“You will be in charge of the foreign races!? Are you crazy, brother!?”
I nodded. “I think it should make some things a bit convenient, plus, it will help mom.”
“But you will be dealing with the foreign races! The foreign races!” Ley’s expression was dark. “I don’t like it, brother.”
“Well, someone has to do it.”
“But not you.”
I let out a small sigh and patted the head of my anxious little sister. “Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing. Plus, Jazmine will help me. Everything is going to be alright.”
“… I still don’t like it. And who the hell is Jazmine!?” Ley retorted before heaving a sigh. “But I understand. I will join too then.”
My movements stopped for an instant.
My first thought was to stop her, but before I could talk, she glared at me.
“Don’t think about refusing. If you don’t agree, I will talk to Mom.”
I smiled wryly. God, why do I have such a stubborn little sister?
“But what will the others think if they see you being close to the celers and eblors?”
“If you don’t care, why should I? And you know better than anyone that I couldn’t care less what anyone but you think of me.”
I smiled bitterly and raised my hands in surrender.
“Okay, okay, you win. I’ll talk to the representative later today.”
Ley raised her face with a smug expression.
Seeing that our sibling fight had finally ended, Scarlet and Saphire, who had been observing us from the bed anxiously, rushed toward us.
Ley caught Scarlet in her arms while I stroked the lamia as she rubbed her face against my chest.
“We should hurry up. It’s almost time for class.” Ley spoke up.
I nodded and patted Scarlet and Saphire’s heads. Almost immediately, the cat and the lamia turned into motes of light before turning into tattoos on my body. One on my right arm, and the other on the back of my left hand.
After that, we left home and headed to Sanctuary’s First.
On the way, we met with Andrew and Karime, and just before arriving, Sylvia got off a car and walked toward us.
“Jane, I heard you joined the student assembly. Is that true?” She asked as soon as she got to us.
How did she get the news so fast?
… Well, if it’s her, it’s not that strange actually.
I hesitated briefly and nodded before the surprised gazes of Andrew and Karime.
“I will be in charge of taking care of the foreign races.”
Andrew and Karime stiffened.
“Jane…”
“Are you crazy…!?”
“Calm down, guys.” I smiled wryly at my two friends. “There are… circumstances. Don’t worry. It’ll be alright.”
“Are you sure? That doesn’t sound like a good idea. Do you need help?” Andrew was still worried.
“It’s alright. Ley is already joining too.” I patted my little sister’s auburn hair, making her hum in satisfaction.
“I’m planning to join too.” Sylvia suddenly said.
I was surprised.
“Are you sure? You didn’t seem happy to be close with the foreign races.”
“I can bear with it. Plus, you don’t forget the reason I’m here, right?” She smiled mischievously.
I put on a startled expression before smiling wryly.
Now that I remember, she told me that she came here to discover my secret.
“If I want to accomplish my goal, I need to be close to you as much as possible,” Sylvia explained with a smile, drawing a strange face from Andrew, a hostile expression from Ley, and a complicated gaze from Karime.
No matter how you looked at it, her words made it seem like she was romantically interested in me.
Sylvia did not care about her gazes, though. At most, she put on an amused expression when she felt Ley’s hostility.
Andrew could not help but approach me and murmur in my ear.
“… Hey Jane... Sylvia and you…”
“It’s complicated.” I just replied like that. I could not tell him that she was interested in me because I survived when I should have died, right?
I also tried my best to ignore Karime's complex gaze.
I think that is the best for both of us.
…
Nothing noteworthy happened after that. When we arrived at Sanctuary’s First, we entered the classroom and took the classes for the day.
Afterward, Ley, Sylvia, and I headed to the student assembly.
Once there, I explained to Harold and Jazmine about Ley and Sylvia’s intentions. The two of them were pleasantly surprised. They did not think anyone else would sign up for this undesirable assignment voluntarily.
Harold then took Ley and Sylvia to fill some files necessary before they could be part of the student assembly.
I had already filled mine yesterday, so I went ahead with Jazmine to meet the celers and eblors.
“By the way, Jane. I have news about Gerona’s case.”
“Did you discover something?” I asked curious.
Jazmine nodded. “It was partly thanks to you. I investigate a bit about Gerina’s friend as you suggested and discovered something suspicious. According to a record from the teacher in charge of Irene, she showed signs of suffering from bullying a few months ago. Although she never reported it,”
“But something strange happened about two weeks ago.” Jazmine continued. “All of sudden, the signs of bullying disappeared, and she became much more cheerful. The teacher was curious so he investigated and heard from some students that she beat the three female students who bullied her.”
“Moreover, her grades saw a sudden improvement, and her strength also showed remarkable growth, putting her near the top of her year. The teacher did not find it suspicious, though. After all, things like this happen all the time in Sanctuary’s First.” Jazmine finished.
“… Wait a moment. This…”
“So you noticed it too.” Jazmine’s expression became solemn. “Yes, it’s strikingly similar to Gerona.”
I nodded.
Both of them were having trouble in their school life, and both of them saw a sudden improvement in their grades and strength recently. It seems a bit of a stretch to chalk it up to coincidence.
Something else also caught my attention.
“Bullying? Something like that happens here? If I don’t remember wrong, bullying is punished severely in Sanctuary's First.”
Jazmine hesitated and put on a complicated expression.
“It is. But unfortunately, it’s not enough to stop it completely.” Jazmine let out an exasperated sigh. “It’s one of the biggest headaches of the academy. We punish bullying very harshly, with mild cases giving a heavy warning, and slightly serious cases resulting directly in expulsion. Unfortunately, it’s not enough to stop it. In the end, the students of Sanctuary’s First are teens and youths between fifteen and eighteen who wield superhuman powers. Some of them simply let that power get to their heads.
“We tell the students to report any case of bullying, but that rarely happens. Most of the time, the students swallow the bullying silently. It was the case for Irene.”
I fell silent.
Bullying, huh?
[… What a coincidence.] The demon spoke up at that moment.
‘Demon?’
[You should head to the back of the building. You will see a good show. Better hurry up.]
’What happened? Demon? Demon?’ I called out to the demon, but he did not answer, as though he was not interested in speaking anymore.
After hesitating briefly, I clicked my tongue and rushed toward the place the demon indicated.
“Jane?”
“Sorry. Go ahead. I will catch up later!”
“Hey, wait! Thus guy…!”
Apologizing to Jazmine in my mind, I hurried to the back of the building at full speed. It took me a little bit of time to locate it, but I arrived in less than two minutes.
And as soon as I arrived, I stiffened.
A girl was seated on the ground with her head down as three other girls surrounded her with dark expressions.
I was witnessing an act of bullying.
“You will be in charge of the foreign races!? Are you crazy, brother!?”
I nodded. “I think it should make some things a bit convenient, plus, it will help mom.”
“But you will be dealing with the foreign races! The foreign races!” Ley’s expression was dark. “I don’t like it, brother.”
“Well, someone has to do it.”
“But not you.”
I let out a small sigh and patted the head of my anxious little sister. “Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing. Plus, Jazmine will help me. Everything is going to be alright.”
“… I still don’t like it. And who the hell is Jazmine!?” Ley retorted before heaving a sigh. “But I understand. I will join too then.”
My movements stopped for an instant.
My first thought was to stop her, but before I could talk, she glared at me.
“Don’t think about refusing. If you don’t agree, I will talk to Mom.”
I smiled wryly. God, why do I have such a stubborn little sister?
“But what will the others think if they see you being close to the celers and eblors?”
“If you don’t care, why should I? And you know better than anyone that I couldn’t care less what anyone but you think of me.”
I smiled bitterly and raised my hands in surrender.
“Okay, okay, you win. I’ll talk to the representative later today.”
Ley raised her face with a smug expression.
Seeing that our sibling fight had finally ended, Scarlet and Saphire, who had been observing us from the bed anxiously, rushed toward us.
Ley caught Scarlet in her arms while I stroked the lamia as she rubbed her face against my chest.
“We should hurry up. It’s almost time for class.” Ley spoke up.
I nodded and patted Scarlet and Saphire’s heads. Almost immediately, the cat and the lamia turned into motes of light before turning into tattoos on my body. One on my right arm, and the other on the back of my left hand.
After that, we left home and headed to Sanctuary’s First.
On the way, we met with Andrew and Karime, and just before arriving, Sylvia got off a car and walked toward us.
“Jane, I heard you joined the student assembly. Is that true?” She asked as soon as she got to us.
How did she get the news so fast?
… Well, if it’s her, it’s not that strange actually.
I hesitated briefly and nodded before the surprised gazes of Andrew and Karime.
“I will be in charge of taking care of the foreign races.”
Andrew and Karime stiffened.
“Jane…”
“Are you crazy…!?”
“Calm down, guys.” I smiled wryly at my two friends. “There are… circumstances. Don’t worry. It’ll be alright.”
“Are you sure? That doesn’t sound like a good idea. Do you need help?” Andrew was still worried.
“It’s alright. Ley is already joining too.” I patted my little sister’s auburn hair, making her hum in satisfaction.
“I’m planning to join too.” Sylvia suddenly said.
I was surprised.
“Are you sure? You didn’t seem happy to be close with the foreign races.”
“I can bear with it. Plus, you don’t forget the reason I’m here, right?” She smiled mischievously.
I put on a startled expression before smiling wryly.
Now that I remember, she told me that she came here to discover my secret.
“If I want to accomplish my goal, I need to be close to you as much as possible,” Sylvia explained with a smile, drawing a strange face from Andrew, a hostile expression from Ley, and a complicated gaze from Karime.
No matter how you looked at it, her words made it seem like she was romantically interested in me.
Sylvia did not care about her gazes, though. At most, she put on an amused expression when she felt Ley’s hostility.
Andrew could not help but approach me and murmur in my ear.
“… Hey Jane... Sylvia and you…”
“It’s complicated.” I just replied like that. I could not tell him that she was interested in me because I survived when I should have died, right?
I also tried my best to ignore Karime's complex gaze.
I think that is the best for both of us.
…
Nothing noteworthy happened after that. When we arrived at Sanctuary’s First, we entered the classroom and took the classes for the day.
Afterward, Ley, Sylvia, and I headed to the student assembly.
Once there, I explained to Harold and Jazmine about Ley and Sylvia’s intentions. The two of them were pleasantly surprised. They did not think anyone else would sign up for this undesirable assignment voluntarily.
Harold then took Ley and Sylvia to fill some files necessary before they could be part of the student assembly.
I had already filled mine yesterday, so I went ahead with Jazmine to meet the celers and eblors.
“By the way, Jane. I have news about Gerona’s case.”
“Did you discover something?” I asked curious.
Jazmine nodded. “It was partly thanks to you. I investigate a bit about Gerina’s friend as you suggested and discovered something suspicious. According to a record from the teacher in charge of Irene, she showed signs of suffering from bullying a few months ago. Although she never reported it,”
“But something strange happened about two weeks ago.” Jazmine continued. “All of sudden, the signs of bullying disappeared, and she became much more cheerful. The teacher was curious so he investigated and heard from some students that she beat the three female students who bullied her.”
“Moreover, her grades saw a sudden improvement, and her strength also showed remarkable growth, putting her near the top of her year. The teacher did not find it suspicious, though. After all, things like this happen all the time in Sanctuary’s First.” Jazmine finished.
“… Wait a moment. This…”
“So you noticed it too.” Jazmine’s expression became solemn. “Yes, it’s strikingly similar to Gerona.”
I nodded.
Both of them were having trouble in their school life, and both of them saw a sudden improvement in their grades and strength recently. It seems a bit of a stretch to chalk it up to coincidence.
Something else also caught my attention.
“Bullying? Something like that happens here? If I don’t remember wrong, bullying is punished severely in Sanctuary's First.”
Jazmine hesitated and put on a complicated expression.
“It is. But unfortunately, it’s not enough to stop it completely.” Jazmine let out an exasperated sigh. “It’s one of the biggest headaches of the academy. We punish bullying very harshly, with mild cases giving a heavy warning, and slightly serious cases resulting directly in expulsion. Unfortunately, it’s not enough to stop it. In the end, the students of Sanctuary’s First are teens and youths between fifteen and eighteen who wield superhuman powers. Some of them simply let that power get to their heads.
“We tell the students to report any case of bullying, but that rarely happens. Most of the time, the students swallow the bullying silently. It was the case for Irene.”
I fell silent.
Bullying, huh?
[… What a coincidence.] The demon spoke up at that moment.
‘Demon?’
[You should head to the back of the building. You will see a good show. Better hurry up.]
’What happened? Demon? Demon?’ I called out to the demon, but he did not answer, as though he was not interested in speaking anymore.
After hesitating briefly, I clicked my tongue and rushed toward the place the demon indicated.
“Jane?”
“Sorry. Go ahead. I will catch up later!”
“Hey, wait! Thus guy…!”
Apologizing to Jazmine in my mind, I hurried to the back of the building at full speed. It took me a little bit of time to locate it, but I arrived in less than two minutes.
And as soon as I arrived, I stiffened.
A girl was seated on the ground with her head down as three other girls surrounded her with dark expressions.
I was witnessing an act of bullying.
