I entered the small conference room rented for the squad battle meeting. Fortunately, as soon as I stepped inside, there was a familiar face.
“Oh, it’s Deep! Thank goodness there’s someone I know, hey.”
It was Reuban.
To be honest, I still wasn’t sure whether he was someone I could trust. Even so, just having someone I knew there was a great relief. At the very least, there would be less chance of a fight.
Besides, Reuban was the top student. His skill, at least, was certain. The entrance exam had been conducted as simple one-on-one sparring, but if one’s combat ability was lacking, carrying out operations in a team battle would be difficult as well.
Communication could be left to him, too.
Reuban was the type to strike up a conversation with just about anyone. He seemed to have already been talking with the other squad members who had arrived first.
Reuban gestured toward the other squad members.
“Say hello! This is Allang, and this is Rode.”
Both of them had neat hair and clean appearances. One thing I had learned after coming to this world was that hygiene was the easiest way to judge someone’s class.
They weren’t such extraordinary nobles that I could tell just by looking at their faces, but it was certain they were nobles.
Still, seeing as they had exchanged names with Reuban normally, there was a high chance they didn’t look down on commoners.
“What, he’s a baseborn.”
“Ah, you mean that baseborn from the rumors? I saw the video.”
On the other hand, whether they looked down on the baseborn had yet to be proven.
No, they absolutely did. I could tell just from the way they spoke. They were on a completely different level from Aaron. Beyond simply calling someone baseborn, they used the word itself as an expression of contempt.
Though, to begin with, baseborn did mean lowly.
“Does he have skill?”
“Who knows. It looked like his body reacted late to the Titan’s movements. Honestly, wasn’t he just repeatedly moving and stopping at maximum output?”
It got under my skin even more because it wasn’t entirely wrong.
That didn’t mean I had any intention of showing it or trying to talk to them. They were openly talking shit about me right in front of me; trying to start a conversation on top of that wasn’t something I needed to do.
Reuban laughed and pulled me along, then sat me down in a chair.
“Don’t put it like that. The person’s right in front of you.”
“A baseborn isn’t a person.”
Allang said it plainly. It was less a matter of belief and closer to a matter of common sense.
Reuban frowned.
“Once you enter the Academy, your status outside is supposed to be meaningless, isn’t it?”
“Then why don’t you speak casually to the Imperial Princess?”
Reuban looked dumbfounded, then shut his mouth tight. It was true that there wasn’t much he could say in rebuttal.
Matters within the Academy are resolved only within the Academy. Birth and class have nothing to do with becoming a hero. They say that, but it’s nonsense.
People naturally prefer others of similar level and similar experiences to themselves. In that process, it’s only natural that those on the opposite side are excluded or fall behind.
Fortunately, I was fairly used to this sort of thing.
Looking more closely, I could see it. In those two’s eyes, Reuban probably wasn’t all that pleasing either. Even if they didn’t discriminate against commoners outright, the very existence of a commoner more outstanding than themselves must feel unpleasant.
They simply didn’t want to make an enemy of Reuban, the top student.
“Well, fine. We’re in the same squad anyway, so just don’t get in the way.”
“It’s enough if you don’t stand out annoyingly. If your Titan gets blown up, the entire squad’s score will be deducted.”
The two nobles turned their heads as if they had no great interest in me.
If they had no interest, that was actually better.
Who was it that said indifference was scarier than hate comments? Indifference is a good thing. Being ignored is far better than having abuse directed at me.
I didn’t particularly dislike that sort. They disliked baseborn and commoners compared to nobles; they didn’t dislike me personally.
To begin with, people who don’t want to know me are easier to face.
It’s far better than something that tries to analyze and understand you in order to tear you down.
On the other hand, Reuban seemed to have little experience being treated like this. He was looking at me with uncomfortable eyes. Afraid he might get angry on my behalf if I showed any reaction, I deliberately avoided his gaze.
Truly, he was like a protagonist.
At first, I had simply thought of him as an interfering busybody who liked sticking his nose into things, but after being in the same club, I could feel his personality more clearly.
He was the kind of person who sincerely empathized even when it wasn’t his own business, tried to solve the problem, and at the same time had a strong desire for recognition.
If one were to choose a protagonist of commoner origin, I couldn’t help but naturally think it would be a character like Reuban.
Of course, such an if did not exist. And what surprised me about Reuban was not his origin or temperament, but his skill.
On Friday, after sparring with Aaron once again in the simulation sparring lecture, I watched Reuban’s match.
The Titan itself was not special at all. A heavy-armored type with enhanced generator output and defense. It was a highly versatile machine using the Titan frame employed by most imperial pilots.
What could be felt from that unspecial Titan was not the inspiration of a genius, but the seasoned skill of an ordinary man.
He was different from me. He did not proactively move to throw his opponent into confusion. He steadily read his opponent and completely dismantled them without taking damage.
His opponent was also a noble who had ridden a Titan many times. And yet, despite being a commoner who had never ridden a Titan before, Reuban skillfully pressured his opponent.
Where had he learned that way of piloting a Titan? Had he survived on a battlefield or something?
To others, it might have looked like the method of a genius, but to my eyes, he clearly looked like an experienced pilot.
Just as I was briefly lost in thought, the door opened with a clack.
The one who appeared was a woman with radiant blue-silver hair, a senior, and the squad leader for this squad battle.
“You’re all very punctual.”
For her to say that, the appointed time had been two in the afternoon, and it was now two-ten.
Wasn’t she the one who was late?
The first-years exchanged ambiguous glances among ourselves. The two nobles over there seemed to have thought something similar.
Allang and Rode quickly rose from their seats and bowed their heads.
“It has been a long time, Lady Karina of House Luna.”
“Oh my? There’s no need to be so formal. This is the Academy, isn’t it? It would be troubling if you were too stiff.”
Karina Luna, was it. I had barely heard anything about House Luna. A count wasn’t such a low rank, either, but there were still far too many nobles I didn’t know.
Following the cue Allang gave us, Reuban and I also quickly rose from our seats and bowed our heads. It seemed less like he was being considerate of us and more like he didn’t want to be rude to the other party.
Karina accepted the greeting with a casual wave of her hand, then sat down. Since she didn’t tell us to sit, we had to read the room for a moment before taking our seats.
After slowly looking over each of the squad members, Karina opened her mouth.
“Well then, everyone. Shall we start with light self-introductions? Allang and Rode, I think I’ve seen you before at a party. Isn’t that right?”
“Yes, it is an honor that you remember.”
“To think you remember even though it was quite a long time ago.”
“I remember both of you dreaming of becoming skilled pilots. Seeing you here as new students at the Academy feels quite moving.”
It was a heartwarming conversation. The daughter of a count who did not forget even brief meetings, and nobles reminiscing about the past.
At the very least, it was clear she was not the type of senior who tried to discipline the lower years by force.
“On the other hand, I believe this is my first time meeting you two here. What are your names?”
Reuban bowed his head with a bright smile.
“My name is Reuban! Like Allang and Rode here, I’m a pilot, and—”
Karina tilted her head as if puzzled.
“Your family name?”
“My family name… I’m a commoner, so you likely wouldn’t know it…”
“Ah, you were a commoner. And the person beside you?”
Allang and Rode flinched and looked at Reuban. Reuban’s expression stiffened slightly.
She was different from Allang and Rode. The reaction of this person named Karina was entirely different from theirs.
After swallowing once, I opened my mouth.
“I, I’m, Deep. Deep…”
“It shows from the way you speak.”
Karina smiled. It meant there was no need to say anything more.
She carved meaning into every word. Within a kind tone, she expressed malice that left room for interpretation.
As if she were a true noble lady wielding vocabulary honed through countless banquets, she oppressed those of lower status as naturally as breathing.
Rode lowered his head and whispered to Karina.
“He, he’s not just any baseborn. You must have seen him on the academy community. Deep is the pilot of the Titan that faced Her Imperial Highness.”
It seemed like he really was looking out for me. Or was it that kind of thing? A case where fakes snap to attention in front of the real thing.
Lady Karina looked at me with slightly surprised eyes, then curved them into a smile.
“Ah, so you were the protagonist of that unnecessary video that drew attention simply because you were fast, despite failing to land even a single effective hit.”
It grew quiet.
Lady Karina nodded once, then raised her smart watch and brought up a hologram.
“This squad battle will proceed with the objective of capturing flags.”
Capture the flag, huh. I had done that in the first Titan Core game, too.
“Each squad starts with one base and one flag. You gain victory points by annihilating another team or by taking another team’s flag and planting it in your own base.”
Reuban raised his hand slightly.
“Victory points? Does that mean you don’t necessarily have to be the last surviving squad?”
“Yes, that’s right. I’m glad you were able to infer that much.”
With a bright smile, Lady Karina looked at me.
“Then Cadet Deep will maintain a constant state of vigilance. It doesn’t seem like you’ll mean much as combat personnel anyway.”
A constant state of vigilance.
Put simply, it meant I was to not rest, not sleep, and stay holed up in the base guarding the flag.
And if we lost because the flag was taken, it would be accepted as entirely my fault.
Ah.
Should I kick the table over like Ian? I knew I shouldn’t, but my body was trying to move on its own.
The moment I slightly rose from my seat, Reuban blocked me with his arm.
“Deep is strong. If you’re not sure, I recommend you try facing him once. I hear he fought an incredible battle against Aaron Dike, the third-ranked student.”
“Aaron Dike? You mean the son of Grand Duke Dike of the eastern front?”
“Yes.”
Lady Karina lifted her head for a moment, then lowered it slightly and stroked her chin.
“Then shall we have a bout?”
“Then, in a simulation…”
“No.”
Her curved eyes were far from gentle; they were sharp.
“For real.”