Chapter 1: The new principal (1)

Chapter 1 – The New Headmaster (1)

Lagpedia Academy, which cultivates excellent and dignified magic knights.

It is one of the empire’s most distinguished educational institutions, and the magic knights it produces are the hope of the empire and the hope of humanity.

At the same time, it is also the setting for a work where almost all stories are intertwined. After all, this work is a common academy-themed story.

Those who belong here are the key figures who determine the rise and fall of this world, and the protagonist, who can truly be called the center of this fictional world, also belongs here.

But does that truly continue?

The settings and flow within a work only apply when it is a work of fiction. If it were to become an undeniable reality, then what was written in the work would merely be one possibility.

Of course, this assumption is also absurd delusion. A work of fiction becoming reality, or me transmigrating into that work.

It’s literally something only possible in novels. If I went around talking about it seriously, people would clearly think I was sick.

“Headmaster. It is time. All the students are waiting in the auditorium for your matriculation address and speech.”

Until now, that is.

I opened the door and entered, letting out a small sigh as I looked at the crown of her head, bowed respectfully as she delivered the news.

****

“Silence, everyone! The Headmaster will be here shortly!”

“One of the Empire’s Seven Great Swords, a grand aristocrat of marquisate rank, head of the Avalanche family, and the founder of the Ice Wheel Art, one of the Nine Grand Magic Formulas…”

It’s quite noisy waiting backstage.

The murmuring noise of countless people ceased, and only the sound of someone controlling the crowd and the announcer endlessly reciting a string of overly ornate titles could be heard.

Honestly, it still doesn’t feel real. Not just the fact that those titles the announcer is reciting refer to me, but also my very presence here.

“Introducing Lagpedia’s 6th Headmaster, Lady Eve Restra Avalanche!”

It was my turn to enter. I walked forward without hesitation.

Countless gazes and emotions poured onto me.

Surprisingly, I felt nothing. This was certainly not the attitude a guy who had to practice all night just to avoid embarrassing himself by misreading a single presentation PPT would show.

Indeed, if my personality had remained the same, I would have fallen over in shock from the very moment I first opened my eyes here.

“Please stand here.”

The announcer, bowing politely, pointed to a step leading to the podium and whispered softly. Although called a step, it was practically a staircase hidden behind the podium, about half its height.

I ascended it. With each step, my eye level rose rapidly. And when I finally stood at the top.

My upper body, rising abruptly above the podium, faced the countless people filling the vast, opera hall-like auditorium.

Their gazes contained a myriad of emotions, but the majority seemed to be curiosity or wonder.

“It seems I’m quite a novelty to you all as well.”

With a faint smile, my lips slightly upturned at their expressions, I opened my mouth. A clear, crisp voice resonated through the amplification magic.

Still, it feels awkward.

“I find you all quite novel too.”

I continued speaking calmly. It was all sincere. I genuinely found them fascinating. Weren’t these the people from the work I had read?

“Not only that. I find myself quite novel as well.”

Eve Restra Avalanche. That is my name now. The man named Kim Jin-seok, who was busy working as a new employee, simply vanished like a dream overnight.

However, Eve Restra Avalanche, this perfectly complete character, is originally a character who ‘does not appear’ in this story.

What could be the reason I transmigrated as a completely new being into the position of the academy’s headmaster, a role whose name I can barely recall and whose presence is extremely minor?

“However, at the same time, you will also be wounded. By insufficient skill, by jealousy towards friends, by… the fear of death.”

What I, who was reading a novel nearing its conclusion after work, wished for was clearly only a happy ending. I hoped that the characters who had suffered so far would find even a little happiness. That was all.

“I do not believe that everyone here will be able to overcome those wounds. You will be broken and trampled. You will be worn out by the cruel reality disguised as youth and academy life.”

I don’t know who the mastermind is, but the reason for transmigrating me into this character, into this position, doesn’t seem very good. It’s a position with many restrictions, and one that can never be a protagonist.

If things go wrong, I might witness with my own eyes the terrible tragedy I only read about in the novel.

“Despite that, will you do it? Will you fight and be wounded, and in the end, prove yourselves?”

However, within just a few hours of opening my eyes in this new body, I had already made a decision. That I would accept this new challenge and confront my destiny.

It doesn’t matter whether this decision was made by the original me or the current me. After all, both are me.

“Th-that was truly a magnificent speech, Headmaster. Not just warm words, but a cool, sobering, realistic awakening of reason…”

“Nonsense.”

I descended the stairs, accompanied by the growing applause. The announcer flattered me with flowery rhetoric, but my current self was not one to accept such things gently.

“You’ve worked hard.”

“Illia, my schedule is completely finished now, isn’t it?”

“That is correct. You may rest now, Headmaster.”

As I headed backstage, she was waiting there. Illia, a young woman with neat black hair tied back cleanly, wearing a tidy black suit.

With all this information about her, as well as every detailed memory, remaining in my head, I was able to function without a shred of doubt just a few hours after transmigrating.

“The approval documents regarding the new students that I was originally going to give you tonight, I will bring them tomorrow morning.”

“…Do that.”

Illia, who was incredibly efficient at her work, was a veteran secretary who had worked at this academy longer than me. However, I recall her not being mentioned by name in the original work.

It’s natural, after all. The main characters of the work are all students or those related to students.

Escorted by Illia, I soon returned to the residence within the academy grounds.

“Welcome, Your Excellency.”

And in this residence, my home, I am not the Headmaster, but the Marquis Avalanche, according to my original title.

“I’ll wash alone.”

“Understood.”

I naturally dismissed the servants and headed alone to the bath.

I carelessly tossed aside the clothes I was wearing and walked straight into the interior, where hot steam emanated.

The first thing I saw was a steamy mirror hanging on sparkling white marble tiles. I splashed water from a dipper onto the mirror.

“…”

My current appearance was reflected in the now-clear mirror. It was an appearance that made me wonder if this was truly the person who had just given a speech as ‘Headmaster’ in front of countless people.

Waist-length flowing silver hair, cold, expressionless purple eyes that were always half-lidded. A small stature barely exceeding half an adult’s height, and a slender body.

That appearance was fatally beautiful, but although it had been a long time since I reached adulthood, it was truly a body that, at best, looked like a mere youngster.

It was still hard to be sure whether this body was a penalty or an advantage. There must be a reason, but turning a sturdy man into such a girl, is it a penalty after all?

However, unlike modern Earth, this world is one where anything is possible even with such a body, so in a way, it might not be a penalty.

Indeed, if it’s the ‘Headmaster’ of this work, it’s obvious that it wouldn’t make much difference even if a talking teddy bear sat there instead of a girl.

Because the restrictions on the Headmaster are by no means simple.

“Ah, this is nice.”

As soon as I fully immersed my body in the hot water, an uncle-like remark naturally escaped my lips.

In truth, if I put my mind to it, I could move right now, but because I can’t, I’m leisurely soaking myself in the warm water like this.

‘On the day of the entrance ceremony, a small terror attack occurs in a corner of the city, and the connections formed from that attack mark the beginning of the story.’

Having already read the work, I know what will happen in the future, or what has already happened. But I cannot step forward.

The powerful rules, , that have governed me since the moment I transmigrated.

[1. The Headmaster always arrives late. Even if they know in advance.]

[2. The Headmaster does not interfere with the characters’ affairs. Even if there are casualties.]

[3. The Headmaster does not directly intervene in incidents or accidents. Even if the world is destroyed.]

These rules, as if forcibly etched into my mind, are things I cannot defy, on par with the transmigration itself.

Rules that turn me into an incompetent bystander and an outsider to the story, no matter how much power, wealth, and authority I possess.

Only by overcoming these can I ultimately see the ending of the story I desire.

“H-Headmaster!”

“I’m coming out, please wait a moment.”

And the urgent voice calling for me from outside was heard a good few tens of minutes later.