Kyle walked out of Renart’s room, still blur at what had happened as the procedure was too fast for him to process. He then remember he still holds 2 pieces of paper that he should give to master warden before. He walk to Lisa’s desk and gave her his letters, not wanting to disturb the sleeping lion.
He then walked out of Order’s headquarter and went to the building behind it, boarding apartment for Order’s staff.
As Kyle arrived inside boarding apartment, he is looking for one thing, “where’s the fucking counter?” Kyle looked to his left, looked to his right, walking forwards and back to the main entrance again, but all he could see is doors. The 1st floor has 3 rooms to his right and 3 rooms to his left. He notice that all rooms have plate number on it’s door, starting from room 101 to room 105 and lastly, a janitor room near main entrance. He doesn’t have any idea where he should go to check in.
After hesitating for a while, he knocked janitor’s door as it was nearest and he think he could just ask the janitor on how to board this apartment. When the door open, he could see a man wearing staff jacket.
“Damn kid, do you know what time is it. Do you want to be kicked out from this apartment?” asked the man, annoyed seeing a teenage boy knocking his doors late at night.
“Sorry sir,” said Kyle in fake apologetic tone, “it’s just that Master warden told me to come here for my room. I’m new apprentice warden here.”
“Oh, so you are the last apprentice warden. Remember this carefully, I am this floor’s janitor. All apprentice wardens will stay in 1st floor, while 2nd floor to 4th floor is for another department’s apprentice. In this floor, I am your supervisor, your keeper and someone who will punish you if you break any rules,” warned the janitor carefully.
He looked at Kyle while measuring him, be it Kyle’s armour or his appearance, “May I see your insignia and your apprentice warden card. This is to confirm your identity.”
“I have my insignia sir,” said Kyle as showed his tablet, “but after I gave Lisa my accepting letters, I just walk away.”
“Not even passing the 1st day and you’re already making trouble huh kid?” said the janitor as he knock Kyle’s head, “go to Lisa and tell her to give you that damn card. Don’t be late as I still had some work to do.”
Kyle then ran back to Lisa, asking for card which he forgot, and listen to her nagging, “Hey Kyle, you just ran away like that after giving me your medical and acceptance letter. You’re lucky it’s still 9.55pm. 5 more minutes then you’ll have to wait until tomorrow morning. This is your apprentice warden card. Keep it safely as it will be your prove as apprentice warden.”
“Yes miss”, said Kyle while looking down, regretting his action. 5 more minutes then he will sleep outdoor in cold night while hugging his travel bag.
Lisa then gave 1 piece of card to Kyle. He stored that card in his pocket and run back to 1st floor janitor. There, he saw that janitor is sitting on a bench while smoking a cigarette near boarding apartment’s garden.
‘Hey, aren’t you a janitor? Aren’t you suppose to show good examples to teenage kids? It’s not like I’m trying to be a judge, but it make the air smells bad,’ scrutinized Kyle as he stare at him, but still keep his silence as he walked to the janitor.
Kyle then gave him his insignia and his acceptance letter. He then asked in conformation, as he is too tired to run around the central district anymore, “is this all I need to have?”
“Heh, you’re lucky kid. If you’re late, then you’ll need to wait until 8am tomorrow,” said the janitor as he looked at Kyle’s card and his insignia. He then gave Kyle a key which is written as room 105. Kyle heave a sigh of relieve as he received his key.
Before Kyle could walked away, the janitor said to Kyle “and another lucky thing is how you just dodge a last minute bullet. You’re the last apprentice warden accepted in this semester. Each semester, 15 apprentice wardens, 15 apprentice healers, 15 apprentice scouts and 15 apprentice staff will gather in The Order. Each time that slot is filled, new semester will officially begin.”
“Then I’m not entering in the middle of lesson?” ask Kyle gratefully. He don’t want to be late starter as becoming a warden is his one way ticket to succeed. If he failed, he need to go back to Ragtown and be a poor peasant again.
“Nah kid, like I said, new semester will only start after every departments has been filled. Although The Order can make them entered by 1 year apart, but it’s not efficient at all,” explain the janitor.
“Why not?” ask Kyle with questioning look, “I mean, even Conrad find me in small town when he was chasing after chaos user?”
“That’s why I said you’re lucky kid. Don’t you felt weird seeing so many people lining at central wall’s main gate. If you tell me they have any jobs to do with The Order, they could called Order’s information department first to set up a meeting,” said the janitor to Kyle.
“Yeah, now that I think about it, that’s weird. Central’s district is only occupied by The Order’s staff. Why is so many knights and rich noble lined up at main gate when I arrived?” said Kyle as he thought back what happened this afternoon, which he need to wait for fucking 2 hours before entering central district.
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“That’s because The Order are looking for last warden apprentice. To become warden’s apprentice, there were at least 10 different tests. Whether it was strength, social skill and knowledge, you need to pass certain point to become an apprentice warden,” explained the janitor as he puffed his cigarette.
“But I don’t have to take all of that troublesome test, as I just came to The Order, doing some crazy paperwork and become apprentice warden,” said Kyle as he tried to get away from the smelly odor of janitor’s cigarette.
The janitor grinned as he looked at Kyle’s expression and said, “That’s because you’re recommended by chief Conrad. Every semester, chief warden can recommend 1 person to apprentice warden as long as that person have arcane talent.
He then stamped out his cigarette with his foot and throw it inside a dustbin. He said as he dismissed Kyle, “well then. You should go to your room. Remember not to wander outside after 10pm after this or you’ll be punished.”
Kyle stared at janitor’s parting back with heavy look, ‘is The Order think I’m 7 years old kid. Why the hell they made that weird rules?’
Kyle then walked to room 105, which is the most furthest room at the left side of corridor. He knocked once, and enter the room with his key. Inside, he could see 3 single beds, 3 working desk and 3 clothes cabinet and also 2 other teenage kid in their daily clothes.
As he enters his room, he greeted them with a smile, “Good evening. I’m Kyle. New apprentice warden here.”
A teenage boy, who is reading a book at his desk with mature appearance and neatly trimmed short white hair greeted him back, “I’m Mark, I’m also new here as I just arrive 2 weeks ago. Nice to meet you Kyle.”
He then point at a teenage boy who is sleeping on a bed, “and that’s Shawn. He arrived 2 days earlier than me. You may take that empty cabinet and bed,” said Mark with a warm smile.
Kyle then put his travelling bag inside an empty cabinet. He saw all 3 beds have 2 cotton pillow on each of them. 2 of those beds have already marked by sleeping Shawn and Mark, which he put lots of book on his bed.
He take a plain but comfortable bed sheet, 2 pillow case, a blanket and set them on an empty single bed. He looked at his bed with longing eyes, as his body tell him, ‘sleep Kyle,’ and his mind said, ‘just go and sleep Kyle.’
He try as hard as he can to fight of his drowsiness as he feel his body was too sweaty. He take off his armour set and put them inside his cabinet. He changed to his towel and ask Mark as he point at 1 door, “is that a bathroom?”
“That’s right. Although it’s somewhat small, but it’s enough for daily basic,” nod Mark as he looked at Kyle.
‘Heh, small for you doesn’t mean small for me. Don’t compared me with noble’s kid,’ although Kyle think badly in his heart, he still fake his tone and said with a smile, “well, I guess The Order are trying to teach us discipline.”
Kyle open his travelling bag and place all his stuff inside his locker. He then put his soap, brushing stick, toothpaste and shampoo inside a small bathing ladle. He then open the bathroom door and said, “not bad.”
The bathroom have a large wooden desk with 2 bathing ladle on top of them, a mirror and also warm water inside a pool. Kyle nod and said, “although it’s smaller than Conrad’s portable bathroom, but that comparison is like an eagle to a chicken. He’s a Chief warden you know.”
After he finished his bath and left his bathing set on top of wooden desk, he then changed to his daily clothes and lay on his bed, “I’ll go to sleep first Mark. Remember to close off the light later.”
Mark said to him, “I’ll also go to sleep as it’s already 11pm. Good night Kyle.”
He then arranged books from his bed to his desk and turn off the light. The only light that is still open is their bathroom lamp, which gave them slight blue lighting.
At 6 am in next morning, Kyle open his eyes and sat on his bed with slight drowsiness. He already used to wake up early and now his body had used to that body clock. He doesn’t need to use any magic alarm or pocket watch to know what time is it now. As he sat on top of his bed, he saw Mark went out of bathroom, seemingly just finished his bath. He looked at Mark weirdly.
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E.zani: urghh. This update really makes me have headache. i had to edit this chapter 3 times as sometimes my words becomes to short, sometimes too big and sometime, the space is missing. (T.T)