Chapter 3 - The Black Ninja Makes Friends With The Sugar Fairy

St. Catherine's Academy is a prestigious boarding school known for its top and diverse students. Located in the countryside town of Ashthea, the academy occupied a 10-hectare land. It has a clock tower, which the students considered haunted, and a 5-story library.

Katsuro was on his way to the dining hall to grab some lunch. For students like him, orientations are boring and make everybody hungry. At the dining hall, he saw some of his co-representatives and joined them.

"I was shocked when I saw some clothes and supplies in the room assigned to me." Dara Pha, from Burma informed her colleagues.

"You're not the only one. I think all of us do." Anna Robbins said.

"Their school uniform looks cool too!" Paulo Ortega from Puerto Rico exclaimed while checking his clothes.

"Yes. I think it's gothic." Afina Bogoescu from Romania gasped.

"I think so too and also the architecture of the buildings." Hermann Lýðsson from Iceland said.

Everyone agreed, and together they got food from the buffet table. Katsuro was amazed by Monique's plate. It's full of sweets. Cupcakes, brownies, cakes, and many more sat on her plate. Katsuro stared at her and wondered.

"You seem to like sweets a lot," Katsuro said to Monique. They both sat next to each other, and Monique checked on Katsuro's plate too.

" You are a salad person." Monique teased Katsuro.

"I like vegetables," Katsuro explained.

In the middle of their lunch, Freya Selby from Norway ran towards her colleagues and gave them a scared face.

"Guys, guys! I heard from another student." Freya was panting, and everyone turned to her.

"What is it?" Anna asked in excitement.

"Another woman went missing in a shopping center in Erantha, and it's the 5th one this week. Police and investigators haven't found any clues or traces." Freya informed them in a scary voice.

"That's so creepy!" Navya gasped.

" I got goosebumps," Dara said.

"Where the hell is Erantha?" Paulo asked out of the blue and ruined the creepy mood.

"I think it's the next town from here, and it's a big town more like a city in our world, I guess," Monique answered while biting a red velvet cupcake.

"Whoa. How'd you know that." Darren Cole from the UK asked in amazement.

"There's a map of Saithilien inside the desk drawer in the room, so I happened to look at it," Monique explained.

"I wonder what's caused the disappearances?" Anna wondered. The representatives continued with their lunch. And suddenly a female student with red hair stood beside them.

"Welcome to Saithilien! The kingdom of mysteries and creepiness." Penelope Vadne, the red-haired student, exclaimed. Then immediately walked away. They're startled and weirded out by Penelope, but they just ignored it. The clock tower rang, and finally, the afternoon classes had ended. Katsuro approached Monique, the only co-representative he had in the class. While Monique was fixing her desk, Katsuro unknowingly touched her hair.

"What are you doing?" Monique asked in a monotonous voice.

"Eh? Oh. It's my first time seeing real-life yakisoba noodles hair." Katsuro giggled.

"Huh? You thought that my hair looked like noodles?" Monique asked in an annoyed voice.

"Well." Katsuro scratched his head.

Monique pouted and gave him a furious look. Katsuro was suddenly worried about what he said. They both left the classroom awkwardly and proceeded to the students' lounge. As soon as they entered, Navya waved her hands at them. They walked towards Navya and accidentally Katsuro stepped on Monique's right foot. Monique tried so hard not to scream in pain, which made her cheeks red.

"Ka Kaya!" Monique whispered to Katsuro in a creaking voice of pain. Katsuro was startled and removed his foot. Navya started to laugh at them and seemed amused.

"Here." Navya handed them a newspaper, which showed the news of the mysterious disappearances in Erantha.

The women who've disappeared were skinny and young adults. They all came to the shopping center to buy clothes, and some of the clerks there said that the last time they saw them is when they entered the fitting rooms, then never came out. The time of the day they disappeared is the same. These just happened in one week.

Goosebumps ran all over Navya and Katsuro, but Monique seemed calm. "The fitting rooms, they've been swallowed by the fitting rooms," Monique said.

"Eh? Swallowed?" Katsuro asked in fear.

"That's just a figure of speech!" Monique exclaimed and glanced at Katsuro, annoyed.

"Uh! I'm just shocked by the verb you used!" Katsuro reasoned out.

The two started to argue while Navya was just observing happily. The argument continued until such time that awkwardly, it made no sense anymore. Monique pouted and folded her arms, then turned away from Katsuro. Katsuro, on the other hand, sighed in tiredness. Later, the three left the lounge for the dining hall.

"Where are the others?" Katsuro wondered while looking around the hall.

"I think they've already eaten. After my last class a while ago, Afina and Paulo said that they're going to meet with Anna and Darren here, and eat dinner together. As for the others, I have no idea." Navya answered. After dinner, they head to their respective rooms. Passing through a dark walkway near the school garden gave them chills, but the bright moonlight made them feel relieved. Then, suddenly Ms. Colette Fouche, the quirky woman, scared them from behind.

"Hey, guys." Ms. Fouche whispered in an intentional deep voice.

"Ms. Fouche, you scared us," Navya said.

"Sorry about that. By the way, tomorrow is Saturday, and during weekends the students don't have classes." Ms. Fouche informed and handed them letters. "These are letters from students to be sent to their families. I want you three to go to Erantha tomorrow and drop them in the post office." She explained.

"Can we stroll the town after?" Monique asked in excitement.

"Of course you can." Ms. Fouche answered happily.

Navya and Monique jumped in joy, then hugged Ms. Fouche.

"Thank you so much, Ms. Fouche. We're very excited." Navya said.

"No problem. I'll be going now." Ms. Fouche sighed. As she left, Navya and Monique looked at each other and giggled in excitement. As for Katsuro, he just stared at them happily.

"Kaya, you keep those letters, then let's all meet at the school gate tomorrow," Monique said. The three went in their separate ways. While on a dark corner of the walkway. A shadow of a woman seemed to be eavesdropping.

Morning came, and rays of the sun gave a pink accent light through the walkways of St. Catherine's Academy. Katsuro patiently waited at the gate and started to feel hunger. He saw a familiar girl walking towards him. She seemed uncomfortable with her blue dress with lots of white laces, and a big bow at her back waist; she also had a small light blue colored hat.

"Why are you staring at me with that kind of face?" Monique asked and glowered at him.

"Uh! You seemed struggling with your clothes." Katsuro answered while checking Monique's outfit, and suddenly his stomach sounded hungry. Monique pouted and looked at his stomach weirdly. In embarrassment, Katsuro hid his stomach with his two hands. "Why don't we eat breakfast first before heading to the train station?" Katsuro asked, still embarrassed.

"Let's just eat in Erantha. The trip is just 45 minutes." Monique answered.

"Eh?! 45 minutes?" Katsuro exclaimed.

"Navya can't go, she has a fever," Monique said and climbed up a carriage that stopped in front of the school gate. She accidentally slipped and is about to fall, but Katsuro managed to hold her waist. "Don't worry. I got you." Katsuro said, then gently pushed Monique into the carriage.

At the Ashthea station, the train started to load passengers and made its final whistle. Monique and Katsuro found an empty train cabin and got inside. Monique sat on the window side while Katsuro sat next to her.

"Can we join in?" An old couple with their adult son came in and sat across them. The son's weird gestures and facial reactions weirded Monique and Katsuro. "Just don't mind him. Our son went through a severe depression." The old lady explained.

"We are the Russos, by the way. How about you two? You seem pretty close." The old lady's husband said.

"I'm Katsuro Kaya and,"

"I'm Monique le Clair, and he is my servant." Monique interrupted Katsuro's introduction. "Eh?!" Before Katsuro can say anything, Monique pinched his left arm.

In the middle of their trip, Katsuro noticed that the Russo son kept on staring creepily at Monique while wetting his lips. Monique also noticed the creepy stare on the cabin window's reflection. They both started to feel uncomfortable.

"You look pretty, Ms. Monique. Why don't you drop by our shopping center near Erantha's public library. You can find a lot of fancy clothes there." The old lady suggested. Monique smiled as she replied and looked at the window again. She glowered suspiciously at the old lady's reflection in the window. So they are the owners of that shopping center. I'm slowly starting to see the truth of this mystery. She thought.

In a dimly lit office, a well-mannered gentleman sat comfortably in his office chair. The office door suddenly opened, and an unknown young girl came in. "Good day, Father, There are transfer students from an unknown region who came yesterday. And I suspected that one of them is a Zel." The girl said.

"You only suspect? Make it sure. That Zel might be our key to fame and fortune." The gentleman laughed.

"Yes, father." The girl smiled then left.

At Erantha.

After Monique and Katsuro dropped the letters in the post office, they went to an open restaurant in the middle of the park near the park's fountain. "Finally, I can eat breakfast after a long time enduring hunger," Katsuro said sarcastically and glanced at Monique. They ordered two sausage platters and hot chocolates. After eating, Katsuro stood up and bought some sweets.

"Tada! I bought chocolate twists for dessert and also wrapped a few for Navya." Katsuro handed one to Monique.

"Kaya. Why does it look like poop?" Monique asked and looked at the twist weirdly.

"What?! I don't think so. They look like chocolate kisses to me. Why don't you just eat it." Katsuro sighed and was a bit annoyed. Monique just giggled and eventually ate the twist.

It's so unfair! Every time I feel excited, I get a fever. I miss all the fun. Navya was throwing a tantrum in her room alone. Then suddenly someone knocked at the door. Navya got up and walked towards the door, still on a tantrum. "Surprise!" Navya was startled and felt happy to see Anna, Freya, Dara, Afina, Talya, and Vera Jayadi, from Indonesia. They sneaked some food from the dining hall and brought it to Navya's room.

"How'd you girls know that I'm here?" Navya asked.

"Monique told us before she left for Erantha," Anna explained.

"Oh, thank you. I'm so happy that you all are here." Navya smiled in excitement.

"Monique is so brave to roam around this world alone. I envy her bravery." Vera said.

"She's not alone. Kaya accompanied her." Navya informed her while her mouth was full of butter cookies.

"Oh, that Japanese guy. He seemed nice and cute." Anna said.

"Yes, he is kind. He and Monique are pretty close." Navya's still putting butter cookies in her mouth. The girls continued to gossip and enjoyed the day off.

After eating, Monique and Katsuro decided to check Russo's shopping center and try to investigate on their own.