“El Regis, please stand up and answer the question I just asked.”
From the podium, the white-bearded old mage’s stern rebuke snapped El Regis out of his tangled thoughts and back to reality.
The other students in the classroom began to whisper among themselves, and those who usually had a bone to pick with El snickered with glee.
To dare zone out in the class of none other than the Empire’s most renowned mage, the “Sage” Anthony—this was going to be a show.
El rose unhurriedly, recalled the old mage’s question, and replied, “Rapid chanting, in the context of micro-magic, refers to using one’s own mana to suppress the external ether particles in the environment, thus accelerating the formation of magic.”
As expected of the second-year’s top student, a master who scores full marks in magic theory—at this moment, this was the only thought left in most students’ minds.
“Learning never ends. Humility is one of the most important qualities for a mage. Please, sit down.”
The old mage nodded, speaking mildly, as if he had anticipated this outcome, and continued with his lecture.
“Thank you for your guidance,” El replied with proper etiquette, then returned to his seat.
After that, El didn’t lose focus again, not even accepting the little notes his classmates passed him from the side. Time seemed to fly by under his concentration.
The melodious chime from the academy’s tower rang out. The old mage announced the end of class, and the students packed their things, leaving the classroom one after another.
“El, something’s really off with you today. I’ve never seen you lose focus in a magic class.”
The voice belonged to the handsome, blond youth, Karen Fitzyat, eldest son of the Grand Duke of the Empire’s eastern region, El’s close friend, and—barring any surprises—his future liege.
Honestly, calling it “losing focus” was already being kind. After all, he’d managed to annoy even the good-tempered Anthony enough to be called out in front of the whole class.
“I didn’t sleep well last night. Some things have happened lately, so I really wasn’t in the mood to pay attention today,” El said, gathering his things from the desk and rubbing his aching brow.
“If you’re facing some difficulty, let everyone help. Don’t try to shoulder it alone,” Karen said with concern.
“It’s just a rather private matter, but thank you for the thought. I’m sure I can handle it.”
Seeing this, Karen didn’t press further. He’d always trusted his friend’s judgment—El was never one to act recklessly.
Still… just thinking about it gave El a headache.
Just yesterday, he’d discovered a stack of manuscripts in his own room.
That alone was enough to be terrifying. Who could possibly bypass all the barriers surrounding his estate and, under the very nose of that absurdly powerful maid of his, leave something behind in his room?
If someone could sneak a pile of useless papers into El’s room, they could just as easily plant an Alchemical Bomb that could put him in grave danger.
Setting aside the security risk, those papers themselves were a headache.
In simple terms, they told a story.
The gist: a penniless, ordinary girl enters the Royal Academy of Magic, and through her good character and a series of fortunate encounters, makes many friends and eventually becomes a legend.
El recognized most of the characters in the story—in other words, it was a “Script” based on reality. It seemed that, in another world, reality was meant to follow this script.
A very typical, dull, clichéd tale. El had seen similar plots at least a hundred times in other hero epics, if not a thousand.
But the key point—El was cast as a villain in this story.
That’s right. Almost every hero faces trouble from a few petty, malicious characters before they rise. These people are shortsighted and vile, but usually start with higher social status.
When he was young, El had always hated those kinds of characters, wishing he could hurry up and take them down in place of the protagonist.
He never expected that, in this script, he’d be one of them.
Completely useless, fierce only in appearance but weak inside, bullying others with his status, despised by other nobles yet only daring to vent on commoners.
Both on and off stage, nothing more than a fool to set off the protagonist’s nobility and virtue.
El felt no connection at all to this role. In reality, he was courteous and polite, handsome, a genius in magic held in high regard by the Sage, a well-known figure among the nobility, someone nearly everyone wanted to befriend as the Empire’s rising star.
The Regis Family was considered a prestigious house in the Empire’s eastern region, holding a vast and prosperous Count’s Domain, its power ranking among the best in the Empire.
Otherwise, how else could he be friends with the duke’s son?
Though El doubted the script’s authenticity, it didn’t stop him from deciding to test it.
The script’s origins were suspicious, but it wouldn’t hurt to give it a try. Whoever gave him that script must be trying to convey something, and he wanted to figure out what it was.
El and Karen walked side by side out of the academic building. The evening glow stained the sky crimson, casting a golden dusk over the Ivory White Ground and the stone pillars.
“Tonight, the student council is gathering at Val Hall. You haven’t forgotten, right?” Karen confirmed.
“Oh, my dear Karen, I’ve completely forgotten about the gathering. In fact, tonight I need to deal with that matter that’s been weighing on my mind. What a pity.”
El exclaimed “in surprise” and shrugged his shoulders.
“We all know each other anyway—help me ask for leave, would you? No one’s going to blame me.”
“Except one person.” Karen’s emerald eyes locked onto El. “You’re still avoiding her, aren’t you, El? That matter is already over—haven’t you forgiven Aurelia yet?”
El fell silent for a moment before replying, “There’s nothing to forgive. I’ve never blamed her. Besides, I really do have something important to take care of.”
“You’d better,” Karen said.
Under that gaze, El felt a little guilty and was about to change the topic when his attention was caught by a petite figure.
The girl in front of him had long, silky ash-white hair that fluttered with even the slightest breeze.
Her bangs covered part of her face, but just looking at her snowy, tender cheeks was enough to tell her beauty.
“Good afternoon, senior.”
Vita bowed to El as she approached. The ribbon at her chest was neat and tidy, her academy uniform just barely covering her knees, revealing smooth, fair calves.
“Oh, appearing here beneath the academic building, are you? Sorry, Karen, looks like we’ll have to part ways here.”
Karen’s eyes widened as he glanced between the two. He’d heard of Vita, but hadn’t expected…
“So the ‘important matter’ is a secret evening rendezvous with a pure-hearted underclassman? This is really…” Karen rubbed his forehead and waved, “Forget it, it’s out of my hands anyway.”
“It’s not like that at all! I need Vita’s help, and we’re just going to do something proper,” El retorted.
“Sure, sure, I believe you.” Karen replied perfunctorily, “Just as long as you know what you’re doing.”
“Well then, I won’t intrude on your little date with this sweetheart.” With that, he walked off on his own.
He was mostly teasing—he trusted El’s character.
“Hey… Sorry, Vita, for making you come all this way. That guy just loves to run his mouth, please don’t take it to heart.”
“It’s all right, senior. I’m happy to help,” Vita replied, her earlobes tinged with pink, her voice soft and sweet, making one’s heart itch.
“No need to be so formal, just call me El. By the way, didn’t we agree to meet at the western outskirts of the academy?”
“Because… I wanted to see you—I mean, see El—sooner.”
Vita shyly lowered her gaze, but her long hair covered most of her movement.
Is she just eager to get this over with? El wondered, then said, “Let’s head over early, then. I’ll try my best to get you back to your dorm before curfew. If I can’t, I’ll take responsibility.”
At that, Vita ducked her head even lower. “A-all up to El.”
Can’t see anything unusual… Is my judgment off? El frowned, unsatisfied with his own perception.
The petite girl before him was the very protagonist described in the script he’d received: the Empire’s future strongest, the hero who would slay demons, the lover of countless sons and daughters of destiny, the Sword Saint of the Stars—Vita.
And also… the one who would one day kill him.