Chapter 5: Hero Department (1)  

I let out a sigh.

Only after putting on my uniform and applying a weather-matching fragrance could I leave the room.

Amy, who had been waiting near the door, greeted me and handed me a briefcase.

It was quite heavy. I peeked inside to find textbooks, notebooks, and writing utensils.

Amy bowed her head 90 degrees.

"Good day, young master. Do you have any special plans today?"

I obviously didn't. Even if there were, I'd cancel them all.

"No, I don't. However, I'll be back late, so eat dinner beforehand."

Being outside was better than staying in my room.

At the very least, I should go train at the training ground.

"Understood, young master."

"See you later. Oh, and it seems the magic lamp in the middle is broken. I'd appreciate it if you could take care of it quickly."

Just in case, I had checked the other magic lamps without any expectations, but they were working normally.

I could turn [Magic Nullification] on and off intentionally.

"I understand, young master. I'll have it fixed before you return."

Amy's work efficiency was among the best in the original story, so it would be taken care of today.

"Thanks. Good luck."

"Yes."

I passed the stiff Amy and went outside to catch the carriage.

Unlike last night, I saw lit restaurants, cafes, and general stores.

They were all open for business.

Their interiors were mostly plain and unadorned, unlike my room.

They closely resembled what I had seen in the original work.

I joined the queue at the stop, taking my place at the back.

After waiting for approximately five minutes...

Chirr-chirr, chirr-chirr─

The carriage pulled up.

Although it's called a carriage, there were no horses.

Despite its name, there were no horses to be seen; it was more like a bus powered by mana stones instead of oil.

I boarded the carriage, knowing that the fare was free.

Inside, the carriage resembled a modern city bus, with about twenty seats and handholds hanging from the ceiling.

It was nothing but a bus with a different design.

Although most of the seats were empty, I took the slightly raised seat in the back row.

It would take about an hour to reach the Hero Department.

It seemed like a boring time.

As the other passengers took their seats, the carriage began to move with a unique exhaust sound.

Squeak, squeak─

I watched as numerous buildings passed by rapidly.

Elinia Academy, along with its surrounding area, was larger than most countries.

There were vast forests, monster-infested mountains, and even desert regions.

It was too vast for only 30,000 people to inhabit, of which only 10,000 were students.

The remaining 20,000 consisted of various other categories.

From professors, instructors, researchers, and academy-affiliated knights to convenience facility staff like restaurant and general store workers, and even bureaucrats from various countries.

There were all sorts of people, befitting the reputation of the continent's top academy.

After watching the scenery outside for about ten minutes,

I took out my textbook, having nothing else to do.

The textbook consisted of four volumes, all thick as befitting their subject matter.

"Introduction to Hero Studies"

I started reading the book that caught my eye.

"...Heroes who work alone are rare. Most heroes form a team with Aides who assist them in their missions. On average, there is one hero for every four Aides..."

Hmm...

I already knew all of this.

I randomly turned to a page from the 500-page book, but I already knew everything written there.

Isn't this too easy?

The same applied when I skimmed through other textbooks.

I was already familiar with all the material.

Most characters in the original story struggled to comprehend these concepts, but for me, having received a modern high school education and memorized the game's storyline, it was all too simple.

Fortunately, I could expect good grades on the theory evaluation.

Although the theory evaluation carries less weight than practical evaluations like artifact exploration, monster hunting, and dungeon raids, I can't ignore it.

Alright, I'll definitely aim for first place in the theory evaluation.

It's well within my capabilities.

But... there might still be parts I'm confused about or parts I don't know. I should read it all one more time.

As I was absorbed in reading the textbook...

"...Theo?"

A clear female voice sounded above my head.

Although I was afraid that my inner thoughts might have been revealed, I kept a straight face and didn't show any signs of embarrassment.

Twisted Noble's Dignity.

This trait has its uses.

Swoosh.

Slowly lifting my head, I saw the girl with the clear voice.

I had a hunch based on her voice alone, and sure enough, I recognized the character.

Her name was Irene.

She and Theo were the same age, and she belonged to the same Elinia Academy's Knight Department.

A named character with impressive long violet hair reaching her hips and light blue eyes.

At this point in time, she was Theo's fiancée.

"Yes, Irene. Good morning."

I said that and returned to reading the textbook.

Theo's fiancée disliked him just like everyone else.

Their engagement was decided without considering her wishes.

Being the daughter of a famous knight family, she despised formalities and idleness, which unfortunately were the two qualities that Theo embodied.

As we rode in the carriage, Irene chose to stand in front of me instead of sitting in the only empty seat which was next to me.

"...What's gotten into you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're going to school so early and reading a book in the carriage. It's strange, isn't it? Well, I'm sure it won't last more than three days."

So, that's why.

"There's nothing strange about it. I'm simply fulfilling my duties."

Saying that, I focused on my textbook to signal that I didn't want to talk anymore.

"..."

Irene didn't say anything more.

Neither did I.

Irene didn't say anything else, and eventually got off at the Knight Department.

Our relationship might seem cold, but given my situation, I think it's just right.

More than anything, I'm not Theo, her fiancé.

I'm just a temporary existence in this body.

I've acquired the excellent trait of Magic Nullification, but it's not enough to graduate with excellent grades.

I'd be lucky to avoid expulsion.

There's still a long way to go.

***

As I stepped out of the carriage, I found myself standing in front of the Hero Department.

The area was vast and exuded a sense of mystery that set it apart from other parts of the academy.

Functional, modern buildings were constructed using distinct magic techniques.

I could see a huge gymnasium that reminded me of a colosseum.

In the Hero Department, there were around 600 students from first to fourth year.

The area was overly spacious and distinct for such a small population.

As expected, the Hero Department was unparalleled.

It was currently 8:40 AM, and I estimated it would take me about 20 minutes to reach the classroom.

Most first-year students attended the same lectures, and except for a few, all classes took place in a single building.

With my increased Tenacity, walking was not a problem, and I walked diligently towards the classroom.

I arrived exactly at 9 AM, without getting lost since the location was the same as in the original work.

Straightening my clothes, I gazed at the large classroom door designed to accommodate the various races of professors and students.

Inside the classroom, there would be many named characters, including Neike and Piel.

This place had gathered the most talented individuals since the academy's establishment.

With Neike at the center, there would be no end to the various incidents.

I knew what would happen, but my nerves were still rattled.

"Phew..."

Taking a deep breath, I cautiously pushed open the classroom door.

As expected, the interior was just as modern as the exterior. The room was arranged with long desks, each capable of seating up to five people, along with over 200 chairs.

Sturdy iron chairs were also present for demi-human students weighing hundreds of kilograms, reflecting the academy's diverse student population.

The layout was similar to that of a modern university lecture hall.

Hmm, where should I sit?

Usually, Theo arrived just before the lecture started and took any available seat.

But since there were still 30 minutes left until the first period, there were many empty seats.

I surveyed the surroundings.

I saw several familiar faces.

Neike and Piel were talking in the front row,

while a wood elf exuded a mysterious aura at the left end of the middle row.

A beastman was hurriedly eating something at the right end of the middle row, and an orc and a lizardman were arm-wrestling in the back row. I chose a seat in the middle of the middle row.

After about 20 minutes, the classroom filled with students.

They chatted noisily about what they had done over the weekend.

However, not a single person struck up a conversation with me.

Neike was the only one who made eye contact, smiling and waving.

The rest had a hint of discomfort in their gazes.

Sigh... I should consider it fortunate.

Currently, there was a 90% chance that Neike was on the Spearmaster route.

However, the Spearmaster route did not reveal the cause of Theo's death.

It was only mentioned briefly that he had died at some point.

This meant that everyone in the classroom, including Irene whom I had encountered on the carriage, could potentially be a threat to my survival.

I was grateful that no one seemed to be interested in picking a fight with me.

To avoid drawing attention, I decided to maintain a low profile.

The first period was Introduction to Hero Studies, taught by a woman in her thirties.

Theo had some conflicts with her in the past.

She was a commoner-born hero, if I remembered correctly. Her name was Mari, perhaps?

I hoped there wouldn't be any issues as I opened the Introduction to Hero Studies textbook and resumed reading.

***

"So, having an aide is no longer a choice but a necessity for modern heroes. Make sure you identify potential candidates while you're still enrolled in the academy.

Even if they're not from the Knight or Magic Departments, there are many well-known students at Elinia Academy. It's crucial to recognize a good aide."

Professor Mari lectured with her melodious voice.

As expected, I was already familiar with all the material covered in class.

To be honest, there was no point in paying attention.

Nothing was worth taking notes on.

Would a child who mastered multiplication and division feel like this when learning addition and subtraction?

I rested my chin on my hand and stared at the clock above the blackboard, waiting for the lecture to end.

Sigh... I should've planned something to do in the back row. It was difficult to do anything else from my awkward middle seat.

***

The professor lightly tapped the podium and announced,

"That's it for today's lecture. Everyone seems a bit down because it's Monday, but you all listened well, right?"

-Yes.

A ceremonial response came from the students.

Mari chuckled softly and asked,

"Really?"

─Yes!

"Alright, then. Since we have some time left, shall we test how well you've understood today's lecture? Ah, someone other than Neike. Hmm... Who should I choose?"

Mari smiled at Neike, who was eagerly sitting in the front row, and glanced at the students.

Well, she pretended to look.

The student she had in mind was decided from the beginning.

The guy who seemed to be half-listening and kept glancing at the clock.

"Theo."

Mari pushed up her glasses as she called his name.

All eyes in the classroom were on Theo.

"There's a mage called 'Otlranka' from the practical magic department at Deharim Academy. Do you know about them?"

A question about a character from another academy and an obscure department.

There's no way a first-year student would know this.

Only someone like Mari, a working hero and academy professor, would be aware.

However, since she only mentioned 'Otlranka' in passing during the lecture, it was a question with no real answer.

Theo, that clueless guy, couldn't possibly know.

Most 3rd and 4th year students who focused on practical lessons wouldn't know either.

But then,

"I know him."

Theo nodded without any signs of panic and looked straight at her.

Mari chuckled internally.

'How cute. He thinks he can bluff his way through this.'

Mari grinned at Theo.

"Then, what was the main point that he emphasized during the Deharum Academy Magic Department conference two months ago? It was quite the hot topic at the time."

Of course, this was a topic of discussion only among industry insiders.

'Eat this, kid.'

The students looked back and forth between Mari and Theo with puzzled expressions.

However, Theo responded without hesitation.

"The only way for the weak to defeat the strong is through selection and focus. Accept that natural talent is always unfair. Deharem must change in order to defeat Elinia Academy."

Mari's smile shattered.

She couldn't hide her flustered expression.

It was the correct answer.

Not a single word was wrong.

Silence spread throughout the classroom.

Eventually, Mari spoke with a tremble in her voice.

"Uh... that's, correct. Today's le-lecture ends here."