Days gradually settled into a rhythm. Rin appeared less frequently, and Yae Sakura's melancholic eyes were always lost in thought...
Sometimes Shiraha worried that Yae Sakura might find an opportunity to go down with Rin in a blaze of glory but then he remembered Yae Sakura's combat ability, and felt a little relieved.
A miko who couldn't even beat a fox spirit, what kind of storm could she really stir up?
At the end of the semester came final exams.
Good news: in this integrated elementary-middle-high school system of Chiba Academy, there was no need to worry about failing to advance.
Bad news: someone's grades might not be so ideal.
As for Shiraha... his genius phase would at least last until his third year of high school, maybe even until university research before slowly fading. Elementary school material? Completely beneath his notice.
"Nee-chan, why haven't you been talking much these past few days?"
Shiraha asked softly. Elysia glanced at the exam paper, was quiet for a moment: "I'm thinking about Rin."
She wasn't interested in exams. She'd thought that after sitting through a few years of classes, this elementary-level material would be a cinch.
But every time she tried to recall the knowledge, what popped into her head instead were images of goofing off with Shiraha during class, whispering, eating ice cream, lying with her head on his lap watching the sky...
Mmm.
"Rin has been acting weird lately. I suspect she might have a second personality too."
Shiraha casually finished the last question. Elementary school papers, he really didn't want to say much more.
On the last day of the semester, Shiraha turned in his paper early. After all, it was elementary school, there weren't that many rules.
"Haven't seen the delinquent senior lately either. I wonder where she's been since the college entrance exams."
Elysia drifted behind him, hands clasped behind her head: "Probably busy catching up on sleep. She actually put in some serious effort for the exams for once."
Shiraha stood at the doorway, watching Mei still hunched over her paper writing furiously. After a moment's thought, he decided to head to the club first.
The club wasn't in the elementary section, elementary schools usually didn't have spare club rooms, but it wasn't far from it.
Shiraha pushed the door open. Someone was already there at this hour, it was Yae Sakura, filling in as the school nurse.
"Good afternoon, Rin-nee!"
Shiraha's gaze naturally didn't skip over the little fox in Yae Sakura's arms. He walked straight over and reached out to stroke the fur of the real Rin.
The little fox was soft. As his fingertips sank in, he could feel the warmth of her body beneath. When he rubbed her tail, she let out a very cute cry, it sounded a bit like displeasure or coy complaint... kyuu kyuu.
Yae Sakura checked the time: "Shouldn't you still be taking your exam right now?"
"The questions were easy, so I turned it in early." Shiraha paused, then gave the little fox's tail another rub: "Such a cute little fox. Rin-nee, can I hold her?"
Yae Sakura hesitated. I might not be the one to decide that. Though the fox spirit wasn't exactly a good being, she was certainly powerful.
The next moment, Yae Sakura spoke softly: "Do you like foxes a lot?"
"They're really cute, after all." Shiraha naturally reached out. The little fox looked up at him, then leaped into his arms.
The boy's emotions were ones of joy, surprise, and a small satisfaction at having his expectations realized... Rin curled up in Shiraha's arms. It seemed he really did like foxes.
But Shiraha didn't let Rin get too comfortable. The next moment, he lifted the little fox up by her two front paws, forcing her to stand on the table, one human and one fox staring at each other.
Elysia wanted to touch her too, but she couldn't... though now wasn't the time to be teasing small animals. She rubbed her chin thoughtfully.
"Little Shiraha, maybe you should stop playing around for a bit. I feel like this fox might be a little off."
It felt a bit... like Rin. But if this was Rin, then who was the girl beside her?
Shiraha's expression didn't change. The next moment, he rubbed the little fox's cheek hard against his own: "This is my first time seeing a fox."
Rin, who had been starting to bristle, gradually relaxed, after all, many people's affection for small animals was more about playing with them. Fortunately, Shiraha wasn't like that.
Shiraha gently pressed his fingertip against Rin's head, looked at Elysia, and smiled.
Elysia seemed to want to say something, but it looked like Little Shiraha had his own plans.
Just then, the door was pushed open again. Shiraha was a little surprised, was it Mei or Yuna? Had they finished their exams that quickly?
Neither. It was Raven, who'd been missing for a while. Her steps were heavy.
"Senpai, I thought we wouldn't see each other again."
Shiraha's voice was clear.
After all, college entrance exams were usually earlier than other students' final exams, and Raven didn't seem like the type to come to school during break.
Raven's lips twitched, she wanted to force a smile, but couldn't quite manage it.
"I'm repeating the year."
After saying that, she seemed to have all the energy drained out of her.
Once a mercenary, always a mercenary!
She'd tried to struggle against it, but for World Serpent at this stage, Raven was really just a small-time player.
Shiraha was taken aback for a moment, unconsciously stroking the fox in his arms.
"Senpai's grades weren't good?"
Raven buried her head in her arms, her voice muffled: "Yeah. Didn't get into the school I wanted."
Actually, her grades were decent. After adjusting to school life, she'd been willing to study hard. Though academics in the Far East were tough, if she wasn't aiming for world-class institutions, with Raven's talent and diligence, getting in wasn't that hard.
But... sigh.
Raven sighed. Whatever. Repeating a year it is.
Shiraha exchanged a look with the little fox in his arms. Rin suddenly remembered she was a fox now and quickly looked away, glancing around, her tail swaying unconsciously... like a puppy.
Shiraha chuckled softly, carrying the little fox over to sit beside his senpai.
"Need any help?"
Raven glanced at him. Guess why I'm repeating a year?
But she didn't blame Shiraha, after all, the fact that she could experience a few years of school life at all was because of him.
"Senpai, have you ever considered joining ME Corp after graduation?"
Shiraha paused, then continued: "This year, Schicksal seems to be making moves in the Far East. The academy Cecilia once envisioned, St. Freya Academy, has officially been established in the Far East."
As he spoke, he used his fingers to comb through the little fox's fur.
"Yeah. In our Anti-Entropy main branch's key economic zone, Schicksal has set up a Far East branch, and they've even sent their only S-rank Valkyrie to take charge."
"Uncle Ryoma has been really worried about me and Mei lately. I think..."
Shiraha hesitated for a moment, not finishing the sentence. After all, graduating to become a bodyguard or something didn't sound all that great.
But the choice wasn't his to make, he was just offering another possibility.
Raven lifted her head from her arms. She looked at Shiraha, her fang slightly pressing against her lower lip.
"Go straight after high school?" Raven still looked troubled.
It didn't sound great either.
Shiraha shook his head: "Work a little harder in college, finish three years' worth of material in two. Then in junior and senior year, you can start interning. No school would turn down a student who can join ME Corp as early as junior year."
He smiled: "Don't forget, senpai, you're the NO.1 of the Martial Arts Tournament! ME Corp has been keeping an eye on you."
Shiraha rubbed Rin's fox head and continued: "With ME Corp backing you, you don't really need to worry so much about family stuff."
Raven seemed to understand.
Shiraha pressed his index finger to his lips, thinking: "If I remember right, the college application deadline is this afternoon. Senpai, don't you want to consider it?"
At least he couldn't go to the Elysian Realm right now...
If Raven stayed in the club, she'd just be dead weight. And if Rin ever caught wind of World Serpent, it'd only cause problems.
Raven was silent for a long time.
Then she stood up, smoothed the wrinkles on her school uniform, and pulled her hood back.
"I'm going." She said, her tone as flat as if she were saying, well, actually saying: "I'm going to buy a drink."
"Senpai, is that for college registration?"
Raven didn't answer.
She just waved a hand and walked out of the club room without looking back.
Yae Sakura sighed a little: "Shiraha really does think of others, doesn't it?"
Rin nuzzled against Shiraha's chest. Of course! This is the kid even her sister had built up affection for, clearly is as well-behaved as she herself used to be.
Shiraha was silent for a moment. Actually, he was afraid Raven might slip up here, he didn't need to contact World Serpent right now.
But looking at the little fox in his arms, his silence turned into a hint of shyness: "I just feel like Senpai worked so hard during this time, she deserves some reward."
He sat back down in his seat, rested his head on the desk, placed the little fox beside him, and slowly teased her with his fingers.
A few minutes later, Kiana pushed the door open... Kiana?
"You were the first to hand in your paper?"
Shiraha was stunned. You cheated, didn't you?
Kiana glanced around the room, shook her head, and said frankly: "I just left the questions I didn't know how to do blank."
She clenched her fists, her expression serious: "After all that cramming before the exams, I'm definitely going to pass everything this time."
If she still couldn't pass... then she'd just have to study again over break.
Then Kiana dragged over another chair, plopped down at the table, and stared wide-eyed at the little fox.
Shiraha asked curiously: "Didn't you ever see snow foxes in Siberia?"
Kiana nodded, but quickly shook her head: "Never seen a live one."
Shiraha blinked.
Kiana explained: "We were really poor back then. We ate just about anything, though fox meat is pretty tough."
The fox in front of her seemed to understand what she'd said, because from then on, she never let Kiana touch her fur again.
Kiana sighed, but soon perked back up.
"Hey Shiraha, I heard that in middle school, you can legally get a part-time job."
Middle schoolers could indeed work, as waitstaff, for example. Though middle schoolers working as customer service was sort of a gray area, permitted and not permitted at the same time.
Kiana said with conviction: "I'll start saving from first year of middle school all the way to first year of high school, I'll definitely pay back what my dad owes the Raiden family."
Shiraha explained: "Actually, it doesn't seem like Siegfried owes Uncle Ryoma money."
Kiana shook her head, her tone resigned: "Sure, Uncle Ryoma is generous, but what has Dad actually done for work these past few years?"
"Obviously nothing. It's just that Uncle Ryoma is a good person and is willing to support him."
Shiraha didn't know what to say.
The biggest contribution Siegfried made by being here was simply being here, his presence meant Ryoma Raiden didn't have to worry about security.
As the head of ME Corp, with Siegfried around, he could enjoy maximum personal freedom without worrying about all sorts of lowlifes.
But that might be a bit too complicated for Kiana.
Kiana made the final call: "So I have to earn big money and save up. When I grow up, I can work for Uncle Ryoma to repay his kindness, and eventually have my own house, that way I won't owe anyone anything."
Uncle Ryoma was a good person, a really good one, which made Kiana feel even more that she couldn't just freeload.
"If you think about it that way..." Shiraha paused, his tone thoughtful: "You should get closer to Mei. She's the future heir of the Raiden family."
Kiana was quiet for a moment, then shook her head: "No. I don't really like her."
Kiana was the type to put friends first, kindness first, she'd never ignore her own friends to hang out with another clique.
Besides, Kiana had this strange feeling that the future heir of the Raiden family would be Shiraha, not Mei. Even though Shiraha seemed so easygoing.
But she just had that feeling.
"Anyway, I got hired today as a convenience store clerk. The owner there is pretty nice."
With that, Kiana reached out a small hand, gave the little fox's head a good rub, and left the club satisfied.
Before she went, she asked one last thing: "Shiraha, are you going to bring this fox home to keep?"
Shiraha looked at Yae Sakura. Yae Sakura looked at the little fox. The little fox curled up without any obvious reaction, so Yae Sakura decided on her own.
"Yes."
Kiana's smile grew even brighter. Good, having a little fox at home meant there'd be something else to play with besides games.
By the time Mei and Yuna finished their exams, school was already out. This was probably their last club gathering for the month.
Mei handed Yuna a ticket: "Club benefit, don't forget to come during break."
Yuno blinked, looking at the date on the ticket with some hesitation.
Her mom might not let her out.
"We'll come pick you up then."
Shiraha added from the side. Yuna paused, and felt even more like refusing.
Her mom was scary, she didn't really want others to see her place in the family.
But Mei thought for a moment, then made the call directly: "Yeah, since we've got nothing to do over break anyway, we'll come hang out with you often, think of it as club activities."
She paused, then suggested a bit more tactfully: "Speaking of which, Kiana apparently found a job recently, we could try that out too."
The young lady wasn't short on money, but she also understood that not everyone was as fortunate.
Yuna thought it over again. Though her mom wasn't exactly the warmest, it was mostly just strictness. Her friends coming over to hang out wasn't exactly slacking off, it should be fine.
Mm. She nodded firmly.
As they left school, the kids were all in noticeably good spirits. Mei stopped at the convenience store entrance, thoughtful: "Feeling good today, I'll buy an ice cream. It definitely won't upset my stomach."
She emphasized it, as if convincing herself.
Shiraha paused: "Yeah, we're happy today. Let's get ice cream."
Even though he'd already had it for five days straight, today was different, today the cashier was Kiana.
There was also another unfamiliar student.
At checkout, Kiana's lips curved up slightly, customer service smile, and she showed no sign of awkwardness.
Shiraha couldn't help but stare a little longer.
"I was a bit worried at first," he said, taking his ice cream with a smile, "until I realized such a small convenience store actually had two employees. With a senpai looking after you, there really isn't anything to worry about."
He glanced at the girl beside her wearing the same apron and smiled in greeting.
Kiana shook her head: "She's not a senpai, she's going to be our classmate next year, just in a different class."
Shiraha blinked. He looked at the tall, slender girl beside her, and had to admit that girls did develop earlier.
But his gaze flicked to her chest, yep, definitely an elementary schooler.
He casually greeted her: "What a coincidence then. Maybe we'll even end up in the same class next year."
After paying, the little fox curled up in Shiraha's arms, Rin, seemed to bristle slightly, shrinking deeper into his elbow. That made Shiraha take another look at that classmate.
Nothing particularly special, wearing glasses, bangs covering half her forehead, giving off a bit of a gloomy vibe, though her chest wasn't big at all.
Shiraha asked: "By the way, what's your name? Maybe I've heard of you before."
The girl looked up. Behind her lenses, her gaze was as calm as still water.
"Fu Hua."
Who?
Shiraha didn't pause in his movements. Who? Fu Hua?
He looked again at this "elementary schooler" before him... that not-so-youthful face, and a chest that wasn't entirely flat either.
You think you're an elementary schooler?
He didn't say it out loud. He just silently shoved the ice cream into his mouth and bit down hard.
It was so cold it made his teeth ache.