October’s temperatures were at their most comfortable. For Yukieda, the same was true.

The cool morning breeze brushed against her face and carried away the worries from last night, as if telling her that today was a brand-new day.

No way!

Whenever Yukieda remembered what had happened the previous night, her face flushed and her heart raced.

How was she supposed to face her daughter as an old father from now on?

And once again, she realized that her body really was incredibly young.

On the way to school that morning, it took about five minutes to walk from the academy’s main gate along the avenue.

Countless students traveled in groups or alone. The ginkgo trees on both sides swayed in the wind, their yellowing leaves breaking free of the branches and tracing graceful arcs through the air.

Yukieda was undoubtedly the most striking student among them.

Her snow-white hair made every student unconsciously shift their gazes—and their conversations—toward her.

Of course, there were ill-intentioned people among the students too.

For example, the Bamboo Trio.

Chikutake glared at Yukieda with jealousy and whispered something to her two followers.

“Classmate Oruchi!”

Hearing someone call from behind, Yukieda stopped walking.

Fallen leaves gathered around her feet as she turned around. At the same time, the surrounding gazes shifted toward Mari.

Yukieda was still so beautiful today.

They were wearing the same uniform, yet it looked completely different on different people.

A dark women’s suit jacket, a white inner shirt, and a red ribbon tie. Below that was a high-waisted pleated skirt in black and white.

The skirt set off her white thigh-high socks, making Oruchi’s fair skin look even more delicate.

Mari watched her with unconcealed envy. Then she thought about her own figure and hesitated.

Could someone as fat as me really walk together with Classmate Oruchi?

A trace of inferiority welled up inside her.

Yukieda had no idea that Mari had gone through so many thoughts in that brief moment.

All she knew was that Mari had called out to her. Naturally, she stopped and jogged over to Mari.

Then she greeted her enthusiastically.

“Good morning, Mari!”

“Good morning, Classmate Oruchi.”

Mari’s face showed a deeply moved expression.

Yukieda felt a little baffled.

To become worthy of walking together with Classmate Yukieda, I have to lose weight!

Yukieda had no idea that her unintentional gesture had inspired a young girl’s determination.

Mari accidentally glanced at Yukieda’s slender yet pleasantly rounded calves. Suddenly, she thought of something.

“Come to think of it, you’ve started wearing thigh-highs recently, Classmate Oruchi. I thought you were the type who liked tights.”

“Ah…”

Yukieda’s expression turned a little strange.

At first, she had worn tights because she hoped they would reduce that embarrassing feeling.

But as time passed—though, in truth, it had only been a few days—Yukieda discovered the advantages of thigh-high socks.

Tights were troublesome to put on and take off, no matter where she was.

Ordinary thigh-highs weren’t like that. At the very least, she didn’t have to pull them halfway down whenever she went to the bathroom.

In the end, compared to something as vague as shame, Yukieda cared more about practicality.

Or rather, the more convenient, the better.

It was probably her male way of thinking at work. That was how Yukieda consoled herself.

“I think thigh-highs are pretty comfortable too.”

Yukieda kept her expression unchanged.

Mari naturally didn’t continue asking questions. What kind of socks Yukieda wore was her own choice.

Actually, Mari thought Yukieda’s legs matched thigh-highs better. With skin that beautiful, there was no need to hide it all.

Soon, Mari lowered her voice.

“Speaking of which, Classmate Oruchi, you need to be careful. Chikutake and the others aren’t the kind of people who’ll let things go.”

“You’d better avoid secluded places.”

She had a reason for saying that.

Mari had noticed the three girls often pointing at Yukieda and whispering. They had acted the same way before bullying Mari.

Yukieda shrugged.

After another fifty-minute class, break time arrived.

The limited rest period was only long enough for everyone to sit in the classroom and chat.

A group of students surrounded Yukieda, asking her questions about everything under the sun.

Yukieda guessed it was simply the novelty of having a transfer student. After some time, they would realize she wasn’t any different from an ordinary student.

Mari wasn’t among the students surrounding Yukieda.

She quietly lay facedown on her desk, pretending to sleep.

Mari must be the extremely shy type.

If Yukieda suddenly approached her during break, perhaps it would only make her uncomfortable.

Sure enough, during lunch, quite a few students invited Yukieda to eat with them.

Yukieda rejected every invitation with a smile and took out the bento she had prepared.

“A bento? Such a traditional meal…”

The students who had tried to invite her were left speechless.

In recent years, foreign culture had swept in, and the students at Hakutsuru Academy preferred eating hot meals in the cafeteria.

“Aren’t bentos something only poor people eat? Classmate Oruchi actually brought one from home?”

“Don’t say that. Maybe she’s a foreigner trying to experience the local lifestyle.”

“That’s true.”

As long as Yukieda was beautiful, people would automatically invent a reasonable explanation for anything she did.

In reality, she had made the bento at Shizuku’s house that morning.

As for why she had made it…

The main reason was to save money.

She didn’t have many credit points left. After checking her balance on the terminal, she found she had 201 points remaining.

Her payday was at least half a month away.

At ten credit points a day just for commuting by train, she actually had only fifty-one points of spending money left.

That meant there was no way it would last through the next half-month, no matter how carefully she budgeted.

Unless a monster rampage broke out and she completed the mission exceptionally well.

Then she could earn a bonus.

Yukieda would honestly rather not have that kind of income.

Every monster appearance came with death, leaving behind grieving relatives and endless longing.

Should I borrow money?

The first person Yukieda thought of was Mr. Kenji.

Forget it. She had already been bothering him every day recently. Borrowing money from him on top of that would be shameless.

Speaking of Mr. Kenji, he had said someone should contact her soon.

But when Yukieda checked her contacts and messages, her golden eyes found no new notifications.

She felt a little disappointed.

As she thought about it, Yukieda remembered last night again, and her old face flushed.

“Classmate Oruchi, you eat bentos too?”

The classroom door slid open, and Mari’s surprised voice carried inside.

She was holding a light, loosely wrapped package.

Perhaps because she saw that Yukieda wasn’t surrounded by anyone, Mari became a little braver.

She pushed her desk against Yukieda’s.

Mari wasn’t as shy as she had been during break time. She told Yukieda that she also ate a bento every day at noon.

As she spoke, she opened the slightly old-fashioned wrapping and revealed an empty bento box inside.

As if she wanted to explain herself, she said, “I usually eat over by the garden.”

Yukieda wrinkled her small nose.

Besides the lingering scent of cold food, there was also a faint smell of disinfectant in the air.

It came from Mari herself.

Yukieda smiled gently.

“Next time, you can eat with me, Mari. I’m planning to have a bento every day from now on.”

After the two afternoon classes ended, the classroom filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

There was no special reason. School was simply over.

Sometimes, student happiness really was that simple.

Mari invited Yukieda to her home.

Looking at the hope in Mari’s eyes, Yukieda truly couldn’t bring herself to refuse.

She took out her terminal and sent Shizuku a message, saying she might arrive a little late that evening.

The terminal soon vibrated.

Yukieda revealed a gentle smile, then slipped it back into her pocket.

“Be careful.”

Mari naturally noticed Yukieda’s smile too. She leaned over and asked, “Who was that?”

“My family.”

When one person was happy, someone else was bound to be unhappy.

Chikutake watched Yukieda chatting and laughing with a dark expression.

She stood at the doorway.

“Hey, Oruchi. I want to talk to you.”

Chikutake spoke with a cold smile.

She was quite tall, but her figure wasn’t attractive. Instead, there was something almost sickly about her.

“Classmate Oruchi…”

Mari lightly tugged at Yukieda’s sleeve.

Yukieda understood what was going on, of course.

She replied politely, “If Classmate Chikutake has something to say, you can say it here.”

“No. This isn’t the right place.”

Chikutake stared hard into Yukieda’s golden eyes.

“You’re coming with me behind the sports field. I’ll tell you there.”

But she quickly looked away.

For some reason, staring at those golden eyes for too long made her feel afraid.

It was a completely unreasonable emotion.

“Sorry. I already have plans tonight. Maybe next time.”

Yukieda didn’t wait for Chikutake’s response.

She walked straight past her with Mari.

Mari hunched her head down, terrified that Chikutake would notice her.

This was really a matter of attitude.

There was no way someone as tall as Chikutake could fail to notice Mari.

She simply used her actions to show submission, like an animal exposing its belly.

How dare she ignore me!

Chikutake ground her teeth in fury.

She nodded at Yukieda with an expression that seemed to say, Fine. You’re good.

What angered her even more was that Yukieda had walked right past her.

And yet, she had been too cowardly to do anything.

Chikutake still remembered the terror of being controlled by Yukieda.

There were still a few students on cleaning duty in the classroom.

Afraid of getting dragged into trouble, they all lowered their heads and played ostrich.

In the end, Yukieda felt that no matter how bold Chikutake was, she wouldn’t dare attack someone directly in the classroom.

Besides, even if she did, Yukieda had nothing to fear.

Mari didn’t see it that way.

“Classmate Oruchi, you absolutely can’t go.”

“Chikutake’s boyfriend is a delinquent from the boys’ high school next door. His name’s Ken, and he’s incredibly strong.”

“I’ve also heard that he’s connected to the Red-Line District.”

What was the Red-Line District?

As a middle-aged man, there was no way Yukieda hadn’t heard of it—not even if she was an honest, straightforward man like him.

In simple terms, it was an organization that arranged illegal transactions involving female students.

Sometimes through coercion.

Sometimes voluntarily.

Mari looked deeply worried.

“So please, Classmate Oruchi, you really have to be careful.”

Yukieda truly didn’t take those delinquents seriously.

But she had to pretend that she cared. Otherwise, Mari would keep looking so anxious.

“Yeah. Thanks, Mari-chan,” Yukieda replied seriously. “I won’t take any shortcuts or go through secluded alleys.”

Mari’s face showed a slightly surprised expression.

She lowered her head shyly.

“Classmate Oruchi, can I call you by your first name?”

“Of course. Haven’t you noticed that I’ve always called you by your name?”

“Yes! Okay! Yukieda—no, Yukieda-chan. Hehe.”