Being admitted to the Sage Academy makes it mandatory to live in the dorm, or so they say. But there are still those who live outside the dorms, saying they want to be free or something along those lines.
"Good afternoon, sir."
"Are you a new student?"
"Yes, here is my ID." This was also included after I got my uniform in exchange for the stamp. Along with it are a student handbook and map for first-year students.
"Hm. The guard took my ID and scanned it. "
"I have confirmed that you may go in."
"Thank you, sir.p
As I said my thanks, I got inside the school and looked for the boys' room. and seeing it, I followed the guidelines in the guidebook.
"Is the dorm manager here?"
"Yes, that's me; my name is Gilbert Layton, a third-year student. It's nice to meet you."
"It's nice to meet you as well. My name is Cole Anglos."
"Let me check your ID."
"Here you go."
After our greetings, he asked for my ID and scanned it like the guards did. Seriously, where did they get this technology? Afterward, he gave it back to me and called someone.
"Here is your room listed in this paper; please don't lose it. It's a drag because students always forget these and their rooms on multiple occasions."
"Okay, I'll keep that in mind. Thank you, senior."
"You're welcome."
After that, I head to my room. Getting in, there I found my roommate. Surprisingly, the person was the Berserker knight.
"Hey, what's your name?"
"Cole Anglos."
"My name is Richard."
"Oh, I see. Nice to meet you."
"Yeah, same to you too."
The greeting ended, and I put my stuff on the other side of the room, which also has a bed.
Apparently, each room has a bed for each student to have a roommate to talk to each other. It is also said that they carefully consider who each other's roommates are.
'But I gotta be honest, which part of this requires careful consideration? I think we have the opposite mindset and interest, though.'
Haa, sighing in my head. I finished packing up. But there is something bugging me right now.
"Hmm. Um, what is it? He's kept staring at me since earlier. What's his deal?"
"Hm? Oh, I just thought that you looked familiar. I just can't remember where I saw a face like yours."
"I see." Answering back like this is better than giving a definite answer that can only result in trouble.
"Anyway, where are you from?"
"He is really assertive, huh? Well, it's not bad to pass the time. I answered back to him about myself—or should I say Cole Anglos' background?"
As we chatted, the time flew by slowly, and we then thought of eating at the canteen.
There was nothing else happening there other than the curious looks of people toward Richard.
Well, as we finished eating, we got back to our room, and there he posed a question to me.
"Hey, what did you do for the exam? I bet you did combat, right?"
"No, I chose the specialization."
"Oh, that one. I thought you would be a warrior like me since we were roommates."
"The same goes for me. I didn't expect it to be you."
"Yeah, I guess so."
We talked about a few things, and then he said he was going to hit the hay. And upon doing so, he took a vial before sleeping.
'I guess it might be some kind of medicine. But I can't sleep since Richard reminded me about the entrance exam.'
The spinning top. I did it on a whim since I saw the materials there, but it sparked an idea for me.
But since it was during the exam, I forgot all about it. Now that it has been brought back, I can't sleep and have been thinking about it.
So I got out of bed and started writing about my insights with the spinning top.
~~~~~~~~~~
I woke up the next morning. feeling drowsy.
'Man, writing about those ideas is really satisfying and painful. Still, it is a useful endeavor.'
When I woke up, I looked at my pocket watch and saw the time.
"Hmm. It's this late already, huh? ... It's this late already?! I am going to be late for the entrance ceremony!"
Hurrying up to change my clothes, I noticed that Richard wasn't here. I guess he already left; anyway, I need to get there in time.
Moving fast, I hurriedly moved to the area where the entrance ceremony was about to start.
When I arrived, I saw a lot of students already there in their seats. And on the podium, a teacher was already briefing about today's agenda.
'I guess I can safely say that I barely made it on time.' Looking around, I saw that there were no vacant seats at the front or back, only in the middle.
How can they occupy areas that are great borderlines between delinquents and well-behaved students?
'I guess it is in the middle then.' When I sat down, the principal was already over with his speech.
I wasn't able to know anything or what to expect. I was crying inside with imaginary tears of regret, as I just let things be.
Things escalate from here on. The activity continued, and somehow I still feel sleepy. Fighting my urge to sleep, I continued to concentrate on the speaker on the podium.
As this continued, whispers suddenly occurred around me.
"Hey, when are they going to finish, and I'm already starving."
"That's your fault for not eating early."
"Hey, I just woke up late, okay? Plus, my house is far from here."
"Hey, you see that teacher over there looks so handsome."
"Oh him, I know right, he seems like a prince."
"Or maybe he is."
It wasn't like this before, but maybe because the speech was long, they started to get bored.
"Oh yeah, that girl over there is so ugly."
"Yeah, I know, right."
"True, that should be you up there."
"Damn these b*tch*es are beyond saving; how can they talk to our goddess like that?"
"How could they?"
"Let's perform a curse ritual on them later."
"Yeah, let's do that."
The conversations seemed to get very dangerous, but as interesting as it may sound, I have no time to listen to their conversation.
My head started to spin, and my stomach was churning. I don't know the feeling or why it's happening. Not to mention why here in this place and why now?
Standing up, I tried to leave the place. Slowly walking away. Someone called out to me.
"Hey, what are you doing? The ceremony is still ongoing."
Apologizing to the person in my mind I continued to walk.
But then that person blocked my path.
"Go back to your seat now." The person angrily said that, but I still moved.
Not following her command, I reach out my hand to move the person aside. Upon doing so, I felt something in my hand, and that something was soft.
PAA!
The next thing I knew, a sudden impact had knocked me unconscious.
~~~~~~~~
It happened so suddenly during the speech of the honor student. As everything was underway.
PAA!
A hard, loud sound that seemed to be a slap was heard by all. turning the whole place quiet.
Along with it is a boy who was then knocked unconscious.
"What's the meaning of this, and in a sacred occasion at that."
"It's not my fault, teacher; this sex offender just groped me, so I fought back."
"That's right, teacher, we can vouch for her."
"Right, we can vouch for that too."
"Me too."
"Me as well."
"I don't care if it's true or not. Even so, that was too much."
"Let's heal him first." Another teacher also came who seemed to be a healer.
"Okay. As for you, go to the teacher's office after this, okay"
"Yes." The girl answered mildly, feeling that it was unfair.
"How is he?"
"He is fine now, but he is still unconscious.
"Okay, let's send him to the nurse's office first."
"Okay I'll bring him there," said a muscular teacher, who roughly handled Dustin as he moved out of the venue.
"What's going on?"
"Are the teachers defending him?"
"I think I know the guy isn't the one who got a pass after showing a piece of paper to the aptitude examiner."
"You're right; he is that guy."
"I guess this academy is also rotten in some way."
"Shhh, someone might hear you."
"Oops sorry."
After the commotion, the activity continued as the students' full focus surrounded the previous drama.
As for the teachers, they got back to their positions.
After Dustin was moved to the nurse's office,
~~~~~~~~
"Hmm, where am I?"
Right after the heavy impact that I felt.
And now I am in a dark and dreary room.
"This place is somehow familiar."
"Why are you here?"
There, right in front of me, was a boy sitting in the corner of the room.
And strangely enough, he looks so familiar to me. Who is he?