Bang-! Bang-!
Fireworks celebrating the freshmen’s enrollment shot high into the sky and exploded. Watching the fireworks decorating the sky from early morning, the freshmen finally realized they had entered the Empire’s top academy.
With slightly trembling hearts, they crossed the bridge dividing the academy and the territory, where seniors stood at the entrance, grinning as they guided newcomers.
A freshman named Kururu approached a blond man who was smiling and handing out orientation booklets up ahead.
“Ah, hello? Are you a freshman?”
“Yes, yes! I’m Kururu, a freshman in the Knight Department!”
“The Knight Department? Me too. We’ll see each other often. Nice to meet you.”
Glancing at the name tag on the blond man’s chest, Kururu saw the name Arthur. She etched the name Arthur into her heart and stepped forward into the academy with a fluttering heart.
On the very first day, she greeted a handsome senior and thought maybe she could even get a boyfriend.
‘And maybe… Kyaa-!’
Kururu, inwardly screaming, walked straight into something solid and stumbled back.
She managed not to fall only because she was a well-trained freshman of the Knight Department. But the sharp pain throbbing through her couldn’t be ignored.
“Ow ow…”
Kururu clutched her nose and looked up to see a burly man standing there, frowning so deeply he could have been a barbarian from the North.
“What are you?”
“Huh?”
“A freshman? Watch where you’re going. You might die.”
The unpleasant man said this and disappeared into the distance. Kururu frowned slightly as she watched him go, then remembered she was heading to the entrance ceremony and hurried toward the auditorium.
In the auditorium were countless freshmen who had arrived before her, along with instructors and senior students managing them.
Kururu swallowed hard and began scanning the seniors and instructors. Each one exuded an intimidating presence.
‘These people are all…’
They were the ones standing in her way. To achieve her goal, she would need to surpass every single one of them.
But giving up wasn’t an option. With firm resolve, she headed toward where the Knight Department freshmen gathered.
“Hey, quiet over there!”
True to the Knight Department’s strict discipline, a strong-looking instructor took charge. No student dared act up in front of an instructor who was at least an Expert.
If anyone did dare, you’d have to wonder why they even came to the academy.
Following the guidance of second-year seniors, Kururu lined up and soon felt someone tapping her shoulder next to her. She tilted her head.
“You in the Knight Department too?”
“…Yeah, why?”
“Great. I’m Haku. They say female students in the Knight Department are rare. Let’s get along!”
“Oh, I’m Kururu! Nice to meet you!”
Hearing Haku’s introduction, Kururu smiled and extended her hand. She already made a friend. School life seemed like it wouldn’t be much of a problem.
But perhaps because they laughed and talked too loudly, the instructor up front glared at the two of them.
The pair cautiously maintained their posture, sneaking glances until they felt the instructor wasn’t looking anymore, then giggled quietly at each other.
[—Shortly, we will begin the entrance ceremony. Freshmen…]
After that announcement by someone who might have been a professor or an instructor, all the freshmen’s eyes turned toward the stage. When things quieted down, the academy’s principal appeared on the platform.
An elderly sorcerer with long white hair and a beard. Though he looked like a kindly old man, he was actually a Master-level magician.
Kururu scanned him up and down, determined not to miss a single detail. The principal, seemingly oblivious to her sharp gaze, began his speech.
[Under the great Emperor’s name, I sincerely congratulate all of you who have entered Diaros Academy—]
The principal’s address was filled with clichés. After the unbearably boring speech ended and the ceremony concluded, the freshmen followed the instructors and professors to their classrooms.
“—Freshmen entering the Magic Department this year, follow me.”
Her voice rolled like pearls, beautiful but devoid of emotion, hitting Kururu’s ears like a shockwave.
Kururu glanced sideways to see the second-year guiding the Magic Department. Freshmen entering the Magic Department this year stared at her with dumbfounded expressions, clearly smitten at first sight.
Some whispered about her identity.
“Wow… Isn’t that the daughter of the Northern Duke…?”
“The one who reached four stars in her first year?”
“Yeah. They say she grew up like a precious gem, and now I see why.”
The Northern Duke’s beloved only daughter.
Yuri Grace.
A jewel-like, rare and beautiful existence.
Seeing her, Kururu blankly stared until Haku nudged her, asking what she was doing, and followed the Knight Department instructor.
‘No, no, Kururu. Focus. Remember your mission.’
Shaking off stray thoughts, Kururu resolved to focus solely on her goal.
As she walked down the hallway, a scruffy-haired man yawned loudly while walking toward them.
Thump-!
Her heart started racing the moment she saw his face. Her hands and feet trembled, her breathing quickened.
Kururu cautiously looked at the man again. He exchanged a few words with the instructor after crossing paths with them.
“Are these this year’s freshmen?”
“Yeah. Why aren’t you in class?”
“I’m going to see the principal.”
“…Alright, do as you please.”
After the man spoke, the instructor quickly led the freshmen to the classroom. The male students curiously watched him, wondering who he was.
But he acted as if their stares didn’t matter, shoving his hands into his pockets and strolling past.
‘Can I really do this?’
At the sight of his seemingly carefree demeanor, Kururu barely restrained herself from rushing out. Though he looked full of openings, he was an Aura Master.
A war machine made of flesh, capable of taking on an entire army alone. Those “openings” weren’t openings at all. At least, not unless she could forge a sharp enough “sword” to pierce through the aura he emitted…
‘Kail Meyer.’
The warrior of the North has come to kill you.
Kururu eagerly awaited that day while obediently following the instructor.
***
Ssssh-. He poured tea brewed from probably insanely expensive tea leaves into a teacup and drank it. It certainly felt like something you’d find in the principal’s office; the moment he drank it, his body heated up as if his aura was boiling.
Still, tea was tea, and its slight bitterness lingered, so he tore open an expensive package of cookies and stuffed some into his mouth.
Bitterness and sweetness harmonized beautifully, creating a lovely symphony in his mouth.
“Hmm, this is it.”
As if he could eat this endlessly, Kail began devouring cookies and tea with gusto.
A little later, the principal returned to his office to find Kail massacring his stash of snacks. He frowned slightly.
“So this is practically your room now.”
“Oh, is that okay?”
“It seems your mind has wandered, Cadet Kail.”
The principal sighed, glaring at Kail. His gaze shifted to the torn cookie wrappers and teacup, clearly showing how precious those items were to him.
Kail threw empty promises at the principal.
“I’ll buy you something even more expensive.”
“…Those are things money can’t buy.”
“Pfft, what can’t money buy? If you couldn’t get them, it’s because you didn’t have enough cash.”
What couldn’t money buy? And even if such things existed, why would they be lying around in the principal’s office?
To clarify, they weren’t exactly “lying around.” Kail had rummaged through the office to find them. If they were truly valuable, they’d have been locked in a safe according to his logic.
“…So, did you see the freshmen?”
“I caught a glimpse earlier. There was an interesting one.”
Hearing the principal’s question, Kail recalled the freshmen he’d seen in the hallway, especially the female cadet emanating murderous intent toward him.
For a woman, she had a sturdy build—no, more accurately, well-trained muscles. Even harsh training couldn’t produce such a physique without innate talent.
It was raw, natural ability. And Kail had seen women with similar talents just months ago.
“Is she a Barbarian Tribe member?”
“Yes. Part of His Majesty’s multi-racial integration policy.”
The Barbarians were eventually absorbed into the Empire. With most of their warriors dead, only frail elders, children, and women remained—it was inevitable.
And the Emperor had no intention of leaving the Barbarians alone within his borders. While troublesome as enemies, once properly assimilated over a few generations, they would become pillars of the Empire’s military strength.
Thus—some Barbarians were admitted to the academy. Though only those who passed the Empire’s socialization program were eligible.
“How is she?”
After pondering for a moment, Kail nodded, indicating no issues.
But that wasn’t entirely true.
‘She was practically radiating murderous intent toward me.’
Even after undergoing the Empire’s socialization and brainwashing programs, becoming friendly toward the Empire enough to enroll in the academy, she still harbored hatred for Kail himself.
Reporting her to the principal to have her killed felt somewhat regrettable. From her perspective, he had been evil.
Evil must die.
Kail had spent a lot of time pondering what to do when he became the evil one.
It seemed the time to answer that question had arrived.
