It's good to be lucky. Ruby and I somehow managed to find the hall where the assembly for new students was taking place. Of course, I confidently told her I knew the way all along that luck had nothing to do with it. Gosh, I'm diving deeper into lies. But honestly, is tweaking the truth a little to impress someone so bad? Especially when that someone is a nice, pretty girl?

The assembly itself was relatively straightforward. Unfortunately, Ruby had to leave to join her sister, who had saved her a seat. I learned that tomorrow we'd have an exam that would decide team placements. We were also given information about class schedules, professors, meal times, and other logistics. Most importantly, I received my personal scroll and access to a mobile weapon locker. I was particularly thrilled about the scroll—it had a map of the entire campus. There's no way I'll get lost now.

After the assembly, I found Ruby again. This time, she was with her sister—a tall, athletic blonde with long hair cascading down her back. Beside them stood a petite girl with ashen hair tied in a long ponytail and skin so pale she looked like a snowflake brought to life. Her name, as I later learned, was Weiss Schnee. Our first meeting... didn't go so well. Let's just say she left an icy impression.

Then there was Pyrrha. Tall, lean, and visibly strong, she wore her bright red hair in a ponytail. At first, I didn't pay her much attention, but after my not-so-great interaction with Weiss, Pyrrha and I exchanged a few words. She turned out to be a kind and friendly girl—and something of a celebrity. Apparently, she was even featured on a cereal box! That bit left me a little embarrassed, but Pyrrha turned it into a joke and laughed it off. Really nice girl.

After all that, I headed to the hall that would serve as a temporary dormitory for new students. We wouldn't get assigned rooms until teams were decided.

So, here I am. Surrounded by people I barely know, far from home, and with tomorrow's exam looming large in my mind. Tomorrow, I'll meet the people I'll be working with for the next three years. I hope Ruby is one of them. Maybe even Weiss? After all, it wouldn't be right to write her off after one bad first impression.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

My thoughts swirled, making it impossible to relax, let alone sleep. Hoping to clear my head, I decided to go to the bathroom and splash my face with cold water.

As I walked down the corridor, I saw someone approaching from the opposite direction. It was the boy who had accosted me on the ship. I tried to pass by silently, but he noticed me and immediately stopped in front of me.

-Cardin: Skinny boy! Still here? Haven't gone home yet?

I greeted him with a sincere smile.

-Jaune: What are those faces for? Don't tell me you're not excited to see me.

-Cardin: Excited? Ha! I barely remember our first meeting. Anyway, I'm not calling you skinny boy anymore. What's your name again?

-Jaune: Jaune Arc.

-Cardin: Right, where are my manners? I'm Cardin Winchester.

-Jaune: Pleasure to meet you.

Cardin stood there for a moment, looking me up and down. Then, out of nowhere, he grabbed my shoulder.

-Cardin: You know, I think we got off on the wrong foot. Those "friendly scuffles" earlier? No hard feelings, right?

-Jaune: Friendly scuffles. Right.

-Cardin: But hey, look at you. I really thought you'd go home after that. But no you stayed. Tomorrow, you'll take part in the team selection and start your hunter education at full speed. Way to go.

He released me well, more like he decided to let me go.

-Cardin: Who knows? Maybe we'll end up on the same team.

-Jaune: That would be... interesting.

He smirked at my words and started walking away. As he left, he called back over his shoulder:

-Cardin: Get some rest, buddy. Tomorrow's a big day.

I waited until he disappeared down the corridor before continuing to the bathroom. Splashing cold water on my face helped clear my head. By the time I returned to the hall, I felt much calmer, ready to sleep.

As I lay down, one final thought crossed my mind: Am I ready for what's coming tomorrow? I reassured myself it's just the first task they're giving us. It can't be too hard.

Little did I know how wrong I was.