Neko-sensei frowned at my words. "What do you mean?"
My voice was hoarse, slightly shaky as my lips parted. "You see..."
'Damn it!!' Scrambling through my brain for an excuse—absolutely nothing came to mind.
With nothing to lose I blurted out, "You remind me of my sister. You feel kind of possessive—and it's not like I mind belonging to a hot older woman, but I don't think I'm cut out to be a mage."
A soft chuckle escaped her lips as she closed her mouth, stifling the laughter. "You're really a fun kid." She paused, her gaze fixed on me, unblinking. "That settles it then..."
"Thanks for under..." My bow was cut off by her words.
"You'll be my disciple from today." Her words echoed in my ears.
It's not like I'd lose anything training under an A-rank who was just one step away from reaching the peak of present humanity... But.
"Wouldn't that be unfair to other cadets?" I asked, hoping she'd change her mind—but also silently thanking my luck.
"Hmmm... It might seem like that, but many instructors take disciples from students."
After a moment she added, "And I can't let your knowledge of magic and natural smarts go to the wrong department—let me just say, many academic staff despise you because of the incident during the exam."
'That's right... Even if I don't want to, Neko-sensei is my only sure way of surviving the academy long enough to get strong.' Finally coming to a firm decision, I responded.
"Ok... But I'll call you whatever I want."
Tilting her head slightly, she asked, "And what name would that be?"
"We'll just call it a nickname." I replied, scratching my cheek.
"I have no issue with that... So after this, meet me in my lab." Glancing at her watch, she added, "It's almost time."
Gesturing for me to follow her, she said, "Let's go, disciple."
'Kind of sounds weird for my character to be calling me disciple.' A smile crept onto my lips, quickly turning into a grin. 'Let's squeeze her for all she's worth.'
As we made our way back to the other students, Neko-sensei gave us a few words before deactivating her talent.
The return trip to the academy gate didn't take long, and soon we stood exactly where we'd stood before—only this time, only class C was present.
"Hey, Kai." Matt stepped forward, smiling at me. "What class are you going to pick? And if you don't mind me asking, what archetype are you?"
'Of course I mind.'
"I'm a Manipulator, and for the class I'd pick, I guess a Wave Controller." I answered, my hand tousling my bangs slightly.
"That's really cool." His bright face beamed even more with his response.
'This guy's default setting is always on cheerful, isn't it?'
Suppressing the urge to punch his face and adjust his brain a little, I turned to the breathtaking sight in front of me.
Judging from the atmosphere, it hadn't been that long since we left, maybe about five minutes, though the time in Neko-sensei's world felt like it had lasted an hour or two.
A sprawling, cutting-edge academy stretched across the horizon, with both sleek glass buildings and concrete ones that shimmered softly under the spring sun.
As I walked past the gate and into the academy, I felt a cool sensation I hadn't noticed before—like stepping into an air-conditioned room.
Beside each building were neatly trimmed lawns and synthetic tracks lined with riverside serenity.
Reinforced concrete, solar-reflective panels, and lush rooftop courts adorned the towering academic structures.
Clean cherry blossom paths branched out in various directions with petals falling neatly on the stone-paved walkways, illuminated by both sunlight and LED streetlights.
Soft sounds of a river could be heard, though I attributed that to my clairvoyance talent.
The academy was beautiful—like a modern-day school fit only for elites.
"Wow!" Matt's face was flushed as he stared at the beautiful buildings.
It wasn't his fault. I designed England to resemble Victorian times, so seeing such modern structures was a first for him.
'Kind of feels like I just watched my kid grow out of his shell.' Slapping off the thought, I walked toward the general hall.
From the empty streets, it seemed the upperclassmen weren't too interested in the new students.
Neko-sensei's final directions echoed in my mind as I moved forward.
-----
The hall for class selection was nearly as large as the one used for the exam.
A grand space on the first floor of a wide three-story glass building.
A single mana orb lay at the edge of the room, with a large blackboard behind the professor operating the orb... Except that nothing else was there apart from the first-year students.
"Next!" The young woman with brown hair and extra-large bosoms called out.
"So you want a Wave Controller, right?" Hari asked for the tenth time.
"I said yes."
It seemed Hari was trying to make sure everyone knew she was familiar with me—in case I tried to use that as a reason to ignore her.
"But why are you picking an Arbiter? Wasn't the original Cordelia a Scout?" I whispered, so Amy who stood on my other side wouldn't overhear.
"I told you, didn't I? I was a hunter before I came here, so I'll pick a class that fits my combat style."
'I almost forgot about that.'
My thoughts spiraled—the same ones I'd put on hold.
Why did gates appear in my world? Was it a result of my transmigration? And worse—why only after my transmigration?
But I still couldn't form a hypothesis, or even a rough theory.
'All I can do now is push forward—Theron definitely knows something.' I thought, glancing at Hari.
"Let's exchange contacts later, I need your help with something."
Nodding, she replied, "Okay. Is it about the upcoming incident?"
"Yes."
Of all the main events that would unfold, the first—The Deerheart Incident.
I glanced at Isabella, my fingers curling slightly. 'She'll attack the school first on Deerheart's orders.'
I sighed and focused on the mana orb—it wasn't the time to overthink. He was still here, after all.
"Class Arbiter—Matthew Von Silver."
Matthew walked past, sparing me a glance before heading to his dorm, assigned through the NSA (Noctis Students App).
"It's my turn, isn't it?" Amy stepped forward, nodding repeatedly like she was confirming it to herself.
"Class Tank—Amelia Reinhardt."
The crowd started whispering. Everyone expected Matthew to become an Arbiter, but no one had thought the noble Lady Amelia would choose such a brawler class.
"I did it." She declared, clearly waiting for my reaction.
"I don't think being a tank makes you any less of a lady." I muttered, knowing those were the words she wanted to hear.
"It's not like I needed your approval, just stating facts." Her soft, flushed voice made me smile without thinking.
But catching the mischievous smirk on Hari's face, I quickly convinced her to go get ready for the next school day.
"What were you planning to do?" I asked Hari, who was stepping up for her class selection.
"Wouldn't it be fun, bro, watching that bakadere cry... Hahahaha."
"Just pick your class." I said firmly.
"No fun... But seriously, get ready because in a month—" Hari's expression shifted.
"I know, it's going to get really dangerous."
Smiling faintly, she stepped toward the professor.
"Class Arbiter—Cordelia Blackwood."
'It's best to start preparing after tomorrow's classes and combat training.' I thought, waiting for my turn.
It looked like tomorrow was going to be one of the most stressful days of my life.