The thunderous sound of hooves hitting the gravel silenced the courtyard. Allesta Academy's entrance was buzzing with more activity than usual today—hundreds of students in their red and black uniforms were huddled in groups, their HUDs flickering as they exchanged data. But everything came to a sudden, grinding halt when Kobi's Royal Carriage rolled through the gates.
It was a masterpiece of luxury—polished obsidian wood, gold-trimmed wheels, and velvet curtains that screamed 'VIP Access.' As the carriage slowed to a stop, the "Ripple Effect" was instantaneous. The sea of students parted, their whispers dying down into a stunned silence.
Kobi jumped down from the driver's seat with a flourish, opening the door with a low, respectful bow.
"Sir Haruto," Kobi said, his voice loud enough to carry through the stunned silence.
"In all my years managing the Royal Suite, I have never had a guest use our Private Carriage for a school commute. You truly are building quite the reputation. Go on, build that aura of yours—this Academy won't know what hit it."
Haruto stepped out, his obsidian eyes cold and disinterested, looking at the massive fortress as if it were just a minor quest location. Behind him, the three Goddesses descended. Their beauty was so sharp it felt like a 'Graphic Upgrade' for the entire courtyard.
The whispers started instantly, spreading like a virus through the crowd.
"Who is that? Is he a Prince from the Western Kingdoms?" "Look at that carriage... that's the crest of the Royal Suite. Only the top 1% of the 1% can book that."
"And look at his attendants... an Elf? They look like high-level Divine races. Is he from a Forbidden Clan?"
"He doesn't even have his HUD open. Is his level so high that it's hidden by a World-Grade Artifact?"
"Look at them," Kobi chuckled, leaning out from the driver's seat before he turned the horses.
"The entire Academy has gone mad for you, Sir Haruto. You've got them all under a spell without even casting a single rune!"
Haruto let out a rare, genuine laugh—a sharp, clear sound that didn't match his bored expression.
"Let them stare, Kobi," Haruto replied with a smirk.
"What do you think? Did we overdo the entrance?"
"Ahahaha!" Kobi roared with laughter, slapping his knee.
"Overdo it? Sir, you just broke the Academy's social logic! I love it!"
"Hahaha!" Haruto laughed along, feeling a strange sense of satisfaction. It was the first time in this world he felt like he was truly "playing" the game on his own terms.
"Ahem!"
The laughter cut off instantly.
Haruto and Kobi both froze. Behind Haruto, the three Goddesses—Ivory, Lustra, and Bellona—were standing in a perfect, intimidating line. Their arms were crossed, their expressions a mix of disapproval and simmering jealousy. They didn't appreciate Haruto sharing such a 'close' moment of laughter with the carriage driver while ignoring his "Divine Shields."
"Haruto" Ivory said, her voice dripping with polite frost.
"The first bell is about to ring. Perhaps we should focus on the 'Mission' rather than... local entertainment?"
"Yeah, Haruto!" Lustra added, her golden eyes flashing.
"We're the ones with you, but you're busy laughing with Kobi?" Bellona added, her hands on her back
Haruto cleared his throat, his face returning to its usual stoic mask.
"Right. Duty calls," Haruto muttered. He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice so the girls wouldn't catch every word.
"Listen, Kobi... make sure you're here to pick me up after school. I don't want to walk through these crowds."
Kobi let out a nervous chuckle, his eyes darting toward Ivory, who was tapping her foot impatiently.
"Ah... well, Sir Haruto," Kobi whispered back, tipping his hat.
"If my luck holds out and the 'System' doesn't throw a curveball my way... I'll be here. You can count on it."
"Good enough for me," Haruto smirked.
"Good luck, Sir!" Kobi whispered with a wink, quickly snapping the reins to escape the deadly glares of the three Goddesses.
head turned. The sea of red and black striped shirts parted slightly as he moved through.
The whispers followed them like a trailing shadow, growing louder with every step Haruto took toward the Great Bulletin Board. The sea of red and black striped shirts parted instinctively, creating a wide, respectful path for the "Mysterious Prince."
Haruto ignored the burning stares. He felt that familiar weight in his chest—the boredom of a new environment that promised nothing but more of the same. He walked straight toward the Great Bulletin Board, a massive slab of dark oak pinned with yellowing sheets of parchment.
"Let's see where they put us," Haruto muttered, his eyes scanning the messy ink handwriting.
The Academy wasn't just a place of learning; it was a hierarchy. At the very top of the most prestigious list, under Class 1-A (Elite Track), he saw his name. Right beneath it, in elegant script, were Ivory, Lustra, and Bellona.
"Found it," Haruto said, a small sigh of relief escaping him. He just wanted to find a back row and disappear into the shadows.
But the human element was already closing in. The whispers weren't about myths or legends; they were about the cold reality of power and money.
"That's the guy," a boy whispered to his group, leaning against a pillar. "The one who paid 20 G-Credits upfront at the desk. My dad works at the inn—he said the kid's got more gold than the Mayor."
"And look at the girls behind him," a girl nearby hissed, her eyes narrowing with a mix of awe and jealousy.
Haruto felt the weight of their judgment. To him, these people felt like static—background noise in a world that didn't quite make sense. He adjusted his collar, his fingers brushing against the fabric of his new uniform.
"Nothing to be worried about" he whispered to himself. He looked at the heavy, iron-bound oak doors leading to the classrooms. If this school was the new stage, he needed to find out who was running the show before the "bugs" started biting.
Haruto glanced back at the three of them, finally finding their names clustered together on the weathered parchment.
"Looks like we're all in the same class," he said, his voice level and grounded.
"Class 1-A. Let's just get inside before this crowd starts asking for autographs."
Lustra let out a playful, high-pitched giggle, nudging Haruto's arm with a mischievous glint in her golden eyes.
"Well, of course we're in the same class!" she chirped, loud enough for a few nearby students to turn their heads.
"After those 10 G-Credits you slipped to the receptionist under the table? I'd be offended if she didn't put us in the Elite section!"
Haruto's cool mask didn't just slip—it shattered. He felt the heat rise to his neck as the surrounding second-years narrowed their eyes, whispering about the "Pay-to-Win" freshman.
(Haruto's Inner Thoughts:) Lustra... your 'Social Filter' is definitely glitched. I was trying to look like a mysterious student, and you just announced to the entire hallway that I bribed my way into Class 1-A. This is why I should have stayed a shut-in.
"Lustra! Shh!" Ivory hissed, her face turning a deep shade of crimson as she tried to pull the Goddess away.
"You aren't supposed to say the 'Cheat Codes' out loud!"
Haruto sighed, adjusting his black coat and staring at the heavy oak doors.
"Fine. The secret's out. We're the 'Premium' squad."
But as they turned to leave the bulletin board, the atmosphere in the courtyard shifted. The rhythmic crunch of gravel under heavy boots silenced the nearby whispers.
A tall, broad-shouldered student pushed through the crowd. He wore the same red and black uniform, but had 2 golden badges –the mark of a Second-Year. He was handsome in a conventional, polished way, with hair perfectly swept back and a build that suggested hours But it wasn't just his looks that stopped the crowd. Above his head, a bright, semi-transparent Holographic HUD was wide open, pulsing with a steady blue light. Usually, students kept their status windows private, but this guy had intentionally set this to 'Public Broadcast'.
[ STATUS WINDOW ]
[NAME: Kaelen Vance ]
[LEVEL: 8 ]
(Haruto's Inner Thoughts:)Level 8? And he's acting like he's the Final Boss? This guy has his HUD open just to farm 'Likes' from the commoners. It's pathetic. It's like a mid-level mob flexing in a starter zone.
In a village school where most struggled to hit Level 4 or 5, a Level 8 was a titan.
The crowd's attention snapped away from Haruto and locked onto the newcomer.
"Look at him... that's the son of the oldest Duke," a student hissed, pulling his friend back.
"He's the future of the Northern Territories. And I heard... he's already the official fiancé of Princess Lilith herself!"
someone whispered. "The top of the second-year track."
"A Level 8 fiancé to the Royal Bloodline?" another whispered, eyes wide with fear.
"If you breathe too hard near him, the Duke's knights will have your head before sunset."
Kaelen walked straight up to Haruto, using his height and bulk to cast a shadow over him. He stood a good few inches taller, his chest nearly twice as broad as Haruto's lean frame.
He didn't acknowledge Haruto at first. Instead, his gaze softened, turning into a look of practiced, charming admiration as he looked at Ivory, Lustra, and Bellona. He offered them a slight, polite bow.
"I heard rumors of three extraordinary beauties joining the first-year ranks," he said, his voice smooth and deep.
"But the rumors didn't do you justice. A Level 6 at your age is... impressive. You deserve better than to be standing in the dirt with the commoners."
Then, his head snapped toward Haruto.
The charm vanished instantly. He looked down at Haruto with a sneer of pure, unfiltered disgust—the kind of look a nobleman gives to a stain on his boot. His eyes scanned Haruto's status like he was looking at a piece of trash that had accidentally wandered into a palace.
"And you," Kaelen spat, his voice dropping an octave into a low, threatening growl.
"I heard about the 'Prince.' Tell me... how much did your father have to pay the registrar to let a weakling like you into the Elite Track? Money can buy a uniform, boy, but it can't buy mana and skills."
(Haruto's Inner Thoughts:)Wait a minute... How does this guy know they are Level 6? I haven't opened their public HUDs yet, and the only person I told was the Registrar. I think this 'Duke's Son' has already hacked the student database or has a spy in the administration.
The three Goddesses bristled instantly. The air around Bellona started to hum with a dangerous, low-frequency vibration, and Lustra's eyes flickered with a spark of gold. They were one second away from turning the "top student" into a pile of ash.
Haruto, however, just looked up at Kaelen with that same, vacant, bored expression. He didn't flinch. He didn't even look angry.
Haruto didn't even look up at Kaelen's bulky frame. He just sighed, the sound of someone who had heard this dialogue in a thousand different cutscenes before.
"Look," Haruto said, his voice flat and incredibly dull.
"Can we just go? It's our first day. I'd rather not have their mood ruined before the first bell even rings."
He gestured vaguely toward the three girls, who were already looking at Kaelen like he was a bug under a microscope. But Kaelen wasn't used to being dismissed. His face contorted, his "handsome" mask cracking with a twitch of his jaw.
"You think you can just walk away from me, Level 1?"
Kaelen barked. He snapped his fingers, and suddenly, four of his lackeys stepped out from the crowd. They were all Level 5—bulky, aggressive, and clearly used to doing Kaelen's dirty work. They circled Haruto, cutting off any exit.
Haruto's eyes flickered. For the first time, a spark of genuine excitement flashed across his face. The boredom was receding.
(Haruto's Inner Thoughts:) Thank you, Kaelen. I was worried this Academy would be nothing but dusty books and lectures. But every good game needs a mid-level boss to keep things interesting. You're loud, you're arrogant, and you're a total cliché—the perfect entertainment for a boring day. I think I'm going to enjoy watching your 'Legacy' crash and burn.
Behind him, Ivory's eyes glowed faintly. She used her Sneak Skill to scan Haruto's internal vitals, and what she saw made her breath hitch. Because of the sudden surge of adrenaline and his inherent emotional instability, Haruto's mana was spiking. His status was glitching—flickering from Level 1 and jumping straight to Level 10.
The three Goddesses felt a chill that had nothing to do with the morning air. They knew the danger: if Haruto lost control of his emotions and went into a Rampage, he wouldn't just be a student. He would become a "berserk beast," a mindless force of destruction that would level the school.
Even Kaelen, who had no idea what was happening, felt the air get heavy. The atmospheric pressure seemed to drop, and a cold, suffocating mana-pressure began to leak out of Haruto's lean frame. Kaelen's knees shook instinctively, though he tried to hide it.
Before the "mana" could fully break, Ivory, Lustra, and Bellona stepped in. They didn't step in to protect Haruto—they stepped in to protect the school from him.
"That's enough," Ivory said, her voice like ice as she stood between Haruto and Kaelen. "We want a peaceful start to our education. Step aside and let us pass."
Lustra and Bellona didn't say a word, but the sheer intensity of three Level 6 beauties staring him down was enough to give Kaelen a graceful exit.
"Fine," Kaelen muttered, waving his men back as he tried to regain his composure.
"Since the ladies are asking nicely... I'll let it slide. For now. See you again,Prince'."
He watched them walk away, still sweating from the invisible pressure that had just vanished as quickly as it appeared.
The Goddesses didn't wait for him to respond. They practically dragged Haruto away from the lingering crowd and shoved him into a quiet, shadowed corner near the stone stairs of the main building.
Their faces weren't just serious; they looked genuinely terrified.
Ivory grabbed Haruto by his shoulders, her grip surprisingly firm.
"Haruto, look at me. You have to keep your excitement under a lock. Your mana is reacting to your emotions like a broken engine—it's spiking into Level 10 and it's completely unstable."
Bellona stepped in close, her voice a low, urgent whisper.
"Listen to us. If you feel that pressure building up again, if you feel like you're losing control... don't fight it there. Just get out. Run away from the situation, hide, do whatever you have to do to stay 'human.' If you let that rampage take over, you won't be a student anymore. You'll become a beast that can't be stopped."
Lustra nodded quickly, her eyes searching for him.
"Think about yourself, Haruto. Focus on staying grounded. We can't have you 'deleting' the whole school just because some Level 8 idiot annoyed you."
Haruto took a long, slow breath. The buzzing under his skin—that electric "glitch" feeling—started to fade back down into his usual Level 1 dullness. He looked at his hands and then at the worried faces of the three most powerful beings he knew.
"Fine," Haruto muttered, his voice returning to its bored, flat tone.
"I'll keep a lid on it.
The girls let out a collective sigh of relief. They straightened their uniforms, wiped the sweat from their brows, and began the walk toward Classroom 1-A.
As Haruto pushed open the heavy iron-bound oak door, he didn't just see a classroom—he saw a Live Server full of active data. The room was massive, with tiered stone seating looking down toward a large obsidian chalkboard, but it was the students that caught his attention.
The "Elite" students were already there, gathered in tight, judgmental circles. Haruto's obsidian eyes narrowed as he began to notice the floating HUDs above their heads. Most were Level 4 or 5—the cream of the crop for freshmen.
Then, his gaze locked onto the center of the room. There sat a guy surrounded by a literal swarm of girls. He was conventionally handsome, with a polished, athletic build that screamed "Protagonist." His HUD was wide open, practically glowing with pride:
[ STATUS WINDOW ]
[NAME: Kenji ]
[LEVEL: 4 ]
Kenji was laughing, leaning back in his chair as the girls whispered in his ears. He was clearly the 'Leader' of the boys, the Alpha of the starter zone.
As Haruto walked in, the room went dead silent. Every head turned. Haruto's lean, sharp features and his bored, cold expression were striking, but it was the three Divine Goddesses behind him that caused the real system shock. Their beauty was so 'High-Res' it made the other girls in the room look like blurred background NPCs.
(Haruto's Inner Thoughts:)Level 4. Surrounded by fangirls. This Kenji guy thinks he's the main character of a dating sim. He's got his HUD open just to show off a Level 4 status? Pathetic. He's just another piece of bloated code taking up space in my classroom.
Haruto didn't say a word. He didn't introduce himself. He just walked straight to the back of the room—the classic Sovereign's Seat.
As he sat down, his three "Level 6" Goddesses didn't even look at the other seats. They moved with military precision, flanking him on both sides and behind, claiming the surrounding desks as their territory. Ivory sat to his right, her silver hair shimmering; Lustra to his left, her golden eyes scanning the room for threats; and Bellona stood slightly behind
The power dynamic in the room shifted instantly. Kenji's group of girls stopped giggling, staring at the three stunning newcomers with pure envy. The boys looked at Haruto with a mix of confusion and burning jealousy.
Before Haruto could even open his mouth to give a bored response, a girl from the front row stood up. Unlike the judgmental circles around Kenji, she radiated a strange, calming energy. Her hair and eyes were a vibrant, flowing blue—the color of a clear digital sky—and her eyes sparkled with genuine curiosity.
She turned around to face Haruto's group, ignoring the envious glares from the other girls.
"Good morning!" she chirped, her voice as bright as a high-frequency notification.
"I'm Seraphine. My current Level is 4, and my specialty is Elemental Resonance."
She flashed a warm, friendly smile that felt almost out of place in this room full of arrogant elites, her voice echoing through the silent room.
"Since you've decided to join us, why don't you introduce yourselves? Name and current Level, please."
Haruto stepped forward first, his face a mask of pure boredom.
"Haruto. Level 1."
The shift in the room was physical. The other students didn't even bother to hide their snickers. To them, he was just a "pay-to-win" player with a deep wallet and zero talent.
But then, the three Goddesses stepped up.
"Ivory. Level 6."
"Lustra. Level 6."
"Bellona. Level 6."
The classroom erupted into a frantic hum of whispers.. Three Level 6 students in a single first-year class was unheard of—it was a goldmine for the Academy's reputation. Every boy in the room sat up straighter, their eyes glued to the three girls, completely ignoring the "weakling" who had introduced himself first.
"Oh..." Seraphine whispered, her bright smile faltering for a split second.
"So... you're the Level 1 everyone was talking about. I see."
She quickly regained her composure, nodding politely, but her eyes softened with a look that Haruto hated more than any insult: Genuine Pity. To her, Haruto was a tragic figure—a weakling who had to surround himself with titans just to survive the first day.
Suddenly, a cold, crystal-clear voice echoed inside Haruto's skull, bypassing his ears entirely.
『 do not be deceived by her friendly exterior. She feels sorry for you. Her resonance is picking up your 'low-level' signal and she views you as a fragile object that needs protection. Really. 』
Haruto nearly jumped out of his skin. He looked sharply at Ivory, who was standing perfectly still, her face a mask of indifference.
(Haruto's Inner Thoughts:)Telepathy? Since when did Ivory have a private messaging system? I didn't see that in her basic skill-set. Wait... if she can read the 'vibe' of the room and beam it directly into my brain, then it is very useful.
He looked back at Seraphine, who was still looking at him with those "sad puppy" eyes.
『 Also 』 Ivory's voice rang in his head again, a hint of dry amusement in her tone. 『 I can read her mind because her mental resonance is wide open. She's wondering if she should offer to tutor you so you don't 'die' during the time here.』
Haruto sighed, leaning back in his seat.
(Haruto's Inner Thoughts:)If the 'Girl' thinks I'm a charity case, it's the perfect cover. Let them pity the Level 1. It makes the 'System Crash' so much more satisfying when it finally happens.
Haruto didn't stay for the applause. Without saying another word, he walked up the tiered stone steps and slumped into the back-row chair. He rested his chin on his hand, looking out the window, already waiting for the day to end.
The three Goddesses didn't even look at the other students. Like a synchronized guard unit, they followed him to the back. effectively walling him off from the rest of the class.
The heavy oak doors creaked shut, and a woman stepped toward the obsidian chalkboard. She was sharp, composed, and wore spectacles that seemed to scan the room like an antivirus program.
"My name is Professor Elara," she began, her voice dropping into a formal, lecturing tone that echoed through the silent room.
"I will be your lead instructor for the coming year. My job is to mold you into perfect adventurers—to teach you everything from Mana-Circuitry to Lethal Combat. If you survive my curriculum, you might actually stand a chance in the real world."
She adjusted her glasses, her gaze cutting through the rows of students.
"Whoever is Haruto. Please stand up."
Haruto sighed, slowly pushing himself out of his seat. Every eye in the room followed him, the whispers starting up again like background static.
"The requirement for Class 1-A is a minimum of Level 4," Elara stated, her eyes narrowed behind her lenses.
"We move fast here. If we decide to enter the 4th Layer for practical field training and your level hasn't increased by then, you will be grounded. You'll stay behind in Allesta while the rest of the class advances."
The room erupted into snickers. Kenji leaned back, smirking at his friends. They saw Haruto as a "Temporary User" who was about to be kicked from the server.
"Quiet!" Elara snapped, slamming her ledger onto the desk. The sound was like a thunderclap.
"There is no reason to laugh. Even those of you at Level 4 could be grounded if we decide to push into Layer 5. In this class, you either evolve or you get left behind in the archives."
She looked back at Haruto, her expression unreadable. "Consider this your first warning, Haruto. In the Allesta Academy, your gold might buy you a seat, but it won't buy you the strength to survive the 4th Layer."
The teacher adjusted her spectacles and let out a long, contemplative hum.
"Soo.. welcome to your first day at Allesta Village Primary Academy," she began again.
"Before we begin our first class, you must understand where you are. This is not a playground. This building was built four hundred years ago to guard the Mana Rift that lies beneath this village."
She walked across the front of the room, her boots clicking sharply on the stone.
"You are here in the elite track because you have potential. But potential is an 'evil' if it isn't used correctly, so to avoid that our school follows the Triple Pillar System that is Strength, Strategy, and Stability. If you fail in even one of these, you will be moved to the Labor Track by the end of the month."
Haruto's ears twitched at the mention of "evil" ." He looked at the teacher, wondering if she was just using metaphors or if she actually understood how "interesting" this world really was.
"In this school," Elara continued, her eyes narrowing as she looked toward the back row,
"Your Level isn't just a number. It's your social status. It dictates where you eat, where you sleep, and who you are allowed to speak to. Level 1s..."
she paused, giving Haruto a pointed look,
"...are usually expected to be silent observers where else level 4 are used to contribute and level 5 or higher are expected to lead."
—-------------------------------------------------------------------------
The first day at Allesta Academy wasn't filled with magical duels or grand adventures—it was filled with the exhausting, suffocating reality of social hierarchy.
Professor Elara spent the rest of the afternoon outlining the strict rules of the fortress: where they could walk, the curfews of the village, and the grueling expectations of the Elite Track. For Haruto, it felt like a never-ending tutorial level that he couldn't skip. He spent most of the time leaning his head on his hand, staring out at the clouds, his Level 1 status making him practically invisible to the faculty.
Whenever the bell rang for a break, the quiet atmosphere of Class 1-A shattered.
A swarm of students—mostly boys from the upper levels and even some curious second-years—crowded around the back corner. They didn't even look at Haruto. They treated him like a piece of furniture that happened to be in the way.
"Ivory, right? I'm from a merchant family in the capital, maybe we could study together?"
"Lustra, you have to tell us—how did you hit Level 6 so young?"
"Bellona, would you like to see the training grounds? A warrior of your caliber shouldn't be sitting in this dusty corner."
The Goddesses were polite but ice-cold. They didn't move an inch from their "wall" around Haruto. Every time someone tried to slide a chair closer or offer a gift, Ivory would confuse them with some complex talk. Bellona would give them a look so sharp it could cut stone, and Lustra would simply turn her back.
Just as Haruto was about to head for the exit, a flash of blue hair caught his eye. Seraphine hadn't left with the rest of Kenji's fan club. She walked up the stone steps toward the back row, her expression soft and genuinely concerned.
"Haruto?" she called out, her voice gentle.
Haruto stopped. He didn't turn around immediately, maintaining his bored, "Level 1" persona.
"Do you need something?"
"I just... I wanted to say, don't let Professor Elara's words get to you," she said, standing a respectful distance from the 'Goddess Wall.'
"The Academy can be brutal about Levels, but everyone deserves a quality education. You shouldn't be left behind just because your Mana-Core is slow to start."
She stepped a bit closer, looking directly into Haruto's eyes.
"If you need help with the theory or the Layer-4 prep... I'm a Level 4 specialist in Resonance. I could tutor you. No credits required. I just don't think anyone should be 'grounded' in their first month."
(Haruto's Inner Thoughts:)There it is. The 'Heroine Sub-routine.' She thinks I'm a broken file that needs repairing. It's almost sweet. If I accept, I get a perfect social shield. If I refuse, I stay a mysterious loner.
Haruto glanced at three girls, then back at Seraphine. He gave a small, non-committal shrug.
"I appreciate the offer, Seraphine," Haruto said, his voice flat.
"But I'm pretty good at 'Self-Correction.' Let's see how the first practical exam goes. If I'm still 'lagging' behind, maybe I'll give you a call."
Seraphine looked a bit surprised by his confidence, but she nodded, a small smile returning to her face. "Fair enough. Just know the offer stands. See you Haruto!"
As she walked away, Lustra leaned in close to Haruto's ear.
"She's nice... but her kindness It's too bright. It hurts my eyes."
Haruto glanced at lustra, then back at Seraphine. "Its rare"
But Haruto didn't even get a second to process the silence. The moment Seraphine cleared the path, the "Thirst Protocol" of the class activated. Two or three guys, who had been hovering nearby like vultures, finally plucked up the courage to approach the 'Goddess Wall.'
"Excuse me... Lustra?" one of them stammered, holding out a high-grade mana-snack.
"I noticed your aura was a bit... intense. Would you like to—"
"Hey, I have an extra seat at the Table!" another cut in, completely ignoring Haruto as if he were a piece of furniture.
"A Level 6 shouldn't be hanging around the back row with a... well, you know."
Lustra didn't even look at them. Her expression went from 'pouting child' to 'Divine Executioner' in 0.4 seconds. The air around her began to heat up, the wooden desks nearby starting to creak under the thermal pressure.
Haruto let out a long, exhausted groan. He looked at the guys, then at the desks, and finally at the ceiling.
"Ugh," Haruto muttered, rubbing his temples.
"This is why I hate 'Multiplayer'. Too much noise, too many annoying NPCs."
He didn't bother arguing. He didn't even try to defend his status. Instead, he just folded his arms on his desk, buried his face in them, and closed his eyes.
"Better if I just go to sleep," Haruto's muffled voice came from under his arms.
"Wake me up when the 'Break' is over or when these bugs stop buzzing. I'm out."
By the time the final bell rang, Haruto's name hadn't been spoken once by another student. To the school, he was just the "lucky kid" or the "invisible Level 1." He was the background character in his own life, while the three girls were being treated like celebrities.
As the crowds finally thinned out and the hallway noise faded, Haruto stood up and stretched, his joints popping.
"Well," Haruto muttered, looking at the empty chalkboard.
"Day one down. Nobody knows I exist, and everyone wants to marry you three. I'd say that's a successful 'stealth' mission."
Ivory looked at him, her eyes soft with a bit of guilt.
"They're idiots, Haruto. They see the numbers, but they don't see the Power."
While Haruto looked completely unfazed, the "Goddess Wall" behind him looked like it was about to crash. Lustra was literally rubbing her temples, her aura dimmed by the sheer annoyance of being stared at for eight hours. Bellona looked like she wanted to unsheathe her sword just to clear a path through the "Thirst Protocol" of the male students. For them, fame was a heavy burden; for Haruto, boredom was his natural environment.
Haruto just shrugged, a small, tired smirk on his face.
"It's fine. It's easier to complete a mission and level up when nobody sees you coming. Now, let's get out of here. We have a 'haunted' mansion to move into, remember?"
The girls' faces immediately dropped. The "Goddess Wall" crumbled as they remembered the creepy, 10 G-Credit ruin they were supposed to sleep in tonight.
As the heavy, enchanted gates of Allesta Academy groaned swung shut behind them. Haruto stepped out into the evening air, his eyes scanning the horizon for the familiar gold-trimmed silhouette of the Royal Carriage.
But the road was empty. No horses, no ornate cart, and definitely no Kobi leaning against a wheel with a cheerful whistle.
Haruto stood there for a second, his hand still hovering as if to signal a driver who wasn't there. A small flicker of disappointment—a minor "User Interface Error"—crossed his face. He had actually started to enjoy the VIP treatment.
"No Kobi?" Haruto muttered, his voice flat. He kicked a loose stone on the gravel path.
"I guess the 'Premium Subscription' doesn't cover the after-school pickup. Disappointing. My 'Laziness' was really looking forward to those velvet seats."
"We can wait for another cart," Bellona offered.
"No," Haruto sighed, shaking his head and adjusting the strap of his bag. "It's fine. We'll walk. It fits the 'Level 1' aesthetic anyway. A mysterious boy shouldn't be too predictable."
He started walking, his hands in his pockets, his red and black striped shirt fading into the shadows of the setting sun. Behind him, the three Goddesses followed in their usual unbreakable formation.
To any onlooker, it was a strange sight—a bored-looking boy walking through the dust, flanked by three legendary beauties who looked like they belonged in a palace.
(Haruto's Inner Thoughts:)Actually, this is better. Walking through the village gives me a chance to map the local area. I need to see the layout of the streets, the guard rotations, of the district near our new mansion. If Kobi had driven us, I would've missed the 'Environmental Data'.
As they left the Academy district and headed toward the older, darker part of the village, the air began to turn cold. The cheerful chatter of students was replaced by the eerie rustle of dead leaves and the distant, heavy thrum of the "Gothic" territory.
"Look on the bright side," Haruto said, glancing back at the worried faces of the girls.
"The more we walk, the more everyone thinks I'm just a poor Level 1 who lost his carriage. Let them believe this is real... right until then"