This district was lined with exclusive mansions where only students affiliated with the Tower of Babel were permitted to live. Vast estates boasted colossal structures adorned with lavish decorations. In Babel, these were lent to students belonging to the Tower of Babel free of charge. It was precisely because of such borderline excessive preferential treatment that every student in Babel honed themselves day in and day out, dreaming of joining the Tower.
The living room door of a seasoned mansion in that district flew open with great force. Keith Steinberg, a handsome youth with long blue hair tied in back, barged into the room and shouted at the top of his lungs:
"They say Kai is here in Babel!"
"Kaa-kun?!"
Lena Grot, a beautiful girl lying on the sofa with glossy red hair reaching down to her waist, sprang right up.
"Kee-cchi, is... is that really true?! Where in Babel is Kaa-kun?!"
Closing in on Keith, she bombarded him with questions in a frantic rush.
"Apparently, he's currently a student at Ouboro Academy."
Keith learning about their childhood friend, Kai Heinemann, had been a complete coincidence.
On his way back from training in Babel, he had run into one of his childhood friends, Laila Helner. While reminiscing about their hometown for a while, he had learned that Kai Heinemann—their childhood friend who was like an older brother to them—and Lumine Helner were also here in Babel as students of Ouboro Academy.
"I'm going right now!"
As Lena made a break for the door, Keith hurriedly grabbed her left wrist to hold her back.
"Wait a second!"
"Let go, Kee-cchi! Lena's going to see Kaa-kun!"
She raised her voice with a fierce, frantic intensity wholly uncharacteristic of her usual gentle demeanor, digging her heels in.
"What time do you think it is? Kai's probably living in a dorm, just like us. Visiting hours ended ages ago. Even if you went now, there's no way you'd get to see him."
Faced with Keith's sensible point, she made a petulant, childish demand.
"Then I'll go see him first thing tomorrow morning!"
"Starting early tomorrow morning, you have that overnight practical training at the Tower, don't you? You won't actually be able to see him until you get back from that."
"Booo! I firmly protest!"
Keith spoke to her in a soothing tone as she pouted.
"Kai is a student here in Babel. We can see him anytime now. There's no need to rush."
"I know, but..."
"Besides, it seems Lumine and Her Highness Princess Rose are at Ouboro Academy too."
"Huh? Wasn't Rose-chin at Saint Clan Academy?"
Seeing Lena blink in bewilderment and let out a dazed squawk, he shared what he had heard from their fellow childhood friend, Laila.
"Supposedly, it's because she took a leave of absence after that kidnapping incident involving the Glitnir Empire."
"Right. It's all because of them..."
Glimpsed in the depths of Lena's usually tranquil eyes was a fearsome flame of rage.
"Still, it seems Her Highness Rose herself has accepted it."
"Then Lena will enroll in Ouboro Academy too!"
"You know better than anyone why that's impossible, right?"
Lena's position was delicate in the extreme. Her family back home was effectively being held hostage by the higher-ups of the Holy Amelia Kingdom. If Lena or Keith were to abandon their training in Babel now, nine times out of ten, the Holy Amelia Kingdom would brand them as apostates. Their hometown, the Fortress City of Lamoor, blindly believed in the God Ares to a degree that could easily be called fanatical. Kai had faced severe persecution simply for drawing a dud Gift. It was glaringly obvious what fate would befall their families if they were deemed apostates.
"..."
Lena stamped her feet in frustration for a moment before flopping onto the sofa. It seemed she had decided to sulk and sleep it off.
Well, Kai was here in Babel. That meant there would be plenty of chances to see him going forward. For Lena, who still couldn't fall asleep without hugging the plushie she had received from Kai, her mood would undeniably skyrocket tomorrow instead. Above all—Kai was like an older brother to Keith. Though he hadn't lost his head like Lena, truth be told, Keith wanted to fly over to Kai's side right this second.
"I wonder if he's changed a bit."
With those idle thoughts drifting through his mind, Keith returned to his assigned mansion.