Kadoc looked at Ritsuka.
"I guess we'll meet our new leader."
Ritsuka paused.
"New leader?"
"Apparently."
"Apparently?"
"Red Winter changes quickly."
Ritsuka had learned not to argue with that statement.
After walking through several more halls, Kadoc finally stopped in front of an office.
He opened the door.
Inside was a girl sitting behind a desk, looking like she had been handed several responsibilities she had never asked for.
She had short, dark-green hair and wore the Red Winter uniform. Papers were scattered across the desk, while several documents had already been stamped and organized into neat piles.
Ritsuka recognized her from the Red Winter administration.
Yasumori Minori.
Kadoc looked at her.
"So, you're the one who led the revolution?"
Minori immediately sighed.
"Believe me, I didn't lead anything."
Kadoc raised an eyebrow.
"You didn't?"
"I gave a speech."
"About?"
"Believing in yourself."
Ritsuka blinked.
Minori rubbed her forehead.
"I gave it to my group. The Knowledge Liberation Front happened to hear it."
She gestured toward the mountain of paperwork on her desk.
"Then they got inspired."
Kadoc nodded.
"Okay."
"Then they started talking to other students."
"Right."
"Then someone decided Cherino needed to be removed."
"Naturally."
"Then the Public Works Department joined."
Ritsuka raised his hand.
"Wait, why did the Public Works Department join?"
Minori looked at him.
"I have absolutely no idea."
There was a long silence.
Minori continued.
"Then someone blew up the statue."
Ritsuka pointed at her.
"That was them?"
"Apparently."
Kadoc looked impressed.
"And now you're in charge."
Minori stared at him.
"Yes."
Ritsuka looked around the office.
There was a chair behind the desk.
A stack of documents.
A large Red Winter flag.
And a framed portrait of Cherino sitting against the wall, apparently waiting for her inevitable return.
Ritsuka slowly pointed at it.
"Should that be here?"
Minori looked over.
"...Probably not."
She got up, walked over, and turned the portrait around.
"Better."
Ritsuka nodded.
"Much better."
Minori returned to her seat.
Then she looked at Ritsuka.
"So you're the new student."
"Ritsuka Regulus Morningstar."
Minori paused.
"That's a very serious name."
"I've heard that before."
Kadoc leaned against the wall.
"He's Sensei's son."
Minori froze.
She looked at Ritsuka.
Then at Kadoc.
Then back at Ritsuka.
"...Oh."
Ritsuka gave an awkward smile.
"Yeah."
Minori slowly sat back down.
"That explains why you're being shown around personally."
Ritsuka frowned.
"Does it?"
Kadoc nodded.
"Probably."
Minori sighed.
"Well, welcome to Red Winter."
Ritsuka glanced toward the window.
Outside, another group was carrying a banner.
He couldn't read it from here.
But judging by the shouting, he had a pretty good idea what it was about.
Minori followed his gaze.
"Don't worry."
Ritsuka looked at her.
"About what?"
She smiled tiredly.
"I'm sure this revolution will last at least until lunch."
Kadoc nodded.
"That's optimistic."
Minori's smile disappeared.
"...You're right."
Ritsuka quietly turned his stream camera toward himself.
"Chat, I think I've found the most normal person in Red Winter."
Minori immediately looked at the phone.
"You're streaming this?"
Ritsuka froze.
"...Yes."
Minori stared at him.
Kadoc started laughing.
And somewhere outside, another explosion went off.
Minori looked at Ritsuka.
"Well, I hope you don't mind our school. Even with all the chaos, we try to keep a normal study atmosphere."
Ritsuka looked around the office.
Then toward the window.
Outside, students were still arguing around the remains of the statue.
He could hear someone shouting about a new election.
Then came another distant explosion.
Ritsuka slowly looked back at Minori.
"I believe you."
Minori smiled.
"Really?"
"No."
Kadoc covered his mouth, trying not to laugh.
Minori sighed.
"Fair enough."
Ritsuka leaned against the desk.
"Honestly, the classroom I saw earlier looked pretty normal."
"Exactly."
"You have actual lessons."
"Yes."
"Students study."
"Yes."
"Teachers aren't constantly shooting at them."
Minori paused.
"...Usually."
Ritsuka stared at her.
"Usually?"
Kadoc quietly looked away.
Minori cleared her throat.
"Red Winter has its difficulties."
"I noticed."
"But our students are still students. They need to learn, graduate, and eventually become adults."
Ritsuka nodded.
That part actually made sense.
For all the political chaos, Red Winter still had a school underneath it.
Minori gestured toward the library.
"We take education seriously. History, science, mathematics, politics. We want our students to understand the world around them."
Ritsuka smiled slightly.
"That's actually nice."
Minori looked relieved.
"I'm glad."
Ritsuka then heard shouting outside.
"DOWN WITH THE NEW ADMINISTRATION!"
Minori closed her eyes.
"...See?"
Ritsuka looked at Kadoc.
Kadoc shrugged.
"Normal study atmosphere."
Ritsuka nodded slowly.
"Right."
The chat was already going crazy.
[Chat]
"NORMAL"
"THIS IS THEIR DEFINITION OF NORMAL"
"MINORI IS TRYING HER BEST 😭"
"LET HER HAVE HER SCHOOL"
"THE REVOLUTION IS JUST BACKGROUND NOISE NOW"
Minori sighed and picked up another stack of papers.
"Anyway, I have to deal with the administration."
Ritsuka looked at the paperwork.
"How much?"
Minori looked at the stack.
Then at another stack.
Then at an even larger stack.
"...Too much."
Kadoc pushed himself away from the wall.
"That's Red Winter."
Ritsuka smiled.
"I think I'm starting to understand this place."
Minori looked at him.
"That's good."
Ritsuka glanced toward the window as another distant explosion echoed through the district.
"...I'm not sure if that's good."
Kadoc nodded.
"That's also Red Winter."
After that, Kadoc took Ritsuka out toward an open field behind the academy.
Ritsuka looked around.
Snow covered the entire area.
Several snowmobiles were parked nearby, while a few students were already riding around the field.
Ritsuka pointed at them.
"So this is why I kept seeing these everywhere."
Kadoc nodded.
"If you want to get around Red Winter, you need to know how to use one."
Ritsuka looked at the snowmobile.
"Couldn't I just use my bike?"
Kadoc stared at him.
"In this?"
Ritsuka looked at the thick layer of snow covering the ground.
"...Fair."
Kadoc walked over to one of the snowmobiles.
"It's not difficult. Throttle here. Brake here. Steering works like a normal vehicle."
Ritsuka climbed onto the seat.
"That's it?"
"Pretty much."
Kadoc paused.
"Don't crash."
Ritsuka looked at him.
"That's your entire safety lesson?"
"Yes."
"You're a terrible instructor."
"I learned from experience."
"That's not reassuring."
Kadoc started the engine.
The snowmobile roared to life.
Ritsuka immediately felt the vibration through the seat.
He looked down.
"...Okay."
Kadoc pointed toward the open field.
"Just go slowly."
Ritsuka nodded.
"Got it."
He carefully pressed the throttle.
The snowmobile moved forward.
Slowly.
Then slightly faster.
Ritsuka's expression changed.
"Oh."
Kadoc smiled.
"See?"
"This is actually kind of fun."
"Keep going."
Ritsuka gained a little more speed.
Snow sprayed behind him as he turned.
The snowmobile slid sideways for a second.
Ritsuka's eyes widened.
"WOAH!"
He corrected the steering.
Kadoc laughed.
"Don't fight the slide!"
"YOU COULD HAVE SAID THAT BEFORE!"
Ritsuka managed to straighten out.
He looked back toward Kadoc.
"I've got it!"
Kadoc gave him a thumbs-up.
"Good!"
Ritsuka grinned.
Then he looked ahead.
There was a small ramp.
He stared at it.
Kadoc saw the look on his face.
"No."
Ritsuka pointed.
"That?"
"No."
"It looks fun."
"It's a ramp."
"Exactly."
"Ritsuka."
Ritsuka grinned.
"I'm doing it."
Kadoc immediately realized he had made a mistake by teaching him.
"Don't you dare."
Ritsuka accelerated.
The chat exploded.
[Chat]
"RITSUKA NO"
"HE'S GOING FOR THE RAMP"
"KADOC STOP HIM"
"HE'S BEEN IN RED WINTER FOR LIKE AN HOUR"
Ritsuka hit the ramp.
The snowmobile launched into the air.
For one glorious second, Ritsuka was flying over the snow.
He raised one fist.
"YEAH!"
Then he landed.
Hard.
The snowmobile bounced.
Ritsuka nearly fell off.
He somehow recovered and brought it to a stop.
Silence.
Kadoc stared at him.
Ritsuka stared back.
"...That went well."
Kadoc walked over.
"No."
Ritsuka looked at the snowmobile.
"It's still working."
"That's not the standard."
Ritsuka looked at the camera.
"Chat, I think I'm getting the hang of this."
Kadoc sighed.
"You're going to fit in here way too well."
Once he was done with Red Winter he should have gone too Hyakkiyako Alliance Academy or Shanhaijing Senior Secondary School
But nope he text Mika to return home
Mika was sitting in class when her phone buzzed.
She glanced down.
Ritsuka: I'm coming home.
Mika blinked.
He still had plenty of time before his scheduled visit to Hyakkiyako and Shanhaijing.
She tilted her head.
'He's coming back early?'
Then she remembered which school he was visiting.
Red Winter.
Mika smiled.
'Ah.'
As a member of the Tea Party, Mika had enough freedom to leave when she wanted. She quietly packed her things and headed home.
She already had a pretty good idea why Ritsuka was coming back.
Once she arrived, she went straight into the kitchen.
"If he's had a bad day..."
She opened the refrigerator.
"...I'll make his favorite."
Soon, the kitchen was filled with the smell of freshly cooked food.
Mika hummed quietly while she prepared everything.
She had just finished setting the table when she heard the doorbell.
Ding dong.
Mika smiled.
"That was quick."
She walked over and opened the door.
Ritsuka immediately stepped inside.
Actually, calling it stepping inside would be generous.
He practically launched himself at her.
"Mika!"
Mika caught him with a surprised laugh.
"Whoa!"
Ritsuka buried his face against her.
Mika's wings immediately wrapped around him.
"There, there."
Ritsuka finally pulled back.
Then he leaned forward and kissed her.
Mika blinked.
When they parted, she smiled.
"That bad?"
Ritsuka sighed.
"You have no idea how chaotic that school was."
Mika giggled.
"Red Winter?"
"Yes."
"What happened?"
Ritsuka stared at her.
"Their government got overthrown."
Mika blinked.
"Again?"
Ritsuka froze.
"...How did you know?"
Mika shrugged.
"Everyone knows about Red Winter."
Ritsuka pointed at her.
"That's not the point!"
Mika laughed.
"Okay, okay. Tell me everything."
Ritsuka walked toward the table.
"I met a guy named Kadoc."
"Oh?"
"He showed me around."
"That's nice."
"Then we went to see their new leader."
Mika raised an eyebrow.
"New leader?"
"She became leader because the previous one got overthrown."
Mika nodded slowly.
"Sounds like Red Winter."
"Then I learned how to ride a snowmobile."
Mika's eyes lit up.
"You did?"
"Yes."
"Did you crash?"
"No."
Mika stared at him.
Ritsuka stared back.
"...Mostly."
Mika covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
"Ritsuka."
"I survived."
"That's what matters."
Ritsuka sat down.
Then he noticed the food.
His expression immediately softened.
"You made my favorite."
Mika sat beside him.
"I thought you might need it."
Ritsuka smiled.
"You really are the best."
Mika leaned against him.
"I know."
Ritsuka laughed.
For the first time all day, everything felt quiet.
No revolutions.
No explosions.
No political speeches.
No snowmobiles.
Just Mika, warm food, and a quiet home.
Ritsuka took a bite.
He closed his eyes.
"...I'm skipping the next two schools."
Mika laughed.
"I figured."
Ritsuka suddenly froze.
"..."
Mika looked at him.
"What?"
Ritsuka slowly reached for his phone.
His face went pale.
"...I left my stream on."
Mika blinked.
Then she looked at the phone.
The stream was still running.
The chat was moving so fast that the messages were almost impossible to read.
[Chat]
"THE HUG 😭"
"THE KISS"
"MIKA AND RITSUKA CONFIRMED"
"BRO CAME HOME AND IMMEDIATELY GOT A WARM WELCOME"
"RED WINTER WAS TOO MUCH FOR HIM"
"HE RAN HOME TO HIS GIRLFRIEND"
"CLIP IT"
"SOMEONE CLIP THAT"
Mika's eye twitched.
She slowly stood up.
Ritsuka immediately recognized that look.
"Mika?"
She cracked her knuckles.
"I think I'll just destroy the phone."
Ritsuka grabbed her wrist.
"Mika, no!"
She looked at him.
"I need that to make money!"
Mika pointed at the phone.
"They're going to meme that."
Ritsuka looked at the screen.
The chat was already making polls.
He sighed.
"The hug."
"Yep."
"The kiss."
"Yep."
"Me basically jumping into your arms."
"Definitely."
Ritsuka buried his face in his hands.
"I'm never escaping this."
Mika smiled.
"You'll survive."
"That's easy for you to say."
She leaned closer.
"At least you looked cute."
Ritsuka stared at her.
"...You're making it worse."
Mika giggled.
Ritsuka finally took his phone.
"Okay. Stream's over."
He ended the broadcast.
The chat disappeared.
Silence.
Ritsuka stared at the screen for a moment.
"...That was painful."
Mika sat back down.
"You'll make money from it."
"That's the only reason I'm not deleting the entire internet."
Ritsuka opened his messages and found Rin.
He typed.
Ritsuka: I'm not going to Hyakkiyako or Shanhaijing today.
The reply came surprisingly quickly.
Rin: Are you sick?
Ritsuka looked at Mika.
Then at the food.
Then at the exhaustion on his own face.
Ritsuka: No. Red Winter happened.
There was a pause.
Then:
Rin: Understood.
Another message appeared.
Rin: I'll mark today's visits as postponed.
Ritsuka blinked.
"That was easy."
Mika smiled.
"See? Now you can relax."
Ritsuka leaned back in his chair.
"Finally."
Mika rested her head against his shoulder.
"Besides, you still have to tell me what happened with the revolution."
Ritsuka sighed.
"...You're going to laugh."
"I probably will."
"I learned how to ride a snowmobile."
Mika's eyes widened.
"You did?"
Ritsuka nodded proudly.
"Yeah."
A pause.
"Did you crash?"
"..."
Mika smiled.
"Ritsuka."
"I landed the jump."
"You jumped?"
"...Maybe."
Mika started laughing.
Ritsuka looked away.
"Red Winter is a dangerous place."
To be continue hope people like this and give me power stones and enjoy