Part 1
"Class 1A… Class 1A…" Kaito muttered, scanning the signs while students bustled through the hallways in every direction.
"Hurry up, Kaito! I want to grab a good spot before everything fills up!" Seri rushed ahead with her usual energy.
"With what I've seen of humans and their system…" Ayame cut in, her calm but firm voice carrying easily over the noise. "I doubt we'll be free to choose a 'good spot.'"
"And there it is," she added, flicking her tail toward a large classroom whose door bore golden letters: Class 1A.
"Thanks, Ayame," Kaito said with a smile.
"It was nothing," the kitsune replied, stepping inside with serene grace.
Kaito glanced at her from the corner of his eye. Since yesterday, Ayame had seemed… distant. Was she avoiding him because he was human?
He shook the thought away. It didn't make sense—yet the unease gnawed at him.
Inside the classroom, the desks were arranged in rows of four.
Like a kid at a festival, Seri darted to one of the front tables and slapped her hands down with a grin.
"Kaito! Ayame! Look at this spot! You can see everything from here!"
Before they could answer, four blonde girls swept in with smug airs. One of them—a light elf with brilliant golden hair—stepped forward.
"Ahem… girl, could you move?" she said coldly, folding her arms. "Only high-ranking nobles are allowed in this section. People like you sit in the back."
"Hah? A light elf?" Seri narrowed her eyes. "And what exactly do you want? I got here first."
The blonde ran her gaze up and down Seri as if examining an insect.
"As expected, fire elves are so wild. Although in your case… are you even really a fire elf? I thought they were supposed to be… bigger."
With that, she thrust her chest out ostentatiously.
A vein bulged on Seri's forehead.
"Big? I'll show you big when I beat the crap out of you, you blonde cow!" she shot back with a mocking tone. "Don't act superior just because you've got extra fat! I'm slim, got it? S-l-i-m!"
She stuck out her tongue like a spoiled child.
"What did you just say, brat?!"
Before the argument could explode, Kaito's voice rang out from the stairs.
"Seri, that's enough! Leave them and come over here."
The fire elf spun around, almost skipping.
"Right, I shouldn't waste my precious time on talking cows." With dramatic flair, Seri trotted back to Kaito and Ayame like nothing had happened.
"That arrogant brat…" the light elf muttered, clenching her fist.
"Forget her," one of her companions said. "She's just a commoner."
The blondes took the front seats, laughing with smug delight.
"Making friends already?" Kaito asked dryly as Seri returned.
"You know how it is—elf stuff. The light ones think they're gods on earth."
"I see that problem isn't exclusive to humans…" Ayame added with a bitter twist of her lips.
At that moment, a group of boys strode up, carrying themselves with arrogance. Leading them was a brown-haired youth with a hairstyle so polished it screamed effort. He introduced himself with an inflated voice.
"Good morning, commoner. My name is Lauriano Vandergart, son of House Vandergart. My father is a count."
Kaito had already seen enough anime to know exactly where this conversation was headed.
"Greetings. I'm Kaito Amakawa, of the Amakawa family. This is Seri Flames of Amakawa… and Ayame Tsukiko, priestess of Aurora. What do you want from us?"
Lauriano raised an eyebrow, smirking.
"Well, at least you have manners for a lowborn. But let's get to the point: my friends and I are interested in the kitsune. How much for her?"
Kaito's eyes hardened instantly. Ayame shrank back, trembling, her past rushing back to haunt her.
"Ayame is a free kitsune. She doesn't belong to me or to anyone," Kaito said firmly.
"Come on, don't be like that… Just name a price."
Kaito was ready to snap back in anger when a melodious voice cut through the air behind the boys.
"What part of 'she's a free kitsune' didn't you understand?"
The young men spun around.
"And who the hell do you think—"
The words died in their throats the moment they saw her: a girl with soft pink hair and golden eyes, smiling so brightly it seemed to light up the whole classroom.
"Eh? Were you going to say something?" Mirai asked, tilting her head with serene confidence.
Lauriano clicked his tongue, unable to reply. With a frustrated scowl, he turned on his heel and left with his group.
"Thanks for that," Kaito said, bowing his head slightly.
"Some nobles never understand that people aren't livestock," Mirai replied, her gaze softening as she looked at Ayame, who still hugged her tail nervously.
Without hesitation, she dropped into the seat beside them—nestled right between Kaito and Ayame.
"Why sit with us commoners?" Kaito asked, curious. "Aren't you worried about what others might think?"
Mirai leaned back in her chair with a mischievous grin.
"I couldn't care less what anyone thinks. If I want to be here, I'll be here. End of story."
She folded her arms, flashing a proud smile.
"I specifically asked to be in this class."
"Eh? Why?" Seri leaned toward her, intrigued. "Is this class special or something? Are the teachers the best?"
Mirai shook her head as if the answer were obvious.
"I already told you. Because I want to. I like being with you guys… You're real people, not masks pretending to be something they're not."
Her words struck the three of them straight in the heart.
Then Mirai gently took Ayame's hands in her own.
"Don't worry… As long as I'm with you, I won't let anyone mess with you again."
The kitsune blinked in surprise. For the first time in what felt like forever, a ray of hope flickered inside her—a tiny spark of light in the darkness. A timid, but genuine smile found its way to her lips once more.