Chapter 12: Haruki,Philip And Magnus

"Isn’t everyone at Arcane Academy from a noble family?"

Haruki, who had been sleeping in class, woke up after remembering what the noble had said the previous day.

"Were you having a nightmare, Haruki?" Vila asked.

"No... Maybe."

Just as Haruki woke up, Lukas entered the classroom and began the magic lesson. Haruki stared at him with a curious expression.

"Teacher Lukas... could I talk to you after class?"

"...Sure."

The lesson continued, and after it ended, Haruki and Lukas had their conversation. Magnus, who had been watching Haruki, already knew what was on his mind.

"Looks like that noble’s words have been bothering you."

Several hours later, Haruki finally stepped into Teacher Lukas’s office. Once he entered, silence filled the room, broken only by the sound of their breathing.

After a brief moment of silence, Lukas finally spoke.

"What is it, Haruki?"

"This academy... is filled with people from noble families, right?"

"Yes... Why do you ask?"

"Then why did you allow Vila and me to take the entrance examination and enroll in this academy, even though you didn’t know where we came from?"

"Why are you bringing this up, Haruki?"

Lukas’s expression turned serious.

Haruki then explained that a noble had told him the previous day that Arcane Academy only accepted students from noble families. This had left him wondering why he and Vila, who came from commoner backgrounds, had been allowed to enroll.

"Because you and Vila are interesting."

Lukas’s right eye changed from black to yellow.

What is he planning...? From what I remember reading in the novel TWBTAT, I’ve never heard of a character named Lukas...

Haruki had no idea what Lukas was capable of. In the original novel, Lukas might have been nothing more than an NPC. However, Haruki had never expected that Lukas’s magic was centered around his right eye, which allowed him to see other people’s auras.

"My eye... allows me to see a person’s potential."

"Only you, Vila, and Magnus are commoners."

"Magnus? So... he’s a commoner too?"

Lukas nodded before continuing his explanation.

He revealed that Haruki and Vila were supposed to undergo another examination: a verification test to confirm their noble status.

However, the test required the headmaster to personally examine the results. Therefore, Lukas had secretly enrolled Haruki and Vila in Arcane Academy without verifying their family backgrounds.

"Then what about Magnus?"

"He was helped into the academy by the Charles family."

"Charles? Philip’s family?"

Damn... There’s so much about this novel that I’m only discovering now that I’ve entered its world, Haruki thought to himself.

"How did Philip’s family manage to get Magnus into the academy?"

"Magnus was Philip’s childhood friend. When they reached adolescence, Philip was admitted to this academy."

"Unfortunately, when Magnus tried to enroll, his application was rejected because he wasn’t from a noble family."

"Philip tried to convince the teachers that Magnus was talented, but they rejected his request without a second thought."

While everyone else looked down on Magnus, Lukas noticed something extraordinary about his aura, which caught his interest.

He subsequently sent a letter to Magnus, who lived in a rather intimidating-looking house. The letter informed Magnus that Lukas intended to help him enter Arcane Academy, even if it meant doing so illegally.

Magnus accepted the offer without hesitation because he wanted to be reunited with his childhood friend, Philip. Although the two were no longer as close as they used to be, their friendship remained important to Magnus. Their growing distance was largely due to one ridiculous reason: Philip’s habit of skipping classes.

"Are you satisfied now? I’m a teacher unlike the others... They only care about nobles."

"Whereas I care about talent."

"Do you think I’m talented?"

"...No. I’m interested in you because you seem like someone who could do just about anything..."

"And yet, you don’t have an aura at all. Who are you really, Haruki?"

Haruki fell silent, unable to respond to the question directed at him.

Me...?

Haruki realized that he was someone who was never supposed to exist in this world. In simpler terms, he was an anomaly.

"I’m sorry... but it’s not time for me to reveal that yet."

"...In that case, I’ll wait until you’re ready to tell me who you really are."

"Because I know that day will eventually come..."

Haruki walked out of Lukas’s office, where Magnus was already waiting for him.

"What were you two talking about? Sounds like some juicy stuff~"

"Nothing much..."

Haruki’s expression was difficult to describe.

"I see... It’s fine if you don’t want to tell me."

Magnus and Haruki headed back to their respective dorm rooms.

When Haruki entered his room, he noticed Philip sitting there, reading a book.

"Good to see you reading... Wait a minute. YOU’RE READING?!"

"What’s your problem?!"

"Are you sick, Philip?!"

Suddenly, the door to their room swung open with a loud bang, as though someone had kicked it down.

It was Magnus.

"Huh?! Philip is reading?! No way?!"

"Why are you barging into my room, Magnus?!" Philip shouted.

"Haruki... I think the world is about to end."

"I agree with you, Magnus."

"Hey, you two! Don’t take it that far!"

Haruki and Magnus burst into uncontrollable laughter at their own joke.

Curious, Magnus tried to peek at the contents of Philip’s book. However, what he saw left him utterly stunned.

It wasn’t a book filled with words.

It was a sketchbook.

Inside were drawings of a man who looked suspiciously like Teacher Lukas, angrily scolding someone while wearing a buffalo’s face, along with many other masterpieces created by Philip.

"Hehe... Don’t tell Teacher Lukas about this."

Haruki and Philip exchanged meaningful smiles before Haruki spoke.

"If you don’t want us to report you to Teacher Lukas, then you’ll have to obey our orders until tonight."

"Huh?! Why the hell should I—"

"Damn it... Fine."

"Address Magnus and me as ’Your Highness.’"

Philip nearly threw up at the thought but forced himself to comply.

From that moment onward, Philip was treated like their personal servant, much to his annoyance.

"Tch... Why do I have to put up with this?"

"Stop complaining, or the two of us will—"

"Y-yes, of course, Y-Y-Your H-Highness Magnus..."

And so, this became part of Haruki’s daily life.

Would he ever return to the real world, or was he destined to remain in this world forever?

Why had the system instructed him to stay in this world longer?

Was there something the system was hiding from him?

And what awaited Haruki, an additional character who was never supposed to exist, in the world of this novel?

To be continued...