The surprise of this announcement gave way to a heavy silence. All the members of the student council remained calm, waiting for Mikuami’s response.

"Um, this isn’t a decision I can make just like that," Mikuami said, slightly embarrassed by the situation.

"Mikuami is right, we’re putting too much pressure on her. After all, it’s her first day!"

Himishi adjusted his glasses and appeared more understanding. "Yes, you’re right… The opportunity was just too good to pass up."

"It’s true that we rushed a bit, but promise us you’ll think about it. It’s a wonderful opportunity for both you and us!" Alysse added in the warmest, kindest tone.

Mikuami nodded with a smile. This little eccentric scene was quickly forgotten, and everyone immediately focused on helping Mikuami and Kazuko with their belongings.

"Sign here, please. These are your uniforms, your dormitory numbers, and a map of the Academy! You shouldn’t have too much trouble finding your way around with this."

Both girls took what was handed to them and complied. Before leaving, Mikuami gave Alysse one last smile, and then they squeezed through the crowd still bustling in the corridors, heading to the upper floors. Upon reaching a new corridor lined with several doors, Kazuko hurried to one of them and opened it.

"Argh, let me do it! This is my room, Kazuko!"

"Maybe, but I’m really curious to see what it looks like!"

Once inside, they looked around eagerly, excited to discover their dormitory.

"Oh! It’s exactly what I imagined for an Academy room. Though it’s much less comfortable than at home, I really love the atmosphere!"

"I’m quite charmed as well, and they’ve already delivered my luggage."

She walked over to a golden cage where Satan, her little purple monster, sat proudly at its centre.

"Here you are! Sorry, I had to leave you earlier, I hope you’re not mad at me."

He responded with a joyful, satisfied grunt.

"I’ll take that as a yes, haha." Mikuami opened the cage door and took Satan out, who nestled comfortably in her hand. Kazuko, meanwhile, headed towards the door.

"I’ll go now! If Satan’s been dropped off in your room, Charkie must be in mine. I’ll go find him, but don’t forget, we’re meeting soon in the dining hall! Miss Moonlit insisted that we all gather tonight for our first evening here, so make yourself pretty!" With that, she shut the door, leaving Mikuami alone. From left to right, Mikuami observed, satisfied, the space that would now be her room. As if marking a fresh start, for her who had no memory of this world, she felt, for the first time since her awakening, that she belonged here and could create her own memories. She sat on the bed and continued to admire the walls and the view.

"I’m finally here. My room, my uniform, and tomorrow, the first classes. Although I miss the manor a bit, with all the people living there, I find this place rather exciting. I can’t wait to see what awaits me, though I’m a little apprehensive."

She got up and grabbed a few things from her many suitcases.

"Kazuko is right, I should get ready for tonight."

She carefully examined the clothes Elise, her maid, had laid out for such events and selected one of the dresses. She added a few more accessories to complete the outfit and made sure she had everything she needed before heading out. She then left her room and hesitantly made her way to the bathrooms, all located in the same area, further down the corridors.

"According to the Academy map, they should be here."

In a hurry and somewhat excited to prepare for this first big event, she grabbed the first handle available and tried to open the door, but couldn’t.

"Wait, are their handles rusty? The door won’t open!"

After several seconds of increasingly forceful attempts, the door finally gave way. Mikuami wore a satisfied expression.

"Ah! Finally…!"

Her joy was short-lived. On the other side of the door, Hiro stood there, hand on the handle and an angry look on his face, displeased to have been disturbed while in the middle of his bath. Still wet from his hurried departure after someone had tried to enter the bathroom he was using, Mikuami noticed he was only wearing a towel around his waist, his sculpted torso still covered in droplets of water, which instantly made her blush. Reflexively, she let go of the door handle, disturbed by the sight of his half-naked body.

In an irritated tone, he said, "Hey, could you stop trying to open this door? Can’t you see it’s already occupied?"

Embarrassed and flustered by the situation, Mikuami struggled to respond. "I… I’m sorry! I really thought the door was just-…"

He cut her off sharply. "Well, you can see that it’s not now, can’t you?!" He sighed, exasperated. "Are you doing this on purpose to annoy me or what?!"

Without waiting for an answer, he slammed the door shut.

Mikuami, still shocked by this unexpected interaction, regained her composure and grew irritated herself.

"Is he serious?! Already this morning, I thought his behaviour was a bit much, but now he’s really pushing it!!!" Frustrated by Hiro’s impulsive attitude, Mikuami opened the door to the next bathroom and slammed it just as hard, venting her frustration at being treated like this.

"Doesn’t he realise I didn’t do that on purpose? At what point does he think I want to annoy him?!!!" Grumbling, she undressed, ready to take her bath. The water flowed, and once she was ready, she stepped in. "I already had to put up with his most unpleasant attitude this morning, but now he’s gone too far! I’ve been nice enough, but if he keeps it up, I won’t hesitate to respond!"

Mikuami continued her monologue, unaware that her words were easily heard by Hiro, who had returned to his bath in the adjacent room. He remained calm, listening to her fiery words, his gaze focused on the wall that separated them.

"She doesn’t seem too happy, does she? Oh well, too bad for her, she brought it upon herself." He glanced out the window. "She’s just like all the other girls who try to get close to me… If she thinks I haven’t figured out her little game… Yeah, she’s just like the rest… Uninteresting."

Later that day, as the sun began to set, Mikuami, dressed in a gown and jewellery, looked at herself in the mirror, pensive.

"Elise would have done it like this, wouldn’t she? It seems… rather good."

Wearing a stunning flowing red dress that revealed her arms and part of her chest, her long black hair complemented the outfit beautifully. She had added a necklace of red stones, matching the fabric of her gown, which reflected her important status within the kingdom. Despite the beauty of the ensemble, Mikuami began to wonder if it wasn’t a bit excessive for a simple first-night event at the Academy. She quickly dismissed these thoughts, recalling Mr. Adler’s repeated reminder of how essential it was to maintain a good image and represent her family well. She also remembered that few angels and demons came from modest backgrounds, which explained the prominent presence of illustrious figures, whether nobles, children of wealthy merchants, religious order members, or heirs of influential dynasties. Quickly, she arranged her last strands of hair and stepped out, ready. Further down, near the stairs, Kazuko was chatting with two other girls Mikuami didn’t recognise.

"She shouldn’t be long now, I told her to come as quickly as—... Ah! Here she is!"

"Sorry for the slight delay!" Mikuami said as she joined them. She looked at the two girls, both of whom were very beautiful, especially because of their deep blue eyes and hair.

"You look radiant, Mikuami! Truly worthy of the Duchess Ayademi you are!" Kazuko exclaimed, admiring the luxurious outfit.

"Kazuko’s right, you look gorgeous and completely forgiven! I’m Makiro Eishito, we’re in the same class! And this is Masami Ourano. She’s a bit shy, but she’s really nice once you get to know her!"

"I’m not shy, Makiro…" Masami replied with the most neutral of expressions.

"Thank you. I did have some trouble with the bathroom, but I was as quick as I could!"

Kazuko smiled, unaware of the altercation with Hiro, and said, "If everything’s sorted, let’s go now! I’ve heard the food will be exquisite, and I’m starving!"

Kazuko took the lead, followed by Mikuami, Masami, and Makiro, who smiled slightly at her words.

Higher up, in one of the Academy’s towers, behind a discreet window, shielded from view, the headmaster, Mr. Shine, silently observed the bustle below. Sitting near this small opening to the world, a subtle strangeness became apparent. From the outside, the room where he stood appeared modest, as did the window that adorned it. Yet, in reality, Mr. Shine was in a vast, beautifully decorated hall, exuding a unique aura that seemed to emanate from its very essence. With a single glance, one understood that this place was the reflection of his personality, a timeless sanctuary beyond the limits of space, whose true nature was only revealed to those who observed it from within. Before the large bay window, which offered a panoramic view of the Academy, he silently observed his students. At his feet, a dog as enigmatic as the place itself played peacefully. A knock echoed at the door. Miss Harina entered.

"I am here, Mr. Director. You requested my presence?"

"Miss Moonlit, I trust I am not disturbing your schedule with this impromptu meeting?" He remained motionless by the window.

"No, Mr. Director. I accompanied my students this afternoon so they could retrieve their belongings from the student office, and I made sure they were ready for tonight’s event. I intended to head there after our meeting."

Mr. Shine gave a slight gesture with his hand. 

"Come and see, Miss Moonlit. Look below."

Miss Harina approached and stood beside the director. Below, several groups of angels and demons conversed, wandered the halls, or still marveled at the imposing building, all dressed in their finest evening attire. He spoke again.

"Today marks their first day at the Academy. They are living a moment of great significance, a memory they will cherish and never forget: the beginning of an adventure far grander than they yet imagine."

"They still do not know what they will face. Life within the Academy is far from peaceful..."

"Not solely. I believe the lingering tensions between angels and demons will be their true obstacle during their years here. I have a strong sense that this year, a more pronounced division is being felt and formed. Not that I foresee it happening, but I do not wish for it to interfere with the beauty of this place and their precious memories." He took a nearly solemn breath. "These students are everything I hold most dear, and this school is a sanctuary I built for angels and demons to confront each other and unite under a common goal. As the director, I pay particular attention to these new students, especially since this year's distribution between angels and demons was…"

Miss Harina, understanding Mr. Shine’s unspoken words, completed the sentence he seemed hesitant to finish.

"Yes, this year, the Urn of Oaths made an unusual choice by mixing angels and demons very little across the different classes. It hasn’t happened in a long time."

"The last time such a thing occurred, the events that followed were very dark, and the Great Night fell upon the capital. But I trust you remember that."

Miss Harina nodded, her gaze still fixed on the outside.

"I fear this may be a new sign, a warning of great tensions or significant events to come. While we cannot question the choices made by the Urn, we can still remain vigilant." He turned to Miss Harina. "I would like you to ensure this with your class, Miss Moonlit."

"Of course, Mr. Director." She turned after a shared look and left the office. Mr. Shine found himself once again alone with his small dog.

"It seems that this year has been chosen by the heavens to be special in this world. I can feel it, something is happening..." He lifted his gaze to the sky, where light shone brightly. "Great Goddess Hirae, what are you planning? What are your hidden intentions? What will you do to this academy, to these students, what will they face? Can I hope this is for a better future, or at least for a just cause?"

The gaze turned towards the heavens, higher, through clouds invisible to the eye from the world below, within the palace of the gods, Hirae, attentive to the words spoken for her, smiled upon hearing them. This smile shifted, revealing a certain finesse.

"Well, let’s just say this is only the beginning..."