Transmigrated as the Villainess, my University Romance went Off Script

Chapter 14: Chapter 14: the first day lecture

By the time the four girls reached the university cafeteria, the lunch crowd had already begun to gather.

Students in St. Albion’s navy-and-silver uniforms filled the spacious dining hall, conversations overlapping into a pleasant hum that echoed beneath the vaulted ceiling. Long rows of windows overlooked the central courtyard, where more freshmen wandered between buildings with campus maps still clutched in their hands.

”The cafeteria is even bigger than I imagined,” Claire remarked, looking around in amazement.

”It’s practically a banquet hall,” Amelia agreed.

Eleanor scanned the room before pointing toward an empty table beside one of the windows.

”There’s a table over there.”

The four of them collected their lunches before making their way across the dining hall.

Vivienne couldn’t help glancing around as they walked.

Compared to the solemn atmosphere of the orientation earlier that morning, everyone now seemed noticeably more relaxed. Laughter echoed from every corner of the cafeteria as students introduced themselves, exchanged schedules, and eagerly discussed the first impressions they’d formed of university life.

It was... lively.

She liked it.

Once they had settled into their seats, Amelia rested her chin against her hand and sighed dramatically.

”I don’t think I’ve introduced myself this many times in a single day.”

Claire laughed.

”I’ve already forgotten half the names I’ve heard.”

”I remembered exactly three,” Amelia admitted.

”And one of them was my own.”

The table erupted into laughter.

Even Eleanor smiled.

Vivienne found herself relaxing more and more.

For the first time since awakening inside the world of The Duchess’s White Moonlight...

She wasn’t thinking about Anthony.

Or Evelyn.

Or the original storyline.

She was simply...

Enjoying lunch with new friends.

Claire unfolded the timetable they’d each been given that morning.

”So...”

”How exactly are our classes supposed to work?”

Amelia leaned closer.

”I was wondering the same thing.”

”I thought we’d stay in one classroom all day.”

”So did I,” Claire admitted.

Eleanor shook her head.

”I asked one of the senior student volunteers before orientation.”

”The Foundation Programme doesn’t work that way.”

She pointed toward the timetable.

”Every subject is taught in a different building.”

”We’ll be moving between lecture halls throughout the day.”

Claire stared at the map printed on the back of the handbook.

”So our Philosophy lecture is in the Humanities Building...”

”Our Economics lecture is in the Business Hall...”

”And Biology is all the way across campus?”

Eleanor nodded.

”Apparently.”

Amelia groaned.

”I can already feel my legs protesting.”

Vivienne traced the routes on the map with her finger.

It really was...

A university.

Not just in appearance.

Everything—from the lecture halls to the scheduling—felt remarkably similar to the university she’d attended in her previous life.

The realization made her smile.

At least...

I won’t have to relearn how to survive university.

Then another thought quietly followed.

...Although I seem to have forgotten how much walking there was.

She wanted to groan.

The girls continued chatting over lunch, occasionally comparing their schedules even though every Foundation student followed the same curriculum during their first year.

”There,” Claire said, pointing to the afternoon timetable.

”Our first lecture starts in forty minutes.”

Amelia sighed dramatically.

”I was hoping the first day would end after orientation.”

Eleanor smiled faintly.

”I don’t think the professors received that memo.”

Vivienne laughed.

--

After finishing their lunch, the four girls returned their trays before joining the steady stream of students making their way across campus.

The afternoon sun bathed the sandstone buildings in a warm golden glow as freshmen hurried along the tree-lined pathways, many of them glancing repeatedly between the campus map in their handbook and the signposts posted at every intersection.

”I never realized universities could be this large,” Amelia muttered as they climbed a broad flight of stone steps.

Claire looked equally impressed.

”If someone dropped me here without the map, I’m fairly certain I’d never find my way back to the dormitory.”

”You’d eventually make it,” Eleanor replied.

”Eventually?” Claire laughed.

”I appreciate your confidence.”

A few minutes later, they entered the Humanities Building.

Unlike the orientation hall, the lecture theatre resembled an amphitheater. Rows of seats rose gradually toward the back, allowing every student an unobstructed view of the platform below.

”I’ve never had class in a room like this before,” Amelia whispered.

”It feels... official.”

Vivienne silently agreed.

This was much closer to the university she remembered from her previous life.

Students were free to choose their seats, though most naturally gravitated toward the people they’d already met.

The four girls settled into a row near the middle of the lecture theatre just as an elderly gentleman carrying a stack of books entered.

The room quieted almost immediately.

He placed the books on the lectern before surveying the hall with kind, thoughtful eyes.

”Good afternoon.”

”My name is Professor Rowan Whitlock.”

”I’ll be teaching Philosophy throughout your Foundation Year.”

He paused briefly.

”Before we discuss philosophy...”

”I’d like to ask all of you a simple question.”

He picked up a piece of chalk and wrote four words across the board.

What is education?

No one answered.

The professor smiled knowingly.

”Interesting.”

”You’ve all spent the better part of your lives pursuing it.”

”And yet...”

”It seems rather difficult to define.”

He folded his hands behind his back.

”So.”

”What is education?”

Several students exchanged uncertain glances.

Finally, a young man near the front raised his hand.

”It’s the acquisition of knowledge, Professor.”

”A common answer,” Professor Whitlock replied with an approving nod.

”But is knowledge alone enough?”

Another student answered.

”It prepares us for our future careers.”

”Also true.”

”But is education merely preparation for employment?”

The professor continued calling on students, patiently listening to every answer before asking another question.

Rather than simply lecturing...

He guided them.

Every answer led naturally to another discussion.

Every opinion was examined rather than dismissed.

Vivienne found herself leaning forward without realizing it.

This wasn’t the memorization-heavy style she’d expected.

The professor wasn’t asking them to repeat facts.

He was asking them...

To think.

After nearly forty minutes of discussion, Professor Whitlock returned to the board.

”Education,” he said slowly, ”is not simply the accumulation of information.”

”It is the lifelong discipline of learning how to think clearly, question honestly, and seek truth with humility.”

The lecture hall fell silent.

Vivienne smiled faintly.

She liked that definition.

Very much.

Perhaps...

That was why philosophy had survived for thousands of years.

Professor Whitlock glanced at the clock.

”I’m afraid that’s all the time we have today.”

Several students visibly relaxed.

Then he reached into his leather satchel.

”And before you leave...”

A collective sense of unease spread across the room.

He withdrew a thin book.

”For tomorrow...”

”Please read Chapters One through Three.”

”I’d also like each of you to prepare a one-page reflection answering today’s question.”

”What does education mean to you?”

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Vivienne stared.

...

Professor...

It’s the first day.

Have mercy.

Beside her, Amelia slowly lowered her head onto the desk.

”...We’re already getting homework.”

Claire looked equally defeated.

”I was hoping we’d at least survive twenty-four hours.”

Even Eleanor let out a quiet sigh.

”I suppose university has officially begun.”

Professor Whitlock smiled as though he hadn’t just shattered the dreams of an entire lecture hall.

”I’ll see all of you tomorrow.”

As soon as he left, the room erupted into groans.

”I take back everything I said during lunch,” Amelia declared while gathering her books.

”I miss summer vacation.”

The others laughed as they made their way toward the exit.

The remainder of the afternoon passed in a blur.

Their History professor spent the hour introducing the broad civilizations they would study throughout the year before assigning several Chapters of reading.

By the time their lecture concluded, every student seemed to be carrying at least three recommended textbooks and a growing list of reading assignments.

As the four girls walked back toward the dormitories beneath the fading afternoon sun, Amelia let out an exaggerated groan.

”I’ve been a university student for exactly one day.”

”And somehow...”

”I’m already behind.”

Claire laughed.

”I think all of us are.”

Vivienne looked down at the growing pile of books in her arms before smiling helplessly.

This morning...

She had been worried about meeting Anthony Ashford.

Now...

Her greatest concern was finding enough time to finish tomorrow’s readings.

Perhaps...

University really did have a way of putting everything else into perspective.

For now...

Her love life could wait until after she survived her homework.

--

Tbc