The opening ceremony had concluded thirty minutes ago.
This year was expected to be busier than ever, so students had already been sent to their classes.
I stood by my office window, watching the training grounds below. Chris; our newly appointed physical instructor for the second years was already pushing them past their limits. I could see several students collapsing from exhaustion. Typical. His enthusiasm bordered on deadly.
With a sigh, I turned back to my desk. A newspaper lay open across it, the headline covering nearly half the page:
RISE IN NON-ABILITY USER PROTESTS CONTINUES
As I read through the article, my office door swung open without so much as a knock, revealing the most obnoxious man I had ever met.
"From second best in the class to Headmaster of E.O.S.," Haruka said, stepping inside with that infuriating smirk. "I'm impressed, Mel."
"I was only second because the academy favoured you like it was your sugar mommy, Haruka."
He let out an amused scoff. "Nice to see you still have that sharp tongue." He pulled out the chair opposite me and sat down without being invited. "I like what you've done with the place, though. The academy's new look definitely beats the old wooden, gloomy vibe it used to have."
"Thank you–"
"Though if I were headmaster, I'd choose an even better look," he cut in, interrupting me like he always did.
"You think you can beat this?" I crossed my arms, already feeling a vein pulsing in my forehead.
"Of course," he answered instantly, dead serious.
I raised an eyebrow. "Alright then. What kind of look would you pick?"
"I can't share that with you. You'd just steal my ideas."
I scoffed, more irritated than before.
"If you're here to ask me to give your daughter special treatment the way they did with you," I said sharply, "the answer is no. She's a student like everyone else, and I will treat her like everyone else."
He laughed. "My daughter doesn't need 'special treatment.' I've trained her well. I trust her ability and her intelligence. Honestly, I'd still rank you third, right after her and me."
My patience snapped.
"Did you come here just to irritate me like a fly?!"
I shot up from my spinning chair so fast that it rolled backward and crashed into the wall. I slapped the newspaper onto the desk.
A slow grin crept onto his face. "Now there's the Melissa I know. Being composed doesn't suit you."
I inhaled deeply, forcing myself to calm down. Of course he came here just to provoke me. He lived for it.
"Why are you actually here?" I asked, voice firm.
Haruka finally pulled a sealed envelope from his coat and placed it on my desk.
The crest stamped into the wax was familiar.
"What is this?" I asked, taking the envelope and unfolding the letter inside.
"The truth shall be revealed.
The Order will fall.
—Yoru"
My stomach dropped.
"Who sent this?"
"I don't know," Haruka said. "Whoever did is good at covering their tracks. I believe it's connected to NOROI."
The name clicked instantly. "The group responsible for the rising protests?"
"Yes. And this is an obvious threat." His voice tightened. "I'm afraid this group is going to become a serious problem."
I placed the letter back on the desk. "Then why not take it to the higher-ups?"
"You know how they are," he said with a sigh. "They ignore everything until it becomes impossible to avoid. They've been sloppy since the new leader was chosen. I still don't understand why they picked him."
I rolled my chair back toward the desk and sat down. "That still doesn't explain why you brought this to me."
Haruka held my gaze.
"I have reason to believe the person who wrote this… might be someone we both know. And I need your help to find out who."