Chapter 7: Zero Percent Attendance

It was a brilliant morning. The sky was a tender shade of cerulean, as warm and welcoming as a mother's embrace, with soft sunlight spilling across the land.

A few Pidove and Pidgey soared through the air, basking in the light, before suddenly spiraling downward as if noticing something below.

"Don't worry, there’s enough for everyone."

Sitting on a park bench, a handsome young man wore a faint, elusive smile. A black-and-white cap was pulled low, veiling his features, while his hands deftly tore a loaf of bread into small pieces to feed the swarm of avian Pokémon surrounding him.

Even in a city where Pokémon were accustomed to humans, it was rare to see them display such pure intimacy, let alone in such a large crowd. It would have been an astonishing sight to any passerby, but in this secluded corner of the park, visitors were few and far between.

"Oh, no. I got a bit carried away playing with them. It’s a rare day for me to actually head to school; it’ll be a hassle if I’m late."

Realizing the time, N tapped his forehead lightly and stood up. He offered a quick wave to the flock of Pidove before quickening his pace, disappearing down the path.

In a spot he hadn't noticed, a sleek, polished black luxury car sat parked at the edge of the clearing.

A figure in the backseat watched N’s departing figure through narrowed eyes, irises as red as fresh blood. One hand idly stroked a Persian sitting regally beside them.

…

"Hey, who’s that...? I don't think I've ever seen him before. A transfer student?"

"We’re almost seniors; who transfers this late? Looking at the uniform, he must be from the Pokémon Battle Class."

Because he hadn't set foot on campus in quite a while, the frequency with which N drew stares was significantly higher than usual.

First, there was his long, forest-green hair tied back in a ponytail, a look that remained strikingly unique even in a world where vibrant hair colors were the norm. Then there was his sheer visual appeal; in any world, good looks were a social currency, especially when paired with N’s elegant and gentle aura. Just walking past someone resulted in a ninety-percent chance of catching a girl's eye.

"..."

N maintained a stoic, distant expression. This "cold" aura acted as a natural deterrent, warding off most people who might want to strike up a conversation and effectively minimizing unnecessary trouble.

This was Hakurei (Grand Beauty) High School, the institution where he was officially enrolled. It was a traditional academy for aspiring Pokémon Trainers, featuring a specialized curriculum for battle tactics, the very class N belonged to.

However, N had spent half of his high school career at the Oak Research Lab. Even after transferring to the Japan region, he had barely attended a single day, making him something of a ghost within the halls.

His attendance rate was effectively zero. If anyone else had pulled such a stunt, they would have been summoned to the office for a stern lecture, or simply expelled.

But N was the exception.

Even though his primary focus wasn't on research, he had already won several prestigious awards in the academic community and held an official Researcher's Certification issued by the Kanto League. Upon transferring to Hakurei High, he had aced his entrance theory exams with a perfect score.

Combined with a personal letter of recommendation from Professor Oak himself, N was a figure that even the school principal, or the Elite Four of the Japan League, for that matter, would treat with a certain level of deference. The social standing of a Pokémon Professor was far higher than most could imagine.

Initially, N had no intention of coming to school today. He felt that time spent in a classroom was time that could be better spent training in Nichiyo Forest.

But Professor Oak had mentioned there would be something "interesting" waiting for him. Driven by curiosity, he decided to make an appearance, and perhaps see if Hilda was still upset after he’d teased her the day before.

Slide.

N entered the classroom and took a seat in the back corner by the window.

Since the desk had been vacant for so long, a thin layer of dust had settled over it. He didn't mind; he sat down casually and turned his gaze toward the scenery outside.

Thump!!

"Who is that gorgeous guy?"

"I think his name is really long, I can't remember... apparently, he never comes to class for some reason, but he's the top-ranked genius who beat the Class Rep's scores on every year-end exam?"

"That’s insane! Is he like a light novel protagonist? Did he get reincarnated into the modern world with some kind of cheat ability?"

Whispers rippled through the room. N ignored them, lost in his own thoughts, until a heavy sound echoed from his desk. He snapped out of his trance to find a pair of long, shapely legs clad in black silk stockings standing right in front of him.

"What are you doing at school all of a sudden?"

N looked up. Hilda stood there, her cute face flushed with a mix of surprise and lingering resentment, her ivory hands pressed firmly against his desk.

The sight of a person who usually treated the school like a myth was enough to make even an annoyed Hilda forget her grudge and come over to talk.

"While I was having breakfast, I met a Pidove. It told me that something good would happen if I came to school today, so here I am."

"As if I'd believe that!"

Hilda’s brow twitched. She shot him a look of sheer exasperation, feeling her irritation rise again as she stared at his handsome, smiling face.

Just as she was about to press him further, the classroom door swung open. Seeing the teacher enter, she didn't have time for a long interrogation. Giving N one last complicated look, she hurried back to her own seat.