The early morning air carried the crisp chill that lingered just before the sun fully claimed the sky. A thin veil of mist hovered over the quiet streets of the small town, clinging stubbornly to rooftops and drifting lazily along the dirt road that cut through the settlement.

  Jackson Alistair Vale walked along that road with slow, measured steps.

  Most of the town still slept.

  Only a few places showed signs of life—an elderly baker sweeping flour dust from the entrance of his shop, a stable boy hauling buckets of water while yawning loudly, and a pair of merchants arguing quietly over crates that had arrived too early.

  Jackson's black eyes moved calmly from one sight to another.

  He looked casual.

  His shoulders were relaxed, his hands tucked into the pockets of his coat.

  But his gaze missed nothing.

  'Carriages...'

  His mind replayed the conversation from the previous night.

  Victoria had spoken with the authority of someone who was used to commanding servants and armies of attendants. The moment she had said they would leave immediately, the matter had been settled.

  Or at least… settled for her.

  Jackson had stayed by the window of the inn room long after she had gone to sleep.

  Breathing slowly.

  Drawing mana.

  Feeling that strange warmth flow through his body again and again.

  At first it had felt like breathing cold air.

  But after hours of repetition, the sensation had begun to change.

  Subtle.

  But noticeable.

  His muscles felt lighter.

  His reflexes sharper.

  His body... more responsive.

  Jackson flexed his fingers slightly as he walked.

  'It's still faint… but it's definitely there.'

  He didn't know how magic worked in this world yet.

  But something inside him had begun to open.

  His magical circuits, as the books called them.

  And if the tiny improvement he felt was the result of only one night of breathing mana…

  Then the potential was enormous.

  But that was a problem for later.

  Right now, he needed transportation.

  Jackson stopped in front of a modest stable near the edge of town.

  Several horses snorted quietly behind wooden fences while a few worn but sturdy carriages rested beneath a long wooden canopy.

  A man in his forties stood beside one of them, tightening the strap of a harness.

  The man noticed Jackson approaching and glanced up.

  "Looking for a ride?"

  Jackson nodded once.

  "Possibly. I'm trying to hire a carriage."

  The man wiped his hands on a cloth before giving Jackson a measuring look.

  "Depends where you're headed."

  Jackson answered without hesitation.

  "Aurelius Academy."

  The reaction was immediate.

  The man raised his eyebrows.

  "Aurelius, huh?"

  He let out a low whistle.

  "That's not exactly a short trip."

  Jackson remained calm.

  "I expected as much."

  The driver crossed his arms.

  "You're lucky though. I was planning to head that direction anyway. Got a delivery contract with the academy's supply quarter."

  Jackson tilted his head slightly.

  'Convenient.'

  The man gestured toward a large, well-built carriage nearby.

  Not luxurious.

  But solid.

  Reinforced wheels.

  Good suspension.

  Two healthy horses already prepared.

  "It'll take about four days if the roads stay clear," the driver said. "Five if we hit rain."

  Jackson considered the carriage for a moment before nodding.

  "That works."

  The man grinned.

  "Good. I leave in about half an hour."

  Jackson reached into his pocket and paid the advance without hesitation.

  Once the arrangement was settled, he turned and began walking back toward the inn.

  The town had begun waking up properly now.

  More doors opened.

  More merchants appeared.

  The scent of bread drifted into the streets.

  But Jackson's thoughts were elsewhere.

  'Aurelius Academy…'

  The name carried weight even in the books he had read after arriving in this world.

  It wasn't just a school.

  It was the most prestigious magical institution on the continent.

  Where nobles sent their heirs.

  Where prodigies were trained.

  Where future generals, court mages, and arch scholars were shaped.

  And somehow…

  He was going there.

  Not as a student.

  But as the companion of the most infamous noble daughter in the capital.

  Jackson let out a quiet breath.

  'Life got complicated really fast.'

  Victoria Celestine Valencrest stood beside the window of the inn room with her arms crossed.

  The moment Jackson entered, her sharp blue eyes shifted toward him.

  "You took longer than expected."

  Jackson closed the door behind him.

  "I found a carriage."

  Victoria's posture straightened slightly.

  "And?"

  "It leaves in thirty minutes."

  Her expression changed instantly.

  "Thirty—"

  She spun around, blonde hair swaying behind her like a golden ribbon.

  "Why would you not wake me immediately?!"

  Jackson shrugged faintly.

  "You looked like you needed the sleep."

  Victoria stared at him like she had just been personally insulted by the concept of logic itself.

  "You fool! A noble lady must be given adequate preparation time before departure!"

  Jackson leaned casually against the wall.

  "You've got twenty-five minutes."

  Her eye twitched.

  "You insufferable—"

  But even as she complained, she had already started moving.

  Clothes.

  Gloves.

  Hair adjustments.

  Her movements were quick, precise, and practiced from years of noble upbringing.

  Even in exile, Victoria refused to appear anything less than immaculate.

  Jackson watched quietly.

  'She's impressive.'

  Despite the circumstances.

  Despite being forced out of the capital.

  Despite traveling without servants or status.

  Victoria still carried herself like the center of a royal court.

  That kind of pride couldn't be faked.

  Eventually she turned toward him again, fully dressed in elegant traveling clothes.

  Her chin lifted slightly.

  "Very well."

  Jackson pushed himself off the wall.

  "Ready?"

  Victoria picked up her bag and walked past him toward the door.

  "I was born ready."

  Jackson followed behind her.

  The carriage creaked softly as it rolled out of town.

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  The morning sun had fully risen now, casting golden light across the long road stretching toward the horizon.

  Victoria sat inside the carriage with perfect posture, hands resting elegantly on her lap as she gazed out the window.

  Jackson sat across from her.

  The gentle rocking of the carriage made the silence between them feel oddly peaceful.

  Fields passed slowly outside.

  Occasional farms.

  Wind moving across tall grass.

  For a while, neither of them spoke.

  Then Victoria finally broke the quiet.

  "You said the journey will take four days."

  Jackson nodded.

  "Assuming nothing goes wrong."

  She tapped one finger against the window frame thoughtfully.

  "Aurelius Academy..."

  Her voice carried a strange tone.

  Not pride.

  Not bitterness.

  Something more complicated.

  Jackson watched her quietly.

  'That place used to be part of her future.'

  For noble families, Aurelius wasn't just an academy.

  It was a stage.

  A battlefield of influence.

  Reputation.

  Alliances.

  And Victoria had once been one of its brightest stars.

  Until the exile.

  Until the fall.

  Victoria suddenly glanced at him.

  "What?"

  Jackson blinked once.

  "You looked nostalgic."

  Her expression instantly hardened.

  "I do not indulge in nostalgia."

  Jackson nodded.

  "Of course."

  Victoria narrowed her eyes slightly.

  "Your tone suggests mockery."

  "It wasn't."

  She studied him for a moment longer before huffing softly and turning her gaze back toward the window.

  Outside, the road continued forward endlessly.

  Jackson leaned back slightly in his seat.

  Then slowly closed his eyes.

  His breathing deepened.

  Slow.

  Controlled.

  Mana flowed again.

  Faint streams of invisible energy drifted through the air, slipping quietly into his body with every breath.

  The warmth returned.

  Tiny.

  But growing.

  Jackson kept his expression calm.

  'If this keeps working…'

  Then by the time they reached Aurelius Academy…

  He might be something more than just an ordinary isekai protagonist trying to survive.

  Across from him, Victoria watched the countryside pass by.

  But for just a brief moment…

  Her blue eyes flickered toward Jackson.

  And stayed there.

  Observing.

  Quietly.

  Carefully.

  As the carriage continued carrying them closer to Aurelius Academy.

  The road to Aurelius stretched endlessly across the countryside like a faded ribbon carved into the earth by decades of travelers.

  The carriage creaked rhythmically as its wooden wheels rolled over hardened dirt and scattered pebbles. The horses trotted with steady discipline, their breaths visible in faint white puffs whenever the wind turned colder.

  Inside the carriage, Jackson sat with his back against the wooden frame while his eyes drifted toward the passing scenery.

  Fields slowly gave way to rolling hills.

  Clusters of trees appeared more frequently.

  The signs of civilization became rarer the further they traveled.

  Victoria sat across from him, perfectly composed as always. Even in a moving carriage, her posture remained upright and dignified, her gloved hands resting neatly atop her lap.

  She had spent most of the morning gazing out the window with the same quiet intensity she used whenever she wished to hide her thoughts.

  Jackson noticed it.

  But he didn't comment.

  He had already learned that Victoria Valencrest was the type of person who would rather duel someone than openly admit vulnerability.

  The driver, meanwhile, hummed cheerfully outside as he guided the carriage down the gradually narrowing road.

  "Road gets rougher ahead!" the man called back after a while. "Forest stretch coming up!"

  Jackson opened his eyes fully.

  'Forest.'

  That usually meant monsters.

  This world wasn't as gentle as the one he came from.

  Mana flowed through the land, and creatures touched by that energy often grew... unpredictable.

  The carriage eventually entered the shade of tall trees that towered above the road like ancient guardians.

  Branches twisted together overhead, allowing only scattered beams of sunlight to pierce through the leaves.

  The temperature dropped slightly.

  The air smelled damp.

  Jackson felt it before he heard anything.

  A subtle shift.

  A faint rustle in the underbrush.

  His eyes narrowed slightly.

  Then—

  A low growl echoed from the trees.

  The horses suddenly snorted in alarm.

  The driver cursed.

  Before anyone could react further, a large creature leapt from the forest and landed directly in the road ahead of the carriage.

  It resembled a wolf.

  But far larger.

  Its fur was dark gray with streaks of dull crimson along its spine. Jagged teeth protruded from its snarling mouth while its glowing amber eyes locked onto the carriage with predatory focus.

  The horses panicked.

  The driver pulled hard on the reins.

  "Dire Wolf!" the man shouted.

  Jackson was already moving.

  He opened the carriage door before it had even fully stopped and stepped down onto the road.

  Behind him, Victoria didn't move.

  She simply watched.

  The Direfang lowered its body slightly, muscles tightening before it lunged forward with terrifying speed.

  Jackson's hand moved to his sword.

  'Calm.'

  His mind slowed.

  The creature closed the distance in seconds.

  Jackson stepped forward.

  Not back.

  His breathing deepened.

  Mana flowed faintly through his body again.

  The warmth he had grown used to over the past day surged through his limbs.

  Everything sharpened.

  The monster's movement felt slower.

  Predictable.

  Jackson sidestepped the lunging bite by a narrow margin, the beast's jaws snapping shut inches from his shoulder.

  Then his blade flashed.

  Steel cut through the air in a precise arc.

  The whetted edge struck across the Direfang's neck.

  The monster stumbled.

  Jackson pivoted.

  Another slash.

  Deeper.

  The beast collapsed with a heavy thud against the dirt road, kicking briefly before going still.

  Silence returned to the forest.

  The driver blinked several times.

  "...Well."

  Jackson calmly wiped the blade against the creature's fur before sheathing it.

  When he glanced toward the carriage window—

  Victoria was looking directly at him.

  Her expression?

  Completely neutral.

  No surprise.

  No praise.

  No reaction at all.

  She simply looked away again as if he had just brushed dust off his coat.

  Jackson sighed quietly.

  'Same as before.'

  The driver scratched his head.

  "You handled that pretty easily."

  Jackson shrugged.

  "It wasn't that big."

  The man laughed nervously.

  "Most travelers run the other way when they see a Direfang."

  Jackson didn't respond.

  Instead he climbed back into the carriage.

  Victoria didn't even glance at him this time.

  The journey resumed.

  The sun eventually began its slow descent toward the horizon.

  Golden light stretched across the sky while long shadows crept over the road.

  The forest finally gave way to open land again, and the driver eventually pulled the carriage aside near a small clearing.

  "Stopping for the night!" he called.

  The horses needed rest.

  And so did the passengers.

  The man handed them simple travel rations from his supplies—dried meat, bread, and a small bundle of preserved fruit.

  Victoria accepted the food with a slight nod before walking away from the carriage without another word.

  Jackson watched her go.

  She moved toward a quiet patch of grass near a lone tree at the edge of the clearing.

  She sat down there alone.

  Facing away from everyone else.

  Jackson took a bite of bread while observing her from afar.

  'That's unusual.'

  Victoria enjoyed privacy.

  But she wasn't the type to isolate herself like that.

  He finished eating half his ration before standing up.

  The grass rustled softly beneath his steps as he walked toward her.

  Victoria noticed him approaching but didn't turn around immediately.

  The evening wind moved gently through her long blonde hair as the last colors of sunset painted the sky behind her.

  Jackson stopped a few steps away.

  "Mind if I sit?"

  Victoria sighed.

  "You were going to do it anyway."

  He sat beside her.

  For a few moments, neither of them spoke.

  Crickets had begun their quiet nighttime chorus while the sky slowly darkened above.

  Jackson finally broke the silence.

  "What's bothering you?"

  Victoria's shoulders stiffened slightly.

  "Nothing."

  Jackson raised an eyebrow.

  "You left the food, walked away from the carriage, and sat alone staring at the horizon."

  Victoria clicked her tongue.

  "You are far too observant."

  Jackson waited.

  She remained silent for several seconds.

  Then she spoke again.

  Reluctantly.

  "...There will be an announcement soon."

  Jackson already knew where this was going.

  "The Crown Prince," she continued quietly, "will publicly declare his engagement."

  Her blue eyes stared forward into the fading sunlight.

  "And I fear I know who it will be."

  Jackson tilted his head slightly.

  "Someone you dislike?"

  Victoria scoffed.

  "Dislike?"

  Her lips curled slightly.

  "It will be that insufferably kind, endlessly smiling little saint."

  She spat the title with clear disdain.

  "Navier Lysandra Whitmore."

  Jackson's expression didn't change.

  But inside his mind—

  'Yeah… that checks out.'

  The name was familiar.

  Very familiar.

  Because in the game he had played before dying…

  Lysandra Whitmore was the main heroine.

  The pure-hearted commoner girl who captured the prince's affection.

  The one who unknowingly triggered the downfall of the villainess.

  Victoria.

  Jackson leaned back slightly on the grass.

  'So the timeline is already moving.'

  Victoria continued speaking, her voice quieter now.

  "If that girl becomes the Crown Princess…"

  She clenched her hand slightly.

  "Then everything I once fought for will disappear."

  Jackson glanced at her.

  Victoria Valencrest was proud.

  Sharp.

  Difficult.

  But in that moment, there was something else beneath her usual arrogance.

  Fear.

  Not for power.

  But for being forgotten.

  Jackson exhaled softly.

  "It might not happen."

  Victoria looked at him skeptically.

  "You do not believe that."

  He shrugged.

  "Maybe not."

  She sighed.

  "My family expected me to secure that engagement one day."

  Her gaze drifted toward the distant horizon.

  "And now..."

  Jackson thought for a moment before speaking again.

  "You know," he said calmly, "even if the prince chooses someone else, that doesn't suddenly erase who you are."

  Victoria looked at him.

  Her expression was unreadable.

  Jackson continued.

  "You’re still Victoria Valencrest."

  "The same person who terrified half the noble daughters in the capital."

  A faint smirk appeared on his face.

  "And honestly… I doubt that girl could survive a single afternoon dealing with the same people you used to."

  Victoria blinked.

  Then slowly looked away again.

  "...Your way of comforting people is strange."

  Jackson shrugged.

  "But it worked."

  There was a long pause.

  Then—

  A quiet huff of laughter escaped her.

  Soft.

  Barely audible.

  But real.

  Victoria brushed a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

  "...Perhaps."

  Above them, the first stars had begun appearing in the darkening sky while the quiet road to Aurelius stretched endlessly beyond the hills.

  The night eventually faded into the pale silver of early dawn.

  A faint fog clung to the lowlands as the carriage creaked back onto the road, the horses stepping forward with renewed energy after their rest. The driver yawned loudly as he adjusted the reins, while the wheels began their steady rhythm against the hardened earth once again.

  Jackson sat quietly inside the carriage.

  His breathing remained slow.

  Measured.

  Mana drifted through the air around him, subtle and nearly impossible to notice unless someone knew what to feel for. Each inhale pulled faint strands of it inward, guiding the energy through pathways within his body that had only begun to awaken.

  The warmth spread through his limbs again.

  Small.

  But undeniably present.

  Across from him, Victoria had returned to her usual composed demeanor.

  The vulnerability she had shown the previous night had already been buried beneath the elegant mask she wore so effortlessly. Her posture was flawless, her expression calm, and her bright blue eyes watched the passing countryside with a familiar mixture of quiet pride and restrained impatience.

  Jackson studied her for a moment.

  'Back to normal.'

  Not that he expected anything else.

  Victoria Valencrest was not someone who lingered on emotional displays.

  If anything, she likely regretted letting him see even that small crack in her confidence.

  The road slowly climbed higher into gentle hills as the morning sun rose behind them.

  Villages became more frequent again.

  Stone fences appeared along fields of wheat and barley, while farmers worked quietly beneath the golden light of the growing day.

  But gradually, the road began to widen.

  The dirt path gave way to carefully laid stone.

  Tall banners appeared along the roadside, attached to iron posts bearing a familiar emblem.

  A silver crest.

  A circular sigil woven with elegant lines that resembled flowing streams of mana.

  The driver chuckled proudly as he noticed Jackson looking at them.

  "Academy territory."

  Jackson nodded slightly.

  The atmosphere itself felt different.

  Even the air carried a faint hum.

  Mana was denser here.

  Not overwhelmingly so.

  But noticeable.

  The carriage continued climbing until the road curved around a large hill.

  And then—

  The academy appeared.

  Jackson leaned slightly toward the window.

  Beyond the hill stood a vast complex of white stone structures that rose proudly against the sky.

  Aurelius Academy.

  The main building dominated the landscape like a palace carved for scholars rather than kings.

  Tall towers stretched upward toward the clouds, each crowned with elegant spires of silver and glass that shimmered faintly under the sunlight.

  Massive arched windows lined the upper levels, reflecting the sky like polished mirrors. Long bridges connected certain towers high above the ground, forming pathways that seemed to float between the structures.

  The architecture blended strength with beauty.

  Not a fortress.

  Not a castle.

  Something more refined.

  Grand staircases led upward toward enormous double gates made of dark iron and engraved stone. Beyond those gates lay wide courtyards, gardens, and additional buildings arranged in careful symmetry.

  Students moved across the grounds in small groups.

  Some wore elegant noble attire.

  Others wore simpler clothing but carried books or magical instruments.

  Jackson noticed a few practicing magic near the far courtyard.

  Small bursts of flame.

  Floating stones.

  A glowing circle briefly forming before fading away.

  The entire place felt alive with learning and ambition.

  Victoria leaned slightly toward the window as well.

  For the first time since leaving the capital, something in her expression shifted.

  Not arrogance.

  Not disdain.

  Something deeper.

  Recognition.

  Memory.

  "This place…" she murmured quietly.

  Her voice carried a strange softness.

  Jackson looked at her.

  Victoria's blue eyes reflected the towering structures ahead.

  "This is where the future of the kingdom is shaped."

  Her chin lifted slightly.

  "The greatest mages… the most brilliant scholars… the most powerful noble heirs… all gather here."

  The carriage continued forward until it approached the massive entrance gates.

  Two academy guards stood at attention beside them, dressed in polished armor bearing the Aurelius crest.

  They inspected the carriage briefly before allowing it to pass through.

  Once inside, the full scale of the academy became even clearer.

  Wide stone pathways stretched across enormous courtyards filled with fountains and carefully maintained gardens.

  Ancient statues of legendary mages stood proudly among the greenery, each carved with incredible detail.

  Students walked everywhere.

  Some carried stacks of books.

  Others argued animatedly about magical theories.

  A pair of young nobles were even practicing sword forms near one of the training fields.

  Jackson quietly observed everything.

  'This really does feel like a game hub area.'

  Except now it was real.

  The carriage eventually came to a stop near a large circular plaza at the center of the academy grounds.

  The driver stepped down first before opening the door.

  "We're here."

  Jackson stepped out.

  Victoria followed immediately after.

  The sunlight illuminated the plaza, revealing a massive marble fountain at its center where crystal clear water flowed endlessly in elegant arcs.

  Beyond that fountain stood the largest building of them all.

  The main academic hall.

  Massive pillars supported a grand entrance staircase wide enough for dozens of students to walk side by side.

  Jackson slowly looked up at it.

  'So this is where everything begins.'

  He had played the game.

  He remembered the storyline.

  And in that story—

  Victoria Valencrest had arrived here late.

  Late enough that rumors about her exile had already spread throughout the academy.

  Late enough that the main heroine had already begun gathering allies and admiration from the student body.

  That delay had been the first domino that led to Victoria's isolation.

  Her reputation collapsed from that point onward.

  But now…

  Jackson glanced at Victoria.

  She stood tall beside him, her posture flawless as the wind gently moved her long blonde hair behind her shoulders.

  Students nearby had already begun noticing her.

  Whispers spread.

  Recognition.

  Even now, despite everything that had happened in the capital, the presence of the infamous villainess still carried weight.

  Jackson's eyes narrowed slightly.

  'She's early.'

  Very early.

  Classes hadn't started yet.

  Students were still arriving.

  Which meant—

  History hadn't begun yet.

  Jackson looked up at the towering academy one more time.

  'So this is the starting line.'

  The story that had once only existed inside a game…

  Was about to begin for real.