Dazzling

Just when Eirin thought she could finally breathe some air, her school life flipped upside down after that last incident with Shade Cromwell. 

 "Isn't that Eirin Luxfield?" 

 "The one who sparred with Shade Cromwell? That girl who dodged all those attacks from that guy? She's tall." 

 "I heard she's Eleanor Luxfield's granddaughter." 

 "That Eleanor Luxfield? The former school director? Wow! No wonder she was able to live after fighting the demon." 

Eirin learned of her grandmother's backstory thanks to the students who kept talking about her and the incident. Who would have thought that her grandmother who was now managing her restaurant used to wield magic like all the other people in this fantasy world? 

 'I would never expect that from grandma.' 

 "She's tall and pretty. Her flair must be powerful and pretty like her." 

The teenage girl was used to being the center of attention, so she acted as if she couldn't hear anything. "Oh! Here comes my best friend." Kara pulled Eirin before she could reach the classroom. "Good morning, my dear friend Eirin," Kara said with a huge grin. 

 "Look who's planning to ride the new kid's fame," Coleen said, chuckling as she entered the classroom. Kara ignored her and continued clinging to Eirin's arm. 

 "Aren't we friends now?" Kara showed those foxlike eyes of hers. "Isn't that right, Eirin?" 

 'I remember her laughing when I was about to duel with Shade Cromwell, now she's telling me we're friends?' Eirin thought, but she couldn't answer after Kara just pulled her into the room. 

All eyes were on Eirin, and she even received a round of applause which weirded her out. 

 'I don't understand. Are they mocking me?' She wondered if her classmates were celebrating that she didn't die. 

 "Isn't Eirin totally in my league? We're both pretty and strong," Kara said as she sat on her seat in the front row. "You should sit with me. You belong with people like me," Kara's gaze was glued on Eirin as she that. She wouldn't even let Eirin's arm go. 

 "Looks like someone's being forced. Isn't that what Kara Fontana's good at? Forcing people," Coleen commented and the other students in the room laughed, enraging Kara. The moment Kara let go of Eirin's arm, the teenage girl walked towards the second to the last row where her seat was. "See? She doesn't want to hang out with you." 

Eirin's forehead creased after Coleen continued taunting Kara even after what happened between them the other day. 

 'Do they hate each other that much?' 

Eirin brought out her schedule from the bag on the table, and today was Mr. Arthur Blade's mathematics class again. Turns out the Senerra Academy also teaches basic subjects like those from normal high schools where Eirin came from. 

 'Can't say I'm fond of this subject at all,' Eirin sighed garnering attention to her which led to her blinking thousands of times. 

 "That was deep," Link said while giggling. "Right, I almost forgot. I should apologize for what Shade did the other day." He scratched the back of his head and leaned towards Eirin. "He's just..." 

The way Link could not even find an excuse for Shade's awful behavior made Eirin laugh, and all eyes were staring at her. Male students gawked at her with hearts filling their eyes, and those female students were in awe at how pretty she looked. 

Mr. Blade soon arrived, and the lesson started but Eirin could not brush off the feeling of discomfort due to the unwanted attention. 

 "Eirin Luxfield and Shade Cromwell to the faculty room after class." 

Eirin's eyes went wide after hearing Mr. Blade saying that as soon as his class was over. 

 "I got permission from the school director, and what you two did deserves a punishment." 

Eirin's mouth went agape. 'What 'WE' did? All I did was survive! Why am I being punished alongside that jerk?' She stared at her teacher, but Mr. Blade only smiled. 'Why am I being punished for not dying!?' 

Lunch break came, and so did chaos. All her classmates flocked around Eirin like birds waiting to be fed. 

 "How did you become so athletic when you lived your whole life in Infirmus?" 

 "You're the first person who dodged Shade's flames like that." 

Eirin was bombarded with insensitive and filled with curiosity kind of questions. 

 "What the fuck!? Get away from my seat," Coleen cussed. "Can't you all see that you people are being a bother?" 

 "What is wrong with her? It's not like we're talking to her." 

 "She's so rude just because she's born a noble." 

 "Why is Princess McGuffin getting angry?" Kara laughed while walking to Eirin's seat. "Let's get away from her like she said. We might get sick in the head too, she might start throwing everything to us 'cause she can't control her flair." 

Kara did not accept no as an answer and pulled Eirin away from Coleen, and out of the classroom. The girls that were fawning over Eirin followed the two and they all went to the cafeteria. 

 "That's her! Eirin Luxfield!" 

Eirin looked down after hearing those loud whispers. Kara's grip on her arm was so tight that it would hurt her if she tried to get away. 'Why do I have to go through all of these?' she wondered. She knew that Kara wasn't fond of her, she could see it through her eyes, so she kept contemplating why the girl was doing this. 

 "Eirin Luxfield!" 

Eirin looked up after hearing someone shout her name in the middle of the hallway. A crease formed on her forehead after seeing an unfamiliar male student holding a red rose in his hand and standing in front of her. 

 "I... I like you." The male student bowed his head and reached out the red rose he was holding. All the students in the hallway were invested and cheered for the guy, but Eirin was dumbfounded. She could not hear anything else but the cheers and giggles of the other students. 

Her eyes started getting blurry, and something was ringing in her ears. The cheers started turning into jeers and it was all directed at Eirin. Her breathing grew heavier as she backed away. 

 "She thinks too highly of herself." 

 "Why isn't she answering?" 

 "She thinks she's so high and mighty when it was her fault why her best friend died." 

Eirin backed away and bumped into one of her classmates which pulled her back to reality, and that male student was still waiting for her reply. Their gaze caused her anxiety to worsen. 

 "I-I think I should go." 

The teenage girl pulled her arm away from Kara and ran as fast as she could away from the center of attention. Everyone called her name, but she knew no one. Not a single familiar face, made her panic. This school felt like an endless abyss of strangers and Eirin felt suffocated. 

After reaching a place away from the students, Eirin tried to catch her breath. 'What was that? Were they jeering at me? Or was it just an illusion?' she thought and looked up, realizing that she had reached a place she did not know of. Her eyes roamed the place, and she saw what seemed like a gateway entrance to a garden. The white-gated arbor was covered with leaves and blooming yellow flowers. A garden different from the one near the dormitories. 

Eirin walked towards the entrance, a gentle breeze greeted her, and something pushed her from behind, causing her to move into the center of the garden where a small fountain was located. 

 "Hello there." 

Eirin flinched and quickly turned around to face the owner of that voice. "Oh?" She pointed her finger at the man in front of her due to surprise. "I-I'm sorry," she said, realizing how rude her action was, and even bowed to the man. 

The dazzling man giggled. "No worries," he said which made Eirin distracted by his beautiful smile. The smell of roses filled the air making Eirin wonder if it was the scent of the man in front of her. "It's rare for students to visit the east garden. I was surprised to see a familiar face." 

 'His beautiful face looks familiar too, but I don't remember his name at all. Even though a beautiful person like him is rare to be found,' Eirin thought as she could only stare at the beautiful man in front of her. 

 "Right, how rude of me." The man removed his gloves covered with dirt and reached out his hand. "My name is Pierre Blouin," he said with those baby blue eyes meeting Eirin's. 

 "E-Eirin Luxfield." Eirin accepted Pierre's hand without breaking eye contact. 

 "Hello, Eirin." 

Eirin's eyes widened after the man kissed the back of her hand. Her heart skipped a beat and she unconsciously backed away.

   'W-What was that?' 

The man giggled and said, "You're quite famous," he said as his golden platinum hair shone after being touched by the sunlight. "I heard you sparred with Shade Cromwell. That's brave." 

 'Brave my ass. I was forced to do it.' Eirin forced a smile and shook her head. "No, not really," she said while following the guy with her eyes. "Do you take care of the flowers here?" The teenage girl could not help but ask as she watched Pierre tend to the flowerbeds. 

 "Yes. I love looking at flowers, you see." 

Eirin continued staring at Pierre after seeing his bright smile. 'He reminds me of Bright,' she thought, and her eyes soon widened. "Bright!" the teenage girl exclaimed, surprising the young man standing near her. 

 "Did you say something?" 

 "N-No, but... is there a way for me to send a message to someone from another place?" 

Pierre placed the watering can he was holding on the floor. "Another place? Which place do you mean?" 

Eirin struggled to find the correct word the people here call the place she came from. "Aha! The place where inops live," she said with a high tone, and she soon realized what she had done after hearing Pierre giggle. "I-I'm sorry. I don't remember what you call our place. I-Infirm something?" 

 "Infirmus, right?" Pierre said. "I think you need to talk to Ms. Anna Welkins, the Queen's secretary. Although I'm not quite sure if she will allow it, but if it's you, I think they will." 

 'If it's me? What does that mean?' 

However, Eirin could not question the man in front of her. 

 "Do you want me to go with you? I'm sure you didn't mean to go to the east garden." Eirin flinched hearing that. She was indeed lost, and Pierre saw right through her. "Shall we go? I'll lead the way." 

Eirin followed Pierre, but as soon as they stepped into the hallway towards the north garden, all eyes were glued to them. Loud whispers filled Eirin's ears as her footsteps grew heavier. 

 "I'm sorry," she muttered to the man beside her. 

 "No worries," Pierre comforted her, but Eirin could not brush off the idea that it was her fault why they were garnering attention. 

 "Isn't that our prince? With Eirin Luxfield!?" 

 "Of course, beautiful people suit each other. If it's her, then I don't mind giving the prince up." 

Eirin controlled her facial expression after hearing those. 

 "Don't mind them. They just love the excitement gossip gives," Pierre said as he led Eirin toward the room beside the school director's office. "This room is Ms. Welkins'. You may ask her about your inquiries regarding the letters you want to send to the Infirmus." 

 "Thank you so much. How should I pay you for this?" 

 "Uhm." 

Their conversation halted after someone snatched their attention. The already beautiful-looking man glowed even more after seeing the girl with thick glasses and short bob black hair. Eirin's mouth went agape. 

 'Is he in love?'