Swoosh──
I tucked a bundle of aide application forms into my [Subspace Bag], making a bold decision.
"I'm skipping training today."
It had reached a point where missing even a day at the training ground made me anxious, but I decided to endure it.
The most basic and important thing for physical health is getting up and going to bed at regular times.
There were so many applications, it seemed like it would take at least a few hours just to go through them.
There just wasn't enough time to head to the training ground.
After a quick dinner, I immediately boarded the dormitory-bound carriage.
"You've returned early today, young master."
As I reached the floor of my room, Amy appeared smoothly and bowed her head.
'She must have been training.'
Droplets of sweat, not yet wiped away, glistened on her white nape.
─Woof, woof!
Little Fist was with her too.
From beneath Amy's feet, Little Fist barked and greeted me enthusiastically.
"There are many applications to review. Continue with your work then."
After alternating my gaze between Amy and Little Fist, I entered my room.
I sat down in front of the vanity and pulled out the bundle of applications from my [Subspace Bag].
"Sigh."
There wasn’t any special reason for sitting at the vanity.
It was simply because there was no work desk or chair.
The preference of this body's original owner, who valued appearances over inner qualities, was evident once again.
Flap, flap──
I started reading the application forms from the first page.
"Hmm."
They all seemed pretty much the same.
Name, date of birth, address, educational background and work experience, main activities and social experience, courses completed, qualifications and licenses, self-introduction, etc.
The application format was uniformly monotonous.
The aide recruitment system, boasting a tradition of nearly 200 years since the academy's establishment, seemed to have established a standard format for applications.
Flap, flap──
As I kept turning the pages, I came across the applications of Irene, Seria, and Alphs.
The three of them had verbally agreed to join me before the aide recruitment period, but they still had to submit the forms for record-keeping.
'No need to look at these.'
I knew more about them than they probably knew about themselves, and with time being short, I quickly skimmed through their forms and focused on the other applicants.
What a complete mess this was.
"There's no one who catches my eye."
There were no applicants that stood out.
Well, that was to be expected.
What kind of experience or qualifications could first-year students possibly list in their applications?
So, the next thing to focus on was the self-introduction section.
In the absence of differentiated specs, this was the section where I could feel the individuality of each person the most.
However, it didn’t take long for me to realize how wrong that thought was.
[I was born the youngest of four siblings in a royal family, and have led a positive and active life since childhood...]
[In organizational life, I'm proactive in responding to organizational goals, having an independent nature...]
[If I were to express my belief in a single phrase, it would be 'Always do your best!' The thing I find most foolish in the world is the insect I hate the most, the 'half-hearted'...]
[If you select me, I will dedicate my insignificant self completely, striving and devoting my all...]
"..."
Do self-introductions also have a template?
Most of the contents were similar.
It's intriguing that in this world, teenagers in their mid-teens are writing novels that, in Korea, would typically be written by people in their mid to late twenties.
I'm not sure whether to be happy or sad about the future of literature in this world.
As I sped up flipping through the pages, unlike at the beginning, I finally found an applicant that caught my eye.
[Name: Alice Carrol]
[Date of Birth: Imperial Year 2007, November 26]
[Residence: 1st Female Dormitory, 12th Floor, Room 1212]
[Education: Currently a first-year student at Elinia Academy, Exploration Department]
[Experience: Ranked 12th in the first semester of the first year in the Exploration Department]
······.
Alice Carrol.
The student from the Exploration Department I met in the top 32 of the last Martial Arts Competition, who had captured and used an artifact created by Maitri.
Of course, the artifact she used is now safely in my possession.
I recalled Alice's image.
She was knowledgeable and gutsy.
Of course, she lost to me in the Martial Arts Competition, but considering that I'm like her natural enemy in terms of compatibility, her combat skills are quite decent.
She had also defeated Jacob, a student from the Knight Department Class A known for his speed, in the Martial Arts Competition.
After setting aside Alice's application, I continued reading the applications of other candidates.
After reading all the applications, I made my decision.
'The remaining spot should go to Alice.'
It was a decision made considering the team composition and the chemistry with other team members.
From a team composition standpoint, Alice, as an archer, was impeccable.
In the front, myself, Irene, Alphs.
In the back, Seria, Alice.
Three in the front & two in the back, with a buffer and a mage.
Such a formation can be applied to most combat situations, a proven combination in the game.
The only slight downside is the lack of a long-range area damage dealer, but my [Elemental Sword] and Seria's area magic can cover that to some extent.
Strike while the iron is hot······
"I need to meet her first thing tomorrow."
Of course, I don't know much about Alice.
What I saw in the Martial Arts Competition is all I have.
In the game, Alice is a normal character like Theo, Noctar, so I don't know what she wants.
'Well, I'll find out when I meet her tomorrow.'
She wants something from me.
Aide applications can only be submitted to up to three people.
Therefore, the fact that she has applied to me is proof of her interest.
Anyway, this concludes aide recruitment.
Before I knew it, it was past 10 pm.
I swung my sword briefly in my room, then washed up and went to bed.
The next morning, inside room 1212 on the 12th floor of the 1st Female Dormitory.
Usually, Alice would have woken up by this time, but she still hadn't gotten up.
Last night, she couldn't fall asleep, resulting in her going to bed late.
─What should I do······ I really need to get this aide position······ If I don't, I'll have to stick to the lecture hall for the rest of the semester······.
Alice spent the previous night trembling with anxiety.
Next week, the academy will start team-based classes in earnest.
Students who fail to form a team will receive an overall deduction in their department grades.
Moreover, while students who have formed teams attend classes in the Hero Department, those without a team are left to self-study in the classroom.
Of course, there are quite a lot of students who self-study in the classroom.
Actually, there are more students self-studying than not, as there are only 200 students per grade in the Hero Department.
Each Hero Department student is allocated four aide positions.
In other words, there are only a total of 800 aide positions available.
This is in contrast to the Knight Department, which boasts over 1,000 students per grade.
It's a cruel survival of the fittest system that inevitably boosts the egos of Hero Department students.
Especially for the Exploration Department, which is not a preferred choice for aides by Hero Department students.
Alice was confident.
She was one of the top students, ranked 12th in her grade, and had even made her mark by advancing to the top 32 in the Martial Arts Competition.
─Ah, should have just applied to all three spots... What was I thinking with that 'feeling'.
However, Alice had applied only to Theo.
He was the type of person she really didn't want to be an enemy of.
Aside from his strong physical abilities, his intelligence was high, and he showed no mental weaknesses.
In other words, if she were on the same team as him, he would be a truly reliable type.
Seems like everyone feels the same, as the top students from the Magic and Knight Departments quickly applied to form a team with Theo.
"······Hmm, I really need to get in... Hmm."
As Alice mumbled in her sleep, still lost in dreamland.
Bang──!
The door to her room burst open.
“!!!”
Startled by the noise, Alice sprang up to look at the door.
There stood her classmate from the Exploration Department who used the room next door.
Still groggy, Alice frowned.
"What, what is it? You scared me. You should at least knock before entering someone's room."
"Hey, hey, Alice you idiot! That's not what's important right now!"
Her classmate, her face flushed with excitement, was making a fuss.
Having seen her overreact frequently, Alice still frowned and said.
"What's it this time. It better be something good. You're paying for lunch today if it's──"
"That guy, that guy, that guy! The silver-haired handsome guy! Theo just came looking for you! Alice, what's your relationship with him?!"
"······What?"
Alice's sleepy eyes snapped open.
"Really? For real?! If you're lying, I'll be really mad! ...You're not lying!"
Yelling this, Alice immediately got up from her bed and started moving frantically.
