Entering the Game with a Cheat Physique

3 Days Before the Start of School

3 Days Before the Start of School

Freshman Orientation for the Knight Department.

After the instructors announce the entrance exam rankings and give speeches to boost the sense of belonging against the Magic Department.

All the first-year students immediately gathered in the gymnasium.

Or rather, the term “assembly” would be more fitting.

—Who are we!

—We are honorable students of the Knight Department!

—Who are you!

—We are proud freshmen of the Knight Department!

Screaming, the upperclassmen and underclassmen were boosting morale.

It was the tradition of the Knight Department, a task to nurture pride and foster camaraderie.

Just being near them made the air thrum with the smell of sweat.

Isollet, a step back from the fray, sipped at her water.

—Isollet, the female lead of the Knight Route in ＜The Song of Sword and Magic＞.

Just yesterday, she had finished the entrance exam course fastest, taking the top spot.

‘They’re all so loud.’

What’s with this damn tradition?

Even the recreation was all about competing in strength.

Isollet didn’t dislike that kind of thing, but being around only these physical types started to get tiresome.

She wasn’t exactly someone who enjoyed intense action.

—Hey, Jackson. I heard you got wrecked by a magic student?

At that moment, Isollet, quietly observing her surroundings, spotted an interesting scene.

—That b*stard is a complete moron. How could you lose to such a weakling?

—Don’t even get me started. He didn’t even use magic.

—I heard he was a substitute?

A group of students was surrounding Jackson, a second-year upperclassman, seeming intent on berating him.

Jackson, caught in the middle, clutched at the wounds covered in bandages and plasters.

—Shit, shut up!

But the Knight Department students weren’t about to go easy on him.

—Go easy? What are you talking about, you moron. Be ashamed.

—Get out of there. Are you even a man?

—Ugh. It’s the end of days that a piece of shit like you is ranked 7th in the 2nd year.

—Shut up! I’ll get my revenge. I swear, I’ll crush that b*stard.

From what she could hear, he’d lost to a magic student.

In hand-to-hand combat, no less.

‘That’s an interesting story.’

Suddenly, a magic department upperclassman she met on entrance exam day came to mind.

A man who suddenly appeared before Isollet, who was leading the course.

The conversation they had then was quite memorable, still fresh in her mind.

For example—

“Greetings. The new Valedictorian.”

Like that greasy upperclassman, approaching Isolet with a familiar air.

His long hair, not quite fitting for a knight-in-training.

Swept back in a slicked-back style, revealing a wide forehead, his skin gleaming.

A look that would’ve earned a scolding from an instructor for any other student, but he’d earned it.

“Pleased to meet you. I’m the second-year Valedictorian. I think we’ll have a lot to talk about, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Yes. It seems so.”

Isolet bowed her head politely.

The Valedictorians from each year enjoyed many privileges.

Her being alone, not participating in the Knight Department’s traditions, and even the man’s ability to maintain his striking makeup.

Rights given for representing the department.

‘There was a schedule for the Valedictorians to interact.’

Duty follows rights.

Isolet couldn’t avoid the conversation this time either.

“There’s a tradition at the new student Orientation. Sharing a drink with a junior dreaming of becoming a noble knight. Would you allow me to pour you a drink myself?”

“……”

Isolet neither agreed nor disagreed.

The man, unbothered by the silence, picked up a bottle in his hand and filled a glass.

*Pouring sound*

The glass filled with clear liquid is offered to Isolet.

“Don’t worry. I switched it out since you seem to prefer water over alcohol. Would you accept it?”

The surface of the water shimmering under the light.

Isolet closed her eyes for a moment, searching for a page in her memory.

Recalling the words of her senior, Herak, from the entrance exam the day before.

*

“Herak-ssi, Herak-ssi. Oh? Herak-ssi has gone to another world.”

Someone was talking to her from the side, but she couldn’t hear anything.

She was already in a state of disbelief, having faced a shocking truth.

‘…There’s no male lead?’

The key to defeating the Stage 1 boss requires the male lead.

The knight and mage must team up to take down the boss, but the male lead delivers the final blow.

In reality, you can only clear the Stage 1 boss fight with the exact damage needed, if the male lead is present. With two female leads, the damage is insufficient, and it’s impossible to clear.

Which means we’re in trouble.

A lot of it.

“Hmm. Have I perhaps committed some offense? This one’s countenance seems rather hardened.”

“No, no~. Ms. Isolet is fine. It’s just that Herak suddenly became strange.”

“I thought you said you were from the Magic Department? Shouldn’t a mage’s forte be their strong mental fortitude?”

“Herak is different, you see. He’s an eccentric who enjoys working out.”

…I grasp at my fading consciousness.

‘Pull yourself together.’

I can’t give in here.

Even though this unforeseen situation has arisen, where both leads are women.

They say that if you keep your wits about you, you’ll survive even being dragged off by a tiger; I just need to do better.

‘Let’s think a bit more about how to clear the Stage 1 boss for now.’

It seems difficult to rely solely on the leads.

I need to devise an additional method—

“Yah.”

“……”

Then, suddenly, I felt a warm sensation on my cheek.

Helene had reached out a finger and touched me.

“What are you doing?”

“Oh, no? I’m trying to help Herak come to his senses. You suddenly stopped Ms. Isolet in her path, so you’re responsible, aren’t you?”

“Ah. Yes.”

…I guess I did something regrettable.

Appearing before Isolet who was running well along her course, and then freezing up the moment I saw her.

And Isolet, now bothered, hasn’t been able to leave.

“Ms. Isolet, are you alright? Shouldn’t you be back to the race now?”

“Don’t worry. I can still come in first even if I start now.”

“Wow, that’s amazing. Your confidence is so cool.”

Clap clap clap─

Helene’s admiration.

Isolet, without showing much reaction, spoke to me.

Her gaze seemed quite intrigued.

“Do you have business with me? I was a little surprised when you suddenly appeared in front of me.”

“……”

“Originally, I should be focusing on the entrance exam, but your expression seemed so serious. Before I knew it, my feet just stopped.”

“……Ah. I see.”

What should I answer?

I can’t tell the truth.

Instead of saying I was surprised you weren’t a man but a woman, I need to find a proper reply.

‘Ah.’

That should do.

Besides, she’s a girl, so it’s even more concerning.

“After the entrance exam, there will be a new student orientation.”

“Yes. I’m aware.”

“There will definitely be guys there who will try to share drinks, okay? Don’t believe them even if they say it’s water. It’s alcohol.”

“……?”

Isolet’s blue eyes widened.

She pondered my words for a moment, then tilted her head, looking quite puzzled.

“……How do you know that?”

“No comment.”

“Then why are you telling me this?”

“Because I’m worried. You don’t look like you’d like alcohol.”

It’s not a lie.

Because she appears in the first illustration of chapter 1, act 1 in the ‘Sword and Magic Song’ knight route.

In that scene, Isolet looked bad when she coughed after drinking alcohol.

It’s not something a woman, let alone a man, should experience, so I decided to meddle.

‘It doesn’t sound that believable.’

Well, if I play dumb, there’s nothing anyone can do about it.

“Go on, you should be going, right? You’ll miss out on first place if you’re any later.”

“……Alright.”

Isollet rose from her spot and held out her hand to me.

Her hand, small to match her frame, was soft yet held an underlying strength.

Because she was a knight.

“Since this is fate, how about we shake hands?”

“Fine, whatever.”

I didn’t want to get tangled up, if I could help it.

But, considering what I’d done, I silently grasped her hand.

A firm squeeze—

…But why is she putting so much strength into it?

Is this a power struggle?

Or is she interested in me?

“……Hmm.”

And then, a subtle smile bloomed on Isollet’s lips.

I couldn’t grasp what she was thinking.

What was she judging from this handshake?

‘I didn’t step on any landmines, did I?’

Don’t take an interest in me, please.

I finished the handshake.

And then, back from the open space to the course, Isollet broke into a light jog, leaving behind a farewell.

“It was nice meeting you. Then, goodbye.”

“Yeah, see you later.”

Helene waved her hand with a smile, while I just gave a rough nod.

I watched Isollet’s silver hair flutter as she left.

Then, Helene gave me a playful poke to the ribs—*poke poke—*

“I was right, wasn’t I?”

“Huh?”

“Your soulmate, it’s Heraque, right?”

“……I guess so.”

The event from the original story, where Helene falls for the knight male lead,

for some damn reason, the target’s been switched to me.

‘Looks like I’ll be tangled up with Helene pretty often now.’

My plan to leave everything to the protagonists and slip away is gonna be tough.

“Haa.”

“A sigh is a bit much, don’t you think~?”

“It wasn’t aimed at the Princess.”

Helene and Isolet are both on my mind, but still…

I definitely need to figure out a strategy for that act 1 boss fight.

‘The core problem is that we’re lacking damage.’

Someone’s gotta fill that gap.

And who’s gonna do it?

‘No need to even think about it.’

Me.

*

“…I apologize. I’ll have to decline.”

“Hm?”

A wrinkle forms on his greasy face.

The guy holding out the glass Heraque specifically warned me about.

He frowned at my unexpected rejection.

“Why?”

“That, you said it was water, but isn’t it actually alcohol?”

“…You’re a sharp junior.”

Apollon withdrew his hand with a look of disappointment.

The clear liquid in the glass looked like water, but it was obviously alcohol.

I’d already been warned by Heraque, so I could see right through it.

“I don’t appreciate pranks like this.”

“My bad. It’s a tradition in the Knights Department, you know. Pretending it’s water, then getting people drunk and in trouble.”

“……”

“It’s even worse for someone like you who dislikes alcohol.”

Hoo-

Apollo flashes that greasy smile again.

‘You’re really not a likeable person.’

Isolette’s brow furrows slightly.

She didn’t take a liking to Apollo at all.

That greasy, slicked-back long hair, the heavy makeup plastered on.

And beyond that, what she sensed.

‘…A slimy interior.’

He’s a dangerous person.

More so than some knight-department tradition or whatever.

…Though a strange thing exists.

There’s bound to be some guy there offering to share a drink, right? Don’t believe them even if they say it’s water. It’s alcohol.

‘How does he know?’

Wasn’t he supposed to be a magic-department student?

Why does he know the tradition passed down in the knight department?

By what means?

“…Senior Apollo.”

“Hmm?”

“Is this prank well-known at the academy? For instance, enough for magic-department students to know?”

“Heh heh. Looks like I made a pointless joke.”

Apollo twisted the corner of his lips at Isolette’s words.

A clear sneer.

“That thing about it being a knight-department tradition is a lie. This is just a prank of mine, nothing more, nothing less.”

“……”

“A magic-department student knowing? Ha! It’s not some insignificant thing that those bookworms would know. Don’t look down on it.”

“…My apologies.”

Isolette silently lowered her head.

She watched Apollo move away from his spot, his eyes narrowed, for a brief moment.

Then, a question escaped her lips.

“It’s normal not to know, though.”

……How do you know that?

No comment.

Princess Helene said, Herak is definitely a magic student.

And yet, he knew about Apollo’s nasty pranks.

That’s not the only thing that’s bothering me.

Then why are you telling me?

Because I’m worried. You don’t look like you like alcohol.

‘As if you’re sure I don’t prefer alcohol.’

First time meeting.

A senior she’s never met before seems to know Isolet’s preferences perfectly.

—And lastly.

Since this is fate, how about a handshake?

Whatever.

The superior physique she felt from their clasped hands.

‘He was quite the specimen.’

Not the kind of vessel a mere magician would possess.

Though he looked like he had a thick torso and slender limbs.

Isolet’s sharp eyes immediately discerned.

‘A body blessed by the gods.’

Even she, comparing only physical potential, might not measure up.

It was a physique with overwhelming growth potential.

“Intriguing.”

Isolet’s blue eyes sparkled.

It was the first time.

Even though she’d been admitted to Olympia Academy, nothing had really caught her interest.

Her peers who were far inferior, students in competing departments who were just distant tales.

The most potent ball of curiosity, surpassing all of that, had appeared.

“……Herak.”

She tested the name on her tongue.

It somehow pleased her.

Is it because I’m blinded by infatuation?

“It would be nice if we could meet again sometime.”

Isolet’s face, as she said that.

Resembled Irina, the main character of the wizard route.