Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? - Volume 30 - Chapter 1

The Freshman and the Exchange Student

Wednesday, April 6th

Today, Wednesday, April 6th, was the first day of the new school year at Kisshouharukaze High School. Spring break had just ended, and the students were now starting off fresh in a new season in a new grade. But the atmosphere amongst the students today was a little different compared to last year. They were all walking to school with their friends the same way they always did, but there was a buzz in the air. Something big was awaiting them this semester.

“Everyone sure is restless...”

The indigo magician Aika Maki was well-trained enough in the ways of mind manipulation that she was able to get a general grasp of everyone’s feelings without even having to do anything. She could just feel the excitement and curiosity coming off of the other students. Most of it was in anticipation of school’s entrance ceremony. Sensing that, she smiled and turned to look at Harukaze High, comfortably nestled halfway up the hillside. The school building, half concealed from view by the neighboring forest, was currently surrounded by construction scaffolding. It was in the middle of undergoing a great expansion.

“Well, aliens are transferring to our school, after all...”

Shizuka looked up at the school with her. The students on their way to school were excited because today would be the day the Forthorthian exchange students started at Harukaze High. This was completely different from an idol or a famous youth athlete transferring in. They would be real, honest to goodness aliens. This wasn’t just a change for the school, but a change for the world. Starting today, Earthlings would be living together with visitors from outer space. It was a truly world-changing event.

“Aliens have been going to school with them for the past two years, though.”

“Heehee, that’s right, Your Highness. Imagine their surprise...”

Little did everyone at school know that they’d actually been in the company of Forthorthians for years. Really, the world wouldn’t be changing as much as they thought it would, but that in and of itself would only make for a greater surprise. Thinking about it, smiles appeared on both Theia and Ruth’s faces.

“I’m a little nervous about how I’ll be able to get along with the people of this country...”

In contrast to Theia and Ruth, Clan’s expression was clouded. She would be formally enrolling in school this year, and was growing anxious about the changes this would mean for her life.

“Wait, that’s got nothing to do with the country, right? You’re just bad with people in general.”

“That might be true, but...”

Listening to Koutarou jab at her, Clan clasped her hands together and forlornly looked down. She would ordinarily argue, but today of all days, she knew he was right. It wasn’t a great feeling.

“Satomi Koutarou, you’re saying the wrong thing. That’s not what you should be telling her,” Kiriha scolded with a smile.

She knew that Clan was nervous about more than just school, and she wanted Koutarou to consider that.

“Hmm...”

Koutarou glanced at Clan and racked his brain for a moment. He then pulled together a few words, hoping it was the right combination.

“You don’t have to worry, Clan. The uniform looks great on you, and I’m sure you’ll fit in with the class in no time.”

“Wha— I-It’s not like I was worried about that!”

Clan blushed and picked up the pace, rushing ahead of the others. Since she usually walked at a slow to leisurely speed at best, that alone made it plain as day to everyone that she was agitated.

“That’s better, Satomi Koutarou.”

Kiriha smiled happily and picked up the pace to catch up with Clan. Koutarou watched the two of them speed off, feeling relieved underneath it all that he’d managed to say the right thing.

In the past, I would have just said something mean in that situation... So why is it that I put so much thought into what I said just now? And, moreover, why am I glad it all worked out?

Koutarou was puzzled by his own actions. He was starting to see the gap between his current and past selves, and thusly began wondering how he’d gotten here. It wasn’t a bad feeling, however. He thought this change was for the better.

“Lately you’ve been showing off what a nice guy you are, Satomi-kun.”

Seeing Koutarou so lost in thought, Harumi looked up at him and smiled gently. Looking at her smile, Koutarou knew for certain he was in the right place.

“What can I say? I’ve really started to feel how important to me you all are, so I didn’t want to say anything to hurt her feelings.”

That was essentially the conclusion Koutarou had come to after getting his own feelings in order. As of late, he’d become more aware of what the girls were thinking and how they felt. So if he was going to tease Clan, he would prefer it to be over something a little more lighthearted.

“I see... That’s a wonderful way of thinking.”

“I’ll be graduating high school before too long, so I have to work on this maturity thing.”

“Then is there anything you’re holding back with me, Satomi-kun?”

“Of course. You’re the only university student in our circle, Senpai.”

“The thing is... It actually feels a little lonely.”

As of this year, Harumi would be starting university. But since she didn’t have classes today, she’d decided to walk to school with her friends anyway. She would hang around for the day, just in case her magic powers might come in handy if something went wrong.

“I think that Harumi should get to take a year off since she missed out on so much being sickly and all.”

“She’s right, Sakuraba-senpai! You should build up your stamina while having some fun! And if you wait a year for us, we can all start university together!”

Sanae and Yurika felt like Harumi should get some bonus time for herself. Growing up with a weak constitution had certainly cost her some fun in her teenage years. She’d worked hard all the way through high school regardless, so they felt like she deserved a break.

“My parents actually said the same thing. They suggested I take a gap year and build up my stamina doing something I enjoy.”

“They must really trust you, huh? Actually, I guess that’s only natural...”

“We trust you too, of course. Thank you for helping us out today.”

“I’m sorry to ask you to use your precious free time like this, Harumi-sama...”

“Don’t mention it. I’m more than happy to be here with you all.”

“Don’t think I’m going to go so easy on you, Sakuraba-senpai. I’m never going to tell you just to do whatever you like.”

“Of course not. If you did, I’d never be able to stay in Kisshou U.”

Koutarou and the others would be third-years starting today, but there would be another major change in their school lives. Harumi had graduated and moved on to higher education, but Clan would be joining in her stead. And with all the potential trouble regarding the Forthorthians and their time on Earth, Harumi would do her best to stick around and visit the school frequently. Koutarou was happy with this arrangement, and everyone else was more than welcoming of her help.

While Koutarou and the girls wouldn’t be at all surprised by the news about the Forthorthians, there were other surprises waiting for them at school.

“Hey, Kou!”

“Sup, Mackenzie?”

Kenji called out to Koutarou from somewhere behind him. He would usually meet up with Koutarou and the girls along their route to school. He seemed to be running a little late today, but that wasn’t totally unusual either. Koutarou turned to give a casual wave like normal, and that was when he realized this was more than just their normal meet-up.

“Good morning, Kou-niisan!”

There was a younger girl walking next to Kenji, pushing his bike along for him. It wasn’t unusual for Kenji to be with a girl, but it was a rare sight for that girl not to be his girlfriend.

“Kin-chan!”

“It’s been too long, but I see you’re looking as spirited as ever!”

“Wow, you must be starting high school this year, huh, Kin-chan?”

“That’s right! Please take good care of me, Senpai!”

The girl that Koutarou was calling Kin-chan was Matsudaira Kotori, Kenji’s little sister. Koutarou had known her almost as long as he had Kenji. In terms of personality, she was timid and got lonely easily, so she’d often tagged along with Kenji and Koutarou in their antics when they were children. While they had started drifting apart when the boys started high school, she’d always looked up to Koutarou like he was a brother. Everyone called her McKinley. Except for Koutarou, that is, who called her Kin-chan. And she certainly didn’t mind him having a special nickname just for her.

“Your uniform looks great on you, Kin-chan.”

“Really? I was worried the fit isn’t so great since I’m growing...”

“If it gets too small for you, I’ll just buy you a new one.”

“There goes Mackenzie, the world’s greatest big brother. Always generous when it comes to his little sister...”

As Koutarou and the Matsudaira siblings were exchanging their greetings, the girls of room 106 began to gather around. Kenji’s little sister entering school was a point of interest for them too.

“It’s been a while, McKinley.”

Theia had met Kotori before during a New Year’s shrine visit. Kenji was quite a doting older brother, and always happy to show off pictures of his darling little sister. The girls almost felt like they already knew her.

“Ah, um... Thank you for always looking after my brother...”

“What’s wrong? You’ve gone pale.”

Kotori seemed to grow visibly uncomfortable as the other girls closed in on her, and the shaky tone of her voice only made it more obvious. And as if looking for help, she shot furtive glances at Koutarou and Kenji.

“Oh, nothing... I just, um...”

“Hmm?”

“Back off, Theia.”

Realizing that Kotori was uncomfortable, Koutarou grabbed the back of Theia’s head and pulled her back a step. And Theia, at having her head grabbed, glowered at Koutarou.

“Hey, don’t grab me by the head! That’s not how you treat a girl!”

“I’m sure you can’t even imagine what it’s like, but Kin-chan is shy. So don’t be so pushy with her or she won’t like you.”

Kotori was indeed a very timid, shy girl. Having grown up alongside to Koutarou and Kenji, two very assertive boys, talking with strangers was usually not her job. She normally just hung back and let them handle everything. As a result, talking to strangers and people she didn’t know still wasn’t a strong suit of hers.

“Why are you making it sound like I’m some barbarian!”

“You are. No matter how you look at it.”

“Oh yeah? Would you like a taste of real barbarism, then?”

“Yeah, sure. Why don’t you show me what you’ve got, hmm?”

Fortunately, Theia’s attention shifted completely to Koutarou. Kotori then felt like she had some room to breathe, but she still couldn’t relax. There were several other girls staring at her, and the tense look on her face said exactly how nervous she was.

“Sorry for the commotion. Neither of them mean any harm,” Kiriha apologized.

Kotori didn’t know her, but Kiriha had a calm aura, gentle eyes, a kind smile, and an assuring voice. Her honors student act worked well for her, and her composed demeanor helped put Kotori at ease.

“Kou-niisan is always helping me out, so I know he means no harm... and I’m sure Theia-san is the same way...”

“Always, you say? Have you known Koutarou-kun for a long time?”

“Yes! Ever since grade school, I’ve always been chasing after Nii-san and Kou-niisan!”

That was the magic topic. When it came to Koutarou, Kotori always got a lot more talkative. She normally struggled for conversation topics and what to say on the spot, but talking about a good friend was like a conversational safety zone. If it was about Koutarou, she could probably talk to anyone. And once she got going, her tension eased a little more. A small smile even appeared on her lips. Seeing that, Kiriha kept the conversation going.

“But Koutarou-kun has an overly rough and boyish streak, doesn’t he? Were you okay around that?”

“I think he struck a good balance with my overprotective brother. Besides, he’s also the kind of person that never takes anything too far.”

“He certainly is, isn’t he? He’s surprisingly considerate.”

“He is! On my tenth birthday, he ran all over town to buy me my favorite book... I still treasure it to this day!”

Thanks to Kiriha’s skillful conversationalism, she’d gotten Kotori to open up a little. She was now happily reminiscing about the past. Though she was shy, it wasn’t like she disliked talking to people. As long as they had something in common, she actually quite enjoyed conversation. She was always like this when talking with Kenji or Koutarou.

“How ’bout it, Kou? Kotori is as cute as ever, right?”

“Yeah, she’s wasted on you.”

“Don’t make a move on her, okay? Alternatively go all out.”

“Which one is it?”

“I don’t care, but I won’t forgive anything half-assed.”

“Please stop that! It’s embarrassing!”

And so Kotori’s introduction to the girls of room 106 went over well. Koutarou and Kenji gave her a passing grade for being able to talk with everyone in spite of her shyness. She’d been nervous at first, but by the time they’d all made it to the school gate, she was talking to the other girls on her own, even if somewhat reservedly. Between the more mature girls, namely Kiriha and Harumi, being especially kind and inviting her into the conversation and all their talk about Kenji and Koutarou, Kotori seemed to be holding her own. It was a good start to a wonderful thing, and the conversation started to flow freely from there. Shizuka had brought up afterschool clubs, and they were now talking about Koutarou’s interesting choice in that department.

“I was surprised when I heard that Kou-niisan joined the knitting society, but when I thought about it, it kinda made sense.”

“You really do understand Satomi-kun, don’t you, Kotori-chan? Oh, by the way, Kotori-chan, have you decided on what club you’re going to join? Why not join ours—the cooking society?”

“The cooking society, huh?”

“Are you any good in the kitchen?”

“I’ve read some recipe books, but I don’t have a lot of practical experience.”

“Do you like reading, then?”

“Yes, I do. I feel like I should read through every book at least once...”

“Then do I have some news for you! The cooking society has some special out-of-print recipe books that have been passed down for generations.”

“I want to hear more about that!”

Kotori was only able to chat with Shizuka like so until they passed through the school gates, where her demeanor suddenly went stiff. As for the reason, someone she didn’t know was approaching.

“Good morning, everyone!”

The person greeting them was Matsuzaka Kenichi, the school’s new PE teacher. With a refreshing smile on his face, he greeted everyone and walked over to Koutarou.

“This is a little sudden, but can I borrow you for a while, Satomi-kun?”

“What’s the matter?”

“There’s something I’d like to ask of you in regards to the entrance ceremony today. Could you come with me to the guidance office?”

Kotori didn’t know him, but Koutarou did. Matsuzaka Kenichi was actually the leader of the Sun Rangers, Red Shine. And if he’d come to ask something of Koutarou, he knew what it must be about.

“Of course. Do you need just me?”

“It would be a big help if Theia-san and Kiriha-san could come too, actually.”

They would be talking about Forthorthe, so Kenichi would prefer to have Theia, who was a Forthorthian diplomat, and Kiriha, their advisor, in on the discussion as well. Koutarou turned to the girls, but Theia, Ruth, and Kiriha were already walking over.

“Welp, you heard the teach. I’ll see you later, Mackenzie.”

“Sure. Oh, hey, want me to take your bag to the classroom?”

“Yeah, sure. Thanks. And... since we’re going to the same school now, I guess I’ll be seeing you around, Kin-chan.”

“Yes, I’ll see you around.”

“Later, guys.”

After bidding the others farewell, Koutarou and the three girls with him followed Kenichi inside. Everyone else continued as they had been, making their way to class.

“You left me behind again...”

The only one unhappy about this arrangement was Clan. She prided herself on being Koutarou’s partner, so she didn’t like being treated this way. While she understood why the other girls had been asked to go with him, she still wanted him to ask her to go too.

“Again? Do you know Kou, Clan-san?”

“Ah, y-yes, we’ve met a few times through Theia-san. Ohohoho!”

Kenji and Kotori had only been told that Clan was a cousin of Theia’s who would be transferring in. Since Clan had carelessly mumbled about something contradicting that, she now had to desperately dodge their questions. She was on equal terms with Kotori when it came to shyness, which quickly overrode her irritation with Koutarou.

The entire Sun Squad, including Professor Roppongi, was waiting for Koutarou and the others in the guidance office. They all looked nervous, which was perhaps to be expected considering the opening and entrance ceremonies were today. In other words, today was the day that Forthorthian students would officially be welcomed into Kisshouharukaze High School. Since the Sun Rangers were a special taskforce commissioned to deal with invasions, until legislation could catch up to the politics of the situation, they were duty-bound to be on the forefront of anything and everything happening with the Forthorthians—including them going to school. Since this would be a big deal regarding Japan’s diplomatic relations with Forthorthe, it was only natural that they’d be feeling somewhat anxious about it.

“Relax a little. You won’t be able to spring into action when you need to like that.”

“I know, but it’s not that easy.”

Two years ago, the Sun Rangers were practically a joke. But now they had their own fancy department and applicants were practically lining up to join them. It was unreasonable to tell them not to be nervous after undergoing such a dramatic change in their jobs and status. Their role model was Koutarou, who had fought his way through countless battles, and Kenichi had called him here for his advice.

“What did you do at times like this, Baron-san?”

“In my case... wanting to protect my friends led to protecting everyone. It’s not like I was thinking anything special.”

In past Forthorthe, Koutarou had fought to protect Alaia, Charl, and Clan, but that also meant he was fighting to protect Theia’s ideals. And in the end, he just so happened to save Forthorthe in the process. But it wasn’t like his goal had been something that grand. It had all started small.

“Then we’ll start with just protecting the new student coming from the other side of the universe.”

“I think that’d be fine. That’s a teacher’s duty, after all.”

“Haha, yes, you’re right. Well, let’s get down to it. Please take a look at this—it’s information that was released this morning.”

With the personal part of their conversation over, Kenichi turned to the order of business at hand and gave Koutarou a document containing information on the transfer student.

“So it’s a girl... and her name’s Nalfa Laren...”

This was the moment the transfer student’s name was revealed to Koutarou and the others. Not even Theia had known who it would be ahead of time. From a security point of view, everything was being kept as secretive as possible until the official announcement for the safety of the students. If no one knew who they were, they wouldn’t have to worry about harassment of any kind. But now that the first day of school had finally rolled around, the information was making its way down the pipes.

“...Nalfa Laren?”

Something about that name piqued Koutarou’s interest. Nalfa meant "before dawn," and Laren meant "rainbow." Put together, her full name meant something to the effect of "the rainbow running across the sky before dawn." It was pretty, but not particularly uncommon as far as Forthorthian names were concerned.

This should be the first time I’ve ever heard of her, but...

Koutarou couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d heard that name somewhere before, but he couldn’t place it. Nothing in his memories stood out to him. But the same strange feeling gripped him again when he saw her photo.

Why... Why do I feel like I’ve seen her somewhere before?

It was almost an uncanny sense of deja vu. No matter how long or hard he racked his brain, he just couldn’t place it. And he was sure he’d remember a girl like that, too. Her uniquely rainbow-colored hair was quite striking. Surely something like that would be a piece of cake to replicate with all of Forthorthe’s incredible science, but Koutarou was sure he’d remember seeing a girl with hair that shimmered the colors of the rainbow. And with that, he came to the conclusion that he had, in fact, never actually met her before.

“Hey, Koutarou.”

As Koutarou was lost in thought, Theia’s face suddenly appeared in front of him. She looked unhappy and demonstratively pushed her finger against his nose.

“That’s the wrong girl to be smitten with.”

“I’m not smitten.”

“Then what is it?”

“I felt like I’d seen her somewhere before, but it must be my imagination.”

Koutarou put the documents down on the desk and sandwiched Theia’s face between his hands as he rubbed her cheeks.

“Acshually, I fheel lhike I’hve mhet her befohre too, but I chan’t rhemembher where.”

Theia had some difficulty talking with her cheeks actively being mushed, but her unhappy expression seemed to vanish. It looked like she wasn’t displeased with the current situation.

“I believe I know the reason for that, Your Highness.”

“Really?!”

She wasn’t displeased at all, but she was extremely interested in what Ruth had to say, so she broke free of Koutarou’s grasp and eagerly peered at what Ruth had in her hand.

“It seems that Nalfa-sama is the little sister of journalist Danesford Laren.”

“Danesford...? Wait, that quack reporter from The Mastir Economist?!”

That name brought back bad memories for Theia. Back when the battle against Vandarion was still ongoing, Danesford Laren was the journalist who continued to ask questions during the press conference in an attempt to expose Koutarou’s identity. He was a reporter for The Mastir Economist, a journal whose main focus was Forthorthian economics, who zeroed in on Koutarou’s identity by asking Theia pointed questions in an attempt to get her to say something. Later, he was awarded a national prize for his contributions to journalism at the time, and was now considered the hottest reporter in Forthorthe. It was rumored that his little sister was accepted as a transfer student because of his achievements.

“Since you know Mr. Danesford, perhaps you saw a bit of him in Nalfa-sama, Your Highness?”

It wasn’t uncommon for family members to share likenesses. Maybe Nalfa had even attended a press conference with her brother once. Either way, Ruth figured that was why she looked familiar to Theia and Koutarou.

“I don’t think I like this Nalfa girl...”

“Isn’t it her brother that you don’t like?”

“If she’s anything like him, then I don’t like her either.”

“It’ll be fine... probably. She’ll be paying more attention to Japan than you.”

Theia didn’t think highly of Danesford after the way he’d tormented her with all those questions at the press conferences. And to Koutarou, it looked she was prematurely taking that out on Nalfa. But it wasn’t like Nalfa was a journalist. If anything, she’d be a tourist here on Earth. She would certainly have a lot more to pay attention to than just Theia, so Koutarou didn’t think she really had anything to worry about.

“Kenichi-dono, it seems her address was left blank.”

In contrast to Theia and her more personal worries, Kiriha was focused on work. She’d found what seemed like a critical omission in the paperwork and asked Kenichi about it.

“That’s simply due to delay. Who would be going where was only decided a few hours ago in Forthorthe, so it just hasn’t reached us yet.”

“So should we assume that her residence will be the dormitory being built on the school grounds?”

“Most likely. I’ve gotten word that at least one room will be ready in time.”

“When will she be moving in?”

“We’re planning for that to take place after the opening and entrance ceremonies.”

“Okay, then we’ll work under that assumption.”

Kiriha took notes on Kenichi’s report and continued reading through the documents. Every time she came across something that she had questions about, she would ask the Sun Rangers for clarification. Her thorough workstyle didn’t even let Theia and Koutarou get a word in edgewise.

“We’re completely useless, huh?”

“Indeed. I wonder why we even came. All we’re doing is making things more lively.”

The two of them looked through the documents as well, but they didn’t have the kind of grasp on this thing that Kiriha did. Ruth, meanwhile, had received a digital copy of the documents and was analyzing them that way. That left Koutarou and Theia to sit back and drink tea while they waited.

“It’s okay, Baron-sama! We’ll get into guard detail next, and that’s where you and Princess Devil-sama will shine!”

Megumi, who brought out the tea, called out to the two of them with a smile. Despite dating Daisaku now, it seemed she was still quite a Baron Demon fangirl. She’d been staring at Koutarou longingly from across the room this entire time.

“That’s good. Megumi-san, can I have a floor plan of the gym?”

“Of course! Right away!”

“Sorry for interrupting you while you’re working, Ruth, but can you give me the data on the nonlethal weapons on the fighters?”

“As you wish.”

Thanks to Megumi, Koutarou and Theia found work for themselves too. Their carefree expressions from before faded as they got down to business.

“Aaahh, Baron-samaaa... You’re as gallant-looking as ever...”

“Kenichi-niichan, Megumi-neechan’s broken again.”

“Daisaku, please.”

“Roger. Okay, Megu-chan, this way. Let’s have a seat over here and look at Baron-san.”

“Okaaaaay! I’ll be a good giiirl!”

It seemed Megumi was now the one who didn’t have anything to do. Or rather, there wasn’t anything she could do in this state. She was expected to make a full recovery after Koutarou and the others left the guidance office.

The moment the principal stepped up to the podium to introduce the transfer students from Forthorthe, the entire gym fell silent. Everyone’s eyes were glued on the stage as they eagerly awaited a glimpse of the new students. Only the Sun Rangers and the Corona House crew were exceptions.

I can’t sense any hostility. It looks like we’ll be fine...

Through the psychic powers he borrowed from Sanae, Koutarou could sense all kinds of feelings floating around the gym in anticipation of the new students. Curiosity, excitement, nervousness. But there was nothing that concerned him—no hostility and no bloodlust. Based on that, it didn’t seem any shady characters had snuck into the gym.

“No problems here. Clan, Ruth-san, how does it look over there?”

“I can’t detect any spatial distortions or gravitational waves from hyperspace communications.”

“Master, there’s a small increase in electromagnetic waves, but that could just be increased cellphone communication. I can’t see any encrypted commands like those meant for automated weaponry.”

“I think we can safely assume that there are no signs of anyone attacking the ceremony at this point.”

Clan and Ruth were in charge of scanning for things that Koutarou couldn’t sense, but they hadn’t found any cause for alarm yet either.

“Satomi-kun, I did a lap around the outside of the gym, but I couldn’t sense any mana. I’ll do another round just to be sure.”

“Please do, Sakuraba-senpai.”

Harumi was in charge of monitoring magic in the area. Since she wasn’t a student anymore, she was keeping tabs on things outside. But as far as she could tell, the coast was all clear.

“I can’t say I like this. Waiting for an enemy that may or may not come is worse than waiting for an enemy you know is coming,” complained Shizuka.

“I understand how you feel. You’re always on edge,” agreed Yurika.

“Yeah, it feels like the attacker always has the advantage. Defending is a lot of work!” echoed Sanae.

The three of them were currently using their position as students as cover. They’d blended into the crowd, and were keeping an eye out for anything that might be suspicious. Staying on constant watch, however, strained their nerves.

“There’s almost no point in aiming for the transfer student now. If they wanted to make a statement, it would be more effective to attack at tonight’s welcome reception. Trying to kidnap the transfer student would only be harder now with all the attention on her, too. But do stay focused.”

“Keep it together, Yurika. The enemy will be looking to strike when you’re worn out.”

Kiriha and Maki were taking advantage of their mature appearances and had gone to sit over with the parents. They were doing the same thing Shizuka, Yurika, and Sanae were, just from a different vantage point.

“I think we’re good, Theia,” said Koutarou, giving her the all clear.

“All right, I’m bringing Nalfa out on stage now.”

Theia was currently with Nalfa. Not only was she a Forthorthian diplomat, she was incredibly skilled in combat and made an excellent body guard. The five Sun Rangers were also nearby for that exact reason. But once Koutarou had confirmed everything was safe, Theia thought it was time for Nalfa to make her entrance. She gave the Sun Rangers a signal to let the principal know it was time.

“Now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for! Let us welcome our transfer student from the Holy Forthorthe Galactic Empire, Nalfa Laren-san!”

The principal artfully brought his speech to a close and called for Nalfa. When he did, Kenichi and Hayato escorted her onto the stage.

Nalfa Laren was certainly an eye-catching girl. She had a slender figure and porcelain skin. She looked ethereal and almost fragile, like she might break if you touched her. But what stood out the most by far was her long hair. At first glance, it looked silver or platinum blonde, but it shone iridescent in the light. It may not have been that unique to Forthorthians, but it was absolutely one-of-a-kind here in Japan. It was almost strange to see a girl like her in a typical school uniform. And as she walked on stage...

“Kyaaaaah!”

Whunk!

After just a few steps, she tripped over nothing and pitched forward to the floor. She rolled a good way before stopping, lying splayed out on the stage floor. Koutarou would later describe it as an “epic Yurika fail.”

“Owowow...”

“Are you okay, Nalfa-san?”

“Yes, Kenichi-sensei. Thank you.”

“How’d you trip over nothing?”

“Shh, Hayato! You’re too loud!”

The two Sun Rangers rushed over to help Nalfa up. Fortunately she was unhurt, and she walked right over to the principal like nothing had happened at all. It seemed she did things at her own pace. But the events that had just unfolded shocked the entire student body, which may have been for the best. After such a catastrophic fall, the students started looking at Nalfa differently. She seemed like a mysterious creature before, but now she seemed like she might just be a normal girl. The effect was dramatic. Koutarou and Sanae could see it happening in real-time with their spirit sight.

“Are you all right, Nalfa-san?”

“Yes. Sorry for the commotion.”

“Good, good. Well then, allow me to introduce her again. This is Nalfa Laren-san!”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Nalfa Laren, a transfer student from Forthorthe. I’m looking forward to getting to know you all.”

Perhaps that was why, when Nalfa introduced herself and bowed, the gym erupted into loud cheers. The frozen air of anticipation and wonder was blown away.

She kept things short and sweet, but after Nalfa introduced herself to the school, the principle explained the circumstances of her intergalactic transfer. All of the Forthorthian transfer students were volunteers who’d been vetted by both the Forthorthian and Japanese governments. Applicants who were determined to be suitable candidates were moved to the seven model cities in groups of four, meaning there were twenty-eight Forthorthian transfer students in all. How they managed in their lives on Earth would determine how other transfer students would be handled in the future, how diplomatic relations between Japan and Forthorthe would proceed, and a great many other things. In other words, Nalfa was standing before the students and faculty of Harukaze High with a very important role today. And in order to make sure the students understood that, the principal was particularly thorough about warning them to be on their best behavior.

But once the principal got that far in his lecture, the students at large began wondering about something else altogether—the number of transfer students. They’d heard that there would be four transfer students from Forthorthe, yet only Nalfa had walked onto the stage so far. By all accounts, three students were missing. Of course, there was a reason for that. In fact, it was because the other three Forthorthian transfer students were already living in Kisshouharukaze City.

“I was surprised myself,” explained the principal, “but as it turns out, our very own Theiamillis-san and Ruthkania-san are actually from Forthorthe.”

“The two years we’ve already spent with you all have been wonderful, and we’re looking forward to spending our senior year here with you as well. Please don’t think of us any differently.”

“We’re sorry for hiding our origin for so long. It was only to avoid any needless confusion, so we hope you can forgive us.”

“And last but not least, we have Theiamillis-san’s cousin, Clariossa-san, joining us. She’s also been living on Earth for a while now, but she’ll be joining us for the new school year here at Harukaze High.”

“Greetings, everyone. I’m also looking forward to my next year here with you all. I hope you’ll take care of me the same way you have Theiamillis-san.”

When Theia, Ruth, and Clan came clean about where they were from, they subsequently filled the roles of the three remaining transfer students. They chose not to mention that they were royalty, though they weren’t going particularly out of their way to hide it. The circumstances were chaotic enough as they were, so they were simply keeping it hush for a while to keep from confusing things further. That said, some of the students already had their guesses about Theia based on the plays she’d written. It would only be a matter of days before those rumors were circulating through the entire school.

“These four girls will all be your fellow students this year as Kisshouharukaze High School takes a brave step into the unknown. Truth be told, I never dreamed our humble school would be pioneering something so incredible. I’m sure you students didn’t either. However, that is simply the nature of life. Things never quite go as we expect them to. And so, let us all join hands as we face this new and exciting time together!”

All things considered, Harukaze High was in a rather fortunate position. Theia was practically a celebrity around school. Everyone already knew her, her personality, and her talents; her being an alien was completely secondary to that. If anything, the students already knowing her predisposed them to a largely positive opinion of Forthorthians in general. She and Ruth had both made a big difference in that sense, and Nalfa and Clan were both benefiting from it. No one—students and faculty alike—was prejudiced against them or afraid of them.

And in the future, that would make both Kisshouharukaze City and Kisshouharukaze High School lynchpins in Forthorthe-Japan relations, though only a small handful of people realized that just yet. Ironically, it seemed to be those who were after Forthorthe’s technology and those who were opposed to diplomacy with the aliens that were sensing the signs. One such example was currently at the assembly in the gym, observing things as they played out. After taking several photos, he discretely left. Since he was only there to scout things out, Koutarou and the others never noticed him. His aura indicated curiosity and intrigue rather than hostility or maliciousness, which made it easy for him to blend in with the other press representatives. Right now, hope and danger were battling it out at Harukaze High, and nobody yet knew which would win in the end.

While waiting for the homeroom teacher to call her in, Nalfa was standing in the hallway looking up at the plate on the door that read, "1-A."

“Aww, I wanted to be in the same class as Layous-sama... That’s a shame...”

Nalfa wanted to be in class 3-A with the Blue Knight and Princess Theiamillis. Both as a girl of age and the little sister of a journalist, she had a rather heightened sense of curiosity and was just dying to know how they were living here on Earth. But, to her dismay, her age qualified her as a freshman.

“But there’s no point crying over spilled milk! Just like my older brother always says, ‘When it seems like there’s no way, just make your own!’”

While Nalfa hadn’t ended up in class 3-A like she’d hoped, Harukaze still had plenty of school-wide events that grouped classes across years alphabetically. In other words, class 1-A would often end up doing things with classes 2-A and 3-A. If she was patient and waited for the right time, she’d still get her chance to see them. Nalfa had learned a lot from her brother, and was planning on putting all of his reporter know-how to good use.

“Nalfa-san, could you come in?”

“Yes!”

Immediately after she got herself pumped up, the middle-aged homeroom teacher called her into the classroom. With an energetic reply and her heart racing with excitement, Nalfa took a bold step forward...

Thud.

“Kyah!”

...Right into the not-fully-open sliding door. She was perfectly fine, but that didn’t stop the tears from welling in her eyes as she rubbed her throbbing forehead.

“Are you okay, Nalfa-san?” asked the worried homeroom teacher.

“I-I’m okay. I’ve always been a little careless...” answered Nalfa with an embarrassed laugh.

That much was true. Nalfa had always been somewhat clumsy. Ever since she was a young girl, she was always tripping over nothing and smacking her head on things. Her brother was always teasing her about it, saying things like “get your head out of the clouds” and “you must have been a ghost that could walk through walls in a previous life.” Nalfa never wanted to hear it, of course, but after having two such incidents today alone, she couldn’t really deny that he was probably right.

“If you’re okay, then would you mind coming over here? I’d like to introduce you to the class.”

“Okay!”

Nalfa then entered classroom 1-A with both her forehead and cheeks red, though for completely different reasons. The second she stepped inside, her new classmates were all staring at her. It reminded her of the press conference she’d had to take part in before leaving Forthorthe. And in that sense, it was a little comforting. Maybe things weren’t so different from planet to planet.

“Hello, everyone. I’m Nalfa Laren from the Holy Forthorthe Galactic Empire. It’s nice to meet all of you.”

Her forehead and cheeks were still red, but she introduced herself calmly and bowed to the class. Though she was embarrassed over running into the door, she was a rather courageous and composed girl for her age. In that sense, she was much like her brother, Danesford, who didn’t back down even before royalty.

“Man, she’s just as cute as Theia-senpai!”

“A transfer student from space, and it’s a girl! There is a god!”

“What beautiful hair... I wonder if they’re going to import hair care products like that?”

“Is everyone from Forthorthe like her? I’m starting to lose my confidence...”

As soon as Nalfa introduced herself, the students all began whispering amongst themselves. They were all first-years too, and though some of them knew each other from middle school, they were mostly getting to know each other for the first time. Compared to coming all the way here from space, however, that felt like nothing. They’d all been chatting it up before the teacher had brought Nalfa into the classroom, but "what middle school did you go to?" was now outdated. The introductory question of the twenty-first century from now on would be "what planet are you from?"

This is kind of different from what I imagined... I was prepared for them to look at me like some strange attraction... but this is more worldly, isn’t it?

As Nalfa raised her head from bowing, she realized the class had gotten rather noisy. Rather than looking at her like she was something peculiar, however, they were all simply regarding her as the new transfer student. The boys were all celebrating while the girls were all sighing longingly.

Nalfa looking almost identical to any other Earthling played a big part in that. And with her flawless translation machine, nobody would ever know Japanese wasn’t her first language unless she told them. On top of all that, the Forthorthian delegation actively making public appearances was doing a fair bit to acclimate the public to Forthorthians. They would walk around town, eat at local establishments, and converse with the townsfolk whenever they had the chance. Videos of it all spread across the internet like wildfire, so the people of Earth were quickly getting used to the idea of aliens and what they looked like. Elfaria and Theia had taken measures to ensure that people would think Forthorthians were normal people rather than strange monsters.

“Let’s see, Nalfa-san... Why don’t you take that desk over there?”

“Sure thing.”

Nalfa made her way over to the empty seat the teacher had pointed out. The students’ eyes all stayed glued on her until she walked past them. With her assigned desk in the back of the classroom, it would be hard for everyone to keep staring. Their homeroom teacher had thought this one out in advance.

“Nalfa-san has only just recently come to Japan. So since you’re sitting next to her, Matsudaira-san, would you mind showing her around and helping her get the hang of things?”

“M-Me?!”

“Would you rather not?”

“N-No, that’s not what I...”

The homeroom teacher had also intentionally seated Matsudaira Kotori next to where she planned on seating Nalfa. She’d never met her before, but one of her previous teachers had left a note about her shyness in her student record. So by putting the two girls together, she was hoping that Nalfa would have a guide to help her acclimate to life in Japan, and Kotori would have a friend that could help her overcome her timidity. Needless to say, this wasn’t her first time teaching.

“Then please take good care of her.”

“Yes, ma’am...”

“Nice to meet you, Matsudaira-san.”

“Um, p-please call me Kotori.”

“Then it’s nice to meet you, Kotori-san.”

“It’s nice to meet you too, Nalfa-san.”

Kotori was quite shaken by this unexpected turn of events. She was bad enough at dealing with strangers as it was, and this one was an alien of all things. She didn’t think she’d ever been so nervous. It might take more than a veteran teachers’ intuition to help her get over that.