{Shoya Sasaki's POV:}
(Earlier on the same day...)
"So, you're Shoya Sasaki..."
A woman muttered.
She was a blonde-haired woman with silver eyes.
To be honest, I have no idea who she is, but all I do know is that I was called to the principal's office before the start of the assembly which would signify the start of the school year.
This woman is the new principal. I have no idea what her name is but she has the same joking attitude as Weissman which slightly worries me.
"Yeah..."
"The Black Emperor."
I didn't react. I simply glared at her.
I've never shared any information about my identity with anyone so there are either two possibilities.
She was told by an Emperor, which is the least likely option, so the other possibility is...
"Sumika-senpai was the one who told you, right?"
"My, I wonder?"
She winked at me.
"So, you mean 'yes.'"
I said to her. Again, with her playful attitude, she merely smirked.
Seeing her smirk slightly pisses me off.
"What's your name?"
"I'm Ryoko Kamish. The new principal. I'm here as a replacement for Weissmann."
"That's obvious."
"I'm also here to make sure you don't run amok."
She added.
"I haven't done anything out of order last year, what makes you think that I'll do something this year?"
"No, not you, but others. Lots of things have changed around here and so circumstances have too."
Ms Kamish said.
She was right though. The change was mainly brought by Aden-Lada and I after our battle. Or so some people speculate. Well, by some people, I mean my Dad.
"This year, you will be able to do missions. I know that's something that first-years were unable to do last year. If there is anything that I believe is remotely related to you, I'll deploy your team and your friends to deal with it."
I flinched.
"Wait, I understand dispatching my team but why my friends too?"
"You can't fix your mess alone, can you?"
"Hold up, you're contradicting yourself. A second ago you said--"
Ms Kamish got up from her chair, making a screeching noise.
"Minato!"
She shouted.
The door burst open, a young man came through holding a clipboard with lots of paper on top. He was thin and frail, wearing glasses and a lab coat.
"Y-yes, Mademoiselle Ryoko!"
Mademoiselle?
Where are we? France?
"I told you to stop calling me that. Give Shoya Sasaki the keys to his room."
She prompted him with a flick of her head.
Seriously, this new principal is annoying. It's like she loves only hearing her own voice. Seems like she has selective speaking and hearing too. Only says what she finds useful to her.
I don't want to say this but Weissmann, Regulus, was a better principal than Ms Kamish.
The attendant, Minato, tried to reach into his coat pocket while carrying sheets of paper stop of a clipboard with only one hand.
The pile would fall at any moment.
And so, I reached into his pocket and took what felt like a key. I showed it to him.
"Is this it?"
"Y-yes, thank you."
I began walking out.
"Oh, one last thing Shoya Sasaki."
As I touched the door handle, I turned to Ms Kamish. This time, there wasn't a single hint of a smirk on her face.
"I'm expecting results."
"You'll get the results you want."
Suddenly, her annoying smile appeared.
"I'm sure I will."
---
We had the assembly and we went to class by ourselves since we knew our way around the school.
We were in the second-year corridor now. 2-B.
For some reason, there was a crowd outside the door of my class.
I saw a familiar face peering through the door.
"Oi, Kitamura!"
I called out to him.
"Ah, Shoya."
He didn't exactly seem enthusiastic. I mean, we were friends but we haven't seen each other for 10 months.
Kitamura seemed more interested in what was going on inside the class.
I tried to get a peek myself but I couldn't.
"What's going on?"
"Remember when I told you that someone in our class was taken out due to family problems."
I tried to remember.
"I think I remember something vaguely like that."
I told him.
"Well, the person who it was is troubling."
When he was talking, he didn't even take his eyes off the person he was looking at. It's either she was that terrifying or that beautiful.
I shouldn't be swayed since I have two girlfriends already.
"Is Shoya Sasaki there? If so, come in."
A distant voice asked.
It came from inside the class. The moment the girl spoke, everyone crowding our classroom seemed to look for me. Those who did simply stared at me.
They made a path for me to get into the class.
As I slowly walked into the class, Kitamura gave me a 'good luck' as I went in.
The first thing I saw was a girl.
I understood what Kitamura meant. Terrifying isn't probably the right word to use. Dangerous would be a more accurate word.
She had her legs on the tabletop in front of her and a cigar in her mouth. The girl had her hands on her head.
Her hair was scarlet. It was distinctly red. So much so that I would notice her hair color before noticing blood. Her eyes were blue. A color that contrasted her hair.
The girl looked down at me.
Okay, my first question is... Why is a high-schooler smoking in school? She's not even of age yet!
"It's not a cigar."
She said, matter-of-factly.
"It's a lollipop stick but I just burnt it because I'm bored."
"Did you just... read my mind?"
"No, it's just that your face gives away your emotions."
She said.
Really now?
"What did you want with me, anyway?"
"Oh, to be honest, I just wanted to see who the strongest person in the class was."
"Eh?"
"It seems to be you by a long shot."
She grinned, tossing her, supposed, burnt lollipop stick.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Kaguya Homura. The ex-heir to the Homura clan."
Even when introducing herself, she still smiled.
"And you still smile, saying that with pride?"
"What? I don't even care about my shit ass family. All I care about is the strongest."