Chapter 9: No Girls Allowed

The Next Morning

The sun had barely risen when Mira arrived in front of the large gates of Bluemoon Academy. She had been travelling throughout the night just to reach the academy early, and although exhaustion weighed on her body, she refused to let it show as she approached the entrance.

Wiping away the strands of hair covering her face, she straightened her back and walked towards the gates.

Bluemoon Academy was located on the outskirts of Bluemoon City, sharing a border with the Emerald Forest and surrounded by thick, towering walls. The only entrance into the academy was through these massive gates, which were currently guarded by two Warriors.

Mira pushed every distracting thought to the back of her mind as she approached them. She appeared to be the only person there, and she rather enjoyed having the place to herself. She wanted to settle her business as quickly as possible before her parents discovered that she was missing and sent people to bring her back.

'He'll surely send his guards to look for me. I have to join the academy before that happens.'

Mira had never attended Bluemoon Academy in her previous life, so she didn't know exactly how things worked within its walls. However, one thing she was certain of was that if she wanted to become powerful enough to change the future, she had to find a way to enter the academy.

"Hey, girl! Stop there!" one of the Warriors stationed at the gate commanded as she came within range. "What brings you here?"

"I came to join the academy," Mira replied almost immediately.

The Warrior glanced at his partner before turning his attention back to her. "The application for maids has already ended. Come back next year."

"You must have misunderstood me. I came to join as a student, not as a maid," Mira clarified, causing the man to raise an eyebrow. His eyes carried a hint of disbelief as he looked her over.

"Then you should tell your brother to come and apply for himself."

"My brother isn't applying. I am. I want to join the academy and become a Warrior," Mira answered, prompting the two men to exchange glances.

"Hahaha!"

They burst into genuine laughter, apparently finding the very idea of her statement amusing. Neither of them seemed capable of taking her seriously, and their reaction only made Mira's expression grow colder.

"It's too early in the morning to be cracking jokes, girl. You should go home," the first Warrior dismissed her.

"I'm not joking. I want to join the academy, so let me through," Mira replied without breaking character. She maintained a straight face throughout their conversation, refusing to give them the satisfaction of seeing how much their dismissal annoyed her.

The second Warrior, who had been observing her more carefully, stepped forward. "What's your name?"

"Mira."

"And why do you want to become a Warrior?"

"Because..." Mira paused, studying the man as she wondered whether she should reveal the real reason behind her determination. However, if her own parents couldn't believe her, what were the chances that a stranger she had only just met would take her seriously? "I don't want to depend on men. I want to become strong enough to stand on my own and protect..."

Her voice trailed off as unpleasant memories suddenly flooded her mind, bringing back the faces of those she had failed to save in her previous life. She clenched her fists, forcing herself to remain composed before the two men.

The Warrior stepped closer and placed a hand on her shoulder, looking straight into her blue eyes as though he were about to offer her some profound wisdom.

"Look, Mira. There are things that only men can do, just as there are things only women can do. It has been that way for generations, and we can't simply mix things up because someone desires a different life. Only men can become Warriors. It is a man's duty to protect."

He paused, allowing his gaze to travel over her face before a smile crept onto his lips.

"A beauty like you needs a man to protect her. You know, I'm not married yet, so I could..."

"You pedophile! Don't take advantage of an innocent girl!" the second guard interrupted, causing the man to snatch his hand away from Mira's shoulder.

"I'm not taking advantage of her!" he protested before turning to Mira. "Am I?"

Mira shook her head, barely suppressing the smile threatening to appear on her face.

"You want to marry me, right?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.

The Warrior's cheeks flushed as he scratched the back of his head, unable to believe that his luck could be this good. The other guard stared at him with undisguised jealousy, wishing he had been the one to receive such an offer. He was just about to speak when Mira continued.

"You're very handsome, and you look powerful. I'll marry you..."

The Warrior's face brightened instantly, and the smile spreading across his lips made it obvious that he had already begun imagining his good fortune. However, Mira wasn't finished.

"...if and only if you let me inside Bluemoon Academy."

His smile vanished so quickly that Mira almost laughed. The man's face darkened as he realised that she had been playing with him, and he couldn't believe that he had actually fallen for it.

"You take me for a joke, huh?"

"I wasn't kidding," Mira replied, her expression remaining perfectly innocent.

"Shut your trap! When have you ever heard of the academy accepting a girl as a student? Get the hell out of here before I throw you out myself!"

'Just as I suspected. The academy has never accepted a female student before. I can't simply walk in here expecting them to let me through.'

Mira quickly assessed the situation, but her expression remained unchanged. She had expected resistance, yet facing it so directly was more frustrating than she had imagined.

"I'm not leaving. I want to see the Dean."

Both guards stared at her in surprise, their mouths hanging open for a moment. Even though they had worked at the academy for years, neither of them had ever seen the Dean in person, let alone dealt with someone who demanded an audience with him at the gates.

Mira was about to add something, perhaps even mention the Dean's full name to show them that she was serious, when she suddenly felt her heart tighten.

Turning around, she noticed that the area behind her was gradually filling with people as young men began gathering in front of the academy, all hoping to gain admission.

'All these men will be allowed inside, so why won't they let me in? Wait... I could simply stand behind them and sneak through when the gates open.'

The idea came to her almost immediately, and she rolled her eyes at the guard before stepping aside, pretending to have given up.

"You shouldn't even think about sneaking in," the Warrior she had teased warned sternly, as though he had seen straight through her plan. "I won't go easy on you just because you're a girl."

"Who told you I wanted to sneak in? And even if I did, do you think you could catch me?" Mira fired back, provoking the other guard into laughter as he watched his partner struggle to deal with a young woman who refused to be intimidated.

However, Mira didn't remain there for long. Something else caught her attention, and the moment she turned her head, her eyes widened.

'My parents must have discovered that I'm missing, but I didn't expect them to find me this quickly. They've already sent guards to look for me! Even if the academy allowed me inside, my father could still use his influence to prevent them from registering me as a student.'

From a distance, she spotted a Cromwell family guard questioning a passerby, apparently searching for information about her whereabouts. Although she couldn't hear what he was asking, she had little doubt about the reason for his presence.

'Shit! Why are there so many obstacles? What am I supposed to do now?'

Mira looked towards the academy gates before turning her attention back to the family guard, who was gradually moving closer.

"Hey, weak Warrior!" she called out, drawing the guard's attention before flashing him a taunting smile. "If anyone asks you about a lady, tell them you didn't see anyone."

Before he could respond, she sprinted away, slipping into the growing crowd until she disappeared from sight.

The guard stood there, dumbfounded. If he hadn't been stationed at the academy gates, he would have chased after her without hesitation, but his duty kept him where he was.

"Don't let us cross paths again, girl. It won't end well for you," he spat on the ground before turning his attention back to the young men gathering at the entrance.