Subject Runes - V1 Chapter 2

To avoid running into Hardin and his group again, we stayed away from the cafeteria for a while and only came back after some time had passed. By then, a few seats had finally opened up among the crowded tables. At last, we could actually get something to eat.

“What an awful way to start the first day.”

“Yeah… That bastard Hardin was already annoying, but those upper nobles are all arrogant as hell.”

“I don’t like it either, but this is probably how things run in this academy. For now, we should just stay away from those terrace seats.”

Dan and I shrugged at the same time, and Marl gave me a grateful look.

“Azoth, thanks for stepping in back there.”

“Don’t worry about it. Just be careful, Marl. You don’t want to run into that guy again.”

“Got it. More importantly, we don’t have much time before the afternoon session, so let’s eat.”

In the afternoon, we went around the academy facilities.

One of the main features of Blonmarch Knight Academy was how well-equipped its magical research facilities were.

My family home was fairly close, sure, but that wasn’t the real reason I had chosen this place.

The library held a massive collection of grimoires and documents on magical archaeology, and with proper permission, students could freely browse a good portion of it.

After the library, we moved on to the magic training building. It was used for practical magic classes, student training, and faculty research. Instructors specialized in each magical element were stationed there, ready to answer questions and guide students.

Right beside it stood the knight training building. Inside were multiple training rooms used for first-year swordsmanship, along with advanced practical classes for second-years and above, covering specialized disciplines like spearwork, axe combat, and archery. The building also stayed open after school, allowing students to use it freely.

Next to that was the support building, which housed the cafeteria we had visited earlier, the school store, and other facilities needed for daily academy life.

Beyond all of them stretched a wide training ground, where knight training also took place. Any drill or match that needed more space, like team battles, was held there.

After finishing the tour, we headed to the club building.

We started checking out the clubs.

“So, anyone decided what club to join?”

I asked, but none of them seemed to have made up their minds yet.

“Neon and I are thinking about joining the Dungeon Club. What about you two?”

““Dungeon Club?””

Dan and Marl echoed each other.

“You mean dungeons like those caves adventurers explore after taking jobs from the guild?”

“Exactly.”

At this knight academy, not many students actually went into dungeons to adventure.

They were nobles, so they weren’t hurting for money and had no reason to risk their lives like adventurers did just to earn a living. But ancient artifacts were sometimes discovered in dungeons, and fighting on the edge of danger was a damn good way to sharpen your combat ability.

Besides…

“A senior invited us to join.”

“A senior?”

Yeah. A senior one year above us. I’d get to see her again for the first time in a while.

“So you know someone there. And honestly, it sounds kind of interesting. Want to check it out together?”

“I’m in.”

We climbed the stairs in the club building and made our way to the Dungeon Club room on the third floor.

When we knocked and stepped inside, a female student with long black hair and glasses was handling reception.

“You’re here to observe the Dungeon Club, right? I’m Sasha Bessel, a second-year. Nice to meet you.”

The girl who introduced herself as Sasha promptly invited us inside and explained the club’s activities.

“All members of this club register with the Adventurers’ Guild, take on quests, and form parties to explore dungeons. You can choose your party members freely from among the club members depending on the quest, or you can team up with guild adventurers if you want. Some quests are dangerous, though, so if you’re ever unsure, make damn sure you consult the club president or one of the upperclassmen.”

Just as she finished explaining that much, three club members entered through the doorway.

“They’re here. Let me introduce the rest of the club.”

Sasha introduced them one by one.

“On the right is our club president, third-year Wolf Steiner. Next to him is second-year Keith Bernard. And on the far left is second-year Selene Ferrum. We have other members too, for a total of fifteen. We even have people who can use support magic, and with this many members, we’ve got every elemental attribute covered. We can easily form full parties using club members alone.”

Sasha sounded proud as hell when she said that, and the club president, Wolf, flashed a grin.

“I’m Wolf. Let’s get right to it. Next week, we’re holding a welcome dungeon expedition for new students. We’re going to register with the guild tomorrow, so gather in the club room after school.”

“I’m Keith, a second-year. I can handle both frontline knight work and rearline magic support. First, tell us your attributes.”

One by one, we gave our self-introductions along with our elemental attributes.

Dan Arc — Water Attribute
Marl Poisson — Light Attribute
Azoth Ferrum — Fire and Earth Attributes
Neon Ferrum — Fire and Earth Attributes

“You two both have dual attributes?!”

Dan and Marl were shocked by that, but Sasha and the others were surprised by something else.

“Ferrum? You mean…”

At that point, the third upperclassman finally spoke.

“I’m late introducing myself, but I’m Selene, a second-year. Welcome to the Dungeon Club, everyone.”

The lovely girl with long silver-white hair and large crimson eyes was the eldest daughter of the Ferrum main house and the next head of the family.

“It’s been a while, Selene-sama.”

Neon had always called her real older sister Selene-sama, ever since they were kids. I also gave Selene a light glance.

“Azoth, Neon, congratulations on enrolling. So you came to the Dungeon Club right away.”

Selene welcomed us with a bright smile.

The Ferrum family, despite only holding knight rank, was a fiercely martial bloodline blessed with powerful fire-attribute magic. Selene, as the next head of the family, possessed especially strong magical power even among our clan. Because of that, she ranked among the top students in her year, even pushing aside the children of higher nobles. On top of that, she was blessed with looks, and she had no shortage of admirers from both men and women.

Sasha looked at Neon with a puzzled expression.

“Hey, Neon. You’re Azoth’s twin, but you look way more like Selene.”

“Ghk…”

“…Well, whatever. Anyway, the two of you from the Ferrum family are joining, right?”

““Please take care of us.””

“And what about the other two?”

Sasha asked them, and after thinking it over for a bit…

“I think I’ll join too.”

“I’ll be in your care as well.”

In the end, all four of us joined the Dungeon Club. We were told to gather in the club room after school tomorrow so we could head to the guild, and then the meeting was dismissed for the day.

On the way out of the club room, Selene moved closer to Neon and me and whispered into our ears.

“Neon, you really enrolled pretending to be a male student? Are you sure that’s going to be okay?”

“You don’t need to worry about a thing, Selene-sama. I’ll look after Azoth myself.”

“…Don’t tell me you’re planning to live in the boys’ dorm?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll protect your fiancé for you.”

“That doesn’t reassure me at all! If you lay a hand on Azoth, I won’t let it slide!”

“You two are being way too loud. …Neon, let’s go.”

Cutting off the sisters’ conversation, I gave Selene a small wave goodbye and went after Dan and the others with Neon beside me.

“Hey, Azoth. What were you talking about with Selene-san?”

“Nothing much. We just haven’t seen each other in a while.”

The others still didn’t know it, but Selene, the next head of the Ferrum family, and I had been engaged since childhood through an arrangement made by our parents.