Chapter 7
"WE'RE LATE!"
Haru's eyes snapped open.
For a brief moment he stared at the ceiling, confused by the panicked voice echoing through the house. Then his bedroom door exploded open.
"MOVE IT, HARU!"
A pillow struck him square in the face.
Haru sat upright. "Wha—"
His gaze drifted toward the clock.
The moment he saw the time, his soul left his body.
"OH, COME ON!"
He launched himself out of bed. Unfortunately, he forgot there were two other people sharing the room. His foot caught a blanket. The next thing he knew, he was falling.
"GYAH!"
THUD.
A second scream followed.
"EEK!"
Haru looked up. Elara had somehow been dragged down with him and was now sprawled across his chest.
For several seconds, neither of them moved.
Then their eyes met.
"..."
"..."
Both turned red.
The door slid open again. Mika took one look at the scene and immediately pointed.
"I KNEW IT!"
"It's not what it looks like!" Haru shouted. "I literally just woke up!"
"Ugh, whatever—just get ready quickly. We can't afford to be late on the first day!"
"Late for what?" Elara asked, tilting her head.
"School!" Haru and Mika responded in unison.
Haru rushed to the bathroom, leaving the two girls behind.
"School?" Elara repeated, confusion written all over her face. Then her eyes brightened as realization struck. "By school, are you referring to a learning facility? Like the knight academy?"
This time it was Mika's turn to be confused. "Knight academy?"
"Yes. It's the only learning facility commoners can afford to attend. We learn basic literature, and the rest of the time is spent training to be knights." She puffed out her chest proudly. "Not to brag, but you must know I was a prodigy back in my old world. By the time of my graduation, I was able to give the knight commander a good fight."
"I bet that was impressive, and I wish our school was half as easy as yours." Mika's face suddenly went pale. "We're given a ton of subjects, loads of assignments and homework—don't get me started on home—oh no!"
At that moment, Haru stepped out, trying to adjust his towel. Seeing him half naked, Elara covered her eyes. Mika, however, was clearly troubled by something far greater.
"Haru. My very best friend in the whole wide world," Mika said in a sickly sweet tone.
Haru narrowed his eyes. "You're using that voice again. That means you want something. What is it this time?"
"Come on, you make it sound so bad."
"Just spill it."
"Would you mind if I checked your answers to the holiday homework? To confirm if my answers were correct."
Haru sighed heavily. "Let me guess. You didn't answer your homework."
"What? No, that's not—ugh, fine. No, I didn't answer it."
"What was the first thing I warned you about when you refused my offers to help you with your work?"
"You said by the time I'm accepting the help, the holidays will be over."
"And you chose to ignore my warnings. So why shouldn't I just ignore you as well?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Let's make a deal," Mika replied after a moment of thought.
"Now you're speaking my language."
"What do you want?"
"Hmm. I don't know. Maybe that legendary sword you got from slaying the vampire god? Your class makes it impossible for you to use swords, so it's not like you'll need it."
"What? That's not fair."
"So is ignoring my advice and coming to me when it's too late. But you don't see me complaining, do you?"
"But I was planning on selling that sword! Plus, fighting the vampire god wasn't easy."
"I mean, you can keep the sword. But let's see how that will help you answer all your homework. And you'd better make your choice fast—we don't have much time."
"You're so greedy. Fine. I'll give you the Blood Moon Sword. Happy now?"
"Yes, very happy in fact."
He handed over a book.
"Oh, and I made two lunches last night. They're in the fridge. Don't forget to grab yours." He shouted over his shoulder as he walked away.
Mika responded with a thumbs up. Haru entered his room. A few minutes later he came out, dressed in full uniform. Elara, who had been observing Mika, noticed a golden badge resting comfortably on Haru's jacket. He noticed her gaze and explained.
"It's proof I'm part of the elite in our school." He smiled smugly. "Mika is also an elite, but I rank higher than her."
Mika gave him a venomous stare before returning to her copying.
Haru came over and peered over her shoulder to see what she was writing. Due to being in a hurry, Mika's handwriting was nothing short of devastating. Haru couldn't help teasing.
"You know, I could pick a roach, dip it in ink, and let it scurry on a paper, and I doubt it'll look too different from how you're writing."
"Cut me some slack, I'm in a hurry here. You sound just like Ms. Georgia."
Elara finally saw a chance to join the conversation. "Who is Ms. Georgia?"
"She's the school's most famous English teacher. She's a perfectionist," Haru explained.
"Oh, I see."
"Hey, you can't describe Ms. Georgia without talking about her British accent." Mika added, "A jolly good morning to you all!" she said in a funny voice.
Both Haru and Elara laughed. A few minutes later, Mika finished copying the work, and they left Elara with a few instructions.
---
They headed down the street at a run and barely made it to the train. Before long, they found themselves in front of an enormous building they called their school. It looked like it was straight out of a fantasy world—lush gardens surrounded it, and in the center stood a statue of the founder.
Haru and Mika made their way inside. A voice crackled from the intercom.
"Morning, students. This is your headmaster speaking. I'd like to welcome you to another term at this prestigious academy. Strive to be your best and uphold our motto in everything you do. Remember—talent is power."
By the time he was done, Haru and Mika had already split up and headed to their classes. Mika headed down a flight of stairs and reached the door to her class. She patted herself down and knocked.
"Ugh—come in!" an angry voice replied.
Mika felt a knot in her stomach, but it was too late to run. She opened the door and awkwardly walked in. Inside, she became the center of attention. At the front was a middle-aged British woman wearing an expensive dress and light makeup. A pair of glasses rested on the bridge of her nose, and behind them, pale blue eyes glared at Mika.
"Five," the lady said.
"Huh—I mean, pardon?" Mika asked.
"Do you know what that number represents?"
"Uhh... the number of days in a week school steals from me?" Mika replied awkwardly.
A few giggles could be heard from her classmates, but one cold glare was enough to erase all traces of laughter.
"No, Mika. It represents the number of minutes you're late by. This is a school for the elite, and punctuality is a necessary virtue. Unfortunately for you, you've caught me in a very bad mood."
Mika gulped. After a pause, the teacher let out a sigh.
"It's only the first day, so I'll let you off the hook. All you'll do is collect all your classmates' homework."
"Thank you, Ms. Georgia," Mika said quickly before rushing to the closest desk and taking the person's homework. When she arrived at the last row, a blonde-haired girl looked at her with a sneer.
"A servile role suits you well. Have you considered making it permanent by becoming my servant? Consider it an honor I'm even offering," she said in a haughty voice.
"Tch. Spoiled brat," Mika muttered under her breath with a clenched fist.
"What did you say?"
"I said I'll pass on your offer. It's not worth it."
"Excuse me!" The girl stood up.
Mika dumped the homework on the table and clenched both fists, looking straight at the blonde. "Wanna go, princess?" she said in a dangerously low voice.
At this point, the girl lost a significant amount of her earlier confidence and moved back. Suddenly, a stern voice interrupted them.
"Is there a problem?" Ms. Georgia asked, hands on her hips.
"No, ma'am," both girls said before giving each other one last glare. Mika continued and collected all the homework.
"I hope your homework is in that pile."
"Oh, I forgot. Let me go get it."
Soon she returned and placed it at the teacher's side. Ms. Georgia took the paper and began to examine it. Suddenly, her frustrated face turned into a grimace. She took off her glasses, rubbed her eyes, and put them back on. She then grabbed another paper and compared them, then let out a very heavy sigh.
"Mika, please tell me you didn't have roaches write your homework."
"What?"
"I'd believe it if you told me a roach that was dipped in ink scurried all over your paper," Ms. Georgia said.
"Strange how Haru said the exact same thing," Mika mumbled to herself.
"Honestly, I'd pick deciphering ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics over what I'm seeing on your paper." She rubbed her eyes again.
"Hey, teach, that's not very nice. I was in a rush. I should report you for verbal abuse," Mika said, acting hurt.
"If that's the case, I should report you for abusing my eyes," she retaliated.
Mika couldn't help giggling. "Who knew you had a sense of humor?"
Ms. Georgia couldn't help chuckling. "I don't," she said. "Listen, Mika—I understand that things may be a bit difficult at home, especially after the... divorce. But listen. I'm here if you need to talk. This school's system is brutal, so you can't let your performance drop. You're a bright student. We can't lose you. That's why I'm so hard on you."
"Yes, ma'am," Mika said before turning to her desk, collapsing into her seat, and sighing.
"Psst."
Mika looked ahead and saw her best friend looking at her with a face full of concern.
"Rough day?" the girl whispered.
"Yeah. I'm already missing the holidays."
Mika whispered back. Both girls giggled but immediately felt a cold glare and sat up straight.
"Let's talk during break."
"Yeah."
Ms. Georgia got up from her table and turned to the board. With a stylus pen, she wrote the heading: Homework Revision.
"Let's begin the lesson. The first question said..."
Mika then turned back in time to see a brown-haired guy looking at her. When they made eye contact, he looked away. Two seconds later, he looked at her again, but noticed she was still looking at him and turned away. This happened a few more times, and Mika could have sworn his face was getting redder by the second.
Suddenly he opened a book and wrote something down. He then ripped out the paper, crumpled it, and threw it at her. She immediately glared at him, opened the paper, and read what he wrote.
"The hell are you looking at."
She then opened her own notebook and wrote:
"You were looking at me first, idiot."
She then threw the paper at him. Seconds later, he threw another paper at her.
"No I wasn't. And you are the idiot."
She immediately got to writing.
"You liar. I saw you staring. Keep your eyes to yourself, dimwit."
He read it and threw another paper at her. This time he just wrote one word.
"Halfwit."
"Imbecile," she wrote.
Soon they were throwing insults wrapped in paper at each other, and Ms. Georgia noticed. At one instance, the boy took a long time writing something—clearly the insult he was writing this time was a long one. He threw it at her.
Before Mika could pick it up, someone else did. Ms. Georgia.
"I see sharing secrets with Ben is more important than my lesson. Why not fill the whole class in, then..." She opened the paper.
Ben's face went pale. Ms. Georgia began to read, but just after reading a few words, a grimace worse than the one she'd made while reading Mika's homework made its way onto her face.
"Tell us, teach. What does it say?" the blonde-haired girl from earlier asked.
"Reading half of what was on that bloody paper out loud would probably get me arrested, so it will remain a secret between Ben and I. Right?"
"Yes, ma'am," he replied nervously.
"See me after class. Mika, pay attention. This is your last warning." She said this before going back to the board.
After a moment, Mika turned toward Ben and stuck out her tongue. In response, he made a silly face—but this ended when Ms. Georgia called Ben to answer a question on the board.
---
Meanwhile, Haru's morning was a lot less eventful. Luckily for him, the teacher hadn't yet come in when he reached his class. When he got in, he found his table, and three of his friends sat around it.
"Since when did my table become a meeting spot?"
"Boss man!" they shouted unanimously.
"What took you so long?" one with silver hair asked.
"Busy morning?" another with blonde hair asked.
"Something like that."
"Judging by who you were with, I'm not surprised your morning was busy," the third guy said with a grin. This one had black hair.
"What's that supposed to mean?" the silver-haired one asked.
"Yeah, Mark. Explain yourself."
"I saw our boy here walking hand in hand with Mika freaking Sanchez," Mark said dramatically.
"No way—you mean the Mika Sanchez, the boxing champ?" the silver-haired one asked in shock.
"Yes, Kuze. There aren't many people we know named Mika Sanchez," the blonde-haired one said.
"She's in the same class as my sister. I doubt they get along, though. She's a bit of a brat."
"Well, your sis had better be careful, because if Mika decided to throw hands, I don't see her surviving. I saw Mika give one guy an uppercut—that brother was seeing stars for a week," the black-haired guy said.
"Come on, Kei. No need to exaggerate," Haru said.
"Yeah, yeah. Enough about that. How did you—a mere mortal, a fellow babe-less, maiden-less, aura-less... okay, maybe not aura-less. You've got some mad aura in-game—" Kei began. "—manage to bag her? One of the school goddesses."
"Hold up. Before he answers that, who do you think is better looking—Mika or Scylla?" Kuze asked.
"Scylla? You're talking about the goddess in charge of the disciplinary committee?" Mark asked.
"I never really understood why we gave her that nickname," Haru suddenly added.
"It's because the disciplinary committee has seven members. Scylla is the president, and we refer to the other members as the six hounds. And Scylla in the story had six hounds connected to her or something," Kei explained.
"Listen, I don't know about you guys, but out of all the disciplinary committee members, I've got something for the Mad Hound," Kuze said.
"Nah, bro, you're on something."
"Yeah, my guy, Blood Hound is a better choice," Kei said.
"You guys need therapy. How could you choose any of the hounds when Scylla herself is an option?" Mark added.
"Oh, come on, guys. Of all things to be debating, you choose arguing over the hottest disciplinary committee member? You all need help," Haru said.
"Come on, boss. You aren't any better. After all, you've got two of the school goddesses in your harem," Kei said.
"I do not have a harem. What are you talking about?" Haru asked in surprise.
"Acting ignorant, I see. Wait—if we add Mika, then he's got three of the goddesses in his harem. Tell us, Haru, are you secretly the main character of a romance story? Because I don't see what they see in you." Kuze said jokingly.
"Hold on—three goddesses? Okay, first Mika, Kacey, and... uh, who's the third one?" Mark asked.
"It's Kia, right?" Kuze answered.
"Speak of the devil," Kei said suddenly.
"What—?" Haru began, before being blinded by a pair of soft hands.
Soon he felt someone breathing next to his ear.
"Guess who?" a soft, teasing voice said.
Haru immediately tilted his head, using his shoulder to guard his ear. Soon he heard a familiar giggle.
"Kia?" Haru said, remembering Kei's words.
"Aw, man. How could you tell so easily?"
Kia said while releasing him and letting him see again. When his vision was restored, he was met by the jealous faces of his friends.
"Oh, hey, boys. I hope you don't mind me stealing Haru for a bit," Kia said.
All three shook their heads, but their eyes told Haru a different message. They got up and left the trio, who seconds later had found a new topic to debate.
"So, what do you want?" Haru asked.
"Hehe, well, it's a bit of a long story, but—" Kia began.
"You didn't answer the holiday homework, did you?" Haru asked.
"Nope. Wow, I guess it's a short story." Kia scratched her neck.
"Pay up."
"Hmph. So greedy. Can't you just do me a favor?" She puffed her cheeks.
"No favors. I worked hard answering that work. Damn, it's annoying how similar you are to Mika," Haru said thoughtfully.
"Okay, what about I give you a smooch as a reward?" Kia said, pursing her lips.
"Okay," Haru said immediately.
"What—?" Kia asked, only to be interrupted by Haru brushing her pink hair to the side, getting a better look at the green gems she called eyes. Her face burned immediately, but Haru didn't stop. He placed a gentle hand on her cheek and inched closer.
"Uh—I was kidding. Calm down, Haru. I was kidding," she said, panicking.
"You already offered. No take-backs," Haru said in a low voice.
Kia closed her eyes and once again pursed her lips, fully expecting a kiss—before hearing a shutter. She opened one eye and saw Haru holding his phone, camera facing her.
"Oh ho ho. What a nice picture. I think I'll use it as my wallpaper," he said.
"What—hell no! I was making an embarrassing face! Don't do that—I'll die of embarrassment!" she pleaded.
"That's the point. You have a tendency to tease me a lot, so I'm showing you that two can play at that game." He said, "And plus, I think it's a cute picture."
"Come on, stop it." She was even more flustered now.
"Okay, fine. Plan B. The headmaster is your uncle, right?" Haru asked.
"Yeah."
"Okay. There's someone I'd like to enroll here. Get him to agree, and I'll let you have an extra copy of my homework and I'll delete the pic."
"Consider it done," she said.
"Nice doing business with you."
"Follow me."
The two went back to class and back to Haru's desk, which was now free. He brought out a pile of papers and handed them over to her. She thanked him and left, and he sat back down.
He then noticed the girl next to him. Her nose was buried in a book, and her hair covered her eyes.
Haru's face lit up when he saw her. He reached into his bag and pulled out a book, then tapped her shoulder.
"Hey, Mai."
The girl slowly put down the book and looked at him through her bangs.
"I read the book you gave me. The story was beyond perfection. Although I must admit, that cliffhanger at the end was criminal. Curiosity has been eating me alive since I finished it," he said.
"Wait—you actually read it?" she asked.
"Yes. I'll admit I was a bit skeptical at first because romance isn't my thing, but when I started reading, it kept getting better and better. I couldn't stop. I almost missed a major game event because I was hooked—and the best part is, it's so long, so I had a lot to read." He said, "Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to ramble. It was just so good."
The girl covered her face with the book she was reading.
"It makes me happy to know you liked it," she said in a quiet voice.
"Are you kidding me? Calling that story perfect is underselling it. It's a shame the author didn't put their name—I'd like to read more of their work," he said.
I'm the author, the girl thought to herself.
I'm too shy to tell him. What if he's just saying all this stuff to make me feel good and he doesn't really like the story? Or what if— The girl began to spiral in her thoughts.
"So, do you have the second part of the story? I did say curiosity was eating me alive," he said, looking excited.
"Swing by the library at lunch. I'll have the book ready," she said.
"Oh man, I'll have to wait for so long—" He began, only to be interrupted by the girl offering him her book.
"Read this in the meantime. It's by the same author," she said. "But if you don't want to, it's fine. It's not a big—"
Haru snatched the book excitedly, then suddenly remembered his manners.
"Oh, sorry. I was just so excited when I heard you say it was by the same author," he explained.
"It's totally fine. Tell me what you think when you're done reading," she said with a smile.
Haru nodded eagerly and opened his book, beginning to read, completely oblivious to Mai's gaze, which stayed on him for a while, carefully observing the changes in his facial expressions.
Suddenly the classroom door swung open. A man with a scary face walked in. His eyes landed on Haru.
"Hey. What is this I hear about you guys using your liberties to make the entirety of the first day of the term free of any learning? What was the point of even coming to school?" he said.
"Well, sir, since I became class rep, I promised to be democratic, and the majority voted today be a free day. Besides, it's not against the rules—the school system grants us higher liberties the more elite we are. So we used those liberties to declare today free," Haru explained.
His explanation was followed by a bunch of cheers.
"Ugh. What was the headmaster thinking, making that rule? Fine, but I want all the homework brought to my office," he said.
"Yes, sir," Haru said.
The teacher just left, grinding his teeth.
Haru turned back to his book.
---
Meanwhile, back home, Elara had just finished cleaning the house and looked at the clock. It would soon be lunchtime, but it would still be a while before Haru and Mika returned. She sat in the kitchen, resting her chin on the table—then noticed something in front of her.
Upon inspection, she realized it was Haru's lunchbox.
Suddenly, her mind went back to the days in her previous world when she had to go hungry during wars.
"Worry not, Haru. For as long as I'm here, hunger shall not claim you," she said, taking the lunchbox and putting it in a bag.
She picked out a tracksuit from her new clothes and locked the door before heading out. She got to the train station, and by asking for directions, she made her way to the school.
There, she found a guard.
"I humbly ask that you grant me passage, for I need to deliver this lunch to Haru. It's of the utmost importance," she said.
"The hell are you talking about? You don't belong here. Scram," he said, waving her off.
"A thousand pardons, sir, but I cannot do that. I need to—" Elara began, but the guard wouldn't let her finish. He pulled out a stun gun.
"Get out before you give me a reason to use this," he warned.
Elara took a few steps back, and the man went back to his station—only to suddenly feel a shadow brush past overhead.
To his utmost shock, that shadow was Elara, who jumped over the school gate.
Quickly, the man grabbed a walkie-talkie.
"Code red! I repeat, code red—we've got a breacher. She's a quick one!" he shouted into it.
On the other end, a calm voice responded.
"Interesting. On the first day of term, no less. The disciplinary committee will take care of that." The voice said, then the call was cut.
"Mad Hound."
"Yes, Scylla."
"You think you can handle them?"
"I've already picked up the intruder's scent."
"Go get them."
"I thought you'd never ask."
Suddenly, a door swung open, and out of it a girl ran on all fours at astonishing speed. A crowd blocked her path, but to everyone's shock, she leaped to the side and onto the wall—running along it for a few seconds before landing back down in front and continuing pursuit.
Meanwhile, Elara was hiding in a bunch of bushes, using a skill to scan the entire school.
"Hold on. There's something I see in this school—it has so much mana it's nauseating. Oh wait, hold on, I need to worry about Haru. Okay—ah, yes, there he is."
Elara got out, only to hear heavy breathing behind her. She slowly turned—and there she was: squatting on a tree branch, looking down at Elara like she was prey. Messy hair, a wild grin, and eyes that sized her up like a hunter.
"Hey there," Mad Hound said.
Without a second thought, Elara spun on her heel, ready to dash—only for Mad Hound to lunge and pin her down before her foot left the ground. With impressive strength, Elara pushed her off and got to her feet before bolting. The girl behind took chase.
With a single lunge, she was in front of Elara, who stared at her in surprise. The girl lunged again, but Elara sidestepped, barely dodging. By the time she looked back, the girl was lunging again—and this time Elara bent backwards. Before she had time to recover and come back up, the girl was on her again. Elara rolled on the ground to dodge, then spun and got back to her feet. Like a matador, she let Mad Hound charge—only to jump over her and dash before she could recover. This put some distance between them and gave Elara the lead.
Elara realized the girl was only dangerous when she was nearby. Her lunges were especially dangerous—but overall, Elara was the faster runner.
Soon she found herself on the track field. In the distance, a girl with a slender, graceful figure was doing some stretches before taking a runner's stance.
Suddenly, as if on cue, the coach blew the whistle at the exact moment Elara was passing by—and the two raced to the end.
To the girl, it felt like Elara was challenging her, and she became serious. But to her surprise, she couldn't shake off Elara. In fact, she was actually losing.
The two of them approached a corner, and Elara knew that to get to Haru, she'd have to go ahead—but the girl beside her brought out her competitive side. The two made the turn running even faster. Wind blasted their faces, but neither let it stop them, pushing even harder before making another turn.
Mad Hound was still hot on Elara's trail. Unlike Elara, who was restricted to the margins of the race course, she could simply follow the route that got her closer to Elara. With each turn, Mad Hound got closer—but there was the finish line. Both girls set their sights on it.
The coach watched in anticipation. Two girls, one goal. Both pushed harder and harder. The coach marveled at the fact that they were only getting faster and faster.
This isn't humanly possible. They maintained their sprint for the entire four-hundred-meter track, and instead of slowing down, they're only getting faster! he thought as he got off his chair, anticipation written all over his face.
Then it came. The final moment—barely a meter from the finish, both girls took the step that would decide the winner.
Unfortunately, the girl had Elara beat in height. As a result, even though it was just by a few centimeters, her stride was longer than Elara's, and she hit the finish line first.
Both tumbled when they tried to stop and rolled on the grass, laughing.
For a brief moment, neither cared about winning. Or losing. Or academy security.
Unfortunately... Mad Hound did.
The disciplinary committee member immediately tackled Elara.
"I GOT YOU!"
"Unhand me, you vile beast!"
Elara struggled. Mad Hound refused to let go.
Suddenly, a blur appeared. The athlete. Without warning, she shoulder-checked Mad Hound off Elara.
The disciplinary committee member rolled across the grass.
Elara immediately jumped to her feet. "Thank you!"
Then she ran again.
Mad Hound sat up.
"..."
"..."
Then she smiled. "Oh, I like her."
This time, Elara made it inside the school. The two of them dashed through the long hallways. Once again, each turn reduced the distance between them—and unfortunately for Elara, she reached a dead end. But she didn't stop. If anything, she sped up.
At the last moment, she stepped on the wall and ran up it before flipping over Mad Hound, who was so amazed by Elara's stunt that she forgot a wall was in front of her and crashed into it, getting disoriented for a moment. But it was that very moment that allowed Elara to get far away.
---
At this time, Haru had just finished reading the book. He closed it and sat for a while. Mai couldn't get a read on what he was thinking—but jumped the moment she saw a tear leave his eye.
He noticed she was staring and began to wipe his eyes.
Wait—he was that moved by the story? And here I was convinced I wasn't good at capturing emotion, she thought to herself.
"Damn. Why did she have to die? I mean, I know why, but still—it's not fair. She deserved happiness. The world is so cruel," he said.
"Don't worry, things get better in the future," she said, patting his shoulder.
"Really? I look forward to reading—"
Suddenly the door burst open. Haru thought it was the teacher again, but was shocked to see familiar golden hair.
"I traveled in the belly of the metal serpent, survived pursuit of the most relentless beast I've ever met, and found a worthy rival—all in hopes of bringing you this treasure," she said while proudly presenting him his boxed lunch.
Kei wrapped an arm around Haru's shoulder. "Spill it, bud. Who's the chick, and where have you been hiding her?" he asked.
"It's a long story. I'll fill you in later. Just handle things in here," he whispered.
"You got it, boss man. Okay, people, back it up—nothing to see here!" Kei said, pushing back curious onlookers.
Haru took Elara by the hand and pulled her along. As they walked, they passed by a class where a girl just so happened to be coming out. She made eye contact with Elara, and for a moment, time froze.
Elara recognized those eyes.
The same cruel crimson eyes that had looked down at her from a throne of corpses of fallen heroes.
The eyes of the demon lord.
Before anything else, Haru pulled her along, breaking the eye contact. When Elara looked back, the girl was gone.
Was that a hallucination? she asked herself.
---
Haru took her to the school roof, but to his surprise, the door was already open—meaning someone was already there. When they got up, Haru could hear sniffing. It sounded like someone was crying.
When they looked around the corner, they were shocked to see Mika of all people. Her eyes were swollen and red—but the moment she saw him, she covered her eyes with her hand.
"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked.
"What—nothing. I just got something in my eyes," she said, wiping tears away.
"No, Mika, don't lie to me. Something is wrong. Tell me what it is," he said, much more concerned now.
"Lay off me, man. I don't want to talk about it," she said.
Elara sat beside her and gave her a hug. Mika felt her eyes fill with tears. She got up, looking upwards, and let out a breath.
"Nothing is wrong, don't worry, Elara... Wait—Elara?!" she asked after realizing.
"Surprise," Elara said.
"How did you get here?"
"It's a long story. I don't know where to begin." Elara said, before being interrupted by a growl from her stomach.
"Let's begin with having lunch," Haru said. "I see you haven't yet had yours. Let's eat together."
"Okay," Mika said, and as if to agree, her stomach growled as well.
She sat down, and they ate lunch while listening to Elara's story about how she got there. At one point, Haru noticed a bruise on Mika's hand, but she hid it immediately.
Looks like things at home are much more serious than I thought. Could that be why she's been staying at my place more often these days? he thought to himself.
"Hey, Mika, I want you to know I'll always be here for you if you want someone to talk to," he said out loud.
"Sure, bud," Mika said with a full mouth.
"Yuck! At least swallow before you speak!" Haru said.
And they began to laugh, and things felt like they were back to normal.
For a moment, as the three of them sat together on the rooftop, Haru had the strangest feeling—like there should have been one more person sitting with them. Someone whose name he almost knew.
The feeling passed before he could grasp it, and he shook his head, dismissing it.
For the rest of that day, the three stayed on the roof until school was over. Then they blended in with the crowd and left.
Exhausted, they all slept early.
The mansion was silent.
Moonlight spilled through the tall windows of the study, painting silver lines across the marble floor. A fire crackled softly in the hearth, though the room's owner had stopped paying attention to it hours ago.
Todd stood alone at a small indoor putting green, a golf club resting loosely in his hands. He'd loosened his tie hours ago, and his silver hair—usually immaculate—was slightly out of place.
He lined up his shot carefully, drew the club back, and tapped the ball.
It rolled neatly into the cup.
"Ha."
He smiled, satisfied, and straightened.
"Still got it."
His phone buzzed on the desk. He glanced at it, frowned, and set the club aside.
Before he could reach for it, the study door opened.
"Father."
Todd turned.
A girl stood in the doorway.
She was beautiful in a way that made the room feel smaller. Long black hair, perfectly straight, framed a pale face with sharp features. She wore the academy uniform with the kind of effortless grace that suggested she had never once worried about how she looked.
Her eyes were crimson.
Not reddish. Not maroon. Crimson. The color of old blood. The color of something that had no business existing in a mortal face.
Todd's expression softened immediately.
"Ah. My darling."
He walked toward her, arms open.
"How was school? Did you eat? You look tired. Sit down, I'll have the staff prepare something—"
"I'm fine."
She stepped past him, her heel clicking against the marble. She stopped by the window and looked out over the estate grounds.
"I've found my nemesis."
Todd blinked.
"...Your what?"
Yukiko turned her head just enough to look at him from the corner of her eye.
"My nemesis."
She said the word the way someone might mention the weather. Calm. Certain. Unbothered.
"She enrolled today. A transfer student. Scarlet hair. Blue eyes. The same face I've been staring at for two lifetimes."
Todd's brow furrowed.
"Darling, I don't understand. Is this someone who's been bullying you? Because if some student has—"
"No one bullies me, Father."
She smiled. It was a small, elegant smile that didn't reach her eyes.
"I need her to be here. At the academy. She's already enrolled, but I want her placed properly. In my class if possible."
"Of course. I'll make the calls tomorrow—"
"Tonight."
Todd hesitated.
"...Tonight?"
"The sooner, the better."
She stepped closer to him. The firelight caught her eyes, and for a moment they seemed to glow.
"You understand, don't you, Father?"
Todd opened his mouth. Closed it.
His expression went slack.
"...Of course."
His voice had changed. Flatter. More mechanical.
"Anything for you, my darling."
Yukiko smiled.
"Good."
She turned toward the door.
"Have the paperwork prepared. She'll need to be enrolled by morning."
"By morning," Todd repeated.
Yukiko paused at the threshold.
"Oh. And one more thing."
She looked back over her shoulder.
"Don't mention this to Kia."
Todd stood perfectly still.
"...Don't mention it to Kia."
"Goodnight, Father."
She stepped into the hallway.
The study door clicked shut behind her.
Todd remained where he stood, his eyes dull and unfocused, staring at nothing.
Then—slowly—something shifted.
His eyes blinked.
The dullness receded. Life crept back into his expression, like a man surfacing from deep water.
He staggered slightly, catching himself on the edge of his desk.
"...What..."
He pressed a hand to his forehead.
"...What was I..."
His gaze drifted toward the door.
Yukiko was gone.
Todd stood there for a long moment, breathing slowly. Then he straightened his tie, poured himself a glass of water, and sat down heavily in his chair.
"...I need to see a doctor," he muttered to himself.
He didn't believe it. Not really.
But it was easier than the alternative.
---
Yukiko walked down the long corridor of the mansion. Portraits lined the walls—ancestors, each one stiff and formal in their painted frames. She didn't look at any of them.
She was halfway up the main staircase when a voice called out from below.
"Hey, sis! Wait up!"
Yukiko stopped.
She turned.
Kia bounded up the stairs two at a time, her pink hair bouncing behind her. She was still in her school clothes, sleeves rolled up, a small smear of something—chocolate?—on her cheek.
"Hey," Kia said, slightly out of breath. "What were you doing down there?"
"Speaking with Father."
"About what?"
"School."
Kia tilted her head.
"School? What about school?"
Yukiko resumed climbing the stairs.
"Nothing important."
"Liar. You never talk to Dad unless it's important."
"He asked how my day was."
Kia stared at her.
"...Dad asked how your day was? Dad? The man who forgot my birthday three years in a row?"
"He remembered yours?"
"No! That's my point!"
Yukiko didn't respond.
Kia hurried to catch up.
"Okay, seriously. What's going on? You're acting weird."
"I'm not acting weird."
"You're always weird. But you're being weird-er."
Yukiko stopped at the top of the stairs.
She turned.
For a moment, she looked at her sister—really looked at her. Kia, with her bright pink hair and her loud laugh and her complete inability to take anything seriously.
She doesn't know.
She can't know.
"...Kia."
"Yeah?"
"I need you to do something for me."
Kia blinked.
"Okay...?"
"There's a student. Her name is Elara. She's already enrolled, but I need her to be placed in the same class as me."
"Elara? The transfer student? The one who jumped over the gate?"
"Yes."
Kia frowned.
"Why do you care about some transfer student?"
"That's not your concern."
"Uh. It kind of is if you're asking me for help."
Yukiko's expression flickered.
"...She's important."
"To who?"
"To me."
Kia stared.
"Okay. You're definitely being weird."
"I need you to ask Father."
"Why can't you ask him?"
"I already did."
"Then why are you asking me to ask him?"
Yukiko was silent.
Kia's frown deepened.
"...Sis."
"Yes?"
"What's going on?"
"Nothing."
"Bull."
Yukiko turned away.
"Forget I said anything."
"No, wait—"
Kia grabbed her arm.
Yukiko stopped.
"I'll help."
Yukiko looked back.
"...You will?"
"Yeah. I mean—I don't know what's going on, and I don't know why you're being all mysterious and creepy, but... you're my sister."
Kia smiled. It was a little awkward, a little uncertain, but sincere.
"So yeah. I'll help."
Yukiko stared at her.
"...Thank you."
"Don't mention it."
Kia let go of her arm and headed back down the stairs toward their father's study.
"Oh, and by the way—if this Elara person turns out to be a weirdo, you're going to owe me so many favors."
Yukiko watched her sister disappear down the stairs.
She stood alone at the top of the staircase.
The old mansion creaked softly around her.
"...You don't know how much I wish that were the only thing I was asking of you."
She turned and walked toward her room.
---
Kia found her father in the study.
He was standing by the window, staring out at nothing.
"Hey, Dad."
Todd blinked.
His eyes shifted.
"...Kia."
"Sorry to bother you. I know it's late."
"It's fine."
"Yuki mentioned there's a student who needs to be enrolled. Some transfer student named Elara? Could you make space for her?"
Todd was quiet for a moment.
"...Of course."
His voice was flat. Mechanical.
"Anything for you, my darling."
Kia frowned.
"Uh. You okay? You look kind of... out of it."
"I'm fine."
"You sure?"
"Fine."
Kia stared at him.
"...Okay. Well, thanks, Dad. You're the best."
She turned and left, closing the door behind her.
Todd turned back toward the window.
His reflection stared back at him—eyes dull, face slack.
"...Of course."
He said it to no one.
Then his eyes blinked.
He swayed slightly, catching himself against the windowsill.
"...What..."
He looked around the empty study.
"...Kia?"
But she was already gone.
Todd pressed a hand to his temple.
"...What's happening to me?"
---
The Next Morning
Haru was standing in the headmaster's office, and he had absolutely no idea why.
The room was huge, with bookshelves lining every wall and a window that overlooked the entire academy grounds. The morning sun poured in, warm and golden, but Haru still felt a chill in his spine.
Why am I here?
Did I do something wrong?
Is this about Elara?
Todd was sitting behind his desk, sipping coffee and flipping through a folder. He was dressed immaculately, his silver hair combed back, his expression unreadable.
"Ah. Haru."
He looked up.
"Thank you for coming. Please, sit."
Haru sat.
"Am I in trouble?"
"No."
"Then why am I here?"
"You probably already know."
Haru frowned.
"...Elara?"
Todd smiled.
"Correct."
He closed the folder and leaned back in his chair.
"You probably have some idea why I asked you to come here."
"I have a rough guess, sir."
"I'm referring to your friend."
He opened another folder.
"Elara."
Haru nodded.
"Yes, sir."
Silence settled between them.
Todd studied Haru for several long moments before speaking again.
"She made quite the... enthusiastic entrance yesterday."
Haru scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"That's... one way to put it."
"You do realize she trespassed onto academy property?"
"Yes, sir."
Haru lowered his head apologetically.
"I sincerely apologize on her behalf."
"No need."
"...What?"
Haru blinked in disbelief.
Todd chuckled softly.
"Last night my niece barged into my office demanding that I create space for one more student."
He pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I've learned through painful experience that it's much easier to simply agree with that girl than argue with her."
A smile tugged at Haru's lips.
That definitely sounds like Kia.
"And judging by what I've been told," Todd continued, "that request was made for Elara."
"That's right."
"Good."
Todd leaned forward slightly.
"I assume yesterday's... incident has you worried I've changed my mind? I was afraid she'd caused too much trouble."
"A little."
"On the contrary."
Todd smiled.
"She impressed me."
Haru raised an eyebrow.
"Impressed you?"
"I've read every report."
He tapped the folder.
"She evaded security."
He flipped a page.
"Escaped the disciplinary committee."
Another page.
"And somehow managed to keep pace with our academy's fastest runner."
Haru's eyes widened.
"...Wait."
"You mean Celeste?"
"The very same."
"...Wow."
Even Haru couldn't hide his surprise.
Celeste wasn't simply fast. She was the fastest athlete in the entire academy. She'd broken multiple regional sprint records and was practically untouchable during sports festivals.
The thought of Elara nearly outrunning someone like her was... honestly terrifying.
Todd couldn't help laughing at Haru's expression.
"Impressive, isn't it?"
"It really is..."
His smile slowly faded.
"Haru."
"Yes, sir?"
"Tell me."
Todd spread his arms toward the large windows overlooking the academy.
"Why do you think I built this school?"
Haru frowned thoughtfully.
"...To nurture talented students?"
"Why?"
"...So they can succeed?"
Todd slowly shook his head.
"No."
He stood and walked toward the window.
"The average person's life is painfully predictable."
His reflection stared back at him through the glass.
"They're born. They're sent to school. They're trained to become obedient workers. They spend decades making someone else rich. And before they know it..."
He sighed.
"...they're old."
"Their talents. Their dreams. Their potential. All buried beneath routine."
He looked back at Haru.
"They call it the rat race."
Haru remained silent.
"I despise it."
Todd's voice carried an unusual weight.
"This world is overflowing with extraordinary people. Artists. Inventors. Athletes. Leaders. People capable of changing history."
"And yet society teaches them to settle."
He smiled faintly.
"I refuse to let that happen here."
His eyes drifted toward Elara's file.
"That girl possesses something extraordinary. I don't know exactly what. But I know talent when I see it."
He closed the folder.
"I want her enrolled as soon as possible."
Relief washed over Haru.
"Thank you, sir."
"No."
Todd smiled.
"Thank you. If not for you, we might never have met someone like her."
Haru scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"I was just trying to help."
"And that's exactly why you're one of my finest students."
Todd glanced at the clock.
"Now run along. Classes begin in a few minutes."
Haru stood.
"I appreciate your time, sir."
He reached the door.
"Oh..."
Todd called after him.
"Haru."
He turned.
"Keep up the good work."
"Your ascension will take place soon."
Haru frowned.
"...My what?"
Todd blinked.
"...Ah."
"I meant..."
He smiled.
"...Graduation."
For some reason...
That pause felt far too deliberate.
"You almost sounded like those were two different things."
Todd simply chuckled.
"Tell me, Haru."
"What do you believe is the limit of the human body?"
"I... I guess... reaching your physical peak?"
"Correct."
Todd's smile deepened.
"And what if I told you..."
"There was a level beyond that?"
A chill crept down Haru's spine.
"...There is?"
Todd only smiled.
"You'll find out soon enough."
Before Haru could ask another question—
Click.
The office door gently swung shut in front of him.
"..."
"...Did..."
He stared blankly.
"...Did he just dismiss me with dramatic timing?"
Shaking his head, he looked up.
The clock above the hallway froze his blood.
"..."
"Oh no."
His eyes widened.
"I'M LATE!"
---
Somewhere deep beneath the academy—far below the classrooms, below the gardens, below even the foundations—a single light flickered in the darkness.
A laboratory.
Rows of glass cylinders lined the walls, each one filled with a faintly glowing liquid. Inside them, shapes floated—some human, some not. Some half-formed. Some almost finished.
At the center of the room, a man in a white coat stood before a massive screen.
The screen displayed a single image.
Elara.
Frozen mid-motion, sword raised, hair whipping around her face.
The man studied the image for a long time.
Then he smiled.
"So. The Anchor has awakened."
He tapped the screen.
The image shifted.
Now it showed Haru—the king avatar, sword in hand, cosmic energy radiating around him.
"And she's found herself a guardian."
The man chuckled.
"How fortunate."
He turned away from the screen and walked toward a large machine in the corner of the lab. It was covered in wires and glass tubing, its surface covered in symbols that seemed to shift when you looked at them directly.
"Phase one is complete."
He placed his hand on the machine.
"The Anchor is here."
"Phase two begins now."
The machine hummed.
"Let's see how long you can protect her, little king."
The screen behind him flickered.
Elara's image remained.
Watching.
— END OF CHAPTER —