Weird noises are all I can hear. I can't clearly make out the immortals in front of me because the light is focused on me. I tried to make myself sit— even though my body is literally hurting right now— and I succeeded. “Where am I?” I asked while narrowing my eyes into slits. I can't see much yet because I just woke up. “Whoa! She can speak that language too!” the boy beside a girl exclaimed.

I adjusted my sight to look at them carefully. There are four of them in the room, and it seems like they've been waiting for me to wake up. I can see it from the curious expressions they're throwing my way. I looked at each of them to remember their faces, as they might be the ones who helped me when I was ganged up on by my schoolmates or classmates earlier.

I examined the guy who spoke first earlier. He's wearing a school uniform, and his jet-black hair was swaying because of his friskiness. The way he looked at me with enthusiasm made his yellowish eyes more attractive and enthralling. “You're in my room,” said the girl. “I am Engrid, by the way.” I looked at her. The only girl in their group. She's wearing her school uniform too; her white-colored hair is two inches above her shoulders. Her catatonic stares chilled my whole existence, and her grayish-white eyes made me more frigid. She's beautiful, even though her gaze feels like she's about to devour me.

Well, I'm willing to be eaten by her. Just kidding.

My eyes wandered again. I frowned when I saw a familiar face. He's standing on the left side of the room, throwing worried glances at me. “Rhenouis, I’ve already told you my name, right?” Rhen introduced himself again. I can describe him now because of the ample amount of light. He is wearing a school uniform— Oh, they are all wearing one —His blue eyes were full of concern, and I think he had regrets… Well, he should. His curly hazelnut hair covered his whole forehead, and a faint smile was showing up on his pinkish lips.

“I’m Aideniel,” the guy who was standing beside Rhenouis said. Engrid and he surely can get along. They have the same stolid aura, but he is more gelid. He has these red eyes that, with one glare, it could melt you like steel exposed to fire. His dull ambiance is giving you a cold and at the same time, igneous feeling.

“I’m Caspian! Nice to meet you… the sweetest girl I’ve ever tasted!” the yellowed-eyes said, smiling from ear to ear… and— wait, what? What did he just say? “Come again?” I furrowed my brows when I asked him, but he ignored me. Maybe I misheard or did I?

“What did you do to her, Caspian?!” Rhen shouted. He frowned as he looked at his friend, even Engrid and Aideniel couldn’t believe what Caspian said.

“I just licked her skin, that’s all!” Caspian said, making my spine shiver. What was he trying to say?

I kept glancing at them. I blinked three times, trying to absorb what Caspian said. He’s insane! I am going to kill him! I don’t care if he is one of those good Samaritans who saved me there! I just want to punch his face hard because of what he did to me! What’s wrong with him?!

“Enough of that childishness.” We all looked at Engrid, who walked towards my spot while adjusting her scarf. She stopped a meter away from me and scrutinized me from head to toe. “Let’s get to our real business, shall we?” she added and continued walking towards me. I swallowed my saliva when she got closer and closer to my direction.

“Who are you?” she asked softly and stopped in front of me. I quickly wiped my sweat with my right hand before looking into her eyes. Oh, she just wants my name?

“I’m Fiamiolle Sevilla, pleased to meet you…” I paused and looked at them. “All!” and flashed the most insincere smile you’ve ever seen. I’m nervous, and you can’t blame me for that.

“Pleasure’s ours, Fiamiolle!” Caspian replied with his brightest yet most annoying smile. Tsk. Did he remember what he just did to me?

“Be silent, Caspian,” Aideniel said with a restrained yet authoritative tone. It was my first time hearing his voice, and to be honest, it was kind of chilly.

“What I mean is, who are you, what’s going on, and what are you doing in our world… you don’t belong.” I glanced at Engrid when she said those things. There were so many questions, and it was challenging to answer.

If I tell them that I really wanted to come here, and it's just a random adventure, they might skin me alive, but if I say I got lost because of some weird thing I saw—maybe there's a possibility they won't kill me, right?

“I don’t know, I just saw a suspicious but beautiful map in the library of our school. You can only see its contents when it's touched by sunlight. One day, I went to the school garden to look at it again, and after mentioning Cardinal, or City of Eupharsa, whatever! And voila! I’m here in your world, and I don’t know how to go back.” I saw how their foreheads wrinkled when I finished the storytelling, the journey of me going to their world. Well, I wasn't lying, so it should be okay.

“Amazing! You're in the realm of Cardinal, ruled by Engrid's mother!” Rhenouis exclaimed joyfully, his face brightening with awe. It's cute to look at, but I'm still annoyed at him.

Wait? Engrid’s mother is the ruler of this kingdom? So, it means that this girl in front of me is a princess! Oh crap. I felt relieved when I didn’t act like a trashy kid when I talked to her, or else maybe, just maybe, I am going to die down here!

“Can I see the map?” Aideniel asked calmly. He extended his hand in front of me, so I quickly took the map hidden in my pocket and handed it to him.

The four of them examined the map I gave them. Their foreheads were creased, and their eyebrows were close together as they scrutinized it.

“Are you playing with us, miss?” Caspian asked, and they all looked at me.

I nodded at them… Wait. What did he say? Oh no, why did I nod?! You fool, Fia!

They all gave me stern looks. “Oh no! I’m sorry, my bad, I made a mistake!” I blurted out. How airheaded I am!

I stepped back when Caspian approached me and unfolded the map in front of me. “We can’t see a thing. What map are you talking about?” He seemed really irritated, thinking I was just fooling them.

I looked at his companions. Their glares were terrifying, except for Rhenouis. They looked like they were about to kill someone!

Nervously, I snatched the map from Caspian and showed it to them. My left eyebrow arched when I saw the map. “What do you mean blank? The drawing is huge!” I showed them the map I was holding, but they still glared at me.

I sighed internally. Are they freaking blind? “I’m not playing with you guys, really! I can see the old map!” I said hysterically and pointed to the place on the map.

“We helped you, and you’re going to trick us?” Engrid muttered. I saw the anger on her face. I also looked at the others; they had the same angry look. I continued trembling while pointing to the map.

“I-It says Unanimous Realm there!” I could not see myself right now, but I know how terrible my expression is.

I was startled when the map I was holding suddenly brightened. I immediately threw it away, and fortunately, Rhenouis caught it. They looked at the map again, then at me, and finally at each other. I didn't speak because I was scared. It took two minutes before the four of them broke the silence.

“We need your cooperation,” Aideniel began speaking again, returning to his previous position. “You need to come with us. We need this map, Fiamiolle,” Rhenouis added. I looked at them with a furrowed brow.

“We can only see the map when you say the words, 'Unanimous Realm,' and it disappears after two minutes,” Engrid explained while pocketing the map in front of me.

“So, it means... you'll join us whenever we have a mission!” Caspian said happily, even applauding. I was confused by what they were saying. All I could do while they were talking was open my mouth and stare.

“Our kingdom is in danger—” Caspian cut off Aideniel mid-sentence. I don't know why, but I felt the atmosphere in the room suddenly change when Aideniel was about to say that.

Their kingdom is in danger? Why?

“You're talking too much, Aiden,” Caspian said without looking at him. He smiled at me and walked towards my direction, stopping beside Engrid while putting his hands in his pocket.

“Enter this school if you don't want me to feed you to my pet pygocentrus!” My forehead wrinkled at what he said.

Pygocentrus what? What is this guy talking about? Why would his pet eat me when it's just a pet? Hello? It is a domesticated animal that is kept for pleasure and is usually pampered! How the heck can that pet eat me?

“I'm sorry; I can't understand what you're saying.” I faked a smile when I said that. I saw his companions shake their heads. Why? What is this guy going to do to me?

Without giving me a warning, he put his palm in front of me, and in the blink of an eye, I saw water coming out, forming a huge circle where aquatic creatures were swimming in a round pattern.

It looks beautiful at first glance, but when it sees my face, its angelic face turns into a demonic one.

I immediately ran away from it when it suddenly emerged from the circular water. If I didn't step back, I'm sure it would have eaten me.

“Meet Centra, my most precious pet!” he said happily, still smiling. I don't know, but every time he smiles, I want to rip it off so that he can't do it again. Those smiles aren't smiles, for Pete’s sake! His bubbly smile is not similar to his attitude! Hypocrite jerk!

“Cut it off. She will not be convinced by violence.” I looked at Rhenouis when he said that. Yes, you're right! Definitely not!

“If you want me to cooperate, then we can negotiate properly. I'm a hard-headed girl; even my parents can't handle it,” I retorted, scratching the tip of my nose.

The four of them looked at each other because of that. “And please, that thing, can you?” Caspian's circle of water vanished when I said those words, and again, he smiled.

“Okay then! It's your turn now to speak, my lady!” he said to give the throne to Engrid. My lady, huh?

“In exchange for your safety, enter this school. We will protect you at all costs, but whenever we call and ask you about something, you must answer. Do we understand each other?” Engrid assured. I straightened up at what she said.

I don't know what they see in me or why they keep saying that they will protect me... wait? Isn't it?

My eyes widened when an idea entered my mind.

“Asking questions about our world so you can reign there? What a wonderful idea! However, I'm sorry to tell you. I will not speak, even if it can cost me my life,” I answered bluntly, making them frown.

“That's not what we meant, Fiamiolle,” Rhenouis replied. “Our world has bigger problems than your world, if you may ask.” I looked at him. Among the four of them, he's the one I can't trust. Remember, the so-called principal caught me and gave me the worst day of my life, and if I am not lucky, maybe I am dead right now.

Well, I can use them to find information so that I can go back to my world immediately! Right! Good thinking, Fia!

“Meh,” I shrugged.

“That means, that’s a yes, right?” I ignored Caspian's question. Can he just state the obvious? They give me no other choice but to agree, right? Tsk.

"You’re already enrolled. Classes start at 1930 strike, and it’s 1900 right now. I think we can still be there," Aideniel said, removing his hand from his pocket.

Oh wow, I'm enrolled just like that? They must have enrolled me while I was still asleep. They must have been so eager. Tsk.

But wait...

"What about my wounds?" I asked with knitted brows. I don't want to walk outside haphazardly; those malevolent beings might take advantage of me even more.

"I already healed it," Rhenouis smiled, and I couldn't help but smile back. Wow, he’s similar to Carl! He has that contagious smile too!

They walked out of the room, and I followed them. Now I noticed, they wear different uniforms. They all have a gold design at the edge of their blazers, with different logos on the small pocket on the left side of the blazer. Caspian’s logo is an apex facing downward, while Aideniel’s is a simple triangle pointing skyward. Engrid’s logo is an inward triangle torn in half by a horizontal line, and Rhenouis’ logo is a southward triangle cleaved by a diagonal line. I'm not sure, but I think it represents their elemental powers. Caspian is water, obviously because I just saw it earlier. Aideniel is fire, Engrid is air, and Rhenouis is earth. I read something like that in a book, and it represents different elemental powers.

We turned into a corridor on the left.

I followed them, and there I learned that we were heading to their dormitory, called Hearthstone. The dorm looks grand. It has palace-like designs, and you wouldn't think it's a dormitory because of its beauty. What puzzles me is why they insist on calling it Hearthstone. They give difficult names to specific places and animals; why would they do that? Tsk.

I returned to my thoughts when I bumped into someone.

"I’m sorry," I apologized and carefully stepped back. I looked at the person I bumped into.

My eyes widened, and I almost lost my balance upon seeing who it was. He’s the one who built the fire!

"We meet again, miss!" He flashed a mischievous grin, causing me to instinctively step back. I can't see my face, but I know I'm probably pale right now.

I can’t talk, even if I could, I couldn’t. My lips are trembling in fear because of what they did to me out there. I don’t want that to happen to me again, so if possible, I have to avoid them all— but why is fate so playful?!

“You're with those four,” he said, turning his gaze to my companions. They are far from me, and they haven't noticed him. They're walking like they own the school. All students are stepping back to give them a wide space to pass.

"Take care, miss... they are worse than us," he said before leaving.

I breathed a sigh of relief when he disappeared from my sight. I felt like a thousand needles were pulled from my body.

That was not so nice.

"Fiamiolle! What are you doing?" I turned to see who called me.

"N-nothing. I just…" I can't speak properly. I blinked my eyes to find a reason to say to him.

"I just got mesmerized by the view there," I said, pointing my forefinger to a place I don't even know. I was about to say that I saw one of the guys who orchestrated that gruesome event, but I chose to keep my mouth shut. I don't want trouble; they might tease me even more.

I saw him furrow his brow, so I just gave him a smile. He ignored me and quickly pulled me towards Engrid, who was eagerly waiting for us.

When Caspian and I arrived, they started asking what my problem was. I can’t say those because there are many, and they’re one of them. What that guy said to me is still lingering in my ears. Are they really worse?

I stopped overthinking when someone threw me a plastic cellophane bag with a uniform inside. It is black and has the same stripe design as theirs, but why is it black? Does it mean that we are not in the same class?

“We can’t be in the same class because you are sui generis. How unlucky of you!” Caspian muttered, wearing his annoying smile again.

"What do you mean?"

"I meant, you belong in that class," I looked to where he pointed. My eyes widened when I saw the guy I bumped into earlier.

"Huh?!" I saw the four of them smirking.

Oh God! That guy is right! They’re the worst!