Let's talk about Kudo Ranran's life leading up to her current situation.

At the age of two, the first memory Ranran recalled was being all alone in a rundown home.

In a rundown townhouse on the edge of town, a child's attempts to sleep on a sofa were futile, in a living room filled with the sounds of the city. The adults in her family had long gone to work, leaving the child to fend for herself in a place that was far from safe. The townhouse was in a state of disrepair. The paint was peeling, the windows were dirty, and the porch required a good paint job. But the most noticeable thing about the townhouse was the fact that it was rundown.

Even the living room was in a state of disrepair. The wallpaper was peeling, the carpet was stained, and the furniture was outdated. The only thing that seemed to be in good condition was the child, whose added misfortune was being born beautiful.

Although most adults would be blessed in having given birth to a handsome or beautiful child, especially the poor parents, Ranran however was a different matter. Because the townhouse was situated in the slums of London, crime rates are unfortunately rather high. The child had seen things in this townhouse that no child should ever see, and they had experienced heartache that no child should ever have to endure. Today happens to be one of those days.

"Open the damn door, girl!"

The door would often bang loudly by some drunkard with ill intentions toward little girls, but the door will remain intact as it is. Kudos to her dad's handiwork that the door's resistance is so tough, he once claimed even an elephant can never break into it. Therefore, no matter how strong the man is, it's bound to be a failure.

Both her parents had her too early, so money was tight. So tight, they were relying on the finances of her maternal grandmother's family besides their income. It was to a point where even hiring a babysitter wasn't even an option. So back then her grandmother would carry her from the back while she heads out to work. 

Of course, around the time when she turned 2, the adults began to leave the girl at home on her own due to unforeseen circumstances at the family's workplace. With the financial situation and stuff, leaving her at home with the door barricaded and windows blocked with tough bars to prevent any adult from breaking was the last option.

Obviously, this was considered to be high risk and a guaranteed no-brainer. If word gets out that they left the child alone, all of the family members would end up in prison for child neglect. Fortunately, the then 2-year-old wasn't completely too young or too much of an idiot to understand how her parents cautiously explain their dire situation, so whichever possible high risk situation might take place, she was at least aware enough to follow the few rules they set for her. 

"Stay quiet, stay hidden, and don't open the door for anyone." Those were etched into her mind like the worn patterns on the carpet beneath her small feet. "And you know what to do if the place is on fire, right?"

"You crawl low under the smoke, find the exit, and get out." The 2-year-old replied once.

Back then, Ranran didn't know all of this defines the true meaning of poor; the only thing she ever knew was all this was normal for her. During the first 7 days when she was left alone, she used to cry a lot because of that nasty man's vile words, as well as the things it threatened to do to her.

However, one can never cry forever.

Perhaps that mental impairment she received when that careless nurse dropped her upon delivery was a blessing in disguise. Cause when most children her age living in this run-down building will never stop crying for many years to come,  she stopped crying and became numb for only a day, eventually adapting herself to the hostile surroundings. Still, 2-year-old Ranran dislikes loud noises. Also, she grew bored with the toys she had, bored with the drunkard's empty threats.

Despite this, however, she still found a way to deal with it.

If one wants to entertain herself, one should sit in front of the Tv all day with no adult telling her not to in the living room. There, she often binged on Fairy tales, especially Cinderella. Where she was ill-treated by her step-sisters and stepmother, only then meets a fairy Godmother to magically cast her a gown, ends up at a luxurious ball party and dances with Prince Charming.

It was then that Ranran wished to live like that, though she thinks she can go without a prince since she didn't like sharing. The rundown townhouse was a far cry from the sprawling estates Ranran often dreamed of and wished to live in. But it was all her family could afford on their salary. As Ranran observed the kids on TV having everything delivered to them on some diamond platter, she wish for such a life, having never worked a day in her life.

But as of right now, the only luxury she wants is to watch in front of the TV the whole day, and no one will ever rob that from her.

Also, school, a word she dreaded as she shook her little head.

She had talks from the other children here, that place is a hellhole. Endless boredom and homework. Only children from rich families can only afford to send them there. If one were to say 'trade in a life of poor to live a life of luxury', but it comes with school, forget it. There is a bottom line for her.

But even then....she has no control of her own fate.

.................................................................................

One day, she realized everything changed the moment her parents were quietly discussing in their kitchen.

It was around 12 am plus, and she needed to use the washroom, so she had no issues heading there despite being dark. Most 2-year-olds would be weeping and begging their parents to accompany them, but Ranran was different. The darkness was familiar, a blanket she had wrapped herself in during countless sleepless nights. As she navigated the hallway, she felt a strange sense of independence wash over her. She was small, yes, but she was also resilient, shaped by the life she'd known.

Pausing outside the kitchen, she heard her parents' voices—a soft murmur at first, then rising in urgency. Curiosity piqued, she pressed her ear against the door, her heart thudding in rhythm with the tension brewing inside.

"If you were me, would you send her to Edgewood Academy?" her mother said, her voice tight. 

"To be upfront with you, I would not," The man replied to her mother as he sighed, "You went through a lot because of 'them', no way I would want to send my only child to some prestigious school after everything has happened."

Ranran's heart raced as she pressed closer to the door, every word igniting her curiosity and concern. Edgewood Academy? What is that?

"But....given our current situation, for their part, their compensation seems to benefit our side more than for them in accordance to the contract, " her mother continued, her voice a mixture of hope and despair. "You know of the things I had witness growing up in the U.K before moving to Japan and back here....back then, I heard a lot of horror stories for those without contracts."

Ranran's small frame pressed against the door as her mother's words echoed in her mind.

"Then.....in your opinion," her father asked, his tone shifting from cautious to curious. "I ain't going to ask whether sending her to that school would change things for us, but rather....can you see yourself to continuously live in this house for another 1 to 2 decade plus or so with Ranran?"

Her mother paused, and Ranran could almost hear the wheels turning in her mind. "To be honest," she finally admitted, her voice barely a whisper. "No."

Silence dragged on as it was the wife's turn to ask, "What about you?"

"Same for me as well," he finally replied, his voice low and contemplative. "As a father, I hate that idea. At the same time....I can't pretend this is a good place for her either."

"In what way?"

"That for starters, she has been hanging out with those idiot kids at the playroom in the mall we often do our shopping, kept telling her that school is the most horrible boring place in the world....they are glad they have 2 years extra free time before ending up there."

"What is wrong about that anyway....what they had to say about it is true...." Ranran frowned as she muttered, couldn't comprehend the weight of her parents' conversation fully. Her small frame was pressed against the door, a sense of unease washing over her as she processed her father's words.

"You know how kids are. They're just scared of the constant homework one has to do once school is over." His wife could be heard telling.

Wait, homework!?

The more she hears of this, the more her heart sank. That word echoed in her mind like a dark cloud hovering over her bright dreams of school. The laughter and games with her friends at the mall playroom suddenly felt tainted by the idea of long hours spent doing work that never seemed to end.

So....those rumours about school is true all along!?

"Aside of that, I think it would be good to send her there. At least I won't have to come home from work every single day, seeing her constantly sitting in front of the TV or computer monitor gaming instead of learning something." The wife decided.

Ranran's heart sank further as she processed her mother's words. She had always found comfort in the colorful worlds of her cartoons and video games, and now those precious moments seemed to be under scrutiny.

"I am still curious though....how did your grandmother know where you live? From what I remembered, did she barely acknowledge your mother's existence when she found out....what her son has done towards your mother?" The man of the house asks.

The little girl's ears perked up at the mention of Ranran's supposed great grandmother. The shift in her parents' conversation momentarily distracted her from her worries about school. She pressed her back against the door, straining to catch every word.

"Honestly, I have no clue." Her mother sighed heavily while she ruffled her own hair, "It's frustrating, no matter how hard I think about it, there was no way in hell I would've notified that woman anything, especially after what her son did to my mother."

"Could it be that she-"

"No," Ranran's mother insists while shaking her head defiantly at her husband, "I know my own mother, the last thing she would want is to contact that woman, even if we are at this rate dirt poor. She will never do that."

"She? Who is she....?" Ranran wondered, with curiosity painted on her face. 

"Whatever it is you decided to do with Ranran, I will support your decision regardless," The man decided. "So what will it be?"

"I just... the old me would not want to do this, even so....." her mother replied, her voice softening before dropping the bomb. "I am done with those damn kids giving her those ideas about school....that I fear one day she may become stupider by the minute if she constantly waste her time on the computer and TV, you know? Forgive me, I know our daughter isn't stupid, but-"

"No, I understand your point of view, honey, I do." The husband reassures her, while he took shook his head in disappointment at no one, "It's like those children who are raised in the countryside or slums having that....idiotic mentality about life. The longer we stay here, the more I worry that she may too become too dumb to notice things."

The little girl heart sank at her parents' choice of words, the weight of disappointment settling over her like a heavy fog. Soon, felt her cheeks flush, a mix of shame and anger swirling inside her. How dare they!?

"Mom, Dad, I'm not stupid!" she wanted to scream, but instead, she stood frozen, her voice lost in the turmoil of her emotions. 

Her mother's voice cut through her thoughts. "Also....this damn townhouse, we have to move. I don't want her to constantly hunting down those rats and tormenting them as if they were her toys. Let alone, think all of this is worth being satisfied when there is more to offer."

"What is wrong with this house anyway? Other kids' houses here are fine," Again, the 2-year-old girl couldn't understand the disdain in her mother's voice while she mutters to herself. To Ranran, their townhouse was a world filled with familiar corners to play in, cozy spots to curl up and watch her favorite shows, and countless adventures waiting to be imagined.

Before all of this, the little 2-year-old had assumed she has plenty of time to enjoy life before ending up in school. She imagined days filled with laughter and play, where her biggest worry was whether she would finish her favorite cartoon before dinner. But now, thanks to this conversation, the idea of homework and long hours in a classroom seemed to steal away her joy.

......................................................................................

"I don't want to go!" Ranran shouted, her little feet planted stubbornly on the ground. Suddenly, everything was filling her with dread as both her parents held onto her wrists gently but firmly.

The thought of leaving her familiar home, her toys, and her little adventures felt like a storm crashing down around her, as if there was a ominous bell, ringing the end of that carefree life, while the doors to hell opened wide before her.

"Ranran, be a good girl and just listen to your mother and father, alright?" The woman told her off.

"I don't want to! If I do, I am force to do homework!!" she cried again, her voice echoing in the stillness. The looming trucks felt like monsters, ready to devour everything she loved. Each toy, each story, and every sunbeam that danced through her windows was tethered to this place.

"I know it's hard, Ranran. But school can be fun, too. You'll make new friends and learn new things!" Her father knelt beside her, trying to soothe her fears.

"But what is there to learn in the first place? I can always find other things on TV!" she shouted, shaking her head fiercely. The thought of sitting at a desk, doing homework instead of playing, felt like a prison sentence. 

"What? You mean those reality tv show that constantly sabotage others during a game show!? How is that even worth learning any of it!?" Her mother frowned at her while losing her patience at the 2-year-old.

"It's fun! Not like doing homework and wasting your life away!" Ranran shouted, her frustration bubbling over. "I'm happy here! I don't want to sit at a desk and do boring stuff!"

Her mother took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. "Ranran, at school you would have to learn important things like math, reading, science—those are important to use in the real world, you know?"

"But I can learn all of that on Youtube!" Ranran protested, her little fists clenched.

"Alright, fair enough, then what about friends!? You barely had any, which is why you have to go to school in the first place!" The woman challenged the child.

"I have them."

"Where!?"

"The ones at the mall," The little one scoffed.

"Those are your 'playmates', not 'friends', Kudo Ranran!" Her mother reminded her harshly.

"Still better than nothing!"

Her father joined them, crouching beside her. "Listen, Ranran, don't you always want to move into those big expensive houses with your own bedroom? Your great-grandmother will be paying for it."

"I don't want it if it means going to school!" Ranran shook her head vigorously, tears starting to brim in her eyes. 

"Ranran, you don't have a choice. Every kid has to go to school at some point, whether one likes it or not." Her mother firmly insists.

"You liar! In the U.K, i heard from the other kids that one can choose not to go early unless they turn 5!"

"Yeah, but that is a rare exception, most don't, even when they turned 5. And I will tell you, they regretted it because the older they get, the harder it is for them to study," Her mother explained as calmly as she could.

"But I still refuse to go!" Ranran's voice quivered, the reality of the situation hitting her harder than ever. "You are ripping my childhood away!"

"No, I am doing this for your own good!" The woman replied back as the child's anger and despair reached its boiling point. "If I were you, I would shut up and start packing!"

Ranran bit her lip, fighting back tears. "You can simply give away your daughter easily just so to live in a expensive house!" she screamed, her voice raw with anger and pain.

"Think what you will!  Now come on, Ranran, let's not waste any time."

"No, please!" Tears streaming down her face, Ranran threw herself at her parents, clinging onto them.

That day, all Ranran could hear was her own desperate pleas echoing in her ears, the sound of her heart breaking shattering the stillness. The only thing she can remember is her mother, lifting her by the arms and carrying her as she thrashed and screamed, the world spinning around her.

But later did she realize, there would eventually be nightmares that exists way worst than homework.

.................................................................................

The only way out of this school is to fail an interview, and the 3-year-old knew exactly what buttons to push.

The 3-year-old Ranran happily ran home from school as she locks the door to the new house, kicking her loafers aside, she rushed back to her bedroom before hopping onto the seat, switching on her computer with tons of plans in store."Video gaming timing for one more year! Yeah!!!"Ranran squeals happily before turning to her UHD tv, "Thank you, Tv! Acting Autistic do me wonder!"

In a desperate attempt to flee from the school, she had dug around to learn that the prestigious academy barely accept students with severe 'medical conditions', this seemingly includes children who are 'autistic'.

The 3-year-old could barely care what that word meant, but all she knew this is her only ticket out. To achieve this feat, she had to rewatch multiple documentaries as to how kids like them behave before she pulled 'The Act'. As soon as she did, she knew judging by the adults' faces that they were not going to let her in. After all, Edgewood Academy isn't a school where such kids are allowed to enrol. Ranran did her research well, given her dad taught her to always research anything of interest when he introduce her to the gaming PC since she was going to end up in school.

"Let's play GTA! Hell yeah!!!"

Ranran was too excited, she had been wanting to play this game since it is released today. Had she ended up getting chosen, she won't be allowed to head home like now as the kids will be briefed for several hours over how to navigate themselves around the premises. According to what she too has learn, Edgewood Academy has another policy that during the kids' interviews, such as that parents aren't allowed to be by their side to give them cues in the enrolling process. When Ranran decided to do so, she knew all the adults in her family are too busy to care. 

Like Ranran, they are other kids like her whose parents are too busy to attend to, so normally to obtain their child's results of the interview, they have a group of staff members to notify them. Judging by the overwhelming number of kids that she has personally counted, Ranran is certain they are going to take days to deliver them the news that their daughter fail. By the time they did learn hours later, their worktime is after the school's closing time, it will be too late to enroll her back.

 After all, Edgewood Academy has some stricts

As the game loaded a nice fancy sports car, the 3-year-old decided, "Let's go rob some banks!"

And so Ranran did, she played for about 3 hours, it was 10 am and Ranran was having the time of her life! Till suddenly, Ranran overheard a door slam downstairs, where a familiar voice yelled, "Kudo Watson Ranran! Did you act autistic to purposefully fail!?

Ranran was frozen, she knew that voice anywhere. It's her dad!

Wait for a second, why is he here!? Ranran was certain he wouldn't be back till midnight!

Hurriedly, she tried to rush over and lock the bedroom door, but her dad beat her to it. Forcing the door upon, he stares at his daughter angrily, "I found it odd when they said you failed! I didn't think you would stoop this low to avoid getting into the school!"

"Ah ha ha...hi dad!"Ranran is shaking like a leaf, as her dad spotted the monitor was on, revealing the game she was playing."Why did you play that game!? I told you only daddy is allowed to play! Also, you should've been at school!"

Now her dad placed this gaming computer in her room because his wife didn't like the flashy colourful lights disturbing her sleep, so he placed it in her room."What school?"Ranran gave a proud smug in front of her shocked father, "I am 'autistic', remember?"

"Excuse me!?"

"The school will never allow a 'stupid' kid to enter, and they believed it. Also, I kept telling all of you I never want to go to school. You guys wanted it, not me!"

"You!"

"And if you take me back, I will continue to act and no one will ever believe you! So be it!"Ranran stubbornly sat on the chair in front of the computer, proceeding to play in front of her shocked father.

Deciding not to let his daughter get away with this, he pulled the plug."Hey! My money!"Ranran whined in horror before her dad make a grab of her wrist, which she resisted."Hey! Where are we going!?"

"Back to where you belong! In school!"He snarled, ignoring his daughter's protest as she tried to escape, but his large hand remained firm.

"No one is going to believe you! Also, the school rules states that if one fails their interview, they cannot go back and redo again!"

"Don't think you are the only one who read all of it before heading there," he replied, his tone dangerously calm. "Cause your mother and I did too, and it says nothing about parents not being allowed to have good reasonable grounds to send them back should they discover a fault in the interview."

"You are lying!"Ranran's eyes widen with fear before challenging, "There is no way the school will accept me back!"

"They will, and I will make sure of it!"

"No, stop!"Ranran cried, her little heart filled with dread as her father dragged her along with him.

................................................................................................

And he was unfortunately right.

Not only did the school take her in as a student after her father exposed her 'act' in front of the many kids of all ages in school, the principal Mr Alex even made her enrol in an exceptional talent programme because he was impressed.

Which didn't do good for Ranran either way, as she calculated her pulling this scheme cost her 7 hours of her gaming time. Supposedly had she not, it would've been just 5 hours in school for her. However, her acting chops landed her to lose an additional 2 hours being in the talent programme.

Worst, as soon as her mother found out about this, she made her apologize to the autistic community for calling them 'stupid'.

But that is the least of her concerns, in addition to dealing with boring lessons and homework, she also had to deal with the nonsense she is constantly witnessing every single day in Edgewood.

"How dare you bully the weak!?"

The 3-year-old can't help but roll her eyes as she once more, stood at the courtyard to witness this hilarious scenario of three teenagers, one who is seemingly the 'evil girl' or 'villainess' judging by her 'high maintenance' look,  the plain looking one which is the 'adored heroine' rumoured by the kids of the academy, and this good looking boy who is 'The Prince of....wait, what was the name of the country again? Adora or something which the kids keep talking about?

Forget it, too many real-life royals to remember in this school for her to memorize. She can't be bothered.

Anyway, this prince was the 'future husband' of the 'evil girl', in this case...the stereotypical arrange marriage one would see in idiotic K-dramas her mother would often watch. Except Ranran didn't think that now that they are in the United Kingdom, this kind of idiotic nonsense would still be taking place on the 21st century.

And in case you are wondering, this isn't the first stupid cliché incident to have taken place since Ranran started her days here. If any, it kept occurring all over the place.

She honestly doesn't know why this school is still considered prestigious. The only thing she could see is this:

A: Everyone has a crap ton of money to throw around here and there as if they were toilet paper.

B: The building of this school is old and mouldy.

And C: The kids here who are born from rich families barely had any proper braincells to function. That is literally it.

Case in point, this scenario will be self-explanatory on its own.

"I told you not to mess with Michelle! Just because you are my soon-to-be future wife, there is a limit over how far you can take your anger upon." The 17-year-old shouted at his fiance in anger.

"Take my anger upon!? Don't you think you are being too much!? Committing adultery while wasting your time with that potato here!?"

"Adultery!? How can you even say that!? Do you know the kind of trouble she is going through!?"

"She can burn for all I care, I don't want my husband hanging around that kind of scum!"

"Again, for the last time, Agatha, we are arrange to be married! I didn't consent to this!"

"Then what about me!? Do you think I consent to marry you as well!?"

"No, but your mommy and daddy did, remember?"

"Why you-"

"Oh, and did you also forget the reason why I agreed to this marriage, was because you and your family promised that my mom would be free from all the debts her company has? I would rather marry a man if I was gay, but then again, you are a better deal than a guy, considering you are more than happy to throw mommy and daddy's money around."

"Why I ought to-

"But I have a better idea. Why don't you tell your mommy and daddy about your affairs with this girl? I would rather not be a part of this engagement. Also, I wouldn't want to have any children with you, considering all you will do is spoil them and waste your family's fortune."

"Seriously, arrange marriages should be banned. It brings nothing but trouble, don't you agree?" Ranran could hear the Edgewood kids of all ages whispering among themselves.

"Yeah, this is getting out of hand, seriously. We are already 21st-century, not 17th-century. Can't people just be honest about their feelings and leave those who can't behind? What's the point of dragging someone else down?"

"Yeah, it's not like he has any feelings for her anyway. She's just a trophy wife."

"Right. The prince doesn't even have feelings for her. He's marrying her because his family told him to, and that's it."

"I wonder what's the end result, though."

"An ugly divorce, that is for certain," Ranran muttered to no one but herself, while she too secretly thinks this sort of marriages should be banned.

................................................................................................

To top it off with such idiotic dramas she had been witnessing, there is also incompetent morons to think about whenever class begins.

"Ranran, you are suppose to clean up the toys in the classroom, you know?" 

Tired and fed up with the same nonsense she is forced to endure every day, especially today. "No, I ain't going to do it."

"Miss Kudo, again, may I remind you that-"

"Miss Walsh," The 3-year-old gave a blank look at the furious and seemingly displeased teacher as she goes, "Before you speak, may I too remind you that I barely touched any of the toys with my classmates here, therefore, I do not need to clean up other kids' messes."

"But you are in the same class with them, Miss Kudo. If this continues on, how is this any fair to your classmates who helped tidy around?"

"Again, Miss Walsh, should I remind you how I ended up here in the first place," the 3-year-old's blank gaze bore into her, making her shift uncomfortably under her stare while she goes on to list her points. "No.1, I did not touch, let alone, interact with any of the toys here, therefore, does it not sound unreasonable that I clean up after them?"

"Yeah, but-"

"Second, you are aware that I often play on my smartphone, not toys, so why bother to make me do the chores here?"

"Hey, that's rude!"

"I ain't finished yet," Ranran growled before turning back to the teacher. "Third, you can obviously tell some of the girls here, I am talking...." Ranran scanned some of the 4-year-olds before ousting them one after the other, "You, you and you obviously took out the most difficult toys for me to put away, mainly toys like Legos before whining like a baby who need a diaper change, guilt tripping Miss Walsh over why I didn't bother doing my supposed 'duty' just like the rest of you."

"What-I don't-that's-"

"And fourth," Ranran interrupted the idiotic girls before turning to the teacher, "You are too easily swayed by minor complains, just because their family background is of higher prestige than you, you fear to lose your job, hence, felt like I have to do something when it isn't even my job, but theirs. In a way, if there is ever the true definition of A-tier laziness, this is it."

"Kudo Ranran-! Don't you think you are taking things too far!?" The other little girls grew red in anger, with a mixture of humiliation and frustration.

"Oh? So acting like a crybaby is a free pass for all of your misdeeds, correct?" Ranran countered, her voice dripping with venom. "In the meantime, the only reason why we are even in this position in the first place, is because you all can't accept the truth that once more, I was forced into this school, not like you idiots spreading lies that my family 'bribed' their way here."

"I don't have time to babysit you kids," The teacher finally intervened, having enough of this childish argument. "As much as I understand the fact that Kudo Ranran was forced here against her will, she is a part of the class, and as such, must follow the rules."

"Yeah, but-!"

"That is final."

"If I may, Miss Walsh," Ranran intervenes, raising her hand.

"What now?"

"Have you ever played with the toys in this very classroom before?"

"No, I haven't."

"Then, if it isn't too much of a hassle, could you clean it for me?"

"Why should I!? I am your teacher!"

"Exactly," Ranran replied calmly before reminding her, "You too didn't touch or play with any of the toys, so why should you put it away the way you are attempting to force me to?"

"You!" Finally, with her temper getting the better of her, she pointed at the door before ordering the little girl with anger in her eyes, "GET OUT!"

"Finally," the 3-year-old said with an irritated sigh, before leaving the classroom, heading towards the same venue she grew accustomed to.

................................................................................................ 

 "Is that her?" 

 "Ah, that girl who pretended to act stupid, right?" 

 "How is it that she is still allowed to be here?" 

 "Good question, I mean I can't even help but think what is the school's principal thinking for God-sakes." 

 Those were the words Ranran had grew accustomed to as she walked across the school hallways.

 "How come she is not expelled yet?" 

 "Maybe the parents are paying the school loads of cash. It is the only logical explanation.""Yeah, but ain't other kids here as well?" 

 "Well, whatever it is, this school is losing its reputation because of her. I hope she gets expelled." 

 "Not as if I want to be here, again," Ranran once more rolled her eyes while muttering to no one in particular, wondering why is it that her attempts to escape from this school had backfired one after another. 

According to the school rules, a student just need to commit a total of ten violations before they're expelled. Simple enough in theory, yet somehow, every time Ranran tried to stack up her infractions, the school turned a blind eye. 

It was as if this school itself has this strange pull, like an invisible hand guiding her every move. The harder she tried to break free, the more tangled she became in Edgewood's peculiar web. Ranran couldn't put her finger on it, but it felt as if....there is some puppet master controlling everything from behind the scenes, orchestrating her every failure to escape. 

She began to feel like a character in a twisted play, bound to a script she hadn't chosen, with no way out.Every time she tried something new—whether it was slipping fake reports into the faculty office or sneaking out of campus—the consequences never followed the rules. Instead, teachers would shrug it off, other students would ignore her, and any punishment she received was strangely minimal, almost as if they were waiting for something else to happen, something only she didn't know about. 

 One day, as Ranran sat on the edge of the school's stone fountain, plotting her next scheme to get kicked out, she can't help but overheard a group of kids whispering among themselves. 

"Do you believe those stories of 'The Deer' to be true?" 

 "As in what?" 

 "Being the reason why that wild girl ended up in our school's premise?"

Ranran's ears perked up at the mention of "The Deer." Who?

Curious, she slid a little closer, staying out of sight to catch more of their conversation.  "There has been an ongoing rumour for many years in this campus," a boy whispered in excitement as he told his other friends, "You know during the time all of us had to attend an interview before they decide whether we will end up in Edgewood or not?"

Ranran furrowed her brow, straining to hear every word. She vaguely remembered her own "interview," though it had felt more like an interrogation. The teacher had asked her feelings about her views of this school. Most kids at that time answered professionally, while she on the other hand acted to be a 'stupid' child to get herself kicked out.

When her father took her back to this school forcefully the second time and she was force to answer honestly about this question the second time, she recalled answering with as much bitterness as she could muster. She remembered how she had crossed her arms defiantly, rolling her eyes at the headmaster who'd sat there, staring her down with an odd, searching gaze.

"How is it any different than the slums my family used to live in?" she'd said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "It's like a jungle, lots of lying and scheming, but luxurious."

The headmaster hadn't flinched, nor had he shown any sign of offense. Instead, he leaned forward, a glimmer of amusement in his otherwise unreadable eyes. "A jungle, you say?" he replied smoothly, as if he had been waiting for this exact answer. "Interesting perspective, Miss Kudo. Perhaps you'll find it has... certain lessons to offer, for those who dare to see beneath the surface."

Ranran had dismissed his words at the time, but now they came flooding back with an eerie clarity. She'd felt cornered then, as if the headmaster could see past her bravado and into the heart of her resentment. There was something else in his gaze that day—a recognition, almost, as if he had known she'd be a part of Edgewood's web long before she even set foot on campus.

Back at the fountain, Ranran continued to eavesdrop on the students.

"They say it's a curse," the boy whispered, leaning in conspiratorially, "like, if The Deer finds a candidate interesting or 'worthy,' one is chosen to be here, no matter what."

"Wait, but....what if the person isn't interested?"

"That's the thing," the boy murmured, lowering his voice as if afraid even the trees might be listening. "Apparently, it doesn't matter if you want to be here or not. Once you're chosen, you're... bound."

The girl beside him shivered. "Bound how?"

"Some say The Deer marks you somehow," he continued, glancing around nervously. "You might not see it, but it's there. And once it's decided, there's no escaping. Even if you try to run away, even if you break every rule... somehow, Edgewood always pulls you back. It's like—"

"Like a curse," another kid muttered.

Ranran's heart pounded. She remembered every failed attempt to get expelled, each misstep that should have gotten her thrown out but never did. Every teacher's indifference, the strange looks, the unshakable feeling of being stuck—this whole time, she thought she'd just been unlucky, but what if... it was deliberate?

She leaned back against the fountain, staring up at the towering building looming over the campus, its ancient walls casting a long shadow over the grounds. A curse, a mark, a choice that wasn't her own. This place felt like a maze she'd been thrown into without a map, every exit sealed, the rules unreadable.

"Guess that makes you unlucky, huh?" one of the kids whispered to the others with a laugh. "If you're chosen, it's game over. Edgewood doesn't let go."

"But you know....even though I rarely say this, I would be more than happy to have this sort of curse for once in my life."

"How so?"

"Forever being able to get away with everything you do and still remain here."

Ranran's grip on the edge of the fountain tightened. So that's what they thought of her—a reckless girl who lucked her way out of trouble, taking advantage of some strange immunity they all envied. Seriously!? What the hell!?

"How does....The Deer picks them?"

"From the interview from what I heard."

"Really?"

"I heard the rumors that there's an unofficial fourth member," the boy continued, lowering his voice further. "They watch from somewhere, then give their silent approval, or whatever it is, to decide who stays and who goes."

Interview? But from what Ranran recalled, there were only three teachers. 

But hearing these kids talk about it now made her wonder. Was it more than that? Had those three teachers been evaluating something else, searching for something beneath the surface?

Someone lurking behind the scenes, hidden from view, pulling strings without anyone knowing? The thought sent a chill down her spine.

She recalled her own interview, that unnerving feeling she couldn't shake—like there had been another set of eyes watching her. She'd brushed it off as paranoia, but now, she wasn't so sure.

The girl beside the boy shivered. "But... how does this fourth member see you? They're not in the room, right?"

"That's the thing—some say they watch through the walls, through portraits or something. Like they're... everywhere." He gestured around the courtyard with a half-smile, but there was fear in his eyes.

Ranran glanced around the fountain, at the looming stone building with its countless windows and shadowed corners. Suddenly, she felt exposed, as if the entire school was watching her, and something or someone was studying her every move.

"Well," one of the other kids sighed, breaking the tension with a shrug, "whether or not it's true, it's kind of cool, isn't it? Like, getting chosen by some spooky overseer. Means she must be special."

Special? Was that what they thought of her immunity? That it was some sort of honor?

"I must get out of here," Ranran scoffed to herself.