The hallways of St. Margaret’s Academy always seemed to part whenever Madison Glose walked through them.
With her hair perfectly straight, her uniform pressed without a single wrinkle, and a silver medal pinned to her blazer for ranking 2nd in the National Mock Exams, she was the definition of "unattainable." To the boys, she was a cold beauty; to the girls, she was the standard they could never quite reach.
"Did you see her?" a freshman whispered. "She didn't even blink during that three-hour calculus test."
Madison heard it all, but she didn't react. Her "Ice Queen" expression was a mask she had perfected over years. In reality, her mind wasn't on calculus. It was on the fact that the Sword Art Online: Progressive event was ending at midnight, and she still needed three more rare drops to complete her set.
Just four more hours of being 'Perfect Madison,' she thought, clutching her leather briefcase. Then I can finally go home and be Kirito.
The Move
By 4:00 PM, the "Goddess" persona was discarded. Madison stood in the hallway of the Skyline Apartments, a luxury complex closer to her father’s new office. She was wearing an oversized hoodie that swallowed her frame and thick-rimmed glasses, her hair tied in a messy bun.
She was currently struggling with a box labeled FRAGILE: DO NOT DROP (LEVEL 99 STUFF).
"Ugh... why did I buy the life-sized replica?" she hissed, her face turning red as she tried to nudge the heavy box toward Unit 402. Inside was a high-grade steel replica of the Elucidator, a centerpiece for her secret "Aincrad Room."
Suddenly, the door to Unit 401—the apartment directly across from hers—swung open.
The air in the hallway was instantly filled with the scent of caramelized sugar and warm yeast. Madison froze.
A boy stepped out. He was wearing a flour-dusted apron over his school uniform—a uniform she recognized. He was a student at St. Margaret’s, too. His name was Chris Smith. She remembered him because he sat three rows behind her in English and always seemed to be staring out the window.
In his hands, he held a cooling rack filled with perfectly golden, puff-pastry swans.
"Oh," Chris said, blinking at the girl in the hallway. He didn't recognize her at first. To him, Madison Glose was a shimmering figure on a pedestal. This girl looked like... well, a tired teenager. "Are you moving into 402?"
Madison pulled her hoodie strings tight, trying to hide her face. "Yes. I... I can handle it."
"That box looks like it’s about to give up on life," Chris said with a small, easy smile. He set the tray of pastries on a small table by his door. "I’m Chris. I live right here. Let me help you with that."
"No! Stay back!" Madison squeaked.
It was too late. As she tried to pull the box away, the bottom tape—weakened by the weight—gave way.
Clang.
The heavy, black scabbard and the gleaming steel blade of the Elucidator slid out, clattering loudly against the sterile hallway floor. Along with it, a handful of SAO character charms and a "Link Start!" mousepad spilled out like a mountain of secret shame.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Madison looked at the sword. She looked at the mousepad. Then she looked at Chris, her "Perfect Rank #2" reputation flashing before her eyes.
Chris stared at the floor. He picked up a small acrylic keychain of Silica. "Is this... a limited edition?"
Madison felt like she wanted to evaporate. "I can explain. It’s... it’s for a history project. About... medieval weaponry."
Chris looked at her, then at the keychain, then back at her face. He didn't laugh. Instead, he reached into his apron pocket and pulled out a small, thumb-sized piece of puff pastry shaped like a healing potion bottle.
"My dream is to be a Pastry Chef," he said quietly, offering her a pastry swan. "I spend five hours a day making dough instead of studying for the mock exams. I’m currently ranked 142nd."
He leaned down, picked up the heavy sword with one hand, and handed it to her with a wink.
"Your secret is safe with me, Neighbor. But only if you tell me how you got the coloring so perfect on this scabbard. It looks just like the anime."
Madison took the sword, her heart hammering against her ribs. For the first time in her life, she wasn't #2 or the "Goddess." She was just a girl with a sword and a very delicious-smelling neighbor.
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