Anyone lacking the expectation of living for tomorrow dreams like this.

When they open their eyes in the morning, they wish the world would just end.

It is an extreme wish, but more people harbor this dream than one might think. Whether it’s dreading going to work the next day, impulsively confessing to a girl they’ve never met, or being on the receiving end of such a confession. Lacking any expectation that tomorrow will be a better day than today, they embrace an absurd despair as hope.

I defined it under the name of a wish, but in truth, it’s closer to meaningless grumbling. No matter how much I mutter for the world to end, it will never come true. It’s just similar to spewing profanity when annoyed and exhausted.

I too grumbled yesterday for the world to end, but I didn’t truly wish for it. Of course, I harbored a sliver of expectation. What would I do if the world really ended? Would the skills I possess become useful in that world? While indulging in such absurd fantasies.

But the next day, I inevitably opened my eyes safely in my bed, announcing the start of the day with a sigh deep enough to sink into the ground.

“Haa…”

Dressed in my uniform and ready, I headed not to the Academy but to the adjacent dormitory. School time was approaching, but I had something to do first. Chewing on the ever-encroaching sense of helplessness, I knocked on the door as always.

“Lena.”

“…”

“Lena. Are you asleep?”

“…”

“Lena!”

I shouted out of sudden anxiety, but immediately regretted it and looked around. Surely no one heard me. After confirming there was no one around, I knocked on the door once more.

“Lena. You’re still not up, right?”

“…”

“I’m coming in.”

I naturally pulled a key from my pocket and stepped inside. Soon, a musty smell of mold seeped into my nose, and in the distance, I saw a figure completely buried under blankets.

“Lena.”

“…”

“Lena, wake up. It’s morning.”

“Mmm…”

As I approached the blanket and shook what appeared to be her shoulder, vibrant red hair suddenly popped out. I looked around the disastrous room and let out a sigh.

“Hurry up and get up. There’s no time to dawdle.”

“Just five more minutes…”

“Then you’ll be five minutes late. I’m telling you, you need to get up right now if we want to clean the room, wash up, and leave.”

“Can’t you do it for me?”

“Don’t be ridiculous…”

Just as I was about to snap in annoyance, Lena finally turned to look at me. With her lips pouted and her half-open eyes gazing at me hazily, my heart skipped a beat without me realizing it. I had seen her for over three years, and I knew her true nature well, but it was a face still so cute that I couldn’t get tired of it.

“Haa…”

A sigh naturally escaped me. Not because the situation was annoying, but because I was pathetic for giving in to her half-hearted coquetry.

“Alright. I’ll clean the room, so you go wash up and get ready.”

“That’s my Lope. I love you.”

When I finally nodded, Lena beamed and wrapped her arms around my shoulder. It was quite bold skinship, but it wasn’t like she had done anything more than this over the past few years.

Was this her reward for making me work every morning? Convincing myself that a three-second hug was compensation brought a slight sense of self-deprecation. Still, for friends, this was a request worth granting.

That is, if we were actually friends.

Strictly by definition, we were friends. We had known each other since childhood, and by some coincidence, we enrolled in the Academy together. We were on morning wake-up call terms. Besides, our attitudes toward each other weren’t that bad.

But that was only outside the Academy.

“Lope. Are you done?”

While I was cleaning the room lost in thought, Lena mumbled my name. I glanced over and saw she was already fully ready to go. She gathered her hair with a hair tie she had been holding in her mouth and flashed a fresh smile.

“Not yet? Should I do it after all?”

“No, it’s fine. I’ll be done soon.”

“Then should I head out first?”

My fingertips paused for a moment. Anyone else would have felt incredibly hurt hearing that. But that was actually Lena’s own way of being considerate. An implicit consideration that it was better for her to leave first rather than awkwardly splitting up midway while walking to school together.

Because inside the Academy, I was in no position to dare act close to Lena.

“Sure. Go on ahead.”

“Yeah. Thanks, Lope. I love you.”

It was an incredibly hollow confession of love. With that, Lena left without any lingering attachment, and I finished the remaining cleaning. Finally, after opening the window to air out the room, a sense of complexity washed over me along with the fluttering dust.

“Huu…”

I exhaled deeply, but the dust caught in my throat didn’t easily dissipate. Even though I knew I was already late, I stood by the window for a long time, trying to calm my dizzy mind. At least the cool air gave me the illusion that I was feeling better.

Of course, since it was just an illusion, that feeling didn’t last long.

“Late again, Lope.”

“Yeah. I guess.”

“That reply shows absolutely no sign of reflection. Are you picking a fight?”

“…No. I apologize, Madam Student Council President.”

It was only ten minutes past the start of school that I arrived at the Academy’s main gate. As always, she was there, glaring at me with sharp eyes.

“Since when did you call me Madam Student Council President? Are you going to keep up that attitude?”

“It’s not like that, Erika. I was just…”

“Shut up. I’m sick and tired of hearing your excuses. Get over here and drop down right now.”

“Erika. Do you really have to do this?”

“Right now.”

Her merciless attitude exuded intimidation. That charisma must have been the driving force behind her becoming the Student Council President. Of course, sweeping the male students’ votes with her good looks and excellent style was a bigger factor. With a good background, she probably had the Academy’s hidden support too.

In contrast, I was just an ordinary student with nothing to show for in grades or background. Therefore, unable to properly argue back, I silently stood in front of her and dropped to the floor. It was such a worn-out routine that being subjected to this in front of my peers wasn’t even that humiliating anymore.

“Are we done? Are you satisfied now?”

“No. I’m not satisfied. When exactly are you going to pull yourself together? Chronic lateness. Grades at the bottom. Don’t you realize the Academy’s reputation is plummeting because of you?”

“You’re bringing up the Academy’s reputation over just me?”

“Don’t talk back. So, did I say anything wrong?”

Haa…

I desperately suppressed the sigh threatening to burst out. Did she really have to harass me this much just for being late? Sometimes I wondered if Erika was taking out all the stress she experienced as the Student Council President on me.

Or maybe that was just her true nature. Thinking that, a timid sense of rebellion rose within me unbidden.

“My grades in swordsmanship and military studies are at the top, though.”

“That’s because you focus on such useless subjects that you can’t escape being an underachiever, Lope.”

“Useless subjects…”

“What. Do you have a problem with that?”

I definitely had a problem with it. But talking any further would likely only result in my limbs suffering more. Just as I was about to argue back, a female student with short hair came running from afar.

“Uwah… This is a disaster. Erika!”

“Haa… Seriously.”

An absurdly bubbly and fresh voice. Just hearing it brought that scatterbrained face to mind. Running over foolishly enough to make the name Roselia a waste, she clung to Erika and started acting cute.

“Sorry, Erika! Am I very late?”

“Quite late. What is it this time?”

“I ate too much for breakfast, so I’m a little late… You’re not going to write me up, are you? Are you?”

“…”

For a very brief moment, I thought Erika might fairly make her drop down too. But our Student Council President knew all too well that some students were more equal than others.

“Just get inside. Don’t be late next time.”

“Yeah, thanks. That’s our Erika! Oh, and you were here too. Don’t be late next time either, Lope-geup!”^[note]

“…Ugh.”

Roselia called me by the nickname she arbitrarily made up, then deliberately stepped on my finger as if it were an accident. And then she crossed the main gate with a very refreshing air. It was a cool, confident stride fitting of a noble.

Of course, I was still face down on the floor. My shoulders were starting to go numb, and my stepped-on finger throbbed. No matter how much I exercised, why was being punished so hard? The person who invented corporal punishment must be the world’s greatest inventor.

Anyway, I was getting tired and exhausted. I finally opened my mouth to apologize, despite the humiliation.

“Erika. Um, I think it’s about time…”

“My, Madam Student Council President. You were still here.”

At that moment, a slow voice crawled in from outside my field of vision. Along with the clanking sound of metal, the newcomer spoke to Erika in an incredibly exhausted tone.

“We security guards could handle the gate guidance. Madam Student Council President, you should go and guide the other students.”

“I would like to, but there are a few latecomers who are hard to tolerate. Should I call them dropouts? It’s hard to just stand by and watch those who tarnish the Academy’s reputation.”

“I understand your words well, Madam President. But isn’t it quite late already? Please leave the guidance of the latecomers to me and go inside now.”

“It’s a shame, but I suppose I must. I’ll leave the rest to you. Ms. Rebecca.”

“Yes. Madam President.”

Only then did Erika reluctantly nod and walk away toward the building with a haughty air. The woman called Rebecca watched her retreating figure until the sound of her footsteps faded before whispering softly.

“You can get up now, Lope. She’s gone.”

“Thank you… Ugh.”

“Are you late again because of that girl, Lena? You should have at least used her name as an excuse.”

“How could I drag the name of the top student in the year through the mud? What does being friends even mean? I just have to endure it.”

And who would believe me anyway? That Lena, the greatest genius in the magic department, was relying on a failure like me for her entire daily life. Instead of continuing a pointless debate, I expressed my gratitude to her.

“Ugh… What a mess from the morning. Thank you, Captain.”

“I told you not to call me that.”

Rebecca grimaced, detesting the title I used. Her already fierce face, marred by various scars, contorted even more.

“It’s been over five years since I was discharged. Do I have to be called that?”

“But you said Ms. Rebecca makes you cringe too. What am I supposed to do?”

“Just call me Ms. Rebecca. Cringing is better than being sick of it.”

“Haha…”

She clicked her tongue and looked back beyond the gate. She seemed to be checking if Erika was looking back. I could hardly dare to imagine how it felt to have to be wary of a student much younger than herself.

But on the other hand, among the security guards, Rebecca was the only one who could attempt to persuade the Academy’s Student Council President. She was a veteran soldier, and a war veteran who had made a name for herself on the battlefield.

Because of that, as someone majoring in military studies, she was someone I often struck up conversations with. Of course, Rebecca would always detest it and scold me each time.

Sure enough, she irritably brushed her long hair back and started lecturing me again.

“More importantly, are you still obsessing over swordsmanship and military studies?”

“You were listening.”

“Eavesdropping on others is my hobby. So why are you still being so stubborn? I told you to learn magic like the other kids. Or go into Magic Engineering. You know that nowadays you have to learn one of the two to make a living.”

“But they’re useless in actual combat.”

“What?”

“You said it yourself, Ms. Rebecca. That magic on the battlefield was nothing but impractical trash.”

“Haha…”

As I pointlessly rebelled, she laughed in disbelief. She shook her head and let out a sigh.

“Right. I said that. That a pebble on the ground is a more efficient weapon than magic, which requires Chanting time and might be blocked by the opponent’s Magic Resistance. But that’s a story from a long time ago. A story from an open field where there weren’t even tactical norms.”

“But…”

“Don’t they teach you that in military studies? In modern warfare, large-scale magic precisely chanted is far more important than well-trained infantry. While swordsmanship might have the upper hand over magic in melee combat, it’s different in battles between armies.”

“That doesn’t mean swordsmanship is completely useless.”

“And most importantly, Lope. Where is there a war in this world? Why do you think I threw away all my medals and got a job as an Academy security guard? This is an era of peace. In a time where there are even protests saying the military is unnecessary and should be disbanded, you’re obsessing over swordsmanship and military studies? Why are you being so stupid?”

Unlike the Student Council President’s vague criticism, Rebecca’s advice hit the nail on the head. An unprecedented era of peace where humanity had conquered the entire continent. There was no place for the studies I was pursuing in that world.

“Magic is impractical? Can you start a fire with swordsmanship? Can you at least operate a Magic Engineering machine? Learning swordsmanship or military studies is completely useless. Unless the world suddenly ends, that is.”

“Then I’ll just be a security guard like you, Ms. Rebecca. Or become a police officer.”

“Magic is a required subject for the police exam.”

“Police officers don’t use magic much.”

“It’s required anyway.”

“Haha…”

The absurd reality always drew a hollow laugh. Rebecca patted my back and said.

“Whatever. Go and study. It’s not like you’ll listen to me anyway.”

“I’m taking it to heart. I just don’t acknowledge it.”

“I got it, so go study. Class is starting.”

“Yes. Thank you, Ms. Rebecca.”

I bowed my head to her and crossed the gate with weak steps. At that moment, my strength drained away, and all motivation evaporated. It wasn’t like anything good would happen if I went.

In this twisted power dynamic of the Academy.

“Haa…”

The breath I exhaled painted the Academy’s landscape pure white. At first glance, it was a peaceful and vibrant place like any other. But that was a sight limited only to the ordinary students.

This Academy, which thoroughly valued magic grades and backgrounds as the highest virtues, was never kind to a student like me.

Nominally, the founding purpose of this Academy was to embrace diverse studies and values, but as always, that noble purpose was never seen through to the end. As Rebecca said, what was needed to live in this world was magic. Those without talent fell behind or were treated as dropouts.

It was the same for the Academy, where subjects other than magic were excessively rejected. In particular, the swordsmanship subject I was learning was so severely marginalized that there were only two students in the entire school who chose it. One was me, and the other was a blind first-year student. I even heard that she chose it by mistake because she couldn’t see.

There was no way such students would be treated well within the Academy. When even the teachers ignored them, the students wouldn’t look kindly on them. Dropouts like us were treated as the emotional trash cans of other students. Like that noble bitch who stepped on my foot earlier.

Of course, the ones being bullied weren’t just these dropouts.

“Hey, fucking Mute Bitch. You not gonna answer?”

“…”

Naturally, timid and flawed loners shared the same fate.

I looked toward where the profanity came from and saw several students surrounding a single female student. Although she was hidden behind their backs and hard to see, I immediately recognized her identity the moment I saw the mask wrapped tightly around her face to an obsessive degree.

Saya. Commonly known as Mute Bitch.^[note] It was unknown whether she couldn’t speak or wouldn’t speak, but she was a timid female student who always wrapped her face tightly with a hat and mask. That gloomy characteristic alone was more than enough to make her a target for bullying by other students.

“No, fuck, am I asking for much? Answer me, you retarded bitch. You know how to speak. Why pretend you can’t.”

“…”

“Are you ignoring me? Hey. Hey. I said answer me. Don’t just shake your head, answer me.”

“…”

“No, shit…”

“No, guys. Are you bullying Saya again? You guys are really mean.”

At that moment, an absurdly bubbly and fresh voice rang out. As soon as I heard it, I frowned.

Roselia. That crazy bitch.

“You still don’t know how to communicate with Saya. Right, Saya? But I understand everything you say.”

“…”

“Right?”

“…”

When Roselia pressed her, Saya shook her head. Then, Roselia flashed her signature fresh smile and said.

“Saya shaking her head means she understands. Right?”

“…”

“See. She’s shaking it again. Then, Saya. Will you grant me one favor?”

“…”

“Would you mind putting out for everyone in our class?”

No, that crazy bitch.

The face that spewed such shocking words remained as pure as a child’s. She was the daughter of a noble family, and one of the worst crazy bitches in this Academy. Faced with that pure malice, Saya was speechless and frozen.

“You’re not saying anything. That means yes, right?”

“…”

“Right, Saya?”

“…!”

Knowing that whatever reaction she showed would be used against her, Saya could do nothing. But Roselia didn’t look like she would let her go at all. It seemed she had really decided to target her today.

So this Academy turns a blind eye to crazy bitches like her as long as they have good grades and a good background.

It was getting disgusting.

“Then, Saya. Who should we start with? Baron? Heiter? Or…”

“Can you step aside.”

I couldn’t hold back any longer and stepped in between them. Roselia chuckled and turned to look at me.

“Oh. Lope-geup. Did you finish your punishment? Erika must have gotten a lot softer.”

“I got it, so step aside. This is my seat.”

“Your seat is further up. Why don’t you just ignore it and walk past? Don’t be annoying.”

“Do you really have to be like this from the morning, Roselia?”

“What about you? Why are you meddling in other people’s business from the morning?”

Because you’re being a fucking bitch.

I barely swallowed the profanity that was about to burst out. Throwing a thoughtless tantrum wouldn’t do any good. If a failure like me did that, I would obviously take the fall alone.

Therefore, I cast my gaze toward the other bystanders in the classroom. Some looked on with fear, and a few, including Student Council President Erika, watched with amused eyes. Passing over them in turn, my eyes finally landed on the one person I shouldn’t have looked at.

Lena, sitting quietly in the very front seat of the classroom.

We met eyes for a very brief moment. It had been a really long time since we made eye contact inside the Academy. Lena had ignored me for fear of tarnishing her title as the top student in the year, and I had looked away because I didn’t want to be a burden.

But I harbored the vain hope that she might step up just this once. Even though she ignored her friend for the sake of her reputation, I believed she was good at heart. That was why I broke the implicit rule for the first time in a while and looked at her.

“…”

But the next moment, what returned was the same old averted gaze.

Lena, who had met my eyes for a fleeting moment, quickly returned to her own routine and conversed with the surrounding students. Not with a failure like me, but with the geniuses the Academy was proud of. Once again, I was left alone in this Academy.

…

Well, it was my fault for expecting anything.

Still, it ruined my mood. If I stayed like this, I felt like I would throw a tantrum. So, I calmed my mind instead and opened my mouth.

“Roselia, just…”

“What.”

“Just… can’t you just let it go? I’m asking you. Please.”

“Haa… Seriously…”

Roselia lifted her head and glared at my face. Then, she chuckled and said.

“You’re really throwing a fit just to look good in front of the Mute Bitch.”

“…”

“Eh. Whatever. Let’s just go.”

And then, as if nothing had happened, she trotted back to her seat. The other students, having lost interest, spat out curses at me and returned to their own spaces. I swallowed a sigh of relief inwardly and looked back at Saya.

“…”

Even in the midst of all that, she still kept her mouth shut. Feeling a bit awkward, I just left the seat. Asking if she was okay would only hurt Saya’s pride more.

“…Huh?”

But at that moment, two fingers gently grabbed my collar. As I turned around in surprise, Saya presented her fist to me. Then she grabbed my hand and dropped something onto it.

It was a very small candy. Or rather, it was probably candy. The wrapper was a bit crumpled, and it was a design I had never seen before, so I couldn’t be sure.

“Um… Is this for me?”

“…”

“Thank you.”

Then Saya shook her head. Did it mean that she was the one who was thankful? After putting the candy in my pocket, the atmosphere became even more awkward. Besides, my seat was right in front of Saya’s, so I couldn’t avoid it.

I felt like I had to say something more. When I couldn’t overcome that foolish compulsion and opened my mouth.

“Um…”

Bang!

“Everyone!”

At that moment, an Academy professor suddenly kicked the door open and rushed in. At the sudden situation, everyone in the classroom was startled and looked that way.

“Haa… Haa…”

But he just panted heavily and couldn’t say anything. When he finally spoke, he stuttered for a long time.

“Well, um… everyone. There is an urgent announcement. That is, um… you see…”

“An announcement…?”

“Yes. An announcement. There is an announcement… An announcement…”

His repetition of the same words made him look like he had lost his mind. The students, who were initially just a little surprised, gradually began to feel anxious. They probably realized that the professor wasn’t simply flustered.

And the fact that today would absolutely not flow normally.

After floundering for a long time, the professor eventually brought in a heavy Magitech Equipment from outside. It was a sophisticated communication device I had only seen at the entrance ceremony. Even after bringing the equipment, he hesitated for a long time before finally activating it.

“Ahem… Ah…”

Soon, a man’s figure appeared on the large screen. But more noticeable than him was the flag of the Human Empire fluttering behind him. In this Empire, the only man who could stand in front of such a flag, aside from the Emperor, was the Imperial Spokesperson.

He looked incredibly exhausted, as if he had been continuing this broadcast for a long time. But even more striking were the tear stains visible around his eyes.

“…I tell you once again, citizens of the Empire. This situation is real. This is a real situation without a single ounce of falsehood, everyone.”

Moreover, he was speaking tearfully. The Imperial Spokesperson, of all people, was swallowing his tears. The man who had maintained his composure even during the memorial service for the previous Emperor was losing his reason to something.

“What…? What’s wrong with him?”

“I don’t know. Did something happen?”

“What in the world…”

Murmurs could be heard from here and there. Everyone was already guessing that this was no ordinary matter. The problem was what it was.

Soon, having gathered his wits, the Imperial Spokesperson straightened his back. And with a heavy voice, he delivered a single truth.

“Right now, 100,000 Dragons are approaching to destroy the Empire.”

…

What…?

I lost my words and opened my mouth at that moment. The others were the same.

Dragons.

The Dragons that had single-handedly ruled this continent in the past.

A single entity alone displayed a presence enough to represent the word terror.

Then, what word could 100,000 Dragons represent?

That would be…

I couldn’t dare to put the next word into my mouth. It was the childish wish I had thoughtlessly spewed out last night.

“Yes, everyone. The Dragons are approaching. It is difficult to predict exactly, but… from what we have observed, they are expected to land in the Empire within 200 days.”

“200 days… you say…”

“His Majesty the Emperor has ordered the security level to be raised to Level 3, the highest level, effective immediately, and for each city to be locked down. If any citizens of the Empire leave the city without proper authorization, they may be punished according to the law. All of this will be maintained indefinitely until this situation is resolved.”

His voice, which had been trembling continuously, now completely began to collapse. The script he held was already damp with sweat and was tearing weakly.

“There is also a possibility that fast-moving individuals may land as a reconnaissance party before that. The Empire is doing its utmost to respond to this. I ask all citizens of the Empire to please wait for further instructions in a safe place. I tell you once again, this is a real situation. This is…”

“…”

“Ah…”

The spokesperson, who was continuing his words, suddenly opened his mouth in despair. Eventually, the tears that had been welling in his eyes fell down miserably.

“It’s… all over…”

Snap.

When he lost control, the professor urgently stopped the equipment. But the words that had already been spoken did not disappear. They lingered in the classroom like the aftermath of a situation.

“…”

No one dared to open their mouth rashly. One would expect screams or cries to burst out in a situation like this, but that didn’t happen. Perhaps because everyone knew it was meaningless.

And if they were smarter, they would have realized that everything about their daily lives was now beginning to lose its meaning.

In the face of certain doom, the remnants of daily life were more worthless than the trash rolling on the ground.

…

The people in the classroom looked into each other’s eyes. Amidst the different emotions embedded within them, one fact was certain. Even the Imperial Spokesperson had lost his reason. The familiar rule of law no longer governed the world.

The world was returning to a lawless age.

From that moment on, what mattered was no longer one’s status within the Academy.

Not magical talent, not social status, not human relationships.

What mattered was power.

And among it, pure physical strength for survival.

And just like that, the laws of the world began to turn upside down in an instant.