'Survival probability?'
Dawn777
―Final outcome 'Chapter X. Death' in 774 days, 0 hours, 1 minute, and 19 seconds
―Chance of change: 0.3% (+0.1%p)
It increased by 0.1%p.
'That means I'm on the right track.'
Good.
For now, I won't go out of my way to respond, but I've realized I don't need to act like a social misfit as I did at home.
I can't live as the original Luca forever.
To succeed in overthrowing the hierarchy, and to increase the credibility of my words and actions, I can't maintain my current social standing.
To catch up with my brother, who is highly esteemed in the Empire and neighboring countries, I need to start moving as soon as possible.
Of course, my brother won't tolerate my changes forever.
One day, he'll either assign a monitor to me or come to check on me himself.
So, I need to improve my skills and lay the groundwork to dispel any ridiculous rumors before then.
*
The first day of classes ended smoothly.
Fortunately, the practical classes were also just orientation, so there was no need to use magic.
Thinking it best to postpone magic training until the effects of the potion wear off, I spent Friday evening and the weekend in the library. Immersed in studying divine power to raise my skill scores, the weekend flew by in the blink of an eye.
Finally, Monday arrived, and the first practical magic class began.
"Hello, everyone. Did you have a good weekend? Today, we will practice a simple attack spell."
The professor, who had called all the students to the training ground, amplified his voice with a spell and guided us. After a tedious introduction, the professor called each student to use magic.
'They're all quite good.'
As expected of the Empire's top magic academy, the students' skills were impressive.
And then… when it was Leo's turn, I retracted my previous evaluation.
'...Not just anyone can be the protagonist's friend.'
In the novel, Leo was clearly not one of the stronger members of the protagonist's group, but here, he stood out starkly among the other students.
Everything is different from an extra who dies at the age of twenty by his brother's hand. If I had to enter, I should have entered a character like him.
While I was having these idle thoughts, the students' names continued to be called, and dazzling magic flashed incessantly before my eyes.
Cruelly, the practical magic class didn't exempt anyone unless they were absent.
'Until now, Luca couldn't do anything.'
Even then, that Leo guy always kept an eye on Luca. According to my memory, Leo used to send Luca a look of contempt every single time. It must have made Luca think of quitting every hour.
At that moment, the professor called a familiar name.
"Next, Lucas Askanian!"
*
"I was surprised. Isn't this almost the first time you've walked around looking like a human?"
Friday, the day the new semester began.
One student entered the training ground used by the magic department, speaking in an excited voice.
Although there was no subject, it was obvious who they were referring to. Other students who had been resting on the floor responded with intense reactions.
"Yeah, I almost fainted."
"I saw his face for the first time today. Does it make sense that I've been at this school for this long and only just saw his face?"
"You must not have been attending school properly."
"What are you talking about, XX."
The students burst into laughter among themselves.
Ignoring his friends, one student brought up Lucas again.
"But he seemed like a completely different person. Don't you think he did more than just cut his hair?"
"What's so surprising? He probably spent the two-month vacation at home learning how to walk again. And how to open his eyes."
"Haha! I guess he's planning to live properly now. I was really surprised when he answered in class."
A student who had been sitting with a dark face without participating in the conversation the entire time shook his head.
"I don't know, a guy who was a rat at school now acting normal…."
At those words, the constant undercurrent of laughter in the conversation died out.
It wasn't because there were always stories criticizing Lucas.
The silence dragged on for a while until one student, trying to lighten the mood, spoke with a playful expression.
"Isn't that a ridiculous rumor? No matter how it is, that's a bit…."
"Why are you so complacent? What if the fact that he dressed properly now means he plans to shamelessly drink blood like other Pleroma bastards?"
"Well… would he really do that openly while tied to the school? The royal family would come after him."
"And has the royal family ever succeeded? Why did everyone avoid him? It's because they feared he might really be with Pleroma."
"..."
The follow-up comments weren't important.
Has the royal family ever succeeded?
Those words could lead to charges of blasphemy, and the other students exchanged tense glances.
At that moment, one student raised his hands and stepped in.
"Hey, guys. We weren't trying to talk about this. Calm down a bit."
"Yeah, you go out and get some air. We were just curious how long he'd keep this up."
The student furrowed his brows and shouted.
"Why are you so complacent? At this rate…!"
"Stop spouting nonsense."
A cold voice from above made the students look up.
Leo, who had been listening silently to his friends' conversation, answered with a frosty expression.
"Changing appearances doesn't change the essence. What can a guy who can't even use magic do?"
It wasn't typical for Leo, who usually didn't engage in others' conversations, to say something like this.
Yet, his friends weren't surprised at all.
Leo, who usually softened situations with a smile, had always criticized Lucas, so there was no reason to find it strange now.
One student laughed nonchalantly.
"Haha, that's true. How is it that he can't even do the basics? It seems like he can't cast any magic at all."
"Even if he knew how to, everyone here knows he's just a charity case. Showing some shitty magic skills won't change anything."
"Didn't they say he can't use magic because he can't drink blood?"
"Pleroma folks know how to use magic without drinking blood. Regardless of the process, he can't use magic at all, so why is he even here?"
Despite the time allotted for training passing by, the students' conversation didn't stray from Lucas's defamation.
By now, Leo had tuned out his friends' words, lost in his own thoughts.