“……!”

Several students’ faces visibly stiffened. It was understandable—Principal Lily Bedallua was a figure of such renown that she even had her own fan club.

Just then, a boy with orange hair shot his hand up and spoke.

“Excuse me, but who are you? This area is off-limits to outsiders!”

This was the protagonist’s friend, the “Model Student” character, wasn’t it? Nika, I believe his name was. A rigid but courageous kid—quite a likable character.

But I simply rolled my eyes once in annoyance and gave a perfunctory reply.

“Chris Dotten.”

“Ah! Are you perhaps Professor Chris, the instructor for X-Class! The one who had an accident on the way here and would be running slightly late! No wonder the blood is a dramatic effect emphasizing the injury—”

“Quiet.”

One glare was all it took—the Model Student flinched, his shoulders shrinking as he carefully lowered his hand.

Don’t any of you mention that I missed my chance to wipe off the blood. It’s incredibly embarrassing. The moment class ends, I’m bolting straight for the faculty restroom.

Thanks to the Model Student’s sacrifice, the students who now knew my identity began to murmur amongst themselves.

“Haaah…….”

I let out a sigh, desperately hoping it looked like I was thinking something along the lines of: ‘I told them to be quiet, but these brats don’t listen. Typical kids.’

Honestly, storming out of the classroom declaring “I can’t deal with this” would have been more dramatic. But my quest included “conducting the first class.”

Which meant I had to actually teach something now.

‘I don’t know anything!’

Not being able to use magic was just the baseline—I didn’t even know any magical theory.

Obviously. I hadn’t even been possessing this body for a full day yet.

‘Some people get the original story memorized down to setting-book level and know everything, and others even receive all the body’s original memories—why am I the only one!’

My fists clenched tight with envy toward the countless protagonists of possession stories.

In that case, there was really only one option left.

I made up my mind. I’d show them the Korean approach to education.

I turned around, grabbed a piece of chalk, and began writing on the blackboard.

“……?!”

Was there a time during your school days that you loved most?

Aside from cheat keys like lunch break or recess, for me, it was this.

[Self-Study]

A sort of free time the professor gave you, telling you to study on your own.

Whether you put your head down and slept, read the fantasy novel you’d left half-finished yesterday, or caught up on overdue cram school homework—none of it mattered. Sitting quietly at your desk with your mouth shut was a bit stifling, but it beat a boring lecture any day.

‘Of course, for kids who just enrolled and are buzzing with excitement, it’s a different story.’

Just look at those blank faces, completely baffled. The Model Student in the front row was actually flipping through his textbook, seemingly trying to determine whether “self-study” was some specialized magical term.

Our protagonist, too, was blinking his large eyes, clearly waiting for me to elaborate.

……I barely held back the corners of my mouth from involuntarily relaxing, slightly embarrassed.

No! A Roleplay Addict has to be shameless! Lay down a steel plate on your face and slap five layers of concrete on top!

With an expression of utter boredom, I slapped the chalk down. Then I strolled leisurely to the professor’s chair beside the blackboard and dropped into it.

I boldly propped both legs up on the desk, grabbed a random book, and opened it over my eyes, hoping the gesture looked natural.

Then, arms crossed and sinking deep into the chair back, I pretended to sleep.

The attitude was clear: I had no further explanation to offer, and I intended to simply kill time here until class ended.

“……What? Is she seriously sleeping?”

“Is this ‘self-study’ the same self-study I’m thinking of? It’s her first day teaching us…….”

“Shouldn’t she at least tell us what materials to use? Is this okay?”

Naturally, the students began to waver.

And honestly, so did I.

‘Right. Can I really get away with this?’

Since I knew less than these students, it was the only option available, so I went for it—but I had no guarantee that the “System” would register this as a proper “class.”

Damn it, if it doesn’t count, I’m dead.

Should I get up right now and deliver a speech about the importance of self-directed learning?

‘Hey, do you have any idea how important self-study is where I come from?! The week before every exam, it was all self-study, every single time!’

Muttering nonsensical drivel only in my head, I eventually clicked my tongue.

Would that even work…….

Just then, a sharp voice pierced my ears.

“Professor Chris Dotten. Excuse me, but are you perhaps joking?”

Argh! I realized that when you’re too startled, you can’t even flinch.

Whew, what a voice. You didn’t even need to look to know who possessed that kind of presence.

The Ice Princess, Angelina.

One of the heroine candidates, and reputedly the daughter of a duke. At least, that was the public story.

“Not only did you skip the entrance ceremony, but now you’re insulting the sacred education of Bedallua Academy like this! I find this completely unacceptable!”

Every word was right, but ‘Chris’ couldn’t afford to give you any validation. What kind of strongest person gets cowed by a single student’s protest?

So, with a heavy heart, I opened my mouth.

“Then leave.”

“W-what did you say……?!”

“I said get out of my classroom. Angelina Serif.”

The sight of the princess, rendered speechless, was vivid before my eyes.

I’m sorry, Angelina! I roughly know your tragic past, which makes this even harder! I love you, Angelina!

The princess, now humiliated, seemed even more flustered by the stifled giggles coming from around her.

She immediately shot back.

“……Hah! I have no desire to take a class from someone who lacks even the most basic manners! You’ll get exactly what you asked for!”

Scrape. The sound of the princess pushing back her chair and rising to her feet.

In my heart, I wanted to immediately toss aside the book in front of me and check on her complexion, but this was the moment to definitively demonstrate that ‘Chris’ truly didn’t care about those she deemed worthless.

After all, Chris was the type of character who’d say something like: “Do you throw punches back when an insect throws a tantrum?”

This was also necessary to make the students wary of me and keep their distance.

Nobody approaches an unreasonable lunatic, which reduced the chances of my true identity being discovered. And the lower their expectations, the more freely I could operate.

So for now, I had no choice but to shed tears of blood as I wounded my adorable students…….

“Ah, Angelina. Still, leaving the classroom is…….”

“Let go, Michael! You’re the same no matter what class you take, so it doesn’t matter to you!”

“……!”

“But I’m different! I don’t have time to waste on a worthless professor like this!”

Oh, princess. Taking it out on the protagonist like that—what did he do to deserve it?

In the end, the wounded protagonist fell silent, and only the sound of the princess slamming open the back door echoed through the room.

The awkward atmosphere lasted only briefly—as with anything, the first step is the hardest, and soon the sound of chairs being pushed back rose from all corners of the room.

Most students attending Bedallua Academy were nobles, unaccustomed to such humiliation. They likely judged that following the princess out was the more honorable and appropriate course of action.

‘I wonder how many will be left by the time class ends.’

I squeezed my eyes shut.

Surely I wouldn’t get fired over just this? I had to trust in Principal Lily Bedallua’s stubbornness.

That woman was a “stubborn old hag who could never admit her decisions were wrong,” so she wouldn’t easily give up on Chris, whom she’d dragged in by force.

So I endured, desperately hiding my anxiety, until the end of class.

[Quest Complete! You have received ‘Bedallua Academy Map (2/4)’ and ‘Monkey Keyring’ as rewards.]

The System notification piercing through my eyelids finally brought me relief.

At least my life was spared for now……. Perhaps I should take a quick break before the next quest arrives.

I swept the book aside and bolted upright, prompting a startled gasp from someone.

Turning my head, I took in the eccentrics who had remained in the nearly empty classroom.

Four were visible at a glance. The original X-Class had about fifteen students, so three-quarters had vanished.

‘Wow, how did only the main cast stick around?’

The protagonist, the Model Student, and two…… no, three girls.

All of them were heroine candidates entangled with the protagonist.

Considering their appearances and roles, I’d call them “Twin-braid” and “Healer” respectively. The third one wasn’t visible at the moment, so I’d get introduced later.

I cleared my throat, preparing to say a word to these students who had somehow endured until now—the ones who would one day become the protagonist’s companions.