Multiverse Academy with a Naughty System

The Ortigia Academy was an impressive place. The gates that Basara had just passed through were huge, carved in dark iron with magical symbols that he didn't fully understand. Students were bustling around in the main courtyard, and the corridors were just as crowded.

As Basara prepared to say goodbye to Moka and head for the West Wing, he heard a male voice calling their attention. He turned and saw a boy of medium height, with short brown hair and piercing eyes, approaching with a casual smile.

"You're both new students, right?" asked the boy, crossing his arms with a confidence that seemed natural.

"Yes, I'm Basara Toujou, and this is Moka-san," replied Basara, showing Moka beside him.

"I'm Issei Hyoudou, one member of the student council. I can guide her... I mean, you two to the classrooms, since it's your first day."

"How do you know it's our first day?" Basara asked.

Issei pointed to both of their hands. "You're holding your newbie cards."

Basara and Moka exchanged a quick glance, both aware that they really were a bit out of place in their surroundings. Basara wasn't sure what to make of Issei, but he seemed willing to help, which was a relief.

"Oh, of course. I guess that gave us away pretty quickly, huh?" commented Basara.

Issei laughed, crossing his arms. "Yeah, it's easy to spot. Furthermore, it's my responsibility to keep an eye on the new students."

As they talked, Basara noticed Issei was looking at Moka in a way that made it clear why he had so readily offered to help them. They walked in silence for a moment, the sound of their footsteps echoing through the marble corridors.

The corridors were wide and well-lit, with huge windows that allowed sunlight to flood in, but the castle still had that slightly gothic look. On the walls, paintings of ancient figures literally watched and reacted to their movements.

When they reached the West Wing, Issei led them to an imposing wooden door. He asked them to wait, went inside, and talked to the teacher. When he returned, he said: "Good luck. See you around."

Basara took a deep breath and entered, with Moka by his side. The room was practically full, and, as expected, all eyes turned to them. In fact, they turned to her. To be honest, Basara felt a little relieved. Letting Moka be the center of attention meant that he could fit in quietly without too much attention on him.

The teacher, a thin, short, balding man, welcomed them with a nod, indicating that they should introduce themselves.

"Please, new students, come forward and introduce yourself to the class."

Basara looked at Moka, who gave a small smile before walking with light steps to the front of the room. "My name is Moka Akashiya. I hope we can get along."

The murmurs grew louder, and Basara saw a few glances of interest among the students. Meanwhile, he just hoped that his own introduction would be quick and painless.

"I'm Basara Toujou. I also hope we can get along."

Basara didn't have the same presence as Moka, and that was a good thing. He walked to an empty seat at the back of the room, where he could observe everything without being disturbed.

As he sat down, he noticed his desk neighbor was already there. She was a small girl with short, white hair. The cat ears sticking out of her head were an unusual detail for him, but what really caught his attention was her blank stare. She stared out of the window, completely absorbed, as if the world around her simply didn't exist.

For a moment, Basara considered introducing himself. It was his first day, and perhaps it would be a good idea to try to make new friends. But something in her gaze made him think again and back away.

Class began, and the teacher made a point of talking about the Academy's rules — how they shouldn't use their magical abilities outside of class or leave their true 'forms' out in the open. The moment he said this, Basara saw out of the corner of his eye the white-haired girl's ears disappear. Otherwise, most of the rules were like those of an ordinary school.

When the bell rang for break, the room filled with chatter and laughter, and the students began to get up.

Moka was quickly surrounded by curious classmates, as was to be expected. She handled the attention well, smiling politely as she answered questions about where she came from and what she expected from the Academy.

Basara stayed in his corner, watching from afar. Before taking any action, he knew he needed to analyze the terrain, something he always did best. Part of his attention was focused on the girl next to him. Ever since the bell rang for the change of classes, she had gone back to gazing peacefully at the sky through the window.

Finally, Basara decided to try to strike up a conversation. He cleared his throat and leaned towards her.

"Hi, I'm Basara. Looks like we're going to be wallet neighbors."

For a moment, he thought she wouldn't answer, but then, in a low voice, she said:

"I'm Koneko... Koneko Toujou."

The surname took Basara by surprise. 

'Toujou? The same surname as my?' 

Before he could ask questions, she looked away again, returning her gaze to the window, as if the conversation had already ended.

'O-okay, it seems she's not much of a conversationalist. What a problem...' he thought, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms.

Then he looked to Moka, who was still surrounded by colleagues, smiling while she answered a deluge of questions. To Basara's surprise, she glanced back and their eyes met. Her cheeks flushed, which surprised him.

Just then, one girl around Moka asked another question, and she turned her attention back to the group, smiling again.

Basara sighed and tilted his head to the side. 'Is she human?' It was a question that hadn't left his mind since he'd met her. In an academy where many races coexisted, it was natural to wonder.

'Too bad I can't even ask. The teacher said strongly that the main rule of the academy is not to tell other students about your race.'

He needed a moment to process everything, from his new surroundings to the bustle of the classroom, the loud conversations and the laughter, which didn't help him concentrate. He decided to leave the classroom for a moment, using the bathroom as an excuse to get away while the teacher for the next class didn't arrive.

As he left, he realized that, no matter how many times he looked around, he still felt small in that school with such vast corridors. As he walked, he turned a corner and bumped into a familiar girl. Her hair was long and red, and her eyes looked like bright, mesmerizing rubies. Basara recognized her immediately: Naruse Mio.

'Oh! It's Mio! I intended to start looking for her soon, but fate has once again...'

"Why are you staring at me like an idiot?" Naruse Mio said in a cutting tone, her eyes narrowed.

Basara froze for a moment, surprised by the abrupt reaction. "I... I just..."

She rolled her eyes and tossed her red hair back, visibly disinterested.

"Tsk. Stop staring at me and mind your own business, kid."

She walked away, without looking back, and Basara felt a weight on his chest. This was not the interaction he had expected — not even close.

Obviously, he thought that when they met, she might recognize him somehow, but that didn't happen. Apparently, he was really the only one the faceless man had told about everything, preserving his memories of the old world.

Sighing, he massaged his temples. 'At least it's good to know she's okay...'