The morning air was crisp as we stepped out of the dorm, the soft rustling of leaves the only sound breaking the calm. Viola walked beside me, her usual composed expression in place, while Irana trailed behind, yawning dramatically.
“Do mornings always have to exist?” Irana grumbled, stretching her arms.
“Yes, they do. You’re just lazy,” Viola replied without even glancing at her.
“Hey, it’s not laziness, it’s... energy conservation!” Irana shot back, but I tuned them out, already scanning our path ahead. That’s when I noticed someone running toward us from the opposite direction.
“Good morning, Aria!” a familiar voice called out.
“Oh, Kotori, good morning,” I replied with a smile.
Kotori slowed down as she approached us, her face lighting up. “Are you all heading to the cafeteria?”
“Yes, we are. Care to join us?” I offered.
Kotori nodded eagerly. “Thank you for inviting me.”
As we started walking together, I glanced at her curiously. “By the way, where are your roommates?”
“They left early. It seems like they had something to do,” Kotori answered with a small shrug.
“Something to do? …Are your roommates upperclassmen?”
“Yes,” Kotori confirmed. “One of them, Yukari-senpai, is the same person who was assigned to help us yesterday.”
Oh… so the ponytailed girl’s name is Yukari, huh?
After a short conversation with Kotori, we went to the canteen for breakfast and then immediately went to the class for the first lecture. Thankfully, there was no morning assembly like yesterday. The first class was a history lesson, and the teacher was Elizabeth. Is she from the British Isles, perhaps?
The classroom was quiet except for the faint scratching of chalk on the board. Elizabeth-sensei’s voice carried steadily as she explained the finer points of post-war treaties. I sat upright, pen poised above my notebook, catching every word. It was all second nature to me, but paying attention had its own rewards—like avoiding Elizabeth-sensei's sharp gaze.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Irana slouching in her seat, absentmindedly doodling instead of writing notes. I sighed internally. She really wasn’t trying at all, was she?
“Irana, would you care to repeat what I just said?” Elizabeth-sensei’s voice cut through the air, startling everyone, especially my little sister.
Irana froze, her face a mix of panic and guilt. “Uh… the Treaty of—uh, something?” she mumbled, flashing an awkward smile.
A few students chuckled, but I caught Elizabeth-sensei’s disapproving frown. I quickly raised my hand, stepping in before Irana could dig herself into a deeper hole. “The Treaty of Paris, 1815, after the Battle of Waterloo,” I said calmly.
Elizabeth-sensei’s expression softened. “Correct. Good job, Aria.” She turned back to Irana. “You two may be sisters, but you behave so differently. Aria is far more attentive.”
I heard Irana mutter something under her breath but didn’t react. It was always like this—me stepping in to save her from trouble and her resenting me for it. Still, I couldn’t let her slack off completely, not when I knew Elizabeth-sensei was keeping a closer eye on her than on most students.
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“Pay attention, Irana,” Elizabeth-sensei added coolly. “This information might be important someday.”
I could feel Irana sinking into her seat behind me, no doubt sulking as she always did. I didn’t mind being the “responsible one” between us—it was a role I was used to—but sometimes I wished she’d take things more seriously.
The class passed without further incidents, and as soon as the bell rang, I packed my things neatly, waiting for Irana and Viola near the door. The three of us stepped into the corridor together, weaving through the bustling crowd of students heading toward the cafeteria.
I noticed Irana leaning toward Viola, whispering something. She glanced back at me briefly, her expression a mix of curiosity and mischief. I smiled faintly but said nothing, letting them have their private conversation. It wasn’t like Irana to whisper—she usually just blurted out whatever was on her mind—so whatever she was talking about had to be something she didn’t want me to overhear.
As we approached the cafeteria, I walked a little behind Irana and Viola, observing their animated whispers with quiet curiosity.
“You two seem close,” I said softly, stepping into place beside them. Irana jumped slightly, clearly startled, while Viola simply glanced at me.
“What were you whispering about just now?” I asked, my tone calm but curious.
Irana froze, her mind clearly scrambling for an excuse. “Oh, uh, nothing important,” she stammered, forcing a grin. “Just, uh, complaining about homework!”
I glanced at Viola, whose expression suggested she wasn’t entirely on board with Irana’s answer, though she stayed silent. I decided not to press further, giving Irana a small nod instead.
As we joined the queue for the cafeteria, I couldn’t help but notice the tension in Irana’s posture. She was nervous about something. It wasn’t hard to guess that their earlier whispering had to do with me, but I pushed the thought aside.
Then…
“Hey, wait… wait for me!”
I turned at the sound of hurried footsteps and a familiar voice calling out. Kotori was sprinting toward us, her face flushed and her breaths short, as if she had just escaped something.
“Kotori?” I asked, tilting my head slightly in confusion.
“Can I join you guys?” she asked between gasps, finally reaching us.
“Join what?” I asked, my brow furrowing slightly.
“Eating in the cafeteria, of course!” she replied, puffing her cheeks in mock frustration, as though the answer should have been obvious.
“Why?”
“What do you mean why?” she retorted, crossing her arms with a dramatic pout.
I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could say anything, Irana cut in, echoing my question. “Yeah, why?”
“Sure thing,” I interjected, stepping in before the situation could escalate. I smiled at Kotori, my usual calm demeanor in place. Then, narrowing my eyes just slightly, I added, “But why does it look like you’re running from something?”
Kotori stiffened, her eyes darting over her shoulder before she turned back to us with a nervous laugh. “Well… you see… have you ever heard of the ‘Royal Guard’?”
I kept my expression neutral, but the name sparked a vague recollection.
“The Royal Guard?” Irana repeated, frowning deeply. “What the heck is that supposed to mean?”
Kotori hesitated, fidgeting as though unsure how much she should say. I decided to answer in her place. “Ah, those guys,” I said, my tone light, as though discussing something mundane. “The group that claims to be your attendants and bodyguards, right?”
Kotori blinked in surprise. “You… you know about them?”
Of course, I knew; the brats talked about them yesterday. And if I remember correctly, theylabeled me an enemy.
Irana—in an agitated manner, asks “Wait, hold on. Back up. What are you talking about? What Royal Guard?”
Kotori shifted awkwardly under our stares, finally sighing in defeat. “They’re this… group of guys who, for some reason, decided I need protection. I don’t know why, but they won’t leave me alone! It’s exhausting.”
I studied her carefully, noting the mix of frustration and discomfort in her tone.
“Sounds like a you problem,” Irana muttered, crossing her arms with a smirk.
Kotori shot her an irritated glare but didn’t respond.
“Be nice, Irana,” I said softly, though my tone carried a subtle hint of reprimand. I turned back to Kotori and offered her a reassuring smile. “You’re welcome to stay with us if it helps.”
What ever grudge the royal guard have against me, they can’t possibly create a ruckus in the school cafeteria.
Kotori’s face lit up, her tense shoulders visibly relaxing. “Thanks, Aria! You’re a lifesaver!”
I nodded, though I noticed Viola muttering something under her breath. “Why do I feel like this is going to cause us trouble?”
As we entered the cafeteria, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of agreement. Kotori’s anxiety wasn’t something she could hide entirely, and I had a feeling this “Royal Guard” would make an appearance sooner rather than later.
Still, I glanced at Kotori, who looked genuinely relieved, and then at Irana, who was clearly more annoyed than concerned