Exodia 144: That's the whole reason
{Shoya Sasaki's POV:}
"What's wrong with you?"
Anastasia asked while sipping her tea.
"You look more tired than usual."
Akane joined in.
"Yeah..."
I replied.
I am tired. I was up all night with Kisuke, just trading stories. It was fun but not good for my body right now. Especially since we have mission introductions today.
Usually, Streia don't need much sleep compared to normal people but... you do need some sleep after 4 all-nighters playing games with your younger sister.
"I just wanted to ask though since I'm curious."
I suddenly bounced forward with my arms on the table. I pointed at Anastasia's cup of tea.
"How do you get that at break? We have 5 minutes before Divine Arts."
"This is Earl Grey tea from the school. It's surprisingly good."
Anastasia said, taking another sip.
Ah, come to think of it, she was drinking tea when I was her temporary servant.
"So, did you show your sister around?"
The purple-haired girl asked.
"Yeah, early morning though. Did it at 7:30 am. It was awkward walking into the girl's dormitory and knocking on Kei's door. I kind of feel bad for her roommate since Kei snores loudly."
"You don't have to worry about that."
I looked over at Akane.
She was smirking.
"Oh, really, why?"
"Because Kei's roommate is a sound sleeper. She doesn't wake up unless she's physically touched."
"It sounds like you know her roommate."
I said.
"Well, yeah, she is my servant after all."
Servant?
If I remember correctly, her servant was... it was Yumeko?!
Yumeko is here at Altheria?!
There's no way, right? I mean, she did just attack the school last year. There has to be at least one second-year or third-year who recognizes her. Even if she is still facing punishment, I don't think the school will let it slide.
"Shoya?"
"I was just wondering who could possibly sleep through Kei's snores?"
"A girl named Yumeko. You should've met her before. Coincidentally, she has the same surname as you."
"Mhm. Is that right?"
I'll check on Yumeko during lunch.
---
Divine Arts finished quickly and I went to the first-year corridor. If I'm correct, Yumeko is in 1-B from what Akane has told me.
I walked over to her classroom but I didn't have to look into the classroom to see her.
She was standing outside with her friends. She turned and saw me. Her friends also turned to take a glance at me.
I approached them.
"Yumeko. You have a moment?"
I asked her.
She looked at me and her friends before nodding.
"Sure."
And so, we walked into an empty classroom, the Summoning Arts classroom in the first-year corridor.
"What're you doing here?"
"Can I not have a normal school life?"
Yumeko wasn't looking at me. She was looking down at the ground, almost as if she knew I'd come to lecture her.
Geez. Now I look like a bad guy.
I sighed.
"I'm not here to lecture you, I was just worried. I mean, you did attack the school last year. I was worried that someone might recognize you and attack you or something."
I told her.
"Nah, I look completely different with my short hair. That's the whole reason I cut it."
Ah... She does look like a completely different person. I can't compete against that, can I?
When I saw her back in January, I did not recognize her until I looked at her face. Compared to the incident with Aden-Lada, that incident is at the back of their minds.
"Guess that's all. If so, I'll get going--"
"Hold on. You know your roommate?"
"Yeah, Kei, why?"
For some reason when I saw Yumeko's puzzled look, I felt like retracting my original thought.
"You know what... Nevermind."
I backed down.
"Cool."
And she left.
I feel like she's been more distant lately. Maybe it's that training that Akane gave her to become a servant. She seems far less expressive... If I were to put it into words.
There was a systematic bell and a voice began to echo throughout the school.
[Lunch is ending. Please make your way to your classes. As for classes 2-A and 2-B, please proceed to the new training hall after changing into your training outfits.]
There's a new training hall? We never used that for our first AST lesson of the year.
It's time to go, then.
---
"Oh, look, it's class B."
Tatsuya, Kitamura, and I, along with other boys from 2-B, entered the changing rooms, only to be met by a group of boys.
They looked like your typical nobles but they were a pretty colorful bunch. All of them sneered at us as we entered.
I walked over to the corner when someone blocked my way.
"Excuse me."
I told him.
But he wouldn't move. I frowned at him as I raised my head.
He was a giant. Over 6 feet. His body was well-toned and tattered from excessive training; it was dressed with befitting scars. The boy looked more like a man.
His complexion was slightly darker than others and his long hair was an elegant violet. His slanted indigo eyes peered down at me with a scar going through his left eyelid.
"Show him how it's done, Kiryu!"
"Make sure he can't stand up!"
"Oi, ain't that guy the one they're all talking about? What was his name? It was... Ah, Shoya Sasaki!"
"Hey, that's the guy who's been walking around like he's a top dog with Akane lately!"
Some other boys shouted at him.
"Akane..."
The massive boy, Kiryu, repeated.
He clenched his fist and directed bloodlust toward me.
"What is she to you?"
He looked like he was ready to pounce at any moment. I guess he likes Akane. To bad for him though. Maybe if I wasn't selfish, then maybe he would've had a chance. Well, we'll never know.
"What is she to me? My girlfriend would be the most accurate answer."
I said, teasing him.
"You dare?!"
"No, do you?"
We both began leaking mana from our bodies in a fit of rage.
"Woah, woah, woah! Let's stop right there!"
Someone stopped us by pushing us from each other. This boy was also tall but thinner, and shorter than Kiryu. He was handsome. Like seriously.
His hair was short and blonde. Even from wearing his shirt, I could see his build clearly. His eyes were innocent and shiny like emeralds.
Moreover, he...
"Miyamura. Why are you interrupting us? He deserves punishment."
He stopped us without emitting any mana at all. Either, his control over his mana is incredible or he's just that much stronger.
"We're here to find out who our supervisors will be. It's just an introduction to missions. We don't need to start a fight, do we, Shoya Sasaki?"
Miyamura addressed me.
I turned away and walked toward the lockers in the corner.
"Tell him, not me."
I uttered.
Boys from class 2-A are... different.