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On the day of departure to the academy, I was called by my father, the Count of Lithuania, and given yet another warning. This time, it was really the last one, so I was told to behave well.

What kind of warning is this? It’s just a threat.

But I didn’t do the stupid thing of voicing what was on my mind.

In the end, if I didn’t like the current situation, all I had to do was change it with results.

Of course, I couldn’t completely erase the image of a reckless troublemaker that had already been established.

From the start, it was strange to think that people’s perceptions would change just because I did something good. Even if this was a game-like world, now that it had become reality, it was something I had to consider.

‘Who can I blame? It’s my own fault for stupidly adding all these weird settings like some kind of fool.’

Gilbert clicked his tongue as he thought this.

At least he had to be grateful that he had possessed this body before entering the academy.

If he had entered the academy and acted like the troublemaker he was supposed to be, he might have been disowned by his family before even getting a last chance.

Letting out a deep sigh, he stared blankly at the monotonous scenery outside the carriage. Gilbert found himself pondering once again how he had ended up in this situation. He was just a gamer living off a pension, playing games, and suddenly he was thrown into a game world where he had to survive.

If I don’t complain about this being unfair, what should I complain about? Even though I thought I should just accept it, anger welled up inside me. Enjoying fun and excitement in a game world was something only possible in novels.

Still, he didn’t realize how fortunate he was to start in a prestigious count family in a world with a class system. Considering that, according to the game’s scenario, a war would break out and lives would be lost left and right, it was a relief to have ample support and a status that didn’t require him to bow his head to just anyone.

Being the eldest grandson of a border count, who would dare treat him carelessly? If he had been set up as a commoner, he might have ended up hanging himself or being sent to the frontlines as cannon fodder, screaming his lungs out.

Chuckling to himself, Gilbert closed his eyes, feeling the smooth ride of the high-class carriage. Since it would take several days to reach the academy, there wasn’t much he could do except doze off.

After what felt like an eternity of enduring the boredom of the carriage ride, he finally arrived at the empire’s academy.

Demia Empire Academy.

A military educational institution created by the colossal empire of Infractus in Tactical Combat.

Given the frequent wars in this era, it was only natural that the empire’s top educational institution would focus on military studies.

This place was unique in that both nobles and commoners could enroll. For commoners without titles, it was the fastest path to securing a future, and anyone with talent aspired to enter the Demia Empire Academy.

On the other hand, all noble children were required to graduate from this academy, regardless of their personal wishes, due to a prevailing perspective in Infractus.

Noblesse Oblige.

It means “nobility obliges,” implying that wealth and power come with responsibilities and duties.

In the modern world before Gilbert possessed this body, this expression could be seen as elitist or even as a form of supremacist ideology. Discussing the duties of nobility inherently divides classes, making it hard to view it positively.

But in the world of Tactical Combat, where class and status systems exist, this saying took on a different meaning. In a world where a person’s value is determined by their bloodline, fulfilling noble duties was seen as a noble act, and people summed it up in one phrase.

Proof of Blue Blood.

It was a kind of ritual to prove and demonstrate one’s ability to fulfill the duties of a noble through evaluations at the academy.

Therefore, graduating from the Demia Academy within the Infractus Empire meant successfully completing the Proof of Blue Blood.

That’s why the Count of Lithuania had given Gilbert one last chance. It was an unspoken pressure to restore his honor, which he had tarnished, by excelling in the Proof of Blue Blood.

Upon arriving at the academy, Gilbert was guided by an academy servant to the dormitory where he would stay before the entrance ceremony.

Even as the troublemaker heir of a count family, he had no choice but to enroll in the academy to complete the Proof of Blue Blood.

Even the imperial family couldn’t avoid this, as it influenced the succession rights, making it impossible to bypass the academy. Naturally, high-ranking nobles could enter the academy without taking the entrance exam, unlike commoners.

However, the academy’s curriculum didn’t end with just enrolling, and the requirements for nobles were even higher, so skipping the entrance exam wasn’t a significant advantage.

In fact, some were expelled during mid-term evaluations, bringing shame to their families. It wasn’t for nothing that graduating from the academy was called the Proof of Blue Blood.

After dropping off his belongings in the assigned dormitory, Gilbert stretched his stiff body from the long carriage ride. The entrance ceremony was two days away, so he had some time to spare.

‘First, image improvement.’

Gilbert pulled out the first plan he had thought of. In fact, this was a common tactic used by troublemaker heirs of count families—improving their image to make it seem like they had been hiding something all along. In such cases, it was a foolproof method to use when the protagonist’s family was rotten to the core, but the Lion Heart family he had encountered throughout the game was nothing like that.

They were the empire’s shield, a sword that protected the imperial family with unwavering loyalty. For that reason, even if he tried to change his image, the effect would likely be minimal.

From what he had researched, the original Gilbert Lion Heart was the epitome of trash, and no amount of washing could change that fact.

So even if he showed a changed demeanor, people would likely just think, “What kind of nonsense is he up to now?” But if he didn’t do anything, he would remain stuck in the same place.

His first plan was physical training. Even if it was for image improvement, physical training wouldn’t be useless to him.

After all, physical training was important here too. Piloting high-performance colossal mechs would undoubtedly put a strain on the body, so physical training would help reduce that burden. Since all of this was a setup to reach the ending, it was right to try everything he could.

From the moment he woke up here and started looking for a way back, he had thought about it, but there was no guarantee that seeing the ending would send him back. All he could do was try.

Among his plans was also ensuring the stable growth of the protagonist’s party. Now that this was reality, his characteristic skills might have limits, and the protagonist might be a key trigger for reaching the ending.

If only he had possessed the protagonist or given Gilbert some normal skills, it might have been easier, but that rotten mindset didn’t allow for normal judgment.

Feeling inexplicably annoyed, he finished packing his things and asked an academy servant passing by for directions to the physical training facility, then headed there.

Why physical training in a place where wars are fought using colossal mechs?

Golden Sun Rule #1:

You need a strong body.

***

The reason Infractus is a colossal empire is inseparable from its status as a military powerhouse. With hundreds of thousands of elite soldiers and hundreds of knights who can perfectly handle colossal mechs, it’s almost strange that Infractus hasn’t unified the continent.

That’s why Infractus was overflowing with talented people. From 6th-class knights at the lower ranks to 1st-class knights at the top, countless knights were classified by the brightness of stars, each shining with their own brilliance.

And among them, the one born with the greatest talent in the empire’s history was Infractus’s First Princess, Seraphina Lector Infractus.

With talent that reached the heavens, she could pilot colossal mechs from a young age. By the age of 15, she was already called a knight despite being a princess, and she was the closest to the throne among the imperial family.

Even such a princess-knight had to enroll in the Demia Empire Academy and was in the process of proving herself brilliantly.

A few days before the entrance ceremony, which marked the end of the academy’s break, Seraphina, as usual, headed to the physical training facility. A few nobles who served as her guards followed, but this was just part of her daily routine.

Even though the academy didn’t distinguish between high and low statuses, her status as a princess—and a knight at that—meant it was only natural for her to have guards. She was the empire’s greatest talent, infinitely close to the succession rights.

“Huff… huff…”

As she arrived at the physical training facility, Seraphina heard heavy breathing. The sound came from inside the facility, and it was surprising to find someone there during the academy’s break.

Even during regular academy schedules, not many people engaged in physical training. Mana was more important than stamina for piloting colossal mechs, so most people spent their time honing their piloting skills instead.

Perhaps that’s why?

She became extremely curious about the person who was doing physical training during this off-period.

To be honest, it was more accurate to say she was intrigued. As someone who might one day lead the empire, she had a desire for talent, and that desire began to stir.

After quietly instructing her guards to stay back, Seraphina stealthily entered the physical training facility.

‘This is…’

Perhaps because she thought no one would be here? A blond man had taken off his shirt and was sweating profusely, engaging in what could only be described as brutal physical training.

The weights he was lifting looked heavy enough to make an ordinary person struggle, but the blond man lifted them effortlessly, controlling his breathing as if it were nothing.

His finely sculpted muscles contracted and relaxed, and beads of sweat rolled down his tanned upper body.

Seraphina could almost imagine the effort the man before her had put into building that body. People who managed themselves to this extent were truly rare.

Just by looking, she could tell his body was the epitome of what a man could achieve.

“Who are you to be peeking at someone’s bare body?”

The man, who had thrown the weights to the ground, wiped the sweat from his body with a cloth and slowly turned around. He was a handsome man with striking red eyes and strong facial features.

“How dare you be so rude! Put on your clothes and show some respect!”

One of Seraphina’s guards, who had been standing quietly behind her, stepped forward to reprimand the man, Gilbert. Who in this country could stand before Seraphina in such a state, with their back straight and shirtless? Only the empire’s sovereign could do such a thing, not some rogue of unknown origin.

Meanwhile, Gilbert, who had been quietly enjoying his workout, felt a bit annoyed by the intruders. He hadn’t invaded this place—it was where he had been training all along.

If anything, the trespassers were the ones who had been peeking at his training, so their reprimand was almost laughable.

But this was a place where the class system was alive and well, and the fact that they had guards meant they were of high status. More importantly, Gilbert immediately recognized the person looking at him with interest.

The Princess-Knight.

Seraphina Lector Infractus.

 

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