We left the dim room and crossed back over the indoor bridge, the open windows revealing the back garden once again. The crisp air and the sound of leaves rustling in the wind greeted us, providing a momentary distraction from the swirling thoughts in my head. Honestly, I was just looking forward to getting a room of my own at this academy. Paying for a bed in the tavern had been bleeding me dry—not that I had much to begin with, or even a wallet anymore.

"Bizarre," Ms. Canley muttered as she led the way, her pace steady while Liam and I trailed a few steps behind. "I’ve never encountered a student quite like you."

"Yeah—sorry for being a disappointment, ma'am," I said with a dull voice.

Ms. Canley quickly turned her head, waving her hands in an almost frantic gesture. "Oh, no! I didn’t mean it like that at all. I just meant… well, below average."

"Below average would be a huge compliment for me right now," I replied, my tone dry. "Thanks, though."

"Hey, don’t be so hard on yourself," she said softly. "You still have plenty of room to grow. You just might have to put in more effort than the others, that’s all."

I gave a half-hearted nod. "Right. Effort."

She smiled, giving me one last reassuring look before turning her gaze ahead. "Ah, there’s Mr. Bentley’s office," she pointed out. "I’ll leave you two here, then. And—welcome to Redwood Academy, Axel," she added with a kind wave before departing.

Liam and I continued into the main building, passing by the enormous tree with its vibrant red leaves, and made our way to a door marked with the name ‘Mr. Bentley.’ We stepped inside the small office, which was packed with tailoring tools and fabric samples. To the right stood a small wardrobe, and on the left wall hung a variety of tailor's tools. The man behind the desk was inspecting a piece of fabric through a magnifier, his brow furrowed in concentration.

Liam closed the door with a quiet thud and gave Mr. Bentley a nod. The man put down his fabric and magnifying glass, straightening up as he turned to face us.

"Ah, Liam! And who’s this young fellow?" Mr. Bentley asked, his voice warm as he focused on me.

"A newcomer," Liam explained, gesturing toward me. "He needs a school uniform, sir. Class F."

Mr. Bentley’s gaze landed on the scar at the side of my head. "What happened there? Sword wound?" he asked, his eyes gleaming with curiosity.

I touched the old bullet scar and shrugged slightly. "Yeah. Happened when I was younger, sir. I’m Axel, by the way."

He gave a wide smile, seemingly unfazed by the story. "Looks pretty cool if you ask me. Wish I had a scar like that.”

Liam's expression tightened as he cut in, clearly uncomfortable. "Mr. Bentley, that’s inappropriate. What if it’s a sensitive topic for Axel?”

Mr. Bentley raised his hands in mock surrender, smirking. "Alright, alright, President. Always so serious. Let’s get to the uniform then, shall we?"

Liam sighed. “Please, sir.”

He walked over to the wardrobe, pulling out a crisp, neatly folded uniform. "A medium size should fit you well," he said, handing it over with a nod of satisfaction.

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I took the uniform from him, feeling the fabric between my fingers. It was clean and sharp, clearly well-maintained. Draping it over my shoulder, I gave it a quick once-over, trying to suppress the strange mix of anticipation and dread swirling in my chest.

"That’s all settled," Liam said, turning toward me with a small smile. "You’ll officially start tomorrow, Axel."

"Rooms?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "I’ll get a dorm room, right?"

"Yes," Liam confirmed with a nod. "Each class—A, B, C, D, and F—has its own dorm building. You’ll be assigned a room once you’ve officially enrolled tomorrow."

"Got it." I replied.

"Thank you for your help, Mr. Bentley," Liam said, his tone respectful but firm.

"Anytime, boys," Mr. Bentley replied with a grin. "And welcome to the academy, Axel."

After leaving the office, Liam and I settled down at a nearby table under the enormous tree in the hall. We leaned back in our chairs, both of us clearly worn out from all the walking. It showed on our faces—we needed a break.

I glanced around, taking in the surroundings. I never thought I'd end up at a school here. But I had little choice. For the sake of a free room, I had to go through with it. I couldn’t keep taking those risky jobs from the Guild forever, gambling with my life every day. If I was going to find a way back home without putting myself in constant danger, this academy was the safest bet. At least, for now, I didn’t have to worry about money.

Liam broke the silence, resting his hands on the table. “So, how are you finding our school so far? Does it live up to your expectations?”

I shrugged, staring off into the distance. “It’s… different from what I imagined.”

“Good different or bad different?” He leaned in slightly, his expression curious.

“I haven’t decided yet,” I admitted, letting out a long sigh. My mind was still a whirlwind of thoughts.

“Well, whether you like it or not, you’re obligated to graduate. There’s no skipping out once you’ve enrolled.” he said with a serious tone.

I raised an eyebrow, not exactly thrilled with the idea of sticking around that long. “Yeah, we’ll see about that.”

“Mm.”

Not wanting to linger on the subject of graduation—which wasn’t even on my radar—I quickly changed the topic. “Hey, Liam. Why do people hate elves so much here?”

His face darkened instantly. “Despicable creatures,” he spat out before quickly composing himself again, his voice turning cold and measured. “You really don’t know the history?”

“No, I don’t,” I replied, genuinely curious. “Fill me in.”

Liam folded his arms, his gaze hardening. “Two hundred years ago, Sultan Bhar of Hilzaan invaded our country. We were weak, barely able to defend ourselves. The kingdom was on the verge of collapse. Then the elves stepped in. They helped us with soldiers, resources—enough to turn the tide and push Bhar’s forces back. They were seen as saviours.”

“Hmm…”

He paused, his eyes narrowing. “But we didn’t realise the real threat. As soon as the fighting ended, the elves used their newfound influence to infiltrate our politics. Bit by bit, they placed their people in strategic positions, pulling strings behind the scenes. By the time we noticed, the king was nothing more than their puppet.”

I nodded, following along. "What happened next?"

“The king’s brother saw through it. He assassinated the king and took the throne. He pushed the elves out of power before they could fully seize control. If it wasn’t for him, we’d be living as slaves under elven rule,” Liam said, his voice filled with bitter conviction.

“You don’t think there’s even one good elf out there?” I asked, curious if his hatred ran that deep.

He didn’t hesitate. “No,” he replied firmly, the finality in his tone leaving no room for debate.

I let out a quiet hum, absorbing his words. “Gotcha.”

Liam stood up, brushing off his pants. “I’ve got to get to my next class,” he said, offering a nod of farewell. “Good meeting you, Axel. And once again—welcome to Redwood Academy.”