I left the library and headed toward the cafeteria.
As I walked through the hallway, I sighed heavily.
The cafeteria was crowded, filled with students chatting and eating.
There was no way I’d get a seat in this chaos.
Reluctantly, I turned to leave, my stomach growling from hunger.
“Damn it.”
I turned around and returned to the room.
After arriving, I sat at the farthest seat. I walked past the tables, observing the students around me.
Groups of them were talking, forming their own circles.
The prince and princess had already built connections with others.
As expected from nobles, I thought.
The demoness twin girls were in their own small world, as if no one else existed.
They rarely, if ever, conversed with others.
The dwarven girl, on the other hand, was chatting away with her friends. She hasn’t changed.
Then, my eyes landed on the crimson-haired girl. She sat by herself, just like before. Does she really not have any friends? I wondered. Well, I’m not much different from her, anyway.
Meanwhile, Elysia noticed me briefly. She quickly looked away, unsure of herself. Her mind was a mess. What’s wrong with me? Why am I acting like this? He’s just a commoner, but...
She shook her head, unable to figure out why her heart felt uneasy.
After a few moments, the first bell rang for the afternoon class.
Every student returned to their seats while I was feeling sluggish because I hadn't eaten yet.
After that, a person suddenly came in, and he was none other than the strict professor who had handed out the test paper earlier.
"So, it’s you," he said with a cold and sharp voice. "I am Professor Darius Vorn, a combat instructor and now your homeroom teacher for Block A. Before the class starts, whoever's name I mention will step forward. Those whose names are not called will be expelled. That’s all."
Darius said this while holding the results of the entrance exam.
He activated a magic circle in the mid-air, and runes began to rearrange themselves, forming two lists.
One list displayed the names of the students who passed, while the other was labeled Failed.
Currently, there were 50 students in Block A, but only 21 had passed.
The rest would either be expelled or transferred to other blocks.
Darius began calling names, his voice cold and sharp.
“Elysia Dragonia.”
Elysia walked to the front, calm and composed.
“Lilith and Liliana.”
The demoness twins moved forward, their hands clasped, their expressions unreadable.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
“Seraphina Velmont. Isaac Velmont.”
The princess, Seraphina, moved first, followed by the prince, Isaac. Both advanced naturally, as if used to being the center of attention.
“Raiden Jovar.”
Raiden moved forward.
“Cain Ashford.”
Cain walked ahead without hesitation.
“Raon.”
Raon stepped forward.
“Finnian Storm.”
Finnian walked to the front.
“Leonis Dragonov.”
Leonis advanced.
“Kaiden Voss.”
Kaiden walked up silently.
“William Hawke.”
William walked to the front, casually pulling out his revolver, spinning it once before tucking it into his pocket.
“Brunhilde.”
Brunhilde stepped ahead confidently.
“Mirella Calen.”
Mirella moved to the front.
“Katherine White.”
Katherine walked up.
“Claire Fairytale.”
Claire stepped forward.
“Sylvia.”
Sylvia moved up, her movements subtle yet graceful.
“Kaiser.”
Hearing my name, I walked up, never expecting to pass the entrance exam on the first try.
“That’s all. For those whose names were not called, better luck next time,” Darius said.
The students who weren’t called left in silence, frustration and regret clear on their faces. For them, it felt like the end of the world. For those of us who passed, it was just the beginning.
After passing the entrance exam, I was called into the office to receive my school uniform.
It was neatly folded, coated in plastic—very convenient, if you ask me.
Professor Darius handed me the room number and the keys.
“This is your key and room number. The dormitory is a single room with a personal bathroom and kitchen. Use it responsibly. If I hear a complaint about your misdeeds, I’ll personally punish you. Understand, Kaiser?”
Damn, he’s terrifying. He’d fit better as a gangster than a teacher. But there was no hostility—just the stern reprimands of an adult.
I nodded and replied, “Yes, sir.”
After leaving the room, a blonde professor in a white coat approached Darius.
“Aren’t you being too kind, Mr. Darius? First time I’ve seen you agitated. What’s so special about that student of yours?”
Darius shot him a disgusted glance and shook his head.
“Don’t misunderstand, Lucas. I still don’t like those brats who don’t know their place. It’s better to teach them now, so they’ll regret it later.”
“Ah, scary as always. Your temper hasn’t changed. As expected from the demon professor who expelled all the students five years ago. I pity Block A for having a monster teaching them,” Lucas said with a smirk. “But I don’t care if they live or die. In the end, only the talented have the right to live. Isn’t that right, Professor Darius?”
He clicked his tongue and spat at him.
“As usual, your antics are as disgusting as your rotten personality. I warned you, don’t touch my students. I’m the one who’ll teach them what’s right and wrong, Lucas, the Thousand-Faced.”
“Tch, still the same as before, Darius. As boring as always.”
Meanwhile, I asked a few students for directions and learned the dormitory was located south of the academy, just past the exit. I turned left and walked for about 15 minutes until I reached it.
At the gates, knights were stationed. As I approached, one of them stepped forward, blocking my path.
“Who are you? State your business.”
I let out a heavy sigh and showed them the insignia of the White Tiger Academy.
The moment they saw it, they quickly bowed their heads and apologized.
“I-I'm sorry, esteemed guess. You may proceed.”
Before heading inside, I asked, “Where is Room 104?”
One of the knights answered, “It’s on the top floor. You’ll need to use the stairs.”
I entered the dormitory and saw many students staring at me. Their whispers weren’t exactly quiet.
“Hey! Look. Isn’t that the freshman student who got a perfect score in the written exam and the one who won the fight against that monster?”
“Monster? Ah, you’re talking about Elysia Dragonia, the next successor of the Dragonia Family and the future Archmage.”
“Indeed. I pity him. I wonder how the Duke will react after hearing his precious daughter was defeated by some nobody.”
“Tch, acting like some big shot who doesn’t know his place. A commoner is still a commoner. A filthy rat like him should be kicked out of the academy.”
I didn’t pay them any mind as I made my way up the stairs. After walking for a while, I finally reached Room 104. I opened the door and entered.
After entering, I noticed the room was divided into three sections: the bedroom, the kitchen, and the bathroom.
There was an open window letting in a fresh breeze, and a personal desk with closets and drawers.
For the past six years, this would be my personal space, a place where no one could invade my privacy. Not bad, I thought.
I lay down on the soft, fluffy bed. After a long day, exhaustion hit me, and I soon felt drowsy.
The last thing I remembered was losing consciousness and drifting off to sleep.
The next day, I woke up early in the morning and fixed my bedsheet. I went directly to the bathroom and took a cold shower. I felt refreshed, and after that, I changed into my school uniform. The uniform was white with gold trim, featuring an insignia of a white tiger on the brooch. The robe was pure white, simple but elegant.
I walked for 15 minutes and arrived at the academy exit, where I was greeted by the guards. I headed to the cafeteria. It wasn’t crowded, as it was still 7:30 AM, and the class would start at 8:00 AM. I had 30 minutes left to eat breakfast.
I went to the counter and ordered everything on the menu, along with a cup of cold water. After receiving my order, I found an empty table and began eating. As I took my first bite, I mumbled to myself, "Damn, this is so delicious. I’ve never eaten anything like this before. As expected from one of the top 4 major academies on the continent."
The students around me stared, some shocked by the sheer amount of food I was eating.
"Is he… even human?" one whispered.
"Did you see how much he ate?" another murmured, eyes wide in disbelief.
"How can someone eat like that without exploding?"
"There’s no way…"
I continued to eat, oblivious to the stares and whispers around me.
After finishing every bit of food on my plate, I gathered the empty dishes and returned them to the counter.
I pulled out a pouch of coins, ready to pay for the meal, but the lady at the counter shook her head with a polite smile.
“We don’t accept money here,” she said calmly.
I furrowed my brow, confused. “Huh? What do you mean? How am I supposed to pay for the food, then?”
She gestured to a small device on the counter. “Here at White Tiger Academy, we operate on the R-Point system. Every student is given a personal account tied to their academy ID, and points are added based on their achievements and merits. These points can be used to pay for everything—meals, access to facilities, obtaining limited resources, and more.”
I stared at her, trying to process the information. “So... everything here is based on points?”
She nodded. “Exactly. The academy values talents and results above all else. Students who perform well in written exams, combat practical exams, and missions are rewarded with points, which are far more valuable than money. And since you’re a freshman who ranked at the top in both the written exam and the combat practical exam, your account should already be credited with a large amount of points.”
I leaned back slightly, surprised but impressed. “I see... so it’s a system of high risk and high reward.”
“Yes,” she replied. “The dean and professors believe this system motivates students to perform their best while maintaining fairness. But, keep in mind, points are limited, so you’ll need to learn how to use them wisely.”
I nodded thoughtfully, tucking my pouch of coins back into my bag.
“Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.”