A metallic crash shook the cafeteria as Ana slammed the table, drawing the gazes of students from the other tables.
—REALLY!? —Ana exclaimed. Her eyes, big and wet, were reminiscent of a stray puppy's.
—Yeah... in the end my anger doesn't last forever, you know? —Miyu shrugged with a satisfied smile she couldn't quite hide—. He chose me. He chose me over everything else. I thought I'd have to endure this place for three more years, but... we're leaving.
Miyu's joy crashed against her friend's silence. Ana looked down, clenching her fists on her skirt as she fought to contain the trembling of her lips.
—But... but no one is going to talk to me... again —Ana whispered. A solitary tear rolled down her cheek.
—Hey, no, no... —Miyu leaned forward, feeling a knot in her throat—. We can keep talking through video calls, don't worry, heh...
«I've only known her for a few months,» Miyu thought, feeling a twinge of discomfort. «It's incredible how much it hurts to see her like this, but I also miss my real friends... what am I supposed to say to her?»
—I wanted to graduate with you —Ana sobbed, and this time the tears fell freely onto the table—. We could have gone to so many places... but you always preferred to stay locked in at home. I just wanted... I just wanted to spend more time with you.
Seeing Ana crumble was too much. Miyu's enthusiasm transformed into a desperate urgency to fix things—a trait she clearly shared with her brother.
—Oh, Ana! Listen, I'll visit you! I swear! What's more, I'll talk to Seiyi right now. I'll tell him to buy you tickets so you can come see us! You're invited to Japan!
—Sniff?... Really? —Ana looked up, wiping her nose with her sleeve—. I... I've always wanted to go to Japan. I love you so much, Miyu.
—And I love you... I guess. I'll tell Seiyi this instant! See you in the next class!
Miyu almost ran off, fleeing from Ana's intensity. As she walked down the hall, she felt a chill run down the back of her neck, as if someone were tightening a grip on her.
«She's a good girl... but I can't love her as much as she loves me,» she admitted to herself with a grimace of guilt. «Dammit, I don't know... I should find Sei and ask him how everything is going with Mom; I'm sure he has it sorted out already.»
As she approached the table where the group was resting, Miyu recognized Yarin's silhouette and, with her usual energy, closed the distance with a jump.
—Heyyy! How's it going?!
—Miyu! —Yarin exclaimed, exaggerating a sad face—. I already heard that you're leaving too. You guys are heartless!
Miyu let out a giggle, but her eyes immediately sought out her brother. —Oh, speaking of that… How did it go, Sei? Are we leaving?
Seiyi didn't respond immediately. He had his gaze lost on his food tray, with a somber expression that didn't fit the news of his freedom. Manley, noticing the tension, quickly intervened.
—Don't mind his dead-man face; it's a fact that you're out of here tomorrow.
—Tomorrow? —Miyu turned toward her brother, seeking confirmation—. Is that true, Sei?
Seiyi blinked, as if returning from a very distant place. He forced a small smile that didn't reach his eyes. —Huh? Oh, yeah… we're leaving tomorrow, Miyu. We just have to sign a few last documents together.
Yarin, detecting the doubt on the girl's face, hurried to clarify the situation:
—Hey! Don't think we're tricking you. It's just that… well, he had some problems with his mother over the phone, but tomorrow you're leaving without fail!
Miyu exhaled a sigh of relief, and a radiant smile lit up her face.
—Then there's nothing to worry about! You're the best, Sei!
She was about to throw herself into a hug, but a blue flash in the distance stopped her muscles. Amidst the crowd, she recognized the hair of the girl with the books. She was talking to a guard, and though it was noisy, Miyu sharpened her hearing.
—But… it's not the assigned time —the guard was saying, confused.
—I'm sorry, I'm still new —the blue girl replied, clutching her books to her chest—. I just want to get to know this part of the campus.
—Leaving the cafeteria to the left —the man yielded.
Miyu felt a chill run down her spine.
«It's her… I'm sure it's her,» she thought, feeling her pulse quicken. «Why did she get so upset yesterday knowing I can read those runes? If she were a normal teacher, she would have congratulated me… she wouldn't have looked at me with that hatred. What if Seiyi is right? What if she's from the Legion?».
—Everything okay? You're pale —Manley asked, leaning toward her.
—N-No… Yes! It's just that… —Miyu stepped back, hesitating—. I just remembered I have a task to turn in! Yes, I have to go now! Sei, thanks for helping me so much! I forgive you for before!
Without waiting for an answer, Miyu turned and shot off, losing herself among the thousands of uniforms. Once she was sure her brother wasn't following, she slowed her pace, sticking to the stone walls and hiding behind columns like a shadow.
«Something tells me this isn't a coincidence!» she scolded herself, trying to control her breathing. «That girl might understand Gronk'tar. Only magical beings can do that.»
It wasn't just curiosity; it was a need to know. If that woman knew Gronk'tar, Miyu and her brother weren't the only "anomalies" in the school. But she couldn't ask her directly. Yesterday's scream—that "NO!" loaded with panic—still echoed in her head. Asking her in public would be like shouting to the F.O.W. that she was a threat; in her father's words, the F.O.W. were the ones who should know the least.
Then, she saw her again a few meters ahead. The woman walked with a firm step, but Miyu noticed that, unlike the other teachers, she didn't greet anyone. Her hands clutched more books than the day before, one of which stood out from the rest: a giant volume, bound in leather with an intense red frame that seemed more common than the others.
Miyu stood on her tiptoes, moving through a group of freshmen to get a bit closer. She managed to read the title on the cover, written in impeccable English: "History of Loryenna: The Runic War." A common textbook, the kind stacked by the hundreds in the library.
«Wait... I don't recognize that design,» Miyu thought, furrowing her brow. «I've been here for months and I've spent hours in the library... Could it be new material that just arrived? It doesn't look like an official school edition, though it looks pretty.»
However, when the woman turned to enter a less-traveled hallway, Miyu noticed on the back of the book a trace of runes that seemed to point to something specific; even below the engraving, there were red marks identical to the ones the woman had under her eyes.
—L… e… e… —Miyu tried to read. They looked like four letters forming a name, though failing to see the last one due to the distance, she almost fell in front of everyone by leaning too far. She regained her balance just as the woman turned the corner.
«There are more books with Gronk'tar! Even that one... I think it has the same marks... Am I hallucinating?» Miyu thought, feeling her breath escape her. «I don't recognize that history book; I'd swear it's new to the school. Maybe she does know the same language, and that's why she has material no one else can read. What if she's like me? What if her parents taught her the language too, and that's why she's hiding?»
Decided to seek answers, but without daring to confront her directly for fear of the unknown, Miyu began to follow her, maintaining a prudent distance as she ventured into the less-traveled areas of the academy.
The blue-haired girl moved through the hallways with a calm that Miyu found insulting. Attempting to be a shadow, Miyu leaned behind lockers, pretending to inspect locks or chatting with the air when someone passed by. Upon reaching the teachers' lounge, the stranger stopped and turned her head to inspect the hallway. What she saw was a most common scene: groups of students laughing and, on a nearby bench, a little girl analyzing a giant newspaper, wearing dark glasses and an unusually large cap that covered her face. Miyu, from the other side of the newspaper, held her breath.
«I'm an expert at this,» she thought with determination. She had secured the disguise from a lost-and-found locker in record time. «It's incredible to be on a real mission. I'm a heroine, like in that episode where Wind-Breaker defeats Mr. Vile...»
The blue-haired girl let out a sigh, as if the eccentricity of children were too exhausting for her patience, and continued on her way.
Miyu followed her to a narrow corridor leading to the back of the building. She was surprised to see the girl ignore the main door leading to the garden and opt for the emergency exit. Looking through the newly opened door, she saw the stranger chatting with one of the gardeners.
—Darn, I can't hear anything from here; people will start to get suspicious —Miyu whispered.
She noticed several students looking at her with a mix of pity and amusement at her "cartoon spy" look. Quickly, she stripped off the cap and glasses, hiding them behind a fire extinguisher, and stepped through the door with the agility of a cat, closing it slowly to avoid any noise. She dove headfirst into a nearby bush, just in time to see the gardener leaving.
—I'll go check it out, thanks! —he shouted as he walked away.
Miyu pulled out her phone, trembling with excitement. If she managed to get a photograph of the girl's face, Seiyi would have no choice but to admit she's a better heroine than him. However, a metallic crash made her jump: the emergency door swung wide open, nearly hitting Miyu's bush. She shrank behind a trash can, covering her mouth with both hands.
—Excuse me! —a teacher's voice rang out with authority—. This is the emergency exit. Are you looking for something?
Miyu peeked out barely a centimeter. The teacher was looking suspiciously at the blue-haired girl.
—Oh... I... —the stranger hesitated for a second, but her face immediately recovered a threatening calm—. I was looking for the garden door, but I think I got a bit lost.
—You passed right in front of the teachers' lounge —the woman replied, crossing her arms—. The main entrance is to the right of here.
—Yes, you're right. Thank you. —the girl pointed toward the back of the yard—. It's just that I came to let Thomas know. I found some waste near the dragon area and wanted to help him clean up before I left.
—Well... try not to use these exits; it's for security. —the teacher seemed to relax a bit at the young woman's apparent goodwill—. See you later, Miss...
—Hurdson —the blue-haired girl replied with a mechanical smile.
—A pleasure, Hurdson!
The metal door closed with a heavy click, and the echo of the bolt sliding indicated the teacher had left. Hurdson remained motionless for a few seconds, her eyes fixed on the closed door, ensuring the silence was absolute. Her expression changed instantly: the kindness vanished, giving way to a sharp, dark gaze. Without looking back, she ventured into the thick of the woods surrounding the campus.
«Hurdson, huh?» Miyu thought, feeling a tingle in her channeling ring. «She must have a huge secret. If I manage to discover it, I'll be a sensation!» A malicious smile formed on her face as she prepared to follow her into the shadows of the trees.