บท 6: Hallroom No. 4

Chapter - 06

"Ugh, me and my big mouth," I groaned under my breath, thinking back to how I'd hoped my first quest wasn't a ridiculous one.

It hadn't taken long to find Hallroom No. 4, especially since all I had to do was follow the flood of students leaving the dorms. We streamed through the stone hallways of the First-Year Dormitory, the sound of footsteps echoing around me. The corridors themselves were unique in design—arched ceilings, stone columns, and thick wooden doors lining either side—but despite the medieval-type architecture, the place had a strange, almost ethereal cleanliness to it. There was no dust, no signs of decay, as if the building itself resisted the passage of time.

Exiting the dormitory, I stepped into an open courtyard. It was massive, with a neatly manicured lawn, hedges trimmed into geometric shapes, and trees scattered in perfect symmetry. Groups of students strolled through it, some heading in the same direction as me, others lingering on the cobblestone paths to chat with friends. The sky was bright and clear, the air cool and fresh, but something about it all felt... too perfect. Too surreal. I could see more buildings rising around the courtyard, each one grander than the last, and in the distance, the towering structure that could only be the academy's main building.

'Right... the academy.' I remembered reading that these academies weren't just buildings—they were sprawling complexes the size of entire cities, or even larger. They had everything within them: training grounds, classrooms, libraries, shops, even entertainment districts. In the novel, it was described as a place where a student could live their entire life without ever needing to step foot outside the academy grounds.

But what caught my attention the most as I walked through the courtyard was how... advanced everything was. Despite the world being set in a medieval era—complete with castles, swords, and ancient ruins—the academies themselves were like something out of a futuristic sci-fi movie. Magic and divine power ran through everything, making the impossible possible. There were no torches lighting the halls, but rather floating orbs of light suspended in the air. The stone pathways I walked on were impossibly smooth, like polished marble, and as I passed, I noticed translucent panels appearing in the air in front of students, who navigated them like they would a tablet or smartphone back on Earth.

Everything was modern, efficient, and powered by forces far beyond my understanding.

Finally, after passing through more courtyards and a few more grand hallways, I reached the main structure—a massive, dome-like building made entirely of white marble and stone. The sheer size of it was intimidating, as if the gods themselves had carved it out of a mountain. The building towered over me, its smooth surface gleaming under the sunlight. It was a masterpiece of both architecture and divine craftsmanship, something that had no place existing in a world with swords and shields.

I entered through one of the many archways and found myself in front of a large door that opened up to a great hall, the kind that could easily host hundreds of people. Hallroom No. 4.

Finding an empty seat in the backmost row, I slumped down and scanned the room. Students were trickling in, one after another. My estimate placed their numbers well over two hundred by the time most of the seats were filled. Despite the strange circumstances, I couldn't help but feel like I was watching some kind of celebrity runway show as they walked in. Every single one of them was absurdly attractive.

I tried to ignore the guys—blonde, blue-eyed, flawless skin, looking like they'd just stepped out of a fashion magazine. Most of them had soft, clear skin. 'Ugh,' I thought, 'nothing to see there for me.' I glanced down at my own appearance and couldn't help but feel a bit self-conscious. I wasn't ugly by any means, but compared to these people? I might as well have been scraping the bottom of the barrel.

No, instead of focusing on the guys, my attention drifted to the girls entering the hall. Now they were something else. Each one looked like a supermodel—white, flawless skin that seemed to shimmer under the light, their eyes captivating, no matter the color. Some had flowing locks of silver or gold, others had their hair tied up in elaborate styles. And their bodies—fit, toned, and undeniably beautiful, every one of them. I wasn't ashamed to admit that I found myself staring a little too long, maybe even drooling a bit.

Sure, I'd never had a girlfriend in my previous life. That was more a result of my singular focus on earning money and securing a future before I let myself get distracted by romance. But I wasn't immune to appreciating beauty. And these girls? They were on another level entirely.

But then, my gaze fell on a particular girl, and I froze.

She had striking blue hair, cascading down her petite frame like a waterfall. Her eyes were the same shade, a vibrant, electric blue that almost seemed to glow. She wasn't tall, but her presence was magnetic. Everything about her—from the way she carried herself to the way her slim, athletic figure moved—oozed grace and power. She was beautiful, no doubt about it, but in a way that was sharp, like she could cut you down with a single glance.

I recognized her immediately. She was one of the important characters in the novel, a central figure who would play a huge role in the story later on. Seeing her in person, though, was something else entirely.

And next to her, walking with an air of complete confidence, was a young man that made my stomach sink. He had the kind of presence that made people take notice the moment he entered the room. His golden blonde hair perfectly styled in a way that seemed effortless. His green eyes were sharp, cold even, and his chiseled features were like they had been sculpted from marble. He wore a fitted academy uniform, and even through the fabric, I could see the outline of his muscular, athletic build. Power radiated from him, an aura of strength that even I could feel from the back of the room.

This was him. The protagonist. The golden boy of the novel.

'Great.'

And then, before I had a chance to process seeing him in the flesh, a screen flashed before my eyes.

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Dear Host,

Please Note Your First Quest:

- Defeat Tiberius Scipio in Class Combat Duel -

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I stared at the words, dumbfounded. Tiberius Scipio? 'The' Tiberius Scipio? The guy standing right there with his protagonist aura blazing around him?

"Ugh, me and my big mouth," I groaned again, sinking lower in my seat.