Project Necro is an official initiative by Re:Library.

Classes resumed three days after the magical beast’s appearance. Despite a thorough search, no trace of the creature was found. In light of the curriculum schedule, the academy declared it safe to reopen—on the condition that the Imperial Capital Guard would patrol the grounds.
The sight of armed guards walking around the academy lent the place a certain tension, but with the students back, life and energy returned to campus.

Ekaterina and Flora went to school together. Even in the classroom, their classmates kept their distance—but they were used to that by now.
Then came the expected, clearly aimed remark—well, aimed at one of them in particular.

“Ugh, I can’t believe the cause of all this is strutting into class like nothing happened.”
“Yes, yes.”

…Honestly, hearing such petty snide remarks after a few days almost felt nostalgic.
And yes, I’ve been waiting for this.

“Oh my, I believe I just heard a rather curious remark,”

Ekaterina said with a perfect sneer befitting a villainous noble lady, turning toward the Yes-Yes Trio.

“And by ‘the cause,’ whatever might you be referring to?”
“O-oh my.”

They flinched. Normally Ekaterina ignored them completely, so her reaction caught them off guard.

“W-well, that magical beast from the other day. It’s strange, isn’t it, for such a thing to appear at this academy? Someone must have plotted something.”
“Yes, yes.”

When Flora nervously tried to tug her sleeve, Ekaterina squeezed her hand gently to reassure her, then sharply raised her brows.

“Precisely because it was strange, the Imperial Guard has been investigating thoroughly. Since you claim to know the cause, I presume you have some basis for your statement? If you possess any evidence the Guard failed to find, why haven’t you handed it over?”

“E-evidence? There’s no such thing… It’s just what everyone’s saying—that some lowborn commoner must’ve done something.”
“Yes, yes.”

Ekaterina raised one elegant hand to her lips, pinky slightly extended—an essential touch.

“O-hohohoho!”

She let out a high laugh. Ah, the classic villainess laugh—finally got to do it once!
With thunderclouds and lightning practically crackling in the background, she looked down upon the Yes-Yes Trio with a glare.

“‘Everyone’? Do tell me their names, specifically.”
“‘Everyone’ means… everyone!”

Uh-huh. Sure. You three *are* “everyone,” right? I know.

“So it’s nothing but a malicious delusion. I cannot overlook this any further in the name of House Jurnova.

Allow me to make something clear. My brother, Duke Aleksei of Jurnova, has sworn a vow: that Lady Flora Cherny, who saved my life, is a friend to all who bear the Jurnova name—and that anyone who stands against her shall be an enemy of Jurnova itself.”

At the word “vow,” the Yes-Yes Trio visibly blanched.

“And let me also inform you—Lady Flora’s magical attribute has been identified. She possesses the exceedingly rare attribute of *Holy.* You are aware, I trust, that in the old Astra Empire, those with this attribute were revered as Holy Maiden?”

Ekaterina’s voice rang out clearly for the whole class to hear.
That’s right. This was exactly why I had bothered engaging the Trio in the first place.

“As for that absurd claim about ‘plotting something’—how, pray tell, would one even do that? Capture such a beast beforehand and have an accomplice smuggle it in? Invoke some lost Astra Imperial ritual that no one else knows? How impressive! You must belong to quite an extraordinary organization, or be scholars of immense learning! O-hohohoho!”

Then, suddenly, Ekaterina dropped her tone flat and cold.
The background, naturally, turned pitch-black with lightning.

“Do you truly believe such a thing is possible?”

Her voice slithered like something crawling from the depths of the earth, making the Trio tremble.

Raising your voice often gets people to stop you, but lowering it—almost never. So when you’re angry, lower your tone instead. Take note, this one is on the final exam of life.

“Anyone would’ve known that, if they spare even a moment to think.”

She said sweetly, her expression flipping to a bright smile. And then, cheerfully, she declared,

“Anyone too foolish to understand even this much might as well be eaten by a magical beast and excreted afterward!”

Her third villainess laugh—“O-hohohohoho!”—rang through the classroom, echoing within the crushing silence that followed.

…Yeah, I realized it myself as soon as I said it.
“Excreted”? Yeah, no. That’s not something a lady should say.
Definitely a No-No word.
But somehow, it just slipped out.
Let’s just wash it all away and move on—
you know, *flush it away*, so to speak.

“…Simply my humble opinion, of course.”

She smiled faintly—yes, let’s end the topic right here!
…Or at least, that’s what I wanted.

Then came the sound of a chair sliding back as someone stood up.

Who could it be? she wondered—and saw that it was one of those sparkling, high-ranking count’s daughters, the kind who sat at the top of the school caste.
The girl rose and began walking toward her.
Ekaterina smiled slightly and stood up as well. Whatever her intention was, Ekaterina was ready to face it head-on.

Seeing the count’s daughter up close for the first time, Ekaterina thought she really did shine.
Her colors were bright—fiery red hair streaked with gold like sunlight in mesh, golden eyes, and slightly sun-kissed skin with a dusting of freckles across her nose. Her features were handsome and sharp, her gaze strong and untamed. Even through her uniform, her toned, athletic figure was clear—like that of a professional athlete.

Actually, she felt less like a school Queen Bee and more like the kind of girl who’s popular with other girls?
Back in high school, there was always one of these types—the boyish, cool girl who dominates in sports tournaments and has girls squealing over her. A Big Boss Sister type, through and through.

The count’s daughter stopped before Ekaterina, met her eyes, and spoke in a clear, confident voice.

“Though we are classmates, this is the first time we’ve spoken, isn’t it? Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Marina Krymov.”
“I’m honored by your courtesy. I am Ekaterina Jurnova.”

Ekaterina returned the greeting with a graceful smile.

Marina, with her bright, sunlit colors like a spirit of dawn—and Ekaterina, with her indigo hair, blue-violet eyes, and translucent white skin, like a spirit of twilight. The two girls standing face to face were strikingly opposite in every way.

Marina’s golden eyes narrowed slightly, the motion feline and sleek, her lean frame adding to the impression.

“Lady Jurnova, I…”

All right, bring it on!

“I’ve come to apologize.”

…Huh?