Dusk began to slowly descend on the sky of Risten Academy. Orange hues reflected off the roofs of the old buildings, and the air began to carry a thin chill from the northern mountains. In one of the windows on the second floor of the girls' dormitory, a girl stood, looking out with a curious face.
Her name was Riria.
She held a flat crystal-shaped communication artifact that glowed faintly, displaying the image she had secretly taken earlier that afternoon: the figure of a girl sitting alone in the academy's back garden. Her eyes were closed. Her posture was straight, and her entire body was wrapped in a delicate yet intricate blue rope. The knots were precise and beautiful, almost artistic. And most surprising of all, the girl's facial expression was calm, almost peaceful.
The girl was Luira.
"She really is like a statue," Riria muttered to herself.
Luira wasn't a popular student, but almost everyone in their year knew who she was. Quiet, calm, always neat, and almost never showed any emotion. But rumors about Luira's nighttime habits were spreading, she was said to do some kind of spiritual practice with magic ropes every night. Sitting still for hours in a tied position.
At first, Riria thought it was just a silly myth from the upper-level students. But after seeing it directly from the fourth-floor window this afternoon, she knew: something strange was indeed happening.
And her curiosity could not be contained.
Riria grabbed a thin jacket and stepped out of the dormitory without permission. The streets were deserted, only a few students were still hanging around the academy's outer courtyard. The light of magic lamps slowly lit up one by one along the cobblestone streets leading to the eastern district—the area where students from prominent families lived.
Luira's house was located on a quiet corner of the street, far from the center of the crowd. The building was simple but elegant, surrounded by a low iron fence and a small garden that looked very well-maintained. The living room light was on from behind a window covered with thin curtains. There was no sound. No signs of activity.
Riria swallowed. She climbed the two steps to the front porch, standing in front of a dark blue wooden door.
She knocked softly. There was no answer.
After a few seconds, she tried knocking again. Still silence.
With a little hesitation, she touched the doorknob and turned it slowly.
Click.
The door... was unlocked.
"Luira...?" she called softly as she slipped inside.
There was no sound. The soft scent of old wood and dry tea greeted her. The interior of the house was very neat, almost too quiet. In the main room, there was a long cream-colored sofa and a low table. On top of the table, there was a small vase of flowers and an embroidered cover.
But what made Riria froze was the figure sitting on the sofa.
Luira.
She sat upright, her body completely bound by dimly glowing blue rope. The ties around her body were complicated, but neat and balanced. Both of her arms were brought behind her in the Gote Shibari style, and her legs were bent and tied to her thighs in a very stable Frogtie position. Her long blue dress was neatly arranged beneath her, and white stockings wrapped her legs from her toes to her thighs.
Her head was slightly bowed. Her eyes were closed.
She didn't move.
Riria held her breath. The scene was like a strange dream. On one hand, there was the extraordinary calmness of Luira's posture. On the other hand, there was the obvious tension and entanglement of the knots.
> Is she… sleeping? Meditation? Or is this… some kind of serious training?
Riria stepped closer. She could even hear Luira's breathing—slow, steady, deep. As if the girl had intentionally entered this bound state for… something.
And without realizing it, Riria's finger had already touched the surface of her communication crystal. She lifted it slowly. The blue light from the lens shone on Luira's face. She held her breath.
"Just one photo. For proof. I can delete it later."
Click.
Instantly, the air around her changed.
A strange jingle echoed in the room. Riria turned her head in panic. From under the table, from the floor, from the air—blue ropes began to appear. Like living tendrils, they shot towards Riria before the girl could retreat.
"What—?!"
Too late.
Riria's legs were pulled down forcefully. Her knees were bent, her ankles tied to her thighs in a frogtie position. Her left hand was pulled back, then her right, and in an instant… she was in the exact same position as Luira.
She fell to the floor, leaning against the side of the sofa. Her body was locked, unable to move an inch. Her breath was ragged, her face was bright red.
"Ah… ahh—wait! What is this?! What happened?!"
Luira opened her eyes slowly. Her expression remained calm, as if this was nothing out of the ordinary.
"Good evening, Riria."
"Are you awake?! Are you awake?! Help me take this off first! What is this?!"
"You're taking a picture of someone in a state of bound meditation. Rule two. The blue rope doesn't allow that."
"I—I just wanted to know! I didn't mean anything weird! I—"
"You took a picture. Then you accept the consequences."
Riria squirmed. But every movement only made the knots tighter. She winced, gritting her teeth.
"Why are they tied like this?! I can't even sit up straight! I'm not wearing anything on my feet, and this—"
She turned her face away, her cheeks red. Embarrassed. Her blue dress only covered her upper body. Her bent knees and thighs left her nearly naked from the waist down.
Luira lowered her head slightly, her eyes soft.
"Calm down. I'll help. But I'm… in training too. I need to finish this stage before I can move."
Riria hissed, then pouted as she turned her face away.
"This is annoying… and embarrassing… and you're so relaxed."
Luira closed her eyes again. "Be patient for a moment. I'll find a way after this is over. Besides, this is your own fault. Why did you take a picture of me like that?"
Riria didn't answer. She just puffed out her cheeks, then looked away, holding back her shame and annoyance.
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