Because they had made plans to go shopping, Charles and Ikki Kurogane skipped their usual morning training that weekend.
The two of them waited at the entrance to the dorms in casual, everyday clothes—neither looked the least bit conscious of the fact that they were going out with girls.
In contrast, the two girls walking toward them were clearly dressed with care.
Stella wore a knee-length skirt with a canary yellow jacket over it. A stylish beret on her head gave her a youthful and lively charm.
But even she couldn't compare to Shizuku Kurogane, who was dressed in a full gothic princess outfit. Paired with her petite figure and light makeup, she looked like a porcelain doll.
Charles nudged Ikki and said, "A girl dressed up for you—it's a gentleman's duty to say something!"
Ikki finally caught on and walked over to greet Shizuku. Whatever he said made her blush adorably.
Looks like she's the "high offense, paper defense" type.
Stella approached Charles, her face tinged red. "So… how do I look today?"
Charles gave her a thumbs-up. "You look fantastic! That outfit really suits you."
"Thank goodness…" Stella whispered. Though Kagami often teased her, she came in handy at times like this.
Having her help pick an outfit had definitely been the right decision.
Just then, Charles noticed a third person who had come along with Stella and Shizuku.
He was tall and slender, with a melancholy air and striking good looks. Unlike Ikki's more gentle demeanor, this man possessed a truly androgynous beauty.
Stella introduced him, "This is Shizuku's roommate—Arisuin Nagi."
Arisuin Nagi, in a languid voice, said, "Nice to meet you, Charles! But instead of Arisuin Nagi, I prefer being called Alice."
Charles blinked. "Arisuin" did sound like "Alice" when pronounced in Japanese, but the name Alice was unmistakably feminine.
Arisuin seemed to pick up on Charles's confusion and added, "You see… while my body is male, my heart is completely that of a girl."
He was serious—Charles could tell without a shred of doubt that Arisuin wasn't joking.
And it wasn't the kind of psychological issue some might refer to as gender dysphoria. It was a conscious choice, a way of thinking and living Arisuin had embraced. It was, in its own way, a strong declaration of will.
So, being around someone like him didn't feel strange at all…
If that were the only issue.
The real thing Charles was wary of wasn't Arisuin's gender identity—it was his strength.
As far as Charles recalled, the only A-rank freshmen this year were himself and Stella. Including Shizuku, there were fewer than five B-ranks. Arisuin's name wasn't among them.
Which meant, officially, he was no higher than a C-rank. But the aura he carried… told a different story.
His power wasn't the kind that came from brutal training like Ikki's—it was like Stella's, the natural result of raw, overwhelming ability.
Arisuin Nagi's real rank was definitely not low—he might be B-rank or even A.
Worse, his aura carried something dark, sharp… and tinged with blood. If anyone had that kind of presence, it was a professional killer from the underworld.
That put Charles on alert. Why would someone like this hide his real rank and sneak into Pojun Academy? What was his goal?
If only he knew how the story of this world would unfold, he could prepare accordingly.
Still, since Arisuin hadn't shown hostility to anyone, Charles didn't act on his suspicions.
After their greetings, the group headed to the commercial district. Fortunately, it wasn't far from the academy, so Charles was spared the ordeal of dealing with public transportation.
As they walked, Shizuku "casually" grabbed Ikki's hand.
Ikki instinctively tried to pull away, but when he saw Shizuku's sorrowful expression, he couldn't bring himself to say anything.
Stella, on the other hand, struggled. She wanted to hold Charles's hand but couldn't work up the courage.
Walking beside him, she muttered softly while looking at his profile, "Geez, can't boys be a little more proactive?"
Charles didn't catch what she said—but Arisuin did, loud and clear.
He chuckled. "So that's the kind of girl you are, Stella. How cute."
"What are you talking about, Alice?!" Stella blushed furiously, terrified that he'd say something as embarrassing as Kagami usually did.
Arisuin leaned in and whispered, "I understand. Don't worry—I'll quietly cheer you on from the sidelines."
"I-I don't know what you're talking about! Cheering? I don't need anyone cheering for me!" she stammered.
With everyone holding their own thoughts, they soon arrived at the shopping district.
Charles, being a minimalist, quickly took care of his missing daily essentials. The others clearly weren't out just to shop, so they ended up wandering aimlessly through the mall.
Charles now sat on a bench outside a store, his legs trembling.
Stella shouldn't have had better stamina than him—when they first began training, she couldn't keep up at all.
For context, Ikki ran 20 kilometers every morning—not just a jog, but a full-speed burst mixed with controlled pacing, designed to push his cardiovascular system.
Charles had tried it, found it effective, and joined in. Naturally, Stella insisted on joining too.
But on the first day, she collapsed halfway through. On the second day, she barely made it to the end, then promptly vomited all over the place.
Ikki had wanted to slow the pace, but Charles stopped him. Stella had never said she wanted to quit—insulting that determination would be worse.
There was no question—this princess was made of iron.
And yet… when it came to shopping, she somehow unlocked hidden reserves of stamina. Must be one of those innate female abilities.
They were in a men's clothing store now. Shizuku had said she wanted to buy something for Ikki as a reunion gift. So Ikki now stood there, expression blank, while Shizuku and Arisuin fussed over him.
Stella, having had enough herself, looked over and saw Charles sitting outside. She put down the clothes she'd been holding and walked over.
Sitting beside him, she asked, "Aren't you going to look for something that suits you, Charles?"
Charles tugged at the scarf around his neck. "Spare me. I have zero patience for shopping."
Stella's gaze fell on the scarf. It was summer, yet Charles still wore it—that alone was suspicious.
"This scarf is pretty unique. I don't think I've ever seen you take it off." She tried to sound casual.
Charles smiled. "Yeah, it was a gift from someone really important."
That threw Stella completely off. Her voice trembled as she asked, "S-someone important… like, a girlfriend?"
She stared at him intently, afraid to hear a yes.
Charles chuckled. "What are you talking about? I don't have a girlfriend. My adoptive father gave it to me."
Stella froze. "No girlfriend… that's such a relief…"
Charles sweatdropped. How is not having a girlfriend a good thing? That's… kinda hurtful.
Just then, a man in a black coat walked past.
Charles's nose twitched. He stood up abruptly, grabbing the man's shoulder.
Before the man could turn around, Charles seized his neck and slammed his head into the pavement.
The blow was ruthless—the tiles cracked beneath the impact, and the man passed out cold.
"Charles, what are you doing?!" Stella shouted in shock.
The commotion brought the others out of the clothing store, all of them looking toward Charles.
Charles didn't answer. He reached into the man's coat and pulled out something both familiar and jarringly out of place.
An M4 assault rifle—real, not a toy. The gleam of its barrel left no doubt: this was a weapon designed to kill.
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