The bright sky of Arcadia hung above the grand buildings of Arcanum Academy. Sunlight fell gently on shining magic towers and wide courtyards that looked like something from a painting. The magical birds chirped in harmony, creating a peaceful morning melody.
But sadly, none of that peace reached the heart of the young man standing awkwardly in front of his dorm room.
Zayn Altharos—or rather, Leigh, now trapped in the body of the exiled prince—stood there with a confused frown.
"The main hall… uh… that servant said turn right, then go downstairs… or was it upstairs? Ugh…" he muttered in frustration.
He messed up his hair. "I should've paid more attention to the map in the game! Damn it!!!"
Some students who saw Zayn got chills just from looking at him.
He walked stiffly in his black-and-gold academy uniform, which looked too fancy on his not-yet-used-to-it body. Whenever he saw another student, he tried to ask for help:
"E-eh, excuse me. Do you know the way to—"
But their reaction was always the same: pale face, wide eyes, then they ran away without a word.
"W-what the heck?!" Zayn raised both hands, confused. "I just wanna ask directions, not cast a curse…"
Every student reacted the same way. Zayn sighed and muttered, "Screw you guys…" while clenching his fists.
The nearby students trembled again, thinking Zayn was about to brutally hang someone.
After wandering for a while, he finally stopped at a small garden in the academy and sat near a fountain. His head hung low.
"Wait… they're running away… because I'm Zayn Altharos…"
He remembered clearly—Zayn Altharos was a spoiled, rude, and arrogant prince. Even in the game, the main character Elric once defeated him in a duel because Zayn bullied the heroines.
"No wonder they all ran… they think I'll insult or push them like that game event… Just how bad were you, Zayn!!! T__T"
He stood up and continued searching. After almost half an hour of getting lost...
"Ah! That's… the main hall!"
A huge building with giant glass windows and crystal pillars welcomed him from a distance. He rushed forward—
THUD!
"ARGH!"
Zayn bounced back a bit, and someone else stumbled too. A beautiful girl with golden blonde hair, piercing blue eyes, and a cold, sharp expression was glaring at him.
"You…!"
Zayn instantly recognized her.
Liora Edelweiss. The young Saintess from the Holy Church. One of the main heroines of the game. Known for being strong-willed, cold, but kind-hearted...
...and she absolutely hated Zayn. (Zayn's #1 hater)
TING!
> [ SYSTEM FLAG ACTIVATED – Heroine Encounter: Liora Edelweiss ]
[ Favorability: -3 ]
"MINUS THREE?!" Zayn screamed inside. "We just met! I didn't even say anything yet!! And why did the system flag activate?!! T__T"
"Are you blind, Zayn Altharos?!" Liora snapped. "Can't you see someone walking? Or did you bump into me on purpose to humiliate me again?!"
Zayn froze. in his heart he muttered 'I have to quickly get out of this and act normal....'
He raised his hand a little awkwardly. "I'm sorry. It was my fault. I didn't see you."
Liora paused.
Her eyes narrowed. "…Sorry? Did I hear that right? You… apologized?"
Zayn waved his hand calmly, though inside he wanted to run. "I don't want any trouble. Seriously. I'm just trying to get to the hall."
"Wait! You're not Zayn. Something's wrong… Are you cursed or pretending to be him?"
Zayn was shocked, in his heart he was very confused 'WHAT?!'
He quickly replied, "No, no! I'm really Zayn. What do you mean by a curse?"
Zayn stood still, but Liora stepped closer, eyes sharp and analyzing—as if trying to read his soul.
'What's this girl doing now?! T__T'
"You're acting weird. Usually, you'd call me 'holy stuck-up princess' or something like that…"
'OH MY GOD THAT'S AN ACTUAL DIALOGUE OPTION IN THE GAME?!' Zayn screamed in his head.
"I don't want to fight, Liora. Seriously. Can I go now?"
Liora snorted. "Looks like you really need to be purified… That curse is messing with your personality."
She raised her hand, golden magic starting to form.
Zayn stayed still, trying to look calm. But inside:
'WAIT WHAT?! WHY ARE YOU CASTING HOLY MAGIC?! YOU'RE GONNA KILL ME?!'
Before Liora could cast her spell, a loud voice echoed in the sky:
> "All new students, please gather at the main hall. The opening ceremony is about to begin."
Liora lowered her hand and looked toward the hall, then walked away silently.
Zayn wanted to escape, but suddenly—
Liora suddenly turned her head and stopped in her tracks.
"Hey… let's walk together. But don't get the wrong idea! We just happen to be going the same way. Don't do anything stupid. I'm just making sure you don't cause trouble."
Zayn could only nod. "Alright, whatever you say."
'Damn system flag… I just wanna live a normal life…'
Main Hall of Arcanum Academy
The grand hall was filled with hundreds of new students. A huge crystal hung like a star from the ceiling, while golden pillars rose around the balconies where the school leaders sat.
Zayn and Liora sat down. Liora sat gracefully but kept her distance like she didn't want to be seen with him. Zayn looked around instead.
'All the characters and heroines are here… Everything's just like the game story.'
At the center of the hall, stood an old man in white and gold robes. His long silver hair and sharp yet gentle eyes were unforgettable.
'That's him… Grand Rector Theobald Greylance. The legendary mage who defeated the Demon Dragon that invaded the world…' Zayn looked at him.
The rector's voice echoed through the hall.
"Welcome, new generation of Arcanum. Here, you will learn, grow, and shape the future of the world…"
His speech was long, grand, and inspiring. But Zayn couldn't focus. He was busy thinking of ways to survive.
Then the Rector called a name.
> "As student representative, please step forward… Elric Forsytrus."
A handsome young man with silver-gold hair stood up. Perfect uniform. Charming smile. Calm eyes. As he walked to the podium, everyone whispered:
"That's Elric… the Heir of Light…"
"He's gonna be the top student for sure."
"He's so handsome… like a hero…"
Zayn sighed.
'Yeah yeah, Elric is perfect. Elric is amazing. Elric gets all the heroines. Whatever. I just wanna go back to my room.'
Elric gave a long, passionate speech that made the students cheer. Meanwhile, Zayn almost fell asleep.
'Seriously? His boring speech is making everyone excited? Is this the power of a main character or something?!'
After the ceremony, Zayn quickly tried to leave. But then—
"Zayn Altharos. I'm not done with you."
He turned around. Liora stood there, hands on her hips.
'Oh no… not now…' Zayn sighed and pretended not to hear, trying to walk away.
But Liora blocked his path with a scary smile. "I'm talking to you. Why are you running?"
"I just… wanna go back to the dorm." Zayn stopped.
"You're avoiding me. Suspicious. Are you hiding something?"
"I'm not hiding anything. I just don't want to fight."
"That's weird too. You're too polite."
Zayn looked at her seriously. "I just want a peaceful life, Liora. Believe it or not."
TING!
> [ Favorability +5 → -3 → 2 ]
Zayn screamed in his heart. 'HUUHHHH?!'
Liora stared, looking confused.
"Hm… fine. I'll keep an eye on you. If you act weird again, I'm reporting you to the Academy Council."
"Sure… if that helps you sleep better."
Liora turned her head. "Whatever. Go."
Zayn bowed a little. "Thanks."
He finally returned to his dorm.
Once the door closed, Zayn threw himself onto the bed, staring at the ceiling.
"Finally… peace… but wait. WHY DID THE FAVORABILITY INCREASE?! T__T"
"More importantly… WHY IS THIS DAMN SYSTEM FLAG EVEN HERE?! T__T"
Zayn pulled his blanket over his head and screamed into his pillow.
Then suddenly—
TING!
> [ New Quest Available: "Survive the First Month" ]
Reward: 500 Coins
"…Oho?"