Having nothing else to do, I sit down on a block of concrete which constitutes a bench, exploring the empty academy with my eyes. By the pillar, there is some kind of abstract statue I can’t make sense of made from tarnished metal. Maybe I am looking at it wrong? To my left, a mural stretches along the wall, depicting scenes of humans and monster girls living together. The colors are too vibrant—the portrayal too idealistic. It feels a bit forced, like an advertisement for a utopia that doesn’t quite exist.

“Meow.”

I hear a weak purr by my feet. There is a cat rubbing up against my calf. This chubby black-furred feline provides some semblance of normality, prompting me to reach down and pet it. The dense fur feels warm between my fingers. 

“There you are,” a voice calls out from the entrance. I see a petite woman fixing thin glasses around her nose to make herself look presentable. It doesn’t really matter that much since instead of looking at her face my eyes immediately focus on the silver halo floating a few centimeters above her practical blonde bob. I almost want to reach out and grab it if I wasn't worried it would slice right through my palm.

“Ahem,” the angel coughs, wanting to very politely tell me that I should stop being a creep and staring at her halo. “I am Magdalena,” she takes a step closer, reaching out her hand. I shake it, finding that she lacks wings once I lean in closer. She’s really, really short- “Ahem!” Magdalena coughs a little louder this time. “I am the current president of the student council and your classmate. I’ll be keeping an eye on you,” she promised (threatened). 

Following the cat’s gaze, I see it hissing at the angel, jumping down from my lap and raising its tail like a fencing sword. 

Magdalena pauses mid-sentence, her brow furrowing. “How did you make it back onto the island…” She trails off, straightening her glasses with a quick tap. Her voice is calm and controlled, but there's an edge to it. “I see you’ve already met Pochi.” 

“Does it live on campus?” Pochi? Really? Who names their cat Pochi? That’s a dog’s name.

“Unfortunately,” Magdalena winces while bending down to pick the feline up like a bag of garbage. “We’ve had an issue with him sneaking into the dorms. He had managed to impregnate all the cats on the entire island before we first managed to stop him.”

Pochi begins struggling in the cruel angel’s grasp, jumping back to the safety of my leg and rubbing against it. He has the same dumb face as before, not the least bothered by his criminal records.

“He seems to like you…” Magdalena carefully puckers her lips, taking a step back with wide eyes. 

“Wait!” I step up to Magdalena only to see her continually backing away like an opposing magnet. Considering what the President said about him, warming up to Pochi as the only man on the island is not a good look. 

“Let’s…move on.” Raising her hand, the angel hides her mouth behind an oversized sleeve of her uniform, walking away at a more-than-brisk pace. I am pretty sure I heard her whispering a quick prayer as if I was a demon in need of an exorcist.

I exhale so deeply that my lungs might fall out, giving a dirty glance to Pochi before hoisting a duffel bag over my shoulder as I follow through the sprawling academy halls. The walls are painted a soft pastel color—an odd contrast to the stark exterior. Every step echoes in the cavernous space, the sound almost swallowed by the still air. Magdalena leads the way with quick, measured strides, her hand never quite leaving the edge of her face as if prepared to shield herself from me.

“This academy is… different,” she begins, wanting to start over. “It’s meant to be a bridge between humans and monster girls, but integration isn’t as smooth as you might expect.” Magdalena coughs into her floppy sleeve with a hint of shame. “We are yet to get approval for allowing human students…”

“Honestly, I have zero expectations for this place—less than zero, actually.” That was meant as a compliment, but it really doesn’t sound like one. “If I don’t die until the captain returns, consider me pleasantly surprised.”

Magdalena glances over her shoulder at me, her eyes narrowing just slightly. “You’ll be the first hybrid to attend. That makes you a bit of an anomaly.”

“Of course.” A spectacle indeed.

“There is also the matter of your…housing,” she speaks as if in euphemism, turning towards me. “Any strong preference?”