First of All, I’m Drinking - Chapter 79
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 79
After training began.
I had entered every zone in the training ground at least once, with the Zone of Chill being the last.
Unlike the other children who screamed in agony, I remained calm and composed no matter which zone I entered.
They said that the zone where you could endure more easily and for longer periods was the attribute that matched your aura.
Since I had no difficulty enduring the environment wherever I went, naturally there was no way for me to know which attribute suited me well.
After class ended.
I went to find Amelia to consult about my current condition.
“Hmm, that’s possible.”
Amelia made a light diagnosis.
“It’s probably because your talent is too exceptional, Asel.”
“Me?”
“Actually, many first-rate swordsmen throughout history experienced similar symptoms to yours.”
Amelia began a lengthy explanation.
“To convert aura according to attributes, the aura’s variability must be excellent. On the other hand, there are those who struggle with change because their aura’s cohesive force itself is too powerful. But such people usually have considerably stronger aura power compared to others.”
The figures she gave as examples were people I knew of.
“In fact, I know that Count Zeroph Gamilan, the Imperial Guard Captain, and Count Dezad Queisa, the current leader of the Western Alliance, don’t primarily use attribute conversion.”
“Then is there really a need to study attribute conversion? Like the people you mentioned, couldn’t I just overpower with pure force?”
“Those people have no problems because their martial prowess is so strong, but in battles between similar levels, attribute conversion provides a definite advantage.”
Amelia looked directly into my eyes as she continued.
“However, spending time on inefficient matters isn’t the right direction either. Soon there will be courses prepared for students who don’t show aptitude in attribute conversion, so wait without worry.”
“Yes, I understand.”
As she said, attribute conversion would be good to learn if possible, but there was no reason to invest a lot of time and effort into it.
My learning aura was ultimately for the stable manifestation of magic.
I’ll try challenging it for a few more days, and if it doesn’t work, I’ll give up cleanly.
* * *
The next day.
Today there was a liberal arts class scheduled.
At Millennium Academy, except for times when taking required major courses, the rest of the schedule could be filled with desired lectures.
Either taking additional major elective courses.
Or attending liberal arts lectures.
I was taking three liberal arts lectures in total.
Understanding Sex and Love, History of the Holy Kingdom, and Understanding Demon Lords.
Among these, the first lecture I attended was Understanding Sex and Love.
I entered the Liberal Arts Building that I had previously toured with Max.
The building was bustling with students gathered to attend liberal arts classes.
‘Lecture Hall 2-3… here it is.’
I went up to the second floor and entered Lecture Hall 3.
Long desks and chairs were arranged in a semicircle structure facing the platform and blackboard at the front.
The lecture hall was bustling.
Understanding Sex and Love was the most popular subject among all liberal arts classes, and accordingly had many enrolled students.
‘It was hard work registering for this course.’
In this lecture, you learn about the process of love blooming between men and women, and students actually pair up and go on dates.
Of course, I had no interest in such things.
I simply applied because I heard there were many people.
The gender ratio seemed oddly skewed toward more male students.
Among the female students, there was a familiar face.
Artie de Gamillan.
Even though we were in different departments, since we were the same grade, I thought we might meet someday, but it was earlier than expected.
“Oh my, Artie! Hello, it’s been so long~”
A silver-haired girl approached Artie.
“Ah, hello.”
“Formal speech again! I told you it’s okay to speak casually?”
“Alright. If Seria insists that much.”
Had Seria also registered for the Understanding Sex and Love lecture?
The two sat next to each other and chatted amicably.
They said they took the same liberal arts lecture in the first semester too.
Maybe they got along well from then and registered together for the second semester too.
I just grabbed any seat and sat down.
But among the students flooding in.
I spotted a familiar person.
“…”
The student with a plump build who entered the lecture hall anxiously, looking left and right in case someone might recognize him, was.
Lessor de Balkaud, whom I had beaten down just a few days ago when he picked a fight with me.
He looked around and made eye contact with me.
“!”
His expression instantly turned sour and Lessor’s face flushed red.
He looked like someone caught red-handed in an embarrassing secret they absolutely didn’t want discovered.
‘Could he be embarrassed about taking this lecture?’
That would make sense.
Understanding Sex and Love was said to have many students who applied hoping to find romantic partners through the course.
Lessor probably had some such ulterior motive too.
‘Hehehe.’
I looked at Lessor and curled up the corners of my mouth in a smirk.
Lessor’s already souring face became even more twisted.
“Now, is everyone here~?”
A middle-aged female professor stepped up onto the platform.
“I’m Abigail de Licen, who will be teaching Understanding Sex and Love this term. Since today is our first class, shall we have a simple orientation?”
Abigail smiled brightly.
“As you all know, this class is about learning love between men and women. So I’ve arbitrarily formed pairs of one man and one woman!”
The students seemed flustered by the faster-than-expected development.
But soon clear anticipation could be felt in their eyes.
“I’ll reveal them right now.”
A screen created by magic appeared in the air.
It was a seating chart.
A seating arrangement set up for male-female pairs to sit together.
Occasionally, cases of two male students being paired were also quite visible.
“Since there are more males, some students unavoidably got paired with other males.”
Students who discovered they were paired with other males silently despaired.
“Now, shall we move to seats according to the new seating chart?”
With the sound of chairs scraping, students moved about busily.
I also moved to my assigned seat.
My partner was already sitting in her seat.
“Hello.”
She spoke to me.
At this point, I wondered if I had some kind of connection with this girl.
“Yes, nice to meet you. I’m Asel.”
“I’m Artie de Gamillan.”
Artie smiled freshly and swept her lustrous purple hair behind her ear.
In principle, it would be proper for students of the same grade to speak casually to each other.
Since Artie spoke to me formally first, I responded in kind.
“Princess Garnian doesn’t seem to need this lecture particularly, may I ask why you applied for it?”
Artie chuckled softly.
“A friend asked me to apply together.”
“A friend… Are you perhaps referring to Her Imperial Highness?”
“Oh, that’s right. How did you know?”
“I saw you two sitting together earlier.”
Come to think of it, who was Seria’s partner?
She’s pretty and even an imperial princess, so the student paired with Seria must have saved a nation in their past life.
I turned my head around looking for that lucky protagonist.
“Ah, damn.”
A rough curse pierced my ears.
“This is fucking ridiculous. Why did it have to be this bastard of all people…”
In the direction the voice came from, Seria was sighing with a very angry expression, holding her forehead.
Next to her sat Lessor de Balkaud, pale as a sheet and sitting meekly.
Seria glared at Lessor as if she wanted to kill him.
“Hey.”
“Yes.”
“You’re that kid, right? The one who goes around bullying those commoners in Class B.”
“Ah, that’s…”
“Don’t even think about playing dumb. I heard everything from Max. Listen? I hate people like you the most. Those who have nothing to rely on but some insignificant background yet act up without knowing anything.”
Even that great Viscounty of Balkaud is nothing but an insignificant background before the Imperial House.
“Sigh.”
Seria turned her head away as if she couldn’t be bothered to deal with him.
“I applied thinking I’d have some legal fun since my family interferes so much… but my luck is absolutely terrible.”
Lessor just trembled beside Seria.
He wasn’t even this bad in front of Max.
Even among the same imperial family, the difference between direct and collateral lines must feel even more extreme to high-ranking nobles.
Seria whipped around to look at Lessor again.
“You’re not having any weird delusions, are you?”
“Excuse me? What do you mean…”
“Just because your sister married my brother, you’re not thinking you could have something with me too, are you?”
“No, no! Absolutely not!”
“Behave yourself properly. If you have any strange thoughts, I’ll kill you.”
I happened to hear news about Killian here.
Well, that guy is already past marriageable age.
It seems he married a daughter of the Viscounty of Balkaud.
‘So Seria just called her own in-law an insignificant background.’
I’m a bit worried since the kid seems to be getting more and more out of hand.
Blood really can’t be deceived.
She’s definitely Killian’s sister.
“It looks like everyone has switched seats, so let’s proceed with the orientation in earnest~.”
Abigail explained the general framework of how the lectures would proceed for the semester ahead.
There would be no separate midterm or final exams, and grades would be reflected through reports.
I listened with one ear and let it out the other.
While Abigail conducted the orientation, I activated my insight to scan the entire lecture hall.
Since there were quite a few people, I had to take my time and look around slowly.
‘Good. None of them are here.’
At least for the Understanding of Sex and Love course, I could let my guard down.
Eventually, the orientation came to an end.
“As I mentioned earlier, the midterm exam will be replaced with a report, so go on a date with your partner sitting next to you and write about what you felt, then submit it~.”
A date.
What a waste of time.
If Artie thinks the same way, we could just pretend we went on a date and be done with it.
After all, she only came because Seria asked her to apply together.
“Um…”
I was about to speak, but even before I called her, Artie was already staring intently at my face.
“!”
When our eyes met, she startled and turned her head away.
Looking closely, both her cheeks had turned red.
‘Why is she acting like this?’
Is she sick somewhere?
“That’s all for today’s class.”
When class ended, Artie got up from her seat as if fleeing.
Seria, who had approached at some point, glanced at my face and giggled while poking Artie’s side.
“I’m so jealous of Artie~ Want to switch partners with me?”
“Ah, that might be a bit difficult.”
The two of them left the lecture hall giggling about something amusing.
* * *
The next lecture was History of the Holy Kingdom.
I met one more nostalgic face.
“I’ll take attendance.”
A professor with abundant white hair held the attendance book and called out the students’ names one by one.
“Carno de Argent.”
“Yes.”
A student with brown hair swept to the right raised his hand and answered.
Snotty Kal.
His twin Max had already shed his crybaby nickname.
I wonder how this guy would be.
“Sniff.”
As soon as I thought that, Carno sniffled.
Ah, you still have a long way to go.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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