Chapter 2: Laying Low in a World of Giants
The next few days passed in a tense blur for Leon. Despite his best efforts to keep a low profile, whispers about his encounter with the arrogant noble began to circulate. While most dismissed it as a minor event, there were some—like Emilia—who seemed to view him as a protector.
Leon hated it.
"Hero? No thanks," he muttered under his breath as he navigated the academy courtyard.
The sprawling grounds were a blend of meticulous landscaping and arcane architecture. Pathways lined with glowing lanterns snaked through lush gardens, and ornate towers loomed overhead, each dedicated to a specific field of study.
Leon avoided the larger crowds, sticking to quieter areas as he made his way to the library.
The academy library was a vast, multi-level structure filled with towering shelves of books and scrolls. It was one of the few places where Leon could think without interruption, and it also held valuable information about the world he now lived in.
He slipped into the library and chose a secluded corner, spreading out a collection of books on the table. His focus was on the academy's structure and the political landscape of the kingdom. If he was going to survive here, he needed to understand who held power and how to avoid stepping on the wrong toes.
"House Veradyn…" he murmured, flipping through a book on noble families.
Celine's family was one of the most influential in the kingdom, known for their cold efficiency and ruthless ambition. The book detailed their rise to power, but it didn't mention anything about their ties to the outer gods or their future role in the apocalypse.
Leon frowned. "I need more information."
As he reached for another book, a shadow fell across the table.
"You've been busy."
Leon looked up to see Emilia standing there, clutching a small stack of books. Her expression was nervous but determined.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, keeping his voice neutral.
"I… I thought I'd help," she said, setting her books down. "You helped me, so I wanted to return the favor."
Leon sighed. "You don't owe me anything, Emilia."
"But I want to," she insisted, her voice firm despite her nervousness. "You're one of the only people who's been kind to me here."
Her words caught Leon off guard. He wasn't used to being seen as "kind." Calculative, manipulative, even cold—but kind? That was a new one.
Still, he didn't want to discourage her. Emilia was harmless, and having her around might even be useful in the long run.
"Fine," he said reluctantly. "But don't draw too much attention to yourself."
Emilia's face lit up with a small smile as she sat down across from him.
Together, they pored over the books, discussing everything from noble politics to the academy's various factions. Leon was careful to guide the conversation subtly, steering Emilia away from topics that might reveal too much about his plans.
By the time they finished, the sun had dipped below the horizon, casting the library in a warm, golden glow.
"Thanks for letting me help," Emilia said as they gathered their things. "I'll see you tomorrow?"
Leon hesitated, then nodded. "Sure."
As she left, Leon felt a twinge of unease. Emilia's kindness was genuine, but it also made her vulnerable. If she continued to associate with him, she might become a target.
"I need to keep my distance," he thought, but the resolution felt hollow.
---
The next day, Leon's carefully constructed plans for anonymity were dealt another blow.
It started during the combat training class.
The instructor, a grizzled veteran named Captain Aldred, was known for his no-nonsense approach to teaching. He wasted no time pairing up the students for sparring matches, assigning Leon to face off against a second-year noble.
Leon had no interest in fighting. He planned to lose quickly and quietly, ensuring that no one would remember his performance.
But his opponent had other ideas.
"Look at him," the noble sneered as they took their positions on the sparring field. "A commoner pretending to belong here."
Leon clenched his jaw, but he didn't rise to the bait.
The match began, and Leon did exactly what he'd planned—he dodged a few strikes, made a few weak counters, and then allowed himself to be "defeated" without much effort.
Or so he thought.
The noble wasn't satisfied with victory. He kept attacking even after the match was called, his strikes growing more aggressive.
"Enough!" Captain Aldred barked, but the noble ignored him, swinging his wooden training sword in a wide arc.
Leon's instincts took over.
In a blur of motion, he sidestepped the attack and delivered a precise blow to the noble's wrist, disarming him. The wooden sword clattered to the ground, and the noble staggered back, clutching his hand.
The crowd fell silent.
Leon froze, realizing he'd just drawn far more attention than he'd intended.
Captain Aldred strode forward, his eyes narrowing as he studied Leon. "Interesting reflexes for someone who claims to be average."
Leon forced a sheepish smile. "Just lucky, I guess."
The captain didn't look convinced, but he let the matter drop. The noble, meanwhile, glared at Leon with undisguised hatred as he stalked off the field.
Leon sighed. "So much for staying low."
---
Later that evening, as Leon sat in his dorm room, a soft knock at the door interrupted his brooding.
When he opened it, he wasn't surprised to see Emilia standing there.
"I heard what happened in combat training," she said, her voice filled with concern. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Leon said, stepping aside to let her in. "It's nothing to worry about."
Emilia frowned. "But now that noble is going to cause trouble for you, isn't he?"
"Probably," Leon admitted. "But I'll deal with it."
"How?" she asked, her eyes wide.
Leon hesitated. He couldn't tell her the truth—that he was already working on a plan to manipulate the situation to his advantage. Instead, he shrugged.
"I'll just stay out of his way."
Emilia didn't look convinced, but she didn't press the issue. Instead, she changed the subject, pulling out a small notebook.
"I've been keeping notes on the other students," she said, handing it to him. "Their families, their strengths, their weaknesses… I thought it might be useful."
Leon blinked, surprised by her initiative. The notebook was meticulously organized, with detailed observations about several key figures in the academy.
"This is… impressive," he said, flipping through the pages.
Emilia blushed. "I just thought it might help you. You're always so focused on surviving here, and I want to do my part."
Leon couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. Emilia was trying so hard to support him, even though she didn't fully understand the danger they were in.
"Thanks," he said softly. "This is really helpful."
Emilia smiled, and for a moment, the tension in the room eased.
But as Leon studied the notebook later that night, one entry in particular caught his attention.
It was about Celine Veradyn.
"Cold, calculating, and dangerous," Emilia had written. "Avoid at all costs."
Leon couldn't agree more. But avoiding Celine was easier said than done—especially now that she seemed to have taken an interest in him.
As he closed the notebook, Leon's mind raced with possibilities. The pieces on the board were shifting, and he needed to stay one step ahead.
"Survive," he whispered to himself. "No matter what."
---
That night, Leon couldn't sleep. His mind was buzzing with thoughts about Emilia's notebook, the events of the day, and the many threats looming on the horizon.
He sat at his desk, flipping back to the section on Celine Veradyn. Emilia's observations were sharp, even if they lacked context. Celine wasn't just dangerous—she was a pivotal character in the story.
In the original novel, Celine's ambition and cunning made her a key antagonist during the academy arc. She was a master manipulator, using her intellect and influence to dominate the political scene. Yet, she wasn't evil in the conventional sense. Her actions were driven by a desire to protect her family's legacy, even if it meant making morally questionable decisions.
But the current Celine was even more dangerous than the one in the novel. As a regressor, she had knowledge of future events—knowledge that could disrupt Leon's carefully laid plans.
"What does she want from me?" he wondered aloud.
Her cryptic remark from earlier—"I'll be keeping an eye on you"—still echoed in his mind. It wasn't a direct threat, but it was enough to make him uneasy.
Leon sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I need to stay under her radar, or this could get messy."
He closed the notebook and leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling. Tomorrow was another day, and he needed to be ready for whatever challenges came his way.
---
The following morning, Leon arrived at the cafeteria early. The dining hall was a grand space, filled with long wooden tables and the sound of students chattering over breakfast.
He grabbed a simple meal—bread, cheese, and a cup of tea—and chose a seat near the corner, away from the more crowded areas.
As he ate, he scanned the room, observing the interactions between the other students. The nobles sat together, their conversations laced with subtle power plays and veiled insults. The commoners, meanwhile, kept to themselves, their laughter quieter and their movements more subdued.
Leon's gaze shifted to the far end of the hall, where Celine sat alone at a table. Her silver hair caught the light, and her crimson eyes were fixed on a book in front of her.
Even in a room full of people, she exuded an aura of cold detachment.
Leon quickly looked away, not wanting to draw her attention.
"Mind if I sit here?"
Leon glanced up to see Emilia standing there, holding her tray of food.
"Go ahead," he said, gesturing to the seat across from him.
Emilia smiled as she sat down, her movements hesitant but sincere.
"You're up early," she said, taking a bite of her bread.
"Old habit," Leon replied. "It's quieter in the mornings."
Emilia nodded, her expression thoughtful. "It's nice, isn't it? A little peace before the day starts."
For a moment, they ate in silence. Leon found the quiet companionship oddly comforting. Emilia wasn't pushy or demanding—she simply existed in his orbit, a small but steady presence.
But the peace didn't last.
A shadow loomed over their table, and Leon looked up to see the noble from the sparring match standing there, flanked by two of his friends.
"Well, well," the noble sneered. "If it isn't the commoner with a lucky streak."
Leon tensed, his mind racing. He couldn't afford another public confrontation—not after the attention he'd already drawn.
"I don't want any trouble," he said calmly, keeping his tone even.
"Too late for that," the noble said, leaning closer. "You humiliated me in front of everyone. Did you really think I'd just let that go?"
Emilia's eyes darted nervously between Leon and the noble. "Maybe we should just—"
"Stay out of this," the noble snapped, cutting her off.
Leon's gaze hardened. He didn't like bullies, and he liked them even less when they targeted people who couldn't defend themselves.
But before he could respond, another voice cut through the tension.
"Is there a problem here?"
The noble stiffened and turned to see Celine standing a few feet away, her crimson eyes cold and unyielding.
"This doesn't concern you, Lady Veradyn," the noble said, though his tone lacked its earlier bravado.
"Doesn't it?" Celine's voice was calm, almost bored, but there was an undeniable edge to it. "You're causing a scene in the middle of the dining hall. Hardly the behavior of someone who claims to be from a respectable family."
The noble's face turned red with embarrassment, and he muttered something under his breath before retreating with his friends.
Leon let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
Celine turned her gaze to him, her expression unreadable. "You have an unfortunate talent for attracting attention."
"Thanks for the save," Leon said, his voice measured.
Celine shrugged. "I didn't do it for you. I simply dislike unnecessary drama."
Without another word, she walked away, leaving Leon and Emilia sitting in stunned silence.
"That was… unexpected," Emilia said finally.
Leon nodded, his thoughts racing. Celine's intervention was strange. In the original novel, she rarely involved herself in petty disputes like this. Was she testing him? Or was there something else at play?
Whatever her reasons, one thing was clear—Celine Veradyn was a wildcard, and Leon needed to be prepared for whatever move she made next.
---
Later that day, Leon found himself in the alchemy lab, a sprawling room filled with bubbling cauldrons and shelves lined with ingredients.
The lab was one of the few places where Leon felt truly comfortable. Alchemy required precision and patience—skills he had honed over years of careful planning and strategizing.
He worked quietly at his station, mixing ingredients for a basic healing potion. It wasn't flashy, but it was practical. In a world as dangerous as this one, a few healing potions could mean the difference between life and death.
As he worked, he noticed Emilia at a nearby station, struggling with her own potion. Her hands shook as she measured out the ingredients, and her expression was one of frustration.
Leon sighed. "Do you need help?"
Emilia looked up, startled. "Oh, no, I don't want to bother you—"
"It's fine," Leon said, walking over to her station. "Let me see."
He examined her work, quickly identifying the problem. "You're using too much willow bark. It's throwing off the balance."
Emilia frowned. "But the instructions said—"
"The instructions are a guideline," Leon said, cutting her off gently. "Every batch of ingredients is slightly different. You have to adjust based on what you're working with."
He demonstrated, carefully measuring out the correct amount of willow bark and adding it to her potion. The mixture stabilized, its color shifting from murky brown to a clear green.
Emilia's eyes widened. "You're amazing at this."
"It's just practice," Leon said, returning to his own station.
As he worked, he felt a strange sense of satisfaction. Helping Emilia wasn't part of his plan, but it felt… right.
For now, at least, he could afford to let his guard down—just a little.
---
By the end of the day, Leon was exhausted. As he returned to his dorm, he couldn't shake the feeling that the academy was a powder keg, ready to explode.
Celine's interest in him, Emilia's growing attachment, and the simmering tensions among the students were all factors he needed to account for.
But as he sat down at his desk, flipping through Emilia's notebook once more, he reminded himself of his ultimate goal.
"Survive," he whispered, the word a quiet promise. "No matter what it takes."
And so, the rabbit began to sharpen its fangs, preparing for the trials ahead.