Boarding School Juliet: Requiem — Lovers After the War
The night before the prefect election, a threatening letter arrives: *Cancel the election, or there will be blood. — Child of War.*
For a year, Inudzuka Romio, head prefect of the Black Dog dormitory, has fought to bridge the bitter divide between East and West at Dahlia Academy. And at the heart of that fight lies his secret—Juliet Persia, head prefect of the White Cat dormitory, the girl he loves and can meet only in the shadows of the library.
But as shattered windows and red-painted warnin
Boarding School Juliet: Requiem — Lovers After the War - The Morning of the Election Announcement — The Redhead's Declaration of War —
Spring morning light filled the auditorium of Dahlia Academy.
The brass chandelier hanging from the high ceiling caught the sunlight streaming through the windows and scattered fine grains of light across the floor. Inside the auditorium, the upperclassmen of the Black Dog House and the White Cat House stood in two ordered rows, split left and right. A cluster in black high-collared uniforms, and a cluster in white. The boundary between them divided the floor cleanly, like an invisible wall.
Today was the announcement day for the prefect election.
In this election, three prefects would be chosen from each house, and whoever among them gathered the most votes would become the prefect leader. Romio and Juliet had resolved to make this election a great step toward reconciliation between the two houses.
Inudzuka Romio stood at the very front of the Black Dog ranks. His short black hair was a little unruly again today, and the small scar on his left eyebrow cast a shadow over his serious expression. Around his right wrist was the usual red hair ribbon. The air in the auditorium was drawn taut as a bowstring.
(Today is where it begins.)
Romio stole a glance at Juliet, standing beside him.
Juliet Persia stood at the front of the White Cat ranks, her back perfectly straight. Her long blonde hair was carefully woven into a braid that gleamed honey-gold. Her clear sky-blue eyes looked straight ahead at the podium at the front of the hall. At the collar of her white uniform, the star-shaped earring on her left ear glinted faintly.
In her hands was a folded speech draft. Her fingertips had gone slightly white.
Romio studied her profile.
(She's nervous.)
Small wonder. Today's speech was the first step of the election—a call for harmony between the houses. As the White Cat prefect, Juliet was to be the first to take the podium.
At the front of the hall, the Black Dog housemaster and the White Cat housemaster stood side by side. To Romio, there seemed to be an invisible gulf between the two of them as well.
After a moment, the White Cat housemaster stepped forward.
The announcement of the prefect election will now begin. First, we shall hear a statement of intent from the White Cat House's candidate for prefect leader, Juliet Persia.
The auditorium fell utterly silent.
Juliet drew a small breath.
(It's all right. I only have to convey what's in my heart.)
She took a step toward the podium.
The soft sound of her white shoe tapped in the stillness.
That was when it happened.
The doors at the entrance of the auditorium burst open.
The bang of it sliced sharply through the hushed air.
Every gaze snapped to the entrance.
A single girl stood there.
Hair dyed black—a lusterless black, cropped at the shoulder. Yet at the tips, a faint red showed through. Her amber eyes swept slowly across the auditorium. The Black Dog girls' uniform wrapped her small frame. On her left wrist, an old scar.
As though she commanded the very air of the room, she began to walk straight toward the podium.
A stir of unease rippled through the Black Dog students.
Who the hell is that?
No idea. A new transfer?
Romio fixed his eyes on the girl.
(Who is she...?)
As she passed in front of him, the girl turned her amber eyes on him for just an instant. A cold stare, unreadable. But behind it, Romio sensed something smoldering.
She climbed the podium without a word.
Juliet had stopped short at the base of the steps.
...And you are?
Juliet's voice was quiet. But clear wariness surfaced in her eyes.
The girl looked down at her.
Inugami Leon. The Black Dog House's new prefect.
Her voice carried clearly to every corner of the hall. Low, cold, and steeped in iron will.
A new prefect. At those words, the auditorium stirred again.
A new prefect? Nobody told us about that.
Who is that woman?
Inugami Leon paid the murmuring no mind and stood before the podium.
I will become the prefect leader in this election. And I will drive the White Cat House out of this academy.
The air in the auditorium froze.
For a moment, no one could say anything.
The blood drained from Juliet's face.
(What... did she just say?)
My name is Inugami Leon. I am a mixed-blood daughter, born between a father from Touwa and a mother from the Duchy of West.
Leon turned her amber eyes on the White Cat students. Perhaps from the surge of emotion, those eyes began to shine gold.
My mother's mother tore me away from her. I was five years old. My grandmother—a West noble—called a grandchild with Touwan blood a disgrace. She took me from my mother, and made my mother vanish from before my eyes. Since then, I have never known my mother's face.
Leon's voice trembled faintly. But she kept looking straight ahead.
How precious do the nobles of West think their blood is? My mother loved a Touwan man. For that alone, she was cast out of her noble house. My existence was nothing but a stain to that country. Am I wrong?
Leon's words drove into the White Cat students like barbs.
Every one of them had gone stiff in the face. Some argued back; some hung their heads. The West Duchy's fierce sense of community could, at times, turn into violence against anything foreign. Leon was laying that darkness bare, without mercy.
Standing at the base of the podium, Juliet felt her fingertips tremble.
(This girl hates the people of West.)
Leon turned her gaze back to Juliet.
Juliet Persia, prefect of the White Cat House. You are a noble's daughter, aren't you? Your hands are made of the same noble blood as those who cast out my mother. And you would speak of harmony at this academy. Do you have the right?
Juliet caught her breath.
Something deep in her chest ached, as though gouged by a cold blade.
(No. I only want to end the fighting.)
But no words came.
Leon's amber eyes pierced through Juliet's sky-blue ones.
I will drive the White Cat House from this academy. That is my campaign pledge. For the sake of those like me—discriminated against, torn apart, for nothing but mixed blood. I will expel every last person with West blood from this school.
The auditorium erupted in shouts.
Don't be absurd!
Shut your mouth, you half-breed!
She's right! Drive the White Cats out!
Students from both houses shouted each other down, and in an instant the hall turned into something like a battlefield.
And amid it all, Juliet simply stared at Leon.
(This girl is from Touwa. From the same homeland as Inudzuka.)
For the first time, the weight of her love pressed down on Juliet's heart.
Someone from Romio's homeland—Touwa—was denying her own homeland, West. That fact carved deep, deep into Juliet's heart.
(I am with Inudzuka. Just by being with him, how much am I carrying?)
Juliet's vision began to blur with tears.
That was when it happened.
Hold it.
Romio's voice cut through the uproar.
He strode from the front of the Black Dog ranks toward the podium. His black high-collared uniform looked ready to burst with his anger.
You. You said your name's Inugami Leon. What you're saying is wrong.
Romio stood before the podium and looked straight up at Leon.
Leon gazed down at him with her amber eyes.
Wrong? What is?
I get your hatred. The pain of being torn from your mother, the bitterness—I get it so well it hurts. But that doesn't mean you get to drive out every last person in the White Cat House. That's not the same thing.
Romio's fists were shaking.
The one you should hate is that grandmother who tore your mother away from you. Or the whole system of this country that gave birth to that kind of discrimination. But instead, you're making enemies of every single person in the White Cat House. And you think your mother would be happy about that?
Leon's eyes wavered for an instant.
But she quickly returned to her cold expression.
Don't give me pretty words. What could you possibly know about me? You're the second son of a Touwan political dynasty. Born into a blessed family—a pampered young master who's never wanted for anything. Don't talk as if you understand my suffering.
For the first time, Leon's voice laid bare its emotion. It was anger.
Romio looked steadily into Leon's eyes.
Yeah, I don't understand all of your suffering. I can't live your life for you. But what you're trying to do here, right now—that's the same thing the people who hurt you did. You're trying to make enemies of everyone in the White Cat House just because they've got West blood. How is that any different from the people who discriminated against you?
Leon's lips pressed slightly together.
Romio took a step forward.
I get your hatred. But that doesn't give you a reason to hurt anyone else!
Romio's voice rang to every corner of the hall.
Silence fell.
Black Dog and White Cat alike held their breath, watching the explosive exchange between Romio and Leon.
Leon looked down at Romio for a while.
At last, she let out a small sigh.
...Inudzuka Romio. I know your name. Prefect leader of the Black Dog House. And the rumor that you're on intimate terms with the White Cat prefect.
The corner of Leon's mouth twisted faintly.
You want to protect the White Cat prefect, don't you? But that kindness of yours will destroy you someday. Remember that.
No sooner had she said it than Leon stepped down from the podium.
And she began walking toward the entrance of the hall.
Wait—we're not done here!
Romio shouted at her back.
Leon did not turn around.
The rest, I'll show you through the election results. ...I will win.
Leon opened the doors and walked out.
The doors swung slowly shut.
A heavy silence remained in the auditorium.
Juliet still stood frozen at the base of the podium.
(Inudzuka...)
Romio walked over to her.
Persia. You all right?
His voice finally reached her ears.
Juliet lifted her face. Her sky-blue eyes glittered with tears.
...Yes. I'm all right. But I...
She couldn't finish.
Romio gently took her hand.
You didn't do anything wrong. Don't take what that woman said to heart.
Juliet squeezed his hand back.
But what she said was true. There are people among the West nobles who discriminate against mixed blood. My own family is no exception. I just never knew—but the same thing that hurt her may be flowing beneath my own feet.
Her voice was trembling.
I'm scared. Someone from your homeland hates my homeland that much. Being with you keeps getting heavier. I'm afraid my love will only make things harder for you.
Tears traced down Juliet's cheeks.
Romio gripped both her shoulders hard.
Persia!
His voice shook her heart.
I have never once thought that having you beside me was heavy. Because you're here, I can fight. We decided we'd change this world together, didn't we? That day in the library—we made a promise.
Tears spilled from Juliet's eyes, one after another.
Inudzuka...
Romio wanted to hold her.
But there were still so many students from both houses in the auditorium.
Instead, he gripped her hand tightly.
It's all right. I'll stop that woman, no matter what. I'll protect your homeland and mine—both of them. So don't cry.
Juliet felt the warmth of his hand.
(This person's hands are always so warm.)
She wiped her tears and gave a small nod.
...Thank you, Inudzuka. I'm all right. I won't run, either. I'll face this head-on.
The light of strong resolve returned to Juliet's sky-blue eyes.
Seeing her smile, Romio felt something warm spread slowly through his chest.
(Of course. She's strong.)
But that warmth did not last long.
Outside the auditorium, someone was shouting.
Fire! The White Cat House is burning!
Romio and Juliet raised their heads at the same moment.
Outside the hall, the world was wrapped in the dimness of dusk.
No—that wasn't it.
That red glow was no sunset.
Beyond the auditorium windows, in the direction of the White Cat House, pitch-black smoke was rising into the sky.
Persia, let's go!
Romio pulled Juliet by the hand and bolted from the hall.
The two of them ran at full speed through th
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