One month has passed since the opening ceremony and the arrival of the first-year students. It was a busy month for many people. Especially the first years, who worked hard to become the best. However, the most notable event was the fight between Classes Two and Seven. It was the first fight among the first year, and it put the names of their own classes.
The fight ended with the Class Seven victory. Their overwhelming power had conquered the first two rounds. While everyone expected the third round to fall into Class Seven's hands, it was robbed by Joshua Fray from Class Two. The sole winner of Class Two, the underdog, and the Leader of the Free Faction.
With this victory, Joshua had taken the first step to the realm of the strong people. His responsibility had increased, and he would be pushed aside if he were to slack a little bit.
While Joshua was busy, naturally, it wasn't the same for the others. Kyle, Joshua's roommate, and friend would rather have a leisure life.
"Ah, what a day to enjoy sunlight," Kyle sighed in content while lying down on the beach lounge chair. Currently, he was at the rooftop of the male dorm. Wearing a casual outfit with black glasses on his eyes and a glass of cold orange juice in his right hand.
"You know, this is not summer yet," Joshua said while looking at Kyle with a deadpan look. He was standing behind a wall to hide himself from the sun. "And yet you act as if you are in the summer and on a beach," he continued.
"Who cares? I can do whatever I want," Kyle laughed haughtily. "Man … this is so good," he slurped the orange juice through a straw.
"Seriously, what am I doing here?" Joshua sighed.
"To relax, of course. You need to relax after all the busy days you have gone through," Kyle spoke sagely.
"I can't," Joshua brushed his hair with his hands in frustration. "There is so much to do, you know," Joshua had to train most of the time in order to fully catch up with Leonhart and Ferlando. Not only that, he had to extend relationships with others, especially the seniors.
"Psh," Kyle scoffed with a wave of the hand. "Look at me!" he pointed at himself. "A vice president of my own class, yet I'm here."
Joshua looked at Kyle with a deadpan expression again at his shameless behavior. He couldn't understand how Kyle's classmates tolerated his little rebel. "Whatever, I'm going back," he walked toward the door.
"Man, you're not fun. But oh well, off you go," Kyle waved his hand away to Joshua.
"Yeah, yeah," and Joshua left with a sigh, seemingly giving up against Kyle.
"Ah, what a nice day," Kyle sighed happily again.
...
"Ugh, damn it! Why the hell does she give us a mission out of nowhere!" Mina stomped while walking toward her class's dorm. Irritation was written on her face.
"Calm down, Mina," Carla tried to soothe her, but it was of no avail.
"Ah, let her be," Julian told Carla while scratching his head. "Isn't she supposed to go to work today? She loved money, and she missed it thanks to the mission," everyone in Class Seven knew Mina went to work during the weekend, and she liked money. She liked the money so much that she came to work very early and worked late just to get a bonus. However, this didn't mean she was willing to do anything for money.
In the dorm.
Mina was still fuming, but she didn't speak anymore and held back her anger.
"Alright, everyone has gathered," said their class president, Hara Ross. She looked at everyone and then spoke. "Miss Liza has given us a mission, but she will brief us on it tomorrow morning. However, she already asked us to get information about Suroff City."
"Huh? I don't understand this," scratched one of them in confusion. They wondered why they were told to get information regarding Suroff.
"We can guess later. But Carla, aren't you from here?"
"Yes," Carla nodded.
"Then you must be familiar with Suroff City. I would like you to tell us about it. As you can see, strangely enough, only you are from Suroff. Also, do you have a map of Suroff?"
"Hehe! If it's a map, I have it!" someone said. A young man with polished black hair and wore glasses smirked. He held a rolled piece of paper, put it on the table, and then unrolled it.
"How did you get this map?" Hara questioned this in disbelief. As far as she knew, this guy, Kendrick, wasn't from Suroff.
"Who do you think you are asking? I'm Kendrick Lawson! The master of information!" Kendrick said with a smirk that gave a shine, thumb aimed at himself.
"Right," Hara sighed. "I forgot about that. How detailed is it?"
"I think it covers everything on the surface. But I don't know much about Suroff's mysteries or secrets," Kendrick said, and then turned to Carla, who was eyeing the map attentively. When she noticed the stare, Carla regained herself.
"Ah! Oh! Um …. Yes, the map is good. Even better than the map at Central Park," Carla looked at the map and tried to synchronize it with her exploration experience in the city. "Um, Kendrick, do you know each place here well?"
"Ah, I haven't explored them yet, so I don't know much."
"Then, I shall give a brief explanation of each place," Carla began to explain each place in Suroff and its history. Suroff was a small town back then, but it was the homeland of Costina, the First Empress of Gollia. The town suffered a lot before it was rebuilt again after the Gollia Empire was formed. Costina, the Empress, then decided to found a school in her hometown in order to increase the number of capable people and not limit it to nobles. Thus, Costina Academy came into existence. With Costina Academy being a place to learn, people kept coming to Suroff, and it helped the flow of income of the town and made it bigger into a big city.
Due to rapid growth, many things might have been hidden or forgotten by people. Suroff is divided into nine districts as of this moment. The first to third districts had existed for a long time, and Carla admitted she didn't know them well. The rest of the districts were built later, and Carla lived in the sixth district.
"I see. There is a chance we will explore the city itself. Nine districts ... excluding the first three districts. It is probably best that we explore the other districts and divide our number," Hara concluded after hearing Carla's explanation. The first three districts were excluded because the first two were government districts, and the third one was an industrial district. None of them were familiar with the three districts; besides, their numbers were limited to exploring every district at once.
"Also, since Miss Liza doesn't forbid us to leave the academy today, we can start by now to gather information first, before the briefing. But not all of us will go," Hara turned to Carla, Kendrick, and Mina."
"Carla, Kendrick, Mina, I want you three to go to Suroff. Carla due to her familiarity with her own district, Kendrick, due to his skill, and Mina, as their protector," Hara explained of her choice. To be honest, Mina could be replaced by the others as the guard, but she just wants Mina to vent her anger and frustration elsewhere rather than here.
Hara looked around and found there was no objection. She spoke. "Then, the meeting is over."
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Author: Aida Hanabi
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