Day of the Starry Knights’ Debut
Shredica’s POV
Today was the day I’d finally meet with the Headmistress, a meeting I’d secured as my prize for winning the King’s Game. My main request was to stop the Administrations from blocking my progress and finally let me out of the bronze class.
I walked to the Headmistress’s office with Professor Irene by my side.
“The Headmistress is already waiting for you inside,” Professor Irene informed me.
“Are you not coming in with me?” I asked, expecting her to help with the conversation.
“This is a private matter between you and the Headmistress, so it’s only right that I stay out,” she replied.
That made sense. “Thanks for all your help so far,” I said, acknowledging her support.
“It’s fine. This is the only way I can really help you. Once this is sorted, you’ll finally climb up the rankings. It kind of saddens me that you won’t be in the bronze class anymore. But even though I won’t be your homeroom professor in the silver or gold classes, I’ll still be around to teach some of your subjects,” she said, her voice tinged with a mix of pride and melancholy. “Well, since I’ve done all I can, I’m heading out now.” With a final nod, she turned on her heel, her footsteps echoing down the corridor as she walked away.
I watched her retreating figure, the sound of her footsteps fading before I finally gathered the nerve to knock on the heavy oak double doors.
“Come in,” a surprisingly soft and youthful voice called out. I was expecting someone with the voice of an old woman, so the soft and youthful tone caught me off guard. I guess the Headmistress’s position had made me assume there was an elderly woman behind the door.
“Excuse me,” I said, pushing open the door. The moment I stepped inside, the rich, musty aroma of old books enveloped me, mingling with the faint scent of polished wood.
“Welcome, Miss Shredica,” the Headmistress greeted with a warm smile. She was an exceptionally beautiful woman, her maturity evident but far from elderly. She looked to be in her early thirties, or perhaps even younger. Her golden hair cascaded in soft, lustrous waves, and her striking green eyes gleamed with a sharp, penetrating intelligence. She rested her chin on her hands, leaning slightly forward as she scrutinized me with an understanding gaze.
“I’ve heard about your situation. You want to climb the ranks, correct?” she asked, her voice smooth and confident.
“That’s right,” I replied. “I was hoping you could address the Administration’s interference that’s blocking my progress to the top.”
The Headmistress flashed a knowing grin. “You don’t sugarcoat things, do you?” she said, her tone laced with a touch of amusement. “I understand your frustration. The prejudice against those without skills is so extreme it borders on racism, despite everyone being of the same race. People with inflated pride view your kind as nothing more than insects. That kind of mindset is utterly unforgivable and needs to be dismantled. That’s why I made the decision to admit skillless students this year. I had hoped for more than just two, but I suppose that was a bit too optimistic.”
Administrators, especially, were the epitome of prideful arrogance. They resented the very idea of skillless students moving beyond the bronze ranks. They were already bitter about having permitted skillless admissions in the first place, so naturally, they were determined to keep them confined to the lowest tier.
“I guess there really isn’t much we can do about the Administration,” the Headmistress said with a heavy sigh, her shoulders slumping slightly. “Even though I hold the highest authority in the academy, convincing them to just accept this situation is another matter entirely.”
“Is there anything you can do about it?” I asked, my voice tinged with desperation.
“Well, I can… but it’s going to be a tough battle. It’ll take at least a year to get them to stop obstructing you,” she admitted, her eyes reflecting the weight of her words.
“A year?” I repeated. That was an agonizingly long time to wait.
“Well, yes. I can force them to stop blocking your progress by turning up the heat even more. That means I’d have to admit a larger number of skillless students into the academy,” she said with a thoughtful frown. “To do that, we’ll have to wait until the next school year.”
“Is there any other option?” I asked.
The Headmistress shook her head slowly. “I’m afraid not,” she said, her tone heavy with finality.
***
That was a crushing blow. No matter how much I’d worked and fought, it felt like I was still stuck in the same frustrating place. The sting of disappointment settled deep, leaving me grappling with the reality that I was no closer to reaching the higher rankings.
I started feeling a twinge of sympathy for Mr. Leon. Despite all his “help,” I hadn’t achieved what I wanted from his assistance.
As I pondered this, I realized it had been ages since I last saw Mr. Leon. I wondered what he was doing now, or where he might be. Knowing him, he was probably lounging around as usual, doing nothing of consequence.
In the midst of these thoughts, a strange emotion surfaced.
“I kind of miss Mr. Leon…” The words escaped my lips before I could even process them, and I stopped dead in my tracks. “No.” I shook my head firmly. This was an unnecessary feeling. I couldn’t afford to let it sway me.
While thinking that, however, I felt eyes on me suddenly.
Not just one pair of eyes, but many, all trained on me. I subtly scanned the crowd, careful not to let my gaze shift too obviously, and saw a cluster of suspicious figures observing me with unsettling intensity. The number of them was overwhelming. What were they planning? It felt as though any sudden or unusual movement from me might trigger them to pounce immediately. I had to stay calm and avoid giving them any cause to act. I was confident I could escape, but not with so many of them effectively surrounding me. I could fight if I had to, but that wasn’t ideal—I was seriously outnumbered.
As I continued walking, I noticed them moving in sync with me, closing the gap. I had no clue what had drawn their attention, but it was evident that I was in a dangerous situation. I needed to time my escape perfectly to avoid their watchful eyes.
Right in front of me, there was a corner. I could use it to my advantage to shake them off. As I rounded the corner, their sight was briefly blocked, giving me the crucial moment I needed. I darted down another alley, hoping to lose them.
“She’s gone! Find her!” I heard one of them yell, their voice tinged with frustration. I immediately activated all the skills I’d honed from my training, slipping through the shadows with practiced stealth. I was confident that I wouldn’t be spotted. I had to be.
But just as I was feeling secure, my confidence was shattered. Emerging into the alley I thought would be a safe haven, I found myself abruptly face to face with a woman blocking my path, her presence an unexpected and unwelcome obstacle.
“I’m very sorry for bursting your bubble, but you have to die, Miss Shredica,” she said with chilling resolve. Her hands gripped two kukris, the cold metal gleaming ominously. It was clear from the start that she wasn’t here for a friendly chat.
I quickly drew my gun and unleashed a volley of bullets towards her. But her movements were a blur—she darted and twisted with breathtaking agility, using the narrow walls of the alley as springboards to evade every shot. Each bullet seemed to miss her by mere inches as she closed in on me.
With a sudden burst of speed, she lunged forward, kukris still poised behind her back. In one fluid motion, she leapt into the air, her blades slicing through the air with deadly precision as she brought them down towards me.
I unsheathed my blade and swung it up just in time to block the oncoming kukris. The moment they struck, the sheer force of the impact jolted through me, like being hit with a sledgehammer. It was all I could do to prevent being cut in half. The crushing pressure sent a violent tremor up my legs, making my knees buckle and quiver.
With a ruthless precision, the woman shifted her strike to the side. My unsteady stance left me vulnerable, forcing me to brace myself with my blade as best I could. The impact was so forceful it sent my weapon skidding across the alley floor with a clatter that echoed loudly against the narrow walls.
Before I could recover, I felt a sharp, searing pain slam into the side of my head. She had seamlessly followed her kukris with a devastating kick. The jarring blow made the world around me spin, and I felt my consciousness slipping away, drowning in the haze of shock and pain.
