"Welp," I slap my knee and stand up from my seat. "I guess it's about time to get back to my room..."

"Then I'll accompany you," Sapphire says. "I believe it's time I return as well." Painmangeur climbs up onto Sapphire's shoulder and hangs there, peeking his head over from behind her. I took a big bite out of my bread as we walked together. I don't know what I did, but Sapphire began staring at me in astonishment. 

"What is it?" 

"I've never seen anyone eat while walking before." 

"Is it bad manners?"

"No, I don't think so... but it is quite unusual..." She contemplated something for a short moment. "This... may be a strange question, but..." She fell silent again, off in her own little world.

"What is it?" My words seemed to have snapped her out of it.

"I... Due to certain personal circumstances, I would like to learn more about men. So I believe... given this opportunity... I would like to know more about you, Seraph." 

"That's... why I'm here... so... ask away, I guess."

"Great!" She looks thrilled by my response. "Then, if I may... I'd like to know the brand of clothes you're wearing... Is that alright?" That's it?

"Uh... I think they're Ladidas."

"Ladidas. I'll remember that." In what personal circumstances does she need to know the brand of the clothes I'm wearing? I can't think of any! The three of us arrive at the entrance to the dormitory. "I suppose this is where we part ways."

"Yeah. Thanks for the bread."

"No, not at all."

"Kuu!" Painmangeur let out a longer 'Kuu' than usual and waved goodbye. I wave right back. What a polite animal. I made it back to my room without incident and found Luna alone, leaning with her back against my door and her arms crossed. The phone that was given to me must've been hers, so she's probably waiting for me to return it. Marie isn't anywhere in sight.

"You two were certainly fixated on your search," I practice my casual conversation skills, handing her the loaned phone. It's been almost an hour since I got kicked out. 

"...Is that sarcasm?" She asks.

"I didn't intend it to be," I tell her. Luna looked up and examined my face. I noticed she had a tiny beauty mark under the far corner of her left eye as she did. It was adorable. Is it okay for me to be thinking that? Luna sighed after inspecting my face and looked to the ground.

"...I guess you were serious. Good character..." She muttered something that my garbage hearing couldn't quite pick up.

"I'm sorry?"

"It's nothing." Luna scratched the back of her head. "I'm sorry we chased you out of your room so early," she earnestly apologized but averted her gaze in guilt. "We didn't find anything untoward," she informs me of the search's results and leaves without another word. I told them they wouldn't find anything, and I was clearly right. Now the question is: what will I find in my room? As much as I'd like to blindly trust them, I can't. I'm not an idiot. They could've just said that they wanted to search my room when in reality, they planted something that could result in my immediate expulsion. I wouldn't put it past that Marie girl.

When I enter my room, I find nothing out of place at first glance, other than the fact my tracksuit and scarf were neatly folded and placed on the middle of my bed. A brief glance doesn't count as an investigation, however. I check everywhere thoroughly. I check my clothes, the bed, under the bed, in the bedsheets, under the coffee table, in and around the desk and drawers; everywhere. Even the toilet. I leave no stone unturned. I made every possible effort to uncover something that hadn't been here previously, but there was nothing to find. 

We had lunch at noon. During that time, Sol and I headed for 'Maria Hall.' We had gone there after class the day before to vote for the leader of the Blue Lily society. Maria hall houses the student council and the Blue Lily and Red Rose society rooms. 'The voting ends at six o'clock,' she had told me. 'I'm sorry, Seraph, but could you wait with me until it ends?' The Blue Lily society room was devoid of people and only had a voting box in the middle of a table. Apparently, only the teachers had the key to the box. She had written her name on one of the pieces of paper on the table, then slipped into the voting box. The voting itself was effectively finished, but we both decided to stay around until six o'clock anyway. Naturally, not a single person came, and Sol won by default. The reason we're here today... I don't know.

"Since we happen to be here, let's eat in the courtyard," Sol suggests. "I'll make tea."

"I didn't even know there was a courtyard here." Yesterday we had gone straight to the Blue Lily society room, so I wasn't familiar with the building's layout. 

"Maria Hall is shaped like a pentagon. On either side of the entrance are the Blue Lily and Red Rose society rooms. You need to be careful about which room you go in, since they both look identical. Do you remember which side the Blue Lily society's room is on?" Sol began quizzing me.

"It was the left side, right?"

"That's correct. Lily starts with 'L,' so it's on the left side. And Rose is Right. Just remember the first letter of the words. There's also the storage room, the lounge, and the student council room. Though you won't have much business there." We walked outside into the courtyard. Everything was so... verdant. Verdant and blooming, with marble garden benches, chairs, and tables were strewn about the place. A narrow, stepping stone path weaved and winded its way throughout the courtyard, leading to tables and empty patches of flourishing grass. "The weather is so nice today, so I thought we should spend the day in Maria Hall." I sat down at a table, and Sol moved to the kitchenette, which I think may be in the lounge. I sit, and I wait. I catch a glimpse of someone through a window. They were passing through the hall looking at me, so I raised my hand slightly in greeting. It's Rosalia, and it seems like she's coming out to greet me. I'm not prepared for this. Maybe she's just cutting through the courtyard... Nope, there's only one entrance to the courtyard and she's heading my way.

"Salutations," she addresses me. "Are you by yourself, Seraph?" 

"No, Sol's gone off to the kitchenette," I tell her. I delivered that line very smoothly. I'd give myself a pat on the back, but it'd be weird with people watching.

"I see. That is ideal..." Conversation end. Well done, Seraph, you survived. After all had been said, we both just kind of hang around, doing nothing. The awkward atmosphere between us causes me to inadvertently tighten my lips, and I blankly stare into nothingness. I take a secretive glance at Rosalia and see she's doing the same thing. Perhaps because she didn't wear her heart on her sleeve, she looked a bit like a porcelain doll. It was either her resting face or her awkward, tight-lipped face. This is so awkward. Please hurry up, Sol.

"Oh, Rosalia." Sol the Saviour descends! "Would you like some tea, as well?"

"No, thank you," Rosalia declines the offer, with a soft and polite smile on her face. "...Sol, congratulations on winning the leadership of the Blue Lily society." 

"Why such formality?" Sol questions. 

"Ah... the truth is..." Rosalia hesitated for a moment, turning her eyes towards the entrance. There was another student coming towards us. This place is beginning to get packed. 

"Rosalia," the student called out to her. It was Luna. "Have you made the traditional greeting?" Luna stood off to the side as if to declare she would not be joining us for tea. 

"I am about to," she responds.

"...Traditional greeting?" Sol asks herself. "It did seem a bit overly formal, but..." Sol trailed off, and Rosalia started speaking.

"I have been entrusted with the leadership of the Red Rose society," she plainly states. 

"What?" Sol is slightly surprised and confused, and I am too. Sol had said that the association decided on their leaders during the third term and that the new leader of the Red Rose would be Luna. "How did this happen?" Sol asks. 

"There's no rule that states that a first-year can't be a society president," Luna answers. 

"That isn't what I'm saying, of course. Luna, I thought you were going to be society leader," Sol clarifies herself. 

"Our plans changed."

"What?" Sol is just becoming increasingly confused. "What's going on?"

"You really don't know, Soleil De École?"¹'Sun of the School.' Sol's title Luna asks with a slight imperious attitude. She turns to me. "Seraph. Under normal circumstances, no one would associate with you here, and you would not be welcome anywhere you go."

"That's right," I confirm her statement. It was the story of my life summed up in a few words. Her sudden attack doesn't bother me because I know that no matter how much she hates me, she couldn't possibly hate me more than I hate myself. My self-loathing has made me impervious to any and all forms of insults, so I don't really feel any animosity towards her or her blatant hostility. She's just stating the truth.

"The only reason you're allowed to stay at Vincennes is because it was Sol who brought you here. That is how much people respect her." She's honest and blunt, albeit a little rude. I nod my head in agreement.

"That's a foolish way to judge people," Sol cuts in. "It doesn't matter what anyone says. Everyone should interact with him and decide for themselves-"

"Not everyone can conduct themselves in the same way you do, you know." An unexpected voice rang out, causing everyone to gasp. It shocked Sol. It shocked Luna. It even shocked Rosalia, who was standing in between the two, looking very uncomfortable. But it didn't shock me. That's because the voice was mine. They all turn to me in bewilderment. It looks like they expect me to continue, but I have nothing more to say. "I've said my piece." I continue drinking my tea. It has a charming aroma.

"Well, then... what were we discussing?" Luna cleared her throat and got back on topic. "I cannot ignore your influence. The only person above you in that regard would be La Grande Soeur de Toute.²'Everyone's Big Sister.' The title given to the student council president, Marie Monette.

"...You have changed, Luna," Sol was dejected by her words. "You never would have said something like that before..."

"Th-That is neither here nor there!" As if ashamed of the anger she had just shown, she turned her eyes away. She recomposed herself and continued. "The associations this year bear an unprecedented responsibility. As the chairwoman said the other day, the Grande Vote cannot merely be a popularity contest. The student body must make the proper decision for the future of the school. In that case, we decided it would be best to propose a more suitable leader. Belle Épine³'Beautiful Thorn.' Rosalia's title. Mistranslated to 'Beautiful Briar Rose.'is certainly a title to compete with Soleil De École, don't you think? That is why I withdrew myself from the running." 

Sol and Rosalia couldn't answer her. Rosalia cast her eyes downward and endured it with indifferent stoicism. I couldn't be bothered to publicize her flagrant hypocrisy. 

"...That's..." Sol starts to speak, but Luna interrupts her.

"What of it? I won't have your pity, if that's what you're offering. I chose this of my own free will. But there is one thing I wish to say, to Sol and to you." She pointed her finger sharply at my face. "I am firmly against accepting boys here. This is not a joke. Vincennes is a girls' school. It's a ridiculous suggestion." Her words were entirely natural. "Well, that's all I had to say. Excuse me." She left quickly, and no one tried to stop her. 

"...If I may be perfectly honest..." Rosalia spoke up hesitantly.

"What is it?" Sol urged her on.

"...Luna is correct that there is no restriction on society leaders by grade level... However... There are customs and unwritten rules... I believe it is without precedent... And yet they elected me... Even setting my age aside, I feel terribly unworthy for the position..."

"That doesn't matter." My words seem to have gotten her attention. "If they didn't think you were fit for the position, they wouldn't have elected you. They should know you're still inexperienced, which is why they'll give you their full support. All the society members were in agreement about making you their leader, right? That's why you didn't object to the position?"

Rosalia stared at me vacantly and gave a vague nod in response to my words. After contemplating it for a second longer, she gave another nod. This time, it was firm, and her amethyst coloured eyes were filled with resoluteness.

"You mentioned the other day that you were against reform, Rosalia," Sol spoke up.

"I am."

"Then today we have become official rivals." She smiled a blinding smile and held out her hand to Rosalia. "I hope we can keep this amiable."

"As do I." As they shook hands, I felt like I had seen Rosalia smile naturally for the first time. I felt sure that it was Sol's welcoming attitude.

"Mmm... Delicious." Sol takes a sip out of the tea she had prepared earlier. "It's a bit cold, but... truly, Mason & Fortnum is the only black tea worth drinking."

"Is... that the brand of the tea, or the people who made the tea?" I ask.

"Ah, you don't know them?"

"No. The only tea I've had is the one that comes in bags."

"In... bags? Do you mean satchels?"

"Hm?"

"Huh?"

The gap between us was vaster than any canyon. While I sip on tea that probably costs more than my rent, I can't help but to think back on what I said to Rosalia. 

WHY THE HELL DID I SAY ALL THAT?! AARRGH! IT'S SO CRINGEY, I'M GONNA DIE! SOMEONE JUST GRAB A KNIFE AND TWIST IT IN MY STOMACH BECAUSE THAT COULDN'T BE AS PAINFUL AS THIS CRINGE!!