As dozens of parallel lines of reddish-orange sunlight shone through the blinds, I opened my eyes with some struggle. Old habits die hard, and like in my past life, I took a little too much time to get out of bed, my body saying it wants “five more minutes” when it actually wants an hour more. Yet, I could not give in to the demands, I needed to collect my things. While they might not kick me out first thing, by midday I needed to get my things together and exit here. 

Looking like a zombie, my half-awake consciousness finally took stock of my bedroom. For all of the bark that Vir growled, his personal space was sparse and somewhat depressing. It was a stock dorm room around perhaps twelve feet long and eight feet wide. The wooden bed was snuggled into the back left corner and took up the most square footage, covering a little less than a quarter of the room. In the back left stood a desk with some papers and a magical lantern on it with an accompanying uncomfortable looking wooden chair that was rather short compared to the height of the desk, clearly repurposed for whatever reason. Next was a wardrobe with only two other sets of clothing other than what I had on right now. Both felt as if they were trying a little too hard to be fancy, coming off as gaudy with the over designing. It was clear what I had on was his “practical” clothing for the duel, a black undershirt, leather shoes, and pants. Replaced by the gambeson during the fight with Justin, a Prussian blue double-breasted military-style jacket covered my torso now.

Next was the drawers of the desk. Of the three, the top held some school supplies, the middle textbooks, and the bottom a sea of letters that were just stuffed inside. Most seemed from my own family, particularly my great grandmother. Although her’s were rather overbearing and excessively sweet, the rest of my family were not so warm. My father was throwing empty threats to cut his allowance in bursts whenever Vir did shit, never having the heart to actually go through with it I suspect. My eldest brother alternated between begging me to stop and hinting towards my possible disownment from the family once he inherits, taking the step that our father dare not to. My second eldest brother has only sent two letters with trivial conversation with subtle undertones of loathing. It felt like if not for appearance sake (To make our house seem more united than it is), he would rather not even think of my existence. My younger sister is the only one to not mince words, telling me directly I would be beaten black and blue next year (When she reaches the required age of eighteen to enroll) if I did not clean up my act. Of all of them, I could not help but respect the balls of my younger sister yet also dread the hell I would face once I got home. But… It was not like it was more horrible than what was going to happen here.

I quickly found the money that the former Vir uncreatively stored underneath his bed. I found there were around eleven coppers and three silvers, chump change for a noble. Of course, I knew no matter how disliked I was by my relatives, they could not have me live on a peasant’s wealth, so it had to have been spent on god knows what. With the distance, it would cost at least a gold coin if I bartered perfectly, but what I had now had to do. I could secure the rest of the money while I travel, hunting monsters or doing errands for the various adventurer guilds. My blue blood status was sure to make the registration process a breeze and the rewards generous (As to not piss off the nobility) so the only problem was the hunting part, actually killing something. Sure, everyone is a murderer in some way, killing bugs and critters accidently underneath our feet or consuming the flesh of a dead creature bought at a supermarket, but I never willingly ended another being’s life. It is something one has to get accustomed to, especially in a world of sword and magic where you have to get up close and personal. It is not like killing someone with a gun at range where one only has to pull a trigger, I will have to see the colour in their eyes drain firsthand as they choke on their own blood. But it was a hurdle I would have to jump in this violent world where the reaper is just around the corner.

Yet the problem at hand was far less dramatic, I needed to pack this all up. Vir only had a satchel for his belongings and all of this was not going to fit. The school materials and textbooks were a must so I could give them to my younger sister. As a just graduated university student in my former life, I just could not just throw them away knowing the potential titanic costs spent on them. I would not even wish my greatest enemy to have to buy all the overpriced shit one has to buy for their education. This left the letters to have to be left behind or, more accurately burned, so no one could use my terrible relationship with my family against me. Although my conflict with my relatives probably was quietly understood, having hard evidence like this was bound to get me or my family blackmailed. The only ones I saved were the ones from my great grandmother, my body simply refusing the thought.

Leaving everything else behind temporarily, I stuffed the mass of envelopes into my satchel to take out to the forest in the academy’s monster hunting grounds out west where the academy currails weak monsters for the students to hone their skills on. I had no idea where Vir stashed his weaponry so I went in weaponless, yet contrary to my worries, my entrance was easy, eerily so. I expected to have to dodge some creatures to find a clearing suitable to build a fire, but nothing. The only noise I could hear was the rustling of leaves as trees swayed in the wind.

It was then I saw two golden eyes staring at me. If I did not notice the rest of her after, I would have sworn she was a predator on the hunt. It was the princess. She was wearing her usual attire, a green dress with plenty of frills. She quite enjoyed the colour, all her clothing being some shade of it if I remember right, at least all her available armour was. She never wore proper armour, the text box said things were “improper” but I’d hazard a guess it was only to be protected by the protagonist more.

She took the lead catching me by ambush, beginning the conversation as she drew nearer.

“So Vir, I have heard you have turned in your documents to drop out.”

I dropped to a kneel, my eyes planted squarely at the ground. If she was here “alone,” her bodyguards must be here too watching for any sort of aggression or disrespect. This was reality now, not a game. No one in their right mind would let a royal go into the wilderness alone, even in a controlled environment of pathetic monsters. 

“I greet the descendant of the dragons, Princess Ivetta Saissaynyr. You are correct, Princess, I have seen the errors of my ways and chosen to withdraw from my education here.”

A long silence ensued as I waited for her response, well except for my beating heart… I hate this body.

“You may raise your head, loyal subject.”

Looking up, my heart seemed to thrash against my insides excitedly just for a wave of shame to attempt to crush me, yet I suppressed the emotions, keeping a neutral demeanour about me. Fuck Vir, what are you? A puppy dog in trouble with his master? Why did I have to feel this for this bitch? One, she is way out of your league in just social standing. Two, she’s wacko and you don’t stick your dick in crazy. Three, she only cares about the protagonist and herself like the yandere she is, I’m nothing but a tool to be used or an obstacle to be removed in her eyes.

I dared not ask her anything, leaving another period of quiet between us as we made eye contact. Her piercing gaze was studying my face blankly until a momentary tiny frown appeared on her face for a second.

“I thought you would be in worse condition, yet I see no such thing. I truly admire how fast you have come to peace with your situation.”

Although her face showed nothing but detached serenity, I could swear I sensed a slight frustration in her voice. But… What would she be so vexed about? I, the first roadblock, is exiting stage left. She does not need to concern herself with me anymore. This is the outcome she wanted.

“This subject is undeserving of such praise, Princess. I am truly humbled.”

Her left hand twitched unconsciously, half forming the construct of some sort of spell on instinct before rapidly letting it fizzle out once realising her actions. Both of us came to a silent understanding to not say anything about what just happened with just a glace. Shit. Shit. Shit. That was close. If she attacked me, it did not even matter if I could beat her, her hidden guardians would finish me before I could even react to them.

“Seems it is about time to leave. I cannot afford to be late to my classes. It would simply not be proper for me, so forgive me."

Only if she cared about being a good person internally rather than externally, I sneered in my mind.

“I am honoured to be graced by your presence, even if just for a moment. I hope our paths cross in the future.”

On my hollow words, she passed by me, yet if for but a second, I saw a wolfish grin spread across her face in the corner of my eye. I refused to stand until the crunch of leaves and foliage left my ears. Something told me I needed to leave with haste.

After ten or so minutes, I completed the first step of my mission, finding a clearing. Trying to conjure fire magic. Instinctually, an energy travelled from my heart to the tip of my index finger. It was a strange experience, feeling like just another part of me. It did not feel like anything, yet I knew exactly where it was like a fifth limb. I knew the exact amount it withdrew from my heart too, despite being just a drop in the bucket of the swirling mass of mana in my chest. Around my pointer finger rotated a ring of red indecipherable runes, but I soon knew what they meant as a small fire was birthed a few inches from the tip of my finger. One by one, I made sure the letters were but ash in the wind, leaving nothing to be reconstructed. With but a thought, both the runes and flame disappear. I must admit, I was a little giddy about my first time using magic, who wouldn’t honestly? On my way back, my mind was much more caught up thinking about the possibilities of magic than my earlier worries with the princess.

Finally, I collected what was left in my room and turned in my keys to the same help desk that gave me them. Taking in the scenery one last time, I stepped across the front gate making me a dropout officially. Now, I needed to ask permission to go back inside, something that would not be easily granted to someone like Vir.

What was outside was a town, although it was mostly students who walked it. Most of the property out here was owned by various merchant companies wanting to syphon the coin out of naive, young nobles with little sense of money. Cafes serving only the most exotic teas and coffees, smithies selling weaponry that are more form than function, clothing stores with elaborately crafted garments, this was but a few examples of what this town, Zanuda (Named after the founder of the academy). There was all that an aristocrat could possibly want. Yet on the flip side, it was a unique hell for commoners who made up most of the actual workforce. Some snot nosed brat could ruin their lives if they committed some “transgression” against the “natural order.” Of course, the richer commoners of the merchantry who owned the establishments can leverage their wealth and services to resist the blue bloods, but the poor folks, so easily replaceable, do not have such protections. Life here is a tightrope act for them, having to do their job while the customers can literally decide their life or death depending on rank. Giving concessions to satiate them while not giving too much to upset their employers.

But my focus was squarely on the edge of town to a certain establishment, Haxxe Transport Services, to buy a spot on a wagon going to a nearby city that along the route I needed to travel to get home. Sliding over two silver coins, the receptionist, who was a rather buff and menacing man dressed in a suit, did not even say a word, only staring at the coins for a moment before sliding back one of my silvers. Seeing my confusion, he only spoke the word, “Discount.” Maybe he knew my reputation? I could see students gossiping about me while travelling, entering the ears of the wagon driver and then, by workplace gossip, his ears. But he did not seem the type to bend easily with the sheer power he gave off. But… I am not one to look a gift horse in the face. Less money spent now meant less I needed to earn later on. Writing it off as just old Vir’s fault once more, I soon hopped onto an empty wagon save for one. It was the middle of the day afterall, all the customers were in class or wandering campus. My companion was not a stand out sort, looking extremely average, with chestnut brown hair and eyes. He seemed an adventurer, cradling a sheathed long sword in his arms. His bright grin and shoddy leather armour told me he was a newbie, probably just passing through the town.

“Howdy! I’m Salamur, who are ya?”

Author's Note

I've been gone for a bit since family sprang stuff on me, putting me in a difficult place having to allot time for them while making it up to my work for changing schedule last second. I won't promise to be anymore regular since I know its a promise I know I can't keep, but don't think I've given up on this.