The main campus of the Chroma Music Academy.

It was a massive tourist spot composed of three castles.

There were theaters all across the school district, but the theater in the main campus was on another level.

There were even people who came to the academic city just to see performances held there.

And now, through the most lavish corridor of that main building, a single girl dashed by, riding on a dragon.

“Please stop—!”

“Nuh-uh, noooope!”

A plain-faced girl shouted a resounding NO at the voice behind her.

However, she was none other than the top combatant of Chroma Music Academy and one of the strongest in the academic city.

Her name: Watarai Ryuuko.

Just your average high school girl currently in the market for a boyfriend.

“This is seriously annoying! I was on night patrol and I’m sleepy…! I’ve had enough! I wanna go home!”

Ryuuko’s small dinosaur-like companion, Baltius, carried her down the hallway, whining weakly.

The students passing by gave surprised looks for a split second, but as soon as they saw who was riding the beast, they nodded knowingly, going, “Ahh…”

“Please wait for me—!”

“I said no! Absolutely not!”

With hostility thick in her voice, Ryuuko shouted back at the elegant voice behind her, clinging tightly to Baltius.

“Baltius, keep going! Lose them!”

Just as her command left her mouth, Baltius tried to accelerate—but a wall suddenly rose in front of them, blocking their path.

“!?! Smash through it!”

As Ryuuko shouted, Baltius swung his sharp claws at the wall—but it had no effect.

The brightly illuminated wall sparkled with countless embedded jewels.

There was only one person in Hinotsuchi capable of building such a ridiculous wall.

With a look of blatant disgust, Ryuuko turned around and called out her name.

“…President Daiya.”

At the end of Ryuuko’s gaze stood a girl flanked by many students.

Her royal blonde hair sparkled like it could banish sleep, and her thick, royal ringlets could send even a typhoon running barefoot.

Though her appearance was so absurd it felt like a joke, her refined features and perfect proportions made her whole presentation undeniably royal.

She was royalty incarnate.

This was the current Student Council President—Kongouin Daiya.

“Fufufu… I set this up ahead of time on your escape route. Behold my Royal Wall! Its magnificent glow will leave you rooted in place!”

“I am stuck because I can’t break it, thank you very much!”

“That lie is not royal.”

“I’ve been meaning to say this—your ‘royal’ catchphrase is unbelievably lame.”

“……In any case! I’ve got you now, Watarai Ryuuko!”

For a moment, Daiya looked genuinely heartbroken, but her golden eyes soon lit up as she locked her gaze on Ryuuko.

With theatrical flair, she pointed dramatically and continued:

“Today, you’ll finally say it—‘I will become Student Council President!’”

“I’m a proud Japanese who can say NO!”

Baltius stood in front of Ryuuko protectively.

Daiya, unfazed, pulled something from her pocket.

“Those who stand above must answer the expectations of the people! Thus, ‘no’ is not an option!”

What Daiya had drawn was a gemstone.

With graceful motion, she tossed it to the ground.

The gem absorbed ambient mana and expanded, morphing into four armored knights.

“Behind you, the Royal Wall. In front of you, the Royal Knights. Today, I win.”

“This is tyranny! I thought this country was a democracy!”

“All the students nominated you for president. Democracy is the best, isn’t it?”

“How much did you bribe them!?”

Apparently, money could defeat anything.

“Say you’ll become Student Council President!”

“So persistent…!”

Ryuuko looked exasperated at Daiya.

Then, proudly puffing her chest, she declared:

“There’s no way everyone wants someone like me to be Student Council President!”

“That’s just not tru—”

“Baltius! Dragon Rank Inheritance Absorb—Hyakki Yagyō!”

“Wha—!?”

At Ryuuko’s command, Baltius began splitting and transforming.

In a flash, the hallway overflowed with a horde of yokai.

Even a massive corridor was too cramped for a hundred-plus monsters.

“Wait, that’s a Dragon Rank Inheritance that requires paperwork!? Just how badly do you not want to be president!?”

“President Daiya, I… I refuse to take on any responsibility! I want to live an easy, carefree life!”

“Such lack of ambition with such a straight face…!”

Ryuuko gave a small chuckle.

In the next moment, her figure vanished into the crowd of yokai.

“Find her! Search each monster one by one! Efficiently, swiftly, and royally!”

“All of them?!”

“If Daiya-sama commands it, show your Royal Shine!”

“Oh, is that what Azuki-washing looks like?”

Daiya and the student council members scrambled.

They, too, were swallowed up in the cheerful march of monsters.

■

“—Ugh, what a morning.”

Wiping sweat from her forehead, Ryuuko muttered.

She had already left the scene.

Baltius, now shaped more like a giant fox, carried her on his back.

“They really should just look for a proper candidate already…”

Sprawled out on Baltius’s back as they moved along the rooftop, Ryuuko yawned.

The weather today was lovely.

Ryuuko had planned to skip class using her night patrol as an excuse and enjoy some food-hopping.

But with such a pleasant breeze, drowsiness crept in.

Lying on fluffy Baltius, Ryuuko closed her eyes.

The sound of a live performance in the distance, children’s laughter, and the bell announcing the start of the day’s first show filled the air.

Ryuuko loved this noisy Chroma Music Academy.

“—Looks like you were being chased again today.”

A voice came from beside her.

Without opening her eyes, Ryuuko replied calmly.

“They never get tired of it. Can’t you tell them to stop?”

“I take a hands-off approach. Do whatever you want!”

“Is that okay for a teacher…?”

Ryuuko sat up and shot a retort.

The woman beside her had a refined appearance.

Short crimson hair, sharp eyes, and an unremarkable movement that radiated a strange adult allure.

She looked more like a renowned actress than a teacher—yet this woman, Nei, flashed a cheerful peace sign.

“It’s fine, it’s fine! This academy’s motto is freedom. Look, I’m drinking even though I’m up soon.”

“……You’re the lead today, right?”

“Ahh, delicious!”

Ignoring Ryuuko’s warning, Nei chugged from a wine bottle.

A bit spilled onto Baltius’s back, who let out a faintly sad whimper.

“Pwah! High-end wine’s best chugged!”

“I’ve never drunk before, but I know that’s wrong.”

Wine wasn’t something to consume like a sports drink.

“So, what’s going on today?”

“Thought I’d nap here with you.”

“Ehh…”

“Just kidding. Don’t make that face.”

Nei pulled out another bottle from her extended storage.

But Ryuuko grabbed her wrist and shook her head.

“No more.”

“You’re weirdly strict… Oh well. I’ll get to the point.”

Nei opened a dive gear window and showed it to Ryuuko.

It looked like a report.

Ryuuko frowned at the text, and Nei sighed.

“Yesterday, Sorciera finally attacked someone in this district.”

“…What?”

“This is the detailed info—well, just a victim’s testimony. The security cameras nearby were broken.”

“Wait! Sorciera attacked someone!? I was patrolling last night! I even used a wide-area viewing legend with Dragon Rank Inheritance!”

Ryuuko wasn’t sure whether Sorciera was the kind of person to attack others.

At least, she’d used inhumane attacks on scholars.

But slipping through Baltius’s wide-range surveillance to attack someone was nearly impossible.

To Ryuuko, it didn’t make sense.

“But someone was attacked. Apparently, she’s a student from the recently famous Fectom Academy. You’ve heard of it? It’s supposedly an ultra-elite school.”

“Fectom!?”

Hearing the name, Ryuuko snatched the report and began reading furiously.

And then, she cried out.

“…Toa-chan.”

“You know her?”

“Yes, she’s a friend.”

“I see. So you’ve got both a public and personal reason to get involved.”

As an S-Rank, to catch Sorciera who caused an incident in the autonomous district.

As Toa’s friend, to fight in her place.

Despite her usual lazy attitude, Ryuuko made her decision with impressive clarity.

“Is this all the info?”

“Yep. You’ll have to investigate the site. Seems like some students from Fectom will show up too. Be nice, okay?”

“I got it. I won’t cause trouble for you, Nei-sensei.”

Hearing that, Nei nodded in satisfaction and stood.

She dismounted from Baltius and started walking along the rooftop.

Her steps were firm, despite having just downed a bottle.

After a few paces, Nei stopped, turned around, and warned Ryuuko.

“One heads-up—this incident smells fishy. It’s way too obvious. So… be careful.”

“Understood. Thank you.”

Gone was the lazy girl from before—her face now clearly marked her as S-Rank.

Nei nodded.

“Oh, and one more thing—”

She pointed down below the roof.

“Daiya-chan’s climbing up the wall right now. You should run.”

“…What!?”

Ryuuko’s serious face reverted instantly.

Peeking down, she saw Daiya clumsily scaling the wall—far from royal.

“Eek! Baltius! Fly! Dragon Rank Inheritance—Red Dragon!”

With a frantic command, Ryuuko vanished into the sky.

Seconds later, Daiya reached the rooftop.

“She..haa..escaped.”

“Haha, tough luck.”

Nei patted Daiya on the shoulder, laughing.

Daiya looked momentarily surprised to see Nei on the roof, but soon sighed at having let Ryuuko get away.

“Haa, another failure.”

“Don’t give up. Keep trying.”

“Could you ask her to become Student Council President?”

“I value student autonomy. So… nope.”

Nei looked in the direction Ryuuko had flown off to.

Daiya gave her a tired look.

“You were the one who first nominated her, weren’t you?”

“Was I? Maybe?”

“Please take this seriously.”

“Haha. Still… yeah. I think she’s fit to be president. …Much more than I was back then.”

“She runs from everything! There’s no way she’s more reliable than you!”

“But you still want her to be president, don’t you?”

Daiya reluctantly nodded at Nei’s words.

“If she puts her mind to it, she’s amazing. Far more royal than I am.”

She meant it as the highest praise.

Nei smiled gently at her and said:

“I’ve always meant to ask… That catchphrase? It’s not great. You were more normal in your first year. What influenced you?”

“Like master, like student…!”

Daiya trembled and glared.

Then, muttering “Royal, royal,” she calmed herself, and smirked.

“By the way, Kogare-sensei was looking for you. Said you’re probably drinking somewhere before curtain call.”

“…No way. There’s less than thirty minutes left!”

“Then what’s with all the empty bottles?”

“Litter pickup.”

“Liar. That’s not royal.”

With that, Daiya tossed another gem.

It turned into an armored knight.

“I’ll escort you to the theater. It’s been ages since you retired from adventuring—I’m sure climbing down the roof is a hassle.”

“N-no thanks! D-Daiya? Don’t look at teachers like that with such scary eyes!?”

A pitiful voice echoed across the main campus.

Another noisy day at Chroma Music Academy.