The bright sunlight shone on every boy and girl standing in the corridor of Class 1, Grade 12, allowing their nerves, still tense from the previous class, to relax slightly.
"Have you all heard?" a boy said, as if trying to start a conversation.
"Ah..." Almost all the classmates responded with weary expressions. "You mean the transfer student joining our class tomorrow, right?"
Hearing this, the boy who brought up the topic was taken aback.
"You all know already?"
It was the second break between classes.
He had only overheard the news when passing by the teachers' office during the first break today. How could...
"It was announced in the class group chat yesterday. It's a girl surnamed Pan," a classmate explained, as if reading his thoughts.
"Ah?"
The boy didn't often check the class group chat, so naturally, he couldn't stay updated with the latest news.
"You're really too focused on studying!" the classmate exclaimed, seeing the boy's confused expression. "How could you not know such exciting news!"
Transfer students were an extremely rare phenomenon in any school, grade, or class.
After all, no one knew when a student might suddenly transfer from another school.
"And it's a girl!" Without waiting for the boy to respond, the classmate leaned in closer and whispered, "Aren't you curious about what she looks like?"
The boy nodded.
"Of course."
Though he said this, no particular emotion could be read from his face.
"Well, it's almost time anyway. We'll see her this afternoon," the classmate said, perhaps a bit disappointed by the boy's reaction, signaling the end of their conversation.
"I heard a transfer student is joining your class tomorrow!" Just then, a student from the neighboring Class 2 came over to ask.
"Yeah! Yeah!"
The classmate enthusiastically replied.
Seeing this, the boy shook his head and glanced at the teacher standing downstairs.
I should go back and read...
Soon, the sunlight slipped away from the boy with this thought and fell upon the ground.
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"Sigh..." The boy let out a soft sigh, looking at the unusually quiet classroom—or rather, at his classmates who were too excited about the news to focus on the lesson.
"11:29..." his front-row classmate suddenly said.
The watch on the classmate's wrist showed the exact time.
"9, 8, 7... 2, 1..."
"Ding-ding-ding..."
Almost as soon as he counted to "1," the delightful chime of the break—or rather, the school dismissal bell—echoed through every corner of the campus.
As if declaring—it was time to go home for lunch.
"Alright, let's end here for today," the teacher, who probably hadn't eaten much breakfast to maintain her figure, closed the presentation and announced the "release order."
After all, the teacher understood that continuing the lesson would be pointless.
The rustling of books being packed and the clattering of chairs filled the classroom.
However, it wasn't until the classroom was empty except for him that the boy finally packed his books.
"These people are still so excited..." With a helpless smile on his face, the boy stood up and walked slowly toward the classroom door.
Living alone meant he neither had to "battle" in the cafeteria nor worry about returning home late.
Supported by the inheritance left by his deceased parents, he cooked alone, did laundry alone, studied alone, read novels alone, and slept alone.
Perhaps it was this "solitary life" that made him appear so mature, to the extent that while he was well-liked in class due to his top academic performance, he had no genuine friends.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have felt the urge to initiate conversations with others.
His daily routine was simple, and lately, he had been engrossed in the novel "Re: Zero - Starting Life in Another World."
If only I could go to another world too…
He often thought this way.
Though other worlds were dangerous, it couldn't curb his yearning.
Today was no exception.
Walking down the stairs of the six-story school building, the young man sighed.
"If only I could be sent to another world…"
He uttered this lament.
If anyone heard him, they'd surely call him "foolish"…
But luckily, all his schoolmates were either in the cafeteria or at the school gate by now.
"Heh… not bad." Hearing his own fantasy, the young man chuckled.
This was proof he was still young at heart!
"Alright, better hurry. I used up the scallions yesterday and haven't bought more today." Shaking his head helplessly, he quickened his pace down the stairs.
Then, gripping the handrail, he began leaping down four steps at a time.
It felt strangely exhilarating—a sensation of being youthful…
However—
"Ugh…" Feeling the world spin, he lost his balance and let out a complex, self-mocking sigh.
Too much joy breeds sorrow? Or bringing about his own demise?
Anyway, fellow students, see you tomorrow at the hospital…
But… in the final moment before losing consciousness, what flashed through his mind was still:
If only I could wake up not to a hospital ceiling, but to the flowers and grass of another world…
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"You…" In the snowfield, a woman shielding a girl behind her gazed in confusion at the platinum-haired girl who had suddenly collapsed on the ground nearby.
This girl, who had previously been unkillable and hadn't even flinched when injured, had actually tripped? And on flat ground, no less…
No matter the reason, it might be a side effect of her abilities.
So this was a good opportunity—a chance to kill her and resolve this incident! To avenge her brother and the others!
Thinking this, the woman stood up, still protecting the girl behind her, and began forming Ice Prisms around herself.
But—
"Ugh…" The girl lying in the snow suddenly rubbed her head and stood up.
"What's going on…" Before she could finish,
"Die!" An enraged roar pierced her ears.