Chapter 1

Few months later

Silence filled the air as I stepped out of the car, watching the ancient forest surrounding the estate that would be my new school from now on. I tried to take a deep breath and relax after the long journey, but the growing knot in my stomach wouldn’t let me, despite the fact that our journey had come to an end.

I had been surprised at first when my aunt decided to accompany me despite her busy schedule, but as we travelled, I learnt that the director of my school was an old friend of hers and that she had decided to visit her while she was with me.

The woman was waiting for us on the steps leading up to the mansion, and I peeked at her with curiosity. It wasn’t often I met my aunt’s friends or anyone she referred to by name rather than by their job title.

She was older than I’d imagined her to be, but her braided silver hair and casual attire gave her a pleasant look. It was only when her deep blue eyes fell on me that I shivered. It felt as if she saw right through me, or maybe peered deep inside at something I wasn’t aware I possessed, and the smile that followed only increased my uneasiness. I resisted the urge to gasp for air and instead forced myself to follow my aunt up the stairs.

“Welcome”

The director shook hands with my aunt before turning to me.

“You must be young Taira. Akane has told me about you. Or do you prefer that I call you Yuna?”

“Yuna”, I mumbled.

Somehow, I didn’t dare to look at her as she replied,

“Welcome, Yuna. I am Eloise Faber, Director of the Institute.”

She paused and peered at me sharply.

“You must be tired after such a long journey. Farah will show you to your room.”

Only then did I notice the tall girl standing in the doorway. She was watching us, and her hair, even longer than mine, fell loosely on her back, contrasting with the white shirt she wore. I blinked. How come I hadn’t seen her before?

I tried to hide my uneasiness behind a smile. After all, it wasn’t the first time I had joined a new school, but she just snarled and gestured for me to follow. My footsteps echoed in the large hallway as we stepped inside, but she moved forward with complete silence.

I tried to distract myself by admiring the modern interior that contrasted so starkly with how the mansion looked from the outside, but something, maybe my instinct, prevented me from taking my gaze from Farah for too long, even if I didn’t understand why.

“You will share a room with Xiaolian,” she announced as we began to climb the stairs. “You can wear your normal clothes until the school year formally starts. You’ve arrived early. Ask me if you need anything, I am your senior.”

She paused and looked at me with a frown.

“And don’t wander around. It is easy to get lost here.”

I nodded hesitantly.

"Good," she concluded.

She turned her gaze away and reached into her pocket, pulling out a fancy-looking smartwatch that she held out in front of me.

“This will give you access to all the facilities. Don't lose it.”

“Thank you.”

I took the watch from her hand and gave it a curious glance before fastening it around my wrist.

“Your room is there.”

She pointed at a door at the end of the hall. I blinked and followed her gesture with my gaze. That’s it? I had left my luggage in the car, so I wanted to ask if I should go get it now, but when I turned back, she was already gone, and there was no sound to indicate where she had gone. I shivered and hesitantly walked to the door.

Maybe I should meet my roommate first? I didn’t expect my aunt to leave anytime soon, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she stayed overnight. I should have time to get my belongings later. I took a deep breath and hesitantly knocked on the heavy wooden door when a cold breeze suddenly passed through the empty hallway. Instinctively, I looked around at the same time as a quiet voice came from behind the door.

“Come in.”

The door squeaked when I hesitantly opened it, and I stepped into a small room and saw a girl in a pink onesie sitting cross-legged on one of the beds. Her black hair was cut short, barely reaching to her shoulders, and her soft brown eyes felt strangely empty when she turned to me and whispered,

“I am Xiaolian, your roommate.”

Her voice was soft, but it seemed to lack the tone and felt just as empty as her eyes. Instinctively, I bowed my head without realising it.

“I am Yuna. Nice to meet you.”

I wished I could say something more, but she had already turned back to the tablet in her hands, and I forced myself to sit down at the desk next to my bed.

Why did this place feel so different? I glanced at the heavy wooden door of our room and shivered, half expecting another cold draught that didn’t come. I had arrived before the start of the school year, that's why, I tried to tell myself, wanting to find a reason for the strange unease I had felt since we arrived.

Normally, the opening ceremony and the excitement that followed brought all the new students together, even if only by the fact that they were in the same class or were reading the flyer for the same club. But now, before the semester had begun, only silence filled the institute. It would get better in a few days, and everything would go back to normal, I tried to tell myself.

“They are assigning students together based on their psychological profiles and shared interests.”

I blinked and looked at Xiaolian. I must have been so deep in thought that I hadn’t noticed her moving to the edge of her bed. She leaned towards me. Was she trying to comfort me? It was the strangest thing someone had ever said to me, but I tried to smile, appreciating her gesture.

“What—what do you like to do?”, I asked, trying to engage her in some meaningful chatter.

“Guess.”

She smiled, but it never reached her eyes.

“Fencing?”, I tried.

“One of the reasons we were put together.”

She nodded at her own conclusion, but the newly found bond somehow didn’t feel as reassuring as I had expected. Had the director told her about my interests? What else did she know? And Farah… I shook my head as the suffocating thoughts surged through my mind, forcing me to gasp for air. No… It couldn’t be. Madame Faber had probably just mentioned my hobby to her to help us break the ice. That must be the case.

Suddenly, the room felt even more cramped than before, and I glanced at the window and into the darkness surrounding the mansion. It was so quiet here. I felt the knot in my stomach tighten, filling my body with nausea, and I started to gasp for air.

“2020 was a good year. Both our teams won gold,” I tried in an attempt to distract myself.

I wanted to fill the silence that hung in the air, but Xiaolian ignored my invitation, even though the topic should be safe enough for both of us, and instead preferred the company of her tablet.

I checked my new watch. At first glance, it wasn’t any different from what I’d had, and the apps I didn’t yet recognise probably did what their names suggested: borrow a book from the library or use some recreational facilities. It also had a messaging app. I wondered how it worked. My phone had lost the connection long before we arrived at the mansion, but maybe it was normal in the countryside. I regretted not checking it before we left Japan, but things like the internet were such an integral part of my life that I couldn’t imagine it being gone.

I was pretty sure there would be a connection in the library. Not that I needed it for anything now, I tried to tell myself as I fiddled with the watch. I didn’t have anyone to contact or to wait for a message from, except my aunt.

“I can show you around. We still have time before dinner,” Xiaolian suddenly suggested.

Her abrupt proposal made me flinch, and I looked at her, surprised by her offer, but her face stayed as blank as before as I replied,

“S-sure.”

I stood up. I guess it was a good idea to learn to find my way around, and maybe a tour of the mansion would ease my mind and fill me with excitement about this new place that would be my home from now on. I also needed to pick up my luggage.

She glanced at the heavy wooden door and hesitated for a few moments before getting up.

“Let's go. I will show you around,” she whispered.

She walked over to the door and hesitantly opened it. I blinked and looked at the onesies she was still wearing. Did she really plan to go out in that? Plus, she was barefoot, I saw. I hesitated, taking my time to adjust my casual attire, when she suddenly turned sharply towards me and gave me a serious look.

“Yuna.”

I took a deep breath, but my politeness forced me to follow her, no matter how embarrassed I felt about her company.