Her cavalier response ends there. I feel rather unsatisfied but give no indication. Choosing instead to make the best of my time, I take my leave, rising from my chair, and heading out of the classroom. With all the due formalities out of the way, there’s only one logical step to take.
“Now let’s see”. I say to myself, peering at the number on the nearby wall. “If this is hall 1-B, then…”
I move in accordance with the detail on my keycard. Heading down the hallway, I turn right at the second intersection and continue a few more paces. Along the way, it occurs to me that the place is relatively populated. Dense crowds of students peruse the area, drowning it in no small amount of gossip and banter. Despite that, however, I myself have yet to catch their attention. It is an understandable oversight, of course. One does not easily receive a god at first glance were they to present themselves. Not that I am one, but you know, I think the point carries across.
“Ah.”
After walking for a good ten minutes, I believe I have come to my destination. The nearby sign reads 1-D, and since my room number is 43…
Slowing down my pace, I continue my walk, eyes scanning the door numbers. At the same time, heavy footsteps trail after mine, coming in almost subsequent order. I briefly wonder if it’s another student returning to their dorms but make no effort to talk to them.
“Here we are!”
I stop dead in my tracks. At once, a spark of recognition hits me. That voice… Judging by its high-pitched ear-grating tone, I recognise it as the blonde elf monkey. Or Harux if we’re going on a first-name basis.
“Hey, we’re in the same room!”
“Excuse me?”
Some gene-deep cry of despair escapes me. His voice is like an alarm that sounds the end of dreams. In any case, while I am distinctly aware of Harux’s meaning, I am still, at once, unable to accept it. Hesitating to draw my keycard, I feel the scene before me waver, a sign of lightheadedness.
“Are you okay, Lucius?”
I am astounded by his nonchalant empathy. “Yes, I am quite fine, thank you very much.”
Returned back to my senses, I hold the keycard to the door’s NFC reader. About a second later—a sound like a disabled pigeon being gunned down rings, and a light flashes green. I then open the door, taking care to open it gently.
“Woah, it’s big! Like, jungle big!”
In the face of Harux’s comment, I have to concur. This area must be at least the size of a small apartment. Taking care to leave my shoes at the entrance, I then proceed to examine the room down to its nook and crannies. Painted in a neutral white, a large living space boasting sofa, dining table, and flatscreen TV connects two separate bedrooms, each with their own bedding and closets. At first, I huff out a sigh of relief, knowing that I will not have to share my bedroom with a ruffian. Then, after a second, I nod, inspecting the large marble bathroom. Indeed, while the concept of sharing a bathroom is rather foreign to me, the presence of a shower as well as a wooden soaking tub somewhat alleviates my fears. Large windows in the living room and bedrooms allow for a steady flow of natural light, while the view of streams, pines and snowy peaks leaves little to criticize. Though the plastering of, well… “exquisite” posters from varied animated shows on most walls is not particularly to my taste, it is with a sense of relief that I crash onto my new bed, sinking into the fluffy covers.
If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
“Wow, Lucius, sleeping already?! It’s pretty early, you know!”
“I am not sleeping. I am power napping.”
“Napping gives you power?!”
“A 15-minute power nap may compensate for as much as an hour of sleep. It’s been proven that they are highly efficient in maximizing productivity.”
“Hm, I don’t really get it, but I guess naps are good.”
I stuff my face into a pillow, inhale deeply by way of comfort, and shut my eyes. Half-expecting Harux to disturb me, I wait for a minute to pass. Surprisingly, save for the occasional shuffle of movement in the living room, no words come my way. No ‘Hey, wanna duel?!’, or ‘Let’s go mud wrestling like a pair of hobgoblins’ or ‘Wanna hear how I gutted my first wolf?’
Instead, judging by the pacing of his footsteps, I imagine that the elf has retreated to his own private domicile. Which, as far as things go, is quite welcome. All these details I observe hereby point to one outcome. That finally, at long last, I may have a moment of respite.
----------------------------------------
I wake up energised and calm. If I had to guess, a feeling of hopeless acceptance has wrenched its way into my heart. Something about the psychology of mental conditioning and whatnot.
“Let’s see…”
At the behest of my eyes, I turn to look outside. It's getting dark. The rays of light cast soft shadows on the windowsill. If I had reason to guess, I’d suppose it’s around 18:00, which from the information I’ve gathered thus far, indicates that supper time is close.
“Hrm.”
After a few more seconds of wallowing in soft pillowy goodness, I manage to get up.
“Oh, Lucius!”
“Yes?”
I peer through the open hallway that connects our rooms. Harux is there. Sat atop his bed. Legs crossed, as if in deep meditation.
“We should go get food!”
The image of him meditating promptly leaves my head.
“Yes,” I reply. “Yes, we should.”
Agreeing upon our favoured destination, the two of us leave for supper. We aimlessly walk for a good ten seconds but soon follow in the distant voices of hungry crowds, heading straight down the hallway. I find myself, hand on chin, and partially in thought all the while. The whole ordeal proves quite new to me. And, if I am, to be frank, leaves me quite intrigued. Though I am no stranger to crowds, the prospect of, well, convening and eating in a large cafeteria proves to be of some unexpected interest.
“You two.”
A sound I interpret as a polite call comes my way. Upon turning to meet it, I understand it to come from a girl. Further deduction leads me to believe she is human. In terms of physical features, her hair is a short and dirty blonde, and her eyes are amber. But, it is not that which draws my attention.
Most noticeable of all is her choice of attire. She’s dressed in some sort of plate armour, the type of which covers her entirely. It’s decorated too. On her shoulders claps a velveteen cloak that reaches her ankles, and on her breastplate, I spot a moulded scene of war. Knights donned in full plate, riding bravely against an army of demons.
“Forgive the gaudy additions. This armour is purely ceremonious, you see.”
“That, I could tell.”
“Oh", She says with a lift of her brow, as if imploring explanation. "Do elaborate?”