"Man, it feels great to have classes finally starting back up! It's been way too long since I've been on campus!"
"You're certainly full of energy, Brother. You seem to be in high spirits."
"Of course I am! A lot's happened, but I really do like school after all. Besides, there are all sorts of new encounters just waiting for me! Hugo Clay, the man who’s going to befriend every last person at Luminous Academy—that’s who I am!"
One morning, Hugo was walking to the academy for the first time in ages. His younger brother, Fee, had gone out of his way to meet him at the dormitory. Hugo made his grand declaration with a double-thump to his chest, thrusting a clenched fist forward into the morning air.
He had actually considered styling his hair into a pompadour to mark his new resolve, but he’d reconsidered. With his naturally intimidating face, a pompadour would just make him look like a common thug. Instead of making friends, he’d likely just end up being watched from a terrified distance, so he’d scrapped the idea.
The chaos from the incident involving Rush and the demonic sword production case involving Neid had finally settled. Luminous Academy had regained its peace, and classes were officially resuming today.
Hugo and Fee were enjoying the walk when they took a path that was unusually quiet. That was when they spotted something interesting.
"Hmm?"
A young girl stood alone in the academy courtyard. She had long, glossy black hair and was roughly the same height as Fee, maybe a bit shorter.
She looked like an elementary division student, but she was walking with a dangerous, unsteady gait while keeping her eyes closed. Hugo couldn't just stand by and watch. He rushed over and called out to her.
"Hey! Be careful, walking like that is dangerous!"
"Oh?"
The girl spun around at the sound of his voice. Despite her youth, she had remarkably refined and adorable features. Seeing her face made Fee’s heart skip a beat.
Hugo shot his brother a questioning look, asking if he knew her, but Fee shook his head.
Hugo figured that if a girl this cute were in the elementary division, there would have been rumors, but he’d heard nothing. While he puzzled over it, the girl spoke.
"I'm sorry. I suppose I got a bit carried away. Thank you for your concern."
"Ah, no need to apologize. But you really should keep your eyes open while you're walking. You could trip and get hurt..."
"I see... I'm sorry. I'm afraid I can't open my eyes. I hope you'll believe me when I say I'm not just being silly."
"Wait... what?"
Fee went stiff at her words. She said it with a gentle smile, but Fee felt a wave of guilt wash over him for accidentally stepping on such a sensitive topic. She spoke up again in a bright, cheerful tone.
"Don't let it worry you. I'm quite used to it. Besides, even if I can't 'see' the world, I can still 'perceive' it. You two... are you brothers? I feel a very kind and brave aura coming from you. And you're clearly very close!"
The girl tapped a finger to her forehead with a thoughtful hum, scrunched up her face for a second, and then beamed at them.
The two brothers were stunned by how she faced them directly and spoke so accurately despite her blindness. Before they could say anything else, another voice called out from nearby.
"There you are, Yui. Honestly, don't wander off just because you're curious. It's dangerous."
"I'm sorry, Brother. I just couldn't sit still..."
"I understand the feeling, but you shouldn't go roaming around a place you've never been before. I hope she didn't cause you any trouble?"
"Eh? Oh, no, she didn't cause us any trouble at all! Right, Fee?"
"Y-Yeah! We just called out to her to make sure she was okay. She didn't do anything wrong..."
"Ahaha, you two are kind souls. My sister is quite the handful, as you can see. If I take my eyes off her for a second, I never know where she'll end up. If you hadn't stopped her, she might have wandered even further away. I'd probably still be looking for her. Thank you, truly. You've been a big help."
Hugo took a moment to look at the young man who was thanking them with a mild smile. He had the same elegant features as the girl, but while she was cute, he looked sharp and formidable.
He was tall and lean, but there was more to it than that. Hugo felt a powerful aura radiating from him—the kind of pressure only a true expert could emit.
"Um, you mentioned this was your first time here, right? And that blade at your waist... are you two exchange students from Yamato?"
"Hmm? Yes, we are. You're quite perceptive to recognize a katana at your age. I wish my sister were more like you."
"Oh, honestly, Brother! I have more than enough academic credit to be allowed here as an exchange student!"
The girl puffed out her cheeks, clearly annoyed by her brother's teasing.
Hugo watched the siblings bicker, his eyes drawn to the green scabbard decorated with a golden dragon tucked into the man's belt. It was definitely a katana. He looked back up at the young man's face.
"...We've been talking for a while and I haven't even introduced myself. My name is Renjou—"
"Brother! You have to say your given name first here! Since we're studying abroad, shouldn't we follow the local customs?"
The young man gave a wry smile at his sister’s sharp rebuke. He cleared his throat and tried again.
"Let me start over. My name is Ryuga. Ryuga Renjou. I look forward to working alongside you as a fellow student."