Lycoris Prologue: Hysaka Shirogane

Lycoris...

People see them now and then.

The red spider lilies. They may be beautiful, but their meaning isn't anything to look forward to.

For some reason, I'm attracted to something else. Not the lycoris radiata, but the white spider lilies. What I call... White Lycoris.

They symbolise purity and commitment. They're not really my thing, but something just pulls me toward them.

Every once in a while, I go to this place, filled with white lycoris, within the school, to recharge and reset myself back to zero.

"Look, it's her..."

Whispers were starting back up again.

"Isn't she the misfit?"

"Yeah, I heard she punched Mr Karukawa in the face."

"Mr Karukawa?! The nice Home Economics teacher? Why would she punch him? He's hot too."

"Who knows? People say that she did it since she didn't cook properly and got angry."

"Why is she even here?"

"At least we'll get rid of her when graduation comes around."

And they walk past.

Two second-years walking past. It's like they deliberately want me to hear.

Look, don't misunderstand. It's not like I try to act like a misfit, but there are just some people who cannot be tolerated. Because of the things I do, I'm marked as the 'misfit.'

Take that bitch of a teacher, Mr Karukawa, for example. He secretly flirted with me and even touched my butt. I gave him a good punch to the face for good measure.

He's lucky I didn't blast any spells at him.

Man, I can't wait to enter a high school where no one knows me. I'll be able to reset there and talk with friends. Have a relaxing life.

"Ah, it's getting kind of late now. I should get going home."

I told myself.

--

"Hysaka, you're back."

A woman greeted me at the door.

She looked just as unpleasant as ever.

My stepmother. She married my father after my mother died. I'm not the type of person who would treat someone else differently because they took an irreplaceable spot but I treat her differently because of her goals.

While she was out, I took the liberty upon myself to sneak into my father and stepmother's room to check through her shit.

Turns out, she only wants my father's money. She also seems to want me to warm up to her, so I can let my guard down.

The only reason I haven't told my father is because he's a broken man.

His heart can never be healed.

I take off my shoes and glare at the woman. She's clearly nervous but holds her ground.

"Would you like to go out and shop with me?"

"Using what?"

I asked, abruptly.

She was taken aback slightly.

"W-what do you mean?"

There were plenty of servants on the side, watching, but I didn't care.

"Money. Who's is it? Yours or my father's?"

I pressure her.

She didn't answer. She simply looked down toward the ground as a way to make me feel sorry. Unfortunate for her that I didn't feel any remorse.

"Hysaka!"

A booming voice interrupted the small dispute.

I turned around, looking at the top of the flight of stairs.

A man holding wine looked down at us. His eyes were filled with... nothing as per usual.

Everyone turned their attention to the master of the mansion. His anger was being rained down on me.

"Do not speak to your mother like that!"

He screamed, breaking the glass of wine in his hand.

"N-no, it's fine! It's only natural she would be like this. I mean... I'm not her mother, after all..."

She trailed off.

I ignored my father, and the bitch, and strolled up the stairs toward my room. I snapped my fingers and my maid came to my side.

I silently walked past my father. He looked like he had something to say.

"You... Listen to me when I speak!"

"You never listened when I wanted to speak. Always focused on Shirogane Enterprises. Not that I give two shits about it."

"Come back here!"

I entered my room, escaping my father's scream.

After half an hour or so, I settled into my room and laid on the bed, staring at my white lycoris poster on the ceiling.

Creepy, isn't it?

I guess maybe because both of my guardians are absolute bitches, I need some time to cool off. And that's in my room.

The only people who aren't bitches in this house are the servants.

My servant, especially.

She's two years older than me, 16, however, she acts like a mother. It surprises me sometimes.

"Did you get into another fight today?"

"No."

"Then, tell me, why did the school call us saying that you punched the Home Economics teacher.

She demanded.

"Well, Ethia, that's not a fight. It's a one-sided beatdown."

I negated.

"And yet, you still resorted to violence."

She sighed.

"It's March and you graduate tomorrow. You'll be released soon. Please do the best you can."

"Waiting until tomorrow isn't something I want. I can just not go tomorrow and be free."

As I turned to look at Ethia, my maid, she gave me a stony look.

"W-what?"

I asked.

"Alright, if you go tomorrow, I'll tell you something interesting. Promise me."

Suddenly, her words caught my ears.

Ethia always keeps her word. And if I agree and don't go, I'd be living in a hell hole. I'm wiser than that.

I guess I'm going tomorrow after all.

"Okay, I promise."

I promptly said.

Ethia smiled and began talking.

"Okay, so, on the 1st of April, there will an entrance exam for a certain prestigious school for Streia."

"Prestigious? Wait, you mean Altheria?!"

I jumped out of my bed and turned my whole body toward her. The maid nodded.

Altheria is a school any young Japanese Streia wants to go to. The SSS courses: Streia course, Strategist course, Standard course, they're all good.

However, if I can take the entrance exam, I'm definitely heading for the Streia course. The most popular and hardest course to get into.

"Why are they suddenly doing entrance exams? I thought that people who entered Altheria were chosen by invitation and recommendation?"

"Yes, well, they changed the principal this year. Principal Hashima retired."

"That's to be expected. He was 95, after all. Who's the new one?"

"Weissmann Mori. The man who saved everyone in the Shibuya incident."

Suddenly, my heart skipped a beat. Ethia's expression also darkened.

"Well, not everyone."

She corrected herself.

Ah, we accidentally created a mood not worth talking in. I should probably lead us out of it.

Ethia also loved my mother. My mother found her and gave her a position as a servant. She treated Ethia like me. Like a daughter.

"S-so, he just decided to do this?"

I tried getting us out of the gloomy mood. Ethia regained her composure and continued to talk.

"Yes. Apparently, he wasn't pleased with the quality of the nobles chosen from the invitation. So, he made it compulsory for everyone to do the entrance exam."

I guess I have a chance to get in.

Before I wouldn't have been able to get into Altheria without forcing my father but now I can get into the school without having to force my hand or my father's.

"Now, keep your end of the promise. Go to the graduation ceremony tomorrow."

I nodded my head and smiled at her.

--

The ceremony itself was boring as fuck.

I just sat down and listened the whole time. It was so boring. I would've slept but I know the people around me would do something to me.

Now, I can go home.

I kept my promise to Ethia and that's all I really care about.

"Oi, bitch."

Someone called out to me, but I didn't react.

"Hey, she's talking to you."

"Shirogane, turn around."

Someone grabbed my shoulder and spun me around. I saw three girls. The one in the middle was the most troublesome.

Elira Farmuth, the girl who's bullied me the most.

"You're not going to stay for the pictures?"

She asked in a sarcastic tone. Her ugly pig friends behind her laughed their heads off.

I don't get what was so funny about that. She hasn't even gotten to the part where she roasts me yet.

"Nope."

I replied, simply.

"Of course not, the school wouldn't want to put up any pictures of their misfit!"

They all laughed. Elira's friends just laughed along with her. One of them even snorted disgustingly.

I grimaced when I heard it.

"Speaking of misfits, I may have become one myself."

Elira spoke.

"How?"

I just went along with the flow of the conversation. If I ignored her, she would have followed me all the way home.

No one knows I'm the daughter of the CEO of Shirogane Enterprises. They'd probably curse at me more if they found out. Not that that option is too bad.

"I... have a Singularity."

Both of her friends shook as I merely stared at her with surprise.

For those who are reading for the first time, let me explain what a Singularity is.

Superhumans, Streia, have the ability to perform magic and the like. They also have increased physical ability. But what some also have is a unique ability that only they have.

Those are called Singularities.

"What is it?"

"A water sword."

Sorry, but I could make a water sword from spell casting.

She noticed my mocking look. Elira walked toward me and looked me in the eye as she spoke to my face.

"Motherless bitch."

She said.

Before she knew it, and I knew it, Elira was slammed to the ground. She just suddenly crashed to the ground.

Well, let me tell you this.

I also have a Singularity.

It's nothing special; it's... Gravity.

People started to crowd around. I wonder how I was supposed to explain this one to Ethia...