Naja
“What is that…?”
Washu, who had just arrived at the Jurai Imperial Academy, was hiding behind a large pillar. Akara Naja, a woman three years her senior, had come to greet her. But she was not alone. She was leading a crowd of people prepared for the full-blown pageantry of a reception for some head of state: a brass band, a garrison of students in full dress uniform, children with small pennants, and thousands of banners that read “Welcome, Hakubi Washu-sama.”
Of course, she had received a similar, if not flashier, send-off when she left home. What was decidedly different was that this grand welcome party was clearly out of place. They stood out terribly, and people gave them a wide berth.
“You’ve got to be kidding me. There’s no way I’m going out there!” Washu was seriously considering turning around on the spot, buying a ticket home, and heading back to Kanamitsu.
“Hey, Naja, you here to welcome a new student?” A man, apparently a student, strode decisively out from the throng of rubberneckers to speak to Naja.
“Yes, and she’s supposed to be the greatest genius to come here since the Academy’s founding. But she sure is late.”
“Say, Naja… I think you ought to know…”
“There she is!!” Naja spotted Washu behind the pillar, trying to sneak away, and sprinted to catch her. “Hey! Why are you running away?!” Still holding her banner, she raced after Washu.
I don’t blame her, thought every single person present.
“Stop!!” Naja called after Washu and then yelled back to the crowd, “What are you all doing? After her!”
Washu lost the game of tag. She possessed superior legs and endurance, but her opponent was more familiar with the local geography. Besides, this was Naja, a student in the Department of Philosophy. Since Washu wasn’t using her powers, she had no chance against such a large-scale mobilization.
Naja seemed to be quite notorious at the Academy, and Washu spotted many people pointing and whispering wherever they went. Furthermore, the attention-grabbing chase at the airport was featured in the extra edition of the student newspaper, which Washu held by the time they boarded the bus for the Department of Philosophy. Even so soon after her arrival, Washu had already become a celebrity.
“Naja-san, I wanted to say…” Washu’s hands trembled slightly.
“Ha ha, call me Naja. The greatest genius in the Academy’s history is already the center of attention! I’m impressed,” Naja laughed and patted Washu’s shoulders.
“Thanks to you.”
“What I did was nothing. Everyone is curious about the genius, of course.”
Does this woman not get sarcasm? Was she happy-go-lucky or clueless? It left Washu at a loss for words.
“In any case, it took thirty-three minutes, thirty-five seconds to pin you down… I wouldn’t expect anything less from a genius. I expected to take you down right at the thirty-three minute, thirty-three second mark… Like I said, a genius!” Naja nodded, impressed, as she looked over the paper.
What?! But I was honestly trying to outrun them… Washu stared at Naja in consternation. Naja’s words truly shocked her.
“By the way, Miss Genius…”
“A genius, by two seconds? Please don’t call me that. I…”
“So I can call you Washu-chan?”
“Wait, I just met you, and…”
“Washu-chan, do you have a boyfriend?” Naja pressed on, ignoring Washu’s objections.
“Huh? Uh…what I’m saying is…”
“You don’t, do you, Washu-chan? Do you? Do you?”
Overwhelmed, Washu was taken aback. “I don’t…” That, and a sigh, were all she could muster.
“So, you’re single!”
“You sound rather happy…”
“Huh? Well, I mean… I don’t have a boyfriend either. We’re two of a kind, right, Washu-chan?” The endearment “Washu-chan” seemed to have stuck. “I just know we’ll get along. Let’s be friends. ♥ I know the Academy like my own backyard, Washu-chan, so you can ask me anything.”
“Have you been here long?”
“I was born here.” Naja meant that she had been born at the Academy. Although the planet technically belonged to the Academy, the campus did not cover the whole world. Naturally, there were operation and maintenance facilities, as well as the institutions necessary for the employees, students, and professors and their families to live comfortably. All those elements, taken together, could be referred to as the Academy.
The Academy also had many systems in place to offer different educational models. Most attendees stayed at dormitories or apartments close to their departments, but some built houses on small, isolated islands and attended online correspondence courses. Some even studied while cruising around the planet in camper vans or on a boat.
Of course, with that many students, not all of them were well-off. Some slept in their department buildings in sleeping bags and worked for their tuition money. Intercontinental wars between dueling departments were fairly common, so a problem-solving organization—a sort of student council cum federation—was established with representatives from each department.
It was no exaggeration to say that the Academy had all the problems common to entire planets. It was just that most people there worked diligently in the pursuit of knowledge. That was the biggest difference between the Academy and other worlds.
“Here we are.” After disembarking from the bus and walking for five minutes, Washu and Naja stopped in front of a large house. It was a spacious residence, befitting a plutocrat. The neighborhood seemed to be an affluent residential district, lined with palatial mansions, but this one was particularly magnificent.
“This is impressive. Is this your house, Naja-san?”
“…” Naja returned a piercing stare with dead eyes.
“Um… Naja-san?”
“Yup, nice joke. Very funny,” Naja said with a stiff smile, patting her on the shoulder. “Nobody invites a new student to their own house straight off the ship.”
“Is this the school?”
“Yeah, right!” Just as Naja shouted in delight, the large gates slowly opened. Beyond them were an elderly man and rows of maids lined up in an orderly manner on either side of the stone pavement leading to the mansion.
“We’ve been waiting for you, Hakubi Washu-sama. Welcome.” The man reverently bowed his head. Behind him were gardens gorgeously lit up in the night.