Marquis' mind drifted back to his own first day...
"I come for your love!" a twelve-year-old girl declared dramatically, her somewhat blonde hair waving as she struck a theatrical pose. Her green eyes sparkled with exaggerated passion as she locked her gaze on Marquis.
Marquis exhaled sharply, letting out a hearty laugh. "Hahaha!" He turned to Kai, who was doing his best to stifle his own amusement.
The two boys rose from their seats, their polished brown school uniforms pristine—their vests and blazers neatly paired with white shirts. Marquis finally regained his composure and looked down at the girl.
"I'm sorry," he said with a sly smile. "I need my bloodline pure." They walked out of their history class.
The girl's face flushed deep red, her lips trembling as tears streamed down her cheeks.
Marquis and Kai, unfazed, began strolling toward their next class, leaving the girl behind in the crowded school hallway.
The first day of school always felt familiar—like the start of something bigger. Marquis barely gave the sobbing girl a second thought until her cries grew louder. Ear-piercingly loud.
Marquis, now a fair distance away, glanced back over his shoulder. His blue hair fell into his eyes as he squinted at her.
"She's that upset over a rejection? Am I really that handsome?" he muttered, baffled. He turned back to Kai, expecting a witty reply, but his friend didn't respond.
"First years." The word cut through the noise like a blade.
Marquis froze. The voice belonged to a fifth-year—exactly as the rumors described.
They were strong, with most achieving peak Rank 1 status and proficient practitioners of advanced Rasvian combat. This wasn't the usual chaotic free-for-all of who hits hardest or fastest; it was the calculated, masterful application of their skills at full potential.
The fifth-year raised his arm, green energy swirling around it like a storm.
Without warning, Marquis was sent flying, his body crashing into the cold stone wall of the hallway. Blood trickled down his face as he groaned in pain.
"Look, Ma—!" he tried to quip, but his voice faltered as the fifth-year approached.
"Apologies," the older student said, his voice calm and deliberate.
"What—?" Marquis muttered, clutching his face as pain surged through him. His disheveled blue hair obscured his vision.
"I said, apologies," the fifth-year repeated, his voice dripping with menace. His eyes gleamed crimson as a red aura enveloped him. A blade materialized in his hand, its edges glowing faintly as he murmured something under his breath.
Marquis stared up at him, dazed. "First day, and my face is already caved in," he muttered bitterly, dropping to his knees. He turned his head slightly, catching sight of the girl he'd rejected moments ago.
"I'm—" he began, but a booming voice echoed through the corridor, cutting him off.
"Hey, fifth-year! You missed this!"
Kai's voice pierced the air, followed by the sharp sound of a foot connecting with the fifth-year's jaw. The older student stumbled back, stunned.
In that instant, Marquis bolted down the hallway, his battered face forgotten as adrenaline took over. Kai charged in the opposite direction, a wild grin on his face.
Both boys muttered under their breath, barely containing their excitement.
"This is so fun!"
With that, they were gone—Marquis sliding seamlessly into a different classroom.
Kai, meanwhile, entered the bustling "Welcome to School!" room, a space specifically designated for first-years. Fifth-years weren't allowed here, their intimidating presence kept in check by the vigilant watch of teachers stationed nearby.
Marquis sighed as he stepped into the unfamiliar classroom.
The walls were lined with tall wooden panels, their polished surfaces reflecting the glow of sunlight streaming through large windows. Rows of neatly arranged desks stretched across the room, their surfaces as white as snow.
He didn't recognize anyone here, but it seemed like a safe enough spot to lay low for a while.
"This hurts," Marquis muttered, poking gingerly at his bruises as he slid into an empty chair at the back of the room.
His abrupt entrance didn't go unnoticed. The teacher froze mid-sentence, his hand hovering in the air in front of a screen that followed his movements, as the lesson on Pythagoras' theorem came to an awkward halt.
The rest of the class turned to stare at Marquis, their eyes wide with confusion as he casually rambled on about his injuries.
"And you are?" the teacher finally asked, his tone sharp but tinged with bewilderment.
"Marquis de Lorraine," he replied instantly, his focus still on the tender spots on his face.
Satisfied with the response, the teacher simply turned back to the screen, unwilling to engage further.
The students, however, were left with an unspoken WTF hanging in the air.
Marquis leaned back in his chair, sprawling lazily as he watched the teacher drone on. His eyes wandered across the room until they landed on a girl seated a chair opposite him. Her gaze was locked on him, unwavering.
Marquis' eyebrows furrowed. Finally, she spoke.
"What?" she asked flatly, her tone sounding more like a challenge than a question.
Marquis blinked, caught off guard, and turned fully toward her.
"We meet again," she said, her voice steady but friendly.
"Pretty," was Marquis' first impression, though he kept it to himself.
"Remember me? Anna?" she continued, smiling as she introduced herself fully.
"Problem," Marquis muttered under his breath, his expression sagging into one of reluctant resignation.
Despite his initial plans to stay only a few minutes, Marquis lingered in the classroom for over two hours, drawn into an animated conversation with Anna.
"I, uh… I like Valen," he admitted during their chat. "You know how they say we're all related to him? I think it's true."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Anna replied, laughing lightly.
"Valen left three direct descendants—" Marquis began, his voice taking on a conspiratorial tone.
"And how do you know that?" Anna interrupted, raising an eyebrow.
"I mean, I've looked into all the families. Most don't check the marks, you know," Marquis said, chuckling as he tapped his arm for emphasis.
"Uh-huh," Anna replied skeptically.
"Alright, so basically, our family—my family and my bro's family—we check the boxes. I mean, we still hold our heritage!" Marquis explained enthusiastically.
"Who's 'bro'? And are you alright? Your face..." Anna finally asked, leaning in as her soft hand brushed against his bruised skin.
_Is he talking about Kaelan?_ she wondered.
Marquis' heart skipped two beats. Proximally, of course.
He started coughing suddenly, his cheeks flushing as Anna stood up, concern etched across her face.
"Sir, I'd like to take him to the health center," Anna said quickly, helping Marquis to his feet and guiding him out of the classroom.
Once in the hallway, Anna stopped and gently let go of him. Marquis, still coughing, looked at her in confusion.
"Huh? Where are you going? The health—" he coughed again, "center?"
"It's alright. You're alright," Anna replied with a reassuring smile. "I'm going to see my sister. It's the first day, remember? And she's shy. I couldn't leave class earlier because the teacher was so strict… until you showed up," she added with a soft laugh before walking away.
Marquis sighed, watching her retreating figure. Then, a sudden realization struck him. "Ah, yeah—my class," he muttered, dragging himself to another nearby door.
The sign read "P.E." as he stepped into the vast sports hall.
The space was enormous, with polished wooden floors that gleamed under the bright overhead lights. A basketball court stretched out in the center, while a swimming pool shimmered on one side. Even a small football field occupied a corner of the hall. The sounds of bouncing balls, cheering students, and the gym teacher's booming voice filled the air.
Marquis coughed, heading toward the boys' locker room to change into his basketball uniform.
Inside, the room smelled faintly of sweat and soap, with rows of lockers standing neatly against the walls. He found one with his name etched on it and began changing into his gear.
Kai emerged from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist while another rested on his head. "1v1 to 21?" he challenged, grinning as he rubbed his damp hair dry.
The sounds of girls cheering outside echoed into the room as they played a heated game of basketball under the watchful eye of the gym teacher, who seemed to savor every moment.
"Where's Ryuji, anyway?" Kai asked, sitting on the long bench that ran through the center of the locker room.
"In his city. Honestly, I wouldn't have even applied to school on the first day," Marquis replied with a sigh as he slipped on his jersey. The number "2" was etched on the back in a bold, cursive font.
"Did the fifth-year chase you?" Marquis asked, pulling on his shorts.
"No, but who would've thought—I ran into one of the Iron Knights in the group room."
"What?" Marquis turned to him, startled.
"You know how the 'Welcome to School' room has those metal knights in the corners?"
"Yeah," Marquis said, tying his shoes.
"I entered into one of them."
"Hah! Finally taking in your roots?" Marquis said dramatically.
"Exactly!" Kai replied, laughing loudly.
"Shouldn't you take a shower?" Kai asked, moving to his locker to grab his own outfit.
"Unlike thou, my skin is blessed by the stars," Marquis said, doing his best impression of Kai's father.
"Haha," Kai replied with a chuckle. Once they were both dressed, they pushed open the doors together.
Marquis adjusted his captain's band on his left arm while Kai tied a red band over his head.
"Game on!" Kai screamed, his voice echoing through the hall.