The teacher who had accompanied Iliana stepped behind the podium, a tablet cradled in his left hand.
He had dark skin and long white hair tied neatly behind his back.
One emerald eye scanned the room with precision, cutting through the chatter and settling on each student like a weight pressing down on their shoulders.
The moment the students recognized him, the classroom jolted to life.
The classroom stirred. "That's him, right?" someone whispered. Murmurs rippled through the room as heads snapped toward the podium.
"Silence!" Kaelen's voice cut through the room. Conversations died mid-word. Even the students who had dozed off jerked upright, eyes wide.
He didn't even raise his voice much. Yet the pressure in the room changed immediately. Just standing there was enough to make everyone sit straighter.
Kaelen Noctar.
One of the most popular teachers in Atlas Online—especially among the female players. Among the student body, whispers confirmed his fame—world-ranked hero, top magician. Simply standing there, he already commanded the room.
While he continued introducing himself, I glanced sideways.
Iliana sat perfectly straight beside me, hands folded neatly, silent and flawless—like a porcelain doll on display. I found myself staring longer than I should have.
"Do you have a problem?" Her voice was quiet. Her eyes never left the teacher.
Of course she noticed. What did I expect from someone who could probably kill me with a flick of her finger?
I swallowed "N-Nothing."
She finally glanced at me once. Just once.
Then her gaze returned to the podium, as if nothing had happened—like I was just another pebble lying on the side of the road.
But that was perfectly in character.
Iliana Vexana von Helena.
A villain built from a single word.
Pride.
Yet because of her origin, she was one of the few villains without another ending besides death. In AO you could change a villain and make them redeem themselves.
But Iliana wasn't one of those characters. She stayed faithful to her origin in the original web novel.
A villainess who couldn't redeem herself.
"You… who are you?" she suddenly asked.
"What do you mean?"
She turned her head slightly. "As the daughter of the House of Fire, it is mandatory for me to remember the names of all students. Even those who failed."
"..." I stayed quiet, wondering if anyone could realistically remember names to that extent.
"And yet… I do not remember you. Not as a student nor as a failed applicants. So answer me—who are you?" She fully turned toward me.
My mind went blank. No words came. I just stayed silent.
Did I… not exist in her memory?
My headache is finally gone, don't add more things for me to think about.
"…And with that, I will not be answering any questions regarding myself." Kaelen's voice cut the interrogation short.
"The moment we meet again, I will be expecting an answer from you." Iliana returned to her original posture.
I was dumbfounded. My mouth hung open while cold sweat formed on my forehead.
"I think I will die just from migraine." I murmured.
"Since this is the first day, we will not be conducting any lessons. Instead, following today's agenda, we will visit the weapon arsenal. There, you will be selecting your main weapon."
The students celebrated in unison. This was something they had been waiting for forever.
Kaelen sighed as he watched the classroom turn upside-down from a single announcement.
◆◆
Kaelen led us to the arsenal located beneath the academy.
"Now you will be granted one hour to decide what will be your main weapon."
The main weapon wasn't something you could choose out of spite. Once you picked it up, that weapon would stay with you until graduation.
And thus I faced my mortal enemy once again.
Decision.
Deciding something wasn't really my cup of tea. I usually ended up regretting it in the end or choosing the worst one possible.
And now they expect me to choose a weapon from all of these options. Great.
I wandered around the room, looking at the displays in quiet fascination. Wait… I'm a commander, aren't I? Am I even supposed to choose a weapon?
I should check my class and stats before deciding what to do next.
"Status window," I muttered under my breath.
—————[ Class: Commander ]—————
Stats:
Strength: 8.9 | Dexterity: 7.5
Endurance: 7.8 | Intelligence: 15.8 | Luck: 20
———[Total Base Stat Allocation: 40]———
The stat layout was identical to Jake's in-game stats, so nothing surprising there. Confirming my class as commander, I realized my options were extremely limited.
Commanders are extremely team-reliant. Picking up a weapon wouldn't just be pointless—it would actively weaken me. Both my personal stats and the weapon's stats would be reduced by 70% as penalties.
Choosing something like a sword would be like swinging a dull knife at a tank. The disadvantage would be catastrophic.
"I guess I'm sitting this one out," I muttered.
I could pick a weapon if I wanted, but it wouldn't give me any real advantage. Now that I can't select a weapon, my only option is… that.
◆
One hour later, after everyone had selected their main weapons, Kaelen dismissed the class. Students immediately scattered in every direction, heading off to do their own things.
But some of us stayed behind.
Kaelen approached me, tablet in hand, scanning me from head to toe.
"Student Kylen Noor, it is said that you didn't choose any weapon. Is there a reason for that?"
"It's actually really simple, sir. I'm a commander."
He looked confused for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
"But I think it would be best if you pick up a weapon to protect yourself."
"Oh, don't worry about that, sir. I already have my own idea of protection."
After a few more questions, he walked away.
Great. Now I could do that.
I left the weapon arsenal and made my way to the summoner's facility.
The hallway smelled faintly of herbs and incense, and faint magical hums vibrated through the air. The large iron doors loomed ahead, guarding a space unlike anywhere else in the academy.
Inside, creatures of all kinds roamed in designated enclosures—spirits, familiars, even beasts that looked ripped from myths. This place existed solely to support summoners and their allies.
I took a deep breath. This was how I was going to protect myself.
My skills revolved around buffs and debuffs; I couldn't go toe-to-toe in combat. But if I had a familiar, I could let it fight for me while I strengthened it.
Now all that was left… was mana.
Three power systems governed this world: Mana, Aura, and Divinity. Each granted different abilities. Commanders like me couldn't hold these internal systems.
No Mana ring to produce Mana, and no Cores to store Aura. Normally, that would make summoning impossible.
But I had a way around it.
[D-Rank Equipment Selection Ticket] × 1
A small ticket appeared in my hand, glimmering faintly. I pinched both ends and tore it in half. Immediately, a holographic panel unfolded before my eyes, revealing a library of equipment.
My fingers hovered over the options, scanning through item after item until one choice felt inevitable.
"Graham's First Ring."
The ring slid onto my finger. Smooth, cold, with a faint hum of energy, it twisted once at the center, forming a perfect Mobius strip.
This ring's purpose was to store mana. Normally, players would use it to expand their mana pool—but for me, it was the only way I could access mana currently.
Limited in capacity, yes—but enough. This would finally let me summon a familiar and give me a fighting chance.
I flexed my hand, feeling the ring settle snugly. My heart raced. For the first time, I could see a path forward in this world. My ally wasn't here yet—but soon, it would be.
◆◆◆
Iliana returned to her dorm shortly after visiting the arsenal. Her weapon of choice had been a spear—the last thing her uncle had taught her. Even now, she still carried those lessons with her.
Her personal maid was already waiting inside the room. The moment Iliana entered, the maid stepped forward and began helping her change out of her uniform.
"…Jane," Iliana called.
"What is it, my lady?" Jane replied, still focused on adjusting Iliana's clothes.
"Find everything you can about the boy who interrupted me in the classroom today."
"Understood."
The boy seemed completely unremarkable.
And yet, everything about him felt wrong. The academy could not possibly make a mistake during the entrance ceremony. An intruder should have been impossible.
Iliana's gaze lowered slightly.
"I hope he isn't connected to that 'person'… or this could get far more complicated than I expected."
To be continued.