The Entrance Ceremony

At long last, the morning of the Academy's entrance ceremony dawned, and the entire estate was bustling.

All the servants filed outside and formed a long line from the mansion to the entrance to see Rael off. Even the Duke and Duchess were there.

As his sole personal maid—and someone who had to enroll at the Academy alongside Rael—I stood beside him, carrying his luggage.

But couldn't he carry something as ordinary as this himself?

"I trust you've prepared thoroughly."

"There's no need to worry."

"Keep it firmly in your heart. Remember whose son you are."

"Yes. I will remember."

"Then go."

After the utterly unmoving farewell between father and son, Rael climbed into the carriage.

I loaded the luggage I'd been holding into the carriage and could only watch as he left for the Academy ahead of me.

If you're wondering why I wasn't going with him, the answer is simple.

If I entered the Academy like this, everyone would immediately realize I was connected to Rael.

Even with the forged identity the Duke had given me, simply being seen with Rael would draw attention, so we were traveling separately.

"Could I stop by the annex for a moment before we leave?"

"Just make sure you arrive on time. If you're late, the Duke will reprimand me, too."

"Thank you."

Thanks to the kind coachman's consideration, I had a little time to say goodbye to the people in the annex.

When I entered the annex, everyone welcomed me.

I told them everything I hadn't been able to say when I'd gone to the main residence.

Of course, I didn't mention the Academy at all.

It was a secret known only to the Duke and Duchess, Veronica, and Lucille.

After vaguely explaining that I was going far away, I went looking for Ryuan, the only person who wasn't there.

"Where's Ryuan?"

"....."

Why couldn't anyone answer?

Had something happened?

"Ryuan left the ducal estate a while ago."

"All of a sudden? Did something happen?"

"We don't know, either. He just disappeared without saying anything."

No matter whom I asked in the annex about Ryuan's whereabouts, the answer was always the same.

He wasn't the kind of guy who'd just disappear without a word.

Whenever he had something to do, he always came running to tell me.

"Where the hell did you go...?"

In the end, I left the annex without getting to say goodbye to Ryuan.

I didn't have much time left, and I'd already collected all the things I'd hidden in the annex, so there was no reason to stay any longer.

"Let's go."

"All right."

Once all my luggage had been loaded into the carriage and I gave the signal to depart, it slowly moved away from the ducal estate.

It was too far to travel all the way to the Academy by carriage, and the journey would take an incredibly long time.

So I planned to use the warp device in the city I'd visited a little while ago.

Normally, someone like me wouldn't be granted permission to use warp, but things were different with the Academy student's token the Duke had given me.

With this token, I could get permission to use almost any facility.

The Academy must have a higher standing than anything else if a single token could grant me such privileges.

"Where are you headed?"

"To the Academy."

"The warp will activate shortly. Please remain where you are."

A blue barrier spread out around me. Then a bright flash burst forth, and the warp began.

The warp was over in the blink of an eye. When the barrier lifted, the magnificent Academy came into view.

Along with the Academy's imposing grounds, which called to mind a massive castle, countless cadets filled the streets.

Maybe because it was the day of the entrance ceremony, the streets were lively, and smiles never left the cadets' faces.

But there was one person who couldn't smile, and that was me.

I still hadn't decided what I was supposed to do on this grand stage called the Academy.

From the moment I enrolled here, I was bound to get caught up in the original story in one way or another.

The original story had been cut off before it was finished, so there was no way to know what kind of ending this world would meet.

So I had to eliminate as many variables as possible.

But I had no idea what effect my presence—someone who hadn't even existed as a side character in the original—would have here.

For now, finding a way to break the soul contract before the story I knew came to an end would be my top priority.

At an Academy, gaining that kind of knowledge shouldn't be difficult.

Once I had a goal, my steps toward the Academy felt much lighter.

I walked slowly, eating a skewer I'd bought from a street vendor to fill my stomach.

After walking for quite a while, I heard a commotion nearby. I turned and saw someone fighting several people.

"Isn't that an Academy cadet?"

"Picking a fight with an Academy cadet? That gang's finished now."

"That's it! Give them another beating!"

"Ah, that feels so satisfying!"

They must have been a gang notorious around here, because everyone nearby was cheering for the cadet.

But how had they picked a fight with a cadet and ended up getting beaten like that?

"Um... could I ask what happened?"

"Oh, those guys? Well, you know how they always go around collecting protection money? That cadet stopped them, then smashed their faces in, just like that."

"And then what happened?"

"What do you think? They even brought the whole gang with them, and now they're getting beaten to a pulp, just like you see."

The man, who looked like a local merchant, laughed heartily as he watched the gang get beaten.

But the more closely I looked, the more familiar that silhouette seemed, and a certain person came to mind.

Short black hair and black clothes.

And those blue-tinged eyes, along with swordsmanship that made him look so relaxed even while facing several people.

'No way, right?'

To make sure, I squeezed my way through the crowd.

The closer I got, the more certain I became that the boy was the protagonist I knew.

"Ben! That's enough! Come back! At this rate, we'll be late for the entrance ceremony!"

At the voice beside me, I looked up and saw a beautiful girl with bright blue hair.

I hurried through the crowd and looked back and forth between the two of them. That's when I realized who they were.

The one fighting over there was Roben Darius, the protagonist of this novel.

And the blue-haired girl was Agnes, the heroine with the biggest role of them all.

I was briefly stunned by my sudden encounter with the main characters.

By then, the fight was already over, and naturally, the protagonist Roben was the winner.

"Why'd it take you so long to deal with those guys?"

"I was holding back, so it took a little longer. Come on, let's hurry! We're really going to be late!"

"That's why I told you to quit sticking your nose into everything, didn't I?"

"Hahaha. I'll try."

Leaving the chaotic scene behind, the two of them ran toward the Academy.

I knew there wasn't much time left, either, so I immediately ran after them and into the Academy.

Hoping that nothing would happen at the entrance ceremony.

.

.

.

I found an empty seat in the arena and sat down. Only then did the various voices reach my ears.

People were talking about the new students attending the entrance ceremony, and about which professor they wanted to study under.

The arena was noisier and more chaotic than any other place.

"Silence, everyone!"

The voice rang out from the center of the arena and echoed throughout the space, silencing the previously noisy crowd.

The excited atmosphere grew heavy in an instant, and amid that mood, someone stood in the center and began to speak.

"Ah! Welcome, all the new students attending this year's entrance ceremony. My name is Rayren, and I'm standing here in place of the Academy's absent headmaster."

Rayren.

He was Lawrence's son—the headmaster of the Academy—and a professor there himself.

He was considered more suited than anyone to become the next headmaster, and was called the Academy's most popular star.

But that was just a facade.

Behind that smiling face, he held the impressive titles of head of the Management Bureau, said to be the most powerful organization on the Adria Continent, and the only human ever to challenge the Demon King during the war against the demons.

In short, he was fucking strong, and just as rotten on the inside.

Unlike a villain like Rael, Rayren had a sadistic side.

He wasn't exactly a villain.

He just looked more villainous than the villains.

"Well, let's skip all the little formalities and get started. First, we'll assess your talents!"

An assessment of talent, huh.

Just thinking about showing off my talent in front of all these new students made me want to die of embarrassment.

If they found out I had a talent with a name like "A Maid's Basic Qualities," they'd definitely tease me for the entire time I attended the Academy.

"When I call your name, please come forward. First, Cadet Roben."

Just as in the original, the protagonist was the first to show his talent, and since he was up first, everyone's attention was focused on him.

Of course, that included me.

The moment when the protagonist I'd only ever seen in the novel awakened his talent was just around the corner.