Kurota's eyes fluttered open to a soft haze of sunlight that was emitted from the window, it didn't sting but seemed almost unreal after the chaos of the forest. The ache in his body was immediate, a dull, constant reminder of the collapse, but lasted not as he expected. He blinked slowly, trying to process the room around him: white sheets, polished floors, a wide window letting in the morning light, and quiet voices murmuring in the next room.
Lucien stirred faintly in the back of his mind, silent but amused. Well, this is cozy, the voice finally said, a low chuckle twisting through Kurota's thoughts. Not exactly a palace, but I'll take it.
"Hey," a voice called softly, and Kurota turned his head. A young woman stepped into view, her expression calm but with a hint of authority. Her eyes were protective, intelligent, and strict but there was warmth beneath them. "You're awake."
Kurota tried to sit up, only to pause halfway, his right arm aching, his chest reminding him it hadn't fully recovered from the collapse. Lucien's chuckle rippled again. Careful there, human. Don't hurt yourself before they even start poking you with needles.
"Where… am I?" Kurota asked, voice rough, hoarse from disuse.
"You're safe," the woman said. She pulled a chair closer and sat. "My name is Natsuko. I'm the one who… arranged for you to come here." She watched him carefully, her gaze steady but not unkind. "And before you ask, yes, that hooded figure from the forest—was me, the one who brought you here. My job was to kill you, but after further examination I managed to convince the higher ups to enroll you into the Valcorian Academy, to protect you and to study you. I'm the middle ground."
Kurota's brow furrowed. "Study me?"
"Yes," she said calmly, as if stating a simple fact. "You're… unusual. The combination of human and yokai traits is unstable, unpredictable. We need to understand it. That's why you're here. But you're also under my protection. No one will hurt you unnecessarily."
Lucien snorted softly. Protection, she says. Sounds more like a cage to me.
Kurotas consciousness glared at him. Shut up.
Natsuko's voice softened slightly. "I'll explain some basics, so you can start understanding the world you've been thrown into. Maryoku is the energy all living things leak from their spirit. When humans leak Maryoku while experiencing negative emotions, it becomes Yōryoku. Yokai are born from pure Yōryoku, usually malevolent and dangerous."
Kurota absorbed this quietly, letting the words settle.
"And you," Natsuko continued, "are a hybrid. Human, yes, but fused with a Yokai. That gives you unique abilities, but also makes you unstable. You'll need to learn to control it."
Kurota tried to speak, but the door opened then, and another presence entered: a boy, his expression cold and measured, with precise movements that spoke of training and discipline. Navin. He was tended to by a strict-looking girl, her hands careful as she adjusted the boy's posture, smoothing his uniform.
"This is Navin Yuki," Natsuko said. "And that's Naomi Yotsuma. They'll be… part of your orientation." She glanced at Kurota. "I need to leave now. Go socialize, check on other students. You'll be fine."
Before he could respond, she was gone, the door clicking shut behind her.
Lucien's chuckle surfaced again. She leaves you to new friends, charming.
Kurota took a breath and shifted slightly in bed. Naomi's eyes met his, and there was no anger there, just a serene and disappointed expression. "I'm Naomi," she said softly. "I'm apart of the training program here, alongside Navin. He's… annoying, but fair. Don't mind him, welcome to the team."
Navin's expression didn't change, but his voice was flat when he said, "We'll make sure you know the rules quickly. The academy doesn't tolerate weakness."
Kurota tilted his head, unsure whether to feel threatened or relieved afterall he did nearly kill him. "Rules? I'm… not exactly here for school, am I?"
Naomi smiled faintly. "In a way, you are. But your training won't be like ours. You'll be studied. Monitored. Allowed to live freely in some ways, to see what your hybrid physiology can endure. Eat when you want, sleep when you need, do whatever you find entertaining or crucial. The goal is to understand you, not to train you immediately like Navin or myself."
Lucien chuckled faintly, a trace of amusement. Eat, sleep, play. Science loves us, apparently. I could get used to this.
Kurota blinked. "So… you just let me do whatever?"
Naomi nodded. "Within reason. You'll be observed constantly, and there are safeguards. But it's a chance to explore your limits naturally. We'll take notes, experiment a little—but nothing fatal. The academy only wants results, not corpses."
Navin's jaw tightened. "It's… frustrating," he said, tone clipped. "You're being allowed freedoms we weren't. You should be training. You should be learning to control your power. Not lounging."
Naomi gave him a firm glance. "And yet, this is the safest way. You know the rules. Kurota needs to be understood before he can be molded. That's the point."
Kurota exhaled slowly, letting the weight of it settle over him. "So… I'm basically a lab rat."
Lucien laughed faintly, low, amused. A lab rat with an stank attitude. How delightful.
"You could say that," Naomi said without flinching. "But it's not cruel. It's practical. You have abilities that don't exist anywhere else. The academy needs to know what that means, and so do you. You'll have time to explore, to test yourself. We'll provide guidance if needed, but you are free to discover your limits."
Kurota leaned back, the sheets soft under him, his chest rising and falling steadily. Navin's cold gaze followed him, silent judgment in his posture. Naomi's hands folded neatly in her lap, serene and unshakable.
"I… don't know what to do with this," Kurota admitted. His voice was quiet, vulnerable in a way he rarely allowed. Lucien was silent this time as well, smothered, almost respectful. He replied, let the shitheads stew.
Naomi's expression softened. "Do what feels necessary. Eat, sleep, move, test your body. Learn about your power. That's your training for now. Eventually, you'll be expected to participate fully, but for the moment, survival and understanding are your priorities."
Kurota nodded slowly, taking in the calm seriousness of it all. The tension of the past days, the chaos, the violence of the forest, seemed distant here. Safe, almost. And yet, the quiet carried its own weight, the gravity of being observed, studied, experimented upon, pressing in gently, like a hand resting on his shoulder.
Lucien murmured, almost indulgent. Finally, a bed, a warm room, no death waiting outside. How boring… and yet, I like it hehehe.
Kurota shook his head. "You don't have to comment on everything," he muttered.
I'm quiet, Lucien said smoothly. Mostly. But I can't help myself you're hilarious.
Naomi's eyes flicked toward him, faint amusement in her otherwise calm gaze. "Did you say something?"
Kurota exhaled. "Apologies, I was just talking to the Yokai"
Navin grunted. "So there are two of you in there, thought your mom was fucked by a Yokai."
"Shut up Navin" Naomi replied, giving Navin a gentle push on the back.
Kurota let himself sink into the bed, feeling the tension ease from his shoulders. He was in a new place. He was being watched. He had limits to explore. But for the first time since the forest, there was space to breathe, to think, to exist without immediate threat or hunget.
Lucien's voice finally broke the silence, a low, mocking whisper. You'll still have to devour humans—I know how the Yokai Hunters work if they discover who I truly am, or if you harm humans they'll execute us.
Kurota rolled his eyes, letting out a small, tired laugh. "I guess… we'll see how long it lasts."
The room remained calm, serene even, but beneath the surface, the weight of observation, study, and expectation lingered. For now, Kurota could rest. For now, he could exist.
And the academy waited, patiently.