After a quick chat with Frank and Cedric, I headed back inside.
I changed into my new school uniform and went downstairs to the living room to show it off to Toko and my parents.
"Well? How do I look?"
"Oh, it suits you quite well," my mother replied.
"Yeah, not bad at all," my father added.
Both of them were beaming. Mom was even dabbing at her eyes with a finger.
"It doesn't suit him in the slightest, does it?"
My sister really was a pain in the ass. Seriously, read the room, Toko! A hopeless NEET like me is finally going to school tomorrow!
"Whatever. As of tomorrow, I’m officially graduating from being a NEET. Mom, I’m not confident I can get up on my own, so make sure you wake me."
"I know, I know. I didn't think for a second you'd be able to get up at four on your own."
Wait, what?
"Four? Classes don't start until eight, so seven should be fine, right?"
"There’s a time difference, you know."
Excuse me? A time difference?
"What are you talking about?"
"Did you actually read the guide I gave you?"
I vaguely remembered getting some papers, but as if I’d actually read them. Text just gives me a headache.
"I didn't read it. What's this about a time difference?"
"Sigh... There is a three-hour time difference between Astral and Japan. They are three hours ahead of us. When you left here earlier at one in the afternoon, it was already four in the afternoon over there."
You’ve got to be kidding me...
"Why does it have to be ahead? Being behind would have been so much better."
If it were the other way around, I could have slept until ten.
"The time in Astral is actually managed by the central authorities. It can be adjusted at will, and it’s currently set to favor the European factions since they hold most of the power."
"Huh..."
"Wait, isn't the time difference between Europe and Japan usually around eight hours? That doesn't add up. If it's eight in the morning in Astral, it would be nine at night over there."
I’d visited the La Forge family home plenty of times, so I knew at least that much about time zones.
"I told you before that more than half of the population are company employees, didn't I? The schedule is coordinated with them. They work their day jobs in this world and study magic at night."
What kind of lifestyle was that?
"They really put in the work, don't they?"
"That is what it means to be a mage. Dedicating one's entire existence to the craft is only natural."
I felt like my spirit was going to break before I even enrolled...
"What about people our age?"
Isn't a reversed day-night cycle brutal for students?
"That’s exactly why the dormitories exist."
Oh, I see. Frank and Cedric said the dorms were for playing around, but there was a much more practical reason behind it.
"Maybe I should just live in the dorm too..."
I really wanted to sleep until seven.
"Absolutely not. You will commute from this house," Mom stated firmly.
Talk about overprotective parents.
"Seriously...?"
"Look on the bright side, Big Brother. It means classes end earlier for us."
That was true. It was three hours ahead, after all. Since tomorrow was only a morning session, classes were scheduled until noon, but in reality, we'd be done by nine. That was actually pretty great.
"I guess you're right. Well, I can live with that."
"Then make sure you go to bed early," Mom said, giving me a deadpan look.
"I get it."
"Tsukasa, how was the academy?" my father asked.
"It seemed alright. I even made some acquaintances—or friends, I guess."
"What? Already?" Toko looked shocked.
"Yeah, I talked to some guys at the dorm. They seemed like good people. They said they'd take me to our classroom tomorrow."
"You're surprisingly quick at making friends, Big Brother."
"You think? I figure guys just hit it off quickly."
Not that I really knew.
"Who are they? If they’re going with you, they must be classmates, right?"
"Uh, I forgot their last names, but there’s a chubby guy named Frank and a handsome, refined-looking guy named Cedric."
"Frank Hedrich and Cedric Seager... both of them are from incredibly prestigious families. Wait..."
"What is it?"
"Wait, Big Brother... are you in Class D?"
"Yeah."
"Ugh, we’re in the same class? That’s the absolute worst!"
Seriously? Don't twins usually get put in separate classes to avoid this kind of thing?
"Aw, man... You’re in there too?"
This sucked.
"You'd better not tell anyone we’re siblings. I especially don't want people knowing we're twins. I’ve had enough of people staring at us and laughing about how we have the same face."
I was in total agreement there. Usually, that was followed by us shouting "We don't look alike!" in perfect unison, which only made people laugh harder.
"That was actually your grandmother's arrangement," Mom explained. "She wanted to make sure Tsukasa settled into class quickly... though it seems her meddling wasn't appreciated."
Definitely unnecessary.
"What is Grandma thinking? Just because she doesn't have any friends doesn't mean she should lump us together. Guys can become friends just by having a scrap, being idiots together, or talking about dirty stuff."
I really didn't want to be in the same class as my sister. Especially as twins.
"Dirty stuff...? A-Anyway, as long as you think you'll fit in, it's fine. The Hedrichs and Seagers don't have any particular ties with the La Forge family, but they aren't enemies either, so there shouldn't be any issues."
The social standing wasn't my concern; it was the actual classes. I couldn't even use magic. I was going to try my best because I liked having two arms, but still.
"Are there families we are hostile with?" I asked. I realized I knew absolutely nothing about our family's politics.
"Well, it doesn't really concern you, but yes, there are."
"Which ones? Just tell me the names so I can avoid them as much as possible."
"Our primary rivals are the Hiverts. They’re a prestigious French family as well, but we’ve been at each other’s throats for generations. The relationship is quite poor."
Hivert? I felt like I’d heard that name recently.
"Is there a Hivert at the academy right now?"
"Yes. Sharleen Hivert. She used her family’s influence to become the Student Council President in her very first year."
Wait, what?
"That girl is the definition of arrogant," Toko warned. "She’s a total egoist. Be careful, Big Brother. There's no telling what she might say to you."
Uhh...
I'd already exchanged contact info with her. We even had a promise to attend a Curse Studies class together on Friday. And she seemed like a perfectly kind, wonderful person...
I looked back and forth between my mother and sister—both members of the La Forge family—and wondered what the hell was going on.
"I'll... be careful."
Honestly, Shar seemed a lot more beautiful and way kinder than my mother or sister. Men were simple creatures like that. Besides, my name was Nagase, so the La Forge drama shouldn't have anything to do with me. Yeah, that's it.
"Well, she’s in a different class, so I doubt you'll have any reason to interact with her anyway," Toko added.
"Probably. Oh, speaking of families, Dad, do you know the Akabanes?" I asked, trying to change the subject.
"Akabane? Oh, I know them. I believe there's an Akabane child in your class."
"You mean Yuika, right?" Toko chimed in. She seemed to know her.
"I don't know her first name, but that's probably the one. Frank and Cedric mentioned there was another Japanese student in our class. Is she okay?"
"The Akabanes are fine. Besides, the Nagase name has no real recognition. There aren't any families we're involved with enough to have bad blood."
That was a little depressing to hear.
"What? Are you targeting Yuika, Big Brother?" Toko asked, her voice dripping with suspicion.
"Why would I target someone when I don't even know what she looks like? Frank just told me I should value the connection of having a fellow countryman in class. He also mentioned that you two would probably get along."
"Get along? Why?"
"Because you're both idiots, apparently."
Those two really didn't mince words.
"...Well, Yuika is definitely a 'my pace' kind of girl. But wait, Big Brother—has your own stupidity already been exposed?"
"Hey, do you even know where England is?" I countered.
"Uh... where Cedric is from? That's Britain."
No, I mean where? I’m asking because I have no clue where it's located on a map!