They stared at each other, utterly shocked by their accidental synchronicity.
Catherina, momentarily stunned by the sheer amount of attention from both the group of girls and the approaching trio, finally managed to stammer.
"Uhh, who are you guys?"
Darius immediately stepped forward, an air of prideful arrogance about him.
"I am Darius Grimm, from the Grimm household."
Eric quickly cut in, stepping beside Darius.
"I am Eric Lionheart," he said, offering a more welcoming smile, "and this is my friend, Gwen Clover."
Catherina blinked, her expression shifting as recognition dawned.
"Ahh, now I remember," she said, her tone softening slightly.
"Your households are famous and have a great history behind them. Especially you two," she added, looking between Eric and Darius.
"Your families have always been rivals, right? For better or for worse, you've been competing every generation."
Darius puffed out his chest, a self-satisfied smirk on his face.
"Oh, so you do know my family. Perhaps you'd like to know more about me instead?"
Eric immediately cut in, a hint of annoyance in his voice.
"Stop being creepy, Darius."
He then turned to Catherina, his tone respectful.
"I'm honored for my family to be known by Catherina Montaigne herself, next heir of the Montaigne household."
Catherina was visibly surprised by Eric's respectful demeanor.
As the dynamic between the trio began to brew, Gwen quickly stepped in.
"So," she interjected, trying to redirect the conversation, "do you want to eat with us?"
But before Catherina could answer, the group of girls who had cornered her earlier cut in, their voices rising in protest.
"That's not fair! We got here first! We asked her first!"
Seeing the commotion escalate, Catherina quickly interjected, raising a placating hand.
"Why don't we all just go and eat together?"
"That's a good idea!" Eric said, his face brightening.
"Let me lead the way!" He immediately started walking towards the exit.
Gwen sighed, but followed him, while Darius, still a bit moody from Eric's earlier jab, trailed along behind them.
The group of girls, though initially put out, eventually followed suit, eager for the chance to spend time with the new student.
---
As the sizable group, led by Eric and Catherina, made their way through the academy grounds towards the cafeteria, a wave went through the students around them.
Heads turned, whispers spread, and curious or admiring gazes followed them.
Many recognized the prominent figures within the group.
Eric Lionheart, Darius Grimm, Gwen Clover, and of course, the new, striking transfer student, Catherina Montaigne.
With every step, the stares intensified. Some students even approached, eager to exchange words with Catherina or to greet Eric, Darius, and Gwen.
Catherina, while initially accustomed to and even slightly pleased by the attention, found herself looking at the faces around her with a growing sense of unease.
She saw them with what felt like "fake faces" or "masks."
"Ahh, how could I forget?" she thought, a familiar, suffocating sensation tightening in her chest.
"This is how it felt like."
"This suffocating restraints and the feeling of being watched or approached and deceived by people wearing masks all the time."
It was not bad at first, back when she was younger, to have so much attention and praise.
But at some point, as she grew up, she'd figured out how fake the people around her truly were.
Her hard work and genuine efforts received empty praises from people with their own agendas, always.
"This world is full of them," Catherina concluded bitterly.
Then the large group finally arrived at the bustling cafeteria, they maneuvered to find a long, empty table and began to gather their meals.
Just as they settled in, Eric, Gwen, and Darius, along with the other students, caught sight of a figure yawning widely and heading for the exit.
A bored expression on his face as he made his way back towards the training hall.
It was Kaito.
"Hey, isn't that the guy who chose two swords?" one student from the group whispered.
Another immediately chimed in, "Not just any two swords! Two katanas!"
"Look at him, was he eating alone? What a loner."
"Yeah, I heard him ask if dual-wielding was even allowed," added a third, chuckling.
"Who does that?"
But Catherina looked at him differently.
Her eyes followed him, tracking his departing figure until he disappeared through the cafeteria doors.
"Wait," she thought, a new, unsettling idea forming in her mind.
"Are you wearing a mask too?" Her thoughts lingered, her gaze still fixed on the door Kaito had exited.
"Catherina, what's the matter?" Eric's voice cut through her reverie, bringing her back to the table.
She blinked, looking at him and then at the others.
"Nothing," she said, shaking her head slightly. "Let's eat."
As they began to eat, the conversation naturally shifted, and soon they were talking about their magic.
"My fire magic is all about offense!" Eric declared, a spark of enthusiasm in his eyes.
"My firebolts can melt through basic armor if I concentrate enough, and my flames can light up the darkest dungeons!"
Gwen nodded, a thoughtful expression on her face.
"Nature magic is more about control and defense, I think," she contributed.
"My plant spells are great for holding enemies in place, or even creating shields."
"You wouldn't believe how strong a good, solid root can be when it bursts from the ground."
"Water magic is incredibly versatile," Catherina stated, a calm authority in her voice.
"It can protect as much as it attacks, adapting to almost any situation."
"A protective shield of water, or a sharp stream capable of cutting through stone."
Darius snorted, a competitive glint in his eye.
"Versatile is nice, but ice is all about raw power."
"Freezing enemies solid, shattering defenses, it's unmatched in sheer destructive force."
As they talked more, Catherina observed her new companions.
At least these three don't have a mask in front of me, she thought, a rare flicker of relief.
Or should I say, they are not hiding what they want from me.
---
Meanwhile, Kaito was resting on the floor of the training room.
He had just finished eating and returned early to gather his thoughts.
He asked the System to show his Player Status.
The blue interface popped up, displaying the rewards he'd earned from choosing his weapons earlier, the two additional stat points and the 150 extra coins.
Player Status
Name: Kaito Kuromaku Lv.: 1 Age: 16
Race: Human
HP: 150/150 MP: 10/10 SP: 60/60
Coins: 150
Stat Point Available: 2
Unclaimed Rewards: 0
Stats:
Strength (STR): 8
Agility (AGI): 6
Vitality (VIT): 7
Intelligence (INT): 5
Resolve (RES): 6
Charisma (CHA): 5
Luck (LCK): 5
"System, add 2 on Strength," he immediately declared, his voice firm.
"If I'm right," he thought, a familiar thrill running through him, "it should give me something because I just reached 10 on my first stat!"
The System immediately popped out a notification, just as Kaito expected:
Strength (STR) Reached 10!
Rewards:
HP +30
MP +20
SP +30
Coins +100
Before Kaito could even fully process the first message, another notification appeared:
The System popped out the player status again without waiting for Kaito's orders like it knows Kaito would want to see it.
Player Status
Name: Kaito Kuromaku Lvl:1 Exp:0/10
Age: 16 Race: Human
HP: 180/180 MP: 30/30 SP: 90/90
Coins: 250
Stat Point Available: 0
Unclaimed Rewards: 0
Stats:
Strength (STR): 10
Agility (AGI): 6
Vitality (VIT): 7
Intelligence (INT): 5
Resolve (RES): 6
Charisma (CHA): 5
Luck (LCK): 5
A surge of power, more potent and profound than just allocating the stat points, washed through Kaito.
His body felt lighter, yet more solid, a vibrant energy coursing through his veins.
He was surprised by the sheer number of notifications, but even more so by the palpable changes within himself.
Ecstatic that his theory was correct, he threw his head back and laughed loudly, a joyous, almost manic sound that echoed in the quiet training hall.
---
His sudden outburst made everyone else in the room turn and stare at him weirdly again.
Catherina, who had just returned with the large group from the cafeteria, fixed him with a particularly bewildered and annoyed gaze.
Catherina sighed heavily, a sound that drew immediate concern from the girls surrounding her.
They quickly converged, trying to comfort her.
"Are you alright?" one of the girls asked, her voice soft with worry.
"It must be hard, being partnered to a guy like him," another added, casting a wary glance towards Kaito.
"I heard he was a commoner with an unknown background," a third whispered, leaning in.
"If he's not an idiot, he's a dangerous person to be with."
Gwen, who had been observing the scene, stepped forward.
"Do you want to go to Professor Aurora?" she asked Catherina, her gaze serious.
"You could ask for a partner change."
Before Catherina could answer, three guys from the group, clearly eager to impress her with their "manliness," exchanged glances.
They straightened their shoulders and began to approach Kaito, who was still giggling to himself on the floor.