The days of studying at home passed in the blink of an eye.
Shiki felt that his knowledge base was sufficient, so he contacted a private high school in neighboring Misaki City and prepared to take its entrance examination.
Transferring schools just before the end of the first year sounded somewhat strange, but the other school did not refuse. They merely said they would make a decision after the examination.
After agreeing on a time, they ended the call.
"The 10th, Sunday. That school doesn't have the day off?"
Shiki found himself wondering about it. No matter how he thought about it, it seemed unlikely. Were they usually so busy that they could only make time on Sundays?
"Wow, is the academic pressure over there really that intense?"
As he thought about such random things, he drifted into a deep sleep.
The day of the examination soon arrived.
Shiki boarded a bus for the neighboring city. The trip was only around ten kilometers, so it was close by.
Along the way, he watched the scenery retreating outside the window. Before long, an academy situated in the suburbs came into view: the famous girls' school, Rizen Academy.
The academy covered a vast area, its buildings arranged in an orderly yet varied fashion amid beautiful scenery. Both lovely and luxurious, it was the dream school of countless girls.
The moment Shiki saw the place, memories from over three years ago flooded back.
That day, in a secluded alley here, he had fought a difficult one-against-five battle. His blood had been up at the time, and relying on sheer, invincible courage, he had ultimately won with great difficulty.
It was a battle he remembered vividly, yet strangely, he could not recall the face of the girl he had saved. All that remained was