Rozenfall Academy.
Throughout its existence, it had always been an impartial institution that sided with no one, yet accepted students from a plethora of other powers. A focal point of both learning and competition for those who would politically lead the future of the world.
That all changed twenty years ago when the current headmaster took the mantle.
He opened the doors of the academy and welcomed everyone, turning what had once been sacred and silent grounds into a bustling city, teeming with wealth comparable to the greatest capital cities in history.
The academy, established to unite all of humanity, was now a hub of opportunities and ambitions for commoners and nobles alike.
In Rozenfall, a white spire-like tower that seemed to reach for the heavens overlooked the city surrounding it. The people below looked like ants from such heights, beneath the gaze of those who resided at the top.
A large silhouette of a man towered before the glass window overlooking the scenery beneath him. A knock sounded from behind, as the door slowly opened.
"Headmaster. These are the lists of special individuals coming this year." A woman in a formal attire spoke dismissively. She was similarly tall, with her hair tied in a neat bun, wearing tinted glasses.
"Hm…" The headmaster didn't even turn around to check, just menacingly standing.
"… Are you going check it or not? I'm busy."
"…" The large man turned around with an uptight and icy glare.
"Understandable. Have a great day."
"Wait! Didn't I tell you to call me papa when we're alone?" Reaching out his hand, he stopped the woman from leaving through some sort of invisible force.
The woman's face contorted in disgust hearing the large man's complaints.
"Screw off old man. I'm twenty-nine." She spat with venom, clearly used with the situation.
"No! You'll always be my precious daughter! Nothing in this world changes that!" Indignant, the headmaster complained tearfully, thoroughly distorting the image of an imposing giant.
"Sure, sure. I'm leaving."
"Ahem. Alright, enough messing around. Take a seat, Chancellor."
"…"
Every year, the academy opened its arms to welcome new students. Sometimes formidable and famous names would appear. Other times, they were simply the usual arrogant nobles or the hardworking talents.
Today, Vica was here to report whose matters had been settled and which candidates had agreed to study under the academy. It wasn't that there were no academies in the capitals of each nation. However, those institutions focused more on sharpening their talents at a young age before eventually sending them to Rozenfall.
The headmaster, looked over the profile at the top of the list. Compiled information about the 'Special Students' were gathered personally by the academy's hands and given to the headmaster at the end of his 'negotiation' with their guardians.
They couldn't exactly conduct an investigation for each country simultaneously, making his visits significant by bringing along his very skilled and trusted investigator. At first, only surface-level information such as rumors was reported.2
Upon verification, the headmaster would personally move to visit. During and after the investigation, information was withheld until everything was concluded. Only just before the academy opened would the headmaster review the compiled information himself.
"Oh? The hero's descendant is a girl?" He had visited their secluded village by force, but at the time they had hidden the rumored descendant who possessed the strongest traits inherited from the hero. Of course, with his power and standing, they had no choice but to receive him.
"Yes."
"Great, another motivation for our lively kids." The rivalry was sure to spike, disturbing even those in the higher years who were about to graduate. Historically, a hero had never been born a noble.
A hero. Such a title, carrying considerable weight, was uttered from his mouth with indifference. After all, even the heroes of history had once been merely students of the academy. Besides, while it was certainly an impressive lineage, the headmaster was confident that he himself was no slouch either, as someone who stood at the top of the academy, surrounded by the nations of the world.
'An existence that hasn't appeared in the past twenty years…' Due to the lack of conflict with the demons, humanity had entered an era of preparation and, somehow, prosperity, without any particular 'Hero who would slay the Demon King' appearing.
There were still skirmishes and battles along the frontlines, but nothing too intense.
Instead, there were heroes who fought and sacrificed their lives against the existence of monsters known as Agrind. A threat since time immemorial that had plagued humanity and its heroes.
Apart from basic information such as age, height, and other details, their preferred weapons were also listed. The hero seemed to favor using a sword and shield together. He moved on and saw something rather interesting.
"A blind pugilist? I mean, we do have someone who can't see, but…"
"Caesar can take care of her." Vica cut her off, mentioning a rather infamous name in the academy these days.
"That mean's he will be assigned to the Elite Class…"
"Is there a problem?" She tilted her chin up while adjusting her glasses, insistent on proceeding as planned.
"…No. It's just that many professors might complain. Well, I'll shut them up for my precious's arrangement, so go ahead." The headmaster knew the man as the youngest instructor ever admitted to the academy. Of course, his abilities spoke for themselves.
His daughter had been particularly vehement about giving the man the opportunity to handle talents from the Elite Class.
The headmaster looked over the other profiles. Some names were there because of the significant money their families had donated to the academy, which he ignored. The only thing special about them was their money and their parents.
However, one of their richest sponsors had admitted not just one student, which he understood, but three more students.
'Carmillia Montagne.'
"…Hm, the duke's daughter? I wonder what she's like. Her mother, Lisa, was always a good girl back then…" Although he did find her a little strange, it was never enough for his insight to warn him that something was wrong.
In fact, his insight felt nothing at all. While the duke, young at the time, had burned with fervor and zeal, now he had become an unrivaled blaze that swept away lives left and right.
"I can't believe Renedon married her… What a mix of ice and fire." He examined the reports and parameters compiled by the academy's investigators. According to Carmillia's file, she was an exemplary mage with an absurd amount of mana and decently high potential in magic.
"Hm? Are you sure about this, Chancellor?" Even he, was in disbelief. The potential amoun tof mana Carmillia had was bordering the makings of a future arcmage.
"Yes. The reports seem true based on test's we've done."
"Well, that's interesting. I wonder how that turned out… Maybe because of her parents?" Lisa wasn't a particularly talented mage, and Renedon was an aura user. But perhaps it came from her mother's bloodline, where her talent hailed from.
As for the other three… there were two names he recognized. Previous attendees of the academy who had suddenly disappeared after attending for some time. Pretty successful figures at that.
'Serika Cranel… attended and finished her first year as the 2nd seat in her batch. Lucinelle Broquia attended until the second year and was 1st seat both times.'
"How did these two unfortunate but talented girls come under that lunatic, Renedon?" Slightly surprised, the headmaster raised his eyebrows.
"Yes. Traces of them were found after their disappearance. The servants residents said that they had actually lived with the main family ever since the incident that destroyed their families."
"Well, damn! He sure is cruel, making subordinates out of the survivors of his massacres. How did he even convince these two prodigies…" The headmaster wished he had the same abilities the duke possessed. Convincing old fogeys and pompous figures to enroll their talented children in the academy would be much easier.
"We couldn't gather more information due to the 'Shadow' of Montagne's eyes on us. So how and when they ended up there is unclear." Vica frowned with a sharpened glare, displeased upon remembering the shadow she spoke of.
"Yeah, yeah. Don't cross that old nerd. He's an annoying opponent." He spoke while stroking his long beard, recalling his first confrontation with the 'Shadow' and his strange power.
He flipped the page and saw the last person on the roster. A man with provoking eyes and red hair.
"Hm… Who's this guy? A special butler? Why is there a lot of unknowns?"
"That… he's a newly hired butler who came to their estate. It's unknown whether he has a hidden purpose, but we speculate he was hired by the duke himself."
"If that's the case, there must be something. Renedon isn't someone who wastes personnel just to be duds." He looked at the profile of the special butler. His specialty and talents were unknown. But with the funds sponsored by the duke himself, he was eligible to pass and enter the academy.
'Xian? This brat looks arrogant. Should I punch this kid when I see him?' He playfully entertained the idea, but a punch from him might exterminate generations of his predecessors. He chuckled internally at the thought.
"Attach some eyes to watch over him and report anything suspicious."
The other profiles were already familiar to him, their respective guardians having personally introduced them, so he skimmed over each and moved on.
"Is this all of it?"
"Yes headmaster. Is there anything else you need?"
"Hmm. My goodbye kiss?" He pointed at his cheek, mimicking a pitiful expression.
"…" Vica, the chancellor channeled her power as he struck that cheek.
…
"It's beautiful… Rozenfall." A girl stood before the academy's open gates with a confident gait, alone, carrying only her sword and a case containing her necessities. She stepped forward with a smile, unbothered by the crowd.
All of them would soon be swooning her way anyway.
She had soft curtain bangs and lightly side-parted fringe that framed her face without hiding her flame-like eyes. Her face and smiling expression were the very definition of an ideal and perfect girl. Heads turned with every step she took, and she met everyone's gaze happily instead of chasing them away.
'What are you all looking at, you inferiors?' she mused, still maintaining the best smile she had practiced many times. Some girls were awed and murmured among themselves, while a few others whispered with disgruntled glares, probably envious.
'It's not even the first day of classes, but these dogs are already leering at me.' Despite her thoughts, she maintained a polite smile for those who looked at her in a certain way. She noticed that most of those men were escorted by impressive entourages.
'Clearly, those fools think they have a chance.' She couldn't help but sneer internally. She was here to build her reputation from the ground up, not for something useless like finding a man. The best would vie for her once she stood above them all anyway.
With a proud heart and confident strides, she walked past the other entrants without looking back.
…
Somewhere in a corner of the academy grounds, a figure was watching all the commotion transpire. Whenever someone entered and caused people to talk among themselves, or acquaintances met each other, it was all projected to her naked eyes.
Although she would give only a brief glimpse before turning her attention to a book once again. Unlike the other entrants, she sat on the academy's high walls, lazily waiting for the entrance exam to take place, occasionally yawning.
However, her figure blurred, as if nothing was in her place at all, blending into the surroundings. Thus, no one noticed this particular hooded girl with an expressionless face, one that would otherwise cause an uproar among mages.
…
"Onwards! To the academy! Let us go forth!" A loud shout interrupted the people, mostly young nobles talking among themselves. They turned their head to the source of commotion and was dumbfounded.
A brown haired girl with a wide smile ran towards the academy carrying a giant sack, a sword and shield with dirty and mud stained clothes all over her self. One man, followed him, breathing heavily despite carrying ten times smaller sacks than the girl.
"Hah! Ugh! Slow down, Rumi! Ah, I'm dying…" He gasped, fixing his glasses and trying not to fall over.
Though it all fell on deaf ears as he was left in the dust by his companion.
…
Such commotions were occurring throughout the academy, and amidst all of it, an unassuming boy with rather gentle yet handsome features arrived. He took a deep breath, as if to relish the moment, and stretched his body, clad in some sort of training clothes.
At the same time, a rather large and luxurious carriage with dark accents arrived, followed by a slightly less eye-catching one. A total of five people stepped down from the carriage before the academy gates. The silence that followed was almost deafening, with everyone recognizing the insignia it
bore.
Unlike the other noble houses that had come, they were particularly late. Thus, many eyes from similarly prestigious households were directed toward them.
Carmillia walked past all the glares unbothered, escorted by two dark guards, the signature uniform of their dukedoms kngihts and the very units that had caused massacres under his orders.
Some nobles bowed their heads toward their direction, clearly indicating their allegiance to the formidable family. Behind those three was Xian, who earned gazes looking his way, and Miri, who walked while looking ahead.
Xian scanned his surroundings and already saw familiar faces. There were some characters that would only appear inside or later in the academy. There were also some hidden among the crowd.
But if his memory was right, the person he was looking for would be gazing toward Carmillia and her entourage.
Just then, his eyes met a boy in training clothes he had seen countless times. Every time he restarted the game, those very same clothes would be worn by his character.
'There you are.'
Xian never bothered to rename his character whenever he played, thus he remembered well, what his original name is.
'Adrian Wylert.' Their eyes briefly met, but he quickly turned his gaze away. It wasn't the time to make contact with him yet.
But then, he was puzzled to find that someone had dared to block Carmillia and her two escorts.
He moved closer to get a better view.
What he saw that day was the beginning of the first death flag in the academy, something he had never seen in any of his runs.
One of the main heroines, with a rather problematic background similar to his own, was facing Carmillia and clearly emitting bloodlust.
'She's here!? And angry too?'
Her wrath can only mean one thing.
That somehow, in her past life, Carmillia had done something she despised.
That's right.
He had encountered one of the heroines who was also a regressor just like him. A one-time regressor, unlike him, whose experiences spanned far beyond years. Someone quite elusive, who only appeared after the player's first playthrough.
But knowing that didn't make the situation any better.