The classroom door opened, and the teacher walked in accompanied by Kanade. The moment she appeared, the low chatter in the room died instantly, and every pair of eyes turned toward her. With her long black hair and deep, calm eyes, Kanade looked like someone who had stepped straight out of a fantasy film. Her beauty and composed presence stole everyone's breath—no one had expected such a surprise first thing in the morning.
The teacher smiled gently at the class.
"Good morning, everyone. Today, we have a new transfer student. Please help her adjust to life here. Kanade-san, would you like to introduce yourself?"
Kanade stepped calmly to the front and gave a small bow. Her eyes were serene, yet they carried a quiet determination she couldn't fully hide. She spoke softly, but with confidence.
"My name is Kanade Himejima. My age is… one hundred and seventeen years old. It's a pleasure to meet you."
The classroom fell completely silent.
An awkward mix of confusion and shock hung in the air. Students glanced at one another—some holding back laughter, others unsure how to react. A boy in the back let out a low whistle, while the girl next to him covered her mouth in disbelief.
The teacher forced a polite smile and tried to steer things back on track.
"E-Ehm… that's certainly… interesting. Kanade-san, could you also tell us about your hobbies? Or what you enjoyed doing before coming here?"
Unaware of the strange reactions around her, Kanade lifted her gaze and replied with an innocent yet passionate tone.
"One of my hobbies is fighting demons and other magical creatures. Battle is always thrilling."
The class reacted instantly.
A wave of muffled laughter and whispers spread across the room. Some students muttered about chuunibyou—the so-called "eighth-grade syndrome," a term used for people who claim to have magical powers or live in fantasy worlds. Most of them assumed Kanade was just being dramatic to stand out.
"Did you hear that? She says she fights demons! Think she has magic powers too?" one student whispered, barely holding back laughter.
Another chimed in with a grin.
"She's totally chuunibyou… but honestly, she looks amazing saying it."
The teacher cleared her throat, trying to regain control of the class.
"Alright, alright. Kanade-san, there's an empty seat… you can sit next to Alex."
As everyone watched, Kanade walked toward her assigned desk. Alex—who normally blended into the background—suddenly found himself under the spotlight for the first time that day. And when Kanade noticed him, her eyes lit up as if she had reunited with an old friend.
"Ah, Alex! How lucky—you're in this class too!" she exclaimed with a warm smile.
Her cheerful voice and sparkling eyes immediately set the room buzzing again, and all attention shifted straight to Alex.
"Wait, Alex knows the new girl?" someone whispered.
"Hold on—was he even in this class before?" another added.
"Why does someone that amazing know Alex?" a third muttered, clearly tinged with envy.
Alex stiffened under the sudden attention, experiencing firsthand what it felt like to be the center of everyone's curiosity. He had gone unnoticed for so long—but Kanade's presence had thrust him directly into the spotlight. Scratching the back of his neck awkwardly, he muttered under his breath,
"This… is new."
Kanade, for her part, seemed completely oblivious to the commotion she had caused. To her, Alex was simply someone familiar and reliable in this strange new world—the person who explained things to her and made her feel at ease.
The class eventually settled down, but the curiosity never truly faded. As Kanade took her seat beside Alex, several students couldn't help feeling a twinge of jealousy. Just who was Alex, and how had he become acquainted with such a mysterious and captivating transfer student?
Alex's quiet, uneventful school life was about to become far more chaotic than he had ever imagined.
---
As the lesson continued, Alex could barely focus. He knew it was only a matter of time before Kanade started asking questions about everything—and he'd already promised to show her around the school before lunch.
When the midday bell finally rang, Alex glanced at Kanade. She looked practically glowing with excitement.
"So, Kanade… how about I give you a quick tour of the school? That way you can get familiar with the place," he suggested.
"Yes! I want to see everything this world has to offer!" Kanade replied, her smile radiant.
As Alex guided her through the hallways, pointing out classrooms and common areas, Kanade's attention never wavered. Even the lockers and posters on the walls seemed fascinating to her. But her interest spiked even more when they passed by the kendō club's dojo.
From the hallway, they could hear the sharp sounds of shinai striking and spirited shouts from the students practicing inside. Alex stopped in front of the dojo and gestured toward it.
"This is where the kendō club practices. It's pretty popular—lots of passionate students."
"Kendō? Is it sword combat?" Kanade asked, intrigued.
Alex nodded.
"Yeah. It's a Japanese martial art. They use bamboo swords and armor. Actually… this place has its own legend."
At the word legend, Kanade's eyes sparkled. She leaned in slightly, not wanting to miss a single detail.
"A legend? Tell me!"
Alex glanced around before lowering his voice.
"Well… they say this dojo was built over the remains of an old ninja clan's residence. According to the story, the clan's last descendant was a young female swordmaster who died early. After that, the place was abandoned…"
"Then… her spirit is still here?" Kanade asked, eyes wide.
"That's what people say. On quiet nights, if you walk past this place, you can hear the sound of a sword being swung inside the dojo. The club members are used to it, but some new students swear they've heard something."
Kanade was completely captivated. Her eyes shone, and her expression made it impossible to hide her excitement.
"That's incredible! Alex, this world has more magic than I thought. Are there other legends like this?"
Alex couldn't help laughing.
"Yeah, this school is full of them. But Kanade… we can't explore everything today. For now, we should head to the cafeteria if we want to make it to lunch on time."
Kanade looked clearly excited—but also a little disappointed about postponing their exploration. Still, she smiled and nodded, walking alongside Alex. She cast one last curious glance at the kendō dojo, as if expecting to see a spirit wielding its blade.
"Then, Alex… will you promise to tell me more about this school's legends later?" she asked, hope sparkling in her voice.
"Of course," Alex replied with a smile. "But first, let's secure lunch, alright?"
And so, the two of them headed toward the cafeteria—while Alex realized that his ordinary daily life had become far more interesting with Kanade by his side.