Volume 5 Prologue: During Summer Break
Seron Maxwell
Born on the 3rd day of the third month of the year 3290. 15 years old. A third-year student at the 4th Capital Secondary School in the Capital District of the Roxcheanuk Confederation. His hometown is far from school, so he lives in the dorms.
Strauski Megmica
Born on the 14th day of the second month of the year 3289. 16 years old. A third-year student. She is from the Allied Kingdoms of Bezel-Iltoa. ‘Strauski’ is her family name. Because she started school a year after moving to Roxche, she is a year older than her classmates. A member of the chorus club.
Larry Hepburn
Born on the 12th day of the fifth month of the year 3290. 15 years old. A third-year student. He is from military family with a very long history, and trains daily to become a soldier himself. Seron’s best friend.
Natalia Steinbeck
Born on the 8th day of the sixth month of the year 3290. 15 years old. A third-year student. Her parents are famous musicians. Part of the orchestra club, and is skilled with musical instruments.
Nicholas Browning
Born on the 4th day of the fourth month of the year 3290. 15 years old. A third-year student. He has an androgynous appearance and is not part of any clubs. He and Seron are acquainted.
Jenny Jones
Born on the 17th day of the first month of the year 3290. 15 years old. A third-year student. She is the daughter of one of Roxche’s richest people. President of the newspaper club.
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“So we won’t be able to have another group event for the rest of the summer, Treasurer Seron Maxwell?”
<More or less, President Jenny Jones.>
“Tch. And we still have 25 whole days left before the term starts. Too bad, I wanted to teach you guys some more things. But I guess I can’t push you guys too hard since my family canceled the newspaper club camp.”
<I don’t blame your parents. Who wouldn’t want their kids to come home after they got involved in a murder case? Mr. Kurtz was just doing his job when he told them.>
“It’s not like I’m blaming him. Oh, and Mr. Hartnett contacted me about the case. Both Hampleton and Mrs. Lawrence are in hospitals designated by the Confederation Police. They’re not sure if either of them are fit to stand trial yet.”
<I see…>
“There’s nothing else we can do at this point. Just leave it to the adults. Anyway, since we won’t be meeting up until the fall term, tell everyone to think up story ideas. I want our new newspapers up on the walls as soon as possible, so I need everyone to contribute.”
<About that. It’s all right if we just come up with lies?>
“Seron. Are you suggesting we sully the sanctity of the press?”
<Are you joking, Jenny? I can’t really figure it out over the telephone.>
“Easier than trying to figure you out. Anyway, we can discuss more at the club office when classes start again. Call the others and tell them we have no more plans for the summer, and that they’re to gather at the club office on the first day back. We need to print that first issue, take photographs, submit stuff to competitions and lots of other things. We have a busy fall ahead.”
<All right.>
“Oh? I’m surprised you accepted so easily.”
<Contacting people is the treasurer’s job, isn’t it? I mean, not that I’ve even touched a budget sheet or anything yet.>
“That’s not what I was talking about—”
<Hm?>
“Never mind. Just let everyone know, okay?”
* * *
“Hello! This is Larry Hepburn, on fire as usual! I seriously stink of gunpowder ‘cause I was out doing marksmanship practice with Dad and Cato. How’re you doing, Seron?”
<I’m all right, thanks. Reading lots, relaxing and stuff. I’m calling on newspaper club business today.>
“Ah! You got word from Jenfie?”
<Yeah. I’ll get to the point. Our schedules don’t match, so we won’t have any more club activities for the rest of the summer.>
“Hm. Figures. Lia was saying something about a family vacation too.”
<Our next meeting date is the first day of the fall term. We have to meet at the club office after classes.>
“‘Meet at the clubroom after classes on the first day of school’. Got that. You’re moving back to the dorms before that though, right? I’m going to drop by school after our military sciences training camp, so let’s meet up for lunch. And… don’t tell anyone, but please help me with my homework!”
<All right. I’ll do what I can. I’ll be back at the dorms about four days before classes start, in the morning. Just like every other year. I have to call the others now, so I’m going to have to hang up.>
“Right. But you sure you’re gonna be all right, buddy?”
<Hm? With what?>
“You’re gonna have to call Megmica again. You haven’t called her yet, right?”
<Oh. …Yeah, I’m going to be okay. I talked with her a lot back at the camp, you know.>
“Atta boy! I’m proud of you, Seron!”
<And I’ve seen her with her hair down, too.>
“Huh? Oh, right. You did.”
<So even if she’s wearing her hair down at home, I can talk to her without getting nervous. And if one of her parents pick up, I can just tell them, ‘My name is Seron Maxwell, and I’ve seen your daughter with her hair down’. They’ll pass the receiver right to her, I know it.>
<So even if she’s wearing her hair down at home, I can talk to her without getting nervous. And if one of her parents pick up, I can just tell them, ‘My name is Seron Maxwell, and I’ve seen your daughter with her hair down’. They’ll pass the receiver right to her, I know it.>
“…Seron, you got a minute? We need to talk.”
* * *
“Hello. Strauski residence.”
<…>
“Hello?”
<Oh, er, excuse me. My name is Seron Maxwell, a fourth-year student at the 4th Capital Secondary School. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.>
“Ohh, you’re one of Sis’s school buddies! Hiya!”
<…‘H-hiya’? By any chance, are you Megmica’s brother?>
“Uh-huh! I’m Strauski Kurt, twelve years old! Nice to meetcha! We have another little brother too. His name’s Johan, ten years old.”
<It’s nice to meet you, Kurt. I’m Seron Maxwell. Your Roxchean’s very good. I’m impressed.>
“‘Cause I went to primary school in Roxche for two years, duh. But I’m not good at polite stuff yet. The teacher tells me off too.”
<I see. Thanks for picking up. It’ll be a lot easier on me.>
“A lot easier for what?”
<Er… just talking to myself. I wanted to talk to your sister—Megmica—about school. Is she home right now? Or is she out on an errand?>
“‘Errand’? Oh, you mean is she out? Yeah. She’s at the department store with Mom and Johan to buy clothes. I’m watching the house. But they’re gonna bring back some of those deep-fried crisps for me. I love ‘em!”
<I see. And yeah, the crisps are good sometimes, but they smell a bit strong and they’re really greasy.>
“Y’know, you can’t get that stuff in Sou Be-Il, ever! Crisps like that don’t exist! Me and Johan cried ‘cause it was so good, when we first tried it! All the Westerners in the Capital District say, ‘it’s so good!’, ‘it’s delicious!’ and eat it all the time!”
“Y’know, you can’t get that stuff in Sou Be-Il, ever! Crisps like that don’t exist! Me and Johan cried ‘cause it was so good, when we first tried it! All the Westerners in the Capital District say, ‘it’s so good!’, ‘it’s delicious!’ and eat it all the time!”
<Really?>
“Yeah! If they don’t like it, they’re a fake person pretending to be from the West! Even Dad says we’d make a fortune if we sold it to Sou Be-Il! But you only eat it sometimes, Big Bro?”
<Yeah. I live in the dorms and eat all my meals there, so I don’t have the chance to go out for food. Right now I’m back home, though. I live in a city called Weld, far from the Capital District. Those deep-fried crisps aren’t as popular here, so I don’t get to eat them often.>
“Wow! You live far away? Cool! Can I come over sometime?”
<Hm. Weld is really far. You have to take a train overnight. But sometimes I invite my friends over, so maybe you could come with them.>
“Cool! I’m gonna bring Sis too!”
<…>
“S’wrong?”
<N-nothing. It’s nothing. Yeah. You do that.>
“Awesome! Oh, you said you wanted to tell her something, right? But she’s out right now.”
<Could you take a message?>
“‘Take’ a message? Er… oh, that means I have to listen and then tell her the message later, right? I got it.”
<Yeah. Tell her the newspaper club won’t be doing any activities over the summer, and that she should come to the club office after class on the first day back.>
“No newspaper club stuff for the summer, and meet on the first day of school. Got that. I wrote it down!”
<Perfect. I’m counting on you, Kurt.>
“Leave it to me! Does Sis know your number, Big Bro?”
<I think she does, but could you take it down, just in case?>
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