Reincarnated with an SSS-rank Tamer System: My Harem of Villainesses-Chapter 26 – The Protagonist

Adam was sleeping deeply when he heard the sound of someone knocking on the door to his room.

He slowly got up, sleep still clouding his mind, as he glanced to the side, seeing Nox sleeping comfortably on the sheets. The little one did not even move at the noise.

Adam ran a hand over his face, trying to fully wake up as he walked toward the door, not before making sure to cover Nox with the sheets so no one would see him, in case the door opened too wide.

He slowly opened the door, finding Evelyne standing on the other side with an amused expression on her face.

"It was to be expected that you’d still be asleep." She commented as she looked him up and down.Adam simply looked at her without saying anything, waiting for her to explain why she had woken him up.

"I woke up two hours earlier than I planned to let you know," Evelyne explained casually. "I thought we could have breakfast together before going to the academy. Ah, and I bought you some clothes as well."

Adam, still fully regaining his senses, nodded slowly. "I’ll be right out." He commented as Evelyne handed him a bag with the clothes she had asked one of her escorts to buy before leaving.

Adam took it, glancing at its contents. Then he looked at Evelyne, who smiled at him. "I’ll wait for you downstairs to have tea. This place has a restaurant, so we’re going to take advantage of that. I don’t think there’s anywhere else open at this hour..."

Adam nodded slowly again before gently closing the door.

At that moment, he heard a soft yawn beneath the sheets. When he looked toward the bed, he saw Nox stretching lazily across it with no real intention of getting up.

Adam glanced at him before walking to the bathroom to take a quick shower.

After about fifteen minutes, he came out of the bathroom feeling more awake, and the clothes Evelyne had bought him were not entirely what he usually wore, but they were better than what he had been wearing earlier.In the end, he left the room, leaving Nox lying on the bed. The dragon had looked at him for a moment before closing his eyes again and going back to sleep.

Adam went down the stairs of the establishment and searched for Evelyne with his gaze, quickly finding her seated at a table near the window. They were the only ones awake at that hour, aside from the staff.

When she saw him, she smiled and gestured toward the chair in front of her.

Adam approached without saying anything and took a seat, immediately grabbing the cup of tea that was already prepared for him. He brought it to his lips and took a sip of the hot liquid.

"What time is it?" he asked as he set the cup down on the table.

"Five thirty," she replied. "Two and a half hours until we head to the opening ceremony."

Adam nodded slightly. "Thanks for the help you’re giving me."

Evelyne blinked in surprise at that before smiling with a hint of amusement. "It’s strange hearing you thank me so often."

Adam only moved his eyes, not bothering to respond.

When he looked to the side, he noticed the system screen that had appeared.

[Tamer System]

[Excited for the first day?]

[Mission: Attend the opening ceremony of the first day at Arcanis Academy]

[Objective: Be seen by everyone at the school]

[Reward: Everyone will know you’re there]

Adam read the message with evident annoyance on his face.

’Seriously? That’s the reward? Everyone knowing I’m there isn’t exactly useful.’

"Is something wrong?" Evelyne asked when she noticed his expression.

"No, nothing." Adam replied as the screen disappeared.

Evelyne watched him for a moment before deciding to change the subject. "I’m excited for the first day," she said enthusiastically. "I hope I can get a contract with a D- or C-rank beast, even B if possible, though I doubt it."

Then she looked at him curiously. "What kind of beast do you want?"

Adam remained silent for a moment, remembering Nox sleeping comfortably in his room. Then he answered indifferently. "It doesn’t matter to me."

In the end, he had to conquer powerful beasts to fulfill the mission he had overlooked all this time: conquering the world. One more beast or less would not change his plans much.

Evelyne frowned at his response. "You’re boring."

Adam only shrugged without denying or confirming it.

"By the way." Evelyne said while pointing at the clothes Adam was wearing. "The clothes suit you. Though you should ask the headmistress for an academy uniform when we arrive. I have mine, but you lost yours in the ambush."

Adam nodded, acknowledging she was right. "I’m going to be the only one dressed differently..."Evelyne laughed at that. "I asked one of my escorts last night to buy you suitable clothes for today. At least you don’t look completely out of place."

Adam simply nodded, mentally appreciating her consideration.

***

Adam went to wake Nox so he could hide inside him before heading to the academy. Without further delay, they both left the establishment and began walking through the streets of Thornwick toward the academy.

There were several nobles also walking in the same direction, all around their age.

Adam noticed how many of them looked at him as he passed by, their eyes immediately focusing on his family’s emblem before they began whispering among themselves.

"Look, a Shadowend."

"He’s short for his age, isn’t he?"

"Who’s the one by his side?"

"Could she be a maid?"

This annoyed Adam, but he kept his expression neutral as he continued walking.

Evelyne, on the other hand, let out a laugh when she heard the comments. "They see me as a maid. Well, it was to be expected given my family’s status compared to yours."

Adam listened without paying much attention to the murmurs until they abruptly changed topics."Is that the commoner from the rumors?"

"So it was true then?"

"They’re really going to let someone like him in?"

"It can’t be... a commoner at Arcanis Academy..."

Adam came to a sudden stop when he heard that, his eyes instinctively searching in the direction the murmurs were coming from.

And there he saw him.

A tall boy, probably around six feet, with a well-built physique and bright blond hair that fell messily over his red eyes.

He was wearing the academy uniform. He walked with his head held high despite all the stares and comments directed at him.

Ansel Stone.

The protagonist of this damn novel.

Adam stared at him for several seconds as he processed the fact that he was finally seeing the main character in person.

’Here we have him,’ he thought with a mixture of curiosity and disdain. ’The worst protagonist ever written.’

He remembered what Ansel was like in the novel. A commoner with the talent necessary to pass the entrance exam who somehow managed to make all the heroines fall in love with him just by his presence, with no real development... everything simply fell into his lap without any effort.

A generic protagonist to the core.

Ansel seemed to feel only Adam’s gaze, because he slightly turned his head in his direction. His red eyes met Adam’s for a brief moment before Ansel continued on his way without giving him any further importance.

Adam finally looked away and turned his attention forward.

Arcanis Academy rose before them in all its glory. The main entrance was a massive arch with iron gates thrown wide open, allowing hundreds of students to pass through.

Evelyne stood at his side, looking toward where Ansel had been moments earlier with a somewhat surprised expression as well.

"A commoner." She murmured with a tone between disbelief and curiosity. "I didn’t think the rumors were true."

Adam did not respond and simply began walking toward the academy entrance again, with Evelyne following close behind.