First Day Of School

Arcadia Magic Academy was a school with one of the largest campuses in the Magical Kingdom.

In addition to the two large buildings where regular classes were held, it had three laboratory buildings and seven training facilities.

There was a pool for practicing water magic, and a library housing more than ten thousand books.

The teacher guiding me told me that every one of its facilities prided itself on being the finest in the Magical Kingdom.

(As expected of the Magical Kingdom’s most difficult academy, filled with geniuses)

I recalled Vincent saying that, because so many outstanding people graduated from it, it also boasted the largest amount of donations in the country.

“We’re very happy to welcome an outstanding student like Mythia-san. Our school has the greatest history and tradition in the Magical Kingdom, and many of our graduates have gone on to great success. His Highness the First Prince and His Highness the Second Prince also graduated from this academy.”

Said the gentle-looking teacher with glasses.

“It is surely because our school’s culture of absolute meritocracy and competition fosters the students’ independence and draws out every last bit of their abilities. Besides that, most of the ministers and key government officials are also graduates of this school.”

(Just as Vincent said)

Arcadia Magic Academy was an eight-year school, with students entering at age ten (eleven) and graduating at age seventeen (eighteen).

The defining trait of this academy was its thorough meritocracy.

All students were ranked according to their grades, and based on those results, even the class they belonged to changed every two months.

While S-Class was given facilities and an environment comparable to the Magical Kingdom’s highest institution of learning, the lowest-ranked F-Class had to take classes in an inferior environment.

This blatant meritocracy encouraged a competitive spirit in the students and cultivated people who could fight their way through society, but at the same time, the mental burden on students was heavy, and apparently the school also had the highest number of truants and dropouts in the Magical Kingdom.

“Mythia-san, you will be transferred into S-Class. For convenience’s sake, your ranking has been placed at the bottom of S-Class, but with your abilities, there is more than enough possibility for you to rise higher.”

(The very top tier of the most difficult academy… now I’m getting excited)

My heart swelling with anticipation at the thought of being a villainess to my heart’s content, I followed after the teacher.

The S-Class classroom I was shown to was located at the center of the clock tower in the middle of the academy.

Whereas the other classes were placed in the North Wing and the South Wing, every S-Class classroom for every year received special treatment.

The section where the S-Classes of each year stood in a row was as lavish and magnificent as the chambers of royalty and nobility.

“This is it.”

The walnut door opened.

The first-year S-Class, the class I was transferring into, had a distinctive atmosphere hanging over it.

Everyone sat with their backs straight, staring directly at the teacher standing at the lectern.

Their expressions carried the confidence and pride of those who had survived fierce competition.

(Nice. They’re more than worthy opponents)

Beside me, as the corners of my lips lifted, the teacher said,

“Let me introduce our new transfer student.”

Prompted by that, I wrote my name on the blackboard.

“My name is Mythia Lumiore. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

I raised my head after giving a graceful bow.

There was not the slightest trace of friendliness in that group of cold eyes.

They were gazes as if looking at an enemy.

(More hostility than I imagined…)

A sight unique to a school of absolute meritocracy.

A tense atmosphere.

And yet, precisely because of that, my heart was pounding with excitement.

(This is exactly the same situation as when a villainess is viewed with suspicion in noble society!)

It was a reaction that came precisely because I was recognized as someone strong.

(It seems everyone is intimidated by my overwhelming aura)

Keeping a composed expression, I sat in the seat that had been prepared for me.

Thus began my first day of academy life.

And the content of the classes went beyond the level I had imagined.

The teachers naturally skipped explanations, so merely keeping up took all I had.

Even break time was over before I knew it while I was busy organizing the information I wanted to keep in my notes.

(As expected of S-Class at the most difficult academy. It’s got some bite to it)

Wearing the fearless smile of a villainess that I had practiced, I copied the contents of the blackboard into my notebook.

“Sorry, don’t erase it. I’m still in the middle of taking notes.”

said the boy sitting in the seat in front of me to the girl on duty who was about to erase the blackboard.

(Thank goodness. I’m not done writing either)

As I was thanking him in my heart, the girl on duty said to the boy,

“Sorry, but there’s no time.”

The girl on duty erased the blackboard without mercy.

(Hm. What a harsh world)

The classroom was filled with a prickly atmosphere.

There seemed to be some close-knit groups, but there also seemed to be many students who, as rivals, were ready to drag others down at the first opportunity.

(They’re so obsessed with competition that they’ve lost sight of what really matters as human beings. I’m getting excited just thinking about how rewarding it’ll be to blow them away)

With a grin on my face, I thought about how I, as a villainess, ought to act.

(For now, I should prepare some villainess-like responses for when someone talks to me)

With perfect preparations in place, I waited for one of my classmates to speak to me.

But unexpectedly, even when break time came, no one spoke to me.

Everyone seemed too busy getting ready for the next class.

(It doesn’t look like anyone has any room to spare for caring about other people)

On top of that, since classes were reshuffled every two months, having unfamiliar students in class probably was not anything special to them.

Maybe they also thought there was no point in getting close if they would just end up in different classes in two months.

The morning classes passed in the blink of an eye.

Then came lunch break.

The clock tower had a cafeteria exclusively for S-Class, and many students ate here.

(Eating alone would be kind of dull. Is there someone I could eat with?)

Among the upperclassmen passing by, I looked for someone from the same class.

The one who caught my eye was a girl who sat diagonally in front of me in class.

Tall and giving off a mature impression, she carried an urban, stylish air.

Softly curling hair, and a necklace peeking out at her neck.

She had an atmosphere that felt a little hard to approach, almost like a delinquent, and in my mind I called her the Cool Beauty.

(That bad-girl vibe makes a favorable impression on someone like me who wants to become a villainess. And she seems to be alone, so this is a huge chance)

Holding a tray with the “Luxurious S-Class Exclusive Lunch” on it, I approached and spoke to her.

“May I eat with you?”

The Cool Beauty looked up.

As I thought, She really was beautiful, I admired inwardly, when she said in a chilly voice,

“Why do I have to eat with you?”

A piercing gaze. An intense hostility that would probably frighten an ordinary girl into backing down.

And yet, I could not help feeling my heart race.

(This girl has high villainess power!)

Could it be that she had the same tastes as me?

Or perhaps she was the academy’s villainess-type noble girl.

Suppressing my excitement, I carefully chose my words.

“Because I want to eat with you.”

“Why?”

“Because I thought you were the one most suited to me.”

The Cool Beauty looked at me suspiciously.

It was as if she were trying to see through something behind me.

Then, after letting out a deep breath, she said,

“You should stop, transfer student. I’m an outcast in class.”

It was an unexpected thing to hear.

I thought she was the most fashionable one in class and had the best sense.

“Why are you an outcast?”

“My father caused trouble and got arrested.”

“Trouble?”

“Something like handing out money behind the scenes. Well, I like being alone anyway, and I don’t need friends or anything.”

She said it in a fed-up voice, then continued.

“If you’re going to talk to someone, make it that girl at the table by the window. She’s rare for S-Class—a kind girl who’s actually a decent human being.”

I looked at the girl she indicated with her gaze.

She was a girl with gentle-looking drooping eyes.

She seemed like she probably had lots of friends, and certainly, if I spoke to her, she would probably let me into her circle of close friends.

After thinking for a moment, I said,

“I understand. I’ll eat with you, then.”

“…Huh?”

The Cool Beauty turned a dubious look toward me.

“Were you even listening? I’m saying I don’t want to eat with you.”

Her tone was dismissive.

But that was exactly why I liked her.

Even though she was in the painful position of being isolated in class, she was still trying to guide me, the new transfer student, toward the best choice.

Behind that deliberate attempt to make herself disliked, I could sense kindness and inner strength.

More than anything, if you were going to be friends with a graceful villainess, it was far better to be hated than to be popular.

“It doesn’t matter what you say or what anyone thinks of you. I like you.”

I said that as I sat down in the seat across from her.

“I’m Mythia Lumiore. And you are?”

The Cool Beauty’s name was Kate Filthlet.

“No, seriously, that makes no sense. You should absolutely stop.”

Kate was prickly and reacted without the slightest shred of friendliness.

But when I kept stubbornly talking to her and saying, “I like you,” in the end, she allowed me to eat with her.

“You really are weird.”

Kate taught me all sorts of things about the academy.

The noble society mindset that valued academic background and magical aptitude above all else strongly influenced the formation of their children’s personalities as well, and everyone studied frantically to raise their rank within the school.

The North Wing, where Classes A through C were lined up, was also called the Upper Tier, while the South Wing, where Classes D through F were lined up, was called the Lower Tier.

“Especially since there’s a practical exercise in spell activation and control this weekend. The results of that exercise will also affect the class reshuffle at the end of next month.”

“That sounds kind of rough.”

“It really is.”

After sighing, Kate said,

“You seem pretty relaxed about it, Mythia.”

“Even if your grades are bad, a person’s worth isn’t measured by something like that.”

At my words, Kate widened her eyes.

“But if you’re already bottom of the class rankings, then you’re in an even worse situation if you don’t produce results.”

“Really?”

“If you fall to A-Class, people will talk behind your back about how you’ve fallen from grace.”

“What is that? How nasty…”

“That’s the kind of people they all are. Their parents love academic pedigree, and they think school grades determine a child’s worth. They brag to everyone around them as if their child being in this academy’s S-Class were their own achievement, and at the same time they pressure their child by saying you absolutely must not fall. These kids were raised as the children of parents like that. Of course their personalities turn rotten.”

Kate shrugged and continued.

“We’re in S-Class, where the most outstanding students at the most difficult school gather. Just being enrolled here gives them honor and prestige they can brag about to everyone, and that’s why the parents are desperate to get their children into this class.”

Her beautiful eyes, narrowing into a smile, remained strangely vivid in my memory.

“We’re in a place that’s the absolute pinnacle of stupidity.”