A warm spring sun shining on a new semester.
This time of year feels like a festival for everyone.
Take a closer look!
Freshmen, returning students, and even professors wander around campus with excitement, creating opportunities to meet new people.
But as for me…
“Ugh, catching up on the syllabus is brutal.”
Unable to enjoy youth, I was holed up in the dorms, endlessly absorbing theories.
“Why did this kid suddenly show up with extra tutoring, seriously?”
The first project I initiated after transmigrating.
The name?
Operation Heroine Full Power Boost!
As the story progresses, it hits rock bottom in terms of despair.
This was my idea to survive, even if just a little.
“Why did I have to end up in such a crazy novel…?”
The boldness to kill off every character without a shred of hope was just the beginning.
Power balance was utterly destroyed, making the enemies ridiculously overpowered.
And to make it worse, it masqueraded as a romance-fantasy novel while nearly all the heroines were killed off by the end.
“Ah, my rotten luck…”
The only ones aiding the protagonist are the heroines.
There are supporting characters who occasionally help, but they all end up as cold corpses after a few chapters.
“Oh, it’s already time.”
Today, despite it being the weekend, I planned to study at the library.
And, of course, the person I’d be studying with was a heroine.
* * *
“Did you wait long?”
“No, I just got here too.”
One of the official beauties of Arcane, Winstred Sylvia.
As the eldest daughter of the Winstred Duke family, a founding family of the empire, she was admired for her strong reputation, exceptional skills, and striking beauty, making her a favorite subject of gossip among male students.
She gently brushed aside her long white hair cascading down to her waist and took out a few books from her bag.
“I tried doing it the way Theo taught me, but I couldn’t solve this one…”
“What is it? Show me.”
She was the first heroine I encountered upon entering the academy.
To catch her attention, I tried every possible trick.
Given her indifferent personality, doing things like acing presentations or scoring perfect marks on exams wasn’t enough to get her to notice me.
If not for the lucky encounter in the library, I might not have even exchanged greetings with her yet.
‘…But why is she ahead of the curriculum now?’
In the novel, she was an outstanding student.
However, that was strictly in terms of combat ability.
Her theoretical knowledge was her weak point.
Her one and only complex, despite being recognized as a near-genius in handling magic and battle instincts.
I exploited that by helping her with questions she couldn’t solve, securing the role of “study partner classmate No. 1.”
“Ahem, Sylvia, this one is something the professor said wouldn’t be on the test, though.”
“Still, I got curious. Theo knows everything, so just tell me.”
Sylvia blinked at me with innocent eyes.
“Fine, fine…”
I reluctantly explained the theory I had hastily crammed last night as best as I could.
“Ah, I get it now.”
Worried that my explanation might have been flawed, I held my breath.
But she smiled brightly and thanked me repeatedly.
“Oh, right. Theo, did you hear the news about the freshmen?”
“That rumor about the upperclassman losing?”
“Yeah, apparently they’re super strong.”
Well, of course, they are.
The protagonist of this novel is among them.
‘From the beginning, their skills were exceptional. The problem is their awful personality.’
After the entrance ceremony, I deliberately approached the protagonist.
I played the friendly senior card, offering to show them around campus and subtly dropping information related to the main storyline.
“No thanks. I don’t take advice from people weaker than me.”
After uttering such nonsense, they caused a huge stir shortly after by beating up an upperclassman.
“This idiot. His stubbornness is ridiculously strong.”
I get it.
As a commoner crushing the heirs of noble families with sheer talent, the envy and jealousy must be off the charts.
“Theo? What’s wrong? Your expression is scary.”
“Oh, it’s nothing. Just some unpleasant memories came to mind.”
“Thanks for today. See you in class tomorrow.”
“Yeah, sure.”
After finishing the peer tutoring session, I left the library.
[Presence has increased.]
[EXP +1]
“See? Solid score soup, just as expected.”
A reliable heroine who fills the gap whenever points are needed or presence feels ambiguous.
At this point, I think I can say I’ve gotten fairly close to Sylvia.
***
“Hey, Theo. What’s with that gloomy face of yours?”
“…Gray. You’re back. So, how was your legendary meeting?”
“Ahem, true love is always difficult.”
“Yeah, right. It’s all just dopamine messing with you.”
On the way to the lecture hall, this guy—who drapes his arm around my shoulder from behind—was the first person I got to know after waking up in this world.
The youngest son of a count’s family, living the carefree life of a privileged soul.
At the start of the semester, he even skipped class claiming he had a heartbroken widow waiting for him.
He’s a hopeless hedonist who indulges in a debauched lifestyle, but at least he’s tolerable as a person.
“Hey, your friend over there is glaring at me.”
Following where Gray pointed, I saw a dazzling head of silver hair.
“Are you talking about Sylvia?”
“Yeah.”
“Well…Maybe she has something to say.”
She might want to ask about a problem she got stuck on while solving it alone yesterday.
That’s about the extent of my relationship with Sylvia.
“… Is it lack of experience or low self-esteem?”
“What did you say, punk?”
“Ugh, never mind, idiot. I’m scared, so I’m out. Later!”
Muttering something nonsensical, Gray suddenly sprinted off and disappeared into the lecture hall building.
With a nervous glance around, he vanished like the wind.
I looked around, puzzled by his reaction.
‘Sylvia’s the only one here, though…?’
Aside from exchanging a casual wave with Sylvia, no one else seemed to be paying us any attention.
.
.
.
.
.
“Alright, that’s the basic outline of the course going forward. There are a few key formulas, but… Theo, why don’t you come up and solve this one.”
In the middle of the lecture, it wasn’t uncommon for the professor to call on me.
‘Well, it’s because I know the theory so well.’
Regardless of whether it’s rote memorization or anything else, effort never betrays you.
After all, in this unfamiliar world, I ended up excelling in theory to the top.
“Well done. Everyone, remember Theo’s method. This is the standard.”
The professor, typically stoic, showered me with praise.
At the same time, I felt dozens of sharp gazes lock onto me.
‘Tiring, really tiring.’
Unpleasant stares filled with jealousy and inferiority.
From their perspective, it must be hard to accept that a mere commoner is smarter than they are.
I understand.
Everyone who enters Arcane Academy is a talented young noble.
Though the academy claims to be a place for learning and harmony regardless of status, the reality is different.
Equality?
Harmony?
Just hollow words.
In the end, upon graduation, nobles are in charge, and commoners are subordinates.
Most commoner students try not to provoke the nobility, understanding this dynamic.
But me?
‘I don’t have to bother with that.’
Soon, this world will be thrown into chaos.
Whether noble or commoner, they’ll all be swept away; what’s the point of trying to look good to them?
“That’s it for today. Next time, we’ll have a pop quiz, so make sure you’re prepared.”
After the class ended, stepping out into the corridor, I noticed a crowd of students gathering in one place.
‘Ah, must be the rankings posted.’
Arcane was famous for boosting competitiveness by hanging up student rankings like a public notice.
Regardless of social status, students’ potential was judged purely by their rank.
‘Let’s see… Ah, here it is.’
[Theonar – Overall Rank: 975th]
Despite holding the title of being first in theory, I barely escaped a four-digit ranking.
All because my practical scores were trash.
‘Well, it can’t be helped. I didn’t use EXP.’
This body wasn’t entirely without talent.
Even as a commoner, just getting into Arcane was something to be proud of.
However, comparing myself to the elites who had received early education was inevitable.
‘Well, there’s still time.’
It’s only been a week since the entrance ceremony, marking the beginning of the main story.
If this were a novel, the prologue had just ended.
I had plenty of time to spare.
‘Wait a second, isn’t today that day?’
The day when fragmented rumors about the protagonist spread across the entire academy.
The day when every student gathered to confirm the truth.
“Breaking news! The freshman top-ranker is having a duel!”
Sure enough, an extra, probably around number 34 like me, urgently pushed through the crowd, spreading the news.
“Who’s the opponent?”
“A second-year, Kunbero.”
“Oh, now that’s interesting.”
Students who had been crowding around the rankings suddenly rushed off like a swarm of ants, excited by the unexpected spectacle.
‘Looks like it’s true. I might as well go watch too.’
This day would mark the moment the protagonist’s innate talent was proven, sparking interest from the heroines.
‘There are more people than I expected.’
The venue was a training ground tucked away in a corner of the academy.
The crowd was so dense that it was hard to see anything.
“Excuse me! Just a moment…”
I tried to squeeze through the throng to get a better view.
“Guhhh!”
But my feeble body gave out, leaving me stuck in the middle.
I felt suffocated, thinking I might die a pitiful death by being crushed.
“Theo!”
Suddenly, Sylvia appeared nearby and pulled me out.
“Hah… Thanks, Sylvia…”
“Come on, Theo. You’re trying to watch too, right? Let’s go over there together.”
She led me to a spot she claimed had a great view.
It was near the upper section, reserved for high-ranking nobles or faculty members—a prestigious area.
There wasn’t an official seating arrangement, but the oppressive atmosphere there naturally deterred regular students.
“…Sylvia? I don’t think I should be here.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Just sit here already.”
Sylvia quickly sat down and patted the seat next to her.
As I moved closer, a few students gave me dirty looks.
“…Why don’t you focus on the match instead?”
Sylvia’s icy tone silenced them immediately.
‘Well, I guess it’s fine…’
Though I felt like I was sitting on pins and needles under the intense stares, it’d be awkward to leave now.
[Presence increases.]
[EXP +5]
I decided to just think of it as point farming and enjoy it.
When I turned my gaze toward the training ground, I saw a man with blazing blonde hair brushing it back coolly as he checked his equipment.
“He’s disgustingly handsome.”
The combination of his well-built physique, tall height, and good looks was practically a cheat code.
“No wonder the heroines fall for him.”
To top it off, he had a genius-level talent.
It was no surprise that male students looked at him with dissatisfaction.
“The sparring will be conducted by First-Class Professor Carton Fadra. It’s a non-lethal match to lightly gauge each other’s skills. Many eyes are watching, so act without shame.”
Fweeeeet!
With the signal from the announcer, the sparring began.
The protagonist’s opponent was Kunbero, a second-year and my classmate.
Kunbero had a somewhat significant role.
He was the supporting character who constantly caused trouble for the protagonist out of jealousy and envy.
Though he wasn’t completely lacking in skill, his opponent was the protagonist.
Naturally, it was a fight he was bound to lose.
So, I decided not to care too much and just watch comfortably.
Or so I thought…
“Sparring over! Kunbero wins!”
Something unexpected happened.
“…Huh?”
No, it wasn’t just unexpected; the story predetermined in the novel had been overturned.
What kind of absurd situation was this?
The protagonist’s victory was a given, a necessary development for the story to flow as it should.
But that certainty had been shattered absurdly.
‘Ah… I’m screwed.’
I thought the protagonist would handle everything on his own.
But now, was I at the point where even the male leads needed saving?
‘Wait, the heroines.’
Originally, this sparring session was supposed to pique the heroines’ interest.
That was how the story of [Throbbing Arcane Academy!] was supposed to unfold.
When I turned my head to check their reactions, chills ran down my spine.
‘Why…?’
Their gazes weren’t directed at the protagonist or Kunbero.
“Why… are they looking here…?”
The place where the four heroines were looking was none other than…
The extra among extras.
Ranked 975th in the second-year overall rankings:
Theonar.
It was me.