Mom looked at my childish behavior and smiled, "Okay, then."

"Dear Alrescha Lyra Hartmann," Mom began to read aloud, "We are pleased to inform you the result of your entrance exams the other day."

I held my breath unconsciously, waiting for the next words.

"Congratulations, you've been accepted at Harmonia Academy!"

Dad and Alt-nii quickly clapped their hands while saying, "As expected of Lyra!"

However, I was still waiting for the next words.

I may be quite arrogant to say that I'm confident in my enrollment status, and I'm also confident in entering the special class, but... well, to put it simply, my confidence in my getting enrolled to the academy is 150%, while my confidence in getting into the special class is only 100%.

...Stop sending me death glares!!

The drop in percentages illustrated my nervousness!

"In regards to your application for the special class, we shall announce our verdict..."

Am I guilty or not guilty?!

...wait, this isn't the courtroom!!

"We are pleased to welcome you to the Special Class of the Year 976!"

Mom put down the papers and pulled me to her embrace.

"Congratulations, Lyra!" (Mom)

"Congrats, Lyra, I know you can do it!" (Dad)

"Woo-hoo, Lyra! That's awesome!!" (Alt-nii)

Aaah, I'm super excited to enter the special class!!

Though I more or less have the knowledge for Basic Level already, I'm still hyped to know how the special class feels like. Especially, the magic classes. In addition, this is Harmonia Academy!!

Back then, I attended the normal class in my old school, as I was quite ordinary in terms of learning, and my mother would let me attend extra classes necessary to groom me as the queen.

I wonder if it will be hard? Seeing Alt-nii studying quite hard in his special class, I felt quite anxious even when I had basic knowledge in my head already, but who knows if it's outdated?

And... wait, I remember Nicole was in the special class in my old school, but she seemed to be so relaxed! Wait, I never really recalled how she struggled in any lessons!!

Is my old school's curriculum way easier than Harmonia Academy's...?

I-I'm getting more nervous if I think of that possibility...

Taking that aside... Iris! I wonder if she's also accepted to the special class?

I sure hope so!

"Okay, then we should manage the administrative stuff to officially enroll Lyra there," Mom's already thinking of what she should be doing next.

"Oh, will Lyra be sent to the dormitory?" Alt-nii jokingly asked.

"W-what?"

"Eh?" Dad looked up from the paper he was holding and looked at Alt-nii in confusion.

Sensing the chance, Mom smiled and replied, "Oh? Seems like a good idea."

"W, w, what, Cassie?" Dad was surprised to hear Mom's answer.

"The dorm will need a good leader for the kids her age, Lyra fits the bill," Mom continued.

"Hey, does that mean I am not a good leader for kids my age?" Altaire protested.

"Y, you're kidding, right?" Dad couldn't really tell whether it's a joke or not, as Mom's expression was totally serious and Alt-nii's pouting seemed real, too.

Looking at the troubled Dad, Mom and Alt-nii's expressions quickly changed.

"Pfft... Ahaha! It's so fun to tease you and Lyra," Mom said.

"Mom! I didn't fall for this one!" I pouted.

"But your expression was priceless when I brought the subject up!" Alt-nii quickly added.

That—I was still in the middle of digesting the whole situation!

The remaining days before my first day to school was spent by my parents managing all the necessary preparations for my enrollment, how they told me things such as my new school bag, my two sets of uniforms, etc...

Oh yeah, my old school didn't have any uniform, so it basically turned into the nobles' showcase of clothes!

I asked my parents whether I could modify the uniform, and they said the school allowed it... so long as the modification is not going too overboard and modifies the base uniform in a whole.

The uniform set consists of winter uniform and summer uniform... in other words, I will be wearing the winter-styled uniform for my first term at school!

While waiting for the administrative process to be completed, I paid some visits to Capicastle and as expected, both Luca and Kiri were also accepted to the same special class as me.

Having gained two friends right before the school even starts, how can I hide my happiness?

Though I'm still curious about Iris... I sure hope she will be my classmate as well!

Our small group of friends will finally be balanced that way, with 2 boys and 2 girls.

As of now... without Iris, I feel like I'm being surrounded by two males—like... a reverse harem situation? Yes, there's a dire need for a balance in this group!

When the uniform finally arrived along with my official letter of enrollment, I saw... how cute they are, especially the summer uniform! I haven't even started school yet, but I can't wait for the next term already.

From my parents and Alt-nii's story, the uniform set in Harmonia Academy differs per level.

I stared at the uniform that Mom took out for me.

The winter uniform for Basic Level children is green-themed and they only provide the blazer... oh wait, so I can combine it with any inner shirt I want? Nice, school! To add more details—the blazer's base color is a light soft green with a pocket on each bottom side of the blazer, and the bottom of the blazer forms a reversed V shape. The collar's color is of a dark green, and it has some soft golden stripes. The hem of the blazer is also embroidered in soft golden lines. The necktie is quite long with a golden color and Harmonia Academy's emblem printed on it. The skirt is a checked skirt with dark green and white gradation.

When I observed Alt-nii's uniform, the two shared the same characteristics, with the only differences being: the male uniform's pocket is only one—located on the upper left side of the blazer, and the collar's also light green, just like the base shirt's color.

Needless to say, the clothes are long-sleeved and the skirt or short length is comparatively longer than the summer uniform set. Plus... the cloth material seems like it can keep me warm.

As for the summer uniform... for Basic level, they are sailor uniform themed! The dominant color? Blue and white, with red bows!

The summer uniform for females... is basically like a normal sailor uniform with a few alterations, such as puffed sleeves, frilly hem of the skirt, and the skirt's styled like an overall skirt! It's cute, I'm telling you! And the cloth material should be different from the winter uniform's material, this one feels like it will give the user a refreshing sensation.

The male counterpart for the summer uniform is basically about the same, except for the overall puffed short pants and the normal sleeves. The small buttons are golden-colored with the academy's emblem on it.

"Try them on, Lyra!"

"Oh, wait, Lyra, let me take some photos! Pose for Daddy!"

"As expected, this is the hidden joy of having a daughter! The clothing set is just too cute!"

"Excuse me, Daddy, whattttt?!" Altaire pouted in protest.

"Oh, Alt? You can wear your uniform and we will take some photos of you two together!"

--And so, it turned into a sudden photograph session.

"Mom, my clothes... they are quite oversized?"

I asked Mom when Dad was busy preparing for his beloved camera and Alt-nii changing into his uniform.

"Well, since you're in your growing period, so we didn't order for your current size, but we deliberately ordered a bigger size to accommodate your growth," Mom explained.

"Ah--."

I have never been a parent before, so I didn't know.

But that's true, it will be such a waste to use the clothes for a short period of time before having to buy bigger ones.

"Though we will still need to prepare for bigger size once these uniforms fit your body perfectly."

I nodded. Yup yup.

I will feel bad for accumulating 6 sets of the same uniforms with different sizes just to accommodate my growth.

Besides, they don't fit perfectly to my body, but they don't look that oversized.

So, it's perfectly fine.

--This is what happens after some photographs taken--

"Cass, do you still have your old uniform? Perhaps we might as well take some photos of our family in school uniforms..."

"...Cyan, are you nuts?!"

...Dad, you're into cosplaying?

"Oh, that would make a cute family photo!!" Alt-nii chimed in happily.

"It's not like they don't fit anymore, right, Cass?"

"...Can we not do this?"

--But in the end, we managed to take some cute family pictures. Mom and Dad still look pretty much, so...

Niina was dumbfounded when we first asked her help to take the pictures, but she managed to take some great pictures after having her hands trembling in her attempts to hold her laughter a few times.

But but!! Their Master level's uniforms were so... cool!! I mean, unlike the typical school uniforms, the Master level's uniforms are used mainly for adults aged 18 and up, and there's this Internship program that they are supposed to do at Master level... In short, the Master level's uniforms look pretty much like a formal attire used in a work or a business!

I'm not sure how the uniforms for other schools' Master level, but Harmonia Academy's set of uniforms is just exquisite.

There's nothing shameful from wearing them, Mom!!

Could it be that she was still ashamed since they were her past school uniforms anyway, regardless how cool the outfits were?

"This is just... for our personal collection, okay? No boasting it to others!" Mom quickly warned Dad shortly after we all got changed.

"Worry not, Cass. Even I still have my sanity intact. I won't ever divulge this matter to public. This is for our personal collection."

"Your sanity is still intact? I would have believed it if I haven't discovered this side of you... Oh, Lyra. Remember to unveil your future husband's every layer of his personality. The Cyan that I knew from before we got married—where is he right now, I wonder?"

Mom tried to give me a precious advice in dating, but her troubled expression seemed to be full of love. Though she complained, she must still love this side of Dad, too. I can just sense it.

※Deep down, Cassie knows the answer. It's just that the past Cyan never revealed this real side of his due to having to put on the pretense all the time. Now that he was liberated from what chained his freedom in the past, how could Cassie have the heart to prevent Cyan from acting like he wants?※

***

"For your first day of school, you will go with Alt-nii and Clavis together in a carriage, is that okay, Lyra?"

"No problem, Dad!"

"Altaire, make sure to watch your sister well!"

"Got it, Mom~!"

"Lyra, be careful and watch your big brother, too."

"Okay, Mom!"

"...Hey, Mom, what's that supposed to mean?! I'm the older one here!!"

Alt-nii pouted again, and Mom smiled as she patted Alt-nii's head.

"Siblings must take care of each other."—such was her explanation, and naturally, Dad agreed.

"But it's the job of a big brother to protect his little sister, not the other way around!" Alt-nii still protested.

"Well, okay, okay, you're right. But it's also a little sister's duty to look after her big brother, right? What I mean is—Lyra, tell Altaire if you happen to see him acting naughty."

"Of course!" I answered cheerfully.

"Hey, Mom, come on!! Give me more credit! Aren't you trusting Lyra way too much?"

--Am I smelling a sibling discord here?!

"Mom, I trust big bro Altaire! Alt-nii, please take care of me at school!"

Still anxious over the future where my own big brother will turn to hate me, I decided to meddle and restore his big brother pride.

"Aww, only Lyra adores me as her big brother!"

"Haha, I know, I know. I was just teasing you."

"Mom, you meanieee!!"

"But your mom is right. Watch over each other's back, okay?" Dad acted as the middleman to end the conversation with a precious advice.

""Okay!!"" Alt-nii and I answered simultaneously.

The night before my first day at school, I became restless and unable to sleep. So, I timidly knocked on my parents' bedroom and ended up sleeping there with Mom and Dad.

On special occasions, we would sleep together—me, Alt-nii, Mom, and Dad. But when was it that I requested to sleep together with Mom and Dad?

Yes, it's my first time sleeping with my parents on my request after I slept in my own room. I was quite embarrassed, but perhaps the embarrassment's worth it, after all. It feels nice being spoiled by my parents—if this can be categorized as spoiled.

It reassures me to know that Alt-nii sometimes went over to sleep with Mom and Dad, too, especially after he woke up from nightmares.

And that's how I managed to get a good night's sleep that day.

The morning after that, it's my big day!

My first day at Harmonia Academy!

First mission: Find Iris!!