CHAPTER 4 - WELCOME TO THE ACADEMY 1

Aegis stood before Rosevale Academy's iron gates, her scholarship letter clutched in one sweaty hand. The place was even more imposing than the game's graphics had suggested, with towering marble walls stretched up into the afternoon sky. And she could see spires peeking over the battlements.

[Holy shit. I'm actually here.]

Noble students streamed past her, their uniforms crisp and expensive. The men wore navy blazers with gold trim, while the women had the same blazers paired with pleated skirts that probably cost more than most people's houses. Aegis glanced down at her own travel-worn clothes. At least she had the Commoner's Locket to help her blend in.

Setting them aside, though, Aegis walked forward.

"Documents."

[Okay, don't sound too excited, sir.]

Aegis handed over her scholarship letter. His eyes narrowed into slits.

"This is clearly forged." He crumpled the paper like her dreams were recyclable.

Aegis blinked.

This guy...

He just crushed her scholarship letter like it was nothing.

"WHAT!?" Aegis balled her hands up into fists. "What the hell did you do that for!?"

"Tsk." The guy sneered. His partner reinforced the ongoing douchebaggery by smirking at Aegis. "Commoner trash like you—"

A third voice spoke up.

"BAHAHAHA! Did you seriously just destroy official academy property?"

A girl bounded up to them, and Aegis's jaw nearly dropped. She was tall, easily six feet, with muscles that strained against her uniform blazer. Fiery red hair tumbled past her shoulders, and green eyes sparkled with mischief.

Aegis held back a grin.

[Hello, Scarlett Lionheart. Looking even better in person, I must say.]

"That's academy letterhead, you dumbass." Scarlett plucked the crumpled letter from his hand with two fingers, like it might be contaminated with stupid. "See this seal? That's Dean Whitmore's personal stamp. You just committed a felony."

"W-What!?" The guard's face drained of color. "Lady Lionheart, I didn't—"

"Lady?" Scarlett snorted. It was an inelegant sound that somehow made her more attractive. "I'm as common as dirt. Dirtier, actually. But at least dirt's useful. Unlike you, even my dirty self can read!"

She smoothed out the letter, damn near breaking it apart in the process due to her incredible strength. Then she whistled, low and appreciative.

"Wait a second... Perfect score on the entrance exam. Theoretical Magic, Combat Theory, Political History. Damn, Country Mouse. You've got brains. And these guys nearly ruined the dreams of such a talented and valuable student!"

Aegis raised a brow, but didn't interrupt.

The guard sputtered like a broken fountain.

"L-Lady Lionheart—"

"Still not a lady. Are you having a stroke?" Scarlett threw an arm around Aegis's shoulders without warning. The contact went straight to that unfortunate new piece Aegis had gained on the way to this second world. "Come on, Mouse. Let's get you inside before this idiot's brain completely melts out his ears, haha!"

They strolled through the gates like they owned the place. Or at least, Scarlett did. Aegis just tried not to trip over her own feet while being manhandled. Scarlett's arm was heavy and warm. She smelled like leather and cinnamon.

"Thanks for the save..." Aegis glanced up at her. Way up. "Though... Country Mouse? Where'd that come from?"

"Your accent and the... somewhat plain uniform, no offense." Scarlett gave her a knowing grin. "Hm, with those test scores... Let me guess, honor student, teacher's pet, spent your free time reading instead of living?"

She was right about that last one, at least.

"How'd you know?"

"Takes one to know one. Well, the honor student part. I spent my free time doing very different things." Her grin turned absolutely feral. "Speaking of which, better than what they called me first year. Dick-for-Brains."

Aegis choked on air.

"WHAT?"

This was not a piece of lore Aegis knew, and she'd gone through all of Scarlett's dialogue in the game more than once.

"On account of how I kept thinking with the wrong head, ha!" Scarlett said it cheerfully, casually, like she was discussing the weather. "They weren't wrong, either. Nearly got expelled three times. Turns out the library isn't as soundproof as you'd think."

Aegis looked away, trying not to blush at the mental image that created in her mind. At the same time, she remembered:

[Right. She has the Lover's Blessing. I knew NPCs could get it, just not players. Not me.]

She shook her head, though, focusing back on the big green eyes looking down at her.

"The library?" Aegis muttered. "How very academic of you."

"I'm all about higher learning." Scarlett waggled her eyebrows suggestively. Aegis rolled her eyes.

Regardless of Scarlett's odd misadventures, though, they walked into the academy together.

The academy grounds sprawled before them like a rich person's fever dream. Gardens that probably required a small army of servants to maintain. Fountains that gave physics the middle finger, water spiraling upward higher than it had any right. Students lounged on marble benches.

The assembly hall was a massive structure of white marble and stained glass, with banners from various noble houses fluttering in the breeze. Students milled about on the steps, most in groups separated by obvious class lines.

"Is that where we're supposed to go?" Scarlett squinted at the crowd. "Man, everyone looks so fancy. And angry. Why do nobles always look constipated?"

Aegis laughed.

"Maybe it's the tight clothing?"

"Ha! You're probably right." Scarlett tugged at her own blazer. "This thing is already killing me. How are we supposed to fight in these?"

They joined the stream of students entering the assembly hall. Inside, hundreds of seats faced a raised platform where faculty members were gathering. Aegis scanned the crowd, her pulse quickening as she spotted two very familiar faces.

Near the front, surrounded by a cluster of sycophants, sat Princess Talia Stone. Even from across the room, she commanded attention. Her black hair was styled in an elaborate updo that showed off her elegant neck. Those famous yellow eyes surveyed the room with barely concealed disdain. She wore the standard uniform, but hers was clearly tailored to perfection, hugging her curves in all the right places. When another student accidentally bumped her chair, Talia's glare could have frozen hellfire.

[God, she's even hotter when she's being a bitch.]

On the opposite side of the hall, Aegis found Liora Vale. The difference was like night and day. Where Talia radiated cold perfection, Liora was all warmth. Her blonde curls framed a heart-shaped face dotted with freckles. She sat alone, clutching a worn notebook and smiling at anyone who made eye contact. Her uniform was clean but clearly secondhand, the cuffs slightly frayed.

[The game's main love interest. Sweet and kind.]

"See someone you like?" Scarlett wiggled her eyebrows, arm comfortably around Aegis's shoulders. "That dark-haired girl looks mean as hell. Pretty though! And that one with the notebook... aw, she looks sweet. Think she's lost?"

Before Aegis could respond, a hush fell over the room. Headmistress Valdris had taken the podium.

The woman was ancient in the way that powerful mages often got, her true age impossible to determine. Silver hair pulled back in a bun, robes that cost more than most estates, and eyes that had seen enough shit to fill libraries. When she spoke, her voice carried without magical amplification.

"Welcome to Rosevale Academy."

Four words, and already Aegis felt like she was being dissected.

"You are here because you are exceptional," Valdris continued. "Noble blood, magical talent, scholarly brilliance, or—" her gaze swept over the scholarship students, "—rare potential. But being here means nothing if you cannot excel."

She paused, letting the weight of her words sink in.

"Allow me to be clear. Rosevale is not a finishing school for pampered children. It is a forge. You will be tested, challenged, and pushed beyond your limits. Many of you will break."

[Here comes the fun part.]

"To ensure only the worthy remain, we employ a ranking system. Each month, you will be evaluated on academics, combat, magical prowess, and social standing. The bottom ten percent will be expelled. No exceptions, no appeals, no amount of family money will save you."

The hall erupted in whispers. Aegis saw several noble students go pale.

"This continues through your first year," Valdris said, silencing the crowd with a look. "Each month, as more of the fat is trimmed, the percentage of students expelled diminishes. Once the first year is concluded, after that, expulsions become... selective. Make no mistake, your first year will be the hardest of your lives."

[Yep, just like the game. Survive the monthly rankings throughout year one, or get booted. Good thing I know exactly which classes to take and which professors to butter up.]

"Classes begin tomorrow. Tonight, you will receive your dormitory assignments and schedules. I suggest you use your time wisely." Valdris's smile was sharp enough to cut glass. "Welcome to hell, children. Try to enjoy it."

She swept off the stage, leaving a room full of terrified teenagers in her wake.

"Well... she was scary," Scarlett muttered.

A prefect with a face like someone had insulted his mother began herding students toward the exits.

"First years, follow me for dormitory assignments! No pushing, no magic, and absolutely no dueling in the halls!"

Aegis let herself be swept along with the crowd, catching one last glimpse of Talia's perfect profile and Liora's gentle smile.

[... Soon,] she promised internally. [Soon.]

There was no need to rush, after all.

She grinned, adjusting the Lover's Ring on her finger. The game was about to begin.

Aegis pushed the two leads out of her mind. She'd get to know them very well, in due time.