The entrance ceremony concluded without any issues.
After that, everyone dispersed. Most students either headed back to the dormitories they'd be living in from now on or went off to explore the school.
This academy is fully boarding.
I'm no exception—while attending this academy, I'd have to live in the dorms.
Leaving the school grounds would be off-limits except during long breaks, unless something truly extraordinary came up.
"What shall we do now?"
Kathia addressed me in full lady mode.
We'd already finished all our dorm preparations.
Ideally, I'd like to take a look around the school grounds, though.
"There's someone I'd like you to meet, sooo—would you all like to come along~?"
"Someone you'd like us to meet?"
"Yesss~ The future Saint and Sword Emperor. I don't think you'll regret meeting them~"
The Saint and the Sword Emperor.
Speaking of the Saint, she's the symbolic figure of the neighboring Holy Aleius Theocracy.
Known as the Hero's counterpart, each Saint appointed by the country is obligated to act alongside the Hero.
As for the Sword Emperor—that refers to the ruler of the Lengzant Empire, the largest human nation on the Kasanagara Continent.
The Lengzant Empire borders the Demon race's territory and is a nation where conflict never ceases.
To be the emperor of such a country, strength is the first and foremost requirement.
Because of that, each successive emperor has inherited the first emperor's epithet and been called the Sword Emperor.
While the Saint is chosen from candidates with the right qualities, the Sword Emperor is determined entirely by bloodline.
In other words, the current Sword Emperor's son is enrolled in this academy.
"Oh yes, the Crown Prince of the Lengzant Empire. I've heard the rumors. Apparently he enrolled this year, just like us. They say he's a sword prodigy who reminds people of the first emperor."
Wait, Kathia already knew about this?
I didn't know any of that!
"Shun, you really need to learn more about the state of the world."
Perhaps reading something in my expression, Kathia said that with a look of exasperation.
Ugh. I can't argue with that.
"But, Teacher. If you're going out of your way to meet them, does that mean...?"
"That's exactly what it means~"
"Then we simply can't refuse."
The conversation was progressing between the two of them without any input from me.
"Come now, Shun, let's go—what's with that face?"
"No, I just can't keep up with the conversation..."
"Sue is one thing, but how come you..."
Kathia and the teacher both gave me the same disappointed look at the same time.
Th-there's no need to make that face.
"Oh, it seems we no longer need to go to them~"
Drawn by the teacher's words, I looked over to see a boy and a girl approaching us.
The boy had dark brown hair with matching eyes and sharp, handsome features.
The girl had wavy blonde hair and blue eyes, with an almost mystical beauty about her.
"Hey. That tiny elf is Oka-chan?"
"Natsume-kun. That's rude to the teacher. It's been a while, Teacher."
The boy and girl spoke to us in Japanese.
Only then did I finally understand what the teacher and Kathia had been discussing.
These two were reincarnators, just like us.
"It's been so long~ I'm glad to see both Natsume-kun and Hasebe-san are doing well~"
From the teacher's words, I learned their original names.
The boy's original name was Natsume Kengo.
He was the guy who'd been the center of the boys in our class.
That said, I never particularly liked this Natsume.
He was athletic and strong.
He never actually resorted to violence, but he'd throw his weight around and make people do what he said.
That kind of forceful personality.
So in our class, there were those who followed Natsume and those who pushed back against him.
I was one of the ones who pushed back.
Well, "pushed back" might be generous—all I really did was try to avoid him as much as possible.
"Haha! Oka-chan was always tiny, but you've shrunk even more! That's hilarious!"
"Natsume-kun!"
The one scolding Natsume was Hasebe Yuka, who used to sit next to me.
Unlike Natsume, Hasebe was the kind of girl who was neither remarkable nor unremarkable.
She had a personality that was a bit easily swayed, but if someone told me she harbored something worthy of being called a Saint candidate, I wouldn't exactly be convinced.
"It can't be helped that she's small—she's an elf, after all~ Besides, you're not that much bigger than her now, Natsume-kun~"
"It's fine because I'm gonna shoot up from here on out. So, that person over there—is that the prince of this country? Who is he on the inside?"
Natsume's gaze turned toward me.
His eyes held a fierce, predatory gleam.
The kind of sharp, intense look that made it seem like he might lunge at any moment.
Was this guy really this menacing in our past life? Sure, he was annoying, but...
"Yamada Shunsuke."
"Oshima Kanata. It's been a while."
I gave a brief answer while Kathia deliberately stepped forward to show herself off.
"Huh? Oshima-kun?"
"That's right. I'm Oshima. Surprised? I was reborn as a girl."
Hasebe took the bait from Kathia's lead.
From there, the conversation picked up steam, and Natsume's gaze was drawn away from me.
Thanks, Kathia.
Either way, Natsume—