The rest of the day's classes went pretty much the same as my first, most of the lessons went over my head. Each lesson drove in just how out of place I felt in the world of 'Knights'. I had left class when my school phone suddenly got an alert, telling me it was time to return to my dorm room at the housing and accommodation building.

  “Seriously, where does this place get the budget for buildings like this?” I stared off in amazement at the many lined-up buildings. “First years are here, so I should be on the second floor if I remember right.”

  The passages outside the rooms, much like every other aspect of this school, were extraordinary. Monitors decorated the halls and state-of-the-art security locks were placed on every door. The door had already been unlocked by the time I was in front of it. Confirmed by the subtle beep on the lock and the green light that flashed.

  “Woah, this place is amazing!” I scanned around the room with widened eyes. Not only was there plenty of empty space but the beds looked beyond comfortable. It was more like a five-star hotel than a dorm room. “Hmm?”

  There are two beds, should I be expecting a roommate? Weird, I didn’t see anyone heading to this room when I got up. Maybe they’re lost? I shrugged it off and made my way to the showers.

  Death.

  That cold sensation returned, like a blade was on my neck. I reached a hand over to check but once again, there was nothing. Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being preyed on.

  “Weird.” I shrugged it off and a moment later, I was poked in the back with something solid. A thin blade maybe?

  “I suggest you don’t move.” The ominous voice lingered against my ear. It was muffled, almost as if they had a filter on their voice. “Pathetic, even at this distance you weren't able to detect me at all.”

  “I don’t know who you are but you’re making a huge mistake.” I couldn’t risk turning around, they still had a knife to my back. If I moved at all, I doubt they’d hesitate to kill me. Crap, do I yell for help? No, I can’t risk anyone else getting hurt, plus there’s no chance a teacher could get here in time to help. I need to find out who they are first.

  “So this is the grand feat of a monarch? I'd barely believe you were a Knight if you weren't here.” They grew frustrated. I could tell that much even through the filter.

  “A monarch?” I muttered back.

  Their grip on my neck loosened, “You… you don’t even know?” The knife against my back pressed even closer and I could feel its weight bare into my back.

  This is it, I’m dead! If I’m going down, I have to at least warn the others– I prepared to scream but before I had the chance, the weight subsided and I heard the hard metallic rattle of something drop to the floor. I looked down at the blunt object beside my feet and my racing heart slowed down a bit. “A spoon?”

  “Sigh… What am I supposed to do now?” The filter lifted from her voice.

  The attacker– or woman rather, was another absolute beauty. She looked to be around my age. Her features were slender, almost athletic. Her body was wrapped in shadows, they were the same void colour as her hair, which hung loosely behind her freely.

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  “Excuse me, but who exactly are you?” I massaged the back of my neck, where she grabbed me. “Are you even a student here?”

  “I am.”

  “That's all you're going to say?” I snapped back, but she didn't seem fazed by it. All this seemed way too normal for her. “So then, why’d you attack me?”

  “My name is Shiho Uchida, I’m sure that name doesn’t ring a bell to you, does it?” One brow rose as she waited for a response. “I come from a long line of maidens, loyal to the monarchs.”

  “You mentioned that before but what is that? That monarch, thingy?”

  Her brow dipped and a glint of rage filled her eyes. She closed the gap between us. “You really don’t know anything, do you?”

  “Not really… should I?”

  “You’re a monarch." She said again but once she got another confused stare, she turned completely frustrated. "Ever hear of Lord Arthur?"

  Shiho walked over to the other bed in the room and sat down with a rather dower posture. Her defeated expression rose up to me and her crimson stare sharpened.

  Arthur, as in the knight who won the Great War...? Why is she suddenly bringing him up, was he also some kind of monarch or something?

  “A nearly thousand-year tradition and I’m stuck with the one guy who doesn’t know anything about it.”

  Thousand years?! Don’t tell me she’s going to give me some cult speech or something!

  Dropping her hands to her side, she walked over to me and continued her frosty demeanour. “I am the descendant of the Uchida family, the chosen lineage that serves and protects the Monarch. At least…I’m supposed to be.” She eyed me up and down before letting out a disgusted shudder. “You’re just so pathetic though. Are you sure you’re actually a knight?”

  “Trust me, I’ve been asking the same thing. I think I am though.” I opened and closed my hand into a fist. “Look, I appreciate you introducing yourself and all but I really need to get some sleep. Do you mind going back to your room and we can continue this another time?”

  Without looking up, she flashed her student phone at me and a familiar set of numbers appeared.

  Shiho Uchida

  Room 36

  “...!” I ran over and tried to grab her phone for a closer look but a swift quick to my face sent me flying back onto my butt. “H-how did you… this shouldn’t be right! We’re sharing a room?” I rubbed my stinging nose.

  “You catch on quick.” Her eyes rolled. Then with a deep sigh, she removed her shoes and the top button of her uniform, as if I weren’t standing there still looking at her. “Do you plan to watch me the entire time?” Her sharp gaze sent shivers down to my feet.

  “I’ll go.” She didn’t bother answering and instead just continued undressing. With that, I walked out of the room and waited in the hall. “Sigh… How did it end up like this?” I looked both ways down the passageway and noticed someone at the end of the line of doors, partway into their room looking at me.

  Their snowy white hair cascaded gently down their back but their eyes resonated with a more fierce presence. I couldn’t help but shudder at all the women with cold auras in this school. Then, once our eyes met, I noticed who it was. The princess was in the room at the other end of the hallway.

  “So she’s here too, huh?” Should I go say hi, she looks like she wants something with me. I didn’t introduce myself to her, so what’s her problem? Then when I looked again, she had closed the door and gone inside.

  “What are you looking at?” Shiho suddenly appeared beside me.

  “Wah–!” How does she do that… she moved without making any sound. “I was just looking at… never mind, it’s not important. By the way, I thought you didn’t want anything to do with me since I’m ‘such a disappointment’?” I said with a sarcastic tone but she kept a straight face.

  “While I find you a bit lacking, I still have my obligation. So I decided, I’ll observe you first and make my decision after I’ve seen enough.” She folded her arms and for a moment, I swear her eyes lit up. “For your sake, I hope you can rise to your potential. Otherwise, there’s always the next generation's chance.”

  Gulp!

  “I hope so too.”