Bonus Story — Cesia : Hibiscus Match

Story : Cesia : Hibiscus Match (c) Mizumori Fumaira

Characters : Magical Diary (c) Hanako Games & Spiky Caterpillar

Part 3

After bid him goodbye I walked to the villa' gate in a little hurry. Cool autumn breeze brushed my red robe playfully. The girls from other school, although I noted that they from different school, they seemed like they knew each other. As soon as I became near to the villa, I felt other girls from other school stared me in... awe?

A girl with knee length black uniform dress with white ribbon on her chest smiled at me. I knew that type of uniform was Zeus Academy, magic school which was located ten miles to the south of Iris Academy. Virginia told me that it was a prestigious school for the wealth people.

"Good morning, Iris Academy's representative," she said softly. I gave her my best sincere graceful smile.

"Good morning for you too, Zeus Academy's representative. I am Cesia Touyama, Iris Academy's representative as you have said," here, I extended my arm. I used my maiden name since Aunt Helena Grabiner, one of the judges, maybe wouldn't be pleased if I used "Grabiner" as my last name.

"Rebecca Granchezta," she said with a confident smile, shaking my hand. Then we walked together to the villa' hall. There was something strange going on again. Why the other girls keep walked behind us, not catching us up or passing us to go to the hall first? Honestly, if I were them I would do that because our walk was as slow as a snail. I had no choice to keep walking like this since I followed Rebecca. It would be rude if I walked faster than her.

"Even you are in hurry, Miss Touyama, your walk was still graceful back then. Who is the one who taught you, if I may know?" she asked.

"I learned all of the manner with help of Miss Violet, my white magic teacher and Minnie, one of my best friend."

"Oh my, are you referring them to Miss Violet Gabrielle and Minnie Cochran?"

I was a bit surprised, "Are you, by any chance, acquainted with them, Miss Granchezta?"

"Yes of course. Gabrielle family is Granchezta family' relation, while Cochran is technically our distant relatives," she explained. Oh yeah I forgot Virginia' rambling about pure blooded witch family and their connections. Maybe, just maybe, was it the reason of why everybody in here knew each other?

We took a seat in the front row, waiting for the opening ceremony.

"Come to think about it, Miss Touyama, I heard that in Japan there just two pure blooded magical family. And when I remembered, I never heard of Touyama family. Are your family never came to gathering?"

Here it came.

"I am sorry for saying this, but Touyama family just ordinary family. Which that means I am a wildseed," I answered, smiling confidently. I looked at her face, she seemed surprised.

Really surprised.

"You are WILDSEED?" she shouted out loud, loud enough to make everybody heard that. Everybody' eyes looked at me in disbelief. I smirked, so my earlier hypothesis was true.

This competition was filled by a bunch of pure blooded witches. I couldn't help but being eager than ever. I swore by the name of wildseed in the whole world, I would try my hardest to win this competition.

"Are you alright, Miss Granchezta? You look so pale," I asked concernedly while my heart still smirking, touching her shoulder. Glad I got a little lesson about acting from Raven. She stood up in sudden.

"Do not dare to touch me, you wildeseed!" she shouted, throwing me disgusted look, cupping her own shoulders with her hands.

"Alright, as you wish, Miss Granchezta. But make sure to tell the committee if you really did not feel well," I smiled concernedly. She left me alone in the front row, joining other bunch pure blooded witch.

Hibiscus Match was the worst thing to spend your weekend. The competition would be held in three days, started from Friday and ended in Sunday. Nope, that fact wasn't the worst part. The worst part was, the committee would report our activity, our behavior, and everything we'd done. Also, we even couldn't talk with informal words (but it wasn't a big matter since everybody seemed didn't want to talk or even approach me since the incident at the hall). Every single mistake on our behavior or word meant decreasing point. Every participant had automatically been given one hundred points since they arrived, and whether it would be decreased or increased it depended to each participant' act and behavior.

In the first day, after the opening ceremony on the hall (which ended at half past ten), we would facing written exams for a whole day. Of course it would be divided as some sections, and each section would be separated by lunch or break. With this written exams, any participant who got the half-bottom rank would be expelled from the competition.

From eleven sharp until lunch time (it was 01.00 p.m. on the schedule) they gave us exam which contained some sort of questions that you'd see on IQ test and other psychology test. Type of exam that questioned the participant' logic. I didn't expect something like this, but three days before the competition began, someone kindly gave me a book for exercising this kind of test (I even do the exercise with Ellen, Virginia, Minnie, and Raven since it was something new for us).

Without throwing spell, I knew who kindly gave me the book with fresh scent of pine. Maybe I really couldn't do anything without his help, I grimaced.

After lunch, two P.M. specifically, it was about theory of manners and ethics, included grammar, social sciences, and literature. Then, tea time at four P.M. followed by free time. I used this opportunity for taking a nice shower. I didn't use uniform again since the committee allowed us to change into non formal clothes. So I changed to sleeveless blue dress and put a white-hoodied cardigan over it. Simple, yes, since I liked casual and simple fashion. I changed my black school shoes to a cream-colored flat-strapped shoes. It had a cute and simple design, I fell in love with the design at the first time I saw it on the mall. Ellen and Raven also bought it; Ellen' was white and Raven' was black.

After dinner (which was very unpleasing since the committee always kept their eyes to us), for two hours we should keep our eyes open since we should do the last exam. Anybody that gave the idea of holding natural sciences and mathematics exam after dinner should exam his or her mental condition. Only madman who didn't know that did exam of such subject with left-over energy was the worst thing ever. But since I was used to learn even after a tiring classes, it was okay...

But I know this night I would fall asleep like a corpse. Oh, and the rank would be announced on Saturday morning.

I couldn't believe this.

I really couldn't believe this.

Maybe I should buy Professor Grabiner my favorite psychology book that I'd borrowed from library, that he really enjoyed it too. Or I should give Professor Potsdam my home-made chocolate caramel. Or I should gave Miss Violet the aquamarine flat-strapped shoes with same design as mine. Or I should give Ellen the latest encyclopedia about magic. Or I should treat Virginia parfait that she always liked. Or gave Minnie the cute bracelet that we'd seen on the claw machines. Or gave Raven the newest detective novel. Or did all of them.

Back then, when I was junior high school, to see my name on announcement of grades was very difficult task. I had never been the smartest or the stupidest student, I always stuck in the middle rank, with some gaps before the list of student who had to do remedial test.

I couldn't believe my eyes, so I rubbed my eyes in disbelieve. I was grateful for waking up so early so I could be the first people who saw the announcement of grades.

And my name on the top list on the first page. It meant that I got the first rank. Was the spirit of Albert Einstein possessed me when I did my exams? Or maybe the hope from every wildseed on the whole world helped me so my grade was making a wide gap to the second rank, the full of herself pure blooded witch, Rebecca Granchezta.

"I had expected this, Miss Touyama," a soft yet conceited voice snapped me out from my mind. It was Aunt Helena Grabiner, "Although I am lying if I say I am not impressed."

I threw her a grin. So, even though she didn't like me, she had known since the first time that I wasn't as stupid as I looked like. Somehow, she reminded me of Professor Grabiner so much.

"Thank you."

"But, it's still early to feel relieved, Miss Touyama. I really look forward of how you will pass today' tests," she smirked, challenging me. I noted that she also smiled amusedly.

"I promise I will not disappoint you, Mrs. Grabiner," I smiled confidently.

I didn't know why I could think like this, but maybe, just maybe, if she accepted me we would make a good friends.

Ten participants remained on villa. So, the participant the exam weren't a half from the total number of participant, but only just two-five from the total number of participant!

But why? They said they only eliminated around 12 or 13 people at most.

"Miss Touyama, there's a call for you from Iris Academy," said a committee after I had a nice shower and been ready with my uniform.

I followed the committee to the committees' base room. I took the telephone after I'd thanked him.

"Sunshine, congratulation for your test. We really are proud of you," Professor Potsdam' voice rang through the telephone.

"Thank you, Professor Potsdam. It's all because of your and the other' help," I said sincerely, smiling.

After a little chit-chat with Professor Potsdam, I hung the telephone. When I was going to back to my room, I accidentally overheard some of the committee' conversation.

"…they managed to save them all, fortunately. Although one of the students still unconscious, their vital signs had been stable for the last thirty minute."

"Oh, thanks God…"

"But how come they were being attacked? I'd made sure that the dungeon was properly sealed."

"Then how…"

"Is it possible if… there's someone… summoning them?"

I found myself shivered involuntarily. It's not hard to put two-and-two together, the conversation was exactly the answer of why the remaining participant weren't as much as the committee had planned.

There was something… that attacked the participants. I wondered if that was someone doing to eliminate the participants… No, I hoped that was not like that. Maybe it was just random Goblin appeared here and some of the participant accidentally stumbled on it and got attacked…

Hearing some footsteps from the committee' room toward my direction, I quickly made my way to go to my room. I had to be ready for today' challenge, whatever is that!

(A/N) : hello, how've you been? It's been ages since I updated this stories. For that, I apologize deeply to all of you dear readers. I don't want to discontinue this but many things happened so I had no time to write. And I'm glad I could write again after replayed the game (only Grabby's path actually).

I hope I can updated next chapter quickly. This story is longer than I predicted, LOL, but I hope you all enjoy it!