Chapter 2 || The Obedience Code

Chapter 2: 2 || The Obedience Code

The back door slid open.

A girl stepped into the classroom, her long black hair swaying gently with each measured step. The thick locks fell in smooth layers past her shoulders, their ends curving outward while two longer strands framed her face. Her bangs swept across her forehead, parting slightly at the centre into a soft point between her obsidian eyes. A silver crescent-moon hairclip, accompanied by a tiny star, rested near one side of her fringe.

Black socks reached her thighs, complementing her dark academy uniform. She walked with quiet composure, her expression cold and unreadable.

Her name was Aria.

She glanced around the classroom, her eyes narrowing slightly as she took in the blank expressions of her new classmates.

She walked toward an empty desk near the window and pulled the chair back—Then stopped.

Her eyes shifted slowly to the side.

There, beside the desk—someone was sleeping peacefully. Like this was his bedroom.

The girl blinked once, then twice.

She pushed the chair back in and immediately looked around the classroom again.

’This can’t be the only free—’

She froze as all the other seats were occupied.

She tightened her grip on the chair for a second, then let out a quiet breath through her nose and sat down beside him.

Her eyes drifted toward him again.

’On the bus, he was asleep while everyone else was panicking and now he’s doing it again.’

She leaned back in her chair.

’I can’t believe I have to study with such people.’

Before her thoughts could spiral further, the front door slid open again—this time, silence fell instantly.

A woman stepped inside, her dark hair neatly tied into a bun behind her head. She wore a neat black suit and skirt, a file tucked under one arm.

Every student’s eyes immediately turned toward her.

Her face was hidden behind a mask.

She walked toward the front of the class, her presence heavy enough to still the air.

Her mask was almost unnervingly human—smooth, pale, and slightly elongated, with a flawless face and no eyebrows.

Its long, narrow eyes were completely black, sweeping upward into sharp points at the corners.

The nose was little more than a few subtle ridges.

Dark lipstick formed a thin, unsettling smile across the lower half of the mask.

Nothing moved, yet the face somehow felt alive.

The students stiffened, fear gripping their bodies. Not a sound was made.

Aria faced the class.

The teacher’s voice rang out—firm, commanding.

"I will be your homeroom teacher until you graduate from the academy. You may call me... Code 11."

Gasps rippled through the class, whispers breaking out.

"Code 11?"

A tall boy with black hair and eyes laughed from the third row, last seat.

He stood up boldly and walked forward, passing Aria.

Aria simply watched him.

"Seriously, you guys are creepy. First the mask, now the names? Code 11?"

From the front seat, a girl with thick black hair falling past her shoulders turned toward him. Her bangs parted slightly at the centre, forming a gentle V-shape, while the longer strands curved around her cheeks. A few loose locks flicked outward at the ends, and a pale silver headband rested across her crown, disappearing beneath the thicker layers at either side.

Behind her circular glasses, her glassy silver eyes flickered with unease.

She nervously tugged at his sleeve.

"Ben... I don’t think you should say that. Aren’t you scared of her? You—"

"Relax, Lilly" Ben sneered, shaking her off. "She’s a fake."

"Ah..." Code 11 tilted her head, her voice smooth but sharp. "It seems we’ve got a spoilt egg in the Grents class."

Ben grinned, striding forward. "Who are you calling a spoilt egg, you creepy woman?"

He turned to the class, smirking. "I bet she’s so ugly she hides her face behind that mask."

No one laughed. Not a single sound followed. The tension was suffocating.

Code 11’s voice dropped low. "Do you know what we do to spoilt eggs at this academy, Ben?"

Ben scoffed. "What are you—"

BAM!

The sound cracked like thunder.

Code 11 moved fast. Her file snapped across Ben’s face.

A small gust of wind ripped through the room.

Ben’s head snapped sideways as blood left his mouth and nose.

His body lifted off the ground, thrown like a ragdoll before crashing on the wall of the classroom just beside the door.

His nose bent at a grotesque angle. Blood dripped from his nose, staining his mouth and chin.

He didn’t move.

The class froze.

Everyone held their breath.

Code 11 lowered the bloodied file with calm precision. Her voice was cold.

"We eliminate them."

The glasses girl whimpered."You... you killed him... how could you?"

Code slowly lifted his head from his desk.

His hair was slightly messy from sleep, eyes still half-lidded.

He blinked once, then saw the fear on everyone’s faces, then his gaze settled on the woman wearing a creepy mask in front of him.

’...Looks like I missed quite a lot.’

...

A few minutes had passed.

The class was silent. No one said a word .

They simply watched what happened in front of the classroom.

Two janitors dressed in plain black clothes with silver lining entered the classroom. They wore masks similar to Code 11’s, except theirs had only narrow eye slits—no mouth or nose.

One grabbed Ben’s arms and the other took his legs. Without hesitation—they carried him out of the classroom.

Code 11 scanned the trembling faces. "No need to be frightened. Nothing of that sort will happen to you—if you behave and follow the rules."

She tossed the bloodied file aside. One janitor returned to the classroom and picked it up, while another dropped a heavy white box on the front desk before leaving.

"Rules? What rules? We weren’t told any rules!"

A boy with ocean-blue hair and glasses blurted out from the third row, directly in front of Ben’s now-empty seat.

"Oh," Code 11 said smoothly. "Then that explains why Ben behaved rudely. Code 5 still has the habit of leaving all the work to the teachers."

The mention of Code 5 hit the students like a thunderclap.

They didn’t know who that was, but they had an idea of who it might be.

Aria’s eyes narrowed.

’So the voice that greeted us when we arrived was Code 5. In other words the teachers here refer to each other by numbers...’

"Not to fret," Code 11 continued. "I will tell you the single rule that you need to know above everything else in this academy...*

Every student stiffened .

In a solemn voice, she said."... And that is to obey."

The students froze.

Lily spoke softly."Obey...?"

"The academy is ruled and governed by the Obedience Code."

Code 11’s voice rang out again.

The class erupted in whispers—confusion, disbelief.

The blue haired boy adjusted his glasses."The obedience code, huh?"

Code 11 said. "You disobey the academy, then you disobey the Code. The Obedience Code governs every aspect of this place."

Her tone dropped, each word heavy.

"For you to survive here, you must obey and do exactly as you’re told...without question. For obedience is survival and defiance is elimination."

"...Elimination? You mean just like... Ben."

A girl from the fifth row, second seat spoke in a timid voice.

Code 11’s mask met her gaze."Yes. Just like Ben."

Lily slowly raised her hand, fear written all over her face.

"Um... ma’m, these rules... don’t they seem too cruel for a normal academy?"

Some students nodded carefully in agreement, while others stayed silent—afraid that even a single word could get them eliminated on the spot.

Code 11 turned to look at her. "It’s best if you call me Code 11. Or just ’11.’ There’s no need to be formal. After all, we’ll be together for a long time... don’t you think so..."

Her voice lingered in the air like a knife."... What was your name again?"

Lil’s voice trembled. "L-Lily."

"Isn’t that right, Lily?" Code 11 pressed.

"Yes ma— I mean, Code 11," Lily quickly corrected herself before sitting down.

Code 11’s tone sharpened. "If you think the rules are cruel, then it seems you’ve terribly misunderstood. Every school has its own rules that set it apart. Laws are necessary to govern a prestigious academy such as this. And you call Ordinis a normal academ...?"

Lily lowered her head. "Sorry..."

Code 11 gave a small nod. "I believe there won’t be any more spoiled hatchlings in this class."

"Yes!" the whole class shouted back, voices uneven but desperate.

"Good. It seems we’re getting somewhere," Code 11 said firmly.

Code observed the classroom in silence.

"As you know, you’ve been informed about the academy’s pyramid ranking. And you’ve been classified as Grents."

Code 11’s masked face turned slowly.

"As Grents, you have responsibilities. You will obey orders. Your class schedules are fixed, your daily activities already arranged by the authorities. And most importantly..."

She paused, letting silence choke the air."Grents will work part-time jobs as slaves to the higher ranks in the pyramid."

The classroom rippled with unrest.

"Slaves?" Lily clutched her face in disbelief.