“Did you hear? A new professor is arriving today.”
“I heard they were a soldier… but is it true?”
Amidst the murmurs of students, one young lady confidently made her way through the crowd.
The bustling atmosphere suddenly fell silent.
“Ah…”
“That person is…”
Hair as fiery red as burning flames. Emerald eyes that shimmered with calmness. Despite—or perhaps because of—her neatly buttoned-up owl-patterned robe, her ample bosom was all the more noticeable.
The surrounding students watched her confident strides with dazed expressions. Sensing their gazes, she gave a small wave.
“Hello there.”
“Ah, hello!”
“Good morning!”
Her friendly smile sent the students into a frenzy. It was understandable; after all, this was Amy Helios—the only daughter of the illustrious Helios Dukedom, known as “The Lamp That Illuminates the Empire.”
“Everyone, don’t be late for roll call.”
With those words, Amy hurried toward the auditorium, leaving behind cheers from the students.
Amy was part of the Royal Class at Minerva Academy—a group composed solely of the most talented among already elite students. Always maintaining top rank within even this elite circle, she was naturally adored by everyone. Not just in the academy but across the entire empire, her combination of beauty and academic excellence made her an idol to many.
“Phew… Morning greetings are exhausting.”
Once inside the auditorium, Amy quietly muttered to herself. Truthfully, all this attention weighed heavily on her.
“If I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have listened to Dad’s request.”
Father had earnestly begged her to behave modestly during her time at the academy, so Amy had been suppressing her true nature since day one. Thanks to her efforts, very few knew who the real Amy was.
“You’ve worked hard this morning, Amy.”
One of the few aware of her struggle was the girl beside her, with deep navy hair like the ocean depths. Ariana Selene, the sole daughter of the Selene Dukedom, known as “The Moonlight That Guards the Empire,” offered a gentle greeting.
“It’s too hot. Back off.”
Amy irritably swatted away Ariana’s hand, though her tone carried no real malice. Having interacted frequently since childhood due to their shared noble status and age, Amy felt comfortable enough to speak freely around her. Ariana merely shrugged nonchalantly.
“You’re impressive, keeping such a low profile despite your nature. It must be tough.”
“Not long now. Just a little patience.”
“Hm, well, it’s your choice.”
Ariana crossed her arms behind her head as other students began filing into the auditorium. The two headed toward their designated seats at the front row, closest to the stage—the exclusive area reserved for the Royal Class. As soon as they sat down, another girl approached and took her seat.
“Oh my, you two are early.”
This newcomer wore a checkered cardigan and round glasses, marking her as Senna Eos, the Holy Maiden of the Eos Church. Ariana smirked teasingly.
“And here comes our Holy Maiden, probably fresh out of bed again?”
“Eeek~ Stop calling me that~”
“Then fix that bird’s nest on your head.”
“Ahh, thanks~”
While Senna tidied her hair, Amy stared off into the distance. Following her gaze, Ariana whispered softly.
“Staring at the princess again? Still hung up about her?”
A silver-haired figure with crimson eyes sat alone nearby—Lux Stella Sirius, the First Princess of Sirius, rarely seen within the empire.
“Nope.”
“Pfft, sure thing.”
Ariana rolled her eyes knowingly, understanding Amy’s feelings perfectly.
“As I always say, you really should…”
At that moment,
“Quiet down everyone! Let’s begin roll call.”
Heinz’s voice echoed across the stage.
“Well, we’ll talk later.”
Reluctantly, Ariana turned her focus forward as Heinz scanned the now-quiet auditorium before beginning announcements.
“Our Basic Alchemy instructor, Professor Alba, has returned home due to unforeseen circumstances. Until a replacement arrives, the class will remain suspended.”
This decision had been finalized last night during meetings. Revealing the truth—that Professor Alba was actually the ‘High Priest of Pride’—was impossible without alarming the students. Only a select few professors, Heinz, and Allen were aware of the full story.
“When one leaves, another arrives. Please welcome our newly appointed Special Instructor, Professor Allen. Give him a warm round of applause!”
Clap clap clap!
A man stepped onto the stage under thunderous applause. His pitch-black hair framed eyes like a starry night, radiating determination. Students watched him curiously, captivated by his mysterious aura.
“Is he common-born…?”
“How could a commoner become a professor?”
Not everyone was swept away by Allen’s presence. Some students, particularly those from prestigious families, noticed Heinz hadn’t mentioned Allen’s surname—an omission indicating lack of family lineage, i.e., common birth.
“My goodness, didn’t expect to meet him so soon.”
Among the crowd, only Senna seemed surprised. Her wide-eyed reaction drew Ariana’s curiosity.
“Do you know him?”
“Oh, we met yesterday at ‘The Witch’s Nest.’ He graciously let me have some Dunkencorn. He said we’d meet again eventually—I guess fate works fast!”
“Huh?”
“I thought he was handsome then, but in formal attire? Absolutely stunning! Isn’t he gorgeous?”
Ariana struggled to keep up with Senna’s rapid-fire chatter. Though accustomed to her cheerful demeanor, this level of enthusiasm was overwhelming. Still, she couldn’t deny Allen’s good looks…
“Wait, can you slow down a bit…”
Again, Ariana’s question went unanswered.
“Hello there, everyone.”
Allen’s magically amplified voice rang out, silencing the room.
*
‘This is quite nerve-wracking.’
How often does one address such a large audience?
“Just speak casually,” Heinz encouraged. With a nod, Allen began carefully.
“Hello there, everyone.”
After a brief glance at Heinz—who smiled approvingly—Allen continued smoothly.
“I’m Allen, the newly appointed Special Instructor at Minerva Academy.”
Heinz assured him not to overcomplicate things. No need for lengthy speeches when brevity keeps students engaged.
“The subject I’ll teach you is ‘Survival Against the Great Barbarians.’”
No other topic came to mind.
……
An icy chill seemed to drop the auditorium temperature by at least five degrees.
Perhaps he should’ve softened his phrasing. Quickly, Allen prepared to elaborate.
“Hasn’t the war ended already?”
A golden-haired male student interrupted—Reinhardt, noted in the VIP list as the sole commoner in the Royal Class.
Recalling Reinhardt’s details, Allen replied calmly.
“Though the empire claimed victory, eternal peace doesn’t exist.”
Should the emperor snap his fingers, war could reignite instantly. Many would be dragged back to battlefields—including possibly academy students.
“Even if the empire unifies the continent, no one can guarantee perpetual peace. Assuming current tranquility means future safety is naive thinking.”
Reinhardt paled slightly at these grim words.
Remembering how similar naivety led to Reinhardt’s demise in previous battles, Allen steadied his emotions before continuing.
“Through my lessons, you’ll acquire skills to survive any situation, anywhere, anytime.”
Allen finished with a light smile.
“So don’t worry too much and participate enthusiastically. Your passion will elevate the quality of the class accordingly.”
With a polite bow, Allen retreated backstage. Though unplanned delays occurred, the speech seemed decent overall.
“… Crazy guy.”
“He’s not sane.”
“What was the royal palace thinking…”
Murmurs of dissatisfaction reached Allen’s ears, but he brushed them off. Surely, imagining insults was better than facing reality.
Could anyone summarize survival training more succinctly? Nothing mattered more than staying alive, after all.
“Let’s see what kind of lesson we start with…”
Teaching methods against shadow snake ambushes sounded appropriate, didn’t it?
