Occult Girl

Going back to their respective classrooms, the freshmen were less nosy. Not that there are less talking, but the atmosphere has become solemn for them to speak not cheerily but sternly.

The nature of this school was a surprise to them. How is this a delinquent school?

Some topics revolve around the guy who the SSC President spoke about. Although Keith's tall, there are over five hundred freshmen in this school. All of them were in one assembly hall. Only Keith's classmates knew who and what he had precisely done with so much crowd there.

"You don't look so worried there." the girl following Keith said.

"Why would I be worried?"

"Because 10% of your grades just vanished?"

"Hmm…"

Keith did not attend that school for grades, so he doesn't know how to respond to her expectations. While the girl was going on and on about grades or something, Keith picked up something behind them.

"What a pair…."

"The occult girl and the try-hard boy, both weirdos are sticking to each other."

"As they say, birds of the same feather flock together."

These whispers were accompanied by light laughter. Keith looked back and saw three-girl group whispering to each other. When they noticed him looking at them, they ignored him as if they weren't just talking about him a moment ago.

Keith then looked at the girl beside him and murmured, "Occult girl…."

Hearing this murmur, the girl following Keith went stiff. She looked at him as if she heard wrong. It only took her a second before her smile disappeared, and she abruptly walked away as if nothing had happened.

This made Keith raise his eyebrow.

'Maybe she's fed up with me not listening to whatever she was saying… but with the timing, did I say something offending? I should look up what occult means. Then I'll apologize to her.'

Keith's principle was to hurt those who want to hurt him and not hurt those who do not. It's not that complicated since he picked it up from where he currently lives.

Sitting in his seat again, he glanced at the girl he must've offended looking at the window. While the rest of the class is busy chatting, she seems especially lonely.

He looked into his bag and took out a thick book.

Since he's somewhat the center of attention, many noticed this and internally questioned what book is that. The ones closer to him immediately found what it was after reading the title.

[Dictionary] it says.

Opening it, Keith searched for the word. This attracted the girl too as she looked at him, thinking, 'Can't he just use his phone?'

'Occult… of, involving, or relating to supernatural, mystical, or magical powers or phenomena.'

After reading the word and understanding it, Keith looked at the girl. Though it's hard to make eye contact with her bangs on the way, he knew he had her attention.

"You do magic?"

"..." the girl was surprised by Keith's question. Meanwhile, most of their classmates burst out laughing, especially those who knew the girl before.

"He asked her if she does magic. He's so fucking hilarious!"

"What a fucking try-hard and the dictionary? pfft…!"

"Maybe he thinks he's so special with those props."

The three-girl group was the leader in this laughter. The occult girl turned red from embarrassment and glared at Keith before turning her head away as if she didn't hear anything.

Keith immediately regretted his question and sighed in relief, knowing that others took it as a joke.

'I got so interested, I asked out loud. That was stupid of me. Even if she does, it's normal to keep it a secret.'

He leaned forward and whispered, "Sorry for the sudden question. I got too excited."

The girl turned to him and frowned, puzzled at his words.

'He mocked me even though we just met, and now, he's apologizing and that he got excited? Is this already bullying, or is he genuinely an airhead?' she thought.

The chatter of the class then stopped when Sir Adren came in with a box of pocketbooks. He glanced at Keith and smirked first, feeling good at what just happened.

"Alright, pass this to your back. These are your handbooks, and we will use the half of your first day discussing its content."

The students passed the handbooks back after getting one. But when Keith's classmate at the front was about to give him his handbook, Sir Adren intercepted.

"Oh, I almost forgot. For someone ineligible for Character Grading, you wouldn't need this. Also, you need to attend one month of detention for two hours after school, you understand?"

"Understood." Keith nodded, which irritated Sir Adren.

'Isn't he a little too composed?' he thought but soon just shrugged his shoulders, 'He doesn't know the pain of being in detention yet. He will soon.'

"Let's start with page one. There, you can see…."

While Sir Adren explains with his loud voice, Keith heard something hiss at his side.

"Psst-... you want to look at my handbook?"

The girl whispered and offered to share hers. Seeing this, Keith was both confused and touched.

'I thought she's angry at me? Yet, she still offers to help.'

He nodded, and both leaned towards each other to share the book. Since they are at the farthest back, only their seatmates on that row could notice them. But they were busy following Sir Adren's words, so they didn't care about the two 'weirdos'

Meanwhile, Sir Adren have noticed this but didn't do anything. Sharing is not against the school rules in the first place.

'I hope no one remembers me saying excessive accessories are forbidden. I didn't think Flora would explain the rules as part of her speech after learning what happened. I was hoping I could fool these kids….'

The first half of the handbook's contents were just about the school, its histories, values, and all that stuff. Only when Sir Adren went to the school rules again that the topic become interesting again.