Gathering (5)

Wearing a suit seems to have the effect of making you look several times more handsome. Even in my previous life, although I rarely wore suits, whenever I did, I looked a little more dashing.

But what if you also have a handsome face and a good figure, so the clothes fit you perfectly?

Beyond mere satisfaction, a confidence that I could do anything came flooding over me. As an actor in my previous life once said, "Being handsome is the best!" the importance of one's appearance needed no further explanation.

"Nice."

I stood before a full-length mirror and examined myself wearing a suit—in other words, formalwear, as it was called here. In the mirror, a handsome man with scarlet hair smiled while adjusting the fit of his scarlet formalwear.

The formalwear was exceedingly plain, without the decorations nobles usually had engraved to show off their wealth and prestige, or even any ordinary patterns. Another noble might have sneered at how plain it was, but formalwear was so absurdly overpriced that buying an expensive outfit was out of the question. Besides, I was satisfied with it because it resembled the suits I had worn in my previous life.

And it wasn't completely austere, either, because I was wearing a white scarf around my neck. Worked into the scarf in pure gold was the eagle emblem that could be called the symbol of the Minerva Empire.

A frugal fashion that still fully expressed my individuality. It suited my conspicuously red hair perfectly.

'As for the style... Let's go with this. There's nothing in particular to change.'

I didn't know how to apply makeup, and even if I tried to dress myself up, I would probably end up looking strange, so it was better not to touch anything from the start. I already looked handsome enough, and there was nothing in particular that needed changing.

Instead, I had visited a hair salon a little earlier to have my hair neatly groomed. The salon was packed with students who had come determined to dress up for today's gathering, and there were even some familiar faces among them.

Rina, Cecily, and finally Marie. Unlike the other customers, all three were being dressed up by four or five employees at once, as though they were undergoing surgery.

'The imperial princess, a young lady from a ducal family, and even a demonkin princess. They must be busy.'

Since all I needed was to have my hairstyle tidied, I finished quickly. At first, all the staff had been focused solely on the three girls, but Rina noticed me and kindly arranged for them to take care of me first.

Even so, all that needed doing was a slight trim, so one person was enough. As a bonus, before leaving the salon, I found myself looking forward to seeing what the three of them would look like when they showed up.

'The gathering starts at five-thirty, so...'

I took my eyes off the mirror and checked the time. It was exactly five o'clock.

It seemed about time to leave for the grand auditorium. The distance from the dormitory to the auditorium was less than ten minutes away, so I could make my way there at a leisurely pace.

After putting on the dress shoes that were essential with formalwear, I went outside and headed toward the grand auditorium. It was just beginning to grow dark, as though the sun were gradually setting.

'I'm a little nervous.'

There had been freshman welcome parties in my previous life too, but this was a freshman gathering that was similar yet different. Some people might laugh and chat excitedly, while others would have to work tirelessly to build connections.

Fortunately, I was closer to the former, but the world did not always go the way one wanted. On top of that, the biggest variable was Jackson.

I didn't know what he might do to make trouble for me, but it would be best to prepare thoroughly.

'Rina and Marie will be there too, so he can't openly insult me...'

On my way to the grand auditorium, I looked around. It was only natural for there to be many passersby on the weekend, but today, I noticed people dressed in splendid suits or beautiful dresses everywhere I looked.

As I had mentioned repeatedly, the gathering was an event attended not only by literature students but also by science students. Senior students and teaching assistants representing their fields could attend as well, so there would probably be quite a large crowd.

'Wow... That person is really impressive.'

There were occasionally people so stylish that even I found myself admiring them. Judging by their tall stature, long limbs, and sturdy builds, they were surely science students.

I couldn't make out the details of their appearances because my eyesight wasn't very good, but even from a distance, they practically radiated good looks. Surely no science student was physically unfit, so they would look impressive no matter what they wore.

'I wish I were taller.'

I had grown by about a centimeter since coming to the Academy. It was sad that I still wasn't even 173 centimeters tall, though.

The one consolation was that I was still growing. I had been 175 centimeters tall in my previous life, so I would be grateful if I grew that tall again.

"Isaac?"

"Hm?"

Just before I reached the grand auditorium, a familiar voice called out to me. When I turned my head, I couldn't help flinching slightly at the face that came into view.

Leort, a handsome man with a tiger-like face and the crown prince of the Minerva Empire, was looking at me with curiosity in his eyes. The noteworthy thing here was that Leort was wearing formalwear too.

Unlike me, Leort wore magnificent formalwear befitting his title as crown prince. White and gold harmonized throughout the outfit, and it looked far more impressive than the formalwear Jackson had bought when I happened to run into him last week.

I quickly swept my eyes over his appearance, then spoke in a puzzled voice.

"Lord Leort?"

"So it really is you, Isaac. I saw something red in the distance and followed it, but I never expected it to be you."

"What brings you here?"

Though I said that, I could more or less guess the reason. Leort had probably set out to attend the freshman gathering as well. He was one of the students who could represent political science, after all.

And Leort gave the answer I had expected.

"You could have guessed from these clothes, couldn't you? Naturally, I'm here to attend the gathering. From the looks of it, you're heading to the auditorium to attend the gathering as well?"

"Yes."

"Hmm..."

After hearing my simple answer, Leort gently stroked his chin and looked me up and down. Compared to his formalwear, which was so ornate that it was nearly a uniform, mine was plain to the point of looking shabby.

However, Leort smiled faintly and complimented my appearance in his pleasant voice.

"It suits you very well. It isn't common to find someone who looks good in red."

"You're too kind. And compared to you, Lord Leort, I look utterly shabby."

"No. In my eyes, you look far more impressive than nobles who wear unnecessarily expensive clothes simply to flaunt their wealth."

"Th... thank you."

It embarrassed me even more because he wasn't just saying it politely—he was being sincere. Leort let out a low laugh when I scratched my cheek.

"Since we're here anyway, why don't we go together?"

"Would that be all right?"

"Who would object? If anyone threatens you, I'll personally step in."

"I... understand."

If I rejected him again, I might offend Leort. When I reluctantly accepted, Leort started walking ahead.

I followed him, glancing around once as he walked ahead. Walking beside him might undermine his authority. That was one of the lessons in etiquette I had learned at home.

"Isaac. Come to think of it, have you read the newly published Volume 8 of The Chronicle of Xenon?"

Leort, who had been walking ahead, turned around and asked me. Honestly, I had been wondering why he hadn't asked that question yet.

Since I had anticipated it, I was able to answer without hesitation.

"No, I haven't read it, but I saw the newspaper. I heard that Volume 8 features a story criticizing the nobles and introduces a means of transportation called a steam locomotive."

"Yes. I can overlook the criticism of the nobles, but even I was surprised by the steam locomotive. If a means of transportation like that were truly invented, the world would change dramatically."

"Do you really think it could be built, Lord Leort?"

A 'Steam Revolution' was one of the inventions that represented the 'Industrial Revolution' in my previous life. Moreover, the 'Industrial Revolution' hadn't appeared out of nowhere with a sudden ta-da; technology had gradually accumulated since long ago before it emerged like a comet.

Therefore, the Industrial Revolution required technology beyond a certain threshold, but this world possessed a subtle imbalance between science and magic.

If the principles were simple, like those of a refrigerator, magic could replace them, but complex machines like steam locomotives could not be replaced by magic. Besides, even that would be magic, not engineering.

Leort seemed to be aware of that point as well, because he offered a somewhat pessimistic opinion.

"Well... regrettably, a novel should probably be viewed as nothing more than a novel. The novel explained the basic principles, but that alone falls far short. That enormous mass of iron would have to move solely by its own power, without magic, so an even more complicated theory would be necessary. Besides, if we possessed the technology to build a steam locomotive, we could use it to create all sorts of other inventions as well."

"So you're saying it would be difficult."

"Exactly. But the idea itself is remarkable. How vast must someone's knowledge and experience be for them to imagine something like this? I can't even begin to comprehend it."

It wasn't because I had vast knowledge and experience, but because I had lived in another world before coming here. Since I possessed knowledge completely different from that of this world's people, there were probably many others who thought the way Leort did.

Even so, it was disappointing to hear that building a steam locomotive would be difficult. Most of the newspaper's assessments said that it would be better to study magic than to attempt something so foolish.

"I'd like to take a look inside his head at least once. Sometimes I wonder whether he came from another world. The Chronicle of Xenon, and now this steam locomotive as well..."

"... ..."

Although he had merely said it in passing, those were extremely dangerous words to me. Fortunately, Leort was looking ahead. If he had seen my face just then, it would have been disastrous.

I did my best to return my bloodless complexion to normal. Even without checking in a mirror, my face must have turned so pale that it was practically bluish-white by then.

'I never expected something like this...'

Just as I was anxiously thinking about it, the entrance to the grand auditorium came into view, and Leort spoke to me.

"It would be best for us to part ways here. I have something else to take care of."

"Understood."

"Then I hope you have an enjoyable time at the gathering. Oh, right. Is Nicole attending as well?"

"No. Noona hates gatherings, so she isn't attending."

"Hmm... I wonder if she still has that incident on her mind..."

Leort muttered in a small voice after hearing my answer. It was barely audible, but I heard it clearly.

It seemed there was another reason Nicole didn't attend gatherings. If Leort, who had enrolled later than Nicole, knew about the incident, it must have been well known throughout the Academy.

"In any case, I understand. Then I'll see you later."

"I hope you have an enjoyable time as well, Lord Leort."

When I greeted him according to the etiquette I had learned at home, Leort waved and walked away. I watched his retreating back for a moment, then shifted my gaze toward the grand auditorium.

It wasn't as large as the training grounds, but it was still quite spacious. I hadn't visited it even once since the entrance ceremony, so seeing it again felt strangely new.

'I wonder how they've decorated the inside.'

The interior was also extremely spacious, as though two gymnasiums had been joined together. With anticipation building, I walked toward the entrance of the grand auditorium.

The main event wouldn't begin until five-thirty, and it was fine to wait beforehand, so there was no one at the entrance. It was when I passed through the entrance and entered the auditorium that—

"...Amazing."

The moment I saw the overall interior of the grand auditorium, I couldn't help exclaiming in admiration.

Chandeliers, whose installation date I couldn't even guess, hung from the ceiling and brightly illuminated the room. Beneath them stood long tables covered with delicious-looking food.

Considering that the center was completely empty, it seemed to be a space intended for dancing, like at a ball. It felt less like a gathering and more like a party hosted by a high-ranking noble.

'There are... quite a lot of people.'

Perhaps because students from both literature and science were attending, the place was packed. I was certain attendance had been optional, yet an enormous number of students had come. The crowd surely included not only freshmen, but also senior students and teaching assistants representing their fields.

I swallowed at the overwhelming pressure I could already feel and stepped forward.

"Hohoho. Is that so? What a fascinating story."

"Thank you. You look truly beautiful when you smile, my lady."

"Really?"

As I made my way toward the platform, snippets of conversation reached my ears, but there was nothing worth paying attention to. My priority right now was finding a familiar face.

Of course, I had no intention of approaching someone simply because I recognized them. The people I knew would surely be surrounded by countless others.

Rather than awkwardly acting familiar with someone and making the atmosphere strange, it would be much better to stand around awkwardly on my own.

'Maybe I'll just get something to eat. I'm hungry anyway...'

I was just about to quietly make my way toward the tables when—

"Isaac!"

"... ..."

"Isaac! Over here! Here!"

Curse this damn red hair.

The moment I heard a familiar voice, I lamented inwardly. Despite how far away the voice was, the caller had clearly recognized me.

Well, with my hair and suit both being red, there was no way they could fail to see me. I just hadn't expected them to raise their voice and call out to me like that.

So I half gave up and turned my head toward the voice. When I did, I saw someone approaching me.

Seeing the jet-black hair like the night sky and the horns sprouting from her head—the symbol of demons—I knew it was Cecily. Apparently, she had finished all her makeup at the hair salon...

"...Huh?"

But my thoughts had to end there. The closer Cecily came, the more her shocking outfit caught my eye.

For a moment, I thought I was seeing things and had no choice but to rub both eyes. However, there was no chance of the dress Cecily was wearing changing as she approached me. I slightly parted my lips and took in her beautiful figure.

If my hair was scarlet, a brighter shade of red, her dress was cherry-colored, darker than red. It was a color that suited her well, but the dress itself was the real problem.

Normally, when one spoke of a revealing dress, one meant something that completely exposed the back and shoulders or showed a little cleavage. Cecily's dress went far beyond that.

From her waist, the fabric split into a V-shape and covered some of Cecily's chest, but it only technically covered it. Given the overwhelming presence of her breasts, nearly all of her chest was exposed.

That wasn't all. Every time she came closer to me, her breasts swayed slightly, stirring up my lust.

"You came later than I expected. Didn't you leave before us?"

"... ..."

"Come to think of it, you're wearing red too, just like me. It suits you, kid."

Cecily had reached me before I knew it and treated me familiarly, as she always did. However, despite her cheerful greeting, I couldn't easily regain my composure.

Her outfit was one thing, but perhaps she had applied perfume as well, because the scent of roses filled my nostrils. The subtle sensuality she exuded was trying to drag the murky desires I had kept buried into the light.

Was this what it felt like to face a succubus? I couldn't decide where to rest my gaze.

"How do I look? Does it suit me? Everyone else complimented me and said it looked good, but what about you, Isaac?"

Regardless, Cecily seemed unaware of how I felt as she lifted both sides of her dress and asked. Her voice contained anticipation and her characteristic mischievousness.

I squeezed my eyes shut at the question, then looked directly at Cecily once more. And then...

Gulp-

Instead of answering with words, I swallowed hard. Was that enough of an answer on its own?

"Pfft."

"... ..."

Covering her mouth with one hand, Cecily laughed coquettishly. Then she teased me.

"Isaac, your face is incredibly red."

"... ..."

Any man whose face didn't turn red after seeing her like that was surely either a eunuch or gay.