I stepped out from my carriage, my polished black boots meeting the pristine cobblestone path, leading to Vermillion Academy grand entrance.
The towering gothic structures loomed overhead, their intricate spires reaching towards the sky, as if mocking those who dared to enter unworthy.
Yeah even though this academy on paper is open to the public as long as they have magic talent, and pass the entrance exam of course, but in fact discrimination in this academy is very strong, heck, even professors are just as bad as other students.
Well not all of them though, probably.
The air carried a crisp autumn chill, it's made me shivers a little, but i ignore it, my mind was somewhere else, on the trial ahead, no not something academy test etc etc, but every conflict that will happen in the future.
Winston had given me a final check before i departed, ensuring my uniform was immaculate.
The deep crimson coat with gold embroidery signified nobility, while the black vest and trousers added an air of discipline.
Every piece of the uniform was as if designed to exude prestige and authority, a reminder that only the elite belonged here.
I had barely taken a few steps, when a sudden voice rang out.
"Hey! Watch were you going!"
It seems I almost hit her when I walked towards the gate, the magnificent building of the academy honestly amazed me when I saw it in person.
That voice belongs to Lyria, the protagonist of this world.
For a brief moment, i was caught off guard, not because of her beauty, well i could see why gamers found her appealing, well i one of them honestly.
But that not the reason, it's because this is was the first time original Tristan and Lyria meet, and more importantly this is the moment where Tristan decide to bully her entire time, until he die though.
I quickly try to put on a normal face, trying to hide my shock at meeting the protagonist of this game in person.
"It's seem you lack awareness of your surroundings, commoner"
Ahh damn it, it's not what i want to say, but I don't know why it's as if there something that forced me to say that word, the exact dialogue in the game when they first meet.
Her lips pressed into a thin line
"It was you who wasn't looking!"
A few students nearby turned their heads, whispering. Of course they would, even though i still in the first year but Tristan name already infamou, in the bad way.
And now it's as it i was looking for trouble, right before i enter this academy as acrual student.
I exhaled sharply.
"Tch, just don't get in my way"
Luckily this time i manage to control my own words, i still don't understand why but it's seem i can barely interfere the story, i still don't understand why but i will survive the story no matter what.
Without waiting for her response, i ignore her and walk pass through her, it was small confrontation and it's supposed the reason why original Tristan want to bully her.
But i manage to change it, somehow, and i had no intention to willingly follow the scenario since i know, if i just following the scenario then that mean i will definitely die.
Not thinking about that I walked with the other new students towards the academy grand hall, soon there will be class assignment test.
The grand hall of Vermillion Academy was as magnificent as inside the game, ornate pillars, floating chandeliers emitting soft golden glow, and an enormous crest of Phoenix, the academy logo, embedded into the marble floor.
Students gather in clusters, chatting excitedly about the upcoming class assignment.
A booming voice cut though the chatter.
"All students, gather for the class assignment!"
The crowd shifted toward the central platform, where a group of academy instructors stood. At the center was an elderly man with piercing golden eyes and long gray hair and thick and long beard, the headmaster Alistair Vermillion, a legend in the field of magic.
Now i think about it, why every headmaster in story like this always look like that?
"This is it,"
I thought, exhaling.
The class assignment would determine our class rankings. Normally, in the game, this was where Tristan would humiliate Lyria, cementing himself as her greatest obstacle in the early stages.
But this times, I had no intention of following the scenario, and hopefully there won't some unknown force that force me to do that, hopefully.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Vermillion Academy. Before you embark on your journey here, you must prove your worth. Step forward one by one and place your hand upon the Arcane Stone."
A massive, glowing blue crystal was wheeled onto the platform. The Arcane Stone measured magical affinity and would determine our class placement.
I watched as students went up one by one. Most ended up in standard classes, with only a few earning a spot in the elite division.
Then, it was Lyria's turn.
She hesitated before stepping up, placing her hand on the Arcane Stone. A bright, radiant glow erupted from the crystal, far stronger than any of the others before her. Gasps filled the hall.
"A commoner…?!" someone whispered.
The headmaster's eyes gleamed with intrigue. "Fascinating."
The hall was filled with murmurs. Whispers slithered through the air, each carrying the same disbelief.
"A commoner…in the Vermillion class?"
"Impossible! There must be some mistake."
The nobles were seething. Their gazes, once indifferent, were now sharp with contempt. Lyria stood among them, her posture stiff, her face blank. But I could see it, her clenched fists, the tension in her shoulders.
She was bracing herself.
I sighed. This is going to be a problem.
Not for me, of course. I didn't care if she was in the class or not. But the rest of the nobility? They would never accept her. Not without a fight.
"Next, Tristan Althrone."
My turn.
I stepped forward, placing my hand on the Arcane Stone.
A deep crimson glow erupted from the crystal, far stronger than anyone else's before me. The murmurs stopped. The hostility turned into uneasy silence. Of course. Tristan Althrone was a monster of talent. Even without my interference, his place in the Vermillion Class was undeniable.
I turned, meeting Lyria's gaze. She was watching me carefully, her blue eyes unreadable.
We were now classmates.
And I could already tell, this wouldn't be smooth sailing.
---
And so the assignment was over, the students were then directed to the dormitory by the staff, where they would live during their 3 years of study at the academy.
The Vermillion Class though, had its own dormitory, a massive estate separate from the rest of the academy, and they even have their own training set, personal maid and access to all the books that students are allowed to read, yeah there are some books that can't be accessed if you don't have enough points, if you are in a regular class.
After the ceremony, we were gathered in the hall for orientation.
Lyria sat a few seats away from me, alone.
No one approached her, no one spoke to her.
It wasn't surprising. Nobles weren't exactly subtle in their hatred. I could hear the whispers.
"She's just lucky."
"She doesn't belong here."
Someone scoffed. "She must have cheated."
Lyria didn't react, she kept her head high, her face impassive. But I knew she heard every word.
I should've ignored it, it wasn't my problem.
But for some reason, I found myself speaking.
"At least she's here. Unlike half the nobility that failed to make it in."
Silence.
The nobles turned, eyes locking onto me. Some with shock. Some with anger.
And Lyria?
She was staring at me too. But not with gratitude.
She was glaring.
"…I don't need your help"
She muttered.
I raised an eyebrow
"Could've fooled me."
Her lips pressed into a thin line.
"I don't need a noble's pity."
"Tch."
I clicked my tongue. And here I thought I was doing her a favor.
Fine. If she wanted to fight her own battles, I wasn't going to stop her.
But I wasn't going to hold back, either.
"Then try not to embarrass yourself, commoner,"
I said, smirking.
She scowled, her blue eyes burning with irritation.
"I won't."
I leaned back in my chair, satisfied.
Now this.
This will be interesting.