As Esdeath watched Calista's reaction, a twisted smile formed on her lips. Suddenly, a series of notifications flashed in her mind, each one feeding her dark satisfaction.
<1000 SP rewarded>
Calista's eyes narrowed as she instinctively raised her hand, aiming straight for Esdeath's neck. There was no hesitation, no thought of how dangerous it might be. She just wanted to silence the girl who had dared to mock her.
But before Calista could even get close, Esdeath effortlessly jumped back, dodging the attack with a graceful ease. "My, my... The future saintess is attacking me! I'm so scared!" Esdeath exclaimed, her tone dripping with mockery as she feigned fear, clutching her chest in a dramatic display.
Her words had the desired effect. All eyes were now on Calista. Some had seen her take the first swing, but they couldn't believe that someone as peaceful and charming as the future saintess would actually attack another person. The disbelief in their faces made Esdeath's grin widen.
"Tch..." Calista snorted, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. She quickly turned her back on Esdeath and stalked off to her class, deciding it wasn't worth the risk of causing a scene. Not now, not with everyone watching.
As Calista retreated, Esdeath let out a small sigh of relief. "Well, that was close," she muttered to herself, the adrenaline still pumping through her veins. But then her mind began to churn with new thoughts, connecting the dots from the notifications. "So, the more people acknowledge my presence, the more SP points I get. Whether they see me as a friend, an enemy, or just someone important, I can rack up those points. If the whole world knows my name, just how many SP points could I collect?" she pondered, her eyes gleaming with a newfound understanding.
A mischievous grin spread across her face as she imagined the possibilities. But then, just as quickly, she shook her head, banishing the thoughts from her mind. "No, I can't trust this system either," she murmured to herself, her expression turning serious. "I don't even know who my constellation is. I can't rely solely on this."
.....
Today's schedule had only one lecture, but it was a "Joint Class Lecture," meaning students from Class A, B, and C had to sit together in the same room. The reason for this unusual gathering wasn't to teach magic or anything like that, but to go over some important academy rules, discuss upcoming competitions, and address a few other topics that needed to be communicated to all three classes at once.
Ethan Rothslayer walked through the academy halls with his two friends, Violet and Sylvania. The three of them chatted casually as they made their way to the lecture hall, but something else was occupying Ethan's mind.
"I still don't know where that Esdeath girl came from," he muttered under his breath, his thoughts slipping out loud enough for Violet and Sylvania to hear.
Sylvania's eyes narrowed as she turned to him, her voice tinged with jealousy. "You're still thinking about her?"
Realization hit Ethan like a ton of bricks. His words had leaked out, and his cheeks turned a deep shade of red. "No, no! That's not what I meant! I was just curious, that's all."
Before he could dig himself out of the awkward situation, a chilling voice cut through the air behind them, stopping him mid-sentence. "Don't get involved with her."
The three of them spun around to see who had spoken. Standing before them was a girl with golden hair, green eyes, and smooth, flawless skin—the Marquess Claus Clandestine.
"Why?" Ethan asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Esdeath is a witch," Claus said with an indifferent expression, causing everyone's eyes to widen. "There were many kids who bullied her when she was a child, but one day, both those kids and their families disappeared in a single night, never to be found again. Some say she ate them or killed them for her witchcraft. There are many rumors about her."
Claus's words hung in the air, spreading a sense of unease among the group. But then, her expression softened, and she laughed lightly, waving off the tension. "But I don't actually believe those rumors. Hahaha… She's just a shut-in NEET, nothing more. I'm only saying this so the Count's daughter, Miss Sylvania, can be careful."
With that, Claus pointed at Sylvania, making her blink in surprise. Then, without another word, Claus turned and walked ahead, entering the classroom first, leaving the trio standing there, stunned and slightly confused.
As soon as Claus was out of earshot, Sylvania crossed her arms, pouting a little. "A witch, huh? Sounds like she's got quite the reputation."
...
One by one, all the students entered the room. The classroom was much bigger than the usual ones, at least twice the size. The benches were arranged in a half-circle, giving everyone a good view of the large table and big board at the front, where the teacher would stand and teach.
The benches were divided into three sections: the left side was for Class A students, the middle for Class B, and the right side for Class C. Each section was separated by a small gap, clearly marking the distinction between the classes. Class A had around twenty students, while Class B had about fifty to sixty. On the other hand, Class C had more than a hundred students, making their section look much fuller.
Ethan sat in the middle of Class A's row, with Sylvania and Violet sitting on either side of him. The three of them glanced around as the rest of the students settled into their seats.
Once everyone had gathered, the teacher entered the room. She was a woman in her thirties, with long dark green hair and piercing yellow eyes. Her name was Sylvia, and the students greeted her respectfully as she walked in. She nodded in return, her voice calm and steady as she began the lecture.
She started by going over some basic academy rules. As she spoke, Ethan tried to focus, but he quickly grew bored. He already knew all these rules, having heard them before, so he found it hard to stay interested.
He yawned deeply, his thoughts drifting elsewhere. "When will this end? I have bigger things to worry about... like getting stronger." His mind wandered to his first plan—retrieving the "Golden Key Ring." That ring was rumored to be the key to unlocking a great inheritance, something that could give him the power he needed.
Inheritances were treasures left behind by powerful individuals who had passed away. Rather than giving their valuable items to the kingdom or their children, many of these people hid their treasures in secret locations, creating what was known as an inheritance. These inheritances could contain all sorts of things—essence stones, gold, silver, and even ancient relics.
But not all inheritances were the same. Some were considered good, following the simple rule of "first come, first serve." If you were lucky enough to find one, all the treasures inside were yours to keep. But evil inheritances were different. They required you to pass tests, and failing those tests could be deadly.
On top of that, humans and other friendly species weren't the only ones who created inheritances. Demons made them too, mostly evil ones. Demons didn't care who found their inheritances—they just wanted to cause chaos by making people fight over them. The more people that died trying to claim these treasures, the better, as far as demons were concerned. But those who did manage to claim a demon's inheritance often gained more valuable treasures than they would from any other kind.
Inheritances were also ranked from D to A. The higher the rank, the bigger and more dangerous the inheritance, but also the greater the rewards. Ethan knew this well, and the thought of retrieving a high-rank inheritance excited him. But he also knew it wouldn't be easy.
As the teacher continued her lecture, Ethan's mind drifted back to his plan. He couldn't stop thinking about the Golden Key Ring.
"The ring is in the basement library, where only third years are allowed. The school year has just started, so the security down there is going to be tight. I'll have to wait at least two weeks before I can make my move," he thought with a sigh of disappointment.
He recalled a story from ten years ago about a librarian who worked in that very basement. "That librarian suddenly quit his job one day and picked up a sword. Within a few years, he became one of the kingdom's sword saints. But even then, he said, 'I can be stronger once he truly starts teaching me,' but unfortunately not long after he dies in a battle against a demon. I don't know what he meant, but I'm sure that ring is in the basement library," Ethan calculated, determined to uncover its secrets.
"Now, we have three final announcements," Sylvia, the teacher, said, pulling Ethan out of his thoughts.
"First, in one and a half months, there will be a competition between students. The top three will be rewarded with essence stones and money, and some may even be promoted to Class A," Sylvia announced.
The room buzzed with excitement. The thought of competing and proving themselves had students practically bouncing in their seats.
"So work hard for the upcoming competition. The second point is that from now on, you're allowed to challenge each other to duels, but only if the other person accepts. You can duel with or without magic," Sylvia continued.
Ethan's mind wandered again, this time to Esdeath. "Duels, huh? That reminds me of her... Esdeath. If she's truly as dangerous as they say, she must be planning something."
Curious, Ethan glanced over at the middle row where the Class B students sat. His eyes found Esdeath, and what he saw made him pause.
"She's... sleeping? And why does it look like she's having a perverted dream?" Ethan thought, his eyes widening.
Esdeath's face was flushed red, and a small trail of drool ran down her cheek as she rested her head on the desk, clearly lost in some rather inappropriate fantasy. The sight was so out of place that Ethan had to stifle a laugh. It was hard to believe that this girl, who supposedly had such a dark reputation, could look so hilarious.