The afternoon sun cast a golden hue over the academy's grounds, painting the lush gardens, towering spires, and river waters in a dazzling spectacle of light. Dior and I left the main academic and found ourselves amid a sea of students, all buzzing with excitement around their homeroom assignments for tomorrow.

As we strolled through the campus, I couldn't help but still be captivated by the beauty of the place. The tall, elegant Gothic buildings with their ivy-covered walls, the perfectly placed horticulture, and the tranquil sound of water from the ornate fountains were all so different from anything I'd ever known on Earth. I was stepping into a whole new world, a world that I was now a part of.

But even in this seemingly perfect place, I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. The Duchess's speech had opened my eyes to the harsh realities of power and privilege, and I wondered how I would fit into this intricate tapestry full of Terra's elite. She had effectively painted a target on my back, and I couldn't help but think it was intentional and maybe even malicious.

"So, where to now?" I asked Dior, glancing around at the dispersing crowd.

The schedule had a break before the campus tours started, and I wanted to explore a bit more.

Dior seemed contemplative, her eyes scanning the surroundings. "This one thinks we should explore the campus before joining proper tours. There is much to see, and it would be good to familiarize ourselves with the surroundings."

I nodded in agreement. "Sounds like a plan."

I'd noticed that Dior's demeanor had subtly shifted since we'd first met. There was a certain openness to her now, a willingness to engage that hadn't been there before. It made me wonder about her story, what had brought her to St. Antonia's, and what her life had been like.

Dior and I made our way through the lush campus, weaving between groups of students who looked right in place at this picturesque setting. I was grateful for Dior's presence; she was like an anchor in this sea of unfamiliar faces and extravagance. The sprawling lawns were dotted with students lounging and chatting, enjoying the brief intermission and break we had before moving on.

As we descended a winding path, we stumbled upon a small grove of trees with a fountain in the center. The water cascaded down from the mouth of a stone dragon, its scales gleaming in the sunlight. We found a shaded bench under a towering oak tree, casting off its vibrant mix of green and gold leaves. Sitting down, we both took a moment to just breathe in the serene atmosphere. I glanced over at Dior, noticing the subtle softening of her features as she looked around and adjusted her small backpack.

"So, Dior," I started, breaking the silence. "What brought you all the way to St. Antonia's? You definitely don't seem like you're local either."

She turned to me, her green eyes holding a distant look. "This one was seeking a place to learn, to grow in ways other than what she grew up with," she replied with a gravelly whisper. "St. Antonia's... it seemed like a place where one could find... meaning. Dior has not had the best childhood. She was... taught at home, so to say. But people tell her she is clever and quick. She has no perspective of what is normal, or what one should expect in life."

I listened intently, feeling a pang of empathy for her. It wasn't hard to imagine what life must have been like for her, cocooned in a sheltered existence with no real interactions with those outside her bubble. Her words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken stories. I wanted to ask more, to understand more, but I hesitated.

Instead, I offered a piece of my own story.

"I came here for my family, really. As the Duchess so kindly aired to the entire world, I grew up surrounded by gangs and managed to make something out of myself. This scholarship... my father works as a mechanic and his joints and tendons aren't gonna last forever, you know? And I want to get my twelve-year-old sister out of those living conditions."

Dior nodded, a flicker of understanding crossing her face. "Dior did not have a proper family, but she found one for a while. They helped her survive, to love for the first time. But they are… all gone now. Dior is the only one left, and she was taken in as a ward by another. She is learning to look beyond survival, to find a new path again."

I listened, trying to understand where she came from. It was clear that she had gone through a lot, probably more than most people at the academy and even me. It… sounded like she had been through a lot of trauma, and my heart went out to her.

"Well, I think we both have our reasons for being here," I said, trying to lift the mood. "And maybe we can help each other make the most of it."

Dior gave me a small smile, and we sat silently, watching the students pass by.

"Ikki," Rai-chan's voice suddenly rang out in my head.

"Rai-chan?" I thought back. "Good to hear from you. Is everything alright?"

"I apologize for interrupting your bonding time with Miss Dior, but I must inform you that there is a surge of potent, highly concentrated mana nearby consistent with Terran combat spellwork. I do not know if it is a student performing a demonstration, or something more serious. Please be on alert."

I frowned, feeling a sudden spike of concern. "Thanks, Rai-chan."

I turned to Dior. "Hey, Dior, I-"

I paused, noticing her shoulders tense up as if she was ready to spring into action at any moment.

"Something's going on, huh?" I asked.

We both stood up, ready for anything. The sudden sense of danger had disrupted the serene atmosphere of the grove. The calm before the storm had passed, and it was time to be ready for anything.

Suddenly, the air around us shifted, and my skin prickled with anticipation. It felt like the world around us was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.

"Yes," she replied tersely as she turned to look behind us, beyond an arch of trees and walkway that led to a botanical garden. A faint whistling sound, too distant to discern precisely, reached our ears.

I activated my HUD with a mental trigger and noticed a pillar of light in the sky, like a video game waypoint - courtesy of Rai-chan. Dior looked directly at its general direction, her expression focused and alert.

"I'm going to go take a look," I stated, eliciting a look of surprise from Dior as I sprang off.

But as I took off towards the source of the disturbance, I heard her rapid footsteps behind me. Dior was following, keeping pace with me despite my head start. I couldn't help but be impressed by her speed; it was almost supernatural.

"Ikki, you should not meddle in conflicts you do not understand," she warned sternly.

I understood her concern but couldn't stand by if someone was in trouble. Or worse.

"I have to see what's happening. It's… just who I am," I breathed, stepping around a row of immaculately trimmed, thorned rose bushes.

Dior shook her head, sighing, "Dior shall accompany you then."

I didn't argue. I was just grateful for her presence.

We arrived at a remote part of the campus, out of sight from the main pathways. As we neared the source of the disturbance, the atmosphere grew tense, the air thick with the remnants of some sort of miasma. I could sense the seriousness of the situation, and a part of me wondered if we were walking into danger. But I couldn't ignore it.

The sounds of conflict grew louder as we pressed forward, the whistling growing into a shrill cacophony of noise. I could feel the adrenaline racing through my veins as my mind raced through the possibilities of what could be happening. Was it a fight between students? Or something worse?

As we approached the end of the path, the source of the sounds came into view.

A crowd had formed around a single girl with luscious, long raven-black hair, deep purple almond-shaped eyes, and luscious long lashes in the middle of another group of students. She stood over the scorched remains of a charred and broken acoustic guitar. A stone fountain lay in ruins next to her, shrapnel surrounding her feet. She wore the same uniform as all the other female students but had a tear off the top of her blazer, revealing a tight-fitting top that hugged her tall, slim, and perfect figure.

Even in the middle of this spectacle, the girl's aristocratic poise was unmistakable. Her expression was one of cold indifference, but there was an undercurrent of something more there.

Whispers and speculative remarks floated around us from the other students.

"Did you see how she blasted that guitar? Savage..."

"That's the Kong's princess for you. Don't mess with Caroline."

"That girl ran off like a little mouse. Pathetic."

"She's from one of the Old Families. I heard her mother was…"

Their words trailed off into a loud blend as they glanced nervously at the girl. I clenched my fists, feeling a surge of anger and frustration. It wasn't just the destruction before us; it was how everyone seemed to accept this as normal, even expected.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

I stepped forward, my eyes fixed on the girl with the raven-black hair. "What's going on here?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm and measured.

The girl turned to me, her eyes flickering with disdain. "None of your business," she spat, her tone laced with venom. "Just some puny little rat trying to make a name for herself and draw some attention."

I bristled at the insult, feeling my face flush with anger. But Dior stepped forward, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Ikki, stay calm," she said.

I felt a surge of irritation at the raven-haired girl's dismissive tone, but I kept my composure. She had an air of confidence and a commanding presence that made it clear she was used to getting what she wanted.

"I may not know what's going on here, but destroying school property and putting others in danger is not the way to handle your problems," I said, my voice steady. "Whatever is going on, I'm sure there are other ways to deal with it."

The girl shrugged, her eyes flicking back and forth between Dior and me. "I was just practicing my spells," she said, her voice trailing off as her gaze settled on Dior. "Good enough?"

Her eyes narrowed as if trying to read something in Dior's expression. "And what about the guitar?" I asked, narrowing my eyes in suspicion.

She scoffed, tossing her hair over her shoulder with a shake of her head. "It was old and broken anyways. What's the big deal?"

The remains of the guitar spoke a different story. It wasn't just old and broken; it was destroyed with intent, carelessly discarded like it meant nothing.

I glanced at Dior, who was silent, her expression unreadable. It was clear that she didn't buy the girl's story either. I looked around the scene and noticed the remains of a music stand highlighted in Rai-chan's HUD, with bent and twisted metal shards scattered around.

"You know," I began again. "I can't help but feel like there's more to this than just 'practicing spells'. Seems like someone was playing that guitar. Someone who cared for it a great deal."

The girl's gaze flickered, a hint of annoyance crossing her features. "Are you some kind of detective now?" she sneered. "Look, if you must know, that girl was irritating me with her constant strumming. I simply... put an end to it."

My heart sank at her casual admission, and a picture began to form in my head. This girl was not just some entitled brat with a penchant for destruction. She was a bully, someone who thought nothing of hurting others to get her way.

The guitar belonged to someone who was being targeted by her then. And that someone had run away, too scared to stand up to her.

I felt a surge of anger and indignation. "Are you fucking kidding me?! You destroyed someone's property because they were annoying you?! That's messed up, even for someone of your status."

She looked at me in astonishment, as if I was the one who didn't understand.

"You don't even know who I am," she said haughtily. "You have no idea what I can do or what I'm capable of. You should be careful who you cross, Earth Boy."

Suddenly, a gust of wind kicked up around her, carrying the scent of burning ozone. It accelerated, whipping our hair and clothes around in a frenzy.

"You weren't paying attention during Lady Escathos's lecture, were you?" she continued. "Let me give you a piece of advice, Ikazuchi. In this world, power is what matters. Those without it, like you, need to learn their place."

I felt a chill run down my spine at her words, a sense of foreboding settling over me. This girl was dangerous, and I knew I needed to tread carefully. Despite the warning signs, though, I couldn't help but feel a sense of defiance rising in me. She could probably kill me in a blink if she wanted to, but I refused to let her bully me or anyone else. The crowd around us began to panic, and about half the students began to back away from the escalating situation.

"Ikki…" Dior cautioned. I looked around as more students began to flee outright, sensing the imminent danger. The girl's body was now enveloped in a blinding dark purple light pulsing with powerful magical energy.

I couldn't let it go.

I couldn't believe that someone could be so callous and heartless.

There was something about her cold and detached demeanor that reminded me of the way my father acted in the years following my mother's death.

"Wow, you really are full of shit," I shouted, my voice rising above the wind. "Look at you, with your fancy magic and your superior attitude. All that power you have, and you're using it to bully people who are weaker than you? First that girl, then this 'inferior' boy from Earth. What are you trying to prove? Power means nothing in itself. It's how you use it that matters. And right now, you're using it to hurt others without a second thought. That isn't power to me. That's just sick. Is this who you really are?"

The girl's eyes widened in surprise as if she hadn't expected me to push back. I could see the subtle shifts in her stance and expression as she assessed me, trying to figure out my angle. In the brief window where she'd flinched, Dior stepped in front of me, her eyes narrowed in challenge as she started rumbling with a growl. The wind around the girl coalesced into a stable gust, but the tension in the air was palpable.

"Look, I'm not here to fight," I said, shaking my head and trying to keep my voice steady despite the terror. "I just don't want things to get any worse and cut things off at their roots."

The girl snorted, rolling her eyes in exasperation. "Oh, spare me the heroic speeches," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You think you're so righteous, coming in here and trying to play the savior? You don't know anything about me or this situation."

That was true; I didn't know anything about her situation.

But, by burning someone's guitar... I wasn't a musician myself, but the people I knew who were musicians guarded their instruments before anything else. They were extensions of themselves, a way of expressing themselves when words weren't enough. Destroying that was like taking a piece of them away.

From what I could gather, whatever happened here had hurt someone deeply. Someone who wasn't strong enough to fight back. And she had to know just how badly it would impact her target.

"This was personal, wasn't it?" I asked, cutting to the heart of the matter. Her facade faltered for a moment, revealing a flash of vulnerability.

The winds died down, and the dark aura dissipated, revealing her slim form as she composed herself and masked herself with a sneer.

"It doesn't matter," she said flatly, glaring at me. "This is how things are done here. If you don't like it, then you can leave."

She was trying so hard to maintain this facade of cold, haughty indifference, but I could see the cracks forming. I knew that there was some deeper meaning behind this outburst, something that went beyond just wanting to silence an annoying musician.

"I'm not going to just drop this and let this go," I said firmly, my gaze the girl's. "Someone was hurt because of your actions today, and... I have a feeling that there's something else that you're not telling us. So please, tell us what happened and how we can help."

The girl's expression hardened, and I could sense her magic pulsing around us. I braced myself for an attack, but nothing came.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions inside me. "Look, I don't know what happened between you and that girl, but this... this isn't the way. Hurting someone like that, destroying something they care about... it's just going to make things worse."

There was silence between us for a moment, the tension hanging heavy in the air.

Then, without warning, her expression crumbled, replaced by a look of pure, unadulterated rage. The winds erupted around us again, kicking up dust and debris.

"What the hell do you know about it?!" she shouted, her voice echoing through the courtyard as Dior and I were buffeted by winds. "You think you can just waltz in here and tell me how to live my life?! You have no idea what I've been through!"

I took a step back, caught off-guard by the sudden ferocity in her voice. "I'm not trying to tell you how to live your life," I said carefully. "I just want to help. I was correct, wasn’t I? It’s personal with that girl. Let’s talk it out, and fix things."

"That girl deserves everything she gets and more! She thinks she can just play her guitar and be happy, while I suffer in silence. She's been nothing but a thorn in my side since the day she got to this city. Always playing her music with that stupid smile, always getting in my way. And you... you're just like her! With that stupid sense of self-righteousness, thinking you know it all?"

I stepped back, surprised by the sudden outburst. It was as if a dam had burst inside her, revealing the tumultuous emotions she'd been holding back. Her face twisted in anger, her hands clenched into fists at her sides.

She was like a storm about to unleash its fury on the world, and I was standing in the path of her destruction. I took another step back, not wanting to be caught in her fury.

Dior and I exchanged a quick glance, both of us taken aback by the intensity of her words. It was clear that there was a deep, painful history between her and the girl she had chased away.

I moved to speak again, but Dior held a hand up, signaling me to stop.

"You are Caroline, yes? That is you. This one understands you are hurt, but... Dior truly understands," Dior said, her gaze never leaving the girl's face. "Hurting others will not heal your own wounds. It will only deepen them."

The girl, now identified as Caroline, looked at Dior, her eyes shimmering with unshed, furious tears as the debris continued to spiral around us.

"You think you know anything about me? You don't know anything!" she spat out, her voice thick with emotion.

Her magic sparked around her, the air crackling with energy as she stepped forward.

Dior nodded, her expression twisted into compassion for the first time since I'd known her. "Perhaps this one does not know the specifics. But this one knows pain. The pain of loss, the pain of betrayal. It eats at you, day and night, until there is nothing left but anger and sorrow. But this path, this need for retribution, will only lead to more pain."

Caroline's eyes flicked to me and then back to Dior, scowling.

"This one knows nothing of your life," Dior admitted. "But this one knows the weight of carrying revenge and hate. It is a burden that will crush you if you let it. Dior struggles with it herself."

I watched, impressed by Dior's calm demeanor and ability to empathize with Caroline despite her behavior.

Caroline looked at Dior, then at me, but her expression remained hard.

For a moment, it looked like she might listen. Like she might actually hear what I was saying. But then she shook her head violently as if to cast out the thought.

"Fuck this," she spat, her voice laced with bitterness.

I could feel the raw pain in her words, the deep-seated hurt that fueled her actions.

"We're not trying to tell you how to feel," I said softly. "I'm just saying that there might be a better way to deal with whatever's going on. Destroying someone's treasured belongings, chasing them away in front of the whole class while dumping on them... it won't bring you peace. Far from it."

Caroline's eyes flashed with a mix of anger and something else - vulnerability, maybe.

"Peace?" she hissed venomously. "Peace?! Let's be perfectly clear here. There will be no peace."

And then, without another word, she turned and stormed off, leaving Dior and me standing there in the wake of her departure.

I let out a long breath, feeling frustration and sympathy. "What a mess," I murmured, running a hand through my hair.

Dior nodded, her gaze still following Caroline's retreating figure. "This one thinks that she is in a lot of pain. But this one also thinks that Ikki did the right thing in trying to talk to her."

I looked over at her, grateful for her support. "Thanks. I just hope she finds a better way to deal with it. And… thanks for sticking by my side. I have a strong feeling I just put us on her personal shitlist and she seems like someone important. So uh, sorry about that."

Dior gave me a small smile, her eyes reflecting understanding and concern as she tilted her head.

"Dior will always stand by Ikki's side as long as Ikki does not betray her. This is what friends do, yes?"

I smiled back, relieved and grateful for the friendship and support she offered me despite the danger.

"Yes," I said firmly. "That's exactly what friends do."