章 8: Second Day
After the entrance ceremony, the five of us decided to visit the patisserie Erika had recommended. She described it as a "French canteen with delicious desserts." We enjoyed our lunch together while engaging in casual conversation, with the ladies leading the discussion and Tatsuya and I listening attentively.
When I returned home, darkness had already fallen. As I entered the house, Jarvis, my AI assistant, greeted me with his warm and professional voice. We exchanged pleasantries, and then I asked him about the stock market's performance for the day.
While taking off my shoes, I engaged in a conversation with Jarvis, who appeared as a complex holographic projection. He informed me that we had earned 3 million USNA dollars from the stock market and predicted that the stocks would continue to rise in the coming days.
Feeling a sense of satisfaction, I proceeded to my room and began to prepare for the tasks ahead. I contemplated the idea of acquiring a bankrupt tech company to establish my business empire, and I entrusted Jarvis with the necessary arrangements. He created a false identity and handled the legal aspects to ensure our anonymity.
---
April 4, 2095, marked my second day as a high school student in this world.
The curriculum emphasized the study of magic alongside regular subjects. I left my residential area and headed to the Minato Cabinet Station to catch a ride. The cabinet, a small linear vehicle with a central control system, had replaced crowded trains.
At the station, I attracted attention as people whispered and stared in awe. Ignoring their gaze, I put on my earphones and selected a rock song on my prototype mobile terminal. The music drowned out the bustling noise as I boarded the cabinet and closed my eyes, enjoying the music during the journey to Hachioji.
In the classrooms, students formed groups and engaged in conversations, buzzing with excitement. Fifteen minutes before the first bell, Haku, wearing his earphones, drew all eyes to him. His imposing presence filled the corridor, leaving the chattering students captivated by his aura. Amazement mixed with envy as they marveled at his striking physical beauty.
As I entered the classroom, all attention shifted to me. With a pleasant smile, I greeted everyone and introduced myself as Yuki Haku. The students erupted with expressions of amazement and admiration. I made my way to the front of the class, searching for my assigned desk. Erika called out to me, inviting me to join their group, which included Mizuki, Tatsuya, and an unfamiliar man.
After removing my earphones, I apologized to Erika and asked her to repeat what she said. This led to a playful exchange between Erika and the unfamiliar man. Meanwhile, Mizuki greeted me with a shy yet gentle voice, and Tatsuya acknowledged my presence before returning to his work.
With the day beginning, I felt a sense of anticipation for the experiences and challenges that awaited me.
After exchanging greetings with some acquaintances, I made my way to the back of the classroom and found my assigned desk.
Once seated, I inserted my ID card into the desk's terminal, which was neatly organized based on the alphabetical seating arrangement. Tatsuya sat in front of me, with a man quietly staring out the window to my left and another man sleeping to my right.
Since everyone seemed engrossed in their world, I began using the integrated terminal to access various information. Course rules, disciplinary regulations, facility usage guidelines, and even the automated activity guide and semester curriculum flashed through my mind as I operated the keyboard.
Suddenly, I felt a gaze coming from the desk on my left. "Can I help you?" I asked without diverting my attention from the screen, maintaining my poker face as was my habit when focused on something.
"Oh, no, sorry if I disturbed you," came the stuttering and surprised response, likely due to my somewhat cold reaction. I paused my typing and turned towards him, saying, "It's okay. I'm Yuki Haku. Nice to meet you. Just call me Haku." I introduced myself, and since handshakes weren't customary here, I simply gave him a small nod.
However, the student's reaction seemed a bit awkward for someone meeting me, causing his cheeks to flush upon seeing my face.
"I'm Yoshida Mikihiko. Nice to meet you, Haku-san. Just call me Mikihiko," he replied nervously.
"You don't need to use honorifics. Just relax," I said with a slight smile, tucking my bangs behind my ears as I turned back to the terminal.
"Ah... alright," he responded, giving a nod.
Just then, the first bell rang, and students began to disperse and return to their seats.
Among them, I noticed Erika, who had been heading towards me, suddenly change direction and abandon her intention to come over when the bell rang.
The other terminal, which had been offline, slowly raised its screen automatically. Simultaneously, a message appeared on the classroom screen in front of us.
"Orientation will begin in five minutes. Please wait at your desks. Students who haven't inserted their ID cards should do so as soon as possible."
Haa...
The message was irrelevant to me, as I had already completed tasks like registering for my chosen classes and online tutoring.
With the sound of the class bell, the classroom door swung open.
To my surprise, it wasn't a late student, but rather a young woman dressed in a suit who entered.
Maintaining my poker face, I observed the woman carrying a large mobile terminal and placing it on the teacher's desk before scanning the entire classroom.
From my seat in the back, it was clear that people were taken aback by this unusual sight. After all, this class relied on online tutoring, and there was no teacher physically present.
However, I had a feeling that this woman wasn't a teacher.
"Well, it seems no one is absent. First of all, congratulations to all of you for coming to school," she said, bowing her head.
Some students returned the bow, but I remained seated upright, offering only a slight nod.
Although I was aware of the local culture, I wasn't accustomed to bowing excessively.
"Nice to meet you all. I'm Ono Haruka, the integration counselor for this school. I'm here to establish a mentoring relationship with each of you, should any of you require counseling on specific matters."
She went on to explain counseling, but I decided to tune it out, as it seemed unnecessary for me.
"Therefore, let's work hard together, everyone."
After speaking in a serious tone, her demeanor suddenly softened.
While I had no interest in counseling, I couldn't deny that this woman had an intriguing aura. I let out a quiet, nonchalant whisper, "Idgaf. Hm~."
She continued with a few more explanations, including course enrollment. At one point, she glanced at the monitor on the teacher's desk and made an "Oh?" expression.
"For those who have already completed enrollment, you're free to leave. However, once the guidance begins, you won't be able to do so, so if you need to leave, please do it now. And don't forget your ID cards."
As soon as those words were spoken, the sound of chairs scraping against the floor filled the classroom.
Without turning around, I noticed a nervous-looking Mikihiko bowing toward the teacher's desk and then swiftly leaving the classroom without glancing left or right.
Seemed a bit too conspicuous, didn't it? Well, I also needed to use the restroom.
I expressed my dissatisfaction, and from the corner of my eye, it felt like the woman was observing not only me but also Tatsuya. Yet, I pretended not to notice her gaze and didn't look back.
---
It was now lunchtime.
Earlier, our group had been exploring the school during orientation.
The five of us had lunch in the cafeteria, where I got acquainted with a guy named Saijo Leonhard.
"Wasn't the workshop tour fun? I'm also aiming to become a Magic Engineer. It'll be really helpful," Mizuki recounted with a soft voice, recalling her experience.
"Yeah, it could be our preparation for the future," Tatsuya added, moving his chopsticks toward his mouth. "Hmm, I wonder if I can work in the same field," mused Leo, rubbing his chin. Erika chuckled and said, "Pfft! That's impossible." It seemed that Erika had a mischievous side, always teasing others.
"What!? Why do I have to eat with you guys?"
"We intended to have lunch together with Mizuki, Haku, and Tatsuya!"
I rolled my eyes and set my chopsticks aside. "If you want to make a scene, do it at home, you two lovebirds," I said, smirking at them.
"Me and him/her? Impossible," they both responded simultaneously.
Tatsuya and I exchanged tired looks.
"Onii-sama!"
Glancing to the side, I saw Miyuki approaching us alone.
"Miyuki?"
"Can I join you for lunch?" Miyuki asked. I stood up with an empty tray in my left hand and said, "Just take a seat here since I'm done eating." I didn't leave right away; I sensed that something interesting was about to unfold.
Leo looked perplexed. "Um... who is she?" he asked, looking at Tatsuya. "She's my younger sister, Shiba Miyuki." Leo's mouth formed an 'O,' seemingly asking if it was serious.
"Greetings, my name is Shiba Miyu--"
"Shiba-san, let's find a larger table."
"Yes, it's better if you leave them alone."
I turned slightly, searching for the source of that disrespectful voice. I spotted a man who seemed to be the leader of a group, standing behind him.
Miyuki's demeanor changed, sensing the tension and worrying that we might argue. "Oh, it's fine. I'll join them."
The boss-man appeared surprised and his attention shifted to the blank logo on my uniform. But when he saw my face, his cheeks turned red.
"Cough! Shiba-san, you shouldn't sit at the same table with this wee--"
I patted Miyuki a few times and said, "Miyuki, I have a mosquito allergy, so I'll leave first." With a smug expression on my face, I turned around and walked away.
The leader of the group was annoyed that his words were cut off. "What?" he exclaimed in irritation.
As I walked away, I heard the sound of a chair scraping against the floor. "Miyuki, I'm full, so I'll go ahead," Tatsuya said. The sound of other chairs rising indicated that they were also fed up with that pretentious guy.
"Oi! Wait, Tatsuya!"
"Tatsuya!"
Perfect! I've been bored for a while now. It seems things will get more exciting after school.
Hahaha! I'll have my revenge next time.
With that thought in mind, a mischievous smile crept onto my face, but I quickly covered it with my hand.
Don't want to laugh alone and appear like a weirdo.
After that incident, as soon as school ended, a golden opportunity presented itself to smack that young master's face.
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