The student cafeteria of the dormitory emitted light and warmth even at dawn.
Many students began their training early in the morning. Accordingly, the cafeteria had to prepare breakfast even earlier.
Only a handful of geniuses could enter the Academy purely on talent.
The majority of students were those who polished their abilities through excruciating effort and were able to enroll in the Academy. Such individuals were typically accustomed to training.
I entered the bustling student cafeteria. A chilly stillness fell upon the previously noisy cafeteria.
I felt the gaze of eyes glancing at me. Hm, a dull sound escaped my lips.
It was written that I had touched the Imperial Family and that painful memories remained.
So, there was only one thing that would begin.
Exclusion, followed by pervasive pressure and threats.
No matter how royal, one had to live as an ordinary student at the Academy.
Of course, such rules were rarely observed, but as long as such regulations existed, there was no worry about facing disadvantages at the Academy for having touched the royal family.
However, this was only officially the case; unofficially, various kinds of retaliation could happen and had happened before.
For example, the attitude of students toward me at this moment.
Some sent glowering glares my way, while others, trembling in fear, avoided my gaze.
I felt as though I were a contagious patient.
A being one should avoid getting close to.
The name of the Imperial Family held such terrifying weight. Even though I had touched the royal family, only one person was affected.
The Empire’s fifth princess, Shi-en.
She was the top student in the first year of the Magic Department and boasted the widest network of connections at the Academy.
First and foremost, her outgoing personality, which was uncharacteristic of royalty, drew much praise. She was popular even among commoners for her considerate demeanor, regardless of status.
Most importantly, she was beautiful.
Though distant from the line of succession, there were rumors that her adorable appearance, along with her charming personality, made her particularly favored by the Emperor.
Yet that princess had targeted me; at the very least, there must have been some provocation.
How could I investigate the circumstances?
I fell momentarily into thought. Having been targeted by the royal family, I needed to distance myself from my close friends. Otherwise, I would inadvertently cause them trouble.
That meant my reliable brain, Reto, was off the list.
Celin, Seria, Senior Elsi, Senior Delphine, and even Emma were not options either.
Just as I stroked my chin in contemplation, someone bumped into me.
And the food tray tipped over, spilling its contents onto my pants.
My eyes glanced to the side. A male student, who was sticking close to me, had deliberately pretended to bump into me.
He was a third-year from the Swordsmanship Department. While not a close acquaintance, I recognized his face.
With an irritated expression, he spat out curses.
“Hey, what the hell! Are you blind? Why are you standing there like that?”
Very classic, I thought with a sly smile.
His companions’ responses were predictable. They pretended to stop him while mocking me.
“Stop, stop. Can’t you see him?”
“His life must be totally ruined.”
I silently watched their retreating figures while lifting my foot slightly.
Then, with a swift kick, I sent his ankle tumbling backward.
It was a sudden ambush. No matter how seasoned he was in the Swordsmanship Department, he couldn’t match my current skills.
In an instant, the male student’s body flew off the ground and crashed to the floor with a thud. It must have hurt, but the food he spilled created a messy scene and dirtied his clothes.
The response was so sudden that both the male student and his friends could only stand dumbfounded. Even the other students watching the scene were silent.
I offered a grin.
“Sorry, that was a mistake. You should really watch where you’re going.”
The male student, realizing the situation a moment too late, flushed red. He scrambled to his feet, stammering.
“Y-you crazy bastard…!”
But that was his limit.
As I stared at him blankly, he faltered and eventually averted his gaze. His companions did the same.
It was a mystery to me.
His friends patted his shoulder and dragged him away, whispering to one another.
“Wow, that glare is really scary…”
“Did he really kill someone? He must have killed a few people, right?”
What nonsense, how could someone like me, a peace-loving noble, ever do that?
I chuckled softly and glanced down. The food tray still lay scattered on the ground.
And in the reflection of my eyes, I looked a little…
Tired, so I pressed my temples, wondering if I had seen something wrong.
My mind wasn’t quite clear yet. It seemed I was still half asleep.
This wasn’t the time for that. There were things I needed to do immediately.
I followed the retreating group of male students with my gaze.
I dodged a thrust of a sword with a single step.
As it brushed past, I grappled with the male student who staggered after it and hurled him over my shoulder.
With a thud, the shockwave reverberated through the alley.
“…Guh!”
Along with a choking groan, the male student slammed into the ground, his eyes bulging as if they might pop out. I sensed two presences approaching from behind me.
I didn’t even need to straighten up.
The axe I had drawn smashed down toward the joint of the male student approaching from behind.
“Graaah!”
With a crunch, a scream erupted as he stumbled sideways, causing the second male student to lose his balance as he drew closer.
That was all it took.
The sword still in its sheath struck the side of the male student’s head.
There was no scream. His gaze briefly wavered before he collapsed listlessly.
I had taken down about four or five of them. Each one either groaned or fainted, unable to make a sound.
As I re-sheathed my sword, I dusted my hands off.
My eyes then turned toward the wall. There remained one male student, leaning against it, struggling to escape me.
His face bore many scars. Of course, all of them were wounds I had inflicted.
He was the one who had picked a fight with me in the student cafeteria. His gaze was already filled with terror.
“You… you… are you insane?! Don’t you know violence is forbidden at the Academy?!”
“Like someone said; I’m life ruined so I’ve got nothing to lose. If you don’t want an axe mark on your head, it’d be better to keep your mouth shut.”
With my calm voice, the male student emitted a terrified squeak.
I walked over and slightly bent my knees to meet his gaze.
“Honestly, I really hate violence… So I’m feeling very unpleasant right now. Why should I have to use violence against you? So let’s just agree to talk cleanly, okay?”
Seeing his face turn pale, I smiled with satisfaction.
It was effective and quick. I thought it would have been better if we had done this from the start.
As I contemplated, an abrupt question circled my mind.
Wasn’t it excessive to drag someone into an alley just for picking a fight?
Wasn’t it nearly the same level as Senior Elsi’s behavior?
But the more I questioned, the more my head throbbed. My mind was still hazy, as if I were half-dreaming.
I shook my head violently. There was no time for this.
I focused on my purpose again.
My eyes returned to the male student, who was now about to cry.
I offered a warm smile to reassure him.
And then, with a sharp sound, I embedded the axe beside the male student’s head.
Fine cracks appeared in the old wall centered around the blade. Eventually, unable to hold back any longer, tears streamed down his cheeks.
At this point, surely he wouldn’t try to retaliate against me; finishing my brief calculation, I asked in a gentle voice.
“Tell me everything about what happened between me and the princess. Everything.”
With a trembling voice, the male student began to reveal the story I had been so curious about.
The Empire’s fifth princess, Shi-en, was a woman of beauty and talent.
As a royal rumored to have the blood of dragons long thought extinct, her innate talent for magic was exceptional.
Even as the top student of the first year, there were whispers comparing her skills to those of the top students in the second and third years. Moreover, her beauty was simply stunning.
Her dark, rich blue hair shone with a light akin to the night sky, and her pale gray irises radiated a mysterious aura.
Particularly, her eyes sometimes appeared unfocused, enhancing her enigmatic beauty.
She was the Emperor’s cherished daughter and could easily be considered the hidden jewel of the palace, possessing both beauty and exceptional talent.
Whenever she greeted someone with her warm words, who could possibly respond unfavorably?
Shi-en had believed this hypothesis without a shadow of doubt. She had never been treated poorly in her life, except for her childhood.
Until she met that one man that day.
With a splashing sound, water sprayed into the air.
Shi-en was smiling. That fact remained unchanged even as clear, transparent liquid dripped onto her hair.
She was soaked to the bone.
Water dripped from her hair, and her uniform and cloak absorbed the dampness. Until that moment, she hadn’t understood the reality that had befallen her.
So, she had no choice but to keep smiling, frozen in disbelief.
Her golden eyes, drenched in fatigue, were focused on him. In his hand was a water jug. It was too obvious that he was the culprit who had doused Shi-en.
He spoke in a flat voice.
“…Is the water splash refreshing, Your Highness?”
Those dry words, at least mixed with a hint of a smile, made Shi-en realize for the first time that he was indeed a human with emotions.
Just the twitching of his lips, which barely resembled a smile, was enough to reflect the princess’s feelings.
She thought to herself.
Is he a complete madman?
