I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City

12 – Gilbert / Controversies and Incidents

Orion Academy is vast.

The buildings alone are spacious to the point of being almost excessive.

When Joo-yeon and Rohan, having finished their meeting, head towards their class together, it means inevitable conversation.

“Rohan.”

“Yes, Instructor.”

“Have you introduced yourself to the friends you’ll be spending the next two years with?”

“Thanks to a sociable friend named Gilbert who sat next to me, I’ve taken a step forward.”

The rest will come gradually.

Joo-yeon nodded at this and continued with advice born of experience.

“Make friends you can rely on during your time at the academy.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Even after graduation, you’ll keep running into these faces. The world of those who live by force is smaller than you think.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Joo-yeon’s advice might have seemed like common, clichd words, but Rohan didn’t let them go in one ear and out the other.

Someone genuinely worrying about his well-being and wishing him success.

That in itself is a joyful and special moment.

“Grades are important, of course. But in this world, there are things more important than visible scores…”

Joo-yeon’s advice continued without pause until they neared the classroom.

Rohan was feeling a lot from his conversation with Joo-yeon.

Even words that might seem cold when taken at face value were imbued with the emotions of an instructor and a pioneer.

“And… if you have any matters that require a consultation besides the part-time job, feel free to come anytime.”

Before Rohan could respond, that statement marked the end of the advice.

Juyeon slid the front door open with a rattle and entered the classroom first.

Following behind, Rohan scurried over and placed his bag next to Gilbert’s seat before sitting down.

“I will start the morning assembly.”

Juyeon’s method was very simple.

Checking for absentees, confirming the cadets’ physical condition, and conveying announcements.

Once the assembly was quickly concluded, a break time was given.

“The first period will be an introduction to the internal facilities of Orion Academy. Until we start, rest quietly and wait. Understood?”

“Yes!”

After finishing the assembly, Juyeon strode out of the classroom.

As the sound of footsteps faded, Gilbert sprang up from his seat.

“No time to hesitate!!!”

Rohan, who was next to him, stared in surprise, wondering what was wrong with this guy.

Gilbert, who had skipped the greeting at the start of the assembly, now extended it.

“Rohan. A strong and powerful morning to you. It seems I forgot to greet my friend.”

“…Yeah. Your face looks even darker today?”

“Thank you for the highest compliment. Now, I have some urgent business to attend to.”

Without knowing where he was going, Gilbert disappeared out of the classroom.

And with him, a voice came from behind Rohan’s seat.

Indeed, Gilbert Canniat. Still putting on quite the bizarre show, I see.

A male cadet, fidgeting with his horn-rimmed glasses, muttered.

Beside him, a beastkin cadet was fast asleep, taking full advantage of the short break.

Whos that?

Rohan asked the glasses-wearing cadet, someone he hadn’t seen before in the game, for his name.

The guy, adjusting his glasses, gave his name.

Dick Wicktree. I, Dick Wicktree, was already aware of the name Rohan.

Dick?

Yep. Dick Wicktree. And the sleepyhead next to me is the bear beastkin, Lou Fey. He hates being mistaken for any other kind of beastkin, so be careful.

Rohan didn’t even register the sleeping beastkin’s name.

How the hell is someones name Dick?

He barely managed to swallow that thought and asked about the muttering from earlier.

Why Gilbert?

Isn’t he famous? Any cadet worth their salt already knows, thats why theyre not reacting to his latest antics.

Im not really in the loop on that sort of thing. Got some time, mind filling me in?

Ugh, you don’t know this?

Dick shook his head from side to side like he was completely exasperated, and then started explaining.

Gilbert Canniat Controversy and Incidents, Number 1, the Wisp Inhalation Incident.

Why the fuck does this guy talk like this?

Rohan decided to just watch the crazy unfold.

There was a time I almost died after swallowing the core of a monster wisp, which is hypothesized to be born from high-density magic. I was saved by the emergency treatment from my family nearby, and when asked why I did it, I answered that I was curious if my magic would become stronger.

…

Gilbert Kaniat Controversy and Incident No. 2: The Chroma Flight School Confession Incident.

The flight school in the Sepia Archipelago?

Dick nods.

Rohan also knows about the existence of that school.

The Sepia Archipelago is a country made up of numerous floating islands. When moving from island to island, they use airships or special bridges.

In Rohan’s memory, all the NPCs who piloted those airships were graduates of Chroma Flight School.

He received a public confession from a woman who was called the idol of the flight school. It was an incident that shocked many male students.

Oh!

But after rejecting the confession outright, Gilbert suddenly proposed to a classmate who was watching the scene. After graduating from flight school, he enrolled in Orion Academy with his fiance.

So, he might have gone to see his girlfriend now?

At Rohan’s question, Dick nodded.

With an endlessly serious face, he added a footnote.

There is a derived hypothesis that Gilbert Kaniat possesses a hypnosis app. Personally, I think this is the most plausible among the many hypotheses.

Looks like you went to the same flight school as Gilbert?

When Dick nodded affirmatively, Rohan chuckled.

It seemed that he was one of the male students who were shocked.

He also has numerous other controversies and incidents. Therefore, those who know Gilbert Kaniat are not surprised by any eccentricities.

Understood.

Rohan was delighted to have found a friend who was more interesting than he had imagined.

“But I heard that even Gilbert Kaniat has someone he fears.”

“Who? His parents?”

Rohan could feel it.

This guy’s way of speaking was strange, but overall, he was quite eloquent.

The bait laid out so far was thick, so he couldn’t help but ask again.

“In the Kaniat family, Gilbert is the youngest. According to the information gathered so far, there is a rumor that he is afraid of the eldest daughter of the family… in other words, his sister.”

“Just in time, should we ask the person in question?”

“What?”

The moment Wikitree was about to put a period on the rumor, Gilbert turned halfway around.

Rohan’s gaze turned in that direction, and the corners of his mouth lifted.

“Gilbert.”

“Why?”

“Dick here has been praising you non-stop.”

The burly man with a sports haircut sat down with his arms crossed. Gilbert’s gaze turned to Wikitree in the back seat.

He extended a hand as big as a pot lid, as if to say hello.

“A new friend! Nice to meet you! What’s your name?”

“Hey, we’ve been in the same class at flight school for three years?”

“Oh, from the same school! I’m Gilbert Kaniat!”

Dick tried to continue speaking but gave up, closing his mouth with a face of resignation. He shook hands as if he was tired of it.

Rohan, satisfied with the painting, called Gilbert.

“Gilbert.”

“Hmm?”

He asked directly if he had a sister.

Gilbert’s face darkened.

“A sister… I have a gorilla who is female in gender only.”

“A gorilla?”

“Think of my face with just longer hair.”

It was a cruel remark, but it felt sincere.

How long did they continue their idle chatter, including the backseat wikitree?

“Attention.”

Juyeon returned and gathered the cadets’ attention.

“Line up in two rows in the hallway. If there’s a cadet sleeping next to you, wake them up.”

The Orion Academy tour began.

The first place Class 1 headed to was the fitness training room.

Boasting an enormous width, it was filled with equipment that could be used with magic.

Just looking at it made one want to jump in and start exercising immediately.

“The fitness training room is accessible 24 hours a day with a student ID. There’s an AI to help with unfamiliar equipment. Inside, there are shower facilities, and if you get injured while exercising…”

Rohan felt his heart race as he listened to the explanation.

Starting tomorrow, he would work out here at dawn, shower, and then head to the academy. It would be perfect.

“I will move on to the next.”

Afterwards, the cadet cafeteria, which could be used cheaply, the library inside the academy, the audiovisual room, and so on.

Over the course of two years as a cadet, he gradually familiarized himself with the places he needed to know.

And.

Juyeon always ended his explanations of places with the same words.

“Respect each other and use without conflict.”

“Hmm.”

Rohan lay on a bench in the academy, chewing on jerky.

The morning had passed with location guidance and an introduction to the curriculum, just a brief overview of each subject.

But from the afternoon, he had heard that proper training would begin.

He didn’t feel like eating to the point of fullness, thinking it would make him sluggish.

‘Part-time job.’

Thanks to that, he was now eagerly looking for a job.

‘There are more positions than I thought.’

But various conditions followed, making it not easy to meet them.

Swipe. Swipe.

How long had he been scrolling through the job listings with his thumb?

“!?”

Lohan, who had been lying down, suddenly sat up.

Because he saw a very familiar store name.