It's finally the day. Classes had finally returned and I am finally a second year here in Oro Summit Academy.
Unlike first years, we are finally allowed to carry our own personal armaments with our Element books as Second Years. Though it's annoying, I'll have to wait to be a Third Year to be allowed to enter Guild Houses to apply hunting jobs. I wanted to make my own money already!
"Red Rose, you're here early."
""No, dude, you woke up late.""
Archie just arrived, but it's obvious that he woke up late. He's wheezing while barely standing on both legs.
"You gotta stop waking up late man. We're second years now."
He lives closer to the school but still manages to wake up late. Unbelievable...
"Sorry. It's just that I got too used to not having any reason to wake up early during vacation."
"Well, kick that out of your system. We're almost late."
"Okay, just give me a minute. Let me catch my breath a bit."
"Alright, then lean lower for a bit."
Since I had one on my purse, I pull out a hair brush as Rose and fixed Archie's hair. Mostly because it would be weird if a guy is fixing another guy's hair with a girl's hair brush.
"Thanks man."
"Did you bring your sword with you?"
"Of course!"
Archie then pulls out a funny looking purse out of his pocket, when he opened it, he suddenly pulled out a sword from it.
"A Dimensional Pocket?"
"It's a Purse Hole. I can put one large object inside it. Costed me a small gold coin."
We then proceeded into the main street towards the gates.
Looking around, it was a mix of students from First to Third Year. However, like Archie, students from noble lineage wear Golden sun insignia while we of common birth wear Silver insignia.
"Are you sure you're alright with sticking with us commoners? I mean, we're second years now. You need to make friends with other nobles."
"What are you talking about? I could care less about those spoiled brats."
"Sheesh man."
Archie and I have a really long history. We've basically known each other since we were kids. That is because my mother used to be a maid in their household before my father had enough savings to buy a home for us.
Archie used to be bullied by his fellow nobles because of his ineptitude to use magic. This was also his reason as to why he wants to learn more magic.
That aside, being my mother's master's child, I kind of felt I needed to protect him even if it meant getting scolded a lot. It's a good thing that his parents were understanding that I was just protecting him, otherwise I'd be executed for going against nobles.
Well, thanks to my bravery as a kid, I got a recommendation from his parents to attend a prestigious school Archie chooses and my family being close to theirs. We're basically brothers at this point. With him as the younger one of course.
"By the way, Red. You should come home with me after class. I told dad about your situation and he's curious as well. He said he wants to study you."
"Is he gonna dissect me or something?"
"My dad's a doctor, not a butcher."
While walking, Archie keeps looking at me and then Rose.
"What are you looking for?"
"Why do you only have one sword and one element book?"
"Ah this? I just thought it'd be dumb to carry two. I mean, I still count as one. Moreover, Magic Swords are really expensive."
"If it's a Magic Sword, I can ask my parents one for you."
"Yeah, no thanks. They're already my sponsors to go to school. I'm not that shameless."
"You're way too humble, dude."
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Man, I really can't handle Archie's lack of common sense when it comes to spending. Or maybe I'm too much of a commoner to understand how Nobles like him think?
As we're approaching the gates, the gazes I felt earlier increased. Specifically, towards Rose. It's becoming increasingly unsettling to have this much eyes on me.
"Dude..."
"Yeah, I noticed it as well. But who are they to blame? We are not that large of a school. Everyone knows everyone. Of course it'll make everyone's head turn when they see some unknown chick walk into school."
"Right..."
Even if he says that, these stares feel like needles poking at my back. It's making me nervous.
After an agonizing walk into the school and through the main school hall, Archie and I look at the school boards to see which classes we belonged to.
Because I as Rose is too short, I decided to stay under a tree shade while Archie and I as Red look at the boards.
Since there's nothing really much to do as Rose, I decided to go to a vending machine to get myself a drink.
While I was walking towards one, I notice some crowd gathering near the gates. When I looked at that direction, it was a girl in white uniform. She looks like she's either a visiting student or a transfer student.
Because of that, I didn't notice who was in front of me and bumped into them.
"Oh, sorry about that."
When I looked in front of me, it was a guy with golden insignia. A Noble student.
"Watch where you're going, commoner."
"I deeply apologize, sir!"
Because I bowed my head immediately, I managed to stroke his ego and let me off and walked away. I feel kinda lucky he wasn't hot-headed.
"It's pretty nerve wracking to be a commoner in a Prestigious school, isn't it?"
Out of a sudden, a girl behind me suddenly talked to me while smiling.
"I'm only lucky that I got a scholarship."
"Even so, you may have done something very incredible to get the scholarship. That in itself is amazing."
"Thanks, I guess?"
When I looked at this girl's uniform, it had a Gold Insignia as well. Except, she had a Crescent badge next to it. And only one student can have that Crescent Badge in school!
"Vice President Soffel! I'm sorry I didn't recognize you sooner!"
Just when I was about to bow, she grabs both my shoulders and prevents me from bowing.
"I'd prefer you not to bow."
"Why?"
"We're both second years and probably the same age. It'd make me more happy if I had at least one person to talk to casually."
Though it's not on her face, its obvious that she's desperate for a friend. If she wasn't, she wouldn't be talking to a commoner.
"Alright, I won't bow."
When I said so, she lets go off my shoulders and lets out a sigh of relief.
"Since its already pointless to introduce myself, why don't you introduce yourself?"
"Well... Umm...."
Now that I realized it, my situation is weird. Explaining it to a clueless person would make me sound like I'm crazy or something. Having Archie here to help me would've been preferable, but I can't find him in the crowd in front of the boards.
Then again, there's really no real reason to tell her about my situation. No real harm is done if I don't say it.
"Well... my name is Rose."
"Ah, you must be the new transfer student of Class 2-C."
When she said that, I immediately rushed to the board of Class 2-C to check my names. Archie seems to notice me pointing at the board so he waddled through the crowd to get to me.
As a expected, the two of me was listed next to each other and Archie above me. We're still classmates which doesn't surprise me at this point.
"Are you still a first year?"
"Second Year actually."
"Really? I guess it's really impossible to remember everyone's face."
"I guess?"
"Oh, where's your sword? Or are you focusing on Sorcery Arts?"
When I looked at my waist, I noticed that I had my sword on Red and only have the Element Book on Rose.
"I have someone else carry my sword right now. They'll be with me in a minute."
While saying that, I pointed subtly behind her where Archie and I were walking together towards us.
"Oh, so you're friends with Sir Brallon?"
"Well something like that."
Looking at her, she seems taken aback by my words.
"Is there a problem about it?"
"No, none. I'm just surprised that Sir Brallon has a female friend."
"Why so?"
"I mean, I've never seen him with anyone else other than the commoner with him."
Ah, she must be talking about the other me. Though it's not really that far from the truth though. Archie doesn't have female friends. Rather, I'm his only friend. Rose doesn't exactly count as a female friend.
"Dude, you seriously need a girlfriend."
"Let me date your sister then."
"I'm not against that, but does she like you though?"
Our laughter was noticed by the Vice President and then turned to us. She then lifts her skirt lightly while bowing to us and in turn, we put one leg to the back to bow.
"Greeting gentlemen."
"Greetings Vice President."
"I apologize for monopolizing your friend, Sir Brallon."
"There's no need to apologize, Vice President."
"I enjoyed our time, miss Vice President."
Vice President turns to Rose while smiling and grabs my hands.
"Please don't call me Vice President, just Ruin. I want to be friends with you!"
Seeing that, Archie hits me with his elbow while visibly holding back his laugh. Of course, this feels weird to me.
"I-it would be my pleasure, miss Ruin."
"Then, Rose, I'll meet you again later! I want to get to know you more."
This would've been a more wholesome moment if it wasn't for Archie trying not to laugh.
"Is there something wrong, Sir Brallon?"
"N-no, nothing. I just remembered something really funny."
Because Archie was about to burst out laughing, I hit his shoulder with the back of my hand strong enough to make him stagger.
"That hurt!"
"It's supposed to hurt!"
"I'll leave you three together, I still have some duties to attend to. Also, Rose, I'm very happy to be acquainted with you."
"It's my pleasure as well."
After that, Miss Soffel left and only Archie and me are left behind.
What she did just now would be weird to the outsider, but for us Archie, we know something about her.
"To think that out of the things that could happen, it would be you becoming friends with Miss Soffel."
"I guess it's for the best that she doesn't know about me."
"Man, if she knew, she probably wouldn't have approached you."
There's a story behind it, but that's something for a later time.
That aside, I still have another problem to face.
"So many things have already started before we entered class. I wonder how everyone in class would react about your reveal."
"Please, don't remind me. I'm already nervous just stepping into the school grounds as Rose."
Yes, that's right. Because my mom had already informed the school, I was to introduce myself as Rose as part of the deal of letting the second me enter.
"This was never necessary."
-End of Chapter-