Seated inside a minibus, I waited patiently while the driver started the engine.[1]
My destination was Section C of the campus, an area considerably far from the dormitory where I was staying.
Now that I finally had enough money, I had decided it was time to acquire my potions. But I did not want to simply buy them, nor hire someone to make them for me.
Alchemy was a field that had always intrigued me. I had liked chemistry since I was young, so the idea of creating substances with magical effects felt like the natural next step.
That was why I decided to seek out the perfect person to teach me.
This definitely would not be easy. Let's just say the person I would be dealing with was… peculiar.
"Section C? Which area?" the driver asked.
"North, please."
"Alright. We'll arrive in fifteen minutes."
The engine hummed, and the van soon began to move.
I looked out the window.
Pulling a book from storage, one I had been reading recently, I used the trip well. It lasted around twenty minutes. Strangely enough, I was not nervous or anxious.
Even though Melissa was… a little intimidating, I genuinely believed things would go smoothly.
Let's just hope so.
"We're here."
Right on time, the van stopped in front of a massive facility.
"Thank you."
I thanked the driver and stepped out, storing the book back away as I walked toward the complex.
Tall metal fences surrounded the entire area. Behind them, enormous buildings rose into the air, completely different from the humble dormitory I was staying in. The scale was on an entirely different level.
"Stop."
As I approached the entrance, two guards appeared in front of me. They wore black uniforms with the academy's insignia on their chests, along with matching military-style caps. The pressure they exuded was intense.
I estimated they were Rank D, or perhaps slightly below that. Even though my condition prevented me from directly feeling pressure, it was still easy to tell they were strong.
I handed over my student ID. One of them scanned it quickly and, after verification, allowed me through.
Shlup!
The transparent sliding doors of Section C's main building opened before me. A wave of cold air from the air conditioning hit me immediately.
The interior was modern and elegant. Shades of white dominated the space, paired with a minimalist, clean design.
As I approached the reception desk, an extremely beautiful young woman greeted me with a professional smile.
"How may I help you?"
She looked me over from behind the counter as if I were a lost child.
"I'd like to meet Melissa Hall, please."
The smile vanished instantly.
What replaced it was a cold, almost disdainful gaze.
"I'm sorry, little boy, but this is a research center. Not a place where you can just show up to court Melissa."
I raised an eyebrow, genuinely confused.
"Do people really come here for that?"
"Believe me… I've lost count."
"I see. Well, either way, that's not why I'm here."
At that, she slowly crossed her arms, a teasing smile forming on her lips, clearly doubtful.
"Oh? Then what did you come for?"
"A business proposal."
I answered plainly while checking the time on my phone. The gesture seemed to irritate her.
"Wow. That's the third person using that excuse today."
I kept my expression neutral, but my voice cooled noticeably.
"That's quite the ego."
"Excuse me?"
Her smile faltered. A vein pulsed faintly at her temple.
"Do me a favor. Save us both some time and just pass along the message. All you need to do is tell her my name."
"Hehe… alright, the boss baby"
She chuckled softly as she picked up the phone from the desk. I would be lying if I said the nickname did not annoy me a little, but I kept my face blank, save for a faintly twitching vein at my own temple.
"What's your name?"
"Kazehara Yuto."
"Got it."
Click. Click. Click.
She dialed a few numbers. After a few seconds, the call connected.
"...Hello?"
A clear, pleasant voice sounded from the other end.
"Hey, Melissa. It's me. Rosie."
"Rosie from reception…?"
"Yeah."
"What is it?"
"There's someone here insisting on meeting you."
"...Why are you calling me for that? You know I don't care about that kind of thing. Just send him away."
Rosie covered the microphone and leaned forward, smiling triumphantly.
"You heard her."
I rolled my eyes, remaining silent.
"He says he has something important to tell you," she added, exaggerating her gestures now, clearly enjoying herself.
"It doesn't matter. If that's all, I'm hanging up. By the way… what's the student's name?"
"Uh… if I remember right… Kazehara Yuto?"
...
...
"...Let him in."
"You see? She's not going to… w wait, what? Did I hear that wrong?"
"No. You heard correctly. Let him in."
"E eh?"
Tak!
Before Rosie could respond, the call ended.
She stared at the phone, completely stunned.
What had just happened? Melissa normally hated interacting with people. A thousand questions ran through her mind as she stood frozen.
"Congratulations."
I began walking toward the elevator, glancing briefly at Rosie, who now looked like a perfect mix of anger, confusion, and frustration.
"F for what?"
She stared at me as if I had used some kind of forbidden spell. The vein on her temple throbbed dangerously.
"For discovering that the world doesn't revolve around you."
I spoke quietly as I walked away.
Moments later, I disappeared into the elevator, leaving her alone… and clearly on the verge of losing her mind.
✦☀✦──────────────────────⚔──────────────────────✦☾✦
Ding.
Stepping out of the elevator, I was greeted by a long white corridor. In fact, the entire structure resembled a massive research laboratory, sterile, silent, and impeccably organized.
At the end of the corridor stood a large white double door, clearly automatic.
Knock.
I knocked lightly and waited. A few seconds later, the doors slid open smoothly, like the entrance to a shopping mall.
Inside, the atmosphere contrasted sharply with the exterior. Though it still resembled part of a laboratory, there was something about it that felt like a lounge. The white walls were decorated with embedded aquariums and carefully placed potted plants, creating a surprisingly comfortable environment.
At the center of the room stood a large square table with two chairs on opposite sides. One was empty.
The other was occupied by a familiar figure.
Wearing the academy's sky-blue uniform, Melissa Hall sat before me. She sipped hot tea with elegant movements while a servant stood respectfully behind her.
In front of me, there was only a forgotten glass of water.
Without much thought, I pulled out the chair and sat down. For a few seconds, I observed Melissa more closely.
Honestly, one could list countless flaws about her. But there was one thing that was absolutely undeniable. She was beautiful. The most beautiful at Lock, in my humble opinion.
Her skin was smooth and pale, without the slightest imperfection. What stood out most, however, were her large light-blue eyes, cold yet captivating at the same time, further accentuated by her thin-framed glasses. A distant, arrogant aura radiated from her graceful body, as if everything around her existed one level below.
"What are you staring at so absentmindedly?"
Melissa's irritated voice broke the silence as she set her teacup down.
"If I had known you had mental issues, I wouldn't have bothered coming here."
...
She tilted her shoulders slightly, bringing a hand to her mouth in an exaggerated gesture, her eyes narrowing.
"Oh dear… it seems my tongue slipped. Please find it in your heart to forgive this poor lady."
"Relax. You don't need to worry about that."
Ignoring the glass of water, I pulled a thermos and a small traditional Japanese cup from storage.
"Tch."
Melissa clicked her tongue and shot me a sideways glance. When she realized I remained completely unfazed, she crossed her legs and arms and decided to speak.
"Usually, when guys stare at me like that, they start showering me with compliments. They talk about how my beauty is unmatched in the entire academy."
"At least you don't seem like one of those tacky idiots… though you're clearly not my type. I hate brats."
"But don't worry. If you just state your purpose and leave right after, I might make a small effort to remember your name."
There it was.
That thorny personality was genuinely unique. Even among arrogant people, it was rare to find someone so provocatively sharp. If Melissa were replaced by an impostor, anyone would notice immediately.
"Oh, and just to be clear… if you came here hoping for a chance to date me, you can turn around right now. I don't talk to delusional people."
I opened the thermos and poured steaming green tea into the cup. A refreshing aroma filled the room. I took a sip before replying.
"I'm here to propose a deal."
"...Oh?"
She raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Is that your roundabout way of asking me out?"
I looked at Melissa over the rim of the cup with a bored, almost indifferent gaze. The fact that her provocations were not working was starting to unsettle her.
"Go on."
Still skeptical, she gave me room to speak, stirring her tea absentmindedly.
"A knowledge exchange."
As I spoke, I added a few sugar cubes to my drink. The tea was far too bitter for my taste.
"I want you to teach me the fundamentals of alchemy and potion creation."
After a few more cubes, I finally reached the perfect point, probably far too sweet for anyone else.
"In exchange, I offer combat training. Techniques capable of drastically raising your level."
"...Oh?"
Melissa examined me from head to toe carefully before shaking her head in disappointment.
"You know… the only reason I even came was because you intrigued me a little. After all, you were the boy bold enough to sit next to me on the first day of class."
"...Ah, thanks."
"That wasn't a compliment."
She frowned, staring at me as if I were a complete idiot.
"I thought you had something important to say. But it seems I was mistaken. Let me be clear. I have no intention of being your personal babysitter."
Melissa was already standing up from her chair.
"And besides, what could the last-ranked freshman possibly teach me about combat? Is this some kind of joke? Even someone like you should know that strength has never been my focus."
It was common knowledge. Melissa had no interest in combat. Despite her talent, she preferred research and theory, which explained her ranking. Even in second place, she still fell behind people like Jin, Emma, Amanda, or Kevin in terms of strength.
But I knew.
I knew that was not the whole truth. Melissa was hiding something. Something she considered unbearably shameful.
"Let me ask you something. Do you really think you're fooling anyone?"
I set the cup down on the table with a light impact, the sound echoing through the room.
...
"What did you say?"
She looked at me over her shoulder, her expression heavy and serious.
"Nothing hides excessive effort. Stiff wrists. Constant muscle tension. Micro-calluses on your palms."
I slowly raised my gaze.
"It's ironic for you to say you don't care about combat… when your body is covered in the marks of repetitive training."
The room trembled.
Melissa released all of her pressure at once. Utensils rattled, and a cup at the edge of the table fell, shattering on the floor.
"Watch your words."
Even though I was not directly affected by the pressure, the bloodlust was almost tangible.
"Since you're so eager to refuse… how about a wager?"
I took another sip of tea, watching her over the cup.
"Depending on what you say next, don't blame me if I rip your tongue out."
I calmly raised my left hand, showing five fingers.
"Five minutes. If in five minutes you manage to touch me in combat, you win. I'll leave… and never bother you again."
A vein bulged violently on Melissa's temple.
"But if the time runs out and I'm still untouched…"
I slowly lowered my hand.
"You accept the deal."
She was on the verge of exploding. Challenged at her most sensitive point, the one she desperately tried to hide.
She trained more than ten hours a day. Brutal, repetitive effort, all in an attempt to catch the attention of Octavious Hall, her father, one of the leaders of the Union.
And a man who had never cared.
That small figure standing before her, with empty green eyes, almost mocking, stirred a single desire within her.
Murder.
She wanted to strangle that little figure.
But rationality prevailed. Melissa forced a terrifying smile.
"Don't blame me if you die… you fucking brat."
[1] A lot of people have been complaining, so from now on I’ll try to use the English writing standard. I didn’t do this before out of habit, I’ve been writing using my country’s standard for years, but I’ll try to change that now. If there are any mistakes, please let me know. Enjoy your reading.