I regressed and became the Sword Ice King

About three minutes was left and counting for the new students, as they headed towards the First year LT.

Another structural work of art, built with such delicacy and structure that its brilliance was a sight to behold.

The LTs were five in number, and their locations varied depending on the year of the students.

The First years usually get the LT closest to the Staff faculty, visiting lounge, training area, and a hit zone.

They had more theory classes than practical classes, but that didn't mean they didn't have enough practical classes.

It was 40% of their total grade at the end of each semester.

The other Lecture Theatres were in this manner, with the necessary or most important infrastructure located close by.

A pavement, similar to the ones leading from the Hostels, also led to their LT, as well as the Second years that had theirs, not so far away.

It was times like this that Raph would punch himself in the face for feeling nostalgic for his past life again. He could remember how he was bullied at times, and he was too soft-spoken to fight back.

They say a child can grow up and they can change.

Growing up means maturing your characteristics, the way you think and act, and, most importantly, the way you relate to yourself and the world.

Changing, on the other hand, entails completely remodeling and remaking oneself in an image that truly fits them or an image that would be better suited for society.

Characteristics aren't improved but changed into something else, and you could say one's principles and ideologies are completely swapped into something new.

Both required hard work and focus, and these were things he lacked in his past life while growing up as a kid until he did too late.

Nothing hurts, or disappoints you more than growing up or opening your eyes to certain things when it is already too late.
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And he paid the price dearly with his death.

With a sigh, he remodeled his thoughts in a different direction. 'No point digging up past mistakes'. He thought, turning towards the rubied eye Werewolf beside him.

It was almost hard for him to forget that she was currently the only Beastkin accepted into the Academy, mostly because the Beastkins found the Academy a hindrance.

Though they had their methods of training their youngsters, Raph was sure that Elsie was someone who had rigorously gone through it all.

'If anything, all this is probably just a vacation for her'. He thought. 'Though, not that it isn't for the twelve great families as well'.

The Academy was always a good way to debut in society as an official knight or mage or a commoner planning on upgrading their status to the level of a noble. All was possible.

So the Academy, which could be known as a walk in the park for the twelve great families, was also their haven and their short time in gathering future connections before being thrown into the harsh reality of life.

"Hi!" Elsie greeted another female student who walked ahead of them with her group of three.

Raph could count the number of girls that had greeted her already since leaving the Cafeteria, and he had to admit, she was attracting waves of people. Was she naturally popular as being the only beastkin?

"You seem to have made quite a few friends," Raph pointed out, his eyes set on the approaching blue-painted building covered with one-way see-through from its original position to the roof, leaving a silicon curved roofing, with sculptures of mythical beasts.

They were getting close to the LT.

Elsie turned to him, her smile etched on her face. "I met some interesting humans during the Orientation. These girls know a lot when it comes to love, so I don't mind befriending a few".

"Hmm….I thought you didn't like talking to humans?" Raph asked, his tone laced with curiosity.

She shrugged her arms in response. "I select who I talk to".

"Oh…" Raph muttered, and a brief silence descended.

In the next few seconds, they arrived at the forecourt that served as an entrance plaza, leading to a Large door where the freshers took to enter the building.

They walked in, and a cool sensation wrapped around them as they did.

Raph sighed, enjoying the feeling of the cool temperature that moderated the inside of the Theater. It acted the opposite of the External environment, providing a cool atmosphere when necessary and a warm atmosphere when necessary.

Though the Academy Plain did not have seasonal changes, as it was controlled artificially by the Headmaster, the same could be said about the temperature regulators in the Theater.

They were currently controlled by the fresher's homeroom teacher, Professor James Crockwell.

On entering the Theater building, Raph could recognize the stairs opposite the door that led to their lecture hall.

Every theater building had these stairs, and it led to five empty rooms, meant to be used as Clubrooms.

The others had at least one of those rooms filled with a present club, but the freshers had none.

It was one of these rooms that Raph had in mind when he first thought of creating a club.

Soon they entered the Lecture hall, and the lively atmosphere nearly took him aback.

His gaze scanned through the hall as he climbed up, noticing and recognizing the faces of each of the students present.

Their idle chatter and conversations filled the hall with a warm hue, and coupled with the sunlight that pierced through the glass walls; it became a serene sight.

A sigh escaped his lips. 'Nostalgia'.

He turned behind to find a girl greeting Elsie once again. A girl with short stature, black hair, and amber eyes met his pair, and a small smile forced its way on her lips.

"You must be the sole son of the Jun household. You're just as the description says".

Raph raised a brow, recognizing the girl instantly. 'Canary Yellowstone'. He thought. 'A level 17, Mage. She hasn't come upon her rare profession as a Mineral Mage at this point, but she would later reach level 95 with her rare profession'.

From his past life memories, she was an ambiguous girl, though, she knew when to draw the line, and the great families were that line….well, all except one in his past life.

She treated him worse off than most students, even though he was stronger than her.

He sighed deeply, turning around and facepalming himself loudly, catching the girl off guard and startling Elsie a little.

Some of the students even paid attention to the noise, and turned towards it, though they slowly returned to their conversations after he stayed in that position.

"May I ask, what sort of description would that be?" He asked, his hands still over his face, and his voice a lot more huskier than usual. Something Elsie picked up.

"We–Well, I heard the girls call you a doll because of your eyes". She stammered, trying to regain her composure.

Raph finally turned to her, his eyes cold and alluring.

"Is that all? I thought you would mention something cliche like I look blind". He retorted coldly.

The girl flinched, taking a step backward, a cold sweat forming on her forehead. "Yea–Yeah, you really shouldn't pay attention to rumors, tsk, tsk." She turned towards Elsie, a little composure returning. "See you around, Elsie; I have more advice if you ever need them'. Her smile widened a little before she turned away and walked towards a bunch of her friends.

Raph's discerning gaze scanned through them.

In his past life, they had not approached him because he was a sort of "failed product" and news of his loss in the Rankings Battle only caused his reputation to plummet further.

'This time would be different. These students are children; they act on self-interest and run away the minute it becomes disadvantageous…'

A sense of revenge may have overcome him once, and he may have found a way to nullify it, but now of all times, when he's surrounded by past life memories and a nostalgia that makes him want to hurl, you could say it might just go down the drain. However, there is a big emphasis on might.

With a sigh, he turned and continued to walk up the stairs, reaching the last which was on the 10th stairs, and taking a seat at the corner.

Elsie followed closely, entering inside and taking a seat beside him, her stare fixed with intensity on Raph.

"Was that uncomfortable? Should I get rid of her?"

Her question came like a bullet, and he snapped out of his thoughts as soon as he was lost in it.

"Wha–What did you say?" He asked, confusion etched on his face.

She shrugged. "You look troubled. I will get rid of whatever makes you troubled if you cannot do it yourself". Her eyes were fixed with such fiery intensity, and her words held meaning far more powerful than he would expect.

Raph's brow raised upwards, confused by her words. 'Why would she do that?' He thought, turning away from her gaze. "Isn't she a friend of yours?" He asked, a puff of dry air exuding from his lips.

"Maybe. But you're my man".

Raph felt something snap within him, and crumble like a glass cup, but he was unable to pinpoint the cause as his gaze snapped back at her.

"What did you call me?"