——The beginning always reveals itself as an extension of the ordinary.
Waking up is always sudden. It arrives with a jolt.
"Come oooon! It's morning already, so get uuuup!"
"Gueh!?"
Something slams into my midsection, yanking me from the depths of sleep in one violent pull.
No — "yanked out" doesn't quite capture it. "Launched" would be more accurate.
My lungs empty out. I groan in agony and pry my eyes open.
There, filling my vision, is a familiar, adorable face.
"…Good morning, you sorry excuse for a sister."
"Good morning, you sorry excuse for an older brother. It's already getting late, so if you don't get up soon, we'll be late. And then Papa and Mama will lecture us about it."
The girl on my stomach rolls sideways as she lectures me, completely oblivious to my sour tone.
She has pale cream-colored hair arranged in ringlets and the delicate features of a porcelain doll. At home, her reputation is firmly that she's perfectly lovely as long as she keeps quiet and stays still — but she's even more endearing when she moves around and chatters with that animated expression of hers.
"Allow me to introduce her: Natsuki
"Who are you even explaining that to? Nii-cha— you're such a weirdo, Subaru."
"If you're going to call me that far, why not just go all the way? You haven't called me 'nii-chan' in a while, and it makes your big brother lonely."
"D-don't be ridiculous — if you've got time to say stupid things like that, how about getting up?! If you don't hurry, we'll cause trouble for those sisters again!"
"Now that would be bad. Okay, let me get dressed. Beako, help me undress."
"I'm not doing that for you!"
She pelts me with her pillow. While I'm wincing from the hit, Beatrice has already marched out of the room.
Even after our heartwarming brotherly exchange, she gave me that reaction — maybe she really is going through a rebellious phase. She won't take baths with me anymore either, and on top of that, she changed what she calls me.
I feel like it's not great for a little sister to be so casual with her older brother, but our parents are both the permissive type — or rather, just lazy about everything — so they're perfectly lenient about it.
As the big brother, I really should be the one to put my foot down.
"…And yet, with that thought, I efficiently finished getting dressed and headed to the living room."
Changed into my uniform, I sling my bag over my shoulder — empty, as always — and make my way downstairs. The faint smell of toasted bread drifts through the air, and the dining table is already set for breakfast.
"Morniiing!"
"Hey hey, morning morning!"
When I walk through the door into the dining room, a middle-aged man greets me with a beaming smile.
I give him a deliberately cold response, and the middle-aged man pouts with a displeased look.
"Hey now, what's with the cold shoulder, son? Why don't you learn a thing or two from your little sister's sweetness and warmth?"
"What? Beako was actually humoring you with her 'morning morning'? That's too kind of her."
"B-because if I didn't, Papa would make this really sad face! It would be terrible if there was discord in the family because of Betty!"
Despite being an elementary schooler, my little sister is already grappling with some seriously complex social dilemmas.
Well, her classmate Petra-chan also happens to know quite a few sophisticated phrases, so maybe that's just the standard for elementary kids these days.
Seriously, the acceleration of this country is unstoppable.
"So, what's on the menu this morning?"
"Obviously! Mayonnaise toast, mayonnaise soup, salad with mayonnaise, and mayonnaise-braised fish."
I crack my neck and sit down just as Mom brings over the toast. As you can gather from her "obviously," our family's menu is pretty much fixed. Even when it splits between Japanese and Western dishes, the main element is always the same — namely, mayonnaise.
"Get your own 'my mayonnaise' from the fridge. And if you need more mayonnaise, help yourself."
"Got it. But seriously, when you think about it, this is a pretty insane conversation. A family where 'my mayonnaise' gets thrown around like it's the most normal thing in the world — we've gotta be a minority."
"…Betty thought this was completely normal, and then Petra laughed at me like it was the most ridiculous thing ever, and I've been traumatized ever since."
I sympathize with my sister's haunted expression as I retrieve everyone's personal mayonnaise jars from the fridge. Our whole family are mayonnaise fanatics — the kind who each own their own private stash. Having said that, I love mayonnaise too. Beako has her own strong opinions on the subject as well.
With this kind of casual banter, the Natsuki family's morning begins.
Father, Mother, me, and my little sister — a family of four. We deal with the occasional rebellious outburst from my slightly younger sibling, but overall, a reasonably peaceful and happy daily life — that's what I'd call "the everyday."
"—Mm."
Mayonnaise toast — bread spread with mayonnaise and toasted just enough to melt it. As I savor the flavor, the intercom rings.
A glance at the clock tells me it's right around the time I usually leave.
"Huh, guess I took it easier this morning than I thought."
I cram the rest of the toast into my mouth and wash it down with mayonnaise soup. Shouldering my bag, I stand up — and at the exact same moment, Beako finishes packing her randoseru.
"…What are you staring at?"
"Nothing, I was just thinking you always look great with that school bag. You're the best randoseru-wearer I've ever seen."
"D-don't try to butter me up like that — you won't get anything out of it!"
I pat the blush spreading across Beako's cheeks and head for the front door together. Behind us, Dad and Mom are doing their usual lovey-dovey thing, so I slip out the door with a quick "we're heading off."
After changing into our outdoor shoes and stepping outside— "Good morning, Subaru-kun."
The one greeting me is a girl with shoulder-length blue hair — my childhood friend,
Rem welcomes me today with her usual flower-like smile and bright, cheerful voice. Her navy blazer and short skirt are striking, and every time I see her, it feels fresh.
Honestly, even though we're childhood friends, having someone pick you up every single morning like this makes you low-key worried that someone's going to stab you one of these days.
Well, if you asked whether that anxiety would make me stop — no, not really.
"Rem, why are you staring at my face?"
"Oh — nothing. Good morning."
"Good morning."
I was somewhat entranced, but I brush it off casually, and Rem lets it slide without pressing. She's always been the type not to dig too deep into anything confusing. It's a huge relief.
"Good morning, Beatrice-chan."
"Morning. …Every single day, you go through all this trouble for Subaru. Honestly, sisters who dote on their brothers are such oddballs."
"Then wouldn't that make Beatrice-chan an oddball too?"
"Why would Betty be an oddball?!"
With me out of the equation, Beako is getting thoroughly fussed over by Rem. Both Rem and I, as childhood friends, occupy a kind of "neighborhood big sister" role in Beatrice's life — at least from our perspective. Rem is basically treating her like a surrogate little sister, but Beako, perhaps because of her age, refuses to admit it gracefully.
Really, what a pain.
"Oh, speaking of sisters — your sis isn't with you today?"
"If you mean my sister, she's at Roswaal's place this morning. She says she's heading out on an interview trip after lunch and won't be home, so she asked to borrow the house key to clean up while she's gone."
"Always so diligent… As someone who knows
The Ram I just mentioned is Rem's twin sister. Where Rem is gentle and brimming with empathy, Ram is stern with a much narrower range of compassion. They look identical, but their personalities are as different as soft and hard.
Lately, Ram has apparently gotten rather invested in a famous novelist she happened to meet. Word has it she's been aggressively pursuing him and has apparently received a spare house key.
Hearing raw, unfiltered love-life gossip about a female classmate — someone you know well, no less — is oddly painful.
Rem either doesn't notice or doesn't care; she just tilts her head with an innocent expression, so I decide not to dig into it further.
"Come on, how long are you going to loiter in front of the house chatting? Let's get to school."
"Right, right. Shall we get going, then?"
"Yes, let's depart."
Slings my bag over my shoulder, and the three of us walk off together — Beatrice in the middle, me on the road side. Without Ram around, this three-person formation tends to be the natural default for the morning commute.
"Come to think of it, in this morning's fortune, Subaru-kun was the luckiest one today."
"Really? Huh, maybe something good is in store. We don't watch TV in the morning at my place."
"You're supposedly going to have a wonderful encounter. The first girl you meet today will be your destined partner."
"The first girl I meet today should be Beako."
"Oh, my mistake. The third girl you meet today will be your destined partner."
"Those fortune details are that specific?!"
Third — so who would that be? Does Mom even count as a "girl"? If she does, then Rem would be third. But does a "destined encounter" really apply to someone you've known forever?
Actually, the bigger question is whether my sister and mom should even count as "girls" in the first place.
"Oh my, what a coincidence running into you here!"
"Hey there — good morning,
Craning my neck as we walk, the person who calls out to us is a familiar face.
A pale-skinned beauty with white hair, dressed in black like mourning clothes. She lives in a large mansion midway along our walking route with her sisters — a family with some kind of backstory. She's the eldest… no, third daughter, wasn't she?
Echidna-san, the college student.
"Coincidence? Did something come up?"
"More like something went missing, if anything. As you know, my hopelessly slothful older sister has vanished. She went out for a walk and never came back, so I'm out looking for her. Have either of you seen her along the way?"
"
"I haven't seen her today. Last time, she went out to take out the trash and ended up falling asleep at the dump site, right? Mimi from the collection crew said she was a sight…"
The eldest daughter of Echidna-san's family, Sekhmet, is famous for being gorgeous but also a world-class slouch. She has a habit of wandering around in what's basically underwear, which is appreciated by teenage boys, but she gives off more of a "sad beauty who needs someone to take care of her" vibe than a seductive older sister — a real waste.
"Well, that aside…"
"Hm? What is it? Why are you staring at me — is something wrong?"
I rest my chin on my hand and stare at Echidna-san. She's beautiful.
Incidentally, if I don't count Mom, this Echidna-san would be the third girl I've seen today — so is she my "destined encounter"?
"It's embarrassing when a boy stares at me like that, you know. I am a girl, after all… Besides, I'm not really dressed up today. I only came out to look for my sister."
"That's right, Subaru-kun, don't. You're making Echidna-san uncomfortable. You should stay calm and think about who the third girl really was — that's what Rem believes. I'm Rem."
"Your wishful thinking is just pouring out, isn't it? But Subaru, you should stay away from this woman."
"Why are you two so hostile all of a sudden?!"
Even Echidna-san was clearly joking, but my childhood friend and little sister are gripping my arms with deadly seriousness. It's kind of scary.
Fortune results probably aren't reliable at all, but girls really do take this stuff seriously.
"Echidna! My sister wasn't at the dump site after all!"
And just then, a new arrival charges onto the scene.
The figure barreling toward us at full speed is an explosively busty loli — her chest bouncing with violent momentum.
This blonde, blue-eyed beauty is Echidna-san's sister, the second daughter— "
"Mmph! Oh — Rem, Beatrice, and Natsuki. What are you doing out here?"
Minerva-san skids to a halt with enough force to gouge the ground, then instantly brightens up.
Yet another beauty. Without thinking, I grab Minerva-san's hand— "Excluding Mom and my sister, Minerva-san, you're the third girl — which means you're my destined partner!"
"Fwha!?"
I squeeze her soft, slender hand tightly. Minerva-san's eyes dart between my face and her captured hand. Back and forth. Back and forth. Her face rapidly turns scarlet — completely, utterly red.
Her mouth begins to quiver— "B-but I'm just a housewife!"
"No problem. I'll provide for you."
"A-and I'm clumsy!"
"No problem. I'll love you even like that."
"B-but I have to fight for world peace!"
"No problem. You are my world."
"———!"
Her face turns the color of a boiled octopus, and Minerva-san starts stamping her feet on the ground.
Crap, she's actually adorable. I may have pushed it too far.
There's a scary part of me that feels like if I just kept pushing, I could make her my wife — but has no one ever properly courted someone this cute before she reached this age?
"Sister, calm down. It's just Subaru-kun's usual joke."
"…R-really?"
"Affirming that honestly would make me too much of a garbage man, so… true — ow, ow, ow! Rem-san, your heel is digging into the top of my foot—"
Rem grinds her heel into my foot with a smile, and I have no choice but to wave the white flag.
Watching this, Minerva-san presses a hand to her ample chest and sighs deeply.
"R-right. Ahh — that scared me! I was so startled, I think my chest actually shrank a little."
"The loss of humanity!"
"You're so annoying! You idiot!"
Minerva-san prods me with her finger, but despite the apparently forceful poke, it somehow feels good. Weird.
"Anyway, if we haven't seen her, we haven't seen her. That settles it."
"Oh my, rejected. It seems our big brother here has caused quite the offense by being taken away."
"That's not what's going on! Ugh, that's exactly why it's so annoying!"
Maybe Beako's just upset about losing precious morning time, because she puffs out her cheeks in irritation. That said, she has a point — there's really nothing Rem or I can do to help Echidna-san's search. School's about to start, so we should probably excuse ourselves.
"Sorry we couldn't be of more help."
"No, no. Young people should prioritize their studies. This is, after all, a matter for our family."
"You sound like an old person."
"I'm a college student with oodles of free time — I'm speaking from a position of temporal privilege."
"Since I'm just a housewife helper, I've got loads of time too!"
"But you don't actually help with housework at all, do you, sister?"
"Well then, she's just like Subaru's sister's sister."
"I'm not sure they're on the same level…"
I don't quite follow the logic, but I promise to let them know if we spot Sekhmet on the way, and the two of us part ways with them.
Watching Minerva-san dash off and Echidna-san stroll leisurely, I'm struck by how utterly different these sisters are in personality. Well, both are gorgeous, at least.
"Subaru-kun. Subaru-kun."
"Yes yes, what is it, Rem-san?"
"About the morning fortune — I think the real answer was actually a two-letter name that starts with 'Re' and ends with 'mu.'"
"The fortune was that specific?!"
△▼△▼△▼△ "Ahhh! Beatrice-chaaaaan!"
"Petra, is it?"
After parting ways with Echidna-san and the others, we're strolling along when we reach a fork in the walking path.
This is where we say goodbye to Beako, who's heading to elementary school. Waiting at the fork is a girl with reddish-chestnut hair and round, cute eyes.
She's Beako's friend and classmate — Petra-chan.
"Good morning, Subaru-nii-san, Rem-nee-san."
She bows her head to both of us with a polite little "pekko." What a well-mannered girl.
In terms of cuteness, Beako doesn't lose out at all, but when it comes to charm and warmth, Petra-chan takes the prize. Though Beako is plenty cute once you get past her guard.
"Hmm? You look like you have something to say — go ahead and say it."
"I know all your good qualities, little sister. Just me, though."
"What do you mean 'just me'?! I'm not hiding anything! They overflow abundantly!"
She jiggles her ringlets at me accusingly, so I pat her head and reassure her — "I know, I know." Unfortunately, this only seems to make her angrier. Young girls are genuinely difficult to figure out.
"It's all right, Subaru-nii-san. I know lots of Beatrice-chan's good qualities too."
"That's right — Petra-chan, you're reliable. At school too, please look after Beako."
"Yes, leave it to me! …Um, nii-san — how about my good qualities? Do you understand them?"
"Of course. Petra-chan is considerate, well-mannered, kind-hearted, you're Beako's friend, and above all, you're a beautiful young girl with a bright future."
"E-ehehe…"
Petra-chan unconsciously leans her head toward me, and I instinctively reach out to pat it.
Apparently, patting other people's kids isn't socially acceptable these days, but Petra-chan has a natural power that compels it. I feel like every time we meet, I end up petting her head. If this were calculated, it'd be incredible. Nah — no way.
"Hmph."
"Buh."
"Why are you two pouting?"
"It's nothing."
"Don't worry about it."
They both turn away from me with a "mph!" and I can only throw my hands up.
When girls say "it's nothing" or "don't worry about it," there's always something and you absolutely should worry — at least, that's what I believe. But this time, I genuinely have no idea.
"Petra-chan, do you understand?"
"I'm a kid, so I don't."
Fair enough.
As I'm accepting this, Petra-chan slips free of my palm. She takes Beako's hand, then bows to Rem and me.
"We should get going now.
"A class monitor who trashes the classroom — what kind of scenario is that?!"
"That's Typhon's specialty, isn't it. —Fine, we're off!"
Beako lets Petra-chan drag her away, speaking with a look of resigned exasperation.
Rem and I wave goodbye to the two elementary schoolers as they run off down the path.
"Well then, shall we head to school too?"
"Subaru-kun, do you really, truly understand Rem's good qualities?"
"You're cute."
"…If you think you can always get away with just saying that, you are sorely mistaken."
But the irritation has vanished from her voice, so I guess she's let me off the hook.
I really should take this more seriously, but this approach has worked ever since we were kids, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't taking advantage of it.
"Ohh, so the cap'n is spoilin' Rem again, huh?"
"Aaah — cough cough. I was gonna watch over them, but…"
These voices reach me just as I'm about to start walking with Rem's head lowered.
I turn around. There, emerging from behind an electrical pole right at the center of the fork, are two small shadows. One is a boy in a school uniform, the other a girl in a sailor outfit.
Both are faces I know well — or rather, faces all too familiar.
"Garfiel and
"N-nothin' wrong with us bein' wherever we wanna be, right, boss? Look who's talkin' — you keep breakin' girls' hearts left and right every single day, don't ya, Daphne?"
"Cough cough — I was just staking out the usual spot for Ram-ram, as always. Daphne didn't want to be dragged out searching for Mete-mete either, so she was playing with me."
"Wait — Daphne?!"
The boy, Garfiel, had been looking smug — but he's instantly sold out by the girl, Daphne.
His grin turns to panic, and now it's my turn to be the one looking composed.
"Heh, oh, really? Actually, you're the one who does this all the time. Right back at you — aren't you going to give up? Ram is crazy about that novelist, you know?"
"Th-that's my business, ain't it?! Besides, once I become a novelist too, we'll be on equal ground!"
"I admire the resolve to determine your entire future for the sake of the girl you love, but…"
Garfiel's enthusiasm aside, I'm torn about whether I should share the cruel truth. I'm worried about whether Garfiel's noggin can produce anything resembling a novel, and more to the point, Ram doesn't choose who she likes based on their profession anyway.
"Well, I don't think you could write a novel with Garf's brain, and besides, Ram-ram doesn't like the novelist job itself, does she?"
"Thanks for saying all the things I was too tactful to say."
My every concern has been neatly demolished, and I feel my spirits sink — though I'm still in better shape than Garfiel, who has collapsed to his knees. But Garfiel is nothing if not stubborn. Even on the verge of having his spirit broken, that indomitable fighting spirit won't let him stay down.
"Garfiel, are you okay? The wound looks shallow."
"Heh — thanks, boss. But I ain't losin'. …Oh yeah, Ram isn't here today, huh?"
"If you mean my sister, she's at Roswaal's place this morning. She went to borrow the house key since she'll be looking after the place while she's gone."
"Gwahh!"
"G-Garfiel—!!"
Rem's innocent words strike like a blade. Garfiel crumples.
It's rough enough for me with my friend filter — but through Garfiel's lovestruck filter, the impact of hearing "spare house key" is devastating beyond measure.
No words of comfort can reach him now.
"See, this is Garf through and through — even his useless parts are part of the charm. Ah, Subaru and friends, you can head on ahead. I'll handle things from here."
Daphne flashes a surprisingly sultry smile for a middle schooler, then grabs Garfiel's legs. She starts dragging him away — and I reflexively reach out to stop her, but— "There's no need to worry. Garf is hopelessly soft-hearted, and being gentle just makes him weaker. Besides, once we're at school, there are plenty of kids who won't let him stay mopey for long, so it's fine even if he's a little down."
"R-really?"
"Yes, please don't worry. Well then, see you later~"
Daphne tilts her head with a sweet smile and drags Garfiel off.
At this point, stopping them would be pointless. Middle schoolers have their own storylines, and it's not really our place to butt in.
"If I don't make my peace with that, the darkness inside me will only deepen."
"Captivating such an innocent middle schooler… Big sister really is something!"
"I can't just agree with that!"
Incidentally, Daphne is the fifth daughter of the sisters, with Sekhmet as the eldest. Don't get it wrong.
Still, what a day this is turning out to be — event after event since morning.
△▼△▼△▼△ After parting with the middle schooler duo, Rem and I arrive at Lugnica Academy without further incident.
Lugnica Academy is a school steeped in old traditions, but it's been trying to keep up with the times, which results in a somewhat jumbled impression — modern elements haphazardly mixed in with the old.
For me, who enrolled purely because it's close to home, the school's relatively hands-off atmosphere is comfortable enough.
"Ah, Subaru-kun. It looks like they're doing a bag check at the gate this morning."
"Meaning it's the student council. A surprise inspection first thing in the morning — what a pain."
Rem, with her excellent eyesight, spots the commotion at the main gate where students are crowding in.
As we get closer, I can see it too. Bag checks and "courtesy week" — these kinds of morning events don't happen often at Lugnica Academy.
That is, since the student council became the well-oiled machine it is now. And at the core of that well-oiled machine is the outstanding woman leading the bag check personally.
"
"Hey, Student Council President."
"Good morning, Crusch-san."
Standing at attention with her navy blazer pressed immaculately straight — that's
Long green hair and striking, dignified features. Despite wearing a girl's uniform, there's a masculine quality to her bearing — though the parts that are supposed to show still show, which makes her a girl. So "warrior-like" would be more accurate than "manly."
"As you can see, we're conducting a bag check this morning. I'd like your cooperation."
"Sure, check all you want. My bag's empty."
"Boasting about that isn't exactly something to be proud of — but point taken. Interesting."
"I really don't need you getting fired up about this—?"
Crusch takes my flat bag, swiftly inspects the contents, and shakes her head. The faint curve at the corner of her lips is dashing enough to put any Takarazuka star to shame.
"Okayyyy! Then I'll check Rem-chan's bag —
Chiming in from the side is Crusch's partner, Ferris.
Ferris is, as always, sporting his trademark cat-ear headband and a skirt hemmed dangerously short as he begins checking Rem's belongings.
He's the kind of existence that fundamentally breaks the "girls check girls' bags" concept.
Because this guy is— "He wears the girls' uniform better than most actual girls, but doesn't anyone complain about a guy checking girls' bags?"
"No issue. It's well-established fact that Ferris's femininity surpasses that of ordinary girls. The number of boys who hand me their bags versus the number of girls who hand Ferris theirs is nearly identical."
"Never mind the girls — the boys doing that must have some kind of fetish… I'm not one of them, but being lumped in with them by association makes me uncomfortable!"
It's one thing for Ferris to have a natural route to Crusch's bag, but I'm suddenly worried about what everyone around me thinks of how I casually handed mine over too.
Beside us, Ferris is methodically inspecting Rem's belongings.
"Oh my, oh my? What's this manly-looking pencil case?"
"It's a spare, in case Subaru-kun forgets his writing implements."
"And what about this notebook that's the complete opposite of cute?"
"That's where Rem copies out Subaru-kun's homework in his handwriting."
"Hmm hmm — then how about this bento?"
"I secretly prepared it in case Subaru-kun can't buy anything at the school store and falls into despair during lunch."
"All right, let's make Subaru-kun do the next punishment duty!"
"That makes no sense!"
Okay, actually it makes perfect sense. I understand! But understanding doesn't make it better!
I ignore Ferris's cold verdict and rush over to Rem, shaking her by the shoulders.
"Rem, I keep telling you this — you don't need to worry about me like that!"
"I'm sorry. Rem is trying to be better about it, really. But whenever I imagine Subaru-kun failing at something and breaking down in tears, I just can't sit still, so I end up having every possible contingency prepared."
"I appreciate the sentiment, but forgetting a mechanical pencil, or not finishing homework, or missing lunch — I'm not going to cry over those things!"
I've never once wailed over something so trivial, so how helpless does Rem still think I am? At one point, rumors spread through the class that Rem was my personal caretaker, and the possibility that I'm genuinely that dependent has been haunting me ever since.
"Ah, youth is a wonderful thing, Crusch-sama."
"Indeed. Ferris and I make each other's bento too — I don't think there's anything shameful about that. But if you're tired of being waited on hand and foot, you should show your gratitude once in a while."
"I put Crusch-sama's favorite tamagoyaki in today's bento. The sweet kind."
"And I put your favorite tamagoyaki in mine too. The salty kind."
Ignoring the lovey-dovey student council president and vice president, I extract Rem's bento from her belongings. Wrapped in a blue cloth, it's one size larger than Rem's own lunch and noticeably heavy.
"Seriously, what am I supposed to do with this if I don't eat it?"
"I was thinking you could split it with my sister tonight."
"Don't make it sound so lonely — just say what you really mean. …I'll gratefully take this and eat it properly at lunch. And show me the homework later."
"Yes! I'll look forward to lunch~"
I stuff the bento box into the returned bag and, after the inspection is cleared, turn to head toward the school building with Rem. But before I can, the other side has gotten absurdly noisy.
Over there too, the student council is conducting their bag inspection— "That's — what — I — said! Why do you keep making me repeat the same thing? I'm not saying anything complicated, am I?"
"I too believe I'm speaking in words a simpleton could understand. It's you who dismisses the gist and kicks up a selfish fuss. Ignorant fool — that is your very essence."
"You think using fancy words makes you smart or something? Isn't that embarrassing for a high schooler? It's painful to even watch!"
"And I find it infuriating to have my vocabulary criticized by someone with such vulgar speech. Even my benevolence has its limits."
The intensity of their exchange is spreading an ominous atmosphere across the front gate.
Both women are directing their hostility at each other, and both are strikingly distinctive in appearance.
One looks so young you might mistake her for a middle schooler, with soft purple hair — a beautiful girl.
The other has a figure that puts grown women to shame, and carries an aura of sensuality no high schooler should possess — orange hair, and equally beautiful.
The Kansai dialect belongs to Anastasia, the student council treasurer; the brothel-owner speech pattern belongs to Priscilla, the problem child.
Treasurer and granddaughter of the school board chairperson — these two are constantly at each other's throats.
"Those two at it again, huh."
Even Rem, who'd been watching the commotion, lets out a resigned sigh. Their inability to get along is famous across campus. Priscilla, who insists on asserting her will against everyone and everything, collides head-on with the strong-willed Anastasia — you see it all the time.
Today, Priscilla must have broken the dress code again with one of her custom-modified uniforms.
Well, Priscilla's whole stance is that she has zero intention of following any rule — from dress code to anything else. The fact that she at least shows up in a uniform, even a modified one, is more than you can expect.
"But man, it takes a real piece of work to get that money-grubbing treasurer that angry."
"Anya would appreciate it if you'd refrain from name-calling that damages her reputation."
"Shut—"
From behind us, where we'd been watching the fuss from a distance, a pretentious voice chimes in, raising the hairs on my neck. I turn to see a guy looking down at me from directly behind.
Striking features — the very picture of a refined gentleman. And of course, he's another student council member.
"Julius-senpai, yo."
"I'm not sure why a same-year student would call me 'senpai.' And I'd like you to retract that insult toward Anya. She's simply someone with a strong dedication to money and a hardworking nature."
"That's a pretty blind take, if you ask me."
Julius pushes his bangs aside. He's the student council secretary, or something like that. As you can tell, he's an Anastasia sympathizer — always seen together with her.
"Did you finish your job? If you're slacking off, I'm telling Crusch."
"As it happens, I did finish. There were a lot of female students assigned to me, so it took some time… but everyone was cooperative."
"Issho ka. Aa, issho ka."
He flashes a smile so white it practically gleams, and I wrinkle my face in response. Maybe girls don't pick up on how sketchy he is? No, even the guys rarely badmouth Julius, so I'm probably the only one who's onto his true nature.
Tch. People who see the truth are always lonely.
"Why were those two arguing today?"
"They seemed to disagree about clothing, but the biggest issue was the bag. Apparently Priscilla tried to send her attendant, Al, to carry it to class for her."
"That Al guy — the one with the mask?"
Beside the bickering Anastasia and Priscilla, a man is standing there looking flustered.
He's not particularly tall, but he's built solidly. His age seems comparable to my old man, but without seeing his face, it's hard to tell for sure.
Why can't I see his face? Because Al wears a mask. Rumors suggest burn scars or visible stitches, but my personal theory is that Priscilla just makes him wear different ones on a whim.
Because they change daily, and his personality seems pretty far from the "tragic past" vibe.
Incidentally, Al has a fairly heavy backstory — his left arm is a prosthetic. But with the power of the Priscilla family's connections or something, it's apparently a pretty high-performance model. He once opened a can of peaches with its built-in can opener. Basically a Swiss Army knife arm.
"I've told you a hundred times — outsiders aren't allowed inside! I'm a grown adult, and every time I find someone and lecture them, my heart gets a little more chipped away!"
"That's your own problem. If it bothers you, just ignore Al when you see him. He never sets foot on campus for any reason other than my errands anyway. And without him here, I'd have to carry my own things — and I can't so much as lift a pair of chopsticks."
"The bag's empty anyway, so it's basically the same as carrying chopsticks!"
I can feel Anastasia's frustration escalating with every one of Priscilla's cutting replies.
At this rate, a full-blown catfight could break out — and if it does, it's Anastasia who'll come out worse. Priscilla is surprisingly athletic, and there's a chance she's deliberately provoking her for that reason. No — no, she's not. That's just how she naturally is.
"Anya's clearly at a disadvantage here. I suppose it's time to step in."
"Yeah, do that. If this turns into a catfight and the school nurse, Elsa-sensei, comes out, it's gonna be a massive headache."
Elsa-sensei, who's famous for her sexy looks and equally risqué demeanor, tends to come charging in to "suppress" situations like this, claiming her old blood is stirring or something. Every student who's been subdued and dragged to the nurse's office comes out completely docile, no matter how loud they were before. When asked what happened, they refuse to say anything — and the rumor that persists is something about "a horror and despair-filled intestinal examination."
"Either way, it's almost time for class. Natsuki Subaru and Rem, go on ahead to your classroom. We'll handle the rest."
"Ugh, the short straw falls on us, nya~"
"The one who willingly takes on the thankless tasks — that's our job."
I watch the three student council members head toward the scene of the commotion.
With those three on the case, even Priscilla will probably concede that things aren't going her way.
"Overstayed our welcome. I'm exhausted — let's get to class already."
"There's been a lot going on since morning, hasn't there?"
"Seriously. I really hope that's it for today."
Did my words become a flag? I said it with genuine hope, but apparently God really hates a straightforward narrative.
We change our shoes at the locker and are just about to head to the classroom.
"Hey — Subaru! Receive!"
"Huh?"
From the other end of the corridor, I hear pounding footsteps and that command. Without thinking, I react — dropping my hips low and bracing both hands in front of me, like I'm setting up for a volleyball receive.
And then a small foot lands on my outstretched hands— "Blue Mountain Receive!"
"Huffaah!"
With the kiai of a special move, I pop the weight straight up into the air.
Her light body — not quite volleyball-level, but airborne — lands on top of the shoe locker right behind me. She spins around to face me and— "Shh!"
She presses a finger to her lips: the universal gesture for "stay quiet."
I exchange bewildered glances with Rem, trying to process what just happened— "Oh, perfect timing. Subaru, Rem-san."
Running toward us from the far end of the hall is a handsome guy with a bright, easy smile.
Fiery red hair and sky-blue eyes — or rather, every single feature on him is a signature trait. The perfect being known as Reinhard arrives with a troubled expression.
"Hey, what's up?"
"Nothing major, actually. But have you seen
"Felt-chan? Um…"
Rem shoots me a helpless look, and I get the general idea. I ponder for a moment, sigh, and give in.
"Nah, haven't seen her this morning. Something come up?"
"Not really — I just spotted her, figured I'd say hi and invite her to lunch, but the moment our eyes met, she bolted."
"Still the same as ever, huh. And you never learn."
As a fellow guy, I have to respect Reinhard's persistence, but the question nags at me — why Felt, of all people? A guy that handsome could take his pick. "Take his pick" might be an overstatement, but he certainly shouldn't lack for options.
"I don't think there's a logical reason for it. It's just… that's how it is. Don't you think, Subaru? Rem-san?"
"I dunno…"
"I think so! That's why I'm cheering you on!"
"Thanks, Rem-san."
Despite my ambivalence, Rem is remarkably supportive of Reinhard. He accepts it with a pleased smile, straightens his collar— "Well then, I'll keep looking."
"Why not just wait by the classroom? The bell's about to ring."
"Once I've started looking, giving up first thing just isn't in my nature. At the very least, I'd like to get a proper greeting in."
With that, Reinhard waves and strides off with his characteristic freshness. He's walking at a normal pace, but somehow he seems to vanish from the corridor faster than walking speed should allow. One of life's great mysteries.
Once Reinhard is gone, I sigh and rap on the shoe locker behind me.
"All clear — get down from there."
"All right, that was close~"
A light thud as someone lands on the floor behind me, followed by a brash girl's voice.
Small in stature, with blonde hair, red eyes, and signature fang-like canines — it's Felt. Reinhard's quarry, the school's biggest lucky girl… though she wouldn't agree with that last part.
"Don't be so cold to him. It's kind of pitiful."
"Excuse me? The pitiful one here is me, obviously! Why do I have to get chased around by that guy when I didn't ask for any of it? I'm the victim here!"
"But Reinhard-kun is so passionate — you really don't like him, Felt-chan?"
"Of course I don't. And being dragged around by his misunderstandings isn't fun either. He just saw someone exotic and got all worked up. It's like discovering some rare animal in the wild — same energy. I'm dead serious."
A devastatingly cool dismissal of the most popular boy in school, from the girl he's been pursuing.
Felt is hurtling through a Cinderella story that少女 manga would envy, but unlike everyone else, the protagonist's perspective remains ice-cold.
As Reinhard's friend, her attitude is almost painfully understandable— "Felt's got a point, honestly. That's what makes this so tough."
Reinhard, who's never had to chase anyone before, is about as clumsy as they come in this department. Felt is partly suspicious because of it, and this mismatch in understanding is genuinely frustrating to watch.
"Well, the thing is, people don't really see themselves clearly."
"Yes. That's so true. Really, truly. Completely, absolutely."
"Rem-san? Why are you pressing in on me like that? Did I say something weird?"
"No, it's nothing. But Rem is displeased."
"Whaat?"
She ignores my protest and turns away with a huff.
As I fret over this new friction, Felt brushes the dust off her skirt and stretches with a long "nnngh—!"
"Well then, I'm gonna keep dodging him till the last possible second. If I slip back into the classroom after the bell rings, he can't make any weird moves, right?"
"Only until the next seat change, though. I bet Reinhard would draw your seat — front, back, left, or right — out of sheer tenacity."
"Don't jinx it. Don't ruin my peaceful school life…"
Felt dashes off in the opposite direction from where Reinhard went, her face pale.
Two minutes later, she'd be found, and another furious chase would erupt across campus — but that, well, is another story.
"Now that's finally over. I'm completely out of energy for today."
"Yes. Surely nothing else will happen now."
My wish and Rem's agreement are blended together and offered up to the heavens.
And so, at long last, a peaceful day— "Did you hear, Natsuki-san? Apparently, there's a transfer student coming."
"Read the damn room, moron!!"
"Why am I suddenly getting yelled at out of nowhere!?"
The moment I arrive in the classroom, an atmosphere-deaf remark is hurled at me and I snap.
The target of my wrath is Otto, the classmate who sits behind me. He's wearing his usual unlucky-expression today, and touching my sore spot right off the bat is proof enough.
I drape my bag over my desk, slump into my chair, and launch into my rant.
"Seriously, dude, enough. Transfer students, events — I've already been through a mountain of stuff this morning and I'm wiped. You get that, right? So let's skip it today."
"You can't pin your fatigue on the transfer student, Subaru. Also, you being this wiped out first thing is really ominous — what happened?"
"There were too many characters. I can barely remember my own little sister's name at this point."
"Say that and Beatrice-chan's gonna cry!"
Unfortunately, Beako doesn't have the kind of personality that would actually cry over— actually, wait, she might. She's surprisingly thin-skinned.
No good, no good — Beako crying. You can't win against a crying child, and you can't win against a crying Beako.
"Fine. For Beako's sake, I'll let your transgression slide."
"Thank you very muc— wait, something's off there."
"So, Otto, what's this interesting piece of news you've got for us?"
"Well, it's not me that's 'off' — actually, never mind…"
Rem, seated to my right, joins the conversation, and Otto finally gives up trying to argue. He scratches his head and lowers his voice— "So, the transfer student. I was passing by the faculty room on an errand and caught wind — apparently they're joining our class."
"Setting aside the timing — your move into the 'clueless best friend from the dating sim' role is impressive. While you're at it, can you tell me my affection level with the girls in class?"
"Rem-san is in a league of her own, and after that, you're mostly perceived as someone with a bad attitude."
"Wait, seriously? Seriously? Is that a joke? Which one? Seriously?!"
With the childhood-friend bonus factored in, Rem is at the top — which means the possibility of a shy girl in class secretly harboring feelings for me but unable to confess has been officially eliminated.
"A transfer student — how rare. A boy or a girl?"
"Unfortunately, I didn't catch that level of detail."
"…Haa. I see."
"That sigh hurt more than open insults ever could!"
Otto has firmly established his role as the class punching bag. Today, his screams are sharp and on-point, and even Rem nods with satisfaction.
While we're going back and forth, the homeroom bell rings and students begin filing back into the classroom.
The student council — Crusch, Ferris, Julius, Anastasia — who'd been doing bag checks at the gate, take their seats. Then Priscilla strides in with her usual grandeur, Al trailing behind with her bag. He places it on her desk and promptly retreats.
Looking in the other direction, Ram is already seated in front of Rem, having arrived at some point. She gives Rem a V-sign — seems her meeting with Roswaal went well.
Just before the bell finishes, Reinhard returns. Right around the moment the bell dies, Felt sprints in at top speed.
She sticks her tongue out at Reinhard's gentle smile from across the room.
And with that, the entire class is assembled. The empty seat is at the very back, in the far corner — a position that should have been vacant until now, but somehow a desk has been placed there.
In other words, that's the transfer student's seat Otto had sniffed out.
"They kept us in suspense, but once you see it, it's pretty predictable, huh."
"Subaru, do you have something against me…"
"Oh, Frederica-sensei is here."
Otto is clearly sulking about having his info scooped, but I cheerfully ignore him as the classroom falls silent.
The door opens with a crisp sound, and a tall female teacher with perfect posture enters.
Long golden hair and emerald eyes. A young woman brimming with sharp, energetic presence, her feminine figure wrapped in a crisp suit. The only flaw is the faintly feral quality of her smile, but that's what makes Frederica-sensei feel approachable rather than unattainable.
Incidentally, she's apparently Garfiel's actual older sister — the one I knocked out on the way to school.
"—Stand."
From the front row, Crusch's clear voice rings out. The entire class rises in unison with a thunderous scrape of chairs. Even the capricious Priscilla follows this custom — at this point, it must be hardwired at a genetic level.
"Bow."
"Good morning!"
Loud voices and soft ones overlap into a greeting.
I stand up with moderate seriousness; Rem is ramrod straight and deadly earnest. That's about the balance.
"Sit down."
An even messier cacophony of sounds follows as everyone drops into their seats. A few moments pass as chair-scraping and settling-down noises subside, and finally Frederica-sensei is ready to speak.
"Well then, good morning, everyone. I know some of you might be feeling weighed down at the start of the week, but we teachers feel the same, so please bear with us."
Despite her formal tone, Frederica-sensei drops a surprisingly casual joke. The oppressive Monday atmosphere lightens a touch, and she scans the classroom before pointing at the empty desk.
"I believe most of you already know from that desk over there — or from eavesdropping, Otto-kun — but today, a transfer student is joining this class."
"My eavesdropping is that obvious, huh?"
"Oh? That's strange. I was being extremely careful…"
"Wilhelm-headmaster saw right through you, apparently."
Otto had been tilting his head repeatedly, but the mention of the headmaster makes it click.
Wilhelm-headmaster of Lugnica Academy is someone whose warm, grandfatherly demeanor can't conceal an aura that tells you he's anything but ordinary. He wanders the campus regularly, proactively resolving problems and sharing marital anecdotes.
The consensus is that you can't fool Wilhelm-headmaster's eyes.
"Setting aside
"Indeed — it's rare outside the start of a new school year or semester. Plus, getting a transfer student in high school seems pretty uncommon. It's a manga cliché, though."
"So, the obligatory question about the transfer student — it's a girl!"
Crusch and Ferris chime in, Frederica-sensei confirms, and some of the boys start buzzing. The loudest, as usual, is the class clown — but can't they see that adding yet another beautiful girl to an already capacity-buffed class won't help their chances?
Probably not. Well, I was the loudest one too, so.
"Subaru-kun, you're happy the transfer student is a girl too, aren't you?"
"I'm happy on a formality basis. Though you can get along with a boy just fine — having Reinhard and Julius in the same class is already the biggest tragedy we need. It won't get worse than that."
With the two top guys in school in the same class, there's no point hoping for female attention. The boys' hearts unite as one in shared defeat.
Even if a male transfer student showed up, our community is fully prepared to welcome another victim into its ranks.
"Though honestly, the handsome-to-average ratio is so skewed in both directions that capacity is overflowing. Crusch and Anastasia, Felt and Priscilla, Ram and Rem. Should I count Ferris too?"
"Subaru-kun is also here."
"Some niche community of sanpaku-eye enthusiasts is fiercely supportive!"
I get that Rem's trying to comfort me, but putting stock in the votes of that particular faction means I've been roughed up by the waves of life too long.
So whether male or female, let's welcome them equally as a comrade.
"Anyway — Frederica-sensei, go ahead whenever you're ready."
"Well then, since Natsuki-kun has somehow seized the initiative — permission granted to proceed. —You may enter."
I give a thumbs-up, and Frederica-sensei lets out a wry smile as she calls out.
After a moment's hesitation, the classroom door slowly swings open.
Footsteps. Then a breeze flows into the room.
I'm vaguely awaiting the transfer student's appearance, and when I finally lay eyes on her, I hold my breath.
Long silver hair billowing in the wind. A deep violet gaze looking straight ahead.
Black uniform that might be from her previous school, standing out against porcelain-pale skin. She carries both an ethereal delicacy and a radiant beauty, and both are perfectly suited to her.
Standing there is a girl so stunning that even I — no stranger to beautiful faces — am taken aback.
Behind her, Frederica-sensei writes a name on the blackboard in white chalk. She glances at it, then bows slowly.
And then— "My name is
She says this with a slightly nervous expression, surveying the class— "I'm a little clumsy, but I hope we'll be friends for a long, long time."
"'A little clumsy' is putting it mildly—"
"————"
The words slip out before I can stop them.
Realizing what I've done, I clamp my mouth shut — but she's looking right at me. And as I stare back with wide eyes, she flashes me a brilliant, radiant smile.
I'm captivated by that smile. My heart races involuntarily.
Not the start of a new school year. Not the start of a new semester. Just a regular Monday at the beginning of the week.
A day that should have been ordinary — a day that started out busier than expected — now signals the beginning of something far more chaotic.
From the day she — Emilia — transferred in, my everyday life began to shift in a big way.
*To be continued in "School Re:Zero! Period 2!"*