Chapter 1: Dorms

“Hngh~”

A girl lay on the bed, her face flushed red. Her glossy black hair spread over the sheets while her purple eyes gleamed with lust. She bit her shirt as she gently fondled her chest.

“Mhmm~!” she squeaked, trying not to make a sound.

Across the room, another girl was breathing heavily, her hands clutching the wall. Beads of sweat rolled down her skin. Her body tensed the longer she watched, her lips parting as she tried to suppress soft gasps.

Smack.

I slapped my cheeks hard enough to sting. My fingers trembled as I stared at the hard wall in front of me. A moment ago, the wall was see-through.

“Get a grip!” I hissed, my face burning hotter than a fire spell.

My name is Mimi Hanabira, and I was absolutely not trying to peek into the someone's room. How could I have possibly known that my spell would turn out to be magical x-ray vision?!

“I’m not a pervert…” Mimi muttered weakly, clutching her wand.

A year ago...

“Luminous High School!” Mimi blurted, eyes sparkling with excitement.

Standing before her were its golden gates, and she couldn’t help admiring the academy. Unique facilities only available there, the best magic taught by the finest specialists of their field, and quality peers that supported one another.

It was the school where only the most talented mages in the country studied!

At least… that’s what she kept telling herself.

By the end of her first week, she realized she was but an "ordinary" leaf in a bunch of grass.

In middle school, she was the top of her class, teachers praised her, classmates envied her, and her spells were amazing. But here, at Luminous Academy, she was surrounded by the same people who could summon familiars before breakfast and brew potions while half-asleep.

Other than that, she had to work night shifts to barely afford the academy's tuition. She thought the money she’d saved before would be enough but alas… drained in just a week.

Now fast forward, she is currently a second-year. There was nothing new to her. She learned that the existence of friendship was for those with money and time unlike herself, who was buried in jobs.

“Mimi-san, come to the faculty,” the professor said flatly before leaving the classroom.

“...Huh?” Mimi blinked. “Why?”

Her stomach dropped.

She hadn’t done anything remarkable nor had bad grades. She did pay some tuition late but that was all there was, she would pay it immediately afterward. But this was Luminous Academy they were talking about!

Was she… getting expelled?!

By the time she reached the teacher’s office, her knees were already trembling. The air inside felt heavy, like she was standing at the edge of a cliff. Rows of desks cluttered with scrolls and glowing orbs filled the room, and the faint smell of ink and potion ingredients stung her nose.

Every step she took made a tiny squeak on the marble floor. Each one sounded like it was announcing her doom.

"I knew this day would come..." Mimi said dramatically and gripped her wand, using it like a prayer stick.

She wobbled, her legs shaking uncontrollably. Taking a deep breath, she approached the desk of Professor Alden, the strictest man in the entire academy. His piercing gaze shot through her like a truth spell!

"Walk straight."

“Y-yes, Professor…” she squeaked. “If this is about student behavior or tuitions maybe-"

“Mimi-san,” he said, voice firm yet gentle. “The school has decided to grant you a scholarship to support your basic needs. We believe you have potential worth investing in.”

Mimi blinked.

Wait… what?

Luminous Magic Academy didn’t even 'offer' scholarships. Was he using the word “scholarship” to hide his real intentions? Did the school think she was too poor that they’d personally dispose of her in secret?

“Professor Alden,” Mimi said carefully, “from what I’ve heard… the academy doesn’t actually offer scholarships.”

He adjusted his glasses, and for a moment, his smile didn’t reach his eyes.

“Indeed, the Academy doesn’t hand out scholarships to just anyone,” he said, his tone suddenly firmer, heavier. “But some opportunities are... not meant for public notice. We only extend them to students who meet certain criteria, and who have passed our personal evaluation.”

“Criteria?” Mimi repeated, her voice almost squeaking. “Wait, what kind of-”

He completely ignored her. “We discovered that you studied from a rural school with a humble background, and yet still managed to enter Luminous Academy purely on merit. That’s quite rare.”

“Um… thank you?”

The way he talked made it sound so legit that she almost believed him. Her eyes darted around the room, were there hidden cameras? Was this some sort of prank show for desperate and normal-looking students?

Maybe the moment she signed something, a bunch of senior students would pop out yelling ‘Gotcha!’

"I-Is this a prank?"

“No,” he said, sliding a parchment across the desk. “This is the letter from the headmaster. A guarantee and certified letter for your scholarship status.”

She looked down at the slip bearing the headmaster’s official seal and couldn’t help but gasp. According to it, being a scholarship student came with huge perks: free tuition every year, free accommodations, fully paid books and equipment, even a magic wand selection coupon, and more.

Reading further, the scholarship student must assist the school's library as part of the program.

“…Assisting?”

“Yes. You’ll report to the library after classes each day. Your tasks include organizing books, assisting students in finding materials, checking books in and out, and maintaining library records as part of your scholarship duties.”

Mimi blinked at him. “Wait, is this for real?”

This must be a dream. There’s no way they'd give an average student like her these benefits!?

“Mimi-san,” he said, staring straight into her soul, “I’m fairly certain that you need these more than most of the students here. I won't bother any further about you and your thoughts.”

"Haha..."

"If you understand, go back now. Pack your things tomorrow and move to the new dorm house. A school personnel will assist you."

She clutched the scholarship slip to her chest and bowed. “Thank you, sir! I won’t let the school down!”

As she left the faculty room, she couldn’t tell how suddenly this opportunity came... like a shooting star that's bound to disappear in a blink of an eye.

Wait... was she jinxing it?

Professor Alden looked intently at her back. "It's a pity that they gave the scholarship late. I wonder what would happen from now on?"

She brought out her phone and immediately contacted some of her part-time bosses. Some scolded her while others didn't care.

Resigning meant being free, right?

Going home to her worn-out apartment, she couldn't help but giggle in joy. She quickly knocked on her landlady's door and told her the good news.

"Wait really? That's amazing, Mimi-chan!" the landlady gasped. "I knew you were amazing just from being a student of Luminous, but a scholarship? I'm speechless!"

"Yep! And I don't need to work late nights anymore, but..." Mimi looked solemnly at the landlady.

The landlady glanced at her, immediately understanding. She gently patted Mimi’s head and said, "Mimi-chan... you’ve been working so hard all this time. You deserve this. So... you're really moving out then?"

Mimi nodded, tears forming in her eyes.

"Mimi-chan," the landlady gently hugged her. "No need to cry. I'll be fine, don't worry about me. When are you moving out? I'll help you with your things."

"T-thank you..." Mimi said while crying.

The next morning, she dragged her suitcase toward her so-called “free accommodations.” According to the ooggle map, it should’ve been right past the minor stationery shop and around the corner of the cafe.

That's when she saw it...

“Wait… isn’t this too massive?!” she shouted.

The walls were so tall and polished that she couldn’t see anything beyond them, not even a glimpse of the interior dorm. Mana-powered street lamps attached to the wall glowed a soft blue hue even in daylight, and she swore the air itself smelled expensive.

"Am I lost?" she muttered. "Should I call Professor Alden?"

“Oh my?” a voice called from behind her. “Are you the new resident, perhaps?”

She turned around and almost dropped her suitcase.

A tall woman stood before her. Her curly brown hair shimmered under the sunlight, and her golden skin gave off a healthy glow. She wore the academy’s uniform with a kind of gentle and cool grace that made Mimi instinctively straighten her back.

“Isn’t that… Sena-senpai?!” she whispered.

The Student Body President. The legendary Sena Akebono!

“Yes, that’s me,” Sena said with a soft smile. “You must be the one Professor Alden mentioned—the new scholarship student. I’m glad you arrived safely. But…”

“Y-yes?”

“You look… smaller than I imagined,” she added, tilting her head slightly, her gaze curious but kind. “Are you sure you’re not lost?”

“S-smaller?!” Mimi squeaked.

Was she really that small? People had called her cute and petite before, but standing next to Sena made her feel like a middle-schooler dropped into an Amazon warrior convention. Her presence alone shrunk Mimi’s confidence by at least half. Was this the Sena Effect?

Anyway, who called others small in their first meeting?

Sena chuckled softly, the sound warm and playful. “Relax. I’m in charge of this dorm for the month. I’ll be showing you around, Mimi-chan~.”

Mimi’s heart practically flew out of her chest the moment Sena said her name.

The way it rolled off her tongue sounded way too gentle, way too sweet. Mimi felt her cheeks heat up instantly, and her brain short-circuited trying to decide whether to faint, run away, or just stand there pretending to be normal.

“Shall we head inside?” Sena asked.

“Y-yup! I’ll follow wherever you go, Sena-senpai!” Mimi said, doing her best to sound composed, though her voice cracked halfway through.

“Good!” Sena said, flashing a grin that made Mimi’s knees go weak. “Let’s get you settled in. You’re going to love it here.”