DETENTION PART 1

The detention hall wasn’t a dungeon… but it may as well have been. Stone walls, iron-barred windows, one long desk. The air smelled of dust and old chalk.

Me, Jeanne, Evelyn, Lyra, and Taiga sat in silence. Well—Taiga sulked. The bullies, meanwhile, marched straight to the Headmaster’s office.

I slouched in my chair. “So this is it. Not even four hours in and we’re already criminals.”

“Not criminals,” Jeanne said brightly, boots thunking onto the desk. “Rebels. Big difference.”

Evelyn’s quill scratched across parchment. “It’s not rebellion. It's a disgrace. Some of us actually value our reputations.”

“Some of us actually value pudding,” Taiga muttered, chin buried in his arms. “May it rest in peace.”

The heavy door groaned open. Professor Aira swept in first, her presence dropping the room’s temperature by ten degrees. Behind her came Headmaster Orion, calm but commanding.

“I’ve reviewed the reports,” Orion began. “A brawl in the dining hall. Property destroyed. Injuries narrowly avoided. Ordinarily, this would warrant suspension. Perhaps expulsion.”

He steepled his fingers, letting the silence sink in. “By rights, I should. But… this feels less like malice, more like youthful chaos. Still—chaos has consequences.”

“Could’ve fooled me,” Jeanne muttered.

Orion’s eyes flicked sharp. “Four weeks. Community service. Cleaning, repairs, errands. Not because the school needs it—because you need it.”

Jeanne groaned. “Ugh. Chores.”

Evelyn lifted her chin. “I can pay for the damages. Surely that would be simpler.”

Orion chuckled. “You mistake me, Miss Crystalis. I care little for money. I care for character. This will stand.”

He paused, gaze weighing heavy. “…And you will be assigned a senior. Not to coddle you. Not to nursemaid. To guide. To watch. To report.”

Jeanne snorted. “So, a babysitter.”

A faint smile tugged at Orion’s lips. “Call them what you like. You’ll meet them tomorrow. After classes.”

Uneasy glances darted between us. Babysitters. Perfect.

The next day, after classes, we were herded into the courtyard. Waiting there was a tall girl in a sharp red officer’s coat, sunglasses perched on her head. She snapped her fingers.

“Alright, rookies! Line up! Chop-chop!”

The girl strode forward. “Name’s Cora Solenne. So you five are the troublemakers the Headmaster warned us about.”

Evelyn stiffened. “I hardly require supervision—”

“Don’t give me sass, Blue! Drop and give me ten push-ups!” Cora barked.

“…Excuse me?” Evelyn blinked.

“You heard me. Floor. Push-ups.”

Evelyn opened her mouth, indignant—then yelped as Cora swept her ankle with a casual kick. Evelyn hit the mats with a squeak. Jeanne nearly fell over laughing.

“Fine,” Evelyn hissed, forcing herself into position.

Cora smirked. “See? That wasn’t so hard.”

Behind her, an elf with a bandaged arm leaned in. “Uh, Cora… I don’t think the Headmaster actually gave us permission to discipline them.”

The giant at the back—easily twice Taiga’s size—nodded. “Correct. Headmaster said guide, not punish.”

The rabbit-eared girl we’d seen bullied before tugged gently at Cora’s sleeve. “And I’m pretty sure that wasn’t in the pamphlet either.”

Cora coughed, shoving a folded pamphlet deeper into her coat. “Fine, fine. No power trips. My bad. But…” She pointed back at Evelyn. “…you still owe me one push-up.”

Evelyn groaned but lowered herself once.

“Atta girl.”

That’s when another stepped forward—a boy with windswept hair, sharp eyes, and the kind of heroic posture you only saw in light novel.

“Let’s try this again properly,” he said smoothly. “I see you met our lively Cora. She loves first impressions. The elf is Fenric. The big guy is Hugo. The rabbit-eared girl is Mira. And I’m Kaito.”

Mira smiled warmly. “Now that we know each other, let’s split into pairs. Don’t worry—anything that happens between us stays between us.”

We took turns introducing ourselves.

“Nice to meet you all,” I said. “The one out of breath is Evelyn. Next to her is Jeanne. The mysterious one is Lyra. This is Taiga. And I’m Caelum.”

“Ah, the infamous newbie,” Kaito grinned. “Heard a lot about you.”

“Nice,” I said dryly. “Word spreads fast.”

Mira clapped her hands. “Alright, let’s not waste daylight. Let’s start pairings.”

Cora jabbed a thumb toward the giant. “Big guy, you’re with the quiet one.”

Hugo nodded politely. “Lyra, correct? You’ll be with me.”

Lyra blinked. “…Understood.”

Kaito stepped forward, flashing a grin at Taiga. “Guess you and I are partners.”

Taiga with wide eyes. “Awesome!”

Mira turned toward Jeanne, her ears twitching. “I’ll take the loud one.”

Jeanne smirked. “Bold choice, bunny girl.”

“I can handle you,” Mira said sweetly.

Fenric adjusted the bandages on his arm, gaze settling on Evelyn. “Which leaves you with me, Miss Crystalis.”

Evelyn tilted her chin. “At least someone competent.”

Fenric arched a brow. “We’ll see.”

Finally, Cora stepped right up to me, smirk curling under her sunglasses. She leaned in just enough for her voice to drip with mock drama.

“And you—fearless leader of the pack—are stuck with me. Try not to cry.”

I sighed. “Perfect.”

“That’s the spirit,” she said, clapping me on the shoulder hard enough to nearly knock me over.

As we followed our assigned seniors, Cora led me past the academy gates into the city district. We stopped in front of a sleek shop tucked between a smithy and a café. A silver sign gleamed above the door:

Solenne Atelier.

Inside, the air smelled of cedarwood and silk. Rows of mannequins displayed jackets, coats, and dresses with sharp cuts and bold colors.

I blinked. “This… is a clothing shop.”

“Sharp observation.” Cora tossed her sunglasses onto the counter. “Mom’s out on deliveries, so I’ve got to hold down the place. Congrats, prince—today you’re my assistant.”

“Wait, what—”

“Come on, hop to it. I didn’t pay you to stand around.”

“You’re not paying me at all.” I said

“Not with that attitude.”

Grumbling, I hung a half-finished coat where she pointed.

“Can’t believe the second prince of Dragonia is helping me fold trousers. I should make this mentor thing a regular gig.”

I smirked. “Nice. Someone’s enjoying this.”

A silence stretched between us. She leaned on the counter, studying me. Then her voice dropped, curious.

“Why’d you do it?”

“What, put this coat up there?” I asked.

“No.” Her eyes narrowed. “Headbutting that jerk in the dining hall. Don’t get me wrong—he deserved it for messing with Mira. But what I don’t get is… your angle. You don’t act like Blue, all high-and-mighty. So why step in?”

I frowned. “…Is everyone in Novaterra convinced royalty’s rotten?”

“Most of us, yeah.” She shrugged. “People with crowns usually don’t bother lifting a finger unless there’s something in it for them.”

I leaned against the rack, arms crossed. “…And you want to know my angle.”

Cora nodded.

I let out a slow breath, thinking of Mira’s ears drooping under the bully’s hand.

I said, “There’s no angle. He was hurting someone. So I stopped him.”

Cora tilted her head. “That it?”

I shrugged. “Look, maybe I’m supposed to care about politics, or image, or some royal code. But honestly…What’s wrong with just helping people,” I added, more to myself than her.”

Cora blinked at me, caught off guard by how matter-of-fact I sounded.

Without a word, Cora yanked a long coat off the rack and shoved it into my arms. Midnight black, silver trim, sharp but practical.

“Put this on.”

I scowled. “I’m not your mannequin.”

“You’re worse than a mannequin. At least mannequins stand still. Now—coat on.”

With a groan, I slipped it on. To my irritation, it fit perfectly. Cora adjusted the collar, then stepped back, tilting her head.

the coat sleeve slipped too far down my arm, swallowing my hand whole.

Cora snorted. “Pfft—look at you. Drowning in fabric like a lost child.”

I glared. “Hey, I make this look good.” I flapped the sleeve dramatically.

That did it—Cora doubled over, laughing so hard she had to grab the counter for balance. I tried to keep a straight face but cracked a grin, then laughed too.

The streets shimmered under the glow of crystal lamps. It was nighttime.
We were halfway back to the dorms when Cora slowed to a halt.

“An Aetherune shop,” she said with a smirk. “Let’s take a quick detour.”

The shop smelled faintly of incense and hot metal. Shelves groaned under glass cases filled with glowing crystals and charms that flickered with bursts of light. Behind the counter, an old shopkeeper polished a brass lantern.

“I’m gonna head to the bathroom,” I said.
Cora waved me off, already browsing.

I wasn’t gone for more than a few minutes. But when I came back—the shop was in the middle of a robbery.

“You have got to be kidding me,” I muttered.