There were only two commoners in the S-Class. But that was something more than rare.
Two was already above average. Even when a commoner managed to enter the academy, they usually didn't perform well enough to make it into the S-Class.
But now, both Niter and Colt had defied the odds.
Unfortunately for them, the rest of the class already had some familiarity with each other.
Most nobles around the same age had met at least once—at gatherings, ceremonies, or formal training events.
Even if they weren't close friends, they still recognized the faces.
This kind of social web would be useful in the future, once they inherit their parents' titles and responsibilities.
Colt, being a regressor, had already found his old companions. But he still wasn't sure about Niter.
First of all, she was strong.
Even if she ranked 42nd among the first years, that was impressive for a commoner.
He had also seen her at the black market. But she hadn't talked much beyond the time they shared a meal.
Colt decided to look into her situation eventually. Something about her stood out.
Right now, though, he was spending time with the usual trio of young nobles, exploring the academy district.
Without the academy's restrictions, it would have taken them maybe a week to see everything the district had to offer.
Now, it might take a year.
But they didn't mind. They were going to be here for four years—probably.
They picked a café clearly tailored for nobles. Still, they knew Colt didn't care about that sort of thing.
"Sei, how are the preparations going? It's this Friday, right?" Myrin asked, seemingly out of nowhere.
Well, it wasn't entirely out of nowhere. Colt already knew what was coming.
In fact, he had been waiting for it.
"Yes, everything's almost ready. I don't think there will be any issues," Seila replied.
"Did you just jinx your birthday party?" Hei teased.
Yes, it was Seila's birthday. And not just any birthday.
In Arte, nobles celebrated their birthdays every year. But the fifteenth was different—it marked their coming-of-age ceremony.
That meant a full-blown celebration, one that reflected their family's title and power.
And in Seila's case, the scale would be even larger. Count Springold wasn't just a count—he was one of the stronger nobles in the empire.
Even some marquesses wouldn't dare oppose him, especially not when he acted in tandem with Count Ramgan, Hei's father.
Colt had been waiting for the topic to come up, but he hadn't received an invitation.
Not that he expected one. He was still a commoner, after all.
Bringing someone like him into the northern district, where the Springold household's mansion stood in Lofpus City, would definitely cause trouble.
He wasn't even sure if Seila had considered it.
So Colt had been quietly thinking of ways to get himself invited, even if the odds didn't look good.
In the meantime, they ordered cake. The café was famous for it—and in Colt's opinion, the praise was well deserved.
One of the reasons they'd chosen this place was to make sure the cake was up to standard, since Seila's birthday cake would be coming from here.
And they were satisfied.
So, they all stood to pay for the cake, but what they saw at the counter surprised everyone.
"We greet the Second Prince, Antoine," all but Colt said in unison.
Of course, Colt didn't skip the courtesy. He bowed his head respectfully and waited until Antoine said, "You may raise your heads."
"Prince Antoine, I didn't expect to see you here," Hei said.
It wasn't exactly common for a prince to stroll around in public. Usually, whatever he wanted came to him.
"I'm just another academy student while I'm here," Antoine replied casually. "So it's perfectly normal for me to eat at a place like this.
Especially after hearing about its reputation."
The workers behind the counter lit up. The second prince's praise carried weight, and his presence alone was worth more than any advertisement.
Then he turned toward Seila. "Miss Seila, thank you for the invitation to your birthday party. I'll be there without fail."
And then, with a casual glance at Colt, he added, "Will you be attending too? Ah, wait—I almost forgot. You wouldn't be allowed in."
It was a clear jab, meant to provoke. A push to see if Colt would react. And if he did, Antoine would have a chance to finish him for good.
But Colt didn't bite. His expression stayed calm.
Seeing that his words had no effect, Antoine offered a polite smile and said, "Well then. I'll see the rest of you at the party," before turning and walking out.
"Colt, I'm sorry. We really did try—" Hei began, but Colt raised a hand, cutting him off with a smile.
"It's fine. I understand."
They left the café and started back toward the dorms.
But halfway there, Seila suddenly stopped. "Wait here, I forgot something," she said, then turned around and headed back the way they'd come.
***
"Should we go check on her? It's been half an hour," Myrin said, starting to sound a little worried.
Hei shook his head. "No way anything happened to her. She's strong."
But after another ten minutes passed, Colt couldn't sit still anymore.
"I think we should look for her," he said, already standing. "Let's split up."
Without waiting for a reply, he took off in the direction of the café.
Seeing that, Myrin and Hei exchanged a look and quickly worked out a plan of their own, then split up as well.
***
When Colt reached the café, the first thing he did was ask the workers if they'd seen Seila.
One of them told him she had forgotten her bear-shaped, hand-sized purse earlier, when they'd all come together, but she hadn't returned to pick it up.
That set off alarms.
Colt knew that purse. It was a gift from her brother—there was no way Seila would just leave it behind.
And if she hadn't come back for it, something must have happened on her way to the café.
Immediately, he expanded his senses, pushing his range from fifty meters to two hundred in an instant.
The sudden increase made his perception waver for a moment—he hadn't used it like this in a while—but he adjusted quickly.
Still, no matter how far he searched, he couldn't sense Seila anywhere nearby.
That's not good.
He took off running, darting through streets and alleys, sweeping the area with every step.
But nothing. No trace of her. The academy district was too big to search her that way.
I should've placed something to track her...
It hadn't felt right before. Too intrusive. But now, all it would've taken was one tag, one mark—and he wouldn't be running blind.
Frustration tightened in his chest.
Knowing that he had to hurry, he decided to stop playing for now.
And then, he released the seal.