The couple lingered in their affectionate bubble for a while longer before finishing a pleasant lunch. Ye Xingyao used her transformation magic to revert to her previous identity, and the two set off for school.
Satellite University was located in the heart of Satellite City, making the commute quite convenient.
The university’s status within the city was undisputed as the best. It excelled in everything from liberal arts like philosophy and literature to various engineering fields, digital physics, and even the arts. It was considered one of the top-tier institutions in all of Zhongzhou.
At the same time, it was a vital cradle of talent for the Human Alliance, offering many majors related to mana and spirits.
Xingyao wondered if Xingling would study hard and strive to become their junior here in two years. Both Ye Xingyao and Yi Shiyue were carefully saving those important “Senior’s Holy Relics” for their younger sister.
Regardless of whether Ye Xingling chose a major related to theirs, those materials were precious resources.
‘Tsk, why am I worrying about all this like an old mom now?’
Ye Xingyao teased herself silently.
She squeezed Yi Shiyue’s small hand as she admired the scenery outside the window and smiled triumphantly.
‘Heh heh, you single dogs at university, your Sister Yao has a girlfriend now!’
“Is something wrong?”
The latter shifted her gaze to Xingyao’s face. The moment she saw that smug grin, she understood exactly what the girl was gloating about.
“Xiao Yao, actually, most girls in Satellite City have boyfriends by the time they’re in high school.”
“Eh? Is that so?”
Ye Xingyao was a bit surprised.
She had never paid much attention to the rumors and gossip in high school. During her freshman year, she had been a bit of a chuunibyou. Then, in her sophomore year, everything changed suddenly. Between researching the things her parents left behind and becoming a hunter, she hadn’t had much chance to learn about such things.
Just keeping up with her studies and maintaining her status as a top student had taken all the effort she could muster…
“It seems to be something that spread from eastern Zhongzhou a long time ago—the idea that it’s better for girls to have dating experience and such,” Yi Shiyue explained, pinching Ye Xingyao’s cheek.
“There’s actually a saying like that? I thought everyone was like us… well, our situation is a bit special… how should I describe it… like, you should wait until you have some life experience before dating?”
“After all, even if people just laze around until they die, they can still live a decent life. So why study? Isn’t it better to spend that time doing more interesting and exciting things? That’s probably the mindset.”
“I see. In that case, I’m really sorry for making you wait for me for so long, Shiyue.”
Ye Xingyao blinked and gave a mischievous smile.
“Mmh, what are you doing? Ow, don’t pinch my face! If you want to pinch something, pinch your own…”
***
Before long, the railcar dropped them off at the school gates. Seeing the four grand words “Satellite University” illuminated by mana circuits meant they had arrived at the main entrance.
“Today’s class… oh, Mana and Life. Looks like I’ll have to copy notes again.”
Ye Xingyao spoke with a look of annoyance.
“Mana and Life,” as the name suggested, was a field that combined life sciences and mana studies. Unfortunately, the instructor for this course at Satellite University specialized in “The Connection Between the Origin of Life and the Origin of Mana.” Learning it felt more like studying history, and the class required hand-copied notes.
Seriously, how many years has it been, and they’re still doing this?
However, the classrooms at Satellite University were entirely under the instructor’s control. Whatever requirements the teacher had, one had to complete them as best as possible.
Of course, the teachers wouldn’t put on airs or deliberately make things difficult for students. After all…
There was no telling if one of the students might be a magical girl, an esper, or a hunter. Looking for trouble with them for no reason was just asking for a headache.
Ye Xingyao and Yi Shiyue found their classroom and chose a relatively quiet spot in the back row. They sat side by side, waiting for the lecture to begin.
Unfortunately, shortly after they sat down, that peace was shattered.
“Um, Ye Xingyao, your house is near Satellite Park, right? How is it over there now?”
A male student walked over and sat mysteriously in the row in front of them. He turned around to strike up a conversation. He appeared to be a Mana Engineering student, but Xingyao couldn’t recall his name for a moment.
“If you’re asking about the reconstruction progress, I’m not sure. Actually, I probably know even less about anything else you might ask.”
Ye Xingyao shrugged.
“Seeing how energetic you are now, you probably hid in the basement as soon as you heard the alarm. I guess you really don’t know anything.”
“Ha, I was even further away than that. I was on a date with my fri… my girlfriend. I only heard the news about the area being destroyed by monsters before I even got home.”
“I see. Alright then, I’ll be going.”
“Yeah, see you.”
***
Once the person had walked away, Yi Shiyue leaned closer to Ye Xingyao and whispered.
“Who was that?”
“No clue. Don’t know him.”
Ye Xingyao threw up her hands. However, since she had used transformation magic to change into a male appearance, the gesture looked a bit comical.
“…Alright.”
Yi Shiyue burst into a brief fit of laughter, unsure of what to say.
“Ahem, students, prepare for class…”
A middle-aged man stepped onto the podium from outside, cleared his throat, and began the day’s lecture after scanning the room.
***
“Students, take a break. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me. Alright, class dismissed.”
It was the mid-class break.
Life hadn’t changed much after becoming a Star Spirit, aside from establishing a romantic relationship with Shiyue. Everything else was the same as before.
‘Sigh, the dull and boring university life…’
Ye Xingyao lay flat on the desk, her mind wandering aimlessly. Suddenly, she felt a familiar urge in her lower abdomen. She stood up, intending to head to the restroom.
Before she could take a single step, Yi Shiyue grabbed the hem of her shirt. Before she could turn around, her childhood friend stuffed two pieces of paper into her hand.
‘Hiss…’ This served as a reminder.
At the very least, going to the men’s restroom now meant she had to find a stall.
After relieving herself, Ye Xingyao strolled leisurely through the school corridors back toward the classroom.
“Hey, isn’t your brother a squad leader in the Combat Department? Do you know what happened on Saturday night?”
That voice sounded familiar. Wasn’t it that classmate who had approached her earlier?
“Ugh, don’t even mention it. No matter how I tried to fish for info, my brother wouldn’t say a word. It’s like there’s some huge, earth-shattering secret.”
“Damn, what a shame.”
“But… according to my brother, they’re going on a mission to an abandoned factory in the suburbs this Saturday. Once they confirm the area is safe, we might be able to go there and check it out. We might even find something amazing.”
“Oh? There’s a place like that? That sounds great. I’ll let the guys know.”
The Combat Department, Saturday, the suburbs, and an abandoned factory?
What kind of trouble were they stirring up now?