Chapter 45

<45 - The Entrance Ceremony Is Fun> The preparation period for admission had finally ended. The long-awaited entrance ceremony. In the past week, the gymnasium, which had not been opened, now teemed with over two thousand new students, buzzing like bees, embodying a chaotic order that seemed almost surreal. ‘Is this queue for real? It’s total chaos.’ Clusters of familiar and acquainted people gathered together, forming circles. Amidst the shining leads and supporting characters, groups large and small coalesced, while extras lingered on the outskirts, yearning for a place within the circle. The extras, unable to even do so, stood apart like isolated asteroids, less like twinkling stars, more like the epitome of desolation. Who knew I would ever envy such solitude. “Oknodie, hi!” “Why didn’t you come out for the dawn exercise?” “Hehe. Should I have come dressed in those dolphin shorts you like, Oknodie?” “Oh my. Oknodie likes dolphin shorts?” “I wore a uniform today because of the ceremony, but maybe I should've just come in dolphin shorts?” Giggling with a twinkle in her eye and stroking her long flowing hair, it’s hard to keep one's composure with such chatter. When I snapped out of my daze, I realized I had five flowers freshly plucked from the garden in my hair, and my arms were filled with snacks. “It must be nice to be so popular.” “I wish I didn’t have this kind of popularity.” “That’s impossible. You’ve become the spiritual pillar for these kids.” Just as Isabelle had said. Even now, the eyes of Group B's new students, cautiously observing from a distance, covetously ogled Group A. The core and the periphery. Empires and kingdoms. Civilized and barbarians. Their eyes carried an unusual intensity, endlessly verifying others' inferiority to affirm their own superiority. “I wanted to touch it too.” “It looks really cute, right?” [I have accurately identified the conversation between two people far away amidst the noisy indoors.] [Sensory Concentration Experience +3] ...Listening in, the intent behind their words seemed disconcerting in a different sense. Such reactions were only from a very small minority. “That’s the kid who pressed Lottie from Group A... Certainly too precious a talent to be at the periphery.” “The achievement of a mere girl not only laughs in the face of the noble’s squire apprentices but is it a sign of innate talent?” “But at the end of the day, she's just a powerless commoner. To repay the grace of our princess, we have to take care of all nuisances, even if it's the top student of Group A.” Snowville, a disciple of the Azure Mage Tower, considered a match for the Great Northern Duchess, Irene. Hyukmurin, a fallen martial family's descendant, comparable to the Eastern Swordsmen, who defected to the Holy Central Empire. Anya, a follower of the Holy Central Empire's Second Princess, entered the academy alongside her faction. ‘I'm receiving a lot of hatred.’ Especially Anya's look bore an unusual malice, maybe because I had turned the imperial nobles into enemies. The event <The Challenge of a Page> is bound to trigger. However, I wasn’t concentrating my hearing only to listen to the voices directed at me. Ding-dong— The sound of a bell rang in my ears. It was time. The start of the entrance ceremony. ‘This marks the beginning. The pride of Gift Academy.’ The instructors stationed all around the gymnasium. The pupils of those watching the students flashed, and they all pulled out notebooks and pens. Scribble-scribble-scribble The aggressively moving pens and glares seemed eager not to miss even the slightest flaw. “Oknodie..” “Shh.” I warned Isabelle, who, unaware of the situation, began to speak. In that instant, three instructors turned their gaze toward us. Why can’t you just turn a blind eye once? Looking at them with those eyes caused the instructors to turn their attention away. They’re actually letting me go. That would never have happened back in my muscular male character days. “Hey, those instructors. What have they been writing since a while ago?” “They keep looking this way.” Nobody specifically instructed otherwise, but the chattering students started to quiet down. The frenetic dance of the pens on the notepads stopped only after all the students silenced themselves, exchanging looks as if sensing an ominous vibe. -We asked for nothing short of the world's best talent, and what do we get? This batch sounds like they're on an excursion from an orchestra, chattering away like the world's finest minstrels! A flash struck down on the stage above. Along with the screams of the students, a massive dragon's head filled the stage. “It's a dragon!” “A dra-dra-dragon!” “Oh my goodness!” A transcender fascinated by worldly affairs. The sole dragon who involves itself in the human world. It was the grand entrance of the principal of Gift Academy. -So you've all got eyes in your head, even if your ears are stuffed. Indeed. Your principal is the strongest transcender species and the only dragon active in this world. The students were ecstatic. To see a dragon, fabled in legends, in the flesh. It was a touching moment, but... These people are forgetting something fundamental. Dragons in legends vary slightly in characteristics depending on era and culture, but they always share a consistent trait. - And a tyrant who can dock a million points for the feeble-minded chatterers and latecomers. In this academy, my word is law. “......” Dragons have terrible tempers! - Just kidding. Deducting a million points from new students who barely scraped past a perfect score is too harsh. “Phew.” - As the principal of the world's best academy, I shall show mercy. A deduction of one hundred thousand points then. A latecomer asked: “Is this a joke too?” - Denying reality won't change the fact that you fallacious underachievers have received a deduction equal to ten times your enti re fortune, leaving you bankrupt! “......” The commanding presence of the dragon's face was indisputable when it roared, muscles contorting with the sound. Meanwhile, the students who began their academy life nearing bankruptcy, thanks to deductions, awakened to a sense of equality—distinct from status or strength—out of sheer shock. It seems it wasn’t the idea of the principal being a dragon, but rather the realization that a single chatter or tardiness could lead to financial ruin that instilled greater anxiety. ‘Good thing we kept quiet, right?’ ‘Yeah, really dodged a bullet there.’ Isabelle should realize it’s thanks to me she survived. The shock of those clueless players who forged friendships during the ceremony, thinking they were building camaraderie, only to be bombarded with deductions. How utterly frustrating must it be, then, for those newly formed friends to drop in affection right after the ceremony, blaming them for the deductions. Options that go against the school regulations would often lead to such incredible traps. For example, invading the security post is one of the reasons you could get bombarded with deductions. Avoiding that with just the <Hide> function makes me truly realize how amazing it is. <Graduate the Academy by Luck>. Among the game's deterrent factors is also the task of uncovering hidden school regulations. If one were to inadvertently break a rule, the next crucial thing is to make sure the infraction isn’t caught by the instructors! Hiding is a fundamental skill that becomes blood and flesh for anyone aiming to graduate from the Academy, at any time, any place. -1 minute 19 seconds. That’s how long it took for you all to shut up. Among all the batches through the years, you are contending for a record. “Did we close our mouths quickly?” - Yes, you should be proud. “Hehe.” - Proud to be ranked among the worst batches in the glorious history of Gift Academy, that is. “...” The dumbfounded new students began to sniffle. One must experience the humiliation of being branded the dumbest by the world's greatest transcendent species, to truly understand it. - You must be curious. Why would a dragon act as the principal of an academy? What I'll be teaching you all? Humans are creatures of curiosity. - I shall tell you something beneficial. I have learned about the advantageous culture in human civilizations and have introduced it to this academy. That would be the currency system. “??” - As nations with capital tend to become the best in the world, those who wish to become the world's best talents, gather the Academy's currency: <Points>. - Permits for possession and use of goods brought in from outside the academy, access to on-campus facilities and special facilities, all of it is granted to those with <Points>. The dragon principal declared confidently. - By the way, if you ask your families to send gold coins, they can be exchanged for points! The gentle Third Imperial Princess of the Empire raised her hand with a stunned face. “Are you asking for bribes?” - Of course. This academy exists to extract the paltry treasures you mortals possess. Cultivating the world's best talents is just a simultaneous endeavor! The principal’s shocking speech left the princess, imperial nobles, and powerful individuals from various organizations and institutions dazed. At this moment, regardless of group, rank, or affiliation, all new students had one thought. Is it really a good decision to receive education under a principal who has cast away professional ethics? - Think only of <Points> as a student of the academy. - Actively participate in on-campus activities that award points, and avoid prohibited actions that would reduce points according to the school regulations. - This applies to all, whether they are followers of gods and demons, pursuit of mystery and wisdom, cold weapons and firearms, or any clandestine organizations. - There exists no truth or wisdom more precious than my greed, my currency, under this academy. The dragon principal’s presence loomed like a mountain as his body wrapped in light. Even across the tremendous mana pressure that seemed to crush the soul just by sensing it, I saw the principal’s gaze momentarily touch certain uncut gems of talent. ‘In the original game, those who were called by the principal at this point were the leading characters, right?’ Leads used this day as a momentum to strive to become top talents, while supporting characters who weren’t called would harbor envy or awe. Extras hustled merely to catch up to these supporters, and for the extras, avoiding being held back a year was fortunate enough. A storyline event for NPCs, anyway. I vaguely thought it was a distant narrative, detached from a player like me. Startled. Shrink back. The leads called by the principal stiffly reveal they have received his messages. The dragon principal, enveloped in light, fades away. As I felt an indescribable emotion—whether it was disappointment for not being chosen or relief—among the screaming, dazzled students, there was a twist. - You wayward child of the Wyheim High Foundation. Do not forget, the same applies to you. "!!" It was but a moment, but etched into my memory. The dragon principal had also looked at me, and the words meant for the leads had been conveyed to me as well. Twenty-four selected children. Playable leading characters. And at the very end, as the 25th child—an existence that wouldn’t have been present in the original game—I was designated. Whoosh. As the dragon principal disappeared, the entrance ceremony concluded. Among the shell-shocked students, transformed from new enrollees to freshmen, I thought to myself. ‘The problem with thievery... Did he catch on? That I've been stealing the stat stones?!’ Author's Note (Afterword) Guess I got caught.