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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Vine
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The sun was shining. The air was fresh. A perfect day to welcome the new semester at the Academy. But I wanted to sleep. It was a habit now, waking up early without needing to be roused, yet always greeted by the desire for more sleep.
Despite my grumbling, I was already in the training grounds near the dormitory, dressed in light workout clothes, sweating profusely. My daily routine for over a decade. Waking up before dawn, preparing myself, and warming up my body. I often dreaded it, but the post-workout shower always left me feeling refreshed, ready for the day. Like priming an engine.
After an intense hour and a half, I turned to head back to the dormitory, only to sense a presence.
“You…”
I met the gaze of River Seymour, also clad in workout attire. Her breathing was ragged, cheeks flushed, strands of golden hair plastered to her forehead with sweat. She must have been running.
“Are you here for morning training too?”
“Yeah, I’m done now.”
I felt a bit awkward and tried to leave quickly.
“Wait, that was quite intense… Do you do this every day?”
How long has she been watching? I was too focused on my training.
“I usually do this much.”
“I see… Where did you learn swordsmanship?”
She saw that too…? She must have been watching for at least thirty minutes… Did she observe while training herself?
“From my tiger-like parents. Why do you ask?”
“Your fundamentals are very solid. I was curious where someone with your skill learned.”
I wasn’t sure how much she’d seen, but I was glad I’d kept my training light. If I’d gone all out, she would have seen my true strength before classes even began. I wanted to appear as a low-level Sword Expert, at most.
But that “low-level Sword Expert” was River’s current level.
As I turned to leave, she grabbed my hand.
“I’m River. River Seymour.”
A faint smile played on her lips. She had been so sharp yesterday, but now, witnessing my morning training, she seemed to have developed a newfound respect.
“Tell me your name. We’ve met twice now, and we’ll probably see each other often. It’s only natural to know each other’s names, right?”
“I guess… I’m Atlas Nemea.”
“Atlas Nemea…”
She repeated my name, as if committing it to memory, then declared,
“Spar with me.”
“No.”
I fled back to the dormitory, bewildered by her sudden request. Challenging someone to a duel the moment you learn their name… what were kids these days like? I’d have to find a new training spot. I couldn’t concentrate with an audience.
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The new semester officially began. What was a proper school life like? Making friends, doing stupid things, laughing a lot, creating lasting memories. I hadn’t experienced that in this life. My trainee days hardly counted.
I spent my teenage years in the Knights, surrounded by the stench of blood and sweat, and entered my twenties… Considering my previous life, my mental age was closer to forty…
Stop thinking like an old man. Physical age is what matters. I was still in my early twenties. I had a chance to enjoy a proper school life now.
As I walked towards the Academy, I heard whispers.
“Whoa… the Five Pillars…”
“Those are them…?”
“I’ve never seen the Five Pillars before…”
The crowd parted like the Red Sea, revealing five students, also wearing freshman brooches, walking towards the Academy, the center of attention. The Five Pillars: Lemnos of the Flame, Russell of the Rock, Albion of the Rain, Ferda of the Forest, and Phrygia of the Gold. The pinnacle of the Imperial nobility.
They were founding families of the Empire, masters of political maneuvering, having maintained their power throughout history by carefully avoiding actions that would displease the Emperor.
The Academy was a microcosm of society. Those seeking advancement would do anything to gain favor with the Five Pillars. Joining their factions meant riding the wave of success.
They’ll be the demons’ first targets.
The Empire, as depicted in the novel, descended into chaos after their deaths. Internal power struggles within the factions, exploited by the demons, led to the Empire’s destruction. The suppressed ambitions of the nobles, given a slight nudge, led to their self-destruction.
Leading the group was Edgar Lemnos, a muscular man with arrogant red-brown hair. Behind him were Zeke Albion, a blue-haired man with a cold expression, and Nivas Ferda, with dark green hair. Following them was Shaara Phrygia, boasting long, silky golden hair, befitting her family’s name.
They all carried themselves with an air of superiority, as if reverence was their birthright. But one among them seemed distinctly uncomfortable. Lucia Russell.
Lucia must be meeting them for the first time…
Though her expression was impassive, I could sense her unease. Lucia’s past shared similarities with Atlas’s. She too was confined to her home, forced to train relentlessly. Unlike me, who escaped and joined the Knights, experiencing a different kind of community, Lucia remained isolated. The Academy must have been overwhelming.
A clear sign of her discomfort was her position at the rear of the group. The Russells, renowned for wielding the heaviest swords in the Empire, were traditionally rivals of the Lemnos family, vying for the top spot. She should have been at the front, alongside Edgar. Yet, here she was, awkwardly trailing behind, avoiding eye contact.
I wanted to get to class, but the crowd surrounding the Five Pillars blocked my path. Our eyes met.
She’s staring…
Her intense gaze felt like it could pierce through me.
“Hey!!!”
A shrill voice cut through the air. I turned to see River, her expression even more furious than our first encounter, charging towards me.
“Why did you run away!!”
“Why are you chasing me?!”
Before I knew it, I was running again, instinctively avoiding her. Ah, so this was it. Sorry, Senior Andy. I just instinctively run when chased.
Our chase ended when we reached an area clear of freshmen. I suddenly realized the absurdity of our actions.
“Ha… You’re fast… Just one spar?”
“Why would I…? We’ll have plenty of opportunities to spar in class. Don’t waste your energy.”
“You train so hard every morning, and now you’re making excuses?”
River wouldn’t give up. I hadn’t shown her my true skills. What was she basing her persistence on? I had no intention of sparring with her.
“You learned your family’s swordsmanship too, right? Is a spar really that big of a deal? Do you have something against me?”
“…I didn’t learn anything that grand.”
I couldn’t tell her the truth. I wanted to blend in as a normal student, but that would mean intentionally losing, which I had no desire to do. And I couldn’t tell her I was holding back to avoid crushing her pride. It was better to avoid it altogether.
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The freshmen were divided into five classes. The Five Pillars were distributed among the classes to maintain balance. My class… Lucia Russell. Amy and River were also in the same class.
Good work, senior.
Andy had followed my instructions regarding class assignments. It would have been difficult to keep an eye on Amy if we were in different classes. Being in Lucia’s class was also part of my plan. She had the best personality among the Five Pillars. They were all flawed… a control freak, a lone wolf, a two-faced schemer, a psychopath, and… someone with social anxiety. The latter was the least troublesome.
As I entered the classroom, a flash of red hair caught my eye.
“Amy, same class! Nice to see you.”
“H-hi…”
Amy responded hesitantly, taking a seat two rows away from me. Not beside me, like I expected. What happened? I thought we’d become closer yesterday.
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