Leaving the classroom, Jeremy, Marcus, and Perci walked through the academy, putting their first lesson behind them.

Marcus, hands behind his head, said, “That lesson was crazy… ‘Essence debt’ and all. They’re making sure we know to give it our all.”

Jeremy nodded. “Yeah, we’d better prove we belong.”

Perci added, her green eyes bright with determination. “Makes sense. Nobody gets here just to slack off. We’ve all had to work hard just to make it through the entrance exam.”

Marcus added, “Yeah, no slackers. Just people ready to give it all.”

Jeremy gave a slight nod, hiding the faint awkwardness he felt. He hadn’t faced the entrance exam like they had. Part of him was here because of his family’s name, but he knew he’d have to prove he belonged.

Perci noticed Jeremy’s slight shift. “Thinking about tomorrow?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Jeremy snapped out of his thoughts, flashing her a grin. “A bit. It’s our first real test here. I just… want to make sure I do it right.”

Marcus smirked, his usual confidence evident. “With your background, I’m sure you’ll be fine. Besides, we’re all here to push each other to the top.”

His words, though said with a hint of humor, struck a chord with Jeremy. He hadn’t expected to feel such camaraderie so soon, but there was something grounding in Marcus’s words. They were competitors in a way, but at this moment, they were also a team, bound by the same challenges and the same unspoken dreams.

“Agreed,” Perci added, her voice steady. “We all have our reasons for being here. So let’s make sure tomorrow counts—for all of us.”

Jeremy nodded, his father’s advice echoing faintly in his mind. Maybe he didn’t have to navigate this place completely alone. Perhaps, even if he used his name to his advantage, he could still find real friends in the process.

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Approaching the dorms, Marcus led the way to a building with stone steps and arched windows. “Here we are—home sweet home,” he announced with a slight grin, gesturing to a door with a simple name plaque.

Inside, the dorm was practical: two single beds, two desks, and a shared closet. The faint smell of metal and smoke lingered in the air, giving the place a unique charm.

Timothy looked up from organizing some tools and materials on his desk, his eyes lighting up as he saw Jeremy. “Whoa—Jeremy Hoppins?” He stood up quickly, brushing off his hands and offering a wide, eager smile. “I had no idea Marcus was friends with, like, the Hoppins family. ”

Jeremy gave a polite nod, feeling that familiar mix of pride and slight discomfort that had followed him since arriving. “Hey, nice to meet you, Timothy.”

Timothy offered a handshake, and Jeremy accepted, noticing the roughness of Timothy’s calloused hand. “I’m honored! I’ve heard so much about your family,” Timothy said, his tone filled with admiration and curiosity, as though standing close to Jeremy might reveal some hidden insight into greatness.

“Timothy here is our resident blacksmith-to-be,” Marcus grinned, patting Timothy’s shoulder. “I can’t leave this guy alone for five minutes without him getting knee-deep in some project.”

“Blacksmithing, huh?” Jeremy said, intrigued. “Do you get to work on much here?”

“Yeah, a bit,” Timothy replied, glancing at his desk setup. “I can’t do any real forging in the dorms, but the academy has some shared workspaces you can book, with forges and enchanted materials. Way better than what I had back home.”

“Sounds like you’re really in your element,” Jeremy said, genuinely impressed.

Timothy’s face lit up. “Definitely! I’m hoping to get my Blacksmithing up to Simple, maybe even Advanced by the time I graduate. So if you or Marcus need any custom gear for dungeons, I’d be happy to help anytime. Friends in high places wouldn’t hurt either, right?”

Jeremy chuckled, catching Timothy’s intent. “Well, I’m sure you’ll get there. You seem pretty dedicated.”

Timothy grinned, his enthusiasm undampened. “Thanks! And, hey, I’m always around if you need repairs or something special made. Especially for the dungeon runs.”

Marcus laughed, shaking his head. “He’s already trying to cut you a deal, Jeremy. That didn’t take long.”

Timothy flushed slightly but joined in on the laughter, clearly unbothered. “Can you blame me?”

Perci, standing nearby with an amused expression, added, “And twice as smart, apparently. Nice hustle, Timothy.”

After a few more minutes of chatting, Timothy tagged along as Perci led them down a short hallway to her dorm. Unlike Marcus’s room, Perci’s shared space felt cozy and neatly organized, with one half of the room adorned with books and a few posters of magic diagrams.

As they stepped inside, a girl with wavy blond hair and a thoughtful smile looked up from a book. She had soft blue eyes and radiated a calm, quiet energy. Perci waved a hand in her direction. “Jeremy, Marcus, Timothy—this is Mia, my roommate.”

Mia set her book aside and rose to greet them, her movements composed and serene. “Hi, nice to meet you both,” she said, her voice gentle yet confident. “I’ve heard a lot about you, Jeremy.”

Jeremy nodded, taking in her calm composure and the slight hint of curiosity in her gaze. “Likewise. Perci mentioned you’re interested in magic?”

Mia’s smile softened. “Yeah, I am. My mom is—was a magic user, and after she passed, I wanted to keep learning on my own.” She paused, her voice steady but tinged with a note of caution. “A few people warned me about the risks—magic can be dangerous without proper guidance. But I feel like it’s my way of keeping a part of her close.” Her words held a quiet strength, hinting at the dedication that drove her.

Jeremy felt a small pang of admiration. “That’s impressive. It takes a lot to pursue something that personal.”

Mia nodded thoughtfully. “That’s why I’m going slowly. I don’t want to make any mistakes that could be… costly.”

Perci chimed in with a supportive smile, glancing at Mia before adding, “Patience, huh? That’s something I could use. If it were me, I’d be trying to unlock every Skill as fast as I could.”

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Mia laughed softly. “Patience has its perks. Besides, magic can be unpredictable. Rushing isn’t always the best approach.”

Jeremy found himself respecting Mia’s approach to magic. Her drive seemed grounded, a personal quest rather than a mere ambition.

After a few more moments exchanging stories and laughs, Perci nudged Jeremy with a grin. “Alright, we’ve shown you our humble dorms. Now it’s your turn—where are you staying?”

Jeremy hesitated, feeling a slight flush rise to his cheeks. He’d only just met them, and he knew that his accommodations were… different. He glanced at the group, who were watching him with friendly curiosity, and finally decided he might as well tell them. “Well… I don’t actually have a dorm,” he started slowly, trying to gauge their reactions.

Perci frowned in confusion, raising her eyebrows. “What do you mean, you don’t have a dorm?” she asked, exchanging a bewildered look with Marcus.

Timothy snorted, giving Jeremy a playful shove. “Oh, come on—what, they’re having you bunk in the library or something?”

Jeremy let out a small laugh, deciding it was best to just be straightforward. “No, no. I just mean… I have my own suite.”

There was a beat of silence, and then Marcus laughed, giving Jeremy a sideways glance. “Yeah, right. Next, you’re going to tell us it comes with a golden bathtub and a butler.” He shook his head, grinning. “Nice try, Jeremy. Really.”

But when Jeremy didn’t respond with a joke of his own, the smiles began to fade as they looked at each other, puzzled. “Wait… you’re serious?” Mia asked hesitantly.

Jeremy gave a sheepish nod, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, it’s called the Wing of Prominence. I guess it’s for students who…” He trailed off, not entirely sure how to describe it without sounding boastful. “...have special circumstances,” he finished lamely.

Perci crossed her arms, trying to stifle a smirk. “So, you’re telling us that while the rest of us mere mortals are in dorms, you’re just chilling in some fancy suite?”

Marcus chuckled in disbelief. “Alright, I’ll bite—let’s see it.”

The others nodded in agreement, clearly intrigued, with Perci rolling her eyes playfully. “Alright, Sir Jeremy, show us this fancy place,” she teased, giving him a dramatic bow. Jeremy rolled his eyes with a smile and waved for them to follow him

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As they approached the Wing of Prominence, Jeremy sensed his friends’ anticipation. He led them inside, and their reactions were immediate. Marcus let out a low whistle, Perci’s eyes widened in awe, and Timothy and Mia exchanged a look of open-mouthed amazement. The hallway alone was enough to leave them speechless.

“This… this isn’t just a dorm,” Marcus muttered, taking it all in. “It’s like… I don’t know, a royal suite or something.”

Perci bent down to touch the carpeted hallway, running her fingers through it. “I mean… I knew the academy had its perks, but this…” She looked up at Jeremy, her eyes narrowing in a playful glare. “And here I was, thinking you were just like the rest of us.”

Jeremy shrugged, trying not to appear too smug. “What can I say? They wanted me to be… comfortable, I guess.” He led them down the corridor, finally reaching his door, which bore a name plaque much more elegant than their dorms’.

“Alright,” he said. “Welcome to my suite.”

Jeremy pushed the door open, letting his friends step inside. Their eyes widened, clearly not expecting anything like it.

Marcus collapsed into one of the leather chairs with a sigh. “This chair is more comfortable than my bed,” he muttered, sinking deeper into the soft leather.

“Yeah, it’s pretty neat,” Jeremy replied, watching his friends’ reactions unsure if he should feel pride or discomfort.

Perci gravitated towards the massive windows on the far wall, which offered a panoramic view of the academy grounds below. She let out a low whistle, pressing a hand to the glass. “And you get this view? Every day?”

Jeremy nodded, feeling a bit awkward. “I mean, yeah, I guess…”

Meanwhile, Mia moved toward the corner of the suite, where a door led to a private training area. She opened the door, gasping softly as she stepped inside. The training room was equipped with everything a student could need: dummies, enchanted weapons, and even a casting circle for magic practice. “You have your own training room?” she asked, turning to Jeremy in amazement.

“Uh… yeah,” Jeremy replied, scratching his head. “They, um… they didn’t exactly skimp on the amenities.”

Timothy wandered over to a polished wooden workbench in the corner, stocked with enchanted materials and tools that were usually only available in the academy's shared workspaces. “Wait—you have your own set of enchanted tools here?” he asked, practically breathless. “I’ve been trying to book time for some of this stuff for weeks!”

Jeremy shrugged, slightly embarrassed by the extravagance. “I guess they wanted me to have everything I’d need,” he replied.

Timothy shook his head, clearly impressed. “Man, with access to tools like this… I could probably work my way to Blacksmithing - Advanced in no time.”

Marcus shook his head, letting out a laugh. “Jeremy, man, you’re living in luxury here while we’re all stuffed into dorms. This is next level!”

Jeremy chuckled, breaking the tension with a smirk. “Oh, come on, it’s not that extravagant. I mean… the bathtub isn’t even gold.”

Perci looked at him, brow raised. “Really?”

“Yup.” Jeremy gestured toward the bathroom with a playful grin. “It’s only lined with silver. See? Way more down-to-earth.”

Marcus rolled his eyes, catching onto the joke. “Oh, yeah, definitely. Only silver… talk about roughing it.”

Timothy playfully shook his head. “Guess they didn’t want you getting too fancy.”

The others laughed, the playful banter easing any lingering tension, and Jeremy chuckled along with them. He knew that his accommodations set him apart, but he was grateful that they were taking it in stride.

Eventually, they all gathered in the living area, collapsing onto the couches and armchairs with contented sighs. Timothy let out a low groan, leaning back in his chair. “I don’t think I ever want to leave this place.”

Marcus grinned, giving Jeremy a nudge. “Better be careful, Jeremy. We might just decide to move in.”

“Oh yeah,” Perci said, grinning. “We’ll make ourselves right at home. I’ll take the training room, Marcus can have the armchair, and Timothy can take over the fireplace.”

Jeremy laughed, rolling his eyes. “Alright, alright. As long as you don’t make a mess, you’re welcome to hang out here whenever.”

Mia looked around, a soft smile playing on her lips. “It’s… really beautiful, Jeremy. I can see why they call it the Wing of Prominence.”

As they settled more comfortably into their chosen spots, Perci tilted her head thoughtfully. “So… is your brother staying here too? In the Wing of Prominence, I mean?”

The question made everyone pause, glancing at Jeremy curiously. He felt a slight tightness in his chest but kept his tone casual as he replied, “No, Andrew’s in the regular dorms. He, uh… he preferred it that way.”

Timothy frowned, clearly puzzled. “Preferred it? Who wouldn’t want a place like this?”

Jeremy shrugged, trying to downplay it. “Andrew’s… different. He doesn’t really care about all this,” he gestured around the suite. “He wanted a regular room, somewhere he could do his own thing.”

Mia chimed in gently, “I guess I can understand that. Not everyone wants to stand out, especially if they’re trying to focus.”

Jeremy nodded, grateful for her understanding. “Yeah, that’s pretty much Andrew. He likes to keep things simple, you know?”

The room fell into a thoughtful silence, each of his friends taking a moment to absorb this side of Jeremy’s life. It was Perci who finally spoke up, giving him a playful nudge. “Well, different or not, we’re still going to have to meet him sometime. You can’t be the only Hoppins we get to know!”

Jeremy chuckled, nodding. “Oh, don’t worry, you’ll meet him. He might be in a regular dorm, but he’s not one to stay out of the action.”

With that, the conversation shifted back to the room’s surroundings, each of them relaxing into the comfort of the suite. They spent the rest of the day chatting, slipping into easy banter and laughter as they settled into their places around the suite. For a moment, the academy’s pressures faded, replaced by shared stories and warm camaraderie, ending the day on a lighthearted note.