The Royal Magic Academy. A place where high-ranking nobles flaunt their silk robes and princes act as if the sun only rises because they commanded it. To me, this place was just a bad game with subpar mechanics that I was forced to navigate just to avoid a pathetic death.
I stood in the registration line, yawning so wide that tears welled in my eyes.
"Hey, you! Scholarship student over there!" an examiner barked. "Stop acting lazy and get to the Sensor Crystal, now!"
I strolled forward, ignoring the cynical glares from noble kids who felt personally offended by my presence. In the front row, I spotted the "Love Interests" group. Prince Julian, with his shimmering golden hair, and beside him, Lady Elara von Heist.
Elara looked like a perfect ice statue. Beautiful, haughty, and looking down on everyone. In the original game, she was the Villainess who would destroy anyone obstructing her engagement.
"Prince Julian von Solstice! Mana Capacity: S-Rank! Element: Light!"
The field erupted in cheers. Julian smiled arrogantly, glancing toward Elara as if fishing for a compliment. Elara merely gave a subtle nod, as if an S-Rank capacity was simply the minimum standard her fiancé ought to possess.
Then, it was my turn.
"Alex of House Baron Grey. Step forward."
I placed my hand on the crystal. I had no intention of being a hero. I suppressed my mana circuits, hiding the "ocean" of energy within me and releasing only a single drop of "muddy water."
Ting.
"Capacity: C-Rank. Element: Neutral. Mediocre," the instructor snorted. "Move along, you're wasting my time."
"Certainly. Waiting for this crystal to glow was wasting mine, too," I shot back quietly, yet loud enough to be heard.
"What did you say?!"
I simply waved my hand without looking back and walked away. But as I passed Elara's line, I intentionally murmured loud enough for her to hear.
"S-Rank Light, huh? So bright it blinds you to the empty head beneath it."
Elara's footsteps stopped. She turned to me with a sharp gaze that could freeze a waterfall. "You... what did you just say, commoner?"
I stopped, shoved my hands into my pockets, and looked at her with lazy eyes. "I said, a large mana capacity is useless if the user doesn't know how to use it efficiently. Oh, my apologies. Did I interrupt your 'mutual-praising' session?"
"How dare you insult the Prince!" one of Julian's guards stepped forward, but Elara raised her hand, stopping them.
She walked toward me. She was nearly as tall as my shoulder. A cold scent of roses pierced my nose. Suddenly, my confidence wavered slightly. Crap, she's too close.
"You have a lot of nerve for a C-Rank student," Elara whispered, her eyes scanning every inch of my face. "Or are you just a fool seeking attention by insulting us?"
"Seeking attention?" I let out a sarcastic laugh, even though my heart hammered a bit due to the mere inch of space between us. "I'd rather watch grass grow than pay attention to you lot. Move, you're blocking the path for someone who wants to take a nap."
I stepped right past her, leaving Lady Elara frozen in shock. Never in this world had a man told her to "move" as if she were a common street nuisance.
Second Exam: Simulation Duel
I intentionally lost by a hair's breadth to a low-ranking knight to keep my grades at the average mark. I fell to the ground with acting that I thought was quite convincing.
"Ugh, so strong," I said flatly, without even an expression of pain.
However, as I stood up and brushed the dust off my clothes, I saw Elara standing at the edge of the arena. She had been watching me since the start of the duel. Her eyes narrowed, as if she detected something wasn't right.
To a genius mage like her, my acting probably looked suspicious. She saw how I dodged—shifting only a millimeter from the tip of the opponent's sword. Those weren't the movements of a lucky amateur.
After the exam, just as I was about to escape to the canteen, Elara intercepted me in a deserted hallway.
"Alex," she called out.
"What now, Ice Lady?" I turned around, putting on my maximum annoyed face. "Want to lecture me on etiquette again? Save it for your maids."
Elara stepped forward, pinning me against the wall. She stared at my calloused hands. "The way you moved back there... you lost on purpose, didn't you?"
"Huh? Are you crazy? Who would want to lose on purpose and be humiliated?" I tried to laugh it off, but Elara leaned her face closer.
Her stunningly beautiful face was only five centimeters from mine. I could see my reflection in her clear blue eyes. Her scent began to mess with my brain.
"Why... why are you suddenly nervous?" Elara smirked slightly, as if finding my weak point. "Is this big-mouthed hero actually afraid of women?"
"Wh-who's afraid?! Back off! You smell like roses, I'm allergic!" I shouted awkwardly, pushing her shoulder slightly to get her away.
"You're interesting, Alex," Elara said, returning to her cold expression, though a spark of curiosity remained. "An extra hiding his fangs. I'll be keeping an eye on you. Don't expect to live a quiet life at this academy."
She turned and left, her blue cloak fluttering elegantly.
I leaned my head against the wall, letting out a long sigh. 'Damn it. The plan to be a Mob failed completely on day one. Why does that woman have to be so smart?'
I didn't know that her interest was still purely based on hate and suspicion. But that was the beginning of the end for my plan of a quiet life.