Chapter 6: Attention Drawn on Purpose

"Tss!"

The automatic door of the Student Council office opened once again as Aize walked out.

Originally maintaining a calm smile, Claudia's face was now void of expression.

The beautiful girl stared at Aize's gradually receding figure. After a while, she retrieved two objects from the holster at her waist.

They were a pair of devices with strange, eye-like patterns on them — looking eerie and unsettling, almost like a pair of staring eyes.

Holding these bizarre "eyes," Claudia stared at them, as though she were locking eyes with them. Her face showed both surprise and suspicion.

"…Was it just an illusion?"

She muttered to herself, then shook her head.

"No… That kid definitely triggered some unusual reaction just now."

The moment Aize turned away, the pair of devices on Claudia's waist had suddenly trembled for an instant.

As their wielder, and someone who held extremely complicated feelings toward them, Claudia was certain — even if the tremor lasted only a moment — she would never misinterpret it.

Precisely because of this, Claudia was surprised.

"What was that reaction just now?"

"Fear?"

"Or perhaps… reverence?"

Claudia gazed at the devices in her hands, muttering to herself for a while before a mocking smile appeared on her face.

"So… even you can feel fear or reverence?"

To the young girl, this seemed almost laughable.

"How amusing."

Inevitably, Claudia developed some interest in Aize.

She hadn't thought much of the same-grade student who suddenly barged into the Student Council office, loudly demanding to borrow a Lux — a pure-type Star Weapon.

The value and rarity of pure-type Star Weapons were well-known. Except for a minority who rejected them, most students were intrigued.

Anyone interested in improving their strength, making a name for themselves, or achieving something in the Festa, would never turn down a powerful Lux.

Especially those who were average — who wouldn't fantasize about gaining a Lux?

There were many cases in which someone unremarkable suddenly stood out, rose to fame, and shone brightly in the Festa thanks to the power of a pure-type Star Weapon. These stories, even if not everywhere, frequently popped up in major news.

Historically, many famous figures had used pure-type Luxes. That's why many students fantasized about borrowing one and soaring above the crowd.

Originally, Claudia saw Aize as just another one of these dreamers.

If not for her duty, she wouldn't have paid him any mind.

Had Aize simply left quietly, Claudia would've filed his application with the school and quickly forgotten about it.

And since he was so unknown in the academy, his application would almost certainly have been rejected.

But now, Claudia thought — maybe she should give this nameless student a little push.

"For Pandora to react like that… and yet, I've never seen this person in any of my 'dreams'... what makes him so special?"

Standing by the enormous window, Claudia looked down at the scenery below, her face showing a meaningful smile.

"Let's give him a little push and see…"

---

In the courtyard outside the upper school building

As Aize walked back outside, he instinctively looked up toward the top floor of the school building.

"She's probably noticed me by now, right?" he murmured.

Being familiar with the original story, Aize knew that with his current strength and lack of fame, applying for a Lux was likely to end in rejection.

Normally, one would first need to improve their rank and gain recognition before applying — making it easier to get approved.

If he stood out among the academy's students, the school would probably want him to get a Lux and grow stronger to compete in the Festa.

But that would take too much time — and Aize was too impatient for that.

So, he decided to draw Claudia's attention directly.

"If I can get the Student Council President on my side, my application will have a much better chance."

Claudia wasn't just president — her parents were top executives in one of the Integrated Enterprise Foundations, giving her immense influence.

The school would never ignore her opinion.

After all, Seidoukan Academy was built and funded by one of the Six Major Foundations — Galaxy.

And the pure-type Luxes belonged to Galaxy as well.

If Claudia helped, Aize's application would surely go through.

Given her complicated feelings about the Lux she wielded, if he could show that he affected it, she might grow curious.

That curiosity could translate into support.

Of course, that was only a possibility.

Aize was merely acting on his knowledge of the original story, aware of how radical Claudia's thinking could be.

Success wasn't guaranteed.

"I wonder if her Lux reacted to me…"

That, he couldn't be sure of.

"Since my authority is supposed to be the ultimate control over weapons, something like a sentient Lux should react even to a small release of power… right?"

With that hope, Aize left the courtyard.

He had done everything he could — now it was up to fate.

---

In the days that followed, Aize blended into daily school life as a regular student.

He attended classes when scheduled, and when free, found quiet places to practice with his sword or train his body.

He was pleased with his new body — young, vibrant, and strong. It cured his usual laziness, making him constantly want to move and exercise.

He didn't make many friends. Though he knew many key characters from the original story were here, he didn't seek them out — just occasionally wanted to see them in person.

He did, however, keep up with online forums and the school website, where he saw familiar names, photos, and videos of their duels.

One thing that fascinated him was the world's technology.

Personal devices were tiny — like laser pointers — and operated with preset gestures, projecting virtual windows like in a game. You could search, call, or even video chat just by waving a hand.

"This must be tech developed from the universal matter the 'Falling Star' brought, right?"

Aize often found himself marveling at it.

Then, after a few days, he finally received good news from Claudia.

"Your application's been approved, Aize."

That day, Claudia came to his classroom with a stack of papers, smiling at him amid the shocked murmurs of his classmates.

"Let's finish the paperwork first, then head to the equipment bureau."

(End of chapter)

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