Three days later, first thing in the morning, several servants were already bustling around Maya's room. The girl was still half-asleep when one of the servants helped her put on her uniform.
"Huh, a uniform?" Maya lowered her head and stared at the neatly arranged uniform on her body.
She had only just realized that the servants had been busy preparing her school supplies all this time. Maya had thought she would be locked in this room forever. Fortunately, Raya's father was still kind enough to let her continue going to school.
That thought reignited Maya's spirit, which had briefly gone out. She was truly sick of being trapped in this room. So going to school felt like a breath of fresh air.
Once everything was ready, Maya and the other members of the Adiwangsa family sat at the dining table for breakfast. Over the past three days, Maya had grown closer to Lexa and Axel.
Of course, the fear was still there. Maya still remembered how Lexa had intimidated her and how Axel had shouted angrily at her.
"Eat plenty. I don't want to hear about any drama involving you fainting during class," Axel said curtly as he placed more meat on Maya's plate.
Maya nodded stiffly. She glanced nervously at Garry as the man studied the two of them.
"You two seem closer lately." Garry then shifted his gaze to Lexa, asking for an explanation.
"Later," Lexa replied briefly. Her expression remained impassive as she deftly cut her meat.
Garry simply nodded. After breakfast, Axel quickly grabbed Maya's hand and pulled her toward the car that would take them.
Since the middle and high school buildings were still located on the same grounds, all three of them went to school together. Raya usually went by herself. But apparently, that habit had automatically changed now that Maya's soul filled Raya's original body.
When they reached the gate, Axel pulled Maya along again as she stood frozen, staring at how enormous the school was. Was she dreaming? Maya felt as if she were looking at a building from the Middle Ages.
"Since this is your first day, I'll take you to your classroom. You probably don't know where it is, right? Tch, you're such a pain." Axel kept rambling as he pulled Maya inside. Lexa said nothing, following the two of them from behind.
The presence of the two high school students naturally made everyone stare curiously. However, no one dared ask anything because they were afraid of Lexa's cold gaze.
"Raya!" Sky, who had just arrived with her driver, shouted as she ran toward the confused-looking Maya.
Before Sky could hug Maya, Axel pulled the girl behind his body. "No hugging!"
Sky's forehead creased into a four-way intersection. She glared fiercely at Axel. "What?! Raya's my friend!"
Axel's gaze instantly sharpened. His grip on Maya's arm tightened. "You're only Raya's friend, while I'm her brother. Isn't it obvious who has more right? Go away! You're ruining my mood."
Sky glared at him indignantly. "You shameless jerk! Since when has Raya had a brother? You were the one who refused to acknowledge Raya before!"
Those words made Axel's jaw clench. Without realizing it, he tightened his grip until Maya winced in pain.
"Big brother, that hurts," Maya said softly as she tugged her hand slightly against Axel's grip.
Axel clicked his tongue. Even so, he released Maya's hand. The reddish marks left behind were clearly visible, making Sky's anger boil over.
"And you call yourself a big brother?" Sky sneered, rolling her eyes.
She quickly grabbed Maya's other hand from behind Axel and led her toward the classroom without a word. Axel clenched his fists. He wanted to chase after Maya, but Lexa shook her head first.
"Leave her. Don't let her suspect that her friend isn't actually 'Raya.'" Lexa then turned around. She was now heading toward the building next door, leaving Axel no choice but to follow his twin sister.
Unfortunately, they failed to realize that someone had heard those words. Meanwhile, Sky and Maya finally reached the classroom.
The already-crowded classroom made Maya the center of attention. After all, the girl had been absent from school for quite a long time.
"They didn't hurt you, did they?" Sky asked as soon as she sat in her seat. Maya, who still looked dazed, sat down beside her.
"You were Raya's friend at the hospital, right?" Instead of answering, Maya asked a question. Sky's face did seem familiar, but she was afraid of mistaking her for someone else.
Sky furrowed her brow for a moment, finding the way 'Raya' spoke strange, as though she were saying she was someone else. But she quickly brushed the thought aside when she remembered the doctor's explanation from a few weeks ago. After Maya returned, the doctor had explained 'Raya's' condition to Sky and Radit because Garry didn't want to hear any of it.
What a bastard of a father! Sky cursed inwardly.
"I-isn't that right?" Maya began to feel awkward when she received no answer for several minutes.
"That's right. My name's Sky. Remember Radit? Well, he goes to school here too, but he's in a different class. His brain can't keep up with this class," Sky explained with a quiet giggle.
"O-oh, right." Maya nodded awkwardly. This was bad. Was this the honors class?
Maya rubbed her face in frustration, making Sky wonder what was wrong. "What's the matter?"
"It's nothing." Maya quickly shook her head.
Maya's guess had been right.
During break, Maya immediately dropped her head onto her desk. There was so much material she didn't understand. Some of it, she had never even studied before.
In her previous life, thirteen-year-old Maya had only just begun experiencing life as a middle school student. But now, she had to deal with ninth-grade material in the honors class.
Maya felt like her brain was on fire!
"Are you okay? Does your head still hurt?" Sky asked repeatedly when she saw Maya's exhausted face.
Maya weakly shook her head as she organized her books. "I'm just a little tired."
By chance, her eyes caught sight of Arkana's book, which she had deliberately brought with her. Maya wanted to return it to its owner.
Maya scanned the classroom. Which one was Arkana?
"Sky, who is Arkana?" Maya asked Sky, who nearly choked on her own spit. She had never expected Maya to know about Arkana.
"How did you find out about that bookworm?" Sky asked, making no attempt to hide her dislike.
Maya blinked several times, visibly surprised by Sky's less-than-enthusiastic response. "Um ... I want to return his book."
"A book?" Sky furrowed her brow.
Maya nodded. She then showed Sky the book in question. Arkana's name was written on it.
Sky's eye twitched. Seriously, she wasn't used to 'Raya' being this calm.
With a sigh, Sky finally pointed to a boy reading in the corner of the classroom. The neat-haired teenager wore glasses perched on his sharp nose. His face was flat and cold, reminding Maya of Lexa.
Maya swallowed. Why did she suddenly feel nervous?
"Come on, we'll go together. I don't want that bookworm saying anything weird," Sky grumbled as she took Maya's hand, half-dragging her toward Arkana's desk.
Arkana, hearing footsteps approaching, immediately looked up. His eyes went straight to Maya, who seemed different.
Her appearance had changed a hundred and eighty degrees just from wearing a neat uniform. Normally, Raya wouldn't bother tucking her shirt into her skirt or wearing a tie. This time ... it was different. It almost made Arkana unable to recognize 'Raya.'
"Here!" Sky snatched the book from Maya's hand and slammed it onto Arkana's desk.
"Sky, be careful," Maya whispered uneasily.
Sky snorted. Raya used to be the loudest one when it came to mocking Arkana. But now ... whatever. Sky rubbed the bridge of her nose, then silently dragged Maya back to their seats.
"Don't get too close to Arkana," Sky advised, trying to look wise.
"Why?" Maya asked directly. Her eyes blinked with curiosity. Sky coughed. What the heck? How could her friend, who was always causing trouble, have changed into someone this adorable?
"Because ... you might catch his bookworm virus!"
Maya merely nodded, though she didn't believe it. Sky then snapped her fingers in the air. She rummaged through her bag and handed something to Maya.
"Your phone, Ray. You didn't bring it when you left the hospital that time. Don't worry, I took it to a technician, and everything's working properly again," Sky said excitedly.
"A technician? What for?" Maya lowered her head and stared at the black phone in surprise. So this was the phone Garry had been looking for? It had even ended with her not getting dinner.
Sky immediately smacked her forehead. "Oh my God, I forgot you had that damn delusion. Anyway, the phone was damaged in the accident that put you in the hospital."
"Sky, if you don't mind, could you tell me what happened in the accident?"