Valeri sat by the window, her gaze fixed on the swaying branches outside Luminaria Academy. Her expression was, as always, a study in neutrality. Her classmates buzzed around her, their voices a low hum of teenage chatter, but their words barely registered. It was the same predictable cycle: the fleeting trends of the week, the monotonous recounting of domestic life, the grand, often naive, plans for a future that felt eons away. In Valeri's mind, it was a broken record, each conversation a tired repetition of the last. Did they not get tired of something so...such predictable ?
Two boys nearby were animatedly discussing the trial that had concluded a week ago, the subject being Kojo Atari, an outsider from Archadia. Valeri's head tilted almost imperceptibly in their direction. For a fleeting moment, she considered joining their conversation, a flicker of curiosity in her usually placid eyes. But the impulse died as quickly as it had sparked. What was the point of involving herself?
"Archadia, huh?" she murmured under her breath, her voice barely audible above the classroom din as she turned back to look outside the window.
She recalled snippets of information gleaned from mandatory lessons: Archadia, a nation on the continent of Appolonia, renowned for its rich deposits of Mystium and other valuable resources. The details of its governance and societal structure had been presented, though Valeri was acutely aware that such information was often filtered through a lens of national pride, potentially skewed for propaganda.
The only aspect of Archadia that had ever truly captured her attention was its former champion, Sasha.
The Carnage Queen.
A figure who had risen to global prominence, celebrated as one of the ten elites. Sasha was an idol in Valeri's eyes, embodying the strength and independence she herself aspired to. So, the news of Sasha's defeat had piqued Valeri's interest. She had anticipated a successor of even greater caliber. Instead, the victor, Kojo Atari, was reportedly a white-haired boy who appeared no older than herself. Adding to her disappointment were the circulating rumors – whispers of Sasha joining his burgeoning harem.
Rumors about Atari had indeed begun to proliferate, ranging from the plausible to the utterly fantastical. Valeri, with her inherent skepticism, treated them all with a healthy dose of cynicism.
A sigh escaped her lips, a rare display of something akin to weariness. She picked up her notebook, the worn cover familiar beneath her fingertips, and rose, heading towards the quiet sanctuary of the library.
As she walked through the bustling corridors, a sudden surge of students flowed past her, all moving with an unusual urgency towards the school field. Valeri paused, a slight furrow creasing her brow. What could possibly be causing such a commotion?
"Probably just one of the privileged kids orchestrating some pointless spectacle," she muttered, shaking her head almost imperceptibly.
Human interactions, their fervent pursuit of fleeting pleasures, remained a perplexing enigma to her. Her own upbringing, largely solitary with the responsibility of caring for her younger sister in the absence of their parents, had shaped a different perspective.
"Still," she thought, her gaze hardening slightly.
"I'd rather be this way than waste the precious little time I have on trivial pursuits."
Just then, a sudden impact knocked her off balance, sending her notebook tumbling to the floor. It was Lambert, a boy from her class, one of the more gregarious and popular students.
"Sorry, Valeri," he said quickly, bending to retrieve her fallen book.
"You should be more careful next time," she replied, her voice devoid of emotion.
"I know. But Valeri…"
"What?" she asked, her gaze steady and unwavering.
"Oh, uh, it's just that…"
She cut him off, her tone sharp. "If what you're about to say doesn't contribute to my understanding or personal growth, then I suggest you remain silent."
A flicker of surprise, then resignation, crossed Lambert's face.
"Right," he mumbled, turning to leave.
Valerie cursed herself internally. Why did her interactions always devolve into such curt dismissals? Lambert, despite his sometimes frivolous nature, had offered a simple apology. She could have at least responded with a modicum of politeness.
"Wait," she called out, her voice cutting through the receding footsteps.
"Yes?" He turned back, a hint of his earlier haste still evident.
"What's going on?" she asked, her usual impassivity softening slightly with genuine curiosity. "Why is everyone rushing to the school field?"
Lambert's eyes widened slightly. "Kojo Atari is there."
"Kojo Atari?" she asked for clarification, a subtle lift of her eyebrow the only outward sign of her surprise.
He nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! And he's with a really pretty elf!"
"Why is he here?" Valeri pressed, her mind struggling to reconcile the image of the formidable victor with a casual visit to their academy.
"I don't know yet," Lambert admitted, a grin spreading across his face. "But I'm about to find out!" He then darted off, joining a group of his friends who were excitedly speculating about the unfolding events.
As Lambert disappeared into the throng, Valerie stood for a moment, a conflict brewing within her. The library, her intended destination, beckoned with its promise of quiet contemplation and uninterrupted study. Now that the majority of the student body was preoccupied, it would be the perfect, distraction-free environment.
Yet, a different kind of curiosity tugged at her. She turned, her gaze drifting towards the school field in the distance. She found herself taking a step, then another, in that direction.
"I'll just go see what's happening," she told herself, the justification sounding flimsy even to her own ears. "Just for a moment. It's… educational. I've never actually seen an Archadian in person before."
The black lines of the newly drawn tennis court stood out sharply against that of the school field.
Lin stepped back, a satisfied smile gracing her lips looking at the empty container of ink Kojo had provided. Her handiwork had attracted attention; a knot of students had gathered around the perimeter, their curiosity piqued by the unusual activity.
She turned to Kojo, who stood a little apart from the burgeoning crowd.
"Well, look at that," she remarked, a playful lilt in her voice.
"Seems we've drawn quite the audience."
Kojo nodded, his gaze sweeping over the onlookers.
"My community service requires me to assist at Luminaria Academy as an instructor for a specific class," he explained, his tone neutral.
"Please, writer, don't make it the cliché 'worst class in the school' trope." He thought.
(Stop it with the unnecessary thoughts, Kojo. Focus on the game. This might be your only shot to clear your name after what happened last week.)
Kojo sighed softly.
"Right," he murmured, his left hand beginning to move. Silvery strands of Arcane Threads shimmered into existence, weaving themselves into the taut mesh of a tennis net. Simultaneously, his right hand moved, shaping more threads into the frames and strings of two tennis rackets. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed one of the rackets to Lin.
They took their places on opposite sides of the newly formed court. Kojo conjured a tennis ball from the same shimmering threads, bouncing it a couple of times on the ground in preparation to serve. Just as he was about to toss the ball into the air, a voice called out, "Wait!"
Kojo paused, his serve interrupted. The assembled students parted , revealing the elegant figure of Archsaint Yukio stepping through. A visible ripple of excitement went through the crowd, a low murmur of disbelief and anticipation. Clearly, the presence of such a renowned individual was unexpected.
Yukio walked directly towards Lin, her expressionapologetic.
"Excuse me," she said, her voice carrying clearly across the field.
"Would you mind if I played Kojo first?"
Lin glanced at Kojo, a mischievous glint in her eyes. He shook his head almost imperceptibly, a silent plea for her to refuse. But Lin's grin widened, a hint of something wicked in it.
"Kojo is all yours, Yuki," she announced.
She moved to stand at the net between them, her hands weaving a shimmering, translucent barrier that stretched across the width of the court.
"Please step back," she instructed the crowd, her tone firm. "Things might get a little… dangerous."
A wave of confused muttering rippled through the students. Near the edge of the crowd, Valeri stood watching.
"What did she mean by 'dangerous'?" One student asked her friend.
"I thought they were going to perform some kind of ritual."Another student chimed in, his brow furrowed.
"Or is it some kind of game?" a third student wondered aloud.
Valeri's gaze drifted around the field, taking in the unusual scene before finally settling on Kojo. His stark white hair against his dark skin, the intense crimson of his eyes – the rumors hadn't done him justice. He wasnt that bad to look at. She expected to find a burly individual with a hardened but he was quite handsome. Ok not handsome. Beautiful?
Meanwhile, Kojo bounced the ball thrice, his focus narrowing. He tossed the ball high into the air.
"He seems to know what he's doing," one student observed, his voice laced with a hint of surprise. "But surely he can't do anything against the Archsaint."
The moment Kojo's racket connected with the ball, a visible shockwave pulsed outwards. Lin's hastily erected barrier shattered into a thousand glittering fragments, and the students at the front of the crowd were knocked backward into their peers, creating a domino effect of surprised yelps and stumbles.
Valeri, however, remained rooted to the spot. Her eyes were wide, not with fear, but with a captivated fascination as she watched Kojo.