After leaving the Auditorium, Kyutaro followed behind Rean, Elliot and the rest of the students dressed in red blazers. All throughout the walk, none of the information that had been withheld from him had been presented yet and if Kyutaro were to hazard a guess, he had little chance of finding out before they arrived wherever it was that the mysterious woman seemed to be leading them to. Thors Military Academy didn't seem quite as intimidating as it had from the front, but maybe that's because he had been too focused on Theo to really take in the grandeur and now inside the school he realized it was just an ordinary looking academy.
What was extra strange about all this though, was that they seemed to be walking right past a good majority of the buildings, and now they were taking a turn? Were they going to a section of the school off the beaten track? Kyutaro felt as a cool breeze brushed over his bare wrist, the absence of his usual gear leaving an unsettling emptiness. The gentle rustling of the wind seemed to emphasize the void, as if the air itself were aware of the missing presence.
An unknown situation like this would be much easier to handle if he had his equipment on hand. He frowned, wondering how long they were expected to be without it. While years of training had ensured he could manage without his gear if needed, its absence still gnawed at him. It wasn't just about the physical tools but the confidence they represented. George and Towa had given no specifics, leaving him to ponder the implications of their absence.
Finally the group passed through a large gateway and that's when he saw it. A towering building at the back of a forest-like section, towering above them in the distance. A feeling of unease settled in the pit of the young man's stomach, but his feet did not stop and he followed the group regardless.
Finally, the woman stopped at the entrance of the building and turned to face the group. Standing at the top of the stairs, she watched as the students approached.
"What is this place?" Elliot asked, his voice filled with confusion.
"It's sure as Gehenna creepy, whatever it is," Kyutaro added, his eyes scanning the dilapidated structure.
"Why is there a building this dilapidated on campus? It looks like it should've been torn down ages ago," Rean observed, his tone reflecting his concern.
Without any warning, the doors of the old schoolhouse creaked open, and the mysterious woman entered without offering any explanation to the students behind her.
"What does she want us to do in there?" a girl with a worried expression asked.
"Gah, is she ever going to tell us what's going on?" a bespectacled boy exclaimed in frustration.
"I suppose we'll just have to go in and see for ourselves," the bluenette on the right suggested.
"She's got a point," Kyutaro said. "We're not going to learn anything standing here like lost puppies."
With that, Kyutaro and the other students in red blazers began to enter the old schoolhouse. For a moment, it seemed like Rean and Elliot were the only ones left outside.
"This place looks like some kind of haunted house," Elliot observed as he followed Kyutaro inside.
"Now that you mention it, it kinda does…" Rean agreed, glancing around with a hint of unease.
Kyutaro continued forward, noting that all the students in red blazers had gathered. This was the group he would be working with. The eerie building loomed ahead, and Kyutaro felt a mixture of anticipation and unease as they stepped inside.
Meanwhile, high above the old schoolhouse on a cliff-face nearby, two individuals watched as the students entered the building.
"So, these are our new underclassmen?" one of them remarked.
"Yup," the other replied. "They've got a different set of hoops to jump through than we did. I'm just happy all our work's paying off. I'd hate to have put in a year's worth of effort for nothing."
"Heh. Ain't that the tru— Wait, when did you do any work? You were just slacking off the whole time!"
"Hah. Says the master slacker! Still, looks like Alisa's got some stiff competition. Quite the bevy of beauties among them, and I'm looking forward to getting intimately acquainted with each and every one of them."
"Oh, you know one of them? Er, wait, no! Not these ones too! Stop flirting with every damn girl you lay eyes on! Do you know how many guys at this school have had their hearts broken because of your libido!?"
"Heh heh."
"Did you just sneer at me? You did, didn't you!?"
"Come on now, no fighting, you two!" Towa's voice cut through the argument, effectively halting it before it could escalate further. She approached the cliffside with George in tow.
"Well, look who finally made it. Nice work."
"You got our little chickadees all sorted out, I take it?"
"Yup, they're all bright-eyed and ready to go," Towa confirmed. "So from here on out, we're going to have to give it our all and support this fledgling class!"
"Hah, now you do sound like the student council president."
"Guess she's going all in."
"Well, they'd be in for a pretty rough time if we didn't help out a little," George observed. "At least to start with, anyway. Everything's ready over there, right?"
"You bet'cha, just like the instructor asked. Can't help but feel a little sorry for them, though."
"Same here. They've got no idea what they're being tossed into. The class they've been picked for didn't even exist before this year. Guess all we can do is watch and see what they're made of, right?"
As the upperclassmen watched from above, the focus shifted back to the students below. Kyutaro, along with the rest of the group, stood at the entrance of the old schoolhouse, the eerie atmosphere of the building looming large. The mysterious woman who had led them there had already disappeared inside, leaving the students to face the unknown on their own.
"Guess we should head in too," Kyutaro muttered, glancing at the group around him. The murmurs of uncertainty and curiosity among the students grew louder as they hesitated at the threshold. With a determined nod, he stepped forward, pushing open the creaky doors and leading the way into the darkened interior.
As Kyutaro and the rest of the students cautiously made their way into the darkened interior of the old schoolhouse, the musty smell of aged wood and dust enveloped them. The unsettling silence was occasionally broken by the scuttling of unseen creatures, heightening their apprehension. They followed the winding corridors, their steps echoing in the emptiness.
The group finally emerged into a large, dimly lit room at the back of the building. At the far end of the space, the mysterious woman had made her way onto a raised stage, her silhouette casting an imposing shadow against the aged walls behind her thanks to the dim lighting.
The students gathered, their curiosity and tension palpable. The woman, having walked up to the center of the stage, turned to face them. Her presence commanded attention as she stood in stark contrast to the dilapidated surroundings.
"The name's Sara Valestein. I'm the instructor in charge of Class VII, which means you get the pleasure of seeing me all year. Glad to finally meet you!"
"Wait…Class VII?" The bespectacled boy asked.
"U-us?" Elliot questioned timidly.
"I'm not sure I understand," the bluenette from earlier stated, "I wasn't told anything about this at enrollment."
' So this is what Theo meant by the world not always following Xanadu's script. Class VII didn't exist in the organization's files on this place, so I need to stay alert and be ready to adapt accordingly. If this class didn't even exist in the files, there's no telling what other surprises might be in store.'' Kyutaro observed silently.
"Excuse me, instructor Sara?"
Kyutaro's focus shifted as the bespectacled young woman spoke, drawing his attention to her presence. He took in her plum-colored hair styled in a long braid, mint blue eyes, and large round glasses. Her Class VII uniform—a red blazer with a purple bow, a green pleated skirt, black thigh-high stockings, and brown shoes—He caught himself before he could delve too deeply into his observations, reminding himself of Theo's warnings about fitting in.
"I was under the impression that there were only five classes at this Academy…And that students were split among them based on their social class and home region."
"Right you are Miss Top Scorer on the Thors' Entrance Exam," Sara answered, "Students in each year are divided into five classes. Two for the nobility and three for commoners and it's been that way for ages, right up through last year. But this year, we decided to shake things up a little."
"W-what do you?"
"We now have a sixth class," Sarah finally divulged, "Fittingly titled…Class VII, and in Class VII we realize no distinction between nobles and commoners."
"Wait," Rean voiced, "You just jumped straight from V to VII?"
"It makes sense," Kyutaro interjected observantly, "A mix of nobles and commoners thematically would skip VI to form VII. Looks like it's done to separate itself from the typical Thors numbering structure. See if you named it Class VI, it would just appear as an ordinary extension of the commoner classes due to an increased intake or something along those lines."
"Y-you're really putting nobles and commoners in the same class?" Alisa spoke up.
" This must be some kind of joke!" The bespectacled boy shouted, " And why is this the first I've heard of it!?"
"Well, uhhh, errr… who were you again?" Sara asked him.
"Machias Regnitz and with all due respect, instructor, it's ludicrous to intermix nobles and commoners like this! Must I be forced to spend the next to years, shoulder-to-shoulder with those arrogant, stuck-up hedonists!?"
"Uh…" Sara pressed on, "You do know I'm not the one who made the decision, right? Besides, what's the big deal, anyway? You're all kids, Can't you all just…get along or something?"
"J-just get along? Ha! And how would you propose we do that?"
"Hmph."
"And what's your problem?"
"Oh, nothing much. I just find the irony of your behavior rather humorous."
"Is that so?"
"It seems the scion of some noble house has left the comforts of his mansion to grace the unwashed masses with his wisdom. Please, milord, do share your esteemed name with us so I can give you all the respect you deserve."
"Jusis Albarea. Not that I'd expect the name of an arrogant, stuck up hedonist to lodge itself in that hard head of yours"
Now this caught Kyutaro's attention, and seemingly the other students' as well. While Kyutaro wasn't familiar with Jusis personally, his last name was familiar. Albarea.
"He's from one of the four great houses," Elliot said.
"The son of Duke Albarea, lord of the Kreuzen province in the south east," Rean added.
"Well you don't get more noble than that," Alisa observed.
"Interesting," Laura continued, "I'd heard the rumors."
"D-do you expect me to be impressed!" Machias shouted, "Your family lineage means nothing to me! I'll never bend my knee to the likes of–"
"Okay, Okay," Sara interjected, "That's enough! I'm sure a couple of you have a few grievances, but now's not the time. I'll hear your complaints later. Right now, you've got your orienteering exercise, and far be it from me to keep you from our fun little ice-breaker."
"Ugh…" from Machias.
"You mentioned the orienteering exercise earlier, what exactly does it involve?" Alisa asked.
"It's a form of outdoor competition isn't it?" Emma put forth, "Something like a cross between a map-reading exercise and a scavenger hunt?"
"Is that why they asked us to hand over our weapons at the gate?" Rean questioned.
So that's why!
Kyutaro finally clued in to that once Rean had mentioned it. It was all so mysterious why they'd taken his weapons' case, and sure, he could do well enough without the contents of the case he'd handed over but still, this was very unorthodox in comparison to the information about the Academy that he had on hand already. Was all that prep for nothing?
"Nothing gets by you, does it?" Sara asked Rean. Then she hit the retreat, drawing back from the class right to the back of the stage, where unbeknownst to the others, a button was waiting. Sara's movements seemed to catch all but Kyutaro and the silver-haired girl towards the back of the room unawares.
"Buuut I don't want to spoil the fun, so let's get started, shall we?"
A loud rumble filled the room, and Kyutaro reacted immediately. He didn't think—his body moved before his mind could process the danger. From the corner of his vision, something shifted dangerously from his left. His muscles coiled in an instant, and with a burst of adrenaline, his feet left the ground. The motion was fluid, almost reflexive, as he pushed off with precision.
The world tilted sideways, and then his head snapped back, instinctively pulling his body into a tight rotation. Air whipped past him, and his legs tucked close to his body as he twisted in mid-air, a seamless blend of side and back rotation. It wasn't calculated—it was pure, raw instinct, shaped by years of honing his reflexes. His body knew what to do long before his mind could catch up.
In a split second, his legs extended and his feet touched down lightly, landing just outside the trap-floor's surface area. He unfurled from the flip in one fluid motion, already scanning his surroundings. He hadn't planned any of it; his instincts had simply kicked in. To his right, the silver-haired girl had used a hidden grappling hook to avoid the trap as well, remaining aloft and out of danger.
Kyutaro caught Sara's eyes briefly—her smirk said more than words ever could. She had seen his dodge and probably more than that. Her eyes flicked subtly toward the trap door beneath him, a silent signal. His sharp reflexes weren't lost on her, and the brief acknowledgment from her sent a warning through him: Careful. Theo's words echoed in his mind—don't stand out too much.
"Come on, Fie. No cheating, you're going with them, and that's that. What's the point of an ice-breaker if you don't make a couple of friends?" Sara tossed a silvery object in her hand, slicing cleanly through Fie's rope.
"Lame," Fie muttered as she descended into the darkness below.
"That means you too, Kyutaro," Sara added with a playful smirk, her eyes locked on him.
Kyutaro sighed, his shoulders slumping in exasperation. Of course, she wasn't going to let him off that easily. Begrudgingly, he stepped toward the trap door, casting one last glance at Sara. She was still grinning, clearly enjoying the little game.
"Seriously?" he muttered under his breath. With a final, deeper sigh, he jumped into the hole, disappearing into the abyss below.