2 - Admission x Confusion

“I am Ratio Winkrum, I’ll be transferring to the Pilot Department from today. It’s nice to meet you all.”

Ratio bowed and was welcomed with applause.

Clearing the first barrier, Ratio lets out a small sigh of relief.

It’s been 3 days since she came to Mixture. The first day of her transfer was quickly completed, such as carrying in her luggage and welcoming formalities.

Doesn’t she have a little more time in her schedule?! She complained about it, but it was decided that it could not be helped due to the curriculum.

Thanks to that, she’s a little tired from the morning, but the atmosphere in the classroom is peaceful.

That’s good.

However, most of the students have glazed looks in their eyes makes her a little worried.

“Well then, Winkrum, please take the empty seat over there,” the teacher said.

“Okay,” Ratio said.

As prompted, Ratio walks to the end of the center row.

On the way, she smiled at her classmates who gently waved their hands and greeted her, and then she took a seat.

“Do you know how to use the equipment, Winkrum?” the teacher asked.

“I’ll be fine,” Ratio said.

“Alright, well, I do suppose you passed the transfer exam,” the teacher said. “I’m sure your academics will be fine but if you have any questions, ask anyone to get yourself familiar as soon as possible.”

“Okay,” Ratio said, nodding.

Ratio takes out her personal card from her breast pocket and inserted it into a slit on the desk.

Then, a holographic display and keyboard appeared before her.

(Oh.)

Since coming to Mixture, Ratio has been nothing but surprised at how it works.

No matter what you do here, you need a personal card. She was told many times that this card has various roles such as your ID, your wallet, a key to your room and locker, and that it is very important and you should never lose it.

A personal card is essential even during classes, and it is used to activate the terminal as she had now, and it is also used to check attendance.

(Oh, amazing, it’s so responsive, isn’t it?) Ratio thought.

It’s fun just to tap the holographic keyboard and see how smoothly it reacts.

“Now then, let’s start class,” the teacher said.

Ratio takes her focus back to the classroom at that.

She came here to learn.

She had no intention of throwing away this precious opportunity.

“…”

“…”

“…………”

“…………”

Thanks to her preparation beforehand, she knew she could keep up with the class.

Some details are still questionable, but she should ask her classmates or look them up in the data bank.

Ratio thinks quietly while drawing lines and annotations on areas of concern using a stylus that can write on the holo-display.

(I can feel someone staring at me…)

For a while, after class started, Ratio felt a mysterious pressure coming from her left side.

The number of available seats is larger than the number of students, and the seats directly to the left and right of Ratio are vacant.

However, there is another student sitting further to her left, two seats away.

A girl with silver hair and long, slit eyes.

(… Why is she staring at me?)

If Ratio glanced at her, her gaze intensifies even further.

(Why the?) Ratio thought.

Even if she wonders, they’re in class now.

Even though she was worried, she managed to listen to the teacher’s voice, and the long class finally came to an end.

(…………It’s over)

For some reason, this first class felt extremely long.

As soon as the bell rang, Ratio fell on her desk. The holo-display has switched to transparent mode to prevent malfunctions, and her head sticks to the translucent plate.

The desk is cool and comfortable.

Her classmates approach Ratio and make a fuss.

“Hey, Ms. Winkrum?” one of them asked.

“Oh, yes?” Ratio said, reflexively straightening up, but she found herself surrounded.

The girls’ eyes sparkled with curiosity.

“Where are you from?”

“What have you been up to?”

“Why are you here?”

“Aren’t glasses rare these days?”

“What are your hobbies?”

“What kind of shampoo do you use?”

“Could you tell me what you use to put on your make-up?”

“What about your lotion?”

“What about your lipstick?”

“What’s your bra’s cup size?”

It’s the typical transfer student experience. It’s the Questions Assault from your new classmates.

It’s not one person at a time, but multiple people at the same time, so Ratio can’t understand well, and above all, the questions keep increasing, so she doesn’t know which one to answer.

Ratio panics in confusion.

The classmates repeat their questions, following their curiosity.

Outnumbered and outgunned both!

“Umm, hold up, one at a time…” Ratio muttered.

“Hey, you.”

Just when Ratio tried to calm them down, someone called out to her.

It was not loud at all. Normally, a voice of that volume should have been drowned out by the surroundings.

However, that voice reaches Ratio.

It overwhelms the voices of the surrounding students.

“Huh?” Ratio asked.

She looked to the left, she can see the silver-haired girl who kept glaring at Ratio during the class earlier.

“Ratio Winkrum… is that correct?” she asked.

“Yes, I’m Ratio. Nice to meet you?” Ratio asked.

“…I’m Regina Glawis. Nice to meet you,” Regina said.

They introduce themselves.

It’s a natural thing to do when meeting for the first time.

However, while Regina was standing and Ratio was sitting, Regina narrowed her eyes and looked down at Ratio.

Furthermore, the feeling of intimidation is amazing.

Ratio, who had no idea that someone she met for the first time would act like this, was perplexed.

“I heard you have a dedicated unit.”

“Dedicated, unit?” Ratio asked.

“… Are you trying to make fun of me?” Regina asked.

“No!” Ratio yelled.

The feeling of intimidation increased, and Ratio broke into a cold sweat.

Why was she being asked such a question and why was she being intimidated? It didn’t make any sense to her.

Here, the difference between those who belonged to someplace for a long time and those who had just arrived became clear.

The point is whether you are accustomed to local things, such as the unique rules of the place and expressions that are used as a matter of course.

“…… You,” Regina said.

“Ye-Yes?” Ratio asked.

(What is going on with her…?)

She doesn’t even know anymore.

Regina tries to say something more to Ratio, who doesn’t know what to do, but she shuts her mouth when the chime rings, signaling the break was over.

“… The next class is about to begin,” Regina said, turning on her heel and walking back to her seat at a brisk pace.

“O-Ooh…” Ratio wheezed.

It was an ambiguous sound that could be taken as a half-hearted reply or a sigh, the strength left Ratio’s body at once.

The students who were bombarding her with questions returned to their seats one by one with an indescribable expression, partly because the break was over.

(What the hell was that…?) Ratio thought, about to fall on her desk again.

“Um, Ms. Winkrum?”

“Hyii!?” Ratio squealed, caught off guard again.

The girl who was sitting in front of her called out to her.

Ultimately, without introducing herself first, Ratio couldn’t put a name to her face.

“I am Ornit. Ornit Ahra. Nice to meet you,” the girl says with a smile.

“Yeah. Nice to meet you, too,” Ratio replied, smiling back.