Chapter 1.7

Name: 黒雪 白羽 (Kuroyuki Shiroha)

Identification/ Passport number: Unknown

Gender: Female

Race: Human

Human age: 16

Date of Birth: 12th December XX77

Permenent Address: Unknown

Email Address: Unknown

Mobile Number: Unknown

Nationality: Central Imperial Island

Marital Status: Single

Name of Parent/ Guardian: Unknown

Occupation of Parent/ Guardian: Unknown

Parent/ Guardian Mobile Number: Unknown

Year Level: XX93

Class: First Year Special Class

Current Ranking: 1st

Battle history: 103 wins. 103 winning streak.

__________________________________________

Name: Lucifer Nightwalker von Nightmare

Identification/ Passport number: Unknown

Gender: Male

Race: Human

Human age: 16

Date of Birth: 17th July XX77

Permeanent Address: Unknown

Email Address: Unknown

Mobile Number: Unknown

Nationality: Central Imperial Island

Marital Status: Single

Name of Parent/ Guardian: Unknown

Occupation of Parent/ Guardian: Unknown

Parent/ Guardian Mobile Number: Unknown

Year Level: XX93

Class: First Year Special Class

Current Ranking: Unranked

Battle history: None

__________________________________________

“…Is it because special students are on another level?” Persia suddenly murmured, her eyes scanning over Kuroyuki’s and my profile, a slight furrow forming on her brow. “Not just you, but Kuroyuki too. Why are your profiles so mysterious?”

Her question hung in the air, and I remained silent, my gaze drifting away as I tried to avoid her curious stare. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to answer—it was more that I had no idea how to. The truth was, even I didn’t fully understand the circumstances behind my own profile, let alone Kuroyuki’s. What was I supposed to say?

Persia was here to guide me to the special students’ classroom, which was located in the White Mansion, a building far removed from the rest of the academy’s facilities. The mansion, standing alone and isolated, felt more like a fortress than a school building—a fitting place for students who were considered "special."

Currently, we were on our way back to the lobby, walking through the long, quiet corridors of the academy.

“…You know,” Persia broke the silence again, her voice soft, thoughtful. “Since you got into a fight with Kuroyuki, I’ve been wondering— what was your first impression of her?”

"First impression... huh.” I repeated her words, my mind drifting back to that intense battle.

The memory of Kuroyuki’s cold, calculated movements, her unreadable expression, and that overwhelming power came rushing back.

“…She looks like someone who’s been through an awful amount of hardship.” I added.

Persia nodded, her expression distant for a moment, as if she was lost in her own thoughts.

“…That’s what I thought as well.” She said.

I glanced over at her, noting the way she spoke about Kuroyuki with a certain familiarity.

"From the way you talk about her, it seems like you know her well."

“That’s because I was Kuroyuki’s only friend.” A small, nostalgic smile tugged at Persia’s lips.

“…I beg your pardon?” The words slipped out before I could stop them, my surprise evident in my voice.

“What’s with that face? Is it really that surprising?” Persia laughed lightly at my reaction, clearly amused.

“She looks like a person living a life of solitude.” I answered.

The way Kuroyuki carried herself, that cold, detached demeanor— she didn’t seem like someone who’d let anyone close, let alone have a friend.

“She did, for the longest time,” Persia admitted, her tone softening as she continued. “She kept everyone at arm’s length— until she met me.”

“You can praise me all you want now~” She flashed a smug grin, her earlier melancholy vanishing in an instant.

I raised an eyebrow at her sudden change in attitude.

"So… how did you two meet?" I asked, ignoring her obvious attempt at fishing for compliments.

“Did you just ignore me?” Persia pouted, crossing her arms as if deeply offended.

“I’m supposed to do that?” I retorted with a surprised look. “What would I gain anyways?!”

“Mmm… I’ll tell you what Kuroyuki likes if you do~” Persia teased, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

I rolled my eyes, but decided to humor her.

“Fine. You did a very good job,” I said in the most sarcastic tone I could muster, reaching out to give her a quick pat on the head.

“Hey! My hair’s all messy!” Persia protested, immediately running her hands through her dark locks in an attempt to fix them.

“You don’t like it?” I asked, feigning innocence.

“…No,” Persia huffed, her cheeks puffing out in a pout. “But if you’re going to do it, be gentler.”

Her voice was softer this time, almost sulky, and I couldn’t help but laugh. I ruffled her hair again, this time much more gently, earning an appreciative hum from her.

“Is this okay?” I asked while gently stroking Persia’s head, mimicking the way one might pet a cat.

“Mmm, not bad.” Persia murmured softly, seeming to enjoy the attention.

After a moment, she glanced up at me, her playful expression returning.

“You know, Kuroyuki wasn’t as cold, arrogant, and indifferent as the rumors make her out to be. She’s actually pretty simple once you get to know her. It’s just that she likes ‘smart’ people, and she’s drawn to those who are.”

“…You don’t have to praise yourself in such a roundabout way, you know.” I raised an eyebrow at her, unimpressed.

Persia grinned, unbothered by my jab.

“Ehhh~ so you do get me!” She chimed. “If that’s the case, it’ll probably take you three months to have a proper conversation with Kuroyuki.”

“…Huh? Excuse me?” I blinked, taken aback by her statement.

“Kuroyuki dislikes you,” Persia added casually, as though she were commenting on the weather.

“…Hah?” I couldn’t help but mutter, completely confused. “…Did I… do something?”

“Didn’t you confess to her?” Persia asked, her tone so matter-of-fact that I nearly choked on my own breath.

“G—Gehem!!” I coughed violently, stunned by her words. “E-Ehem—! Pardon me. Where on earth did you hear that!?” I demanded, still trying to process what she had just said.

“Why, from Kuroyuki herself,” Persia said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “To be precise, from her report.”

She then activated a screen and pulled out a document— Kuroyuki’s report, detailing an incident from this morning.

Five students had been sent to the infirmary after attempting to confess to Kuroyuki, using it as a distraction to lower her guard before trying to assault her. They, of course, failed miserably. The report also mentioned a leader of the group, someone who had resisted and escaped.

“…Wait. Is that ‘leader’ me…?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, dread settling in.

“Who knows?” Persia replied, shrugging her shoulders. “But it doesn’t really matter, does it?”

“Argh, you are right, it wouldn’t mattered if it was you who knew I’m innocent.”

“Are you saying I’m insignificant?” Persia pouted, folding her arms.

“Erm, no?” I quickly clarified. “I mean, if you could somehow convince Kuroyuki that I’m innocent, it would really help clear things up.”

Persia gave a worn out look as if her soul just escaped from the gaps of her lips.

“I’m afraid I can’t. Even if I tried explaining, Kuroyuki wouldn’t listen. You’ll just have to wait until she figures out the truth on her own.”

“Why do I get the feeling that day will never come?” I sighed, feeling even more hopeless.

“Oh, it will,” Persia said with a teasing grin. “Probably in about three months.”

“…Again with the three months?” I murmured, feeling like I was stuck in some bizarre time loop. “Wait, is that because it took you three months to become friends with her?”

“Eh? Was it that obvious?” Persia’s eyes widened in mock surprise.

“It was just a guess. I can’t believe I actually hit the mark.” I paused, curious. “So, how did you two become friends?”

Persia’s expression softened, a nostalgic look flickering across her face. “I guess it goes all the way back to when I was selected as her vice president.”

“Wait, what?” I asked, surprised. “You mean Kuroyuki was once the Student Council President?”

“Yep. She was.” Persia nodded. “I used to work with her.”

“She stepped down?” I asked, intrigued. I couldn’t picture Kuroyuki willingly giving up power.

“She resigned two months ago,” Persia explained. “She passed the role to me because she had too many assignments as a special student. Even though we don’t see each other every day now, I still visit her at the White Mansion from time to time. Sometimes I even invite her out for breakfast.”

“Breakfast?” I murmured, recalling the lunchbox Kuroyuki had with her earlier in the day. “Wait, you mean I interrupted your time with her this morning?”

Persia’s playful demeanor instantly shifted to a pout as she jabbed a finger at my chest.

“Now that you mention it— I was very annoyed, you know?” she complained. “Not only did you mess up the schedule I spent so much time arranging, but you also stole my precious Kuroyuki time!”

“B-But you said you’re not as busy now, right?” I countered with a sheepish grin. “If Kuroyuki’s too occupied to invite you, then maybe I could take her place and invite you sometime?”

Her eyes widened, brimming with excitement as she closed the gap between us.

“Eh, really~!?” Persia practically bounced on her toes, staring into my eyes.

“Well, at least I’m not busy for the time being since I just enrolled today,” I said.

“Promise?” She reached out her pinky toward me, eyes gleaming.

“Promise.” I smiled and hooked my pinky with hers.

“If you break that promise, I’ll hunt you down to the ends of hell,” Persia warned with a grin that was both playful and threatening.

“Don’t worry. I never make promises I can’t keep,” I reassured her.

A soft ding sounded as the lift finally reached the lobby, and Persia gestured for me to follow. She led me toward the South entrance of the Student Council building—the same way I’d come in earlier.

Speaking of which, there are four entrance into the Student Council Building.

There’s North, the main entrance;

East and West, the side doors;

And finally, South, the backdoor.

Why do they have so many entrance? Because it’s easier to evacuate if there’s an emergency going on.

Suddenly, Persia came to an abrupt stop, and I, not paying attention, bumped right into her.

“Oof—!?”

“Hyaa—!?” Persia yelped in surprise.

“Sorry! I wasn’t looking. But, uh, why’d you stop so suddenly?” I asked, rubbing the back of my neck in embarrassment.

Persia tapped at her screen, glancing at the screen before sighing.

“I was just checking on the buggy service I booked earlier. Looks like there’s a slight delay. We’ll have to wait about ten more minutes.”

“Ten minutes?” I muttered, feeling impatient already. “Where is the White Mansion, anyway?”

She pointed in the distance.

“See that pink tree over there?” She said. “That’s the halfway point. The White Mansion is behind that giant hill.”

“…That’s what you call far?” I mumbled, narrowing my eyes at the supposedly distant landmark.

“It’s a forty-five-minute walk!” Persia shot back, exasperated. “Uphill! Hot weather!”

“Not a problem if we run,” I said, shrugging as if it were the most natural thing.

Persia stared at me like I’d just suggested something insane. Her eyes practically screamed, Are you an idiot? but I didn’t flinch.

“…Fine,” I sighed, feeling her stare weigh down on me. “I’ll give you two options. ‘Princess’ or ‘piggyback’ carry?”

Persia blinked, her expression shifting to one of realization, as if she had just unraveled the hidden depths of my soul.

“Ahhh, I see. So this was your real goal all along,” she teased. “I was completely fooled by your supposed kindness. Well done,~”

“Absolutely not! It WAS pure kindness!” I retorted, flustered by her implication.

She gave me a sly grin, ignoring my protests.

“So? Do you want to feel it with your back or your hands? I’ll have you know, I’m quite confident in my— KYAA!!?”

Before she could finish her sentence, I swiftly scooped her up, one arm under her legs and the other supporting her back.

“Ku…… How rough! Someone Help~! There’s a pervert here~!” Persia dramatically hummed, her voice laced with fake distress as she lightly kicked her legs.

“You don’t sound convincing at all,” I said, shaking my head. “And it would help if you stopped flailing, even though you’re actually pretty light.”

“Let’s go~! Let’s go~~~~!” Persia sang, clearly enjoying the ride as if nothing else mattered.

She wasn’t listening to a single word I said.

"…Hold tight and keep your mouth shut," I muttered. "You don’t want to bite your tongue."

"Kyaa~ Your muscles are so hard~ So manly~" Persia cooed, ignoring my warning as she rubbed her face against my chest with an exaggerated sigh of delight.

…I felt my patience thinning.

"You asked for this," I said, voice flat.

"...Eh?"

BOOM!

With a burst of power from my left leg, I leaped forward, soaring through the air. Persia let out a surprised yelp as we shot up nearly ten meters in a single bound. Before gravity could reclaim us, I extended my right leg, using the force to absorb the landing and propel us even faster forward.

Tup, tup, tup, tup, tup!

Each step came quicker than the last, the ground barely registering beneath my feet as we blurred past trees, paths, and buildings. The air whipped by, a blur of green and grey in the distance as I headed straight for the special student’s White Mansion. Persia’s hold on me tightened, but she was silent now, her playful remarks fading in the rush of wind.

…………………………..………………

A few minutes later, I skidded to a stop at the edge of the force field surrounding the majestic white building. Its shimmering, sleek walls stood out against the landscape, radiating an air of elegance and power. I hadn’t even broken a sweat, but out of habit, I let out a breath.

"Phew..."

Wait, did I just… exhale? Why did I feel winded after such a short run? I never needed to catch my breath. Must be the lack of sleep from the past few days catching up with me.

"Erm, Persia— you can let go now," I muttered, looking down at her.

"Mmngh…! I don’t wanna…!" she whimpered, burying her face deeper into my chest, her arms hugging me tightly like a stubborn child.

I raised an eyebrow. For some reason, the sight of her clinging to me like this reminded me of Restia… and Persia could coop with her.

"Stop acting like a brat," I grumbled, gently trying to pry her off. "...Ah."

The words I’d just spoken echoed in my head. They were too familiar—exactly what he used to say to me when I was younger. I grimaced, trying to shake off the memory of that bastard.

Persia, oblivious to my thoughts, tightened her grip even more.

"I want you to spoil me! I’m the young mistress of a noble family, so you should spoil me~!"

" I can’t believe you are the type to fling your authority like that. But anyways, no." I sighed, half-exasperated.

Even as I tried to place her on the ground, Persia immediately jumped back up the second her feet touched solid earth, throwing her arms around my waist. I could feel her face pressing into my abdomen as she held on tighter.

“Stop struggling. It’s useless,” I muttered, resigned to her antics.

“Nngh…” She responded by nuzzling into me like some insistent cat. Her soft hair tickled through my shirt as she rubbed her cheek against me, determined to stay latched on.

…She’s cute. Too cute, even. Her persistence was almost endearing, but also a bit much.

"Just stay put already…!" I snapped, finally losing my patience.

BAM!

I brought my hand down in a swift, light chop to the top of her head.

“Owie—!?” Persia whimpered, recoiling in surprise. She slumped to the ground dramatically, holding her head and pouting like a scolded child.

“…Uuu… I’m sorry…” She muttered in a small voice, cradling her head with teary eyes as if I’d dealt a devastating blow.

Her pout deepened, her bottom lip quivering just enough to make her look like a kicked puppy. She kept glancing up at me through her lashes, still holding her head with both hands.

“Sorry,” I mumbled, feeling the weight of guilt creeping up on me.

My hand reached out, almost instinctively, and I gave her head a soft, apologetic pat, trying to make up for my roughness earlier. The gesture was feeble, but it seemed to ease the tension in the air.

“N-Ngh… I’m sorry for the jokes,” Persia murmured, her voice still soft. “Please, come with me.”

Without another word, she turned and walked toward the shimmering force field that surrounded the White Mansion. Her steps were slower than before, more careful now, as if the playful energy had finally simmered down. I followed behind her, still feeling a bit of the awkward tension lingering between us.

As we approached the force field, a small opening began to form, almost as if it were welcoming us in. Persia glanced back at me, gesturing for me to pass through first. I hesitated for a moment, but when I stepped forward, the force field responded, allowing me to cross into the perimeter of the mansion grounds.

Once I was through, Persia followed, and the hole sealed itself up behind us with a soft hum, cutting off any view of the outside world.

The White Mansion loomed ahead, grand and imposing. Its sleek, flawless walls gleamed under the light, radiating an aura of mystery and prestige. The closer we got, the more I could sense the weight of the place— it wasn’t just a building. It felt alive in a way, or perhaps it was the significance it held for people like me. Special student. The ones that didn’t fit into the ordinary mold.

“…This is it?” I murmured.

Persia nodded quietly. “This is where you’ll be spending most of your time.”

I stared up at the grand structure, wondering what awaited me behind those doors.