Chapter 25

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The next day, I was seen off by Tütte at the carriage stop and headed to the "Solos" lounge alone.

Yesterday, the school system was different from what I expected, so when I got home, Tütte gave me a lecture. To my surprise, this academy doesn't have fixed classrooms, and I don't have a designated seat. Instead, there's a lounge where "Solos" members often gather, and it seems they use this place when they need to meet and talk.

(What should I do... My knowledge from my previous life is completely useless here...)

What surprised me even more was the curriculum. According to my knowledge, students usually follow a schedule set by the school, but in this academy, we can choose our own classes. However, those who belong to Solos must complete the required Solos subjects to advance...

(It feels more like a university than a middle or elementary school... Well, I haven't been to either, so I'm not sure...)

I sighed deeply and looked at the small badge with the emblem sewn onto my clothes. This badge apparently proves that I belong to Solos. Tütte had received it without my knowledge and gave it to me just before I left today.

(Thanks to everyone doing things for me, I don't know anything... That's why I feel even more anxious when I'm alone...)

I glanced at the badges of other students walking around and followed someone wearing the same badge as me.

(Yes, I don't know where the lounge is! I'm sorry...)

I mentally snapped at myself. Tütte had tried to explain the route, but it didn't stick in my head at all, and I couldn't form a mental map. So, I decided to follow people with the same goal, which was a bit of a gamble.

(Am I... maybe directionally challenged...)

While suspecting I had discovered a new skill, I managed to arrive at the lounge where people with the same badge were gathering, fortunately.

The lounge, as it was called, was unexpectedly large, with partitions here and there, and chairs, tables, and sofas were provided. To me, it felt like a rather stylish and large family restaurant.

Everyone was sitting in their preferred spots or standing in places where they wouldn't be in the way. As I looked around, wondering what to do, I saw someone waving their hands wildly in the distance.

(That idiot, drawing attention to himself...)

I sighed and put my hand on my forehead as Zaha approached me.

"Good morning... Zaha-san..."

I greeted him with a strained smile since he had arrived.

"Good morning, Mary-sama. You're surprisingly late. Did you get lost?"

"N-no... I didn't..."

Coming here without getting lost was almost a miracle, so my words were hesitant.

Bang! Bang!

As we were having this conversation, someone appeared in the center of the lounge and clapped their hands, and we all looked at them.

"Hey! All the new Solos students, gather here!"

The man, who was a year older than us, had a carefree and cheerful smile as he looked around and called out.

(The "people" part... Does that mean there might be students from other classes here? Indeed, it wasn't specified that this is a dedicated lounge...)

I thought about this while joining the others around him.

"Okay... You've gathered. Let's introduce ourselves! My name is 'Karlis Yench', and I'm a third-year student. I've been appointed as the class master of Solos! You can call me senpai casually, nice to meet you."

He performed a formal bow, as if in a social setting, and looked quite at ease.

(The title "class master" sounds cool! Is it like a class representative? But he's older than us... and there's no homeroom teacher? Hmm... My knowledge from my previous life really doesn't seem to be useful here...)

I held my head and looked at Karlis senpai again. He was about two heads taller than me, and as a member of Solos, he had a slender but well-built physique. His thick eyebrows, visible under his neatly cut brown hair, suggested he was an active young man. His smile, showing his teeth, was charming, and a few of the gathered young ladies were already swooning.

(He's probably the type who loves sports, takes good care of his juniors, and has a refreshing personality, right?)

I associated him with characters from books and anime I had read in my previous life and felt satisfied with my assessment.

"Anyway, let's keep the formalities short."

While Karlis senpai was talking, I was lost in my imagination and didn't pay attention.

(Ugh... Mary... What a blunder...)

"Let's tour the school, so follow me."

Saying this, Karlis senpai started to leave the lounge, and everyone followed him out of the room.

"What's wrong, Mary-sama? Aren't you coming?"

As everyone moved, Zaha noticed I had stopped and spoke to me.

"Huh, oh, yeah... I'm coming."

I changed my mindset, turned to the front, and started to move towards the others. I noticed someone looking at me and turned to see a small girl with wavy, chestnut-colored hair staring at me.

When our emerald eyes met my golden ones, she hurriedly ran in the direction the others had gone and...

Then, she fell flat on her face spectacularly.

"..."

Time seemed to freeze, and Zaha and I stared at the girl who had face-planted on the ground. Unfortunately, the only people in the lounge now were us and some distant upperclassmen.

"Hey, are you okay?"

I decided to speak to the fallen object, which twitched and then jumped up, landing on its feet in an unbelievable display.

(What is this girl... Does she have good or bad motor skills?)

I watched the scene with my mouth half-open. The girl, who had been facing away from me, turned around.

"I-I'm fine..."

Her nose was red, and she was teary-eyed.

(Did she fall face-first?)

"You're not fine at all."

I quickly took out my handkerchief to help her, but she tried to stop me and we bumped heads.

"Ah, no, such a beautiful handkerchief... Ouch!"

She tried to stop me, and we bumped heads. Normally, we would both be in pain, but due to my special condition, I didn't feel anything, while she was the only one in agony.

"U-Uh... I'm sorry, are you okay?"

"I-I'm fine."

She took her hand off her forehead, which she had been pressing, and said she was fine while I held out my handkerchief.

"Hey, is it okay to chat so leisurely? Everyone's gone."

I wanted to question how this looked like a leisurely chat, but I realized we had been left behind. I stood up and looked around, and indeed, the large group of people who had been walking in front of us was nowhere to be seen.

"Oh no! We've been left behind."

"I-I'm sorry! It's my fault."

She apologized with a trembling voice, her face pale and tears streaming down her cheeks. Her crying was so intense that both Zaha and I took a step back.

"You don't have to cry so much."

"Y-Yeah... It's like we made you cry."

We tried to comfort her, as she was so flustered.

(Huh? Wait... Usually, I would be flustered and lose my cool in such an emergency... Even without Tütte or Magilka, why am I so calm?)

I realized this and looked at her again. The cause was probably her. Seeing her so flustered in front of me might have made me unusually calm as a counterexample.

"Anyway, let's forget about that for now... Where did everyone go?"

"Beats me. Don't ask me."

(What a waste to have expected anything from you.)

I sighed dramatically and seriously considered what to do next.

(I've messed up on my first day of school... What should I do... Oh, this is bad, I'm starting to panic...)

Just as I was about to switch to a destructive mode, a timid voice spoke up.

"U-Um... I think... everyone... went to the arena..."

A soft voice provided a glimmer of hope.

"Arena?"

"Ah! I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

Zaha's innocent question made the girl flinch.

(Maybe this girl is afraid of boys?)

"Arena?"

"Ah! I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

(She's just very timid... with a very fragile mentality.)

I tried to ask her gently, trying not to scare her.

"You don't have to be so scared. What about the arena?"

"W-Well... Earlier... Yench senpai mentioned something about the arena... So maybe..."

Her voice became smaller and smaller as I listened patiently. I looked at Zaha, who shook his head seriously.

(What is it? Did he not listen to senpai, or does he not know where the arena is?)

I glared at him with half-closed eyes, and he responded as if reading my mind.

"Both."

He answered as if he had heard my thoughts, and I sighed in disappointment again.

"Hey, you! You didn't listen either, and you don't know where it is!"

Zaha protested, understanding my actions. He's usually perceptive in such situations...

"U-Um... I know where it is..."

The girl, speaking very modestly, caught my attention. I took her hand and pulled her towards me.

"Really? Please show us! ...Uh..."

Only then did I realize I didn't know this girl's name.

"Ah... I'm... 'Saphina Kalsana.' Mary-sama."

She introduced herself, understanding my hesitation.

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