Horu Sakaki.
An ordinary high-school student whose life takes a turn for the worst when a malicious woman appears, who turns his boring life as an independent teen into a living nightmare.
She reveals that he's been sealed in a parallel universe a...
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Volume III - 'The Dark Conquest'
It was a calm, early morning. The sun had just begun to emerge from the horizon. From a certain shabby office, it replaced the night sky reflected with its orange hues and brought the light of dawn to the land. The Head Principal of the FMA took a sip from the cup of coffee in his hand, realizing he had been immersed in the scenery of the FMA for so long that it had gotten cold. "Ms. Ragner." As he returned to the seat behind his desk, he summoned his assistant—whose head peeked from the office doors within a matter of seconds. "Good morning, Head Principal," she said with a warm tone and a bright smile. Ms. Ragner waited for a moment at the entrance before Aegis' invitational gesture prompted her to take a seat, an act which was quite rare. "Good morning." "I've been summoned to the GMA's headquarters," Aegis remarked as he adjusted his blazer. "You're leaving?" "..." Aegis summoned a moment of dubious silence. He lifted his head and took a small breath before breaking the nagging silence. "The GMA doubts my position after the recent series of incidents at the academy. To assure them that everything is under control, I will tend to them personally." He then crossed his legs and grabbed his mug. As soon as he did the latter, the coffee heated instantly. Sophie had an obnoxious feeling about her boss's next choice of words. Her sitting on the seat that guests usually occupy made her anxious about it being good or bad news. Nonetheless, she knew deep inside that there was no situation that her boss could not resolve. "Inform Ms. Sakaki that she is in charge during my absence." "Will I be accompanying you, Head Principal?" "Unfortunately, you must stay here." The young assistant seemed to be at a loss for words for a moment before bouncing back. "But your trial is due for Monday, sir." It was Friday, and also a week after the academy's semester had come to an end. The wealthy side of the FMA's student body had already left the minute the holiday started. Those that stayed behind—still quite the majority for reasons of which there were too many—were delving into the spoils that the oversized campus of the FMA had to offer. After all, it was a hidden island with many facilities. A lot of students that graduated from the FMA had not even seen more than half of its facilities—that is how large it was. "Correct, and I do intend to go. However, I have some important matters to attend to first." "Well then. Now that I'm staying, I was thinking that..." Sophie hesitated in her words. Aegis waited patiently for her to finish her sentence whilst drinking his coffee. "I'm ready to bear your responsibilities here at the academy in your absence," Sophie muttered as she shied away from eye contact with her boss. It was obvious to Aegis that it took all of the young lady's courage to bring those words forth. Sophie bowed her head, waiting for a response. "The Adversaries didn't only do a number on the property, they also completely destroyed the barrier protecting the island. We were lucky enough that they didn't deploy any high-ranking units, let alone any Stygians." "I suppose it is strange. The Adversaries should have no interest in keeping the academy intact." "And that, Ms. Ragner, is why you're not ready to bear the heavy weight of leadership." Aegis got up and took a black trench coat from the luxurious coat stand sitting in the back corner of his office—swinging it around as he put it on. "A leader, even if they're merely an academy principal, must come to know their allies, enemies, and subordinates. Knowing the Adversaries, knowing Nyx..." Ms. Ragner felt a swirl of emotions when she heard that wretched name, yet it was envy that made her squeeze the documents in her grasp tighter. "Whatever they have planned for the boy will lead to dire consequences in the future. Their invasion here was not only an extraction mission but also a warning." The tone in the Head Principal's voice grew stern as his eyes stared directly into the soul of his assistant. "A warning? To who?" "To mages all across the globe." Aegis' last sentence was the last puzzle piece that Sophie needed to piece all of the current events together. The assistant figured that the student body of the FMA was the future of magicians, and that... They deliberately dealt minor damage. Enough for news to spread quickly, and enough to stir fear in both the older and newer generations of magicians. "With that being said, you will be in charge of the rebuilding process. With you at the helm, reconstruction could be done within a matter of days. As for Ms. Sakaki, the students will need the comfort and strength that her presence alone carries, Ms. Ragner." Sophie's facial expression changed from a surprised and anxious to a slightly relieved look. The secretary took a short breath and stretched a hand weakly as if to say something, only to forget what she was about to say. "Before I leave, Ms. Ragner." "Yes?" "Keep in mind. Under no circumstances should you use your magic. Keep yourself busy and rest well." "..." "Don't worry. Ms. Sakaki is well informed on the countermeasures. Should she take control again, it won't be long before she gets taken down. Another slaughter is the last thing we need." "Understood." I suppose, if there is anyone capable of defeating her before she causes more damage, it should be the Winged Maiden, Sophie thought before meeting the cold gaze of the Head Principal, who was dead serious about the matter. Sophie caressed the Head Principal's office chair as she viewed the beautiful scenery that lay beyond the window behind the desk. She fondled and twisted her red hair, adjusting the glasses whose frames did plenty of justice to her cute freckles. It was then that she suddenly remembered the thought she lost earlier and ran for the door. The Head Principal was nowhere to be seen. He had vanished into thin air and left no trace. "I will never get used to that." Sophie shut the doors and observed the grand front terrace of the manor from the large windows that the office pertained as she pondered. Its wooden walls stood high and strong on a wide hill, allowing for quite the view of the FMA's main facilities over the forest it was burrowed in. She realized that she had spaced out for a significant moment, praising the old manor's elegance. The assistant raised her head and proceeded with an exhilarating sigh before focusing her gaze on the center of her view, right where the Tower of Challenge used to be positioned barely a year back. Although she knew that she could trust in the decisions of the Head Principal, she still felt disappointed by her abilities being unacknowledged. It was then that she also realized the contrary. Sophie stroked her clothes until her tender fingers had reached her suddenly pale face. In these tough times... Could we really manage this school? She fondled the tip of her left index finger with her tongue continuously. Oh... Ms. Sakaki... How could we be like you... "Enough," Sophie muttered to herself, yet the loud voice she heard kept on flooding her surroundings. How could we obtain... such might! Such power! Such responsibility! Such—! "I said, enough!"
