Alaric didn't like doing things. He didn't attend college and worked a simple job that paid his bills. During his spare time, he would either watch something or play, as those activities were enjoyable.
But study or work hard? Never would he do that.
One day, while crossing the street, he died. Usually, people die like that because someone drunk ran over them, but in Alaric's case, he died because he was too slow to cross the street.
His laziness was what killed him. What a fucking idiot. But little did he know death was just the beginning of his troubles.
What awaited him after death was a whole new world, a place with magic and magical beasts that went against the reality he knew. It was a world where wizards and witches roamed, where spells and potions were as common as the air he used to breathe. Alaric was both fascinated and terrified by it.
But there was a problem. To get stronger, to become a powerful wizard capable of bending the elements and reality itself? Well, it required work, real hard work. Not the kind of work where you can just wave a wand and say 'abracadabra,' but the kind that involves studying ancient tomes, practicing complex spells, and enduring rigorous training.
Alaric was against that. His soul was against that. He found himself inside a magic academy where he had to work hard to keep up with his classmates.
It had been one month since he reincarnated into the body of a young man called Alaric, who was attending a magical academy in the city of Bruxe.
The Alaric of that world got killed. Assassinated, to be precise. The reason for it? The new Alaric had no idea.
But because of the killing attempt from before, Alaric wanted to get the hell out of that magic academy. It wasn't safe to be there.
He didn't want to be there because it required hard work and because he could get killed again. So, to achieve his goal of leaving the academy, Alaric turned into the laziest person in the universe.
*
A knock came on Alaric's door. He was on his bed, covered by the warm blankets.
"Hey, Alaric," a voice came from the other side of the door, "are you up? You know classes already started."
Alaric recognized the voice. It was one of his only friends in the academy. The young man's name was Kenzy.
"Kenzy, stop it!" Alaric yelled, "You know I don't want to keep going to classes, and they can't force me."
Kenzy was worried about it.
"They can't force you, but there are rumors of them expelling you! I've heard they are doing a meeting today after class to talk about your future."
Alaric got up from his bed. His hair was still a mess, like his clothes, but he didn't care. He opened the door and talked with Kenzy.
Surprised, Kenzy said, "Oh, so you are scared of getting expelled. Come, let's go to class."
Alaric, though, had something else in mind. "Are you sure the school is doing a meeting to expel me? This is great!"
"Great...? What do you mean? How is this great?"
Kenzy knew very well Alaric disliked being in the magic academy. He never read, never meditated, and never even cast a spell before. Alaric refused to do all of that. For him, it was just 'too much work.'
"I really need some time to relax. This whole magic academy thing is getting me crazy. I know you know how I feel!" Alaric said.
"I get that the magic academy is hard, but I want to get stronger, to earn money. Become someone my family is proud of! A mage capable of changing the tides of the kingdom and writing its name in history!" Kenzy said while placing his hands up high, acting out the whole thing just to say that stuff.
Alaric stood there, motionless. "Nah, I don't want any of that. This is only you, bro. Look, thanks for telling me this. I'll go back to sleep to make sure they expel me, alright?"
After saying that, Alaric closed his door and went back to his bed, sleeping for a few more hours that day. The weather was cold, perfect for resting underneath a warm blanket.
When night came, someone knocked on Alaric's door again. This time, it was not a mere student like his friend Kenzy but one of the many teachers.
"Alaric, the headmaster wants to speak with you. Come with me, now."
The professor spoke with a harsh tone. He was the one that Alaric disliked the most. Geralt is the one responsible for the combat aspect of using magic.
The combat classes were the most important ones in the magical academy. Therefore, the teacher of that subject was usually a mage with a higher level of power when compared to the rest.
Anyway, excited, Alaric got up from his bed and followed Geralt. He didn't even fix his hair or his clothes. He wanted to maintain his appearance to ensure they would like to expel him.
The Magic Academy of Bruxe was located in the capital of the kingdom, a city also named Bruxe.
It was a lovely place with many students who wished to pursue the arcane arts. The city was also home to merchants who sold a wide range of magical items. Yet, amidst this beauty, Alaric couldn't help but feel out of place, his own lack of magical talent a stark contrast to the aspirations of his peers.
As for the Magic Academy itself, well, it was massive and one of the best in the whole kingdom. Alaric had a poor talent when it came to magic. The only reason he even got admitted into that academy was because the kingdom really needed mages for their ongoing war.
The kingdom's strategy was clear. Even those with modest talent could yield respectable results with the right resources, such as elixirs, magical tomes, and, of course, good teachers. Hence, admitting the less talented to the esteemed Magic Academy was a calculated move that would ultimately pay off.
The only catch was that students with poor talent had to sign a document stating that they would aid in the war after graduation for at least five years.
Alaric did the same thing to enter. That was why he wanted to leave.
"Go in and talk to him," Geralt said, stopping in front of a double door adorned with gold inside the academy's main building.
Geralt looked at Alaric with a rageful gaze. "Just so you know, getting expelled is the least of your problems."