowd into the room.

Inside, the room was even whiter than the waiting area. But unlike that room, this one contained only us from Class D, Room 10. 

The reason for this exclusivity was that the room was actually an artificial magical artifact. 

I knew this from the game; in Lizzy's route, there was an NPC who always provided background information about the place. 

I played Dorian's route multiple times, so I couldn't remember much of the game's exposition except for interesting facts like this.

From the floor in front of Dorian, colors began to materialize, outlining a square on the otherwise pristine white surface. The drawing process accelerated, forming what looked like a rich, polished wooden floor with intricate grain patterns. It was almost mesmerizing, the way the floor seemed to come to life under our feet.

Next, walls started to rise from the boundaries of the floor drawing. They emerged slowly at first, then more quickly, revealing textures of stone and wood, with subtle carvings and designs etched into the surface.

Several students were visibly impressed, their eyes wide with wonder. I, however, felt a bit bored. I had seen this unskippable cutscene countless times before in the game.

As the walls reached their full height, a ceiling began to form above it, complete with beams and chandeliers that cast a soft, ambient light.

The transformation continued with furniture appearing along the walls, a mix of cabinets, racks, paintings, mirrors and that kind of stuff. All seemingly carved from the same rich wood as the floor. 

Before the door was formed, I noticed the floor opening in various places, revealing hidden compartments. Several iron bared displays rose from these openings, holding an array of swords, spears, and other weapons. Each tool was meticulously placed, ready for us to choose.

Finally, the last wall emerged at our front, completing the room. This wall had a set of double doors, large and imposing, made of heavy wood and bound with iron. Above the doors, an inscription glowed softly, reading: "Choose Your Magical Tool."

Dorian, the one closest to it, was the first to step forward. The rest of us soon followed, filing into the space where the tools were displayed.

Once inside, I took a moment to absorb the sight. The racks and displays were meticulously arranged, each tool showcased like a work of art.

Long swords gleamed with polished blades and intricate hilts, some adorned with jewels that hinted at their magical capacity. Short swords had a compact, lethal elegance, with handles wrapped in fine leather for a better grip.

The bows were sleek and taut, some with quivers of arrows that emitted a faint, otherworldly glow. Shields stood firm, emblazoned with various symbols of protection and power.

Spears and tridents stood tall, their points sharp and menacing, designed for both thrusting and throwing.

The knives and daggers were varied, some one edged and some double-edged, others curved. What makes them variance is their color and if they have and what type of magical stone.

Warhammers were hefty and imposing, their heads massive enough to crush anything in their path. The whips, coiled and ready, seemed to promise both precision and pain with every flick.

As I surveyed the variety of tools available, I pondered which one to choose. 'In the game, I'd definitely go for a warhammer. But can I even wield one of those?'

I wondered, drawing from Auka's memories. 'She doesn't seem strong enough for that.'

Moving through the rows, I felt a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of options. Each tool seemed to call out, its magical aura almost palpable. I passed by a long sword with a blade that shimmered like liquid silver, 'Long Swords might be too cliché for me. And also I don't know swordsmanship.'

I moved to the next row, the spears. And then a spear that seemed to hum with barely contained energy. But I knew these weren't for me, I didn't even need to stop and think.

I found myself standing in front of the dagger section. 'They're good, short-range, and fast swing speed. But that's in the game. Are they even practical in reality?'

The daggers were displayed elegantly, their sleek forms lying against black velvet. Each one was unique; some had blades that were a pure, deep blue, while others had handles encrusted with small, sparkling gems.

One particular dagger caught my eye. It had a blade that seemed to be made of obsidian, dark and glossy, with a handle wrapped in midnight blue leather. Also displaying 4 stars at the sign below.

It looked both deadly and exquisite. I checked a little more about it even though it was a four grade magical tool. It had a very tough straight side and a curved inside side.

That scared me a little, but also made me wonder if that is good or not.

I then glanced again at the cabin. My options included long swords, short swords, daggers, bows, shields, spears, tridents, knives, long-range type daggers, warhammers, and whips.

So I looked back at the dagger in front of me and glanced at the four starts.

Magical tools, up to this point in the story, had a maximum of seven grades. Each grade indicated the tool's superiority in using mana. There were no Grade 0 tools. If you couldn't link with a Grade 1 tool, you could kiss your dreams of becoming a hunter or soldier goodbye.

Each section had tools up to Grade 5, which was overkill for students with above-average talent. Since the higher the grade, the higher are the requirements for the magical tool to deem you as worthy.

So, to test my luck, I approached the Grade 4 dagger that was getting my attention. That action attracted everyone's attention.

"Alright, let's try linking real quick, if both of us aren't compatible, I'll be on my way. You seem like the perfect choice for me." I said confidently to the tool.

Expecting rejection after a few seconds of silence, I was about to place the dagger back in its section when it flashes green, and I felt a slight but painful shock.

"Wait, what?!"

I was stunned. How had a Grade 4 tool accepted me so easily?

"What? A girl managed to link with a Grade 4?"

"You're kidding!"

"What happened?"

"We had someone incredible in our class, and we didn't even know?"

"Is she in reality a he?"

I looked at my classmates; many were commenting on my remarkable achievement.

"Confirmed. Student Auka Geevolaince is now linked with . Commencing user-customized appearance operation."

Hearing the announcement confirming my link, I looked at the dagger, wondering what form it would take.

The dagger began to shine intensely. As the light faded, I was impressed by its new appearance.

A sleek, black, curved dagger with a smooth plastic texture. Among the darkness were tiny white spots resembling stars in a night sky. Near the hilt, a purple circle appeared, and where I gripped the dagger, white strips wrapped around it.

Both sizes are well sharpened. One is curved to the inside and the other one is almost straight. Almost since it has a deformation to the outside due to the other side curve to the inside. And the overall sharpest side of the dagger is the curved one, for some reason.

Simple yet giving a premium feel. I only wished it had a guard for a firmer grip.

Examining its size, I realized my old concepts about daggers were wrong. Between the white stripes and the sharp, dart-like point, I could fit a hand and a half. Was it larger than normal daggers or were short swords larger?

'Well, now I have a dagger. I hope I won't regret this decision.'

Having chosen my tool, I was obliged to leave the cabin.

I stepped outside to a beautiful sunny open field landscape. The transition from pure white to a lively field was seamless, but I expected it, unlike the students who got distracted from their magical tools.

To test my new dagger, I moved away from the cabin and gently requested the system to summon a goblin.

"Goblin being summoned randomly at 10… 9…" The system alerted me.

Waiting with some fear, I stood still in a badass pose.

When the countdown silenced at 3, a loud "Geek!" sounded.

But then, the world turned blue again.

'Again!?'

I couldn't be delayed by this. I looked back and saw the goblin charging at me. I gripped my dagger tightly, preparing to slash at it.

[A: Skill; Slash]

[B: Skill; Roll]

[Y: Skill; Throw]

[X: Skill; Stab]

Four screens, each in a different shade of blue than the world around me, appeared in a pattern of south, east, north, and west — counterclockwise. 

Accepting the situation, as unlike a turn-based game, time hadn't stopped; I only managed to read the first screen that was materializing.

'"A" Skill Slash?'

The screen was entirely blue with a standout tone from the world around me, featuring letters and an image of an "A" symbol in a green circular background on the left side.

[A: Skill; ☓Cooldown☓]

I didn't let the four screens in front of me distract me and charged at the goblin.

"Geek!" The goblin lunged at me with its small sword, extending its arm thoughtlessly only doing a slight swing.

I blocked with my dagger on the curved side showing, held in a reverse grip in my right hand. The blades clashed, producing a grating screech that set my ear to scream at this decision. 

My dagger's curved edge deflected the goblin's sword, pushing it out of the danger zone and the goblin instance became unstable. Seizing the moment, I tossed my dagger into the air and delivered a swift kick to the goblin's right leg.

Unbalanced, the goblin tumbled to the ground. In a fluid motion, I caught my dagger with my left hand, now gripping it in a standard hold. I crouched, executing a precise circular movement in my left arm to slash, aiming to decapitate the fallen goblin.

Blood had splattered everywhere in the field, but the blood in my uniform and dagger disappeared in seconds. The green field now had a blue blood stain and a goblin corpse, and a head disconnected from the body.

'I need a different weapon…' I was dissatisfied with the difficulty of delivering a killing blow with a curved blade.

The world returned to normal colors.

Putting aside recent thoughts about my first battle, I analyzed it.

The only problem I saw was the weapon's shape I decided for the final strike. But I also realized that thanks to the dagger and my reflexes, I created an opening on the monster's initial charge.

'Unless I find something better, I'll stick with this.'

I turned back to the cabin, where everyone was watching me frantically. Most of the boys had slightly red flushed faces for some reason. 

Among the students, I noticed Dorian smiling and nodding at me. Was he taking notes? I wasn't sure. Without a player controlling him, I didn't know much about his personality.

Leaving the goblin's corpse, I decided to focus on the four screens that appeared earlier. How and why did they appear? These questions puzzled me.

I gripped the dagger firmly to test it. The world turned blue again, but this time no screens appeared.

'I figured out why the world turns blue.' I thought, testing it eight more times by applying pressure to the dagger.

I concluded that the secret was simply being in action for something to happen.

Returning to the cabin, I asked the system to create a practice dummy. When it did, the goblin's corpse vanished.

I practiced front slashes with the dagger, continuing until everyone had chosen their magical tools.

END OF CHAPTER