Part 3
The main courtyard of Virtus Academy was packed. Beneath banners of blue and silver, rows of desks lined with enchanted quills waited for the students.
And, of course, even registration was divided into ranks.
At the very front, the high nobles stood in line within a roped-off section decorated with carpets, attended by officials who bowed and smiled as though greeting royalty.
Each time a name was announced, students gave a polite round of applause, and the academy mages stamped the family seals onto parchment.
Behind them, the lesser nobles waited stiffly, every word chosen carefully to avoid showing weakness. Their registration desks were plain, the clerks barely looking up as they were processed.
And in the farthest corner… the commoners' line. Students without lineage, foreigners, demi-humans, adventurers without a family name. No carpets here, no courtesies—just a couple of worn-out desks with quills that squeaked on their own as they wrote.
"Hmph… look at that," Seri muttered, folding her arms. "Even for registration, they act like they're so important."
"Well, that's how it is," Kaito replied calmly. "And that's exactly where we're headed."
Ayame was already waiting at the "last" line, her serene expression hiding the discomfort in her eyes.
"This place never changes…" she whispered as they approached. "No matter where you go, there's always a wall between the ones above and the ones below."
"Then it's up to us to prove them wrong," Kaito said with a steady smile.
As the nobles walked past, they shot them looks of contempt. A few even chuckled under their breath, as if certain these "nameless ones" wouldn't last a single semester.
Kaito, however, wasn't fazed in the slightest. To him, this was just another formality… though deep down, he was already planning how to turn this very rule to his advantage.
When their turn was almost up, Seri's patience was wearing thin.
"Are you sure you know what you're doing? You still haven't told me your plan…"
"Just follow my lead. Everything will be fine," Kaito answered without a trace of worry.
Seri frowned, clearly unconvinced… but in the end, she nodded. Somehow, she always ended up trusting his words.
"Next!" the receptionist called, barely glancing up.
Kaito stepped forward.
"Good morning. I'm Kaito Amakawa, son of Baron Amakawa," he said, presenting his letter of recommendation and family crest.
The man snorted.
"A baron? Hah. Farmer, I guess. That's barely above a commoner, just with a title. Whatever… welcome to Virtus."
"Thanks… I guess," Kaito replied without flinching. "I'd also like to register this young lady with me. She's a fire mage."
The receptionist finally looked up, giving Seri a slow, shameless once-over.
"Yeah, I can see that. A fire elf… though a pretty scrawny one. Never seen one this weak-looking before."
"W-what did you just say?!" Seri's whole body tensed, but Kaito placed a hand on her shoulder. She forced herself to stay still, though she was seconds from exploding.
"Anyway…" the man went on, yawning. "Only family members can register together. No exceptions."
"I know," Kaito replied, his composure so unshakable it threw the man off. "She's Seri Flames—my fiancée."
The air froze. Nearby commoners gasped in unison. Seri blinked as though she'd just been smacked in the head.
"Wha—what did he just say!?"
"Proof?" the receptionist asked dryly. "I don't see any official record."
"Of course," Kaito said. Then he turned toward Seri.
With a movement that made several people hold their breath, he crouched down as if making a genuine proposal and pulled a small box from his pocket. Inside was a simple ring, but its meaning was undeniable.
"Seri Flames… will you be my fiancée?"
"M-me?! W-wait, me?!" Seri stammered, her face turning redder than a torch.
The courtyard erupted with whispers.
"A proposal during registration? That's so romantic…" a girl murmured, her voice tinged with envy.
"A human and an elf… you don't see that every day," someone whispered, wide-eyed.
Even Ayame, usually so composed, lowered her gaze, a flicker of conflicted feelings in her expression.
Seri, on the other hand, couldn't take her eyes off the ring. It was simple, yet in its center burned a small crimson gem—like a flame. The detail reminded her of herself, and for the first time in a long while, she was completely speechless.
"Y-yes… Kaito Amakawa… I'd love to be your fiancée."
The young man gently took her hand and slid the ring onto her finger. The crimson stone glowed brighter, as if celebrating their improvised union. To Seri, it felt like she was holding the most precious jewel in the world.
"I think that's proof enough, don't you agree?" Kaito said to the receptionist.
"Yeah, yeah…" the man replied flatly. "No need for all that theatrics. Welcome, Seri Flames of Amakawa, to Virtus Academy. Next."
"What a heartless guy…" Kaito muttered, a bead of sweat sliding down his temple.
But Seri didn't hear him. She was still staring at the ring, lost in it, as if nothing else around her even existed.
Ayame was next in line, but she seemed elsewhere, caught in her own silence. She hadn't heard a single word of the exchange.
"Next!" the receptionist barked impatiently. "You, the kitsune!"
"Y-yes, sorry!" Ayame flinched, her ears and tail puffing up in surprise.
"H-here… this is my letter of recommendation," she said, handing over the envelope Morgana had given her.
The man took it without interest—until his eyes landed on the seal. His face instantly changed.
"M-Miss Tsukiko Ayame… shouldn't you be at the front of the line?" he stammered, bowing awkwardly. "Forgive me for my rudeness!"
Kaito blinked in surprise. He had no idea what that seal meant, but he could tell it wasn't something trivial.
"I'd rather stay with my companions, if that's alright," Ayame answered calmly, her serene tone returning.
"Of course! Whatever you say!" The receptionist stamped her student card and handed it back almost reverently.
Kaito raised an eyebrow, curious, as Ayame walked back to them as if nothing had happened.
After exploring the academy, checking the buildings, and finding their assigned classes, the group headed home. The whole way back, Seri never stopped admiring her ring, gazing at it as if it were a treasure beyond compare.
When they arrived, Eve and her little sisters greeted them, lined up neatly as always.
"Welcome home, Master…" they all chimed in unison.
Eve tilted her head slightly.
"My maid sense is tingling. Did something… important happen while you were away?"
That's not how Spider-Sense works… but are our minds actually linked? Kaito thought wryly.
"We managed to register without any issues," he said with a smile.
"You know perfectly well that's not what I meant," Eve replied, pointing at Seri.
The elf, completely lost in her own world, was lifting her hand to the light, whispering to herself as she admired the ring.
"Of course you can call me Seri Amakawa… hehe… after all, we're family now."
"Ah. You mean that…" Kaito sighed in resignation.
"The elf's happiness index has increased by approximately 95%, according to my calculations," Eve reported in perfect monotone.
A soft laugh spread through the room. As Eve's younger sisters hurried to prepare a makeshift welcome feast, the three recounted everything that had happened at the academy.
Kaito glanced at them all. Seri, lost in her joy. Ayame, silent but smiling. Eve and her sisters, working tirelessly to make this house feel like a true home.
And he thought that, no matter what came next, they were no longer alone.
A group of outcasts had found something they could finally call family.
And with that, their true adventure had only just begun.