A Transfer Student Arrives at Fectom Comprehensive Academy.

The rumor spread like wildfire throughout the academy’s autonomous zone.

Terukami Mizuhi rushed to the student council room and flung the door open without waiting for a response to her knock.

“Hey! I heard, Miroku! A new student’s coming to this academy, right?!”

Her red ponytail swaying, Mizuhi dashed toward the lone girl in the room.

The blue-haired girl, addressed as Miroku, glanced at her and sighed before returning to her paperwork.

“Toa told you, didn’t she…? Sigh. I was planning to tell you at the right time so you wouldn’t make a fuss.”

“Keeping something this big a secret is weirder! This is the fourth student at Fectom Academy!”

“All this commotion over just one transfer student. How tragic.”

Miroku folded the paper in her hands into a paper airplane and lightly tossed it at Mizuhi. Catching it effortlessly, Mizuhi unfolded it—it was a transfer application for a single student.

“Narou Kei, first year… A guy?”

“Do you have a problem with that?”

“On the contrary, it’s perfect. Right now, this academy only has female students. At this rate, male students would mistake it for an all-girls school and stay away. That’d be a problem.”

“I doubt they’d come even without the misconception. This academy’s already finished.”

Miroku gazed out the window. The once-beautiful garden was now desolate, the white roofs grimy and cracked. The Western-style buildings, resembling churches, were full of holes and missing pieces.

“Only someone with peculiar tastes—or some kind of goal—would come here.”

“…Hey, this Narou guy… is he from that Narou family?”

“Yes, he is.”

Miroku confirmed without turning away from the window.

“One of the Big Three families that pioneered dungeon diving in Japan. The same Narou family that still holds significant influence in the Academy City.”

“An elite among elites! This is fantastic. With this, next year’s Conquest Festival might not just be a dream.”

“If only.”

“What’s with you? We finally got a new student, and from the Narou family, no less. Is there some issue?”

“No. Nothing at all.”

Miroku spat out the words, but her tone carried an unmistakable hint of distrust.

“It’s just… his eyes left a strange impression on me.”

“His eyes?”

“Yes. Like his heart had been scorched by a blinding light—like something was relentlessly pushing him forward. The eyes of someone rushing toward death. Just like… our teacher.”

The moment those words left her lips, Mizuhi glared at the girl before her.

“…That was an accident. Our teacher didn’t kill herself.”

“I know, I’m sorry, Mizuhi. I’m just confused. After all, this is the first transfer student in ten years, according to records.”

Miroku smiled, trying to brush it off. Mizuhi, her childhood friend, could tell it was a facade—but she accepted it and smiled back.

“I’m looking forward to it. So, when’s he coming?”

“Today.”

“Today?! When did he even take the transfer exam?!”

“Toa and I just interviewed him.”

“You left me out?!”

As Mizuhi continued to complain, Miroku half-heartedly placated her while sighing internally.

And then, she recalled the moment she first met him.

■

Celebrating the Transfer!

I aced the interview with zero effort!!!!

I couldn’t say “I wanna become a cute girl” as my reason for transferring—that’d raise suspicion. So I dodged with vague terms like “greater purpose” and “mission.” Worked like a charm.

When they suddenly dropped an OG character’s name (Sakuraba Rakka), I panicked but managed to answer.

From what I know, Sakuraba Rakka is an original character from Lutra of the Mirror Realm’s gacha side story. I haven’t played it, but she’s apparently a key figure—referred to as “The Root of Immortality”, “Proxy of the Mythic Sea”, and “Guardian of the Starwood.”

Maybe she’s kinda famous in this world?

No way she’s from Fectom, right?

…Hah, as if.

“Eh, whatever.”

It’s been a week since I arrived at Fectom.

After my transfer was approved, I moved out of my apartment and into the academy’s autonomous zone.

The “zone” isn’t a full-fledged city like other schools have—just a small dorm inside the academy. A two-story building with sixteen rooms, two students per room. Right now, I’m the only resident.

Apparently, there are twenty dorms like this, most of them empty.

This isn’t just decline—it’s a ghost town!

The other students (all girls) live together in one dorm, but I politely declined joining them. A guy barging in would be a crime.

Just wait—once I become a cute girl, I’ll move in with you!

“…Time for work.”

Right now, I’m grinding part-time jobs.

Work, work, work… That’s all I do.

Because there’s nothing else to do.

Fectom Comprehensive Academy doesn’t function as a school.

There are no teachers left—just three girls in a nominal student council.

Two years ago, upperclassmen acted as instructors, but even that’s gone now.

Meaning I’ve got nothing but free time.

There aren’t any jobs nearby, so I commute to Central City. Plenty of time to kill, though.

“Kei, off to work again?”

“Ah, Mizuhi-senpai. Morning.”

As I left the dorm and reached the gate, I heard a voice.

Mizuhi-senpai, red ponytail and all, stood there.

A battle-loving warrior type, but a surprisingly caring senpai. She even helped me clean my room when I moved in.

“You always head to Central City for work. Why not register as a rescue diver instead? If you’re from the Narou family, you must have some skill, right?”

“Rescue registration, huh…”

When a dungeon dive fails, explorers can send a distress signal to others outside.

One option contacts available students from the same school; the other randomly alerts registered rescuers (cheaper, but prone to inter-school payment disputes).

“Pays better than regular jobs. Plus, you might find relics in dungeons—sell those for a bonus.”

“Hmm. Money-wise, it’s better, but…”

Honestly, I doubt I can fight properly.

Narou Kei comes from a prestigious family, but he’s no elite.

Just a third-rate who coasted on connections.

He might’ve had potential, but with me in control now, I’m barely above beginner level.

“I’ll pass. I wanna get a feel for Academy City as it is now.”

“Suit yourself. Looking forward to diving together someday.”

“Yeah.”

“Let’s both do our best.”

With that, Mizuhi-senpai walked through the autonomous zone’s gate.

Her red ponytail vanished beyond the massive mechanized doors.

I followed, stepping through the gate—

—and instantly, a skyline of skyscrapers sprawled before me.

Just moments ago, I’d been in a crumbling, decaying school. Now, it was gone.

“…Still blows my mind.”

I looked up at the gate I’d passed through.

A special portal linking Hinotsuchi’s Central City to the dungeons.

These gates let schools establish campuses inside dungeons, creating vast, nation-sized districts.

The island in the Pacific is just the surface world—for inter-school events and tourists.

The convenience store where I work is in a corner of Central City.

“Gonna crush that cashier shift today!”

The weather was clear and perfect.