The Academy's Terminally Ill Side Character-Chapter 48: Sacred Flame [5]

As Professor Lena continued with her explanation, fate—or maybe just sheer bad timing—made our eyes meet.

...And then she smiled at me.

It was a soft, fleeting smile. But of course, that one moment sent a ripple through the entire classroom.

Several of the male cadets instantly lit up, their imaginations doing backflips. They probably thought she was smiling at them, and their minds were already halfway to proposing marriage.

Not that I could blame them.

Teenagers. Brimming with energy and no clue where to direct it. It was a recipe for delusion.

The only ones who didn't look like they were having a mental meltdown were Ryen and Leo.

...And me. Obviously.

Really!

Okay, maybe I almost waved back at her. Hand halfway up before I froze and awkwardly scratched my cheek instead.

Bad idea. Very bad idea.

For one, it would've raised way too many questions.

And two? I was trying to keep our relationship quiet.

Not that it was anything weird.

She's just my... secret friend.

Don't get the wrong idea. Seriously, get your head out of the gutter.

Anyway.

Professor Lena went on with her talk, keeping her tone light and throwing in the occasional joke to ease the tension.

"Well, even though I'm your homeroom teacher, I won't get to see the cadets who aren't in my martial arts class very often. But I do want to get to know all of you. So feel free to visit me anytime, if you have something to say—or even if you just feel like chatting."

And just like that, cheers erupted across the room, almost like we were in some anime or manga.

You could practically see the sparkles and roses blooming behind her for some of the guys.

Again, the only ones who stayed composed were me, Ryan, Leo.

...Ah. No, wait.

They were trying to look cool, but the corners of their mouths were twitching.

Barely holding it together.

Yeah, I knew that look.

The classic 'I'm not affected at all' while their brains were short-circuiting.

Teenagers.

Hormones.

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I understood.

Honestly, it was a bit over the top—but hey, this was a world based on a novel. Of course things were going to be exaggerated.

Professor Lena wrapped up homeroom with a few last instructions, still smiling like she hadn't just spent the past twenty minutes reigning in chaos. Honestly, her composure was kind of impressive.

"Oh, and one last thing—" she said, pausing as her eyes swept across the room.

The entire class stilled.

Something about the tone in her voice made everyone pay attention. Even the back row kids who'd been half-asleep snapped to focus.

"This academy... Velcrest," Lena began, her voice firm but gentle, "isn't just about learning how to throw a punch or cast a flashy spell. It's about learning what it means to be a hero."

She let that hang in the air for a moment.

"You're all here because you want to become someone strong—someone who can protect, lead, and inspire. And maybe some of you are still figuring out what that means for you. That's okay."

She folded her hands in front of her, posture straight.

"But being a hero isn't just about power. It's about people. It's about standing up for those who can't. It's about choosing to help when it's easier to look away. You're not just classmates for the next three years—you're going to be teammates, rivals, and allies in ways you can't yet imagine."

Her gaze turned just a little sharper, and yet, her words grew even warmer.

"So if someone around you is struggling—don't laugh. Don't ignore them. Help them. Because one day, you might be the one who needs that hand."

The room went still.

Not a chair squeaked. Not a breath out of place.

Even I had to admit—it hit.

Ryen, our poster-boy protagonist, was nodding with glowing eyes like he was being blessed by holy light.

Meanwhile, Leo looked like he'd just bitten into something sour. Helping the weak wasn't really his style.

For him, weakness wasn't something to nurture—it was something to discard.

And the rest of the class? They looked moved.

To be fair, it was a good speech. I thought she'd wrap things up with a reminder about schedules or an assignment deadline, but nope—she hit us with moral responsibility and a side of camaraderie.

Still, there was one small issue with all of that.

"Now then," Lena continued with a final smile, "since it's the first day, you'll be attending your standard registered classes. Just follow the schedule you received and do your best. Study hard."

And with that, she turned and left the classroom, leaving behind a room full of thoughtful silence.

That last part? That was the problem.

Because while everyone here might've been superhuman or blessed with talent...

There was one guy in the room who wasn't even close to keeping up.

Yeah. That'd be me.

I let out a quiet chuckle.

Ah, the irony. The speech hit harder when you were the exact type of weakling she was talking about.

"Alright," I muttered to myself, dragging my feet out of the classroom, "let's go get outclassed."

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

Classes at Velcrest were surprisingly chill.

You only had to take the basic mandatory ones. As long as you didn't flunk the core subjects, you could graduate.

Most students knew that actual reputation and growth came from big events, combat exams, and team missions—not whether you aced theoretical magic or Heroic Ethics 101.

Still, for someone like me, even the basic classes felt like climbing a steep hill in the rain... barefoot... with a backpack full of bricks.

But hey—I was here, wasn't I? Might as well climb.

"Ugh..."

Okay, scratch that. Climbing was proving to be very difficult.

What am I talking about?

Well... let's just say, there are always a few cadets who manage to draw attention without doing anything.

And then there's me.

"Ugh...!"

Take Ryen and Leo, for example. The golden boys. They didn't even have to lift a finger—people just gravitated toward them like they had magnetic charisma.

Me? I made it onto a list too. Just not the good kind.

No, I was on the bad list. The kind of attention you don't ask for—the kind that stings.

"Ugh!"

"Hey, look at him! He's struggling with that like it's made of steel! Haha!"

"How pathetic... How did someone like that even get into Velcrest Academy?"

"Yeah. I was thinking the same thing. He should've just stayed home."

Yep. That's what I meant by bad attention.

And what were they all watching so intently?

My intense, soul-crushing showdown with a pair of 25kg dumbbells.

This—this—was the steep hill I mentioned earlier.

This is so embarrassing but I continue to do my work while ignoring others.

I clenched my jaw and tried again. Arms shaking. Sweat on my brow. Dignity crumbling with every second.

Some students snickered. Others just stared with that awkward mix of pity and secondhand embarrassment on their faces.

You'd think, after Professor Lena's heartfelt speech about supporting one another, people might actually do that.

But nah.

Apparently, those words were just for show. Or maybe they applied only to the students already on a pedestal.

And me?

Well... I was still at the bottom of the hill. Gripping a dumbbell like it was Excalibur and I was the only unworthy knight in the room.

This is the reality we live in.

No hero soundtrack. No dramatic slow-motion moment of glory.

Just me... sweating, grunting, and silently swearing at inanimate objects.