Chapter 31

■ Chapter 30. Gathering (5) □ ᓚᘏᗢ

Wearing a suit seems to make one look several times more handsome. Even in my previous life, I rarely wore suits, but whenever I did, I felt a bit more handsome.

But what if, in addition to a good face and a great body, the suit fits perfectly?

It fills you with a confidence that makes you feel like you can do anything, surpassing mere satisfaction. Just like a certain actor in my previous life said, "Being handsome is the best!"—the importance of appearance needs no further explanation.

"Good."

I stood in front of a full-length mirror, observing myself in a suit, or rather, a tuxedo as they call it here. In the mirror, a handsome man with crimson hair was adjusting the fit of his crimson tuxedo and smiling.

The tuxedo is plain and simple, without the ornate decorations that nobles often use to show off their wealth and status. Other nobles might mock it for being too plain, but the price of the tuxedo is so exorbitant that buying expensive clothes is out of the question. It's similar to the suits I wore in my previous life, so I'm quite satisfied.

And it's not entirely plain, as I have a white scarf around my neck. The scarf is adorned with a golden eagle, the symbol of the Minerva Empire.

A modest yet distinctive fashion. It suits my striking red hair, which already draws attention.

'Style... I'll go with this. There's nothing to change, really.'

I don't know how to apply makeup, and even if I tried, it would probably look strange, so it's better not to touch it. I already look good enough, and there's nothing to fix.

Instead, I visited a salon earlier to manage my hair. The salon was bustling with students getting ready for today's gathering, and I recognized some faces among them.

Lina, Cecil, and finally, Marie. Unlike other customers, these three had 4-5 staff members fussing over them as if they were performing surgery.

'Princess, duchess, and demon princess. They must be busy.'

I only needed to style my hair, so I finished quickly. Originally, all the staff were focused on the three, but Lina, who noticed my presence, was considerate enough to have me taken care of first.

It only took one person to trim my hair a bit, so it was easy. Before leaving the salon, I was also curious to see how they would appear.

'The gathering starts at 5:30... '

I took my eyes off the mirror to check the time. It was exactly 5:00.

I should probably head to the auditorium soon. The distance from my dorm to the auditorium takes less than 10 minutes, so I can walk leisurely.

After perfectly putting on the shoes that are essential with the tuxedo, I went outside and headed to the auditorium. The sky was just starting to darken as the sun set.

'I'm a bit nervous.'

In my previous life, there was also a freshman welcome party, but this is a similar yet different freshman gathering. Some might be excited and chatting, but others will be working hard to build connections.

Fortunately, I'm closer to the former, but unfortunately, the world doesn't always go as you wish. The biggest variable is Jackson.

I don't know what he'll do to make me suffer, but it's best to be prepared.

'Lina and Marie will be there, so he can't openly insult me...'

I looked around as I walked to the auditorium. It's natural for there to be many people on the streets on a weekend, but today, I saw people in elegant suits and beautiful dresses everywhere.

As I've mentioned, the gathering is not just for literature students but also for martial arts students. Senior students and teaching assistants representing their majors will also attend, so there will be quite a few people.

'Wow... That person is really handsome.'

Occasionally, I saw people who were so impressive that I couldn't help but admire them. Their tall stature, well-built physique, and robust build suggested they were martial arts students.

I can't see their faces clearly because my eyesight isn't great, but even from a distance, their handsomeness is evident. Martial arts students are generally in good shape, so they look good in anything.

'I want to be taller too.'

Since coming to the academy, I've grown about 1 cm. It's sad that I'm still under 173 cm, but at least I'm still growing. In my previous life, I was 175 cm, so if I can reach that height, I'll be content.

"Isaac?"

"Hmm?"

Just before reaching the auditorium, a familiar voice called out to me. As soon as I turned my head, I couldn't help but flinch at the face I saw.

A handsome man with a tiger-like face, the Crown Prince of the Minerva Empire, Leort, was looking at me with curiosity in his eyes. Notably, Leort was also wearing a tuxedo.

Unlike me, Leort was wearing a tuxedo befitting a crown prince, with a white base and gold accents, looking much more impressive than the tuxedo Jackson bought last week.

I quickly glanced at his appearance and spoke with a puzzled voice.

"Prince Leort?"

"Indeed, it's Isaac. I saw a red figure from afar and followed it, and it really is you."

"What brings you here?"

Although I said that, I have a pretty good idea. Leort is probably also heading to the freshman gathering. He was one of the students representing political science.

And Leort gave the answer I expected.

"Looking at my attire, you can guess, right? Of course, I'm here for the gathering. It seems you're also heading to the auditorium for the gathering, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"Hmm..."

Leort, hearing my simple answer, gently stroked his chin and looked me up and down. Compared to his almost uniform-like tuxedo, mine is plain and unremarkable.

But Leort smiled and praised me with a pleasant voice.

"It really suits you. Not many people can pull off red."

"Thank you. Compared to you, Prince Leort, I look quite shabby."

"No, in my eyes, you look much better than a noble who wears unnecessarily expensive clothes to show off their wealth."

"Th... Thank you."

I felt even more embarrassed because his words were sincere. Leort laughed softly when he saw me scratching my cheek.

"Since we're both here, let's go together."

"Is that alright?"

"Who would say anything? If someone tries to intimidate you, I'll personally step in."

"Th... I understand."

Refusing might offend Leort, so I reluctantly accepted. Leort took the lead, and I followed, looking around as I walked behind him. Walking side by side might undermine his authority, which is one of the etiquettes I learned at home.

"Isaac. By the way, have you read the recently published 8th volume of the Xenon Chronicles?"

Leort, who was leading the way, turned to me and asked. Honestly, I was wondering why this question hadn't come up yet.

Since I had anticipated this question, I could answer smoothly.

"No, I haven't read it, but I saw it in the newspaper. It seems to criticize the nobility and introduce a new mode of transportation called a steam locomotive."

"Right. Criticizing the nobility is one thing, but the steam locomotive surprised even me. If such a mode of transportation is invented, the world will change dramatically."

"Do you really think it can be made, Prince Leort?"

The steam locomotive was one of the inventions that represented the 'Industrial Revolution' in my previous life. The 'Industrial Revolution' didn't appear out of nowhere but was the result of gradual technological accumulation.

Therefore, for the Industrial Revolution to occur, a certain level of technology is required, and in this world, there is a subtle imbalance between science and magic.

While simple devices like refrigerators can be replaced by magic, complex machines like steam locomotives cannot. Moreover, magic is not engineering.

Leort, aware of this, expressed a somewhat negative opinion.

"Well... Unfortunately, it might be best to view it as just a novel. The novel explains the basic principles, but that's not enough. To move a massive chunk of metal without magic, a much more complex theory is needed. Additionally, if the technology to build a steam locomotive exists, it could be used to create various inventions."

"It sounds difficult."

"Yes. But the idea itself is impressive. What kind of person, with such extensive knowledge and experience, could come up with such an idea? I can't even grasp it."

It's not because of extensive knowledge and experience but because I came from a different world. I have knowledge completely different from the people in this world, so many people like Leort might think the same.

Still, since the creation of a steam locomotive is difficult, it's somewhat disappointing. Most newspaper articles suggest that it would be better to focus on magic research rather than such a foolish endeavor.

"I'd like to see what's inside his head. Sometimes I wonder if he's from another world. The Xenon Chronicles and the steam locomotive... "

"..."

Although he said it casually, it was a dangerous statement for me. Fortunately, Leort was looking ahead, so he didn't see my face, which would have been a disaster.

I tried my best to return my pale face to normal. Without a mirror, I knew my face must have turned ashen.

'This is something I didn't expect at all...'

As I felt anxious, the entrance to the auditorium came into view. Leort said to me.

"Let's part ways here. I have something else to do."

"I understand."

"Then I hope you have a good time at the gathering. Oh, by the way, is Nicole attending?"

"No, she avoids gatherings, so she won't be there."

"Hmm... So she's still holding onto that incident..."

Leort muttered to himself after hearing my answer. His voice was barely audible, but I heard it clearly.

It seems there's a reason Nicole isn't attending. Since Leort entered the academy later than Nicole, it must have been a well-known incident within the academy.

"Anyway, I understand. I'll see you later."

"Prince Leort, I hope you have a good time."

I greeted him according to the etiquette I learned at home, and Leort waved and left. I watched him go and then turned my gaze to the auditorium.

It wasn't as large as the training ground, but it was still quite big. I hadn't been there since the opening ceremony, but seeing it now, it felt new.

'How is the inside decorated?'

The interior was as spacious as if two gymnasiums were connected. I walked toward the entrance with anticipation.

The main event starts at 5:30, so it's fine to wait beforehand. There was no one at the entrance. As I passed through the entrance and entered the auditorium, I couldn't help but exclaim.

"Wow."

The moment I saw the entire interior of the auditorium, I was amazed.

A chandelier, installed at some point, illuminated the interior brightly, and below it, long tables were set up with delicious-looking food.

The empty central area suggested it was for dancing, like a ball. It felt more like a high-level noble's party than a simple gathering.

'There are... quite a lot of people.'

Since the gathering is for both literature and martial arts students, the place was bustling with people. Although attendance was voluntary, many students were present, including senior students and teaching assistants representing their majors.

I swallowed hard, feeling the immense pressure.

"Hehehe. Really? What an interesting story."

"Thank you. You look beautiful when you laugh, Lady."

"Really?"

As I approached the stage, I heard snippets of conversations, but I didn't pay much attention. My priority was to find familiar faces.

Of course, I didn't plan to approach them recklessly. If I know them, they're likely surrounded by many people.

It would be better to stand awkwardly than to ruin the atmosphere by pretending to know them.

'I might as well eat something. I'm hungry anyway...'

Just as I thought this and was about to sneak over to the tables, I heard a familiar voice.

"Isaac!"

"..."

"Isaac! Over here! Over here!"

This damn red hair.

I sighed inwardly as soon as I heard the familiar voice. The voice was clearly coming from a distance, but it seemed she had spotted me accurately.

After all, with my red hair and red suit, it's impossible not to be seen. I didn't expect her to call out so loudly.

With a half-hearted resignation, I turned my head toward the voice. As I turned, I saw someone approaching.

Her hair was as black as the night sky, and she had horns, the symbol of a demon. It was Cecil, who must have just finished all her makeup at the salon...

"..."

But my thoughts ended there. As Cecil got closer, I noticed her daring outfit.

I rubbed my eyes, thinking I might have seen it wrong, but Cecil's dress didn't change. I opened my mouth slightly, taking in her beautiful appearance.

If my hair is a bright crimson, her dress is a dark cherry red. It's a color that suits her, but the dress itself is the problem.

Usually, a revealing dress might show the back and shoulders or a bit of the chest, but Cecil's dress is even more daring.

From the waist down, the dress splits into a V-shape, barely covering her chest. It's almost completely exposed due to the overwhelming presence of her chest.

That's not all. As she approached, her chest jiggled slightly, stimulating my desires.

"You're late. Didn't you say you'd come earlier than us?"

"..."

"By the way, Isaac, you're also wearing red like me? It suits you, kid."

Cecil, who had approached me, greeted me as she always does. But I couldn't easily snap out of my daze, even with her friendly greeting.

Not only was her outfit revealing, but the scent of roses from her perfume was stimulating my senses, and the subtle allure was bringing out my hidden desires.

Is this what it feels like to face a succubus? I couldn't decide where to look.

"Do you like it? Does it suit me? Others have praised me, but what do you think, Isaac?"

Regardless, Cecil, unaware of my feelings, lifted the ends of her dress and asked, her voice filled with expectation and her usual playful tone.

I closed my eyes tightly and then looked at Cecil again. And...

Swallow

Instead of answering with words, I swallowed hard. Was this enough of an answer?

"Hehe."

"..."

Cecil covered her mouth with one hand and laughed seductively. Then she teased me.

"Isaac, your face is really red."

"..."

If a man doesn't blush at the sight of her, he must be a pervert or definitely gay.