The Obsessive Regressor of The Academy

34. Entrance Ceremony (3)

“Annoying.”

Celine grumbled, glaring at Asel.

Not only had she been caught reading a book she ‘happened’ to find, but she was being ridiculed for it.

She was clearly being misunderstood, so she explained, only to receive a condescending, coaxing attitude as if she were a child. It was absurd to have to give similar explanations yesterday and today, but Celine tried her best to correct Asel’s misunderstanding, regardless.

So, she persistently followed him, and the answer she received was, ‘Okay, let’s just read together.’ Asel was extending an offer to build a connection with Celine, affiliated with the Magic Tower, but from Celine’s perspective, unaware of the underlying intentions, it felt like a completely random proposition.

But there was no particular reason to refuse, so she nodded with a reluctant expression. She was quite interested in a book club with a witch society sorcerer.

“So, what are you studying? Theories of Magical Power, Fusion, Dual Attributes, Dual Manifestation… Are you reading all the unusual books?”

Celine asked, tapping Asel’s leg with her toe. Asel opened a new book and replied,

“There’s something I’ve been researching recently. I’m mainly looking for things related to that.”

“Hmm, is that so?”

In the society of mages, asking about someone else’s research is taboo. So, Celine suppressed her curiosity and opened a book on pure magic, beginning to read. Before long, her mind sank deep into the pages. Asel glanced at her sideways, then fixed his gaze on his grimoire.

Time passed like that. The library gradually filled with people, then emptied like a receding tide as lunchtime approached. The noise generated in the process disrupted Celine’s concentration, which had been intensely focused on the book. She watched the students leaving the library, stretching her stiff body.

“Ugh… Haa.”

Stretching made her feel a little more refreshed. Celine rested her chin in her hands and tapped Asel’s toe with her boot.

“Hey, Asel.”

“……”

“Heyyy, don’t ignore me. I know you can hear me.”

“What.”

Asel sighed deeply and closed the book he was reading. Celine looked at his face, pouting her lips.

“I’m hungry. Let’s go get lunch.”

“Go by yourself. I’m not that hungry.”

“Are you going to be this petty? If you coax someone, you have to take responsibility to the end. Don’t abandon me.”

“……Did you read a strange book? Your expressions are quite peculiar.”

“W-what are you talking about?”

Celine blushed for no reason and lightly kicked Asel’s leg. Asel chuckled and returned all the books he had brought to their proper places. The grimoires flew into the air on their own, finding their spots.

“Anything you want to eat?”

Asel rose from his spot, inquiring of Celine. She answered without hesitation.

“Let’s head to the cafeteria. Apparently, they have just about everything there. I went yesterday, too.”

“It’s not even the start of term yet. Is it alright to use it?”

“The Academy cafeteria opens a week before the semester starts. I heard it’s for students who’ve moved into the dorms and those who’re staying on campus,”

Asel nodded. Upon receiving his confirmation, Celine promptly left the library, making her way toward the cafeteria. Her reasoning was that they needed to hurry before all the seats were taken. But her appalling physical condition made even a short walk a struggle.

“Haa… haa…”

Before they had even gone a little distance, Celine was panting heavily. Asel let out a dry chuckle, looking down at her.

“You need to get some exercise.”

“A mage… hee… what need have I… for exercise…? Just need to use my head.”

“Sounds like something that’d come back to bite you in a real fight.”

“Stop, stop. Enough with the old man talk, let’s just get going.”

“Haaa… hold still.”

Asel murmured the words and then placed his hand on Celine’s shoulder, wiping the sweat from her brow. The unexpected touch made Celine tilt her head in question. In that instant, she felt her body become incredibly lighter and her mouth fell open slightly.

“What is this? Body enhancement magic?”

“It’s a spell with a short duration but increased effect. If you’re going to run, do it now.”

“Oh… so you can handle pure magic too? I heard that from 6th Circle onwards, altering the nature of magic is fundamental, making pure magic difficult to use.”

Instead of answering, Asel moved slightly ahead of Celine and began to run. Smiling, Celine followed after him, her body feeling much more agile.

But even enhanced, her baseline physical abilities were a disaster. Celine started gasping for breath not long after they began running and grabbed onto Asel’s sleeve.

“Haa… let’s go… together…”

“…”

Asel looked down at Celine with eyes that had suddenly turned frigid. Celine desperately avoided his gaze.

*

Contrary to their haste, the cafeteria had plenty of open seating. Vacant spots were everywhere and hardly any new students could be seen. Only returning students who hadn’t left the dorms or had come back early dotted the landscape.

If he had known, there was no need to run so urgently.

Asel glanced at Celine while that thought crossed his mind, and Celine cleared her throat as she entered the cafeteria. He followed behind her.

Ordering at the cafeteria involved writing the desired dishes on a piece of paper and handing it to the counter.

Celine ordered a modest set of bread and soup. Asel hesitated for a moment, then ordered a steak and waited.

Soon, the food was ready. The two of them took their orders and sat at a table by the window. Just as they were about to eat, someone approached Asel and called out in a delighted voice.

“Oh, Asel!”

The voice was familiar. Asel put down the knife he was about to use to cut the steak and turned toward the speaker. A girl with snow-white hair, crimson eyes, and distinctively long, pointed ears was smiling, revealing sharp fangs. Asel smiled at the familiar face and called out her name.

“Elena.”

“Long time no see!”

Elena beamed, plopping down beside Asel. The unexpectedly close proximity made Asel frown, but she paid him no mind, casually leaning her upper body against his shoulder. No ulterior motives, just a simple display of familiarity.

“How have you been? I’ve been great! I got assigned to Wiesel dormitory, and I’m completely recovered now!”

“…That’s fortunate. Could you move away a bit, though?”

“Ah, sure!”

Elena, as Asel asked, slightly pulled her upper body away. Still close, but Asel was satisfied with this much. He continued cutting his meat, then spoke.

“Here for lunch?”

“Yep! I came with Ellen!”

“Ellen? Where is she?”

“Over there!”

Elena pointed towards the food window. Following her gesture, Asel’s gaze landed on Ellen, clad in the academy uniform. She met his eyes, offered a small smile, and waved. Soon after, she returned with their portions of food.

“It’s been a while, Asel. I tried looking for you at the dorms, but since you weren’t there, I assumed you hadn’t moved in yet, but it seems that’s not the case.”

“I’m outside almost all the time, except when I sleep.”

“Is that so?”

Ellen replied nonchalantly, her eyes shifting to Celine. Celine, idly dipping her bread into soup, felt the gaze and met Ellen’s eyes.

Ellen spoke first.

“I recognize your face from the entrance exams. Your name was certainly…”

“Celine of the Aurora Tower. No surname, Lady Hargelein.”

“Indeed. You may speak informally. We are all freshmen, after all.”

“If that’s what you wish, I will.”

Celine dropped the formalities without the slightest hesitation.

A magician’s attitude, showing neither reverence nor loyalty towards a noble. Only a magician confident in their own abilities would act that way. Ellen was amused by her demeanor, letting out a soft chuckle as she placed her food on the table.

“Then, Celine, would you mind if I joined you?”

“It would be my pleasure to become acquainted with the top graduate of the Knights Department”

“Speaking as if it’s already been decided.”

She muttered, settling into the empty seat beside Celine. Celine chuckled softly, glancing sideways at Ellen.

“Who else would it be besides you? Grace probably snagged the top spot, leaving you as the runner-up.”

“Honestly, I wasn’t entirely satisfied with my performance on the entrance exam. Strictly speaking, I only succeeded through the help of Asel. Not quite an accomplishment worthy of the runner-up position.”

“Really? Well, I wouldn’t know the details.”

Celine answered so, then propped her chin, watching Elena munch on her bread.

“So, you’ll give up the second seat?”

“It’s not decided yet. But if I do get the second seat… I don’t plan on giving it up. I’m a greedy person, after all. Even if it’s something I get by chance, I won’t let it go.”

“Then you’ll have to work hard to keep that second seat.”

“That’s not it. I’ll pass the second seat and go for the first.”

Ellen grinned, cutting into her steak.

“Like I said, I’m quite greedy. Once I set my sights on something, I have to get it, no matter what, to be satisfied.”

“You have a tiring personality.”

“I agree. Still, I don’t dislike it.”

Ellen said that and rolled her eyes toward Celine.

“What about you? Aren’t you aiming for the top spot in the Magecraft Department?”

“The top spot?”

Celine let out a hollow laugh, as if she’d heard something absurd. She jerked her chin toward Asel.

“Take the top spot with *him* as competition?”

“…That’s true.”

Ellen recalled Asel’s magic during the entrance exam and nodded. Asel chewed on his steak, feeling the strange gazes of the two.

The meal ended quickly.

Asel and Ellen finished all the food they had brought, but Celine and Elena left some behind. Celine had always been a light eater, and Elena didn’t need to consume much food since the energy she could obtain from food was less than the energy she could obtain from blood. It was enough to get the minimum amount of nutrients.

After the meal, they took a brief walk around the Academy grounds. Then, they sat on a bench, catching their breath. Elena, as soon as she sat down, pulled a blood pack out of her bag and slurped it down, swinging her legs back and forth.

“Phew! The Rapid Magic Tower blood packs are the best! But it’s not as tasty as Asel’s blood!”

“…The Rapid Magic Tower sells blood packs too? I thought they only dealt with scrolls and magical tools, but it turns out they’re even more money-hungry than I thought.”

Celine shook her head with a disgusted look. To sell blood on top of magical tools. No wonder they were the richest of the magic towers. Even she was hearing the story of selling blood to vampires for the first time.

She wasn’t going to criticize. The blood and flesh of magicians had long been considered excellent ingredients for miraculous elixirs, and there were quite a few mages who sold their own blood. The Rapid Magic Tower had simply expanded it as part of their business.

“Come to think of it, did you look at the academic schedule? There’s a midterm exam coming up soon after the semester starts.”

Ellen said, looking at the three of them as if she’d suddenly remembered. Celine sighed deeply and nodded.

“It’s about six weeks away, right? It’s starting pretty early. And there’s the first assignment before that.”

“What assignment?”

“I don’t know. I heard it’s a group project.”

Group project.

That phrase made Asel’s face twist.

It was the recall of a past life. Though the exact details of what transpired in that previous existence remained hazy, the crushing stress of group projects was vividly clear. He sighed deeply, leaning back against the chair.

“Do you know how they decide who’s in which group?”

“Heard tell from a graduate knight that it’s determined by lottery.”

So, left entirely to chance. Asel could practically see the future unfolding, squeezing his eyes shut. The darkened vision felt disturbingly similar to the haze he experienced when wrestling with assignments.

Ellen, quietly seated, gave Asel an odd look as he sat with his eyes closed before speaking.

“If we end up in the same group, I’ll strive for the highest possible grade. And if we’re in different teams…”

Her voice trailed off. Naturally, all three pairs of eyes turned towards Asel. Sensing their gaze, Asel opened his eyes.

“…Why are you looking at me like that?”

“…Just, play along fairly. Though I hope we meet in the same group.”

The other two nodded in agreement with Ellen’s sentiment.