Sight-Infused
Chapter 5

The remainder of the day passed without anything noteworthy. I didn’t set up my alarm and ended up sleeping through Sunday morning. Aliya was slightly irritated at the fact that she tried contacting me to invite me to breakfast, only for me to reply two hours later. We enjoyed lunch together, but other than that, we didn’t meet much. She probably spent her time with Mina or whichever new friend she met, while I spent my time either studying, sleeping, or on the internet.

“15 June 1795, 07:30 in the morning…”

I looked at my phone, which showed the date and time on its home screen. In five years, it would be the eighteenth century after those people united and created the new calendar system that we used today. I wonder how much history would be taught in the school. Would it explore deeper into the history surrounding Eesper and its knights, or would it explore this world in general? I remember studying a hybrid between Eesper history and world history in middle school, but would this school’s status as a magic school make it lean more toward the history surrounding the knights? Would other subjects be affected as well?

… !

I then realized that in only thirty minutes, the ceremony would begin. Forget about history, I would be late if I didn’t hurry. I sprinted toward the toilet and took a morning shower, before changing into my clothes. They had given everyone a set of school uniforms for the first day of school, while other clothes like gym clothes or extra sets would be distributed after the opening ceremony, along with student IDs.

After changing, I didn’t forget to open the windows and turn off the AC before sprinting out of the room. I locked the room and tucked the keys into my backpack, before heading down. The dormitory’s corridor, which had been relatively empty these last two days, was packed with other schoolboys heading out.

“Morning.”

“Good morning.”

Some greeted each other, some immediately walked outside, and others waited for their friends. The building felt lively after the two days of near-complete emptiness. I walked past the others, wondering who was my upperclassmen and who was my grade. The warm shine of the morning sun greeted me as I stepped outside my dormitory. I heard the mixed sounds of birds chirping, the morning breeze, and my fellow students chatting. I then received a vibration from my phone. I walked toward the side, beside the door, before checking it.

Where you at? You’re awake, right?

Yes, I am. How about you and Mina?

Already in the auditorium.

I looked at building D, where the freshmen flooded. It seemed rather packed, filled with students not wanting to be late on their first day.

They must’ve woken up early.

I thought as I returned my phone to my pocket and walked toward the building. Walking up the steps, I could see several upperclassmen and teachers standing on either side of the entrance, greeting and guiding the freshmen toward the auditorium. I waited patiently for my turn to enter. Upon entering, we walked straight into a large room with the writing ‘auditorium’ above its doors on a wooden plaque. We entered a large, theater-like room. Seats span from side to side, from front to back, occupying most of the room. On the front end, a large stage stood, along with a microphone ready to be used. A lot of the seats had been filled, and I spotted Aliya’s yellow hair sitting beside Mina’s white hair in the middle area. I walked up to them and found an empty space two rows behind them. Aliya somehow realized I sat behind them and looked back, flashing a grin when she saw me. She then grabbed her phone from her pocket and messaged me.

I thought you were going to miss the first day.

No way.

I checked the time, finding it to be ten minutes before the opening ceremony would be scheduled to start. School events running late were not new, so I didn’t expect much, especially with the crowd back outside. I fiddled with my phone as I waited. A boy sat down beside me on my left. I glanced at him but decided not to start a conversation. I was lucky I didn’t say anything, as soon one of his friends sat down beside him and started talking.

I guess I’m one of the few people who still didn’t find anyone new to talk to after two whole days.

08:02 in the morning.

The loud chatter that filled the room suddenly died down, followed by the sound of clicking boots. A tall, built man in his forties walked up the stage. He wore a light gray suit with the school’s crest on the left side of his chest. The suit contrasted his dark-tone skin. He confidently walked to the microphone, an air of elegance surrounded him. He took the microphone and looked at us.

“Test, test. Hello there, new students, welcome to Cutarvir Magic High School. My name is Martin Zumbadel and I’m this school’s principal.”

He declared with a smile.

“Let me start with this. As you know, our school started one month earlier compared to other high schools. Why is that? Because here in Cutarvir, you all will be trained to be Keepers, knights that protect the peace of this country. Being a Keeper is a tremendous responsibility. So let me tell you this. If in this first month you ever feel regret or feel that the weight of that responsibility is too much to bear, feel free to remove yourself from this school. We will refund any fees we collected in the first month. You will be saving our time, your time, your money, and maybe your life.”

The sudden announcement caused a little ruckus to spring from the crowd. People looked around, wondering if those who sat beside them would stay throughout the year. The principal didn’t say anything about the commotion. Instead, he simply smiled and walked back down as if nothing happened.

That’s one heck of an opening.

No applause followed the principal’s words, nor did he seem to bother waiting for them.

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“Eh?”

Apparently, I got too focused on myself that I didn’t realize someone sitting on my right. The boy had a flat expression on his face, his hand correcting the position of his dark green glasses. He then opened up a book that he brought and flipped through its pages, before writing down some things.

“Interested?”

He noticed me looking at him and asked. He didn’t seem offended, though. He looked as if my existence intrigued him. It had been a while since someone saw interest in me… well, Dad, Aliya, and Aliya’s family show that all the time, so they didn’t count.

“What is that?”

I asked.

“A notebook. I am Antonio Riork, I like to think of myself as some researcher.”

He casually said. He did have this cool, serious air around him, especially with that flat expression on his face.

“I’m Ranold Laydi. Nice to meet you.”

“Ranold Laydi…”

He flipped through his notebook again.

“You are not a noble, are you?”

“Umm… no.”

Is he the type that only makes friends if said friend is someone important?

“What was your score on the entrance exam?”

“I didn’t go through the entrance exam.”

“You did not enter through the entrance exam either? Interesting…”

“Interesting?”

“Did you have any past achievements?”

“No.”

“So you went through the express route?”

“Yeah…”

Antonio remained silent for a while. He pondered about something before looking back at me. I could somehow sense some disdain in his brown eyes.

“Your family name had nothing of note. You did not have a score for the entrance exam, nor do you have any past accomplishments. which meant you went through the express route. In other words, you are a son to a nobody that managed to join this school without having anything noteworthy. Really intriguing.”

I didn’t know if that was an insult or not, but was this really what you should say when you first met with someone?

“Do you research everyone’s history?”

“I mark the ones that were noble since those ones are harder to deal with. I failed to find anything about you, so I assumed you were one of those who went through the entrance exam. Turns out no, so I immediately assumed you are one of the athletes or one that had a niche ability, but nope, turns out not that either.”

He said as he closed his notebook.

“So tell me, Ranold, what got you here?”

He said with a condescending expression on his face, looking at me as if I was some mere ant. I wondered if I should tell him in the first place, especially under that weirdly sharp glare of his.

“Umm… A friend of mine paid for my fees.”

“Is he a noble?”

“She. She is a noble.”

“Interesting, really interesting.”

He opened his notebook once more and wrote some things in it.

“A normie that had nothing to his name, being taken care of by a noble. There is something deeper to this whole ordeal, is not there?”

“Umm… yeah?”

I was at a loss for words. The way he calmly insulted my very existence, without being wrong in the slightest…

I opened my own guidebook, which I brought with me, looking if there was any information on him, only to find that his ID was exactly after mine. Now that I checked, Mina’s ID wasn’t far from us either.

“Everyone, attention please.”

After a while of chatter, the room died down once more. This time, a tall lady stood in front. She wore a suit similar to the principal, but the one she wore was white.

“We will now divide you into your classes. Please look at your right side. Your seniors are holding white cartoons with the ID range. If your ID falls into that group, please line up in front of them.”

I looked to the side and searched for my class. Each class contained 30 people. Checking the boards, I realized that I fell into class C. Not just me, but Aliya, Mina, and Antonio would all be in the same class. While I was grateful I had been placed in the same class at Aliya, I couldn’t say the same for Mina or Antonio. My reasons for Antonio were obvious, for Mina, on the other hand, I was simply concerned that she would pull Aliya away from me.

Although then again, I have no right to decide who Aliya makes friends with.

“Now, if you feel like you belong to class A, please stand up.”

The teacher said from the stage. A group of students stood up and headed to the right side.

“They only have 29 students.”

Antonio said casually.

“How do you know?”

“A student from the Isalkt family canceled.”

“Why?”

“If my investigation were right, he originally signed up for the school in the capital, but chose this school in case he did not make it through. The fact that he was not here with us meant that he made it through. Good for him, but unfortunately, that meant someone else failed.”

“Does the school not replace those who left?”

“No. If the entire school decided to quit in the first month, the school would refund them entirely, and that entire year would be empty.”

He said before once again closing his notebook. I didn’t get why he even bothered to open it in the first place.

“Are you planning to quit?”

He suddenly asked, I felt a tremendous weight under that stare of his.

“N…”

I was about to deny it, but I soon realized that I might not be able to survive. Yes, my goals involved me being around Aliya, but if she decided I was of no use and decided to toss me aside, then I suddenly have no more reason to be here.

I’m a nobody. I’m not smart, I’m not athletic, nor do I have a particular thing I’m good at.

I could not use magic, nor do I have a weapon that could channel it.

I am painfully aware of all these things, I repeat them all the time, but it felt like I simply did that to run from the fact. It felt like I put a fence between me and my weaknesses. I could still see them beyond that fence, and I knew they existed…

Yet I did nothing about them.

“I am disappointed.”

He said out of nowhere. He tore his eyes off of me and back onto his notebook. That notebook should be grateful he didn’t have laser eyes, or else a large hole would settle in the middle of it at this point. Then again, he probably only showed that sharp gaze at me.

“I thought you would at least have determination, but from my observation, even that you lack. You are a complete nobody.”

He put the notebook into his pocket and looked at the empty stage up front.

“If you can survive this first month, that means you are indeed worthy of this school. If not, then you hear what the principal had just said. This may not be the best school in the country, but if you refuse to try just because of that fact, then you better leave.”

Ouch, does this dude really not know how to hold himself?

But the fact that it hurts probably meant it was all true.

“Class C.”

The teacher called, and Antonio rose from his feet. He turned his back toward me and walked away, his book in his hand. I raised up and followed him. We all waited patiently in line. I could see Alina standing not far from me. She looked back and flashed me one of those perky smiles of hers.

A smile that I just couldn’t get enough of…

Her smile… If only… if only I could continuously receive that…

I didn’t want money, nor did I want power.

I want her to be happy.

Would that be something worth fighting for?

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