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 Wheelchair Bride —A Vow Beyond Hatred—
The light that spilled through the infirmary window was white still, even on the morning of the tenth day since that night.
But that whiteness was no longer only cold.
Sunlight leaked through the gap in the curtains, casting a long, thin shadow across the floor. At the shadow's edge, the wheels of a wheelchair gave a small creak.
Juliet Persia wore a silver collar pin over her white blouse—the mark of the White Cats' prefect. Her long blonde hair, unbraided today, was gathered at her back in a single tail. Catching the light, it shone honey-gold, strangely lustrous still after ten days in a coma.
Her clear sky-blue eyes were fixed on the sky beyond the window.
In the distance, the spire of Dahlia Academy's auditorium stood sharp against the autumn sky.
"...What lovely weather."
Juliet's voice was still a little hoarse.
Yet there was a quiet resolve in her words, as if she meant to make up for the time she had lost.
"Yeah. On a day like this, the fountain in the courtyard must look beautiful."
Inudzuka Romio stood behind the wheelchair.
His short black hair was neater than usual, and his deep brown eyes had recovered somewhat from their earlier sunken weariness. The small scar on his left eyebrow cast a shadow over his serious expression. Around his right wrist, that red hair tie was wound, as always.
The silver collar pin of the Black Dogs' prefect—the mark of his office—glinted dully at his chest.
One week since the election.
Seven mornings since Juliet had called his name at that polling station.
"Inudzuka."
Juliet turned in her wheelchair to look back at Romio.
Her sky-blue eyes gazed straight up at him.
"Do you think I'll be able to do it properly today? The appointment ceremony, I mean."
"Of course you will. You're the White Cats' prefect, aren't you?"
With that, Romio pushed the wheelchair forward.
The wheels began to turn, slowly.
The corridor outside the infirmary was dead silent.
There was no one there but the two of them.
An old painting hung on the wall, its pale colors surfacing in the morning light.
"...The truth is, I'm scared."
Juliet said it quietly.
"Of appearing before everyone like this. Of whether I can hide these legs that won't move."
Romio stopped.
The wheelchair came to a halt.
Wind blew in through the corridor window.
It was an autumn wind, a little chilly.
"Persia."
Romio circled around to the side of the wheelchair and dropped to one knee.
He peered up into Juliet's face from below.
"You don't need to hide a thing. Those legs are proof that you protected someone. Hold your head high."
Juliet's sky-blue eyes wavered, just slightly.
"...You always say that, Inudzuka."
"Of course I do. I've decided to stand at your side, haven't I?"
Romio touched the red hair tie at his right wrist, gently.
"Whatever happens, I'll support you. So let's walk together. Even if our pace is slow for now."
Juliet softly took Romio's hand.
Her bony fingers grew just a little warm within his.
"...Yes."
Juliet smiled.
A small dimple appeared beneath her eye.
"As long as I'm with you, I can go anywhere."
Seeing that smile, something deep in Romio's chest grew hot.
(She's always like this.)
(She hides her own pain and smiles.)
(So I have to make sure she never has to hide it.)
Romio stood and pushed the wheelchair on again.
The auditorium was already filled with students from both dormitories.
The Black Dogs' students stood in orderly rows on the left, the White Cats' on the right.
A year ago, after the White-Black War, such a sight would have been unthinkable.
No—they had not fully reconciled yet.
Between the two sides, an invisible wall most certainly existed.
Even so, they stood in the same place.
On the stage stood Tetsuyama Gou, the Black Dogs' dorm supervisor, and Madame Orléans, the White Cats' supervisor, side by side.
Tetsuyama, with the stern expression of a former soldier, surveyed the assembled students.
Madame Orléans was a gentle woman in her fifties, her white hair gathered at the back.
"We shall now begin the prefect appointment ceremony."
Tetsuyama's heavy voice rang through the auditorium.
"Black Dogs' head prefect, Inudzuka Romio. Step forward."
Romio climbed onto the stage.
The air in the auditorium grew taut.
The Black Dogs' students held their breath, staring at Romio.
The White Cats' students watched him too, their expressions complicated.
Romio bowed deeply.
"I am Inudzuka Romio. I have been chosen as the Black Dogs' head prefect."
Romio's voice carried well.
"I will tear down the wall between Touwa and West—I swear it. I will turn this academy into a place filled not with hatred, but with understanding."
The auditorium fell utterly silent.
"To that end, I wish to appoint a certain person as the White Cats' prefect."
Romio looked toward the entrance of the auditorium.
"Juliet Persia. Step forward."
The auditorium doors opened, slowly.
A creak, creak of wheels broke the silence.
Juliet Persia entered in her wheelchair.
A small stir rose among the White Cats' students.
"It's Lady Juliet..."
"But those legs..."
Juliet looked straight ahead.
There was no hesitation in her sky-blue eyes.
The wheelchair moved slowly, but surely, toward the stage.
As she passed before the White Cats' students, she smiled—just barely.
"...I've worried you all."
Her voice had the same clear ring as before.
A ramp had been hastily installed for the stage.
Juliet turned the wheels with her own hands and climbed the slope.
Romio moved to help, but Juliet shook her head.
"I'll do it myself."
Romio said nothing—he simply watched over her.
(She really is strong.)
(Maybe I never needed to lend a hand at all.)
Juliet reached the stage and took her place beside Romio.
"I am Juliet Persia, of the White Cats."
Juliet's voice rang through the auditorium.
"By the appointment of Head Prefect Inudzuka Romio, I hereby assume the office of White Cats' prefect."
She looked slowly over the assembled students.
"With these legs, I protected my juniors. I have no regrets."
The auditorium went still.
"But from now on, with these legs, I will protect this academy. To tear down the wall between Touwa and West, I will fight alongside Head Prefect Inudzuka."
Juliet turned to look at Romio.
Romio looked at Juliet.
Their eyes met.
"...It's because you were there that I can stand here now."
At Juliet's words, Romio's chest grew hot.
"...Persia."
Romio could say nothing more.
Applause erupted through the auditorium.
At first it was scattered, but it grew steadily louder.
Black Dogs and White Cats alike were clapping.
Among them was Maru Chizuru.
His black hair slicked back, his narrow, sharp brown eyes with their three-white sanpaku gaze.
Maru did not clap. He stood with his arms crossed, glaring at Romio.
"Tch. Getting full of himself."
Maru clicked his tongue softly.
"Oh my. You could just clap honestly, you know."
Beside Maru stood Inugami Leon.
Her dyed-black hair was beginning to show red at the tips. Her amber eyes were fixed on the two onstage.
Leon had already been appointed as the Black Dogs' prefect.
"Shut up. I don't want to hear that from you."
"Fufu, I see. Then at least don't get in the way."
With that, Leon returned her gaze to the two onstage.
For a moment, a complicated emotion crossed her amber eyes.
(Juliet... you were someone I was supposed to hate.)
(But now, it's different.)
(I want to fight alongside you.)
Leon clapped, quietly.
After the ceremony, Romio, Juliet, and Leon gathered in the green room behind the auditorium.
"All right. So the three of us will establish the Inter-Dormitory Reconciliation Committee as prefects."
Romio looked at the two of them.
"Yes. As the White Cats' representative, I'll give it everything I have."
"I'll cooperate too, as the Black Dogs' prefect. ...It's my atonement."
Leon's voice was quiet.
But in her eyes lay a firm resolve.
"Don't call it atonement."
Romio turned toward Leon.
"You're already one of us. We're going to change this academy together."
Leon's amber eyes wavered, just slightly.
"...One of you."
Leon repeated the words, as if savoring them.
"Leon."
Juliet reached out a hand to Leon from her wheelchair.
"I want to build a future beyond division with you, too. So—I look forward to working with you."
Leon softly took Juliet's hand.
"...Yes. Likewise."
Their hands clasped firmly.
At that moment, a strong wind blew in through the green room window.
The curtains swayed violently.
"Whoa!"
Romio couldn't help crying out.
"Fufu. It's as if the wind is blessing us."
Juliet laughed, looking happy.
That smile looked far stronger than before.
The first meeting of the Inter-Dormitory Reconciliation Committee was set for three days later.
The place: a small conference room facing the boundary courtyard.
A place where, once, it had been rare for the prefects of the two dormitories even to meet face to face.
But now, Romio, Juliet, and Leon sat around the table.
"First, I want to confirm our future course of action."
Romio's eyes dropped to the documents in his hands.
"Two priorities. Drawing up a rehabilitation plan for Juliet's right leg, and holding a joint event for both dormitories at the next school festival."
"I'll proceed with my rehabilitation little by little, following Dr. Müller's instructions. Without rushing."
Juliet placed a hand gently on her right leg.
"But I truly want the joint festival event to succeed. I think students from both dormitories creating something together is the shortest path to reconciliation."
"I agree. But there will be those who resist, won't there?"
Leon spoke calmly.
"Maru Chizuru and Abi Senior. I doubt they'll go along quietly."
"Yeah. But they're students of this academy too. We've got no choice but to keep talking with them, however long it takes."
Romio's voice was strong.
"Besides, they must have room to change, too."
Leon stared fixedly at Romio's face.
"...You really do believe in people."
"Of course. If you don't believe, nothing ever starts."
Romio said it and laughed.
A fang peeked out for an instant.
Seeing that smile, Leon narrowed her eyes slightly.
(This person is dazzling.)
(He believes in me this much—me, whom I was supposed to hate.)
(That's exactly why I have to answer him.)
That was when it happened.
The conference room door flew open, violently.
"Inudzuka! We've got trouble!"
Supervisor Tetsuyama burst in, out of breath.
"What is it, Tetsuyama?"
Romio rose to his feet.
"Students from both dormitories are massing in the boundary courtyard. The Black Dogs' radicals and the White Cats' radicals—they're on the verge of a clash!"
"What?!"
Romio's expression stiffened.
"Someone seems to have spread false information to both dormitories. 'Tonight, a rally in the courtyard. Drive the White Cats out.'"
"You've gotta be kidding me...!"
Romio clenched his fist.
"Leon, take care of Juliet. I'll go to the courtyard first."
"Understood. Be careful."
"Inudzuka, don't push yourself too hard."
"Yeah. But this is my responsibility. I'm going."
Romio dashed out of the conference room.
The boundary courtyard was wrapped in a strange, feverish heat.
At the center of the circular plaza, an old fountain flowed quietly in the twilight.
Across the fountain, the Black Dogs' students and the White Cats' students glared at each other.
At the head of the Black Dogs stood Maru Chizuru.
Slicked-back black hair, sanpaku eyes. On the back of his left hand was a tattoo sticker reading "Touwa Soul."
"You White Cats set fire to our dorm, didn't you! What excuse have you got now!"
Maru shouted.
"Don't be ridiculous! It was you Touwa dogs who set the fire!"
A White Cats student shot back.
"Huh?! You wanna go, you bastard!"
"Gladly! Let's have at it!"
Roars flew back and forth between the two sides; the air was such that blows could break out at any moment.
Novelia is an AI-powered platform to read original light novels and fan fiction, create your own in just a few taps, and chat with the characters. New, illustrated episodes arrive daily — free to start.