“Good morning, Ruanruan.”
“Good morning, Little Ruan.”
“Good morning, Su Ruanruan.”
…
Early the next morning, Su Ruanruan, well aware of the danger she faced at this school, stepped into the classroom of Class 2-3 with fear and trepidation. She was immediately greeted by the entire class with a level of enthusiasm that was almost excessive.
Being treated so warmly by this group of wealthy young ladies made Su Ruanruan feel a bit light-headed. It was as if she were a celebrity, and her vanity was starting to swell.
Faced with these friendly greetings from her creditors, Su Ruanruan responded with extreme politeness, even adding a hint of flattery.
Although these girls didn’t lend her tens or hundreds of thousands like Chu Youyu or Saginomiya Shiori, even the smallest loans were at least two or three hundred, and the larger ones reached into the thousands. Collectively, the amount still totaled several tens of thousands, which gave Su Ruanruan a major headache.
Like other classes, Class 2-3 had a fixed size of thirty-six students divided into six groups, following an elite education model.
Saginomiya Shiori sat in the last seat of the third group, while Su Ruanruan sat in the last seat of the second-to-last group — the quintessential “protagonist’s seat” in the second-to-last row by the window.
Soon after she sat down, a crowd gathered around her, boxing her in from all sides.
“Ruanruan, why didn’t you come find me yesterday afternoon? I brought you a limited-edition strawberry cake!”
“Little Ruan, your hair smells so good. What shampoo are you using today?”
“Little Ruan, let me give you a hug…”
Popularity really was something else. Even with class about to start, a large group of girls remained huddled around her. In this All-Female World without men, a soft and fragrant Little Loli like Su Ruanruan was incredibly popular.
Sitting on the other side, Chu Youyu watched this scene and let out a tsundere huff. She tossed her black twin-tails, looking like she was about to snap.
“Class is about to start. Stop crowding Ruanruan and get back to your seats to prepare your textbooks!”
Saginomiya Shiori, who had been sitting nearby with a cold expression, was the first to speak up.
“Hmph! Don’t think we don’t know you just want to keep Ruanruan all to yourself!”
These young ladies weren’t intimidated by Shiori at all. In fact, they doubled down. Some rubbed their faces against Su Ruanruan’s fair, tender cheeks, while others took the chance to squeeze her delicate little hands. Some even purposefully brushed their legs against Su Ruanruan’s legs, which were clad in white calf socks.
“Ehh!!!”
Being treated so intimately — and somewhat suggestively — by a group of girls left Su Ruanruan stunned, her face turning as red as a ripe tomato.
Ring…
Just as Saginomiya Shiori was about to get up and chase them away, the bell rang. The classmates who had been taking advantage of Su Ruanruan scattered back to their seats.
The first period was with the homeroom teacher, Teacher Li.
Teacher Li walked up to the podium holding her lesson plan. She adjusted her glasses and cleared her throat, but her usually gentle face currently bore a hint of… awkwardness and exhaustion that she couldn’t hide.
“Students, we have a new transfer student joining our class today. Everyone should… er, try your best to get along with her. Come in, Kanzaki.”
Bang!
The classroom door was kicked open with extreme arrogance, the force so great it felt like the door might come off its hinges.
The entire class’s attention was instantly drawn to the doorway, and everyone froze on the spot.
A petite girl walked in. She was wearing the St. Lilith winter School Uniform, but it appeared to have been heavily modified. One shoulder of her deep blue cardigan was pulled down, revealing a black strapped undergarment. Her right eye was covered by a black eyepatch featuring a dark red hexagram magic circle, and her left hand was wrapped in white bandages.
She didn’t bow or introduce herself politely like a normal transfer student. Instead, she strode arrogantly to the center of the podium, pressed her bandaged left hand firmly over her eyepatch, and pointed her right hand sharply toward the ceiling.
“Tremble, mortals!”
Her crisp, youthful voice echoed through the classroom.
“I am the Pitch Black Fallen Angel, the Envoy of Jet Black who wields the Power of the Shadow Abyss — Kanzaki Yohane! Because of the Mana Rampage within my body, I have descended upon this mediocre academy! I have come only to seek companions who possess ‘special abilities’!”
Silence. A ten-second-long, dead silence.
Su Ruanruan sat in her seat, staring at the chunibyo girl on the stage in total bewilderment. Across two lifetimes, this was her first time seeing this type of person in real life.
‘Wait, is this the younger sister Shiori mentioned this morning?! No wonder Shiori’s expression was so bad when she talked about her.’
The entire class stared at Kanzaki Yohane as if she were a rare animal. Meanwhile, a literal “#” vein seemed to pop on Teacher Li’s forehead.
She took a deep breath, wearing the kind of smile that suggested she might explode at any moment. “Kanzaki, School Rules state that you cannot modify your uniform without permission.”
“Hmph! How can the mere rules of mortals bind me!”
Kanzaki Yohane stayed perfectly in character, letting out a tsundere snort. “This is the Black Dark that seals the World-Destroying Black Dragon! If I were to release my suppression, this school would be reduced to ashes in an instant!”
“Oh, is that so?”
Teacher Li’s smile grew even more radiant, though her voice was so gentle it made one’s skin crawl. “Then that’s a problem. I suppose I’ll have to go to the office right now and call your guardian — Mrs. Saginomiya — to discuss this Black Dark issue.”
“!!!”
“Wait! Hold on!”
The arrogance on Kanzaki Yohane’s face froze instantly, replaced by visible panic. With lightning speed, she pulled up her fallen cardigan.
“T-That… My seal is actually very secure! There’s no need to notify my guardian! I… I’ll go sit down right now!”
Kanzaki Yohane became obedient in a heartbeat and scurried off the podium in shame.
Pfft!
The students below finally couldn’t hold it back and erupted into a roar of laughter.
‘What an interesting kid!’
Su Ruanruan also couldn’t help but cover her mouth and giggle. This chunibyo Loli was actually quite cute.
Blushing, Kanzaki Yohane walked toward an empty seat with stiff steps. As she passed Saginomiya Shiori’s desk, she didn’t forget to maintain her dignity. She glared at Shiori with her one visible eye and muttered in a low voice, “Vassal of the Evil Dragon, don’t get cocky…”
Shiori rested her head in her hand, not even wanting to look at her. Her voice was full of exhaustion. “Just shut up, you idiot.”
Kanzaki Yohane puffed out her cheeks and sat down in the empty seat directly in front of Su Ruanruan.
The first lesson began.
Su Ruanruan was looking down, taking notes, when suddenly — tap, tap.
The girl in front, Kanzaki Yohane, turned halfway around and tapped on Su Ruanruan’s desk.
Su Ruanruan looked up, meeting Kanzaki Yohane’s uncovered eye. The girl was staring at her as if she were a scanner. When she saw Su Ruanruan’s striking silver hair and Red Pupils, Yohane’s eyes instantly lit up like 2,000-watt bulbs.
“Hey, you…”
Kanzaki Yohane lowered her voice, her tone extremely excited and filled with a fanaticism as if she had found one of her own kind. “That hair color, and those blood-red eyes… Could it be that you are the legendary Vampire True Ancestor who possesses the ‘Silver Moon Blood’?!”
“…”
The corners of Su Ruanruan’s mouth twitched violently.
‘This is natural white hair! You’ve watched way too much anime!’
“N-No, I’m just…” Su Ruanruan tried to explain, feeling completely powerless.
Before Su Ruanruan could finish her rebuttal, Kanzaki Yohane’s gaze suddenly shifted past her and landed on Chu Youyu. She stared at Chu Youyu’s silky black hair for two seconds before revealing a mysterious, profound smile.
As if performing a magic trick, she suddenly pulled a… vintage black brick-sized mobile phone from her pleated skirt pocket!
She pressed the brick-like phone to her ear with extreme gravity. Keeping her voice low, she performed for the empty air as if she were in a movie.
“Hello? Headquarters? Yes, I have successfully infiltrated. Furthermore… I have discovered a target with immense potential.”
After hanging up her “military communication” device, Kanzaki Yohane pointed solemnly at Chu Youyu.
“You, with that pure color of shadow. You must be the ‘Familiar of Darkness’ I have been searching for in the human world! Join my order!”
“F-Familiar of Darkness?”
Su Ruanruan turned her head stiffly, looking at Chu Youyu as if she were an alien.
“Youyu… she’s just making stuff up. It’s just chunibyo…” Su Ruanruan muttered weakly.
“Eh, is that how it is?”
Su Ruanruan completely gave up the struggle and silently propped up her history book to hide her face.
Finally, the class ended.
The moment the teacher left, the young ladies of Class 2-3 — who loved a good show — swarmed around Kanzaki Yohane’s seat like cats smelling fish.
“Hey, Kanzaki! That eyepatch is so cool! Is there really a demon eye sealed inside?”
“What’s with the bandages on your hand? Are they scars from a battle?”
“What kind of missions does your ‘Assassination Order’ usually do? Can you tell us more?”
“What was that ‘Silver Moon Blood’ you mentioned?”
“Eee!”
Being surrounded by so many people at such close range, Kanzaki Yohane let out a weak cry of alarm.
Her small face turned bright red. She protectively clutched her Cardboard Demon Sword, her body shrinking back until she was almost pressed against Su Ruanruan’s desk.
“T-That… My seal… is a forbidden secret…” Kanzaki Yohane stammered as she tried to hide, still stubbornly maintaining her facade. “I cannot… I cannot explain the details to you mortals!”
“Oh, don’t be so stingy. Just tell us~” Several girls laughed and moved even closer. Someone even reached out to poke the bandages on her hand.
“D-Don’t touch my seal!”
Kanzaki Yohane panicked completely. She curled her body tighter and tighter until she was almost a ball.
In this moment of extreme insecurity, her first instinct was to look for help. Like a drowning person grabbing a floating log, she turned her gaze toward a familiar figure sitting not far away.
“Sister…” she called out in a tiny voice, tinged with a hint of a sob.
She looked at Saginomiya Shiori piteously, her eyes welling up with tears.
However…
Saginomiya Shiori, her “sister,” did not stand up to rescue this poor little quail. Instead, she stood up with cold indifference, grabbed the hand of Su Ruanruan — who was currently enjoying the show — and pulled Chu Youyu along as well.
“Let’s go.”
“Eh? Wait?!”
Before Su Ruanruan could react, she was dragged away.
Saginomiya Shiori resolutely led Su Ruanruan and Chu Youyu out of the classroom without looking back.
Kanzaki Yohane was left alone, surrounded by the crowd. She watched Shiori’s retreating back and let out a desperate “uwu” sound.
“Sister… how could you do this…”
Kanzaki Yohane was on the verge of tears.
Meanwhile, the spectating young ladies became even more excited.
“Wow, Kanzaki is so cute!”
“Let me pat your head~”
“Eeeek! Stop it!”