As I enter the dorm, the first thing I notice is how crowded it is. There wasn't much room to begin with, so imagine that combined with multiple beds, drawers, furniture, and storage bins. Judging by the number of beds, three, it's safe to assume that this dorm is for three people.

In one spot of the dorm is a young girl wearing an aquamarine and sea green robe, sitting on a chair. She has light blue hair that reaches down to her shoulders and similarly colored blue eyes. She’s currently polishing a crystal orb attached to some kind of wooden staff, presumably her weapon.

Something worth nothing is that unlike Angeline’s gentle countenance and Ellie’s aggressive one, this girl’s is more neutral, sort of deadpan, almost emotionless. She also has that same badge on her uniform.

Angeline points to this girl.

“This is our friend, Illia. She specializes in magic, so maybe she can help explain what’s going on.”

Illia looks over at me and points.

“Human…”

Not one for words, it seems.

Angeline glances over at Illia with an uncertainty.

“I know, but I was thinking that we could keep him here until my next mission.”

Ellie makes a smirk as she talks.

“He seems pretty weak and harmless anyways. Though, you should keep an eye on him since Angeline won’t.”

“Hey, don’t be so mean to him, Ellie.”

Despite Angeline’s protest, I don’t really mind. Actually, I do mind, but I guess I’m sort of numb to verbal abuse at this point. Ellie’s sharp words didn’t really faze me all that much.

Angeline then points towards me while facing Illia.

“This is Hayashi. He’s kind of here because a mistake I made. I was hoping that we could hide him until I can bring him along when I go to Earth once again.”

Ellie glares daggers at me.

“You won’t cause any trouble in the meantime…right?”

I stare right back at her with a scornful look.

“As long as you don’t start any.”

Oh, she didn’t seem to like that response. Ellie’s glare sharpened just now.

Illia ponders for a bit, staring down at the floor. She stops polishing the crystal and then turns towards me to speak.

“Don’t trust, but don’t suspect either…”

So I suppose she’s indifferent towards me. It’s better than hostile, at least.

Angeline begins to explain the odd circumstances regarding mana and myself.

“There’s one more thing, Illia. We tried having Hayashi use the panel back at the front gate, but nothing happened. I tried it as well, and it worked that time. Do you have any idea what the cause is?”

Illia takes a long look at me before postulating an explanation.

“Zero mana, maybe.”

Well, I somewhat expected that this would be the case. If I had this so-called ‘mana’, then I would’ve been using it to its full potential back on Earth.

Ellie seems convinced by that theory.

“Well, it does make sense. The panel would only work if the person had mana in the first place.”

Angeline, however, widens her eyes while attempting to dispute Illia’s explanation.

“No mana?! That can’t be right. Sure, humans have an abysmally low amount of mana, but having none at all is unprecedented.”

Wait, humans normally have mana? I’m the odd one out? Now I need an explanation.

“Hold on, humans normally have mana? Why can’t anyone back at home cast magic missiles or whatever then?”

Angeline and Ellie both turn their attention towards Illia, causing her to explain.

“Too little mana. At most, can influence minor luck or amity.”

People can normally do that, and I couldn’t? Was that why nobody ever stood up for me when I was being tormented at school? Was that why cats and dogs kept growling and biting at me as I walked through the neighborhood? Was that why I kept getting called on during class whenever I didn’t know the answer?

…This is getting too surreal.

“I think I need some time to process all of this. Not just the part about lacking mana, but everything that happened today.”

Angeline gives me a look of understanding and begins to step on a pentagram panel.

“I’ll go get an extra bed, then. It’s pretty late, so this is a good time to think over it all and catch some sleep. Mana Release.”

The door slides open once more, and as Angeline leaves, the dorm suddenly becomes quiet. Ellie and Illia observe me like I’m some kind of exotic animal at a zoo.

I then realize something amidst the silence.

“If that sliding door requires the pentagram panel in order to open, and I don’t have any mana, then doesn’t that mean I can’t go in and out as I please?”

Illia makes a brief reply with her usual indifferent look.

“Correct.”

Ellie glances at me with a harsh gaze.

“Isn’t that for the better?”

“What if I need to use the restroom or take a shower?”

Ellie points over to a door at the side of the dorm. Unlike the front door, this one’s normal and can be opened with a doorknob.

“We have a room for that already. It’s over there.”

So this dorm also has a bathroom. I can’t read the markings engraved on the sign above the bathroom door, though.

I point to the sign while curious about it.

“Say, why can’t I read the words written up there?”

Ellie shrugs while seeming uninterested.

“For what it’s worth, we can’t read the language of you humans either.”

Interesting, a shared spoken language but not a written one. I wonder what could have caused this division?

Another curiosity plagued my mind though, and I couldn’t help but ask.

“Illia, what attribute do you have?”

Illia looks at her staff and then back at me.

“Water. Look.”

Ellie attempts to interrupt Illia, though.

“Wait, Illia. Don’t do it! Not here!”

Illia ignores Ellie and brandishes her staff.

“Water Ball.”

An orb of water is summoned into the sky, gradually expanding. It was a miraculous sight to say the least. However, the water ball didn’t stop enlarging, eventually looking too big to handle.

Gravity suddenly takes effect, and the water ball then splats onto the floor, leaving a puddle of water everywhere.

Ellie turns to me in disapproval.

“You shouldn’t have asked that. Illia is knowledgeable in magic, but she actually has poor control and ends up going overboard many times.”

The entire floor is pretty much a shallow puddle. It seems like it might take a while for all of this water to dry.

After a couple of minutes, Angeline returns through the front door and then stares at the floor.

“Oh, it seems we’ve had another incident with Illia’s magic.”

Angeline spoke as if it was commonplace, turned towards me, and tossed something. I manage to catch it and take a look at it.

It’s a badge, similar to the one that Angeline, Ellie, and Illia have.

“What’s this?”

Angeline replies.

“It’s a badge provided by the academy. If you reach into it, you can access an interdimensional storage. It’s quite convenient, so I figured it could be useful for you.”

I expected a pin when I turned the badge around, but instead found nothing of that sort. It was just a flat sheet of metal on the back. I tried holding the badge up against my shirt, upon which it suddenly clung onto it as if attracted to my chest. I reached into the badge with my arm and found that it disappeared as it went in, accessing the supposed storage that Angeline talked about.

“Huh, neat…”

Angeline reaches into her own badge and pulls out a rolled up fabric.

“One more thing. I found an extra bed for you to use!”

She unrolls the fabric and places it onto the floor. It looked less like a bed and more like a floor mat with a blanket. It certainly looked a lot less comfy compared to the cushioned mattresses that the other three were using, not to mention that those mattresses were held inside a wooden bed frame.

“Oh um, thanks, I guess…”

I couldn’t hide my face of disappointment. Seeming to enjoy what was happening, Ellie snickered in silence before suddenly remembering something.

“Oh right, one more thing. Just for assurance, we’re putting up a barrier so that nothing funny happens. Do it, Angeline”

“Sorry about this Hayashi, but Ellie wouldn’t let you sleep here otherwise. Light Barrier.”

As Angeline spoke the words, small barriers began to form around the three girls.

“Well then, good ni-”

I couldn’t hear the rest of Angeline’s words once the barriers finished deploying. They seemed to have cut off sound as well.

 

The other three are fast asleep and already have been for a couple of hours, but I can’t seem to keep my eyes closed.

Aside from the fact that this floor mat is really uncomfortable, I’m also in an unfamiliar land with unfamiliar people.

I try once more to close my eyes, but just then, I hear the sound of a faint click. The front door opens very slowly, as if whoever’s there is trying not to make a sound. In fact, there’s no sound at all. It’s like some force is preventing any potential sound leakage.

I hide beneath my blanket to prevent being spotted and peek through a crack. There seems to be some figure robed in black and wearing a hood. I couldn’t see their figure or face that well since it was so dark.

The figure moves closer towards Angeline and reaches towards her hair. Not a sound could be heard, nor could a vibration be felt from them. Could this be the work of magic?

However, due to the “Light Barrier” Angeline cast, the figure was stopped and couldn’t touch Angeline. Seeming to realize this, the figure changed strategies and began sneaking around, looking inside drawers. They eventually come across what looks to be a comb and thoroughly examines it. They seem to pull something out and stuff it into a tiny pouch. They then leave just as silently as they had entered.

Finding this suspicious, I got up from my floor mat to take a better look at the retreating figure. I could see the front entrance slowly closing. My thought process accelerated as I pondered my options.

“Hey, all of you, wake up.”

I attempted to call out to the sleeping girls, but as expected, they didn’t react due to the soundproof barrier.

The front door continued to close. I could either go back to bed and act as if nothing happened, or I could pursue the suspicious figure.

Though, why should I? It’s not like we’re companions or even friends. I shouldn’t get too involved with anybody else in this world either.

Even though I thought that, a certain feeling welled up inside me as I looked at the sleeping Angeline, telling me that I should help her despite the dangers it will pose.

This is really strange...I thought I told myself not to trust others again. Nothing good ever happens when I do things like this.

Even so, I took one last look at Angeline before making my decision.

I chased after the robed figure, exiting out of the front door just before it could close. I put on the hood of my jacket to hide my face, just in case it was dead giveaway that I was a human or something like that.

My footsteps were like earthquakes compared to the figure’s. They soon turned around noticed my presence. Even at this distance, I couldn’t see their face, and they hopefully couldn’t see mine either. The figure broke into a sprint as they tried to dash away.

I couldn’t catch up to them, but soon realized that I didn’t need to. I looked down at the ground and noticed wet footprints.

It seems like Illia’s water ball wasn’t all for naught.

 

I followed after the trail of footprints as fast as I could, and ended up in a building a distance away from the castle, opposite of the dorms. The footsteps lead into it, so I decide to enter as well.

To my surprise, this building seemed much more ancient than the others. It resembled something akin to a Roman building with its white stone material. However, mysterious bright torches illuminated the vast hallway, presumably kept alive forever through magic. In addition, there were traps. Many of them actually. I’m not sure what’s at the end of this building, but it’s certainly important. However, they were all deactivated, likely the work of that hooded figure. They were all surrounded by an odd dark miasma, as if the black mist was restraining the them.

As I reach what seems to be the end of the building, I notice the figure standing there. I tiptoe my way towards a pillar and hide behind it while peeking at what’s going on. There’s a gate preventing access to what seems like a shrine with a giant floating crystal sitting above it.

The figure pulls out the tiny pouch from before and retrieves the comb inside. They then pulled out a strand of blond hair, likely Angeline’s, from the comb.

“Metamorphosis.”

With that one brief word, a dark aura encapsulated the figure, and once it disappeared, there stood…Angeline?

The figure, now an imposter of Angeline, stands on top of a pentagram panel on the floor.

“Mana Release.”

[Access Granted]

A mechanical voice resounds before the gates open once more.

The figure walks towards the shrine, before taking out multiple capsule-like objects and adhering them to the crystal. The capsules were all connected by a single thread. The figure takes one of the torches from the walls and holds it next to the thread, setting it on fire.

Hold on, are these explosives?

The figure pulls out some kind of staff, similar to Illia’s, and holds it up. The staff releases an aura of darkness, and they disappeared in an instant.

Was that teleportation? Did that exist here?

I had no time to ponder about such things, though. The flame’s getting closer to the bomb, so I run as far away as I could and brace myself.

A loud, deafening roar resounds as the explosion erupts and black gunpowder smoke fills the room. I couldn’t entirely escape the impact, and I was thrown against the wall, left lying on the floor.

Once the view cleared up, I notice that the crystal had broken. It had fragmented and no longer floated, instead lying on the ground.

After a bit of time, I was able to slowly get up, but I was staggering and overall felt terrible.

Before I knew it, I saw three figures enter the scene. Angeline, Ellie, and Illia.

Angeline glances at the broken shrine, then turns towards me.

“Hayashi, what are you doing here?”

I could barely speak.

“I was…following someone…”

Ellie immediately turns towards Illia.

“This is bad. Illia, we need the principal here!”

Illia nodded and dashed away.

After seeing her figure disappear in the distance, Ellie questioned Angeline.

“Angeline, this doesn’t look like the workings of any magic I’ve seen. What caused this damage?!”

“Um, based on the markings and the black smoke. It seems to be caused by gunpowder, a primitive human invention. Though, that information is confidential. Nobody should know about how it works or how it’s made.”

“Unless…”

Ellie suddenly turned towards me with a hint of bloodlust. She suddenly grabbed me by the collar and pinned me against the wall.

“I knew it! So you really are just one filthy rat, aren't you?!”

Angeline looks at me with a shrouded expression.

“Hayashi, were you really working for the Demon Lord all this time?”

Demon Lord? Who? What?

“No…I don’t even know what you’re talking about…”

Ellie slaps me in the face before responding.

“Quit lying! I don't know how you got to the shrine, but I'm not going to let you go scott-free.”

“Wait…I’m…not lying…”

Angeline looks at our exchange with a look of hesitance. It seems that she doesn’t know what to do, perhaps giving authority to Ellie in order to control the situation. Meanwhile, Ellie looks as if she’s about to kill me.

“You’re coming with us!”

I could barely see Ellie’s fist making its way towards my face before I blacked out.

 

“-and it seems like this human somehow got into the shrine and destroyed the guardian crystal.”

Ugh, my head…

As I woke up, I heard Ellie’s voice. The floor beneath me wasn’t wood nor dirt, but carpet. It seems that I’m in a new location.

I then hear an unfamiliar voice within the room.

“It seems as if the perpetrator has woken up.”

As I regain my consciousness, I notice that I’m in an indoor room. A luxurious chair and a prominent desk stand in the back. Next to the chair is a hatch that leads to who knows where. Sitting on that chair is a woman with long, green hair tied to one side. She has amber-colored eyes and a scornful expression. Just the sight alone would make one tremble. I suppose she’s the principal of the academy, the one the girls were referring to.

Speaking of the girls, all three of them were standing in front of the desk, before the principal. Meanwhile, I was tied up and on the floor.

“Prepretator? Me?”

“I am referring to you, of course. I heard the Elia's recounting of her experience regarding you.”

And what an unbiased, reliable information source she must be...

“I suppose greetings are in order. Though, we will part ways quite soon. I am Vanesque, the leader of this Academy. May I have your name?”

…

“Cheeseburger McFrenchFries.”

“…Hmph, I’m already aware that your name is Hayashi. I was just asking for common courtesy, though it seems you lack even that. Anyhow, I shall handle this manner as according to the rules established.”

Angeline hesitates a bit before speaking.

“U, um, principal. Does that mean he’ll be-”

Vanesque answers before she can finish her sentence.

“Yes. He's guilty of being human, sneaking into the shrine, and destroying the guardian crystal. Considering the scale of his crimes, I believe this is our only option.”

Angeline once again hesitates.

“W, well, can’t we bend the rules a bit this time? I mean, we still don’t entirely know if he-”

“We have never bent the rules before, and we will not for this matter. Keep in mind that your position as a ‘Keeper of Crystals’ has been granted to you as a result of these very rules we have in place. Any further qualms?”

Angeline, unable to dispute, looks downwards.

“N, no…”

Keeper of Crystals. More new terms that keep confusing me.

I squirm around in my bindings, attempting to gather attention.

“Wait, wait! I am not a criminal! Where’s my lawyer?!”

However, Vanesque pays no attention to what I’m saying and dismisses me.

“What a noisy one. Illia, silence him.”

Illia silently takes a nearby cloth and gags my mouth to prevent me from speaking.

With a look of satisfaction, Vanesque addresses the girls.

“I believe we’re done here. You’re all dismissed.”

Ellie and Illia turn around and leave the room. Before heading out the door, Angeline takes a brief glance back at me before leaving as well.

The room is now empty. Only Vanesque and I are in here.

“Now, I shall invoke retribution upon you, criminal.”

Vanesque slowly pulls out a container from one the drawers in her desk, then slowly walks up to me.

She shifts through the container before stopping at a certain item.

“Ah, this shall do.”

Vanesque takes out a tiny hair and holds it up in front of me. It’s light gray in color.

“Metamorphosis.”

A sudden jolt surges within the core of my body. My vision fails me, all I see is pure white. I feel as if dark forces are mashing my body around like I’m clay.

After it’s all over, I notice that my bindings were no longer restricting me. Vanesque looks a lot bigger than she used to. In fact, the entire room looks a lot bigger than usual.

“A rat, a suitable look for you, if I may say.”

Wait, rat?!

I looked down at my body and noticed that instead of my usual hands and legs, I had tiny little paws touching the floor.

“Now then, I’m sure you’ll make a fine meal for Mr. Skitters.”

I was grabbed by some appendage that I didn’t even know I had. Once I looked to check what Vanesque was holding me by, I realized that she was clutching my tail, my newly formed rat tail.

She walks over to the hatch beside her chair and opens it.

“Ah, one more thing. I don’t know who actually caused the incident, but thank you for being the scapegoat.”

Vanesque drops me into the hatch, leaving me to plunge into the abyss.

 

Damn it, this wouldn’t have happened to me if I hadn’t chased after that figure. I should have known better than to follow that gut feeling I had back then.