Volume 3 Chapter 153: The First Day Of School

The first thing Ryota noticed when he opened his eyes was the faint scratching of a pen against paper.

For several seconds, he remained beneath the warmth of his blanket, still caught somewhere between sleep and wakefulness. His thoughts were slow and unfocused, and the unfamiliar quiet of the early morning made it difficult for him to immediately remember where he was.

The curtains were still drawn across the window, leaving the bedroom in a soft darkness. Only a thin line of pale morning light slipped through the gap between them, suggesting that sunrise was approaching. Somewhere downstairs, the refrigerator hummed quietly, and beyond the walls of the house, the distant sound of a vehicle passing along the street occasionally broke the silence.

Then the scratching sound came again.

Ryota turned his head toward the desk.

Rio was already awake.

More importantly, she was already dressed.

Her school uniform was perfectly arranged, not a single part of it appearing out of place. Her silver-white hair was neatly styled, and she sat upright at the desk beside the window with a notebook open in front of her. Several pages were already filled with handwriting, and judging by the concentration on her face, she had been there for quite some time.

Ryota rubbed his eyes and slowly pushed himself upright.

"...Rio?"

The pen stopped.

Rio glanced over her shoulder.

"You're awake."

Ryota blinked sleepily and looked around the room before his eyes settled on the clock sitting on the desk.

He squinted at the display.

"...What time is it?"

Rio followed his gaze.

"A little too early."

She paused briefly before answering.

"About six."

Ryota stared at her.

"Six?"

"Yes."

"It's still basically nighttime."

Rio calmly closed her notebook.

"We have school today."

Ryota looked at her as though she had just given him the most ridiculous explanation imaginable.

"That's your reason for being awake at six?"

"It's the first day."

"That's even more reason to sleep."

Rio ignored his complaint.

She stood from her chair and stretched her arms slightly, her expression remaining completely composed despite the unreasonable hour.

"I already made a schedule for the morning."

Ryota stared at her.

"You made a schedule?"

Rio nodded as though there were nothing unusual about that.

"Breakfast. Bath. Get dressed. Leave the house. Arrive before the bell."

She looked directly at him.

"You should get ready."

Ryota remained silent for several seconds.

"...You're way too serious about school."

Rio's expression didn't change.

"It's our first day."

"Exactly."

"So?"

Ryota sighed.

"Nothing."

He pushed the blanket aside and reluctantly climbed out of bed.

"I'm going."

Rio nodded.

"Good."

She walked toward the bedroom door, but just before opening it, she stopped.

Without turning around, she added, "And don't take too long."

Ryota looked at her back.

"...Yes, ma'am."

Rio opened the door and disappeared downstairs.

Ryota remained standing beside the bed for several seconds.

He glanced toward the clock.

6:03 AM.

Then he looked toward the doorway through which Rio had disappeared.

Finally, he looked back at the clock.

"...This is going to be a long day."

With another tired sigh, he grabbed his clothes and headed toward the bathroom.

The bathroom was still cold when Ryota entered.

He turned on the shower and waited for the water to warm while brushing his teeth. The familiar routine gave him a few quiet minutes to let his mind catch up with the fact that the summer vacation was over.

Today was the first day of school.

Ordinarily, it would have been nothing particularly special.

Students returned to their classrooms, teachers started another term, and everyone complained about having to wake up early again.

But Ryota's life had stopped being ordinary a long time ago.

He stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror.

The face looking back at him was still young.

Much younger than the one he remembered from his previous life.

That was something he still hadn't completely gotten used to.

He had spent years living one life, only to suddenly find himself standing inside the body of his younger self with memories that shouldn't have existed yet.

Fifteen years of memories.

A second chance.

Evermount.

Crowned Era.

Sayanaki.

Akari and Memory.

The coming update.

The future they were already changing.

And now...

School.

Ryota turned off the faucet and looked at himself again.

For once, there was no dungeon waiting for him.

No guild meeting.

No boss fight.

No grinding session.

No equipment to optimize.

No strategy he needed to prepare.

It was simply school.

A completely ordinary part of the life he had once lived.

Maybe that was what made it feel so strange.

He had spent so much time preparing for the future that he had forgotten what it was like to simply exist in the present.

Ryota stepped beneath the warm shower and let the water run over his head.

"...Maybe this won't be so bad."

He paused.

Then immediately frowned.

"Knowing my luck, I probably just jinxed it."

With that thought, he continued getting ready.

By the time Ryota finally made his way downstairs, the smell of freshly prepared food had already filled the house.

He stopped halfway down the stairs.

The aroma of grilled fish, rice, miso soup, and freshly cooked eggs drifted through the dining room, making the sleepy morning suddenly feel much more inviting.

Rio was standing in the kitchen.

Apparently, she had been cooking while Ryota was getting ready.

The dining table was already prepared, with each dish arranged neatly and everything placed exactly where it belonged. It was almost as if she had been preparing for the morning since the moment she woke up.

Rio placed the final dish on the table and glanced toward the staircase.

"You're finally done."

Ryota looked at the clock.

6:42.

"You were timing me?"

"You took almost forty minutes."

"I took a bath."

"You took a very long bath."

Ryota ignored the accusation and looked toward the table.

Akari was already sitting there.

She was still wearing her pajamas, her hair slightly messy from sleep, and she was lazily eating a piece of egg while staring at her phone. Unlike in Evermount, there were no weapons, skills, monsters, or strange creatures surrounding her.

This was simply Akari at home.

Ryota smiled.

"Morning."

Akari looked up from her phone.

"Morning."

Her eyes moved toward Rio.

Then toward Ryota.

Then back toward Rio.

"You two are way too energetic this early."

Rio placed her hands on her hips.

"You're one to talk."

"I'm awake, aren't I?"

"You're barely conscious."

Akari shrugged.

"Still counts."

Ryota pulled out a chair and sat beside Rio.

Akari continued looking at her phone for another few seconds.

Then her expression suddenly changed.

"Hm?"

Rio looked over.

"What?"

Akari tilted the screen slightly.

"The maintenance is still going."

Rio nodded.

"Of course."

"The update should finish later today."

Her eyes brightened.

"Patch 0.3."

Rio gave a small smile.

"Yes."

Akari placed her phone on the table.

"That's the eight-skill update, right?"

Rio nodded.

"The limited skill system."

"And Skill Synchronization."

"And Skill Union."

Akari's interest immediately grew.

"Right."

She leaned forward.

"What are you going to do?"

Rio blinked.

"About what?"

"The update."

Akari began counting the questions on her fingers.

"Your eight slots. Which skills are you keeping? Are you going to change your build? Are you going to use Synchronization? What about Union?"

Rio stared at her.

For several seconds, she didn't answer.

Ryota slowly looked toward her.

He recognized that expression.

It was the expression Rio made whenever she was trying extremely hard not to reveal how she was feeling.

Akari continued without noticing.

"If we're joining Crowned Era, I want to understand how everyone is going to build around the new system."

Something changed in Rio's eyes.

They softened.

Then, almost without warning, Rio stood.

Akari blinked.

"Sis?"

Rio walked around the table.

"Wait. Why are you—"

Before Akari could finish, Rio leaned down and wrapped both arms around her.

"Eh?!"

Akari immediately froze.

Rio hugged her tightly.

Much more tightly than Akari had expected.

The older sister buried her face against Akari's shoulder, holding her as though she had just been reunited with someone she hadn't seen in years.

Akari's face immediately turned bright red.

"S-Sis!"

Rio didn't let go.

"You asked me about my build."

"Yeah?!"

"You actually asked me."

Akari blinked.

"...Yes?"

Rio tightened the hug slightly.

"I thought you didn't want my help."

Akari's expression softened.

"I said I didn't want you to play the game for me."

Rio finally lifted her head.

Her eyes were slightly watery.

"But you still want to hear what I think?"

Akari stared at her.

"...Of course I do."

Rio immediately hugged her again.

Akari's face became even redder.

"Sis!"

Ryota quietly picked up his bowl of miso soup.

He decided that this was not a situation he should involve himself in.

Akari struggled against the embrace.

"You're being too clingy!"

Rio shook her head.

"I'm not."

"You absolutely are!"

"I'm expressing affection."

"You're crushing me!"

Rio somehow managed to hug her even tighter.

Akari groaned.

"Ryota!"

Ryota looked up.

"Hm?"

"Help me with her!"

She pointed helplessly at Rio.

"She's too clingy!"

Ryota looked at Rio.

Rio looked back at him.

Her eyes were still slightly watery.

Ryota immediately looked away.

"...I'm afraid I can't help you."

Akari stared at him.

"Why?!"

"I value my life."

"Traitor!"

Rio smiled faintly.

Akari eventually stopped struggling and simply let out a long sigh.

For all the world knew Rio as a calm, strict, composed, and stubborn person, Akari knew there was another side to her older sister.

When it came to Akari, Rio could become surprisingly sensitive.

She was protective.

She was emotional.

And, apparently, she was extremely clingy whenever she felt that her little sister wanted her around.

Akari finally managed to push Rio away.

"Okay."

She straightened her pajama collar and fixed her hair.

"Now sit down."

Rio quietly returned to her chair.

Akari looked away, still embarrassed.

"...You're ridiculous."

Rio smiled.

"You still love me."

Akari's ears turned red.

"...Eat your breakfast."

Ryota covered a laugh behind his bowl.

Rio immediately turned toward him.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Breakfast continued after that, although Akari remained visibly embarrassed by what had happened.

Eventually, the conversation returned to Evermount.

Rio explained the important changes coming with Patch 0.3, particularly the eight limited active skill slots. She explained that unique skills such as Chronos Eye and Scalular Impact would remain outside the limit, while ordinary active skills and item-based skills would consume slots.

She also reminded Akari that passive skills were unaffected by the eight-slot restriction.

Skill Synchronization and Skill Union would provide players with additional ways to specialize their builds, but neither system would remove the fundamental importance of choosing which skills deserved those limited spaces.

Akari listened carefully.

Unlike before, she wasn't asking Rio to solve anything for her.

She simply wanted to understand.

"What would you do if you were starting from scratch?"

Akari asked.

Rio considered the question.

"I'd prioritize flexibility."

"Why?"

"Because we don't know what the new meta will become."

Rio glanced toward Ryota.

"I don't want to lock myself into one build too early."

Ryota nodded.

"That sounds like you."

Rio smiled.

"I'll experiment."

Akari thought about that for a moment.

Then she smiled.

"That's what I want to do too."

Rio's expression softened.

"Good."

She could have told Akari exactly what would become powerful.

She could have told her which combinations would eventually dominate PvP.

She could have explained which skills would rise in value and which builds would become popular.

But she didn't.

This was Akari's game.

Her adventure.

Her story.

And Rio wanted her sister to experience it herself.

For fifteen years, Rio had relied on knowledge of the future to survive.

Now she was beginning to understand that knowing the future didn't mean she had to force everyone else to follow the path she remembered.

Sometimes protecting someone meant giving them the freedom to make their own choices.

Eventually, breakfast came to an end.

Rio gathered the dishes while Ryota helped clear the table. Akari disappeared upstairs to finish getting ready.

A few minutes later, the three of them stood near the entrance with their bags packed and shoes on.

The morning sun had finally risen above the rooftops, casting warm light across the hallway.

Rio opened the front door.

Sunlight spilled inside.

Akari stepped outside first.

"Let's go."

Ryota followed.

Rio closed the door behind them.

The first day of school had officially begun.

The walk toward school was surprisingly peaceful.

The streets were filled with students returning after the summer vacation. Some walked together in large groups, laughing and talking about their vacations, while others hurried toward the train station because they had already realized they were running late.

Akari walked a little ahead of Rio and Ryota while checking something on her phone.

Rio and Ryota followed behind.

For several minutes, neither of them spoke.

Then Ryota glanced toward Rio.

"So."

Rio looked at him.

"So?"

"What are you planning to do today?"

Rio raised an eyebrow.

"At school?"

"Obviously."

She thought for a moment before answering.

"Nothing."

Ryota stared at her.

"Nothing?"

"I'm just going to enjoy school life."

"You?"

"Yes."

"You've been planning everything for the last few weeks."

"Evermount is different."

Rio looked toward the school building in the distance.

"I already lived through this part of my life once."

Her expression softened.

"But I don't remember enjoying it."

Ryota's expression changed.

Rio continued walking.

"I was always thinking about the future. Evermount. Grinding. Guilds. Levels. Equipment."

She paused.

"This time..."

A faint smile appeared on her face.

"I just want to enjoy being a student."

Ryota smiled.

"Sounds nice."

Rio nodded.

"It does."

There was no strategy behind those words.

No hidden calculation.

No plan.

Just a simple desire to experience a life she had never truly allowed herself to live.

The school gates eventually came into view.

Students crowded the entrance, filling the courtyard with conversation and laughter. Teachers stood near the doors, occasionally calling out to students who were running because they were already cutting it too close.

Akari suddenly stopped.

She turned toward Rio and Ryota.

"I'm going to meet Memory."

Rio nodded.

"All right."

Akari smiled.

"See you later."

Ryota waved.

"Have fun."

Akari turned around and started walking away.

Then she suddenly looked back.

"Don't get into trouble!"

Ryota pointed at himself.

"Me?"

Akari laughed.

"Especially you."

Rio smiled as Akari disappeared into the crowd.

She was probably going to find Memory before classes began.

Ryota looked toward Rio.

"Ready?"

Rio nodded.

"Yeah."

The two entered the school together.

The hallway was already crowded with students. Conversations echoed from every direction as classmates reunited after the summer vacation. Doors opened and closed, chairs scraped against floors, and teachers occasionally called for students to settle down.

Eventually, Rio and Ryota reached their classroom.

Rio slid the door open.

Then stopped.

Ryota nearly walked into her.

"What?"

Rio didn't answer.

Her eyes were fixed on something inside the classroom.

Ryota followed her gaze.

Most of the students had not arrived yet.

A few were already seated at their desks, talking quietly among themselves.

Near the window, however, one girl sat alone.

She appeared completely detached from the noise surrounding her.

Her posture was relaxed, with one hand resting beneath her chin as she gazed outside the window. Her black hair fell naturally around her shoulders, and the morning sunlight illuminated the side of her face.

She looked calm.

Almost indifferent.

Ryota's eyes slowly widened.

Rio froze.

Neither of them needed to say her name.

They knew that face.

They knew those eyes.

They knew exactly who she was.

Rio's heartbeat suddenly accelerated.

The girl sitting beside the window slowly turned her head.

Her crimson eyes met Rio's.

For a moment, the noise of the classroom seemed to fade into the background.

Rio simply stared.

Ryota stared as well.

"...No way."

The girl continued looking at them.

Then the smallest smile appeared on her face.

It was subtle enough that another person might have missed it.

Rio didn't.

She knew that expression.

The girl by the window was none other than Sayanaki.

And somehow...

she was now their classmate.