The morning sun barely peeked over the horizon when Pandora descended from her room, her expression unreadable as always. Her family, still basking in the warmth of last night's lively dinner, were ready to greet her with over-the-top enthusiasm.
"Good morning, our sweet, beloved Pandora!" her mother sang, throwing her arms out dramatically.
"She's definitely gonna be softer today," her younger sibling whispered to their father, nodding smugly.
"Of course! Our little girl is finally opening up!" their father whispered back, proud tears forming in his eyes.
However, their hopes were crushed when Pandora simply walked past them, picked up a piece of bread, and ate in silence. Her cold, emotionless demeanor had returned as if last night's warm atmosphere had never happened.
"…She's back," her sibling muttered in horror.
"No! We lost her again!" her father cried, clutching his chest like he'd been fatally wounded.
"She was just smiling last night! What happened?!" her mother gasped.
Pandora blinked at them, confused. "Why are you all looking at me like that?"
Her family huddled in a corner, whispering frantically. "Maybe we should host another dinner? Double the love this time?"
"She needs warmth! More hugs! Should we hire a bard to sing about family bonds?"
Pandora, completely unaware of their ridiculous discussions, finished her breakfast and left for the academy.
Upon arriving, she was immediately met with her usual crew—Raine, Lucian, Lilia, Darian, and Elric. Lucian, still basking in the assumption of yesterday's food attention meant progress, swaggered over with a playful smirk.
"Morning, my adorable Pandora. Did you dream of me?" he teased, winking dramatically.
"No," Pandora replied instantly.
Lucian staggered back, gripping his heart. "Oof. Straight to rejection before class even starts?"
The surrounding students burst into laughter. Raine slapped Lucian's back, grinning. "You should've known better by now, puppy."
Lucian pouted. "I thought we bonded! We shared food!"
The conversation was interrupted by the professor entering the room. "Alright, class! Today is a special lesson. We'll be heading to an already-cleared dungeon for practical fieldwork!"
Excitement filled the classroom. Well, for most of them. Pandora simply nodded, while Lilia looked wary.
"Dungeons?" Lilia mumbled. "I have a bad feeling about this."
The students were soon transported via magic circle to the dungeon site. It was a large cave system, its entrance marked with glowing runes to signify that it was 'safe.'
"Alright, students," the professor announced, "this dungeon was cleared a year ago. Your task is to examine the environment, identify potential threats, and navigate using teamwork."
"Or," Darian whispered, "translation: the professor is too lazy to teach and wants us to trip over rocks for his amusement."
Elric snorted. "You're not wrong."
The group ventured inside, torches lighting their way. Lucian, of course, took this as an opportunity to hover protectively around Pandora.
"Stay close, dear Pandora. Dungeons may be dangerous even if cleared."
"There is nothing left alive in this cave," Pandora deadpanned.
"But what if a ghost appears? Won't you seek comfort in my arms?"
"If a ghost appears, it will be more scared of me than I am of it."
Lucian sighed dramatically. "Why must you always reject my sincere efforts?"
"I do not understand why you keep trying."
Raine clapped Lucian's shoulder. "Give it up, puppy. Even ghosts wouldn't stand a chance against her."
As they went deeper into the cave, the students were tasked with analyzing the remains of past battles. Elric, ever the strategist, pointed at the ground. "See this? Footprint markings. Looks like a party of five fought here, likely against goblins."
"I see," Pandora said. "They were amateurs."
"How can you tell?" Lilia asked.
Pandora pointed at the wall. "There are unnecessary cuts. Their swings were wild. Likely panicked."
Lucian whistled. "Even in an empty dungeon, she's analyzing like a pro."
Suddenly, the professor called out. "Alright! To make this more engaging, I've prepared some 'surprises' for you all!"
The students tensed. That never meant anything good.
Magical constructs in the shape of goblins materialized out of nowhere.
"Fake goblins!" Lilia gasped. "We have to fight?!"
"It's a training exercise," Elric groaned. "Of course we have to fight."
The goblins charged.
Lilia squeaked and hid behind Pandora, who sighed. "Grimm."
Grimm materialized, his large figure towering over everyone. "Understood."
With a single wave of his spectral blade, the goblins were sliced cleanly in half.
"...That was easy," Darian muttered.
The professor coughed. "Ahem! Well! That was… efficient."
A second wave of stronger holograms appeared—wolves this time.
Blaze flickered into existence. "Finally, something mildly entertaining."
With a single burst of flames, the wolves were incinerated instantly.
Pandora dusted her hands. "Next."
The professor was sweating. "Uh, perhaps we should—"
Before he could finish, a giant holographic troll emerged.
"I got this one!" Raine declared, charging at it.
He tripped.
Pandora sighed and gestured. Pip materialized and bounced toward the troll, giving it a playful poke. The troll instantly collapsed as if exhausted.
The entire class gawked.
Lucian folded his arms. "So, uh… does Pandora just win every fight without trying?"
"Yes," Elric, Darian, and Lilia answered in unison.
The professor finally gave up. "Class dismissed."
As they exited the dungeon, Raine muttered, "This entire trip was pointless."
Lucian groaned. "I was hoping for a chance to impress Pandora."
Lilia sighed. "I was hoping to survive."
Pandora, as always, remained unaffected. "We learned valuable information."
Darian raised an eyebrow. "Like?"
"That my spirits can handle everything, so I do not have to."
"…Fair enough."
As the dungeon exploration wrapped up, the students returned to the academy to collect their belongings before heading home. Pandora, as usual, moved with her usual stoic demeanor, indifferent to the chatter around her. However, as she approached the classroom, an unusual sight greeted her—a large group of students gathered just outside the door, all of them wearing matching cloaks adorned with a symbol that oddly resembled her face. Some even held banners that read, "The Unshakable Maiden," "Queen of Rejection," and disturbingly, "Break My Heart, Please!"Pandora paused, blinking in confusion. Her friends, on the other hand, were dumbfounded. Lilia rubbed her eyes as if trying to make sure she wasn't hallucinating, while Raine groaned loudly and dragged a hand down his face.
Lucian, however, looked at the club with sparkling eyes. "Incredible! Pandora, you have your own fan club!" he said, looking positively delighted. "And here I thought only noble heirs got these kinds of devoted followers."
Elric crossed his arms. "Why do they look… overly enthusiastic?"
Darian, always the more grounded one, sighed. "Because they're masochists. That's why."
One of the students from the so-called "Pandora Fan Club" stepped forward, a book in his hands. "Lady Pandora! Please! Can you reject me on the spot?" he asked desperately, his eyes practically sparkling with anticipation.
Pandora blinked, completely lost. "Why?"
The student gasped as if he had been personally blessed. "SHE SPOKE TO ME DIRECTLY! I CAN DIE HAPPY NOW!" he wailed, clutching his heart as if he had been fatally struck. The surrounding fan club members erupted into cheers and claps, some of them dramatically falling to the ground as if they had been slain by her words.
Lucian snickered. "This is gold."
Raine looked absolutely horrified. "I knew she had admirers, but this?! This is on another level!"
Lilia covered her mouth, trying not to laugh. "Pandora, do you know about this?"
"No," Pandora answered flatly. "Why would I?"
The leader of the fan club, a student wearing glasses and a cape (for dramatic flair, obviously), adjusted his spectacles and cleared his throat. "We, the Devotees of the Untouchable Heart, have sworn to admire Lady Pandora from a distance, basking in the beauty of her rejections! We find inspiration in her steadfast indifference and unwavering resolve!"
Pandora stared. "That is illogical."
The fan club collectively sighed dreamily. "Ah… so cold, yet so mesmerizing," one whispered.
Lucian was barely holding in his laughter at this point. "Pandora, you're basically a legend now."
Darian shook his head. "I don't even want to know how this started."
Before anyone else could say anything, the bell rang, signaling the end of the day. Pandora, not seeing any logical reason to stay and entertain the bizarre cult of admirers, simply walked away, her friends trailing behind her.
When Pandora arrived home, she was immediately greeted by her overly enthusiastic family.
"There's our adorable daughter!" her mother cooed, immediately pulling Pandora into a tight hug. Her father, standing behind, nodded approvingly. "She's so serious all the time! What a prodigy!"
Her younger siblings tackled her legs, clinging onto her like little barnacles. "Pandora, play with us!"
Pandora, still as expressionless as ever, simply blinked at them before prying herself free and sitting down at the dining table.
During dinner, her parents eagerly asked about her day. "So, anything interesting happen at school today?" her mother asked.
"There was a dungeon exploration," Pandora answered simply.
"That's great!" her father said. "Anything else?"
"A club of students are wearing clothes with my face on them."
The room fell silent.
Her mother put down her spoon. "I'm sorry, what?"
"A fan club," Pandora clarified. "Apparently, my ability to reject people has garnered attention."
Her siblings burst into giggles. "Big sis has fans! Big sis has fans!"
Her father choked on his food. "Wait, wait, back up! A FAN CLUB?!"
Her mother wiped her mouth with a napkin and stood up abruptly. "Where are they?! I need to see these people for myself!"
Pandora tilted her head. "That would be unnecessary."
Her father, however, was already up and pacing. "Who started this? Who's leading this movement? Are they weird? Are they dangerous?"
"They seem to idolize rejection," Pandora answered honestly.
Her mother gasped dramatically. "My daughter has an entire cult dedicated to getting rejected?! We should be PROUD! She's finally standing out among the students!"
Pandora just stared. "I have always stood out."
"That's not the point, sweetheart."
After dinner, Pandora excused herself and went to bed. Lying down, she stared at the ceiling, her mind briefly drifting to the day's bizarre events.
A fan club. People actively seeking rejection. Her friends losing their minds over it.
She sighed and closed her eyes, thinking, Humans are illogical.
With that, she drifted off to sleep, completely unaware that the fan club at the academy was already planning their next "Pandora Appreciation Event."