The sound of two pairs of footsteps echoed along the outer corridor of the Oxoford building. The artificial leaves planted vertically on the right side of the corridor swayed slightly in the breeze. One hand in his trouser pocket, eyes fixed on the floor as if deep in thought.
"Hm... so..." Kaito finally muttered, breaking the small silence.
Anwar immediately glanced slightly over his shoulder, a small smile forming on his face.
"You're going to ask about Mila, aren't you?" he guessed confidently.
Kaito paused. "Y-you're exactly right."
"Whoa, that was fast. I was just about to circle around to that topic..." Kaito thought in surprise.
Anwar crossed his arms and nodded as if he had read Kaito's mind all along.
"Before we talk about Mila, maybe I should explain the system of this school first," Anwar said, slowing his pace to give room for conversation.
Kaito nodded slightly. "Go ahead."
"The system here at Oxoford is split into two: the Elite Class and the Bronze Class. Simply put—upper and lower," Anwar explained, glancing at the ceiling as if recalling something.
Like the caste divisions in that dystopian novel I once wrote… just more subtle in smell.
"The Elite Class, where I'm in now, is generally filled with kids from wealthy families. Personal hover cars, unlimited digital access, even extra class hours can be bought. But… yeah." Anwar shrugged. "A lot of them are arrogant."
Kaito raised an eyebrow slightly. "Arrogant?"
Anwar chuckled softly. "Not just arrogant, sir. Sometimes they think this school exists only for them. As a result, our relationship with other schools… well, let's just say it's broken. Only Glaxina still wants to ally with Oxoford—and even then… probably out of obligation."
Kaito furrowed his brows, trying to recall Glaxina—the school Mag came from.
"What about the Bronze Class?" Kaito asked.
Anwar took a breath, his expression turning more serious. "Bronze Class is filled with students from less fortunate families. Many of them work part-time jobs, sometimes from morning until night. And, well… some even get dragged into the city's criminal world. Not all, but enough to stain our school's reputation."
Kaito lowered his gaze slightly.
Just like the 3rd base I used to command. They were kids from conflict zones. Smart, fast, but… many shaped by chaos.
"That's why," Anwar continued, "an internal organization called the Justice Team was formed. Its purpose is to handle internal problems, especially crime from within. And the current leader… is our student council president: Mila."
"Hah!?" Kaito stopped for a moment. "How did that happen?"
Anwar also stopped. "Heh, I'm just as surprised," he said, crossing his arms.
I still remember when Mila first came into class. Cute, innocent, carrying a lunchbox shaped like a cat… and now she's the respected leader of the whole class? Is life an anime?
"I even thought at first: 'Why did that cute junior get chosen? I—the senior—should be more qualified!' But after hearing the previous student council's idea… well, I thought: 'Hmm… not bad.'"
Kaito narrowed his eyes. "What idea?"
Anwar gave a faint smile. "That's a secret. Only me and the former president know. But in essence, the Justice Team isn't just a discipline unit. They're… you could say, Oxoford's military wing."
"M-military?"
"Yup. Given access to the school's security system, regular physical training, and some of them—including Mila—are allowed to handle heavy weapons. Of course… only in emergencies."
Kaito rubbed the back of his neck slowly.
No wonder she seemed like she was running from a crime scene earlier. If she's been handling a case and hasn't slept all night…
"She looked in such a hurry earlier..." Kaito muttered.
Anwar nodded. "I'd bet she hasn't slept since yesterday afternoon."
"Poor kid," Kaito said sincerely.
"Hm," Anwar replied briefly with a nod.
A few steps later, Kaito spoke again.
"So… what about your school's territory issue?"
"Oh, that." Anwar sighed long and deep. He adjusted his glasses, as if preparing to give a high-level lecture.
"In the lower-east corner of Oxoford lies an area called Oxiom. Oxiom is like a meeting point between four schools: Oxoford, Primanoel, Haxogun, and Glaxina. Now, Primanoel is claiming Oxiom as theirs."
Kaito nodded slowly. "Proof?"
"Unfortunately, they have it," Anwar said, his tone now edged with irritation. "Primanoel's council brought documents, maps, and even old videos they claim are legal proof. The problem is, we… have nothing. Our archives were destroyed in the hacking incident two years ago."
"Classic conflict pattern. The one with proof wins. The one who's lost their history… can only stay silent." Kaito thought.
"And if that area is taken over, what's the impact?"
Anwar halted. He pointed to a map on his phone, showing Oxiom as a connecting route.
"If Oxiom belongs to Primanoel, Oxoford has no way out except through Haxogun. And… they'd definitely charge sky-high transit taxes. We'd be isolated. Like… a school in prison."
Kaito smirked faintly. "Why not go through Primanoel instead?"
"Heh… you must not know the history, sir?" Anwar gave a bitter smile. "Our school and theirs are sworn enemies. Since the 3rd generation of the student council. There's a rumor we might make peace… but to me, that's just an unfunny hoax."
Kaito fell silent.
School conflicts, territorial tensions, a student paramilitary organization, and a president working to exhaustion without sleep…
He exhaled slowly.
I thought being a teacher would be calmer than being a commander. Turns out… it's just as crazy.
---
The long, quiet corridors Kaito and Anwar walked through now led them to a different room. The smell of old paper, the cool air from the AC, and the warm yellow glow from the hanging lamps greeted them as they entered the library. Between tall, neatly lined shelves, only the sound of the fan and their footsteps could be heard.
"It's… so quiet here," Kaito murmured while looking around.
Inside, Kaito looked at the rows of books with a strange feeling. Back then, I led a military unit in a control room filled with strategic maps and radar screens, not rows of books. Now I'm a traveling teacher. Ironic, huh?
Anwar gave a small smile, pointing to a wooden table at the end of the room.
"Come on, sir. Let's sit here," he said, walking casually. He pulled out a chair with a soft scraping sound, then sat and began opening a small drawer.
Kaito stood beside him, arms folded.
"Uh, sir? Why aren't you sitting?" Anwar tilted his head. His hand pulled out an old book from the drawer.
Kaito frowned. "Wait… since when has there been a book in there?"
"Hm?" Anwar glanced at the book and chuckled. "I put this here last night. And—hah, look at this…"
When the book was opened, a pink sheet of paper fell onto the table. A letter.
"Eh? Is that a letter?" Kaito leaned forward, curious.
Anwar picked it up with two fingers and sighed deeply. "Exactly, sir. A love letter, to be precise. From a Primanoel student named Kagura."
"Hah!?" Kaito almost choked on air. "A love letter!? From Primanoel!? How!?"
"Yeah… I'm also not sure how she knows I like sitting at this table. Maybe she's a stalker… but oh well. The world's full of mysteries." Anwar shrugged as if it didn't matter.
Inside Kaito's mind:"Hmm… So this is Oxoford? Closer than I thought…" he muttered quietly, both hands in the pockets of his long black coat, thinking how a student could be more relaxed getting a love letter from a sworn enemy school than he ever was getting a report about a class riot…
Anwar glanced at Kaito, who was still awkwardly standing. "By the way, sir… have a seat. I can't be the only one sitting while you stand there like a lobby statue."
"Oh, right…" Kaito scratched his neck, finally pulling out a chair and sitting beside Anwar. The chair creaked softly.
As he was about to speak, Kaito pointed toward a corner of the room. "Eh, that… who's that?"
Anwar turned. There, a small girl sat alone. An elementary school uniform in brown, complete with a blue-purple tie, adorned her small figure. She wore thick glasses, cat ears on her head, and… a laptop open before her. Leaning against her chair was a light FAMAS rifle.
"Ah, that's Haruka. Class 6B. Elementary student from Bronze. She transferred from Ixirus."
Kaito blinked. "Elementary!? Seriously? She looks and feels more like a high schooler."
"Haha, right? She's a computer genius, obsessed with this school's founding history. But…"
Anwar's tone lowered.
"...she's not really acknowledged here. Maybe I'm the only one who still considers her part of Oxoford."
Kaito turned, interested. "Huh? How come?"
"No idea. Even when I asked other students about her, they said they didn't know her. But Haruka often comes here. She asks for book locations, or even requests to read my novels."
Kaito stayed quiet for a moment. His eyes flicked to the G.T card hanging from his chest pocket. Zaid's voice echoed in his mind:
"If she follows in Alke's footsteps, then the possibility exists."
Alke… how bad were your footprints here, that students could end up sidelined like this…
"Hello, sir~!" A cheerful voice suddenly came from behind. Kaito almost jumped out of his seat.
"Eh!? Oh geez…" Kaito turned, catching his breath.
It was Mila. With her usual wide smile and cheerful steps, she stood holding an orange lunch container.
"What the heck!? Don't sneak up on me like that!" Kaito exclaimed.
"Hehe, sorry~ I just wanted to give you your lunch!" Mila said, offering the container.
"Lunch? For me?"
"Yup! Please take it, sir! I made it myself!" Mila's cheeks flushed shyly.
Kaito accepted the container hesitantly, glancing at Anwar—who was pointing upward.
Kaito looked up. On the ceiling, a large poster clearly read:
"NO FOOD OR DRINKS IN THE LIBRARY"
"Eh…" Mila looked up too. "...how did I forget that?"
"...Well, how about we eat outside?" Kaito suggested.
Mila quickly nodded, her face red. "O-okay…"
Anwar just shook his head, closing his book. Sometimes… it feels more like watching a slice-of-life anime than real life.
---
The school hallway was quiet. Only a soft breeze came through a half-open window, carrying the scent of dried leaves and afternoon dust. Sunlight filtered in through the slats, creating dancing patterns on the greyish-white tile floor.
In the middle of the empty hallway, Kaito and Mila sat side by side on an old wooden bench. Its color had faded slightly, but it was sturdy enough for two.
Kaito leaned back against the bench, glancing around. "Hmm… this hallway is pretty quiet, huh?"
Mila, sitting beside him, lowered her head slightly, fiddling with the edge of her skirt nervously. "O-oh… m-maybe because it's still break time… so everyone's in the cafeteria or the back garden…"
Kaito nodded slowly, his gaze drifting toward the shoe rack at the end of the hall. "If this were during combat, a quiet hallway like this could be a perfect ambush spot… Hah, old habits. This is a school, not a battlefield, Kaito…" he thought with a faint smile.
"Oh, right!" Mila suddenly exclaimed, breaking the silence. She lifted the orange container from her lap. "H-here… the lunch…"
"Oh… thank you," Kaito said, accepting it with both hands. Not bad, my stomach's already grumbling…
He opened the container slowly, the gentle aroma of mayonnaise wafting out. Inside were neatly arranged golden-brown fried risoles.
"Hoo~ what's this food? I've never seen it before," Kaito asked, holding one up like it was a specimen for research.
Mila giggled softly, her voice shy. "T-that's called mayo-filled risol… kinda unique, but they say it tastes good."
Kaito took a bite. The crisp crunch echoed in the quiet hallway. The creamy mayo blended with the savory risol skin, changing his expression.
"...Whoa!" he exclaimed while chewing. "This… is pretty good!"
Mila's eyes widened, then slowly a smile bloomed. "Ehe~ thank you. I'm glad you like it."
Inside Mila's heart"Thank goodness he likes it… I was worried, since I mixed a little cheese in the mayo… hope it's not too weird…"
Kaito, now enjoying it, took another and bit in again.
"You made this yourself?" he asked while chewing.
"Yes, I made it myself," Mila said, puffing her chest slightly in pride, though her face was still red.
"Who taught you to make it?" Kaito asked curiously.
"Oh, that… Toman's younger sibling taught me. Mag's first younger sibling—still in 6th grade at Glaxina. Toman said this recipe was from Mag's older brother, who learned it from Mag himself."
Kaito paused, then murmured softly, "So this… was from Mag's older brother, huh…"
Inside his mind "Kids these days… each has their own way to survive. Even someone small like Toman can leave a mark through a recipe. I used to think struggles only happened on the battlefield… turns out the kitchen can be one too."
Kaito picked another risol and offered it to Mila with a smile.
"You must want one too, right?"
Mila shook her head quickly, smiling awkwardly. "N-no… I'm full, hehe…"
Kaito raised an eyebrow, still holding it out. "You sure? You've been eyeing it since earlier."
Mila flustered. "B-but if you really insist… then… okay, I'll take it… ehehe…"
She took it and bit gently, her cheeks puffing slightly like a hamster.
Kaito sighed in relief with a smile. "That's better…"
For a moment, silence surrounded them. Only the wind from the window kept them company. But there was no awkwardness. Instead, it felt calm. Warm. Like two people who had known each other for years, even though they had only met days ago.
Mila glanced at Kaito from the corner of her eye. Inside her heart"This teacher… sometimes he seems aloof, but he's actually caring. Somehow… I feel like I can trust him completely."
Kaito simply sat still. But inside, faint memories came back—of eating at a military outpost when he was 13, with soldiers far older than him, laughing together even as bullets flew outside the tent.
Back then… I rarely got to sit in peace like this. At this age, I was already leading troops. But now… I'm eating mayo risol made by a middle school girl. The world sure is strange.