The bell rang, and the boarders lined up to head to their respective houses. Luna’s brother scanned the crowd for her, but he couldn’t find her—only Hilda.
He hated that girl for personal reasons. Through a girl he knew in his little sister’s class, he had heard about this morning’s incident. Then he spotted Stéphanie.
Jean walked up to her and slapped her hard.
“If you bother my sister again, I’ll kill you, capiche?!”
“H-How dare you hit me?!” she screamed back, though her voice carried a hint of fear.
The atmosphere was tense. Yuto quickly stepped in between them before things could escalate further. He grabbed Jean and led him toward their dorm.
“Jean, forget about Stéphanie; she’s just a sixth grader.”
“You might not know this, but Stéphanie and Hilda have been friends for ages! So don’t try to change my mind!!”
Yuto kissed Jean on the cheek with a big… almost unsettling smile.
“Don’t worry! I’ll make sure that incident never happens again, Jean~”
Jean stood there, stunned. His best friend had never acted like this before! Why had kind and shy Yuto suddenly become so bold? Jean decided to head back to his room, with one thought on his mind: “Luna… Please don’t trust Hilda at all…”
---
POV Luna
After arriving in front of the school again, I made my way toward the girls’ dorm. Hilda spotted me and ran up to me.
“Where were you?! Everyone was worried!!”
It was true—after everything that had happened, I hadn’t even realized it was already late afternoon.
“S-Sorry! I just wanted some fresh air and lost track of time, haha…”
Hilda was clearly upset, but her expression softened quickly. Without waiting for me, she headed inside. Was this my fault? No! On the contrary, I had learned something interesting today! I should head to my room!
I grabbed my suitcase from the luggage area and approached the room list.
B15… B15… Ah! There it is! Let’s see who my roommates are.
---
Room B15
Luna Mackenzie
Malone Trey
---
“Malone Trey…?”
I don’t think I’ve seen her in my class. She must be in a different sixth-grade section.
“Poor Luna, she’s stuck with Malone… As if today wasn’t bad enough for her…” I turned around after hearing my name.
What do they mean by ‘poor Luna’? Don’t tell me this Malone is another Stéphanie?!
I started sweating at the very thought, listening to the murmurs of the other girls.
I picked up my suitcase and entered the dormitory. My heart was pounding like crazy! Even though I wasn’t with my parents anymore, was I not going to find peace here either?! Seriously?!
I stopped in front of a door.
Room B15… This is it…
I gathered my courage and opened the door. The room was simple, with two separate beds and two desks. A girl was inside, unpacking her suitcase. I assumed it was Malone Trey.
She had beautiful, long red hair and bangs.
“H-Hum, hello!”
Malone turned around abruptly, her gaze cold and angry. Was she going to kill me?! I closed my eyes, bracing myself, but then… nothing? I opened my eyes, and… Malone looked… um… excited?
“SO NICE TO MEET YOU!” she squealed, throwing herself into my arms, nearly suffocating me.
“I-I c-can’t b-breathe!” Malone quickly let go of me when she realized she was about to crush me.
“Oh! Sorry! I didn’t mean to stop you from breathing, hehe!”
Now I could see Malone Trey properly. Her long, fiery red hair and flame-like eyes were mesmerizing. If I had to describe her in one word, it would be brilliant.
But something felt off. The others had bad things to say about her, yet she seemed super kind!
I collected my thoughts and moved toward my bed, suitcase in hand. I set it down.
“I didn’t know you were this cuuute! My goodness, those old hags never tell us anything! We deserve better treatment than the others!”
Okay, now I get what the other girls were talking about… She’s seriously egocentric…
“I-I don’t think so, haha…”
“If you say so, my dear friend~”
I decided I’d unpack later. For now, I wanted to read the book Mary had given me. I pulled it out of my bag.
Just as I was about to open it, a hand rested on my arm.
“Are you a witch too?”
I looked up, surprised. The person who had interrupted me was Malone! She’s a witch?! This day kept getting crazier and crazier!
“I guess?” I answered hesitantly. Malone smiled in response.
“Well then, allow me to introduce myself! My name is Malone Trey, Fire Witch of the Ignis Clan.”
At that moment, I had no idea my life was about to change after arriving at this new school. I glanced at the book, then back at Malone, and finally opened it…
---
Somewhere near Croyen School
In a forest not far from the school stood an abandoned town center. Its beauty was surreal, as if it had been freshly repainted. Shades of orange and red blended so well that one might have thought the place was on fire.
In the center of the main building was a sign that read: Clan Ignis.
In front of it stood Mary, patiently waiting at the door. Her vacant gaze was fixed on the town center.
A mature woman, aged 38, opened the door. Her blonde hair flowed down to her feet. She wore an orange belly-dancer performance outfit. With an elegance so soft, she could have been mistaken for a sun goddess.
“To whom do I owe the pleasure?”
“Mary, a wandering prototype witch seeking to ally with the great Freya of the Ignis Clan.”
The woman smiled warmly and bowed gently to Mary.
“Pleasure to meet you, young witch. My name is Freya. Please, come in! It’s better to talk over tea.”
Freya and Mary entered the town center. What a sight! The interior was even more breathtaking than the outside. Belly dancers performed for an audience of witches and wizards. The walls and floors were adorned with gold and intricate tile patterns, resembling a grand palace. Low tables and colorful Indian daybeds were scattered throughout.
Freya sat on a grand, hibiscus-adorned throne, while Mary took a seat on a nearby daybed. Servants brought out a table and began serving tea and Falooda.
---
"Why do you wish to ally with my clan, young lady?" Freya sipped her rose-scented tea.
“I want us to join forces against Morgana, the Witch of Madness…” Mary’s words left Freya wide-eyed and speechless.
“Morgana?! That abomination is still alive?!”
“Yes, she is. And we must defeat her at all costs. You know why… And I also want you to protect Maria—or rather, ‘Pandora.’”
A heavy silence filled the hall. The other witches stared fearfully at the prospect of fighting Morgana.
Freya stood, taking Mary’s hands in hers with a kind smile.
“Of course, dear. I’ll gladly help you defeat that demonic impurity. Stay here; you’ll be safe, as will your companions and that adorable little boy.”
She had noticed Lucas hiding in Mary’s bag, sneaking bits of Falooda.
“Thank you, Lady Freya.”
And thus, the alliance was born at the end of this discussion.
♡~End of Chapter 3~♡
YOU ARE READING
♡~Just Be Yourself~♡ English VERSION
Fantastik"Hey! Hey! Do you know the rumor of the wish witch?" Luna, a 6th grader, is starting school at Croyen Middle School in Kuwadorian. She is not like her big brother who is shy and reserved. Luna is a kind but sadistic girl but unfortunately she is no...
