In no time at all, after riding the carriage, I arrived at the prestigious academy as Morione had mentioned.
The first thing I needed to do was to visit the principal's office to get formal recognition of my admission.
With a sense of urgency, I hastened my steps.
"The place is so vast, it's a bit confusing..."
Despite getting a proper explanation about the location of the principal's office, my poor sense of direction had me wandering around.
Eventually, after some effort, I found the building where the principal's office was located. However, the ambiance inside was unusually different.
The moment I stepped in, the surrounding noises silenced abruptly, and an eerie calmness took over.
It felt as though I had stepped into a different world. Without much time to ponder over this feeling, I quickly climbed the stairs and traversed the hallway until I reached the principal's office.
There was a door, simple yet elegantly designed with wood, suggesting the importance of the place behind it.
Driven by the overwhelming silence, I knocked on the door.
In the utterly silent corridor, only the sound of the knock echoed.
The silence was so profound that it felt heavy and solemn...
"Come in."
A gentle voice of a woman from inside broke the stillness, making me swallow nervously.
"Excuse me..."
I cautiously opened the door and stepped into what was clearly marked as the principal's office.
"Ah, you must be the new transfer student?"
Upon entering, what caught my eye was a woman as white as snow.
"I've heard all about the deity you serve. Welcome to La Gris Academy."
She welcomed me with open arms, and from the vast room echoed the sound of her heels.
"By any chance, are you the principal of this academy?"
Her appearance was significantly different from what I had expected, arousing my curiosity.
She responded with a gentle smile to my cautiously phrased question.
"Yes, I am the principal of this academy, Arsiana von Gris. You can call me Arsia for short."
So she was indeed the principal...
I felt a tinge of embarrassment.
"How dare I address the principal by her first name, that's not appropriate."
At my words, she chuckled and lightly touched her lips with her fist.
"You're polite, aren't you? I often get mistaken for a peer since I don't show myself to the students often."
Her words resonated with me, and I nodded in agreement.
The woman claiming to be the principal looked unbelievably young.
Her mature demeanor was clear, but she looked close to my age.
"Still, calling me 'principal' feels a bit formal. Just call me Arsia."
Usually, when one thinks of a principal or a dean, the image that comes to mind is of a stern, wise middle-aged or elderly individual, which made the current situation all the more perplexing.
"But you know, I've lived much longer than the average human lifespan, right? It's just a characteristic of my race to appear young, but in reality, I've lived a full life. Remember that."
Ah... so that was the reason.
Races like elves are known for their longevity, appearing youthful by human standards even when they should be old.
"May I ask what race you belong to?"
However, she declined my question with a playful smile.
"Sorry, but that's a secret. Everyone has at least one secret they want to keep, right?"
Unable to retort, I remained silent.
"Enough with the small talk. Let's get back to the main topic. The goddess Morione asked me to give you this letter."
She then handed me an envelope embossed with a symbol representing the goddess Morione.
"I don't know the contents. I don't make it a habit to pry into other people's belongings."
She handed it to me reassuringly as if telling me not to worry.
"Thank you. I will convey to the goddess that I received her message."
After handing over the letter, Arsia gave me a small note and granted me permission to leave. "I've already taken care of most of the formalities for you, so you can attend the classes from the next session. What's written there is your assigned class, so make sure you find it without getting lost, okay?"
I quickly glance at the note and bow my head in gratitude towards her.
"Thank you. I'll take my leave now."
With a farewell smile from Arsia, I step out of the principal's office.
Arsia, the principal of La Gris Academy.
Although we just met, my first impression of her was of a kind-hearted and understanding individual.
Suddenly!
A grandiose sound echoed, indicating the door had securely closed. I promptly tear open the envelope to read its contents.
Why would Morione, instead of telling me directly in the temple, ask me through a letter?
"To my follower, I entrust a noble task."
The beginning of the letter seemed like a plea for assistance.
"What task would she refer to in such a solemn tone..."
As I skimmed the letter, one line caught my eye.
"The principal of the academy is a heretic. Be wary of her."
The shocking revelation left me breathless. "Starting today, you'll be studying with the freshman named Harold Wicker."
As I entered the classroom in time for the next lesson, the professor briefly introduced me to the students.
Based on gender differences, the students, all dressed similarly, fixated their gaze on me, which felt a bit overwhelming.
"Wicker...It's a name I haven't heard before. Is he not from a noble family?"
"Isn't he a bit stiff? Kind of cute, though."
"Is he not from the royal academy?"
Most of the students seemed to be looking at me with a mix of unfamiliarity and a hint of friendliness, though a few gave me odd looks. But two students stood out in particular.
One girl looked at me with an overwhelming sense of anticipation, while another observed me with clear suspicion. One had silver hair like Arsia, and the other had contrasting, beautiful golden hair.
Both of their reactions were extreme, considering this was our first encounter. Their unwarranted interest made me sweat.
Why were they acting this way? Did they know me? But I had never seen them before...
Suddenly, I heard,
"Speaking of which, today's lesson is about 'Eokryeok', or 'Strategy'. It's good timing to assess the level of the new student."
Lost in thought, I was brought back by the unfamiliar term. The professor instructed,
"Everyone, move to the training ground."
Following the announcement, the students noisily made their way out.
"Harold, you can follow the students. You might not be familiar with the academy's layout yet, but the training ground isn't far. You'll be fine."
Following the professor's advice, I trailed behind the students.
"Hello!"
While walking, someone beside me struck up a conversation.
"Huh?"
I turned to find the girl who had been showing intense interest in me earlier.
"Nice to meet you! You just enrolled in the academy, right?"
She greeted warmly, exuding an aura of kindness and familiarity.
"As you might have heard earlier, my name is Harold, Harold Wicker."
She nodded with a smile and introduced herself.
"I'm Aris Vil Her. I'm the president of the first year! Let's get along well!"
She extended her hand for a handshake with a bright smile, and I reciprocated the gesture.
"Thank you. I'm looking forward to it."
The atmosphere felt heartwarming, a promising start for a newcomer like me.
"If I may brag a bit, I'm the top student in my grade! Of course, if we consider the overall rankings, I'm slightly behind, but I pride myself in the magic department!"
She seemed to be the typical student council president type, overly friendly and generous. From my perspective, her type was not bad at all. Interested in her statement, I nodded and responded accordingly. The atmosphere was warm and friendly for the moment, but it was abruptly interrupted by someone's voice, throwing a dampener.
"Don't act so proud of being the top in self-governance just because I was off guard... Well, anyway, I'll soon snatch that position and push you down to second place, so enjoy it while you can."
The sharp tone pierced through her, instantly lowering the mood.
"Excuse me...?"
"And as for the freshman, I don't know how skilled you are, but you won't surpass me."
The blonde girl, who had been looking at me with a hostile gaze earlier, confronts us.
What did I do to deserve this kind of attitude right from the start? From my perspective, she was a stranger, and I hadn't wronged her in any way. Her aggressive tone was infuriating.
"Who the hell are you to talk to me like that?!"
Unable to contain my frustration, I retorted in a similar tone, but suddenly - *Slap!*
In an instant, a sharp stinging sensation on my cheek made my vision spin.
"What...?"
When I finally grasped the situation, the burning sensation on my cheek made me lose my wits...
"Wha...What...!"
It was clear: the blonde girl had slapped me with all her might.
"What the hell?!"
There's a limit to rudeness. Clearly, she was the one who started it, yet she had the audacity to hit me. My anger was about to boil over.
"What the heck-"
But before I could say another word, I was met with an even more intense situation.
"O...Q...!!!"
Her face was filled with intense hatred, as if looking at an enemy. Her eyes, filled with loathing and gritted teeth, seemed as if she was ready to pounce on me any second.
"How dare you speak to me like that! Do you even know who you're addressing?!"
Suddenly, the corridor's atmosphere turned hostile.
Why was she so enraged now?
"You would've been executed long ago if not for the academy's rules holding me back!"
Judging from her behavior, she seemed to think too highly of herself. Her arrogant demeanor made it hard to pinpoint exactly what was so irritating about her.
In this situation, anyone could see that the villain was this blonde student.
But why...?
Everyone else was looking at me with negative eyes.
Wait, wasn't she the one who started the quarrel?
"Calm down, Your Highness!"
However, a keyword in Aris's words trying to calm her down caught my attention.
Wait... What did Aris just say?
Ha...High...Highness...?
"Let go of this! This ignorant fool dared to disrespect me!"
The shrill scream made me instinctively step back.
"Harold is probably from the countryside and might not recognize the princess. Please, with your vast grace, spare him this once!"
Aris tried to mediate. The blonde girl, with her fierce gaze fixed on me, paused for a moment and then introduced herself clearly.
"I'll forgive you just this once, but engrave this in your mind!"
She stood arrogantly, hands on her hips, and declared in a harsh voice,
"I am Marika Ari Bi On Contera! The first heir to the royal family that will bear the future of this nation!"