Chapter Fifty-Seven: The Long-Awaited Return to School

“What the hell, not even an introduction?” When Lancer woke up, he found himself sitting on an electric tram, clutching a map and a student ID in his hands.

“Lancer, an exchange student from Britain, possesses traditional aristocratic bloodline and is a legitimate heir to a noble title. Age: 16.”

Lancer was quite calm about these details. Originally in his twenties, he’d been assigned as sixteen by Lotus. Although he didn’t know which world this was, he felt like he was pretending to be younger than he was. The whole situation felt off.

He had intended to ask the ring for information, but only received one answer.

“Please reach the destination according to the map to automatically initiate the mission.”

Helpless, Lancer wondered what kind of nonsense this was.

After an hour of traversing “mountains and rivers,” he finally arrived at the school—

“What is going on here?” Before him was a crowd of girls in sailor uniforms, accompanied by a few boys, walking beneath cherry blossom trees into the campus.

“Is this what they call a break?”

Confused, he followed the instructions on the note to find the so-called homeroom teacher, who enthusiastically led him to a classroom.

Though outside the door, Lancer could hear the shrill screams of boys inside.

Then, the teacher told him to enter.

-------------------- Rewind --------------------

“Everyone, I have some good news,” said the young teacher with glasses as he entered the lifeless classroom, hoping to use this moment to liven up the atmosphere.

His words had the desired effect; all eyes turned to the teacher standing at the podium.

“A transfer student will be joining our class today.” Instantly, everyone began whispering. It was rare for someone to transfer so soon after the school year began.

“And this student is from Britain. Here’s a tidbit: this classmate is an actual noble, bearing a medal bestowed by the Queen herself. This part I made up, don’t sweat the details,” the teacher added, seeing the students’ interest soar.

“A noble? Teacher, what’s their gender?” someone asked.

“Yeah, tell us, teacher!”

Similar questions echoed throughout the room.

“Heh, congratulations, boys.”

“Oh!” Though the teacher didn’t give a direct answer, all the boys were certain of the newcomer’s gender.

“Well then, let’s welcome our new classmate.”

-------------------- Beginning --------------------

As soon as Lancer entered, he keenly sensed waves of hormones in the air.

“Um… sasa…” Being stared at by so many guys, Lancer felt afraid he might lose control and eliminate this pack of hormone-driven beasts. He deliberately lowered his voice, fearing his dangerous thoughts would slip out, but the result was—

“Wow! So cute!” Clearly, there were plenty of beasts.

“Jing!!”

“All right, please introduce yourself.” The teacher, seasoned in the ways of society, was not to be compared with the kids below. As soon as Lancer entered, he sensed a chill, but couldn’t pinpoint its source. He decided to change the subject, steering students’ attention away from Lancer’s appearance.

His goal succeeded; everyone focused on Lancer’s words. Yet Lancer grew even more uncomfortable. The mission hadn’t unlocked yet, so he decided to endure for now to avoid failing under mysterious circumstances.

“Lancer Pandagon, from Great Britain…” He paused, then added, “Male.”

A strange silence fell over the class, then—

“Impossible!!!”

-------------------- Passage of Time --------------------

“Um, I… like… you…” A boy in school uniform bowed deeply beneath the cherry blossoms.

“Kido-kun, I’m sorry.”

“Why?” There was no anger, only a question.

“Because… I’m a man.”

With that, he walked away.

“Hey, Lancer-san! How many have you sunk so far?” A teasing voice drifted to Lancer’s ear.

“You bastard, do you want to die?” Without wasting words, he drew his dull-edged knight’s sword from his waist and swung at the speaker.

“Whoa, you trying to kill me?” The boy dodged Lancer’s strike with a quick sidestep.

“Tch, as if you’d die so easily.” Though he said this, Lancer sheathed his sword. He was honestly speechless. He hadn’t used much strength, but even so, it wasn’t an attack any student should have dodged so easily. Was it true that protagonists possessed that absurd instinct?

“So, what brings you to me?”

“I’m here…”

“If you dare say you’re here for the show, I’ll cut you.”

“…”

--------------------

“I’ve got your package.”

“Now that’s more like it.” Lancer headed to the school gate, where the package would likely be at the guard’s post. But when he arrived…

“What in the world…” He saw a man in armor standing at the gate, holding a wooden box.

“Sir, your package.” The man removed his visor, knelt on one knee, and offered the box with both hands.

Lancer felt his eyebrow twitching uncontrollably as he said to the man, “Flower Scar, can’t you be normal for once?”

“Sir, that’s not my name…”

“No need to explain. That’s just the codename I gave you for destroying bonsai.”

“Is it only for me?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you, thank you so much.” Lancer, speechless, sent the tearful knight away and opened the box in front of the onlookers.

“Wow, it’s the SAO game gear!” Since only ten thousand people could join the beta test, this game was incredibly popular among students. Seeing what Lancer held, everyone cast envious glances his way.

“Is it finally starting?” Lancer murmured.

“What’s starting?” someone asked.

“Oh, the game, of course.”

“Yeah, true. We’ll finally be able to play together. I was worried you wouldn’t have a helmet.” In this school, only one person dared to speak to Lancer like this, slinging an arm around his shoulders.

“I say…”

“What?”

“Kirito, don’t force yourself if you’re not tall enough.”

“You bastard!”