Morning sunlight filtered through the curtains of Kaoru’s dorm room, pale and quiet.

  She lay still for a moment, eyes open, listening to the academy awaken—footsteps in the hall, doors sliding open, distant voices calling greetings.

  The day before the camping trip had arrived.

  Kaoru sat up slowly, rubbing the back of her neck.

  Ashveil hasn’t disappeared.

  Even after the student council crackdown, rumors still lingered. Students whispered about “one last vial,” about strength borrowed just long enough to matter.

  She couldn’t shake the feeling that leaving—right now—was wrong.

  The student council room was quieter than usual.

  Stacks of reports covered the table, each marked with red seals from the Disciplinary Committee. Miyazuki Ashen stood by the window, arms folded behind her back, watching the academy grounds below.

  Kaoru knocked once.

  “Enter.”

  Kaoru stepped inside and closed the door carefully.

  Miyazuki didn’t turn around. “You’re early.”

  Kaoru nodded. “President… I need to ask something.”

  Miyazuki faced her now, expression unreadable. “Go on.”

  Kaoru inhaled. “About the camping trip.”

  Miyazuki’s eyes sharpened slightly.

  “I was wondering,” Kaoru continued, choosing her words carefully, “if it would be alright if I stayed behind instead.”

  The air shifted.

  “To help with the drug abuse situation,” Kaoru added. “Ashveil hasn’t been fully contained yet. If I stay, I can assist Renji and the others.”

  Silence followed.

  Then Miyazuki spoke.

  “No.”

  The firmness in her voice left no room for misunderstanding.

  Kaoru stiffened. “…President?”

  Miyazuki stepped closer, her gaze steady. “The survival camp exists for a reason.”

  She gestured toward the window. “Fiester Academy doesn’t train students to rely on safety nets. It trains them to face uncertainty.”

  Kaoru clenched her fists. “But this situation—”

  “Will be handled,” Miyazuki interrupted. “The Disciplinary Committee has agreed to work alongside us. Additional patrols are already in place.”

  She paused, then added more quietly, “You staying behind would not solve everything.”

  Kaoru swallowed. “I just don’t want—”

  “I know,” Miyazuki said.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Her voice softened, but her resolve didn’t waver.

  “Skipping the camp means losing an opportunity,” she continued. “Not just in the future—but now. The evaluation affects placement, trust, and command authority.”

  Kaoru’s eyes widened slightly.

  “You are the vice president,” Miyazuki said. “If you don’t go, it sends a message.”

  Kaoru lowered her gaze.

  Miyazuki stepped back. “We will be fine here. You need to be there.”

  Kaoru was silent for a long moment.

  Then she bowed.

  “…I trust your judgment.”

  Miyazuki nodded once. “Good.”

  Kaoru turned and left the room.

  The rest of the day passed in fragments.

  Packing.

  Equipment checks.

  Final instructions.

  Classrooms buzzed with excitement and unease. Students speculated wildly about the camping trip—some imagining relaxation, others dreading the unknown.

  Kaoru said little.

  During lunch, she sat alone, staring at her tray.

  “You look like you’re already tired.”

  Kaoru looked up.

  Itsuki Raien stood across from her, holding a drink.

  “Mind?” he asked, already pulling out the chair.

  She gave a faint smile. “Go ahead.”

  He sat. “Tomorrow’s the big day.”

  “Rainforest,” Kaoru said.

  “Grasslands,” Itsuki replied. “Opposite ends of the world.”

  They sat in companionable silence for a moment.

  “…Be careful,” he said finally. “Open spaces can be dangerous too.”

  Kaoru nodded. “You too. Don’t let the humidity get to you.”

  Itsuki grinned. “I’ll survive.”

  They parted without another word.

  Night fell quietly.

  Kaoru lay on her bed, gear packed neatly beside it.

  Her sword rested against the wall, polished and ready.

  She stared at the ceiling.

  No turning back now.

  Morning came swiftly.

  Class 3-C gathered at the academy gates, backpacks secured, uniforms adjusted. Some students laughed nervously. Others stood stiff and silent.

  Rena Kisaragi stood at the front.

  “From here,” she announced, “you will travel on foot.”

  Her eyes swept across them.

  “you all just need to have fun.”

  The gates opened.

  Beyond them stretched the road leading to the grasslands—wide, endless, and unforgiving.

  Kaoru stepped forward with her class.

  And with that—

  Class 3-C departed.