Friday. Week 4. Month 1. Year 1. Season: Autumn. Last week of the month…
[Alert! Today is Exam day! Good luck, desu!]
[Quest reminder: take the exams. Excel. Reward: unknown.]
[ Reminder: you were placed in the school for a reason. Scoring at the top of the board will invoke special opportunities, increase hidden reputation with all professors and the academy, and build your charm with the students. Failing the test will slide you toward the image of delinquent. Unknown consequences for that. If you somehow best Chika, you will automatically become top student.]
A panting sound, like an excited dog's, caught his attention. It was brief—almost as if someone covered it up in embarrassment. A lick across his cheek and a hug, cleared all doubts. That and a tail rapidly patting at his leg. He opened his eyes to see a cheery hellhound monster girl on top of him. Rest in peace, wards.
"Up-up-up," she said. "Exams to pass."
Alice rose, looking at her friend with tired eyes, then laid back down, turning to the side. Ruri pounced her. "You especially. Exams." The half-demoness groaned.
"Do I have to? I've got a palace to ru—" the words died on her tongue as she drifted to sleep.
"Move," Clyde said to Ruri. "It's a challenge to wake her when she gets like this."
Chika stirred.
"Alice being impossible again?" she asked then yawned.
"Yep," Clyde said. Ruri moved, allowing him to scoop up his life mate. "If you don't get up, I'll tell Natalia where to find stash number three." Her eyes snapped open.
"You wouldn't," she said.
"I've been trying to find that one," Chika said. "I wanted something sweet the other night, but Yuki and Maki were cleaning the kitchen."
Clyde brushed aside a few strands of hair to gaze into the pink eyes of the half-demoness. She always removed the twin tails before sleeping.
"Ready to dethrone Chika?"
The silver-haired girl sniffed. Clyde grinned then kissed, Alice.
"Can we just stay like this?" the half-demoness whispered.
"No fair," Chika said. "I want my morning happiness too."
"Run to the bathroom!" Alice cheered, laughing. Clyde joined in too. Although he still kissed Chika. Ruri seemed amazed at seeing her childhood friend so cheerful.
After everyone finished the morning activities, they ate Yuki's breakfast and headed out. Seth and Toru met them at the front gates as usual. They walked into the school with all eyes on them, mouths agape. Some people were openly clapping and cheering. Naomi darted from the crowd to hug Clyde. The entire party was greeted, praised, and brown-nosed. A lot of the young women were flirty.
Girls who already flaunted over Toru, metaphorically threw their panties at him. Yusuke sighed. Kitome shook her head. Sazuki smiled at them from her post. It was great to be back, right?
Clyde, Alice, Chika, and Harumi said nothing. Seth winked at a few girls, walked like he owned the academy, and overplayed his act. The blond young man eventually left with a small group of women. Maki, the most popular girl in school, tried to shy away from the attention. No one had brought up the "goddess" incidents since. Some students even believed the clothes-rippers were referring to some old deity from forgotten mythology and the whole ordeal was simply a challenge. Clyde pushed them into the idiot category and thought nothing else of it.
Professors shook their hands, staff gave them thanks. Even the temporary dean found the group to express gratitude. Apparently, no one could track the party down during the school closure. Clyde never gave an address nor intended to, and some of the others moved in with him. Yusuke and Kitome were hardly home. And who would approach Toru, Maki, or Chika's place uninvited?
There was one more round of applause when Clyde, Chika, Alice, and Harumi took their seats. While they had their corner, many students tried to get as close as possible to them. A few arguments erupted about desks—especially for the people who sat in the spots well before Clyde transferred in.
Hinako threatened to give out zeros if they didn't quiet down. When she passed out the exams, she stealthily caressed Clyde's chin, somehow dropping a note down his shirt.
"You may begin your exam."
[You have entered an Exam!]
[Subject: Satovia history.]
Clyde's memories emerged to reveal all of the things he studied, Chika drilled through into his skull and observed events in the city such as brochures and pamphlets, billboards, and even information from random talk shows and news reports that popped onto some shop TVs.
[Who truly discovered our nation?]
The name of the nation was Yaponiya. He nodded. According to the text, the real founder was Selsia Sato, the woman whom they named the powerful academy after. Clyde bubbled the answer in and moved on. A freebie question, how nice of the professor. Sometimes easy queries snuck up on testers.
Clyde thought it was strange that no one knew much about Selsia, except in mythology. Some people claimed she stood as the personification of "Satovia" itself or a herald. History had its share of silent symbols for people searching for hope.
[What city is the vice-nation's seat of our nation?]
Clyde nodded at the easy question. A nation's seat was a capital. The vice-nation's seat served as the runner-up or a lesser version. Lot City. Clyde found it odd that this world didn't reference their nations the same way earth did. Instead of Lot City, Yaponiya, it was Lot City, Satovia. The people called it paying respects to the planet. What did the nation rulers know in terms of other realms?
Clyde mowed down the rest of the test with ease. He felt like a king upon turning it in.
[Exam completed!]
Students could leave after finishing—the normal college thing. Unsurprisingly, Chika and Alice were already gone. Harumi made a face of frustration. Clyde stifled a laugh as he left the classroom. She'd be fine. The pink-haired girl scored very well on the quizzes and homework. Alice and Chika awaited him outside the door.
"Before you gloat, I took my time," Clyde said. "I enjoy learning about this world."
Chika shrugged.
"Then don't leave us." She paused, realizing her words. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be," Clyde said. "We don't know what will actually happen—anyway that's a ways off."
"I try not to think about it," Alice said, her voice down.
They walked in silence, sat in the library to study even more, then headed to their respective classes.
[You have entered an Exam!]
[Subject: Romance Literature.]
[In the Satovian classic novel, Mushi-Lovely, who did Mary accidentally sleep with while intoxicated?]
Clyde flinched as he dove into his memories for the book. Alice actually took an interest in it after he finished making a plethora of notes on each chapter. For at least a couple of days, she wouldn't stop talking about it while in bed. Clyde ended up hiding the novel.
Mushi-Lovely was about a widowed woman struggling to push away the advances of her cousin. A female cousin, who was madly in love with her, brought the widow flowers and expensive gifts weekly, and behind the main character's back, convinced would-be rivals not to pursue. The widow, of course, disliked women. She ended up getting drunk at a childhood friend's house, frustrated.
Clyde shook his head—this test was being too nice. The widow couldn't truly consent while trashed, so essentially, she ended up raped. Impregnated and betrayed, she went to her cousin for advice.
Clyde shook off the thoughts of the novel and answered the question.
[In the nation of Krittles, who proposes for marriages, how and why? How many eyes support the ten virtues and what are they?]
Clyde knew that one—a strange thing for earthlings. Women proposing for marriages by kissing each finger of the man they've slept with for at least three weeks consecutively. Ten virtues, three eyes. Sight, awareness, and the mind's eye.
As Clyde mowed through the rest of the test, one question caught his eye in particular.
[In the Satovian classic novel, Hell to Pay, what was the name of Epex Helios's sword?]
To think that one of the swords offered to him through the interdimensional store was tied to a Satovian classic. Ruin was the name of the sword. Capable of cutting through dimensions, the blade would eventually be a planet buster when a mysterious taint turned Epex into a would-be evil emperor. Clyde filled in the correct answer then turned in his test.
Lunch felt awkward. Not because he and his friends ate in the college's cafeteria. Everyone stared at them. Some even asked for autographs, others PRAYED to the group from nearby tables, believing them to be "real-life gods." While Clyde got a soft chuckle off that, he could not help but be uncomfortable. Alice shook her head. Kitome snorted her distaste.
"I just don't get humans," Alice said. "Seeming to worship anything that's paranormal to them."
"They're—we're not all like that," Harumi said.
"Of course not, dudette," Seth said.
Chika ignored them all, reading a textbook, but not without stealing glances at Clyde every five or ten minutes or so. Underneath the table…she massaged his horn with her feet and his glare could not halt her assault. If he stood, the cafeteria could possibly spot the budge. If he didn't act, the young man would most definitely cream in his pants.
"Chika."
She smiled innocently, ignoring him, while "reading." One of her hands was suspiciously not on the book, but beneath the table.
Friday. Week 4. Month 1. Year 1. Season: Autumn. Last week of the month…
[Alert! Today is Exam day! Good luck, desu!]
[Quest reminder: take the exams. Excel. Reward: unknown.]
[ Reminder: you were placed in the school for a reason. Scoring at the top of the board will invoke special opportunities, increase hidden reputation with all professors and the academy, and build your charm with the students. Failing the test will slide you toward the image of delinquent. Unknown consequences for that. If you somehow best Chika, you will automatically become top student.]
A panting sound, like an excited dog's, caught his attention. It was brief—almost as if someone covered it up in embarrassment. A lick across his cheek and a hug, cleared all doubts. That and a tail rapidly patting at his leg. He opened his eyes to see a cheery hellhound monster girl on top of him. Rest in peace, wards.
"Up-up-up," she said. "Exams to pass."
Alice rose, looking at her friend with tired eyes, then laid back down, turning to the side. Ruri pounced her. "You especially. Exams." The half-demoness groaned.
"Do I have to? I've got a palace to ru—" the words died on her tongue as she drifted to sleep.
"Move," Clyde said to Ruri. "It's a challenge to wake her when she gets like this."
Chika stirred.
"Alice being impossible again?" she asked then yawned.
"Yep," Clyde said. Ruri moved, allowing him to scoop up his life mate. "If you don't get up, I'll tell Natalia where to find stash number three." Her eyes snapped open.
"You wouldn't," she said.
"I've been trying to find that one," Chika said. "I wanted something sweet the other night, but Yuki and Maki were cleaning the kitchen."
Clyde brushed aside a few strands of hair to gaze into the pink eyes of the half-demoness. She always removed the twin tails before sleeping.
"Ready to dethrone Chika?"
The silver-haired girl sniffed. Clyde grinned then kissed, Alice.
"Can we just stay like this?" the half-demoness whispered.
"No fair," Chika said. "I want my morning happiness too."
"Run to the bathroom!" Alice cheered, laughing. Clyde joined in too. Although he still kissed Chika. Ruri seemed amazed at seeing her childhood friend so cheerful.
After everyone finished the morning activities, they ate Yuki's breakfast and headed out. Seth and Toru met them at the front gates as usual. They walked into the school with all eyes on them, mouths agape. Some people were openly clapping and cheering. Naomi darted from the crowd to hug Clyde. The entire party was greeted, praised, and brown-nosed. A lot of the young women were flirty.
Girls who already flaunted over Toru, metaphorically threw their panties at him. Yusuke sighed. Kitome shook her head. Sazuki smiled at them from her post. It was great to be back, right?
Clyde, Alice, Chika, and Harumi said nothing. Seth winked at a few girls, walked like he owned the academy, and overplayed his act. The blond young man eventually left with a small group of women. Maki, the most popular girl in school, tried to shy away from the attention. No one had brought up the "goddess" incidents since. Some students even believed the clothes-rippers were referring to some old deity from forgotten mythology and the whole ordeal was simply a challenge. Clyde pushed them into the idiot category and thought nothing else of it.
Professors shook their hands, staff gave them thanks. Even the temporary dean found the group to express gratitude. Apparently, no one could track the party down during the school closure. Clyde never gave an address nor intended to, and some of the others moved in with him. Yusuke and Kitome were hardly home. And who would approach Toru, Maki, or Chika's place uninvited?
There was one more round of applause when Clyde, Chika, Alice, and Harumi took their seats. While they had their corner, many students tried to get as close as possible to them. A few arguments erupted about desks—especially for the people who sat in the spots well before Clyde transferred in.
Hinako threatened to give out zeros if they didn't quiet down. When she passed out the exams, she stealthily caressed Clyde's chin, somehow dropping a note down his shirt.
"You may begin your exam."
[You have entered an Exam!]
[Subject: Satovia history.]
Clyde's memories emerged to reveal all of the things he studied, Chika drilled through into his skull and observed events in the city such as brochures and pamphlets, billboards, and even information from random talk shows and news reports that popped onto some shop TVs.
[Who truly discovered our nation?]
The name of the nation was Yaponiya. He nodded. According to the text, the real founder was Selsia Sato, the woman whom they named the powerful academy after. Clyde bubbled the answer in and moved on. A freebie question, how nice of the professor. Sometimes easy queries snuck up on testers.
Clyde thought it was strange that no one knew much about Selsia, except in mythology. Some people claimed she stood as the personification of "Satovia" itself or a herald. History had its share of silent symbols for people searching for hope.
[What city is the vice-nation's seat of our nation?]
Clyde nodded at the easy question. A nation's seat was a capital. The vice-nation's seat served as the runner-up or a lesser version. Lot City. Clyde found it odd that this world didn't reference their nations the same way earth did. Instead of Lot City, Yaponiya, it was Lot City, Satovia. The people called it paying respects to the planet. What did the nation rulers know in terms of other realms?
Clyde mowed down the rest of the test with ease. He felt like a king upon turning it in.
[Exam completed!]
Students could leave after finishing—the normal college thing. Unsurprisingly, Chika and Alice were already gone. Harumi made a face of frustration. Clyde stifled a laugh as he left the classroom. She'd be fine. The pink-haired girl scored very well on the quizzes and homework. Alice and Chika awaited him outside the door.
"Before you gloat, I took my time," Clyde said. "I enjoy learning about this world."
Chika shrugged.
"Then don't leave us." She paused, realizing her words. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be," Clyde said. "We don't know what will actually happen—anyway that's a ways off."
"I try not to think about it," Alice said, her voice down.
They walked in silence, sat in the library to study even more, then headed to their respective classes.
[You have entered an Exam!]
[Subject: Romance Literature.]
[In the Satovian classic novel, Mushi-Lovely, who did Mary accidentally sleep with while intoxicated?]
Clyde flinched as he dove into his memories for the book. Alice actually took an interest in it after he finished making a plethora of notes on each chapter. For at least a couple of days, she wouldn't stop talking about it while in bed. Clyde ended up hiding the novel.
Mushi-Lovely was about a widowed woman struggling to push away the advances of her cousin. A female cousin, who was madly in love with her, brought the widow flowers and expensive gifts weekly, and behind the main character's back, convinced would-be rivals not to pursue. The widow, of course, disliked women. She ended up getting drunk at a childhood friend's house, frustrated.
Clyde shook his head—this test was being too nice. The widow couldn't truly consent while trashed, so essentially, she ended up raped. Impregnated and betrayed, she went to her cousin for advice.
Clyde shook off the thoughts of the novel and answered the question.
[In the nation of Krittles, who proposes for marriages, how and why? How many eyes support the ten virtues and what are they?]
Clyde knew that one—a strange thing for earthlings. Women proposing for marriages by kissing each finger of the man they've slept with for at least three weeks consecutively. Ten virtues, three eyes. Sight, awareness, and the mind's eye.
As Clyde mowed through the rest of the test, one question caught his eye in particular.
[In the Satovian classic novel, Hell to Pay, what was the name of Epex Helios's sword?]
To think that one of the swords offered to him through the interdimensional store was tied to a Satovian classic. Ruin was the name of the sword. Capable of cutting through dimensions, the blade would eventually be a planet buster when a mysterious taint turned Epex into a would-be evil emperor. Clyde filled in the correct answer then turned in his test.
Lunch felt awkward. Not because he and his friends ate in the college's cafeteria. Everyone stared at them. Some even asked for autographs, others PRAYED to the group from nearby tables, believing them to be "real-life gods." While Clyde got a soft chuckle off that, he could not help but be uncomfortable. Alice shook her head. Kitome snorted her distaste.
"I just don't get humans," Alice said. "Seeming to worship anything that's paranormal to them."
"They're—we're not all like that," Harumi said.
"Of course not, dudette," Seth said.
Chika ignored them all, reading a textbook, but not without stealing glances at Clyde every five or ten minutes or so. Underneath the table…she massaged his horn with her feet and his glare could not halt her assault. If he stood, the cafeteria could possibly spot the budge. If he didn't act, the young man would most definitely cream in his pants.
"Chika."
She smiled innocently, ignoring him, while "reading." One of her hands was suspiciously not on the book, but beneath the table.
