Kurato was disheartened after being ignored by Raito.

But when he returned to the classroom Nishikaze-san waved from the seat behind him.

‘So healing.’

Since he’d recovered a little Kurato decided to deepen his connections with his seatmates.

He actually wanted to deepen things with Nishikaze-san too but she was in the middle of talking with the girls on both sides of her.

“I’m Makishima Kurato.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“Ah.”

“Yeah.”

The girl on his left glanced at Kurato from the corner of her eye and immediately tossed her gaze off in a completely different direction.

She seemed to think Kurato was D-rank.

Sorry about that.

Without getting discouraged Kurato greeted the other one too.

“Nice to meet you!”

“I’m Wakaba.”

“I’m Mochizuki Wakaba.”

The girl on his right was extremely friendly.

Her warm smile was like a patch of spring sunshine and the ponytail tied behind her was very cute.

Kurato ended up talking with Wakaba-san until the teacher arrived.

Wakaba-san liked cameras and apparently back in elementary school she had been the editor-in-chief of an organization called the Little Kids Reporter Club.

Her ability was psychokinesis and she was good at delicate work.

She was apparently good at taking apart and assembling complex things like machines and she thought journalism was her calling.

Maybe because of that she was good at drawing information out of people.

It was only a short time but Kurato ended up talking about everything from his birth up to the D-rank match in first grade.

“That’s amazing!”

“Shield is a pure frontline support type and you still won with it.”

“Hey can you show me that technique?”

“Yeah.”

“Sure but what do you mean by frontline support type?”

Before he knew it both Kurato and Wakaba-san had started speaking casually.

“Oh that’s because you know—”

Right as Wakaba-san was about to explain something important the teacher walked in and their fun chat time got put on hold.

After giving several cautions the teacher told everyone to introduce themselves.

Starting with the girl in the front row at the far right they stood up and greeted the class.

“I’m Adachi Mizaki. My rank is C and I came from Komaba Academy Primary Division. I use aquakinesis. I’m good at swimming. Nice to meet you.”

Name, rank, previous school, ability and special skill.

Kurato started thinking about what he would say before his turn came.

As he listened it seemed like you didn’t really have to mention the special skill part.

Some people introduced their parents’ jobs.

Some talked about which club they wanted to join.

Some mentioned their favorite celebrity or their favorite pro ability athlete.

It varied a lot.

Then it was Kurato’s turn.

So what kind of criticism was going to get thrown at him.

“I’m Makishima Kurato. I’m C-rank and—”

“Eeh!?”

The girls’ screaming cut Kurato’s introduction off.

Yeah they all thought Kurato was D-rank.

‘Sorry for being confusing.’

Kurato also apologized in his heart to the girl on his left who was sitting there with her eyes wide.

“Should I change my tie color after all?”

When Kurato asked the teacher the teacher made a vague smile and moved their head in a way that could be taken as either yes or no.

Kurato turned around.

“Sorry Suzuki-kun. Can you lend me the tie after all?”

“Sure thing.”

Suzuki-kun rolled up a tie and tossed it over.

‘That’s a pretty good throwing arm but yeah the blue and white striped tie is really wrinkled. It looks like it’s been sleeping at the bottom of his bag for a long time.’

After Kurato finished his quick color change and his introduction he sat back down.

‘But this color still doesn’t feel calming.’

* * *

Everyone’s introductions ended and at the same time today’s curriculum was over.

Today was only the entrance ceremony and a simple orientation so the time was still before noon.

Apparently they could just go home like this or they could have lunch at the cafeteria or with a bento.

Here’s what Kurato learned from the introductions.

This class had 31 people total.

There were 26 girls and 5 boys.

Among the girls there were 2 B-ranks and 24 C-ranks.

Among the boys there were 4 C-ranks and 1 D-rank.

Apparently another boy was named Watanabe-kun.

Among the girls there were a few aristocratic young ladies and among the boys everyone was from ordinary families like Kurato.

Even if they were young ladies they were not young ladies on Lady Hirohata’s level.

They were more like branch-family level from aristocratic houses Kurato had never even heard of.

“Um, h-hey. Makishima-kun?”

While Kurato was reviewing the day’s introductions in his head the girl on his left hesitantly spoke to him.

‘Uh what was her name again. If I remember right she was the psychokinesis girl.’

Kurato’s review was doing absolutely nothing for him.

“I’m sorry about earlier. You went out of your way to talk to me and I was thinking about something else. I’m Honda Ayaka.”

“Um.”

“I’d be happy if you would… be friendly with me.”

“Same here. Sorry for being confusing Honda-san.”

She repeated her own name for him.

‘She’s a kind kid.’

Kurato relaxed and gave a small bow.

Then she smiled like she was really happy and—

She cried.

“Huh?”

Drip drip.

Tears ran down from her eyes over her cheeks and fell into her hands.

“...Ehh?”

‘What is it? What did I do to make her like this!?’

“Honda-san? I’m sorry. Was it me? Did I say something?”

‘I don’t get it. What did I step on? Where’s the minefield!?’

Kurato was completely panicking.

Honda-san covered her mouth with both hands and—

“A C-rank boy being this kind to me…”

The moment she said that she suddenly stood up—

“I’m sorry. Just a moment.”

And ran off somewhere.

‘Should I chase her? No, she probably left because she didn’t want to show her crying face. In that case it would be better to wait.’

But Kurato also had plans next.

He had to meet Keita and above all Raito.

Kurato couldn’t quite grasp what Honda-san had reacted so strongly to.

He had never been made to cry from just a greeting in other worlds or outside the Special Zone.

Which meant there was probably a reason unique to the Special Zone.

Thinking that he turned to rely on Wakaba and looked back at her seat.

It was empty.

‘What? Where did she go?’

As he looked around, their eyes met just as she was about to leave the classroom.

Noticing his gaze she quickly raised one hand and briskly left.

‘Did she run away? No that’s not it. Her refreshing smile showed no sign of guilt at all. In other words, from her perspective Honda-san crying was not a problem.’

Even more confused, Kurato sought help from Nishikaze-san.

“Well it can’t be helped. I think she was so happy she got carried away being talked to by a C-rank boy.”

“...Is that so?”

Kurato asked back, still unconvinced.

No unconvinced was an understatement.

After all, he couldn't imagine someone crying just because a C-rank talked to them when they weren’t particularly handsome or famous.

But—

“Well yeah. Even I wouldn’t have been able to casually talk to you if I’d known from the start you were C-rank.”

From her cute yet serious expression it was obvious she wasn’t lying.

Still he couldn’t understand.

Why did a difference of just one rank create such a huge difference in treatment.

‘Did mere magic power really have that much separating force.’

Kurato let his gaze wander and looked at the girls sitting on both sides of Nishikaze-san.

The girl on the right had slightly lighter hair pigment and pale skin.

She was vaguely looking up at Kurato.

He didn’t feel she was treating him as anything special.

He looked at the girl on the left.

Her hair color was the same dark brown as Nishikaze-san.

Her face… he couldn’t tell.

She was slumped over her desk trembling.

Was she cold or scared?

If scared could it be male phobia.

It would be pitiful to talk to her too much.

In the end, not understanding Kurato decided to rely on Nishikaze-san.

“Sorry. I have to meet someone now so if Honda-san comes back could you tell her see you tomorrow?”

“Yeah! That’s totally fine!”

Thanking Nishikaze-san who nodded without hesitation Kurato left the classroom.

If he didn’t hurry, Raito and Keita would go home.

Kurato immediately headed to Class 1.

The classroom layout was the same but he couldn’t hide his surprise at how many people had bright hair colors.

According to what Raito had told him before, the brighter the hair color the higher the rank.

Looking at it that way several of the girls in this classroom were probably very high rank.

Among them two girls stood out with hair so blonde and white they could be mistaken for foreigners.

They weren’t foreigners.

Their eyes were black.

“Um, excuse me.”

“Huh, ah, yes!”

When Kurato spoke to a nearby girl she widened her eyes at his face then looked at his tie and became even more surprised while replying energetically.

“Is Makishima Raito in this class? If so, could you call him?”

“Huh R-Raito-sama!?”

The girl was so surprised her voice was almost a scream.

Hearing that the blonde girl turned around and slowly approached while giving Kurato an appraising look.

‘Ah this girl is the new student representative.’

“What is the matter?”

‘Lady-like speech.’

It had been a while since he spoke with someone like Lady Hirohata.

Kurato naturally tensed up.

She probably wasn’t on Lady Hirohata’s level but her hair was a magnificent gold.

It reached her chest and was lightly curled.

Vertical drill curls.

Drill hair.

This meant she was a very high-rank girl with a high probability of having a good personality.

Drills are justice after all.

“Um this person is—”

The girl who first responded seemed scared of the blonde drill lady and her hand pointing at Kurato was shaking.

It seemed better to take over.

Kurato judged that and stepped in.

“I came to see Makishima Raito. May I ask you to relay the message?”

The blonde drill lady narrowed her eyes and glared at Kurato.

“Even if you are a boy, how dare you refer to Raito-sama without honorifics?”

She seemed dissatisfied with Kurato not using sama for Raito.

Forcing someone to use honorifics for a classmate of the same year was strange.

Was her family much lower than the Makishima family?

No rather—

At that point Kurato realized something.

“Ah could it be that you are Raito’s bodyguard?”

If she was a guard hired by Ryuko that would make sense.

She was angry because he was calling the one she protected without honorifics.

That was Kurato’s hypothesis.

But—

At that moment something snapped.

A sound like a thread snapping.

No, that's wrong.

It wasn’t snapped.

She snapped.

By the time Kurato understood it was already too late.

Before him was a golden demonness with flushed cheeks and killing intent in her eyes.

“You dare compare me to those hyenas!”

Oppressive pressure.

Her magic power moved.

‘Was she planning to duel inside the school!?’

Except for classes, formal applications or incident-level situations, attacking with abilities was restricted by school rules.

Rules written in the student handbook.

She was angry enough to violate them.

The blonde demonness did not stop.

In her hand was already a condensed metal fist.

Goldokinesis.

Without a word she swung it and threw it at Kurato.

If it were just a slap he would have taken it for free but this was different.

The moment it hit him he would scatter into chunks of flesh.

‘No thank you.’

Kurato instantly generated shields, combined creating a magic silver shield and compressed it down to the size of a fist.

The milky white shield scattered light chaotically.

He stuck it to his fist and met the roaring golden punch head-on.

Gagin!!

At the classroom entrance the dissonant clang of metal echoed through the room.

Kurato’s shield wasn’t shattered.

Neither was the opponent’s.

The two were locked fist to fist.

Kurato’s eyes widened at that.

Kurato was male and while he hadn’t started serious strength training he was reasonably fit.

Yet the opponent didn’t give an inch.

Despite her slender body she was matching him.

‘So this is the power of the Special Zone.’

The same shock was felt on the other side.

“Y-you, why can you stop my attack…”

The blonde drill lady stared wide-eyed at Kurato just like he did at her.

They stared at each other in mutual astonishment.

Perhaps that moment cooled her head because she deactivated her ability.

Kurato did the same.

To think he would have to use the Diamond Shield which was the maximum hardness he could produce right now.

Sweating coldly, Kurato assessed her strength.

“Who are you? Even if I weren’t serious, to stop the A-rank punch of me Kujo Kaoruko… are you really C-rank?”

The blonde drill girl… Kujo-san said that while looking suspiciously at Kurato’s tie.

‘So she was A-rank after all.’

If he had blocked with a magic silver shield his right hand would have been flattened by now.

Kurato’s spine went cold.

At the same time a bad premonition crossed his mind.

‘Kujo… that wouldn’t be that Kujo family would it.’

“My name is Makishima Kurato. I am a genuine C-rank. If you don’t mind may I ask who you—”

“Maki-shima!”

When Kurato tried to confirm her identity Kujo-san overreacted to the Makishima part and cut him off.

“I am terribly sorry!”

Kujo-san bowed her head down forcefully.

“Not knowing that you were the elder brother that Raito-sama always spoke of, I did such a thing! I sincerely apologize!”

She repeatedly performed the deepest bows like a broken drinking bird toy.

Seeing this, maybe his earlier worry was unnecessary.

Kurato felt relieved but seeing that magnificent blonde hair he hurriedly stopped her.

“Please raise your head Kujo-san.”

It wasn’t like he wanted an apology.

Exchanging fists with an A-rank was an extremely valuable experience.

He was grateful even.

When he told her that she looked a bit dazed then as if coming back to herself she blushed and raised her head.

“My apologies. How unbecoming of me to lose my composure.”

‘Yeah just a little.’

“Then did you have some business with Raito-sama o-gii-sama (elder brother in law or elder brother)?”

‘Huh. That pronunciation of oniisama sounded off. Was it just my imagination?’

Thinking that Kurato nodded slightly.

“Yes. It wasn’t exactly business but there was something I wanted to confirm with him so I stopped by.”

“Well I see.”

Kujo-san murmured that and frowned sadly.

“It’s unfortunate. Even though you came all this way, Raito-sama has already gone home. I also wanted to see him so I came to this class.”

“I see.”

He already left.

As fast as Wakaba-san.

‘Maybe he really was avoiding me.’

Kurato’s anxiety grew even more.

He wondered if something had happened during the half year since the summer training camp.

Seeing Kurato like that, Kujo-san made a suggestion.

“If you like, would you accompany me to the Makishima main house? If we go now we might be able to meet him on the way home.”

“Huh? Kujo-san you also have business at the Makishima main house?”

The Makishima main house was not a place you could casually drop by.

Unless invited to a year-end or New Year banquet you would normally be turned away at the gate.

But—

“No. Other than meeting Raito-sama I have no business with the Makishima family.”

There were people who wouldn’t be turned away.

For example nobles ranked above the Makishima.

Feeling his stomach churn, Kurato asked Kujo-sama.

“I-if you don’t mind may I ask about your family—”

“Yes. I am the second daughter of the Kujo main house.”

‘Oh come on!’

Kurato executed a jumping dogeza.

“M-m-m-my deepest apologies! I had no idea you were a young lady of the Kujo family and someone like me raised my hand against you! I will accept any punishment!”

‘I messed up.’

The Kujo family was a conglomerate among conglomerates.

In noble terms they were duke-level super nobles.

From Kurato’s historical knowledge they were likely even above the Hirohata main house.

And she was from the Kujo main house itself.

A person practically guaranteed to sit at the top of Japan in the future.

A real princess in other words.

And he raised his hand against that princess.

In another era he’d be beheaded.

Now then in this world what would happen.

As Kurato was freezing his liver Kujo-sama placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Please raise your face o-gii-sama. I was the one who struck first. I am the one who raised my hand against the precious elder brother of my future husband. Shall we call it even?”

If she said so he would accept it.

He couldn’t even comment on the o-gii-sama part anymore.

When Kurato stood up Kujo-sama asked again.

“So what will you do o-gii-sama. Shall you head to the Makishima household?”

“I am deeply honored by the offer Kujo-sama but I still have other matters to attend to—”

“Oh my that is unfortunate.”

She didn’t look that disappointed but she accepted it.

“Then Kujo-sama I will take my leave.”

Kurato bowed deeply and left the spot.

* * *

After Kurato left Kujo-san smiled.

‘Makishima Kurato… I see. Both brothers are truly not to be taken lightly.’

* * *

Memo

Mochizuki Wakaba.

A C-rank psychokinesis user.

Her ability is good at delicate work and she mainly disassembles machines and then recombines them.

However she does not stop time and she does not wield twin swords despite being an archer.

She likes cameras and she is a journalist-in-training chasing the mysteries of the world.

Her driving force is ???