4: Welcome to Formindal

Auren immediately threw himself into another direct attack, but at the last second, he realized that while Lord Keine's wind magic was an area-of-effect attack, it was weaker at the sides. He twisted midway through his charge, jumped wildly to the side, and then pushed off the wall at the side to redirect his momentum. He started to fall as he slipped the wind magic.

Just before his outstretched hand could reach his target, Lord Keine’s eyes flicked in his direction and the wind gathered together in an instant.

Auren was flung against the wall again. He pushed himself upright as the wind gust dissipated, ready to continue.

Before he could gather himself for another attack, Lord Keine waved for a stop, watching Auren with interest. "So the first time wasn't a fluke, huh?"

“I could do this all day,” Auren insisted.

“I doubt that, but you needn’t burn yourself out fully before I’ll admit you. Perhaps Raden hasn’t been exaggerating for once. I do see your potential and have no major objections to you joining. It’s a bit reckless to jump in this close to the end of the year, but if that’s what you want, you're welcome to do so.”

“I never touched you.”

Lord Keine chuckled. "If we were to continue to an actual battle where you had to damage me, I would end up having to kill you. I'm sorry to say, but as an F-ranker, you stand no chance against me. Not without breaking yourself irreparably in the process, and I’d rather avoid damaging a student who has shown potential.”

“You could have damaged him already,” Raden insisted, stepping forward angrily. “I would have been severely injured if you threw me that hard against the walls.”

“It’s fine, Raden.” Auren tried to deescalate him before he complicated things further. “I have very tough skin in combat situations.”

Lord Keine gave Raden a self-satisfied smile that made the younger boy scowl, but he didn’t continue to interrupt. Keine turned back to Auren. “Here's my proposal. I’ll allow you to train and study here for the rest of the semester. If you can pass the finals with outstanding results, I will not only confirm your admission but also extend your scholarship to cover all fees for the next year. If you fail to show exemplary results, your student access will be fully revoked. Do you accept?"

"That doesn't sound too bad." Auren raised an eyebrow and gave a half-bow, respectful but not deferential. “I agree to your terms.”

Lord Keine smiled before turning to Raden. "So, Raden, what were you saying?"

“I’m astounded that you think so little of my assessment capabilities!” Raden protested, putting a hand on his chest as if scandalized. "How dare you? Do you think I would exaggerate or lie?"

"Yes," Lord Keine replied, very deadpan. He made a casual gesture and his chair and desk flew back to their original places, setting down gently without so much as a scratch on the floor. “Fortunately for us all, today you’ve managed to make my day a little less boring, so I won’t have to make an example of you for your insolence. In front of a guest, no less.”

Raden scowled. “I’m even more offended that you’d think I do boring things! I only ever make your day more interesting.”

“And you’ve done quite enough of it for this month. Go away. Escort our new student to the East Wing Dormitory.” Lord Keine scribbled a few lines on a page and handed it to Raden. “Give this to Madam Elsie, she can take care of getting him equipped before standard classes begin.”

Auren bowed deeply. "Thank you for giving me this opportunity, Lord Keine. I shall not disappoint you."

Lord Keine simply waved away his thanks. "Don't be thankful for a rightful opportunity, kid. Just make sure you claim it and rise high."

—

Auren could hardly believe he was here. He wasn’t sure if he was giddy with sheer joy or if it was still adrenaline or if he had gone too long without sleeping properly, but he hardly even heard Raden as he followed the kid upstairs to the dormitory wing.

He was really here. He’d been admitted into Formindal Academy with a full scholarship.

If only—

No.

He finally had a class. If he’d known fighting an abomination and getting scratched a bit meant he would get into an academy like Formindal, why, he would fight a hundred abominations every day!

Everything would be better now.

"Thank you, Raden. I can’t tell you how much this means to me."

"Don't thank me just yet." Raden laughed and shook his head. "You really think you can do this? Get up to exemplary standard in half a semester while everyone else has been struggling all year already?"

"I think I'll have a chance, yes." Auren took a breath. "No, I will make that chance a reality. Though I don't know too much about the academy or the training, and having some help and guidance would be invaluable."

Raden clapped him on the shoulder, laughing. "Of course! Whether you succeed or fail, this is going to be incredibly exciting! I shall train you to the best of my ability, Auren. And we are going to make you a permanent student."

They arrived at an unmarked door and Raden knocked gently.

Auren looked at him with a raised eyebrow. 

"What? The lady might be asleep. I wouldn't want to disturb her."

"What if the Academy Head had been asleep?"

"That maniac? Oh, I’m not convinced he even sleeps. Maybe one hour a week or something like that. He’s inspiring that way…"

A lady with completely white hair and a few wrinkles on her forehead and around her lips opened the door with a raised eyebrow. "Raden. What brings you here?"

"We've just had a new student admitted, you see," Raden said, gesturing at Auren. "This is Auren, and I’m told you can help him get situated." He handed her the sheet of paper from Lord Keine. “He fights with a spear normally, and—”

"Thank you, Raden, you may leave. Aren’t you late for your remedials? The poor boy won't need a hanger-on like you here."

Raden let out a sound of faux protest, looking completely scandalized and offended. "A hanger-on? Why, I'm completely crucial to this experience!"

The woman drew herself up and gave Raden a look.

Raden backtracked hastily. “I can catch up with him at breakfast, then.”

Auren waved. "Thanks again, Raden.”

Raden winked at him before hurrying down the corridor.

"Now then. My name is Elsie. Let’s get you set up.” She led the way up the corridor. “Your room will be at the end, so you'll have quite long walks, but you’re fortunate to have an empty room in the main building all to yourself. I’ll bring you a basic spear—Raden did mention a spear, yes?"

"Yeah, it's a spear," Auren confirmed.

"A spear and some clothes, then. You can freshen up for a few minutes and change. Then I’ll show you to the library and training rooms. The library itself has a warden who should at least give you a basic explanation, as long as you’re respectful enough. And the class schedule is intuitive enough that I trust you can navigate it. The other outbuildings aren’t my domain, so ask one of the older students to show you around if the maps aren’t enough, understand?”

Auren nodded.

She paused outside the last door on the right. "This shall be your dormitory room, room number E5-1."

"Even just getting me a room is already amazing. Thank you so much."

She looked him up and down. "Ah, you're from the slums, aren't you?"

He blinked. "Is it that obvious?"

"They're the only ones who usually appreciate the room, no matter what. And it is nice to see some appreciation, you know. Some of the wealthier students can get a bit entitled.” She shook her head. “I shouldn’t have said. Do you have any other questions?"

"Not at the moment, Madam Elsie. I appreciate your guidance.” 

She raised an eyebrow. "Madam Elsie?"

"Professor Elsie?" Auren corrected himself.

"No, no, I’m no professor. Madam Elsie is fine, I don't mind it.” She smiled and handed him a small decorative button with a magnetic clasp. “That’s your key and temporary identification. You can get it updated at the front desk when you pick up your class schedule. Go ahead inside and get yourself cleaned up. I’ll have your uniform and weapon here by the time you finish.”

—

Auren’s new room had both the digital lock and a deadbolt he could secure from the inside. The lights turned on as he entered, warming up from a soft glow to something brighter and more daylight-imitating. And the size of the place! 

This couldn’t be a room; this was practically a small house.

Even his warehouse wasn't this big, and that had so much dead space, unlike this room, which was well-furnished. To the right side of the room was a massive, luxurious bed with pure white bedsheets and neatly folded blankets that would have made the Hospice Center burn with envy. Against the wall to the right a large wardrobe stood on one side of the bed with matching dresser on the other. A curved lightbar above the bed illuminated a decorative silver-wrought copy of the academy’s crest—matching that on the banners hanging from the walls outside.

Straight ahead, a pair of glass doors led onto a balcony overlooking the forest, with windows on either side currently covered by drapes which could also be drawn across the doors. Titans, those curtains alone were thick enough to serve as blankets back in the wreckage he called a home… he could probably sell them for a month’s food if he found the right buyer.

No. Auren stopped himself from thinking of all the ways he could turn this room into money; if he was going to be here as a student, he was going to act the part. The old homeless scavenger Auren was gone. That life was over.

He walked to the balcony and looked out over the grounds, breathing deep. This was where he belonged now. He would stand with pride, no lesser to anyone. Standing straighter, he turned back and pulled the drapes closed before continuing his tour of the room.

The left side of the room was dominated by an inactive panel screen half the size of the wall. Several comfortable chairs and two small tables were set up facing it. A desk was set in the corner under the window, and two sets of storage shelves filled the space on either side of the panel, mirroring the furniture on either side of the bed opposite it.

The floor was a clean brown and ivory carpet with spiral patterns and leaf shapes that matched the silver inlays on the wood trim that covered the bottom half of the walls. He was glad the majority of the monster goo and blood on his feet had dried or come off already, because defiling something this beautiful would have made him feel guilty.

Opposite the balcony doors, next to the entryway, another door led to what turned out to be his own private bathroom. What luxury! Normally, he just used the small, communal bathrooms at the hospice center, but the academy could afford one in each student room?

This must be how a king lived. A commode, a shower with glass doors, a giant marble tub to one side of the room with multiple taps, plus a washbasin with a broad counter and its own tap.

He'd only ever seen such things in advertisements—distant, unreachable dreams. And now, all of a sudden, he had all of it in one room! Even the most expensive private rooms in the Hospice Center were only a fraction as nice as this. Not to mention the warm tiles beneath his feet, alternating diamonds of black and ivory that heated themselves even as he stood there.

One glance at the grand mirror over the washbasin showed him his true, shabby state, a stark contrast to the clean beauty all around. He was dirty and unkempt, blood still plastered on his skin, and his pants were barely intact.

It was a miracle that none of the academy people had seemed more surprised or repulsed. He could understand Lord Keine’s reaction now… he really did look like a sewer rat that had climbed its way out.

Inside the cabinet beside the tub he found shelves fully stocked with more varieties of soaps, shampoos, lotions, conditioners, and other accoutrements than he even knew existed. The one below held several thick towels in the same cream color as the marble.

He checked his watch to see if the hot water would be turned on, then remembered that this wasn’t the Hospice Center, wasn’t the outer suburbs. He turned on the warm water tap, and without any fanfare it poured out, already heated to a comfortable level of warmth that made his skin feel blissful.

He couldn’t help it, he laughed, sheer disbelief finally breaking the stunned silence. This was too much. Hot water on demand. And for as long as he stayed in the academy, this entire thing was his.

And they had this for every single student? How much would that have cost? They could have provided a small bathroom, given him a small room. This was far too extravagant. This was the life of a king, not the life of a student. If he’d known this was possible, he’d have gone out abomination hunting years ago.

Even as he thought that, he grabbed the shampoo, some soap, the toothbrush and toothpaste, then stepped into the shower to rinse himself thoroughly. He would cleanse every trace of grime from his body and no longer risk staining their flawless carpets.

Half an hour later, his luxuriating was interrupted by a knock on his room door. If not for the interruption, he could have stood there all day. The sensation of warm water on his tired muscles was so addictive he never wanted to get out.

He reluctantly turned off the water and gave himself a hasty toweling. As soon as he wasn’t soaking, he grabbed a bathrobe and wrapped it around himself—and nearly slipped on the wet tiles as he rushed to the door. He hadn't dried his hair yet; it was still dripping onto his shoulders and the floor, but he hoped Elsie wouldn't mind. He didn’t want to keep her waiting.

When he opened the door, Elsie handed him a stack of clothes and a surprisingly sturdy-looking spear with a white highlight at its tip. “That’s yours now. Keep track of it. If you break it, you’ll need to apply for a replacement. Laundry pickup is every third day, there’s a chute in the corner just by the coatrack.”

Auren accepted the items with a grateful bow. "Thank you, Madam Elsie. I appreciate this immensely."

"Yes, yes, you can continue to appreciate this later." She smiled slightly. "For now, get dressed, grab your spear, and I’ll show you the training rooms and the library."

"Alright." He closed the door and put the spear aside to change. There were three complete sets, so he tossed the rest on the bed for now. Then immediately felt bad and stacked them in the drawers before rushing through the dressing process.

The clothes provided were a matched set that even included branded underwear with the academy logo on it, but he'd never worn such comfortable underwear, so he didn't mind. The Academy Head could have plastered his face on the backside of the underwear, and Auren wouldn't care.

Then he put on the pants, shirt, and blazer. They all fitted him perfectly, and the fabrics were somehow sturdy and soft. Unworn—no patches, no holes, no snags.

For a moment he simply stood. Could he even own something like this? How much were they spending on these clothes?

He truly wondered how much gold was behind his scholarship. He almost wished Madam Elsie had given him some cheaper hand-me-downs or something—but no, this was clearly what all the other students received.

The spear felt completely different from his makeshift one—sturdy and cohesive in a way he'd never experienced. Lightweight, flexible, dynamic. Balanced. It felt right in his hands, in a way he couldn't quite explain.

Ready for anything, he hurried out into the hall.

Madam Elsie waited near the window, arms crossed, her right index finger tapping her left arm. She raised an eyebrow and scanned over his clothes. "Hmm, good, they fit you. Alright then, follow me." Madam Elsie led him to the end of the corridor and through a door into the next one, which continued on at an angle without ascending any stairs. Judging by the angle, the main dormitory areas would be connected in a sort of pentagon around a central courtyard. 

Auren followed diligently, staying two steps behind her. “How far to the training rooms?” If it was anything like the labyrinthine path Raden had led him along to reach Lord Keine’s room, he’d never be able to remember it.

"You’re lucky, in that sense. Training rooms, of course, we have exclusive ones for each dormitory, so those aren’t far. But your library—the main library is closest to the East Wing dorms. Perhaps because they put most of the scholarship students here, those who would try the hardest." At this, she winked at him lightly.

So that’s why she isn't looking down on me or discriminating against me, huh? Auren realized. She was, to a certain extent, already used to interacting with people from the lower class who worked their way to success. And given Raden’s complete lack of concern over dragging someone in bloody rags through the academy, he was probably not the first one to arrive in a bedraggled state.

They followed the new corridor through two more turns before arriving at a sort of lobby—a dead end that disproved his pentagon theory. There were only three hallways leading roughly back the way they’d come from—the one they’d emerged from in the center, and one diagonally left and right like the edges of an arrowhead.

"Left takes you to the training rooms for East Wing students,” Elsie said, turning down that direction. “Protocol is to book them in advance, but they’re varied, spacious, and numerous enough that they’re almost never full. You can reserve a slot easily enough on short notice as long as you’re not picky."

The hall was lined with doorways, each with a reinforced glass window in the doors and an emergency release bar along with the usual data reader. The actual rooms looked quite small, more like the size of his bathroom than the training arenas he had envisioned.

As she’d said, most were empty. Two had red lights on the top, indicating they were in use, and Auren saw people inside those ones running in place, swinging weapons at walls that shifted to meet them.

She tapped a few keys beside one of the empty ones and the door opened.

Within was a completely clean and padded room, simpler in design than those the other two had been using.

“The floor can be modified with a voice command. As soon as you say aloud for the floor to morph—for example, 'Morph floor into a multi-directional movement mat,' it will do so."

As soon as she said that, the padded floor panels retracted, and the material within—a somewhat slimy substance—morphed into a black, sleek surface with grooves and edges.

"As you can see, I do not move from this spot, no matter which direction I walk." She demonstrated by walking straight forward, then jogging left, and running to the right, yet the floor rippled beneath her to return her to where she started.

She slowed to a stop. "If you fall, there's enough space that you won't hit your head against the walls, but the floor isn’t going to catch you so do be cautious until you’re used to how it works. The other four walls can also be adjusted if you need them. You’ll receive a full list of commands along with your class schedule. However, please remember, it’s advised to move yourself up gradually to the more complicated routines. Just because you can start it on level six your first day doesn’t mean you should."

Auren nodded seriously, while privately wondering how many levels there were and how quickly he could get through them all.

"And for actual combat training or weapon practice, unless you’re following a set cardio regime, these training rooms are probably not the place to go. These have very high resistance, but not much reactivity. Turn left mat into wooden targets."

A wooden wall with target outlines appeared.

"You can strike it with your spear, but I would suggest going to the main training grounds if you want a proper session. But for late nights, or basic self-study, these are perfect. Revert floor." As soon as she stepped out, the wall also reverted to its padded state. Her expression was still stern, but her voice took on a playful tint. "If you ever want to be undisturbed, meditate in silence, or scream to the titans, it's also soundproof.”

Auren raised his eyebrows in surprise

"It happens regularly with quite a few overachieving students, I tell you. These are the perfect places to come and just scream. No one's going to interrupt you. You wouldn’t be the first new student to be overwhelmed. Now, the library."

Auren walked behind her, a smile on his face. The training rooms looked so good. He couldn't wait to dive into one and practice with his spear.

They returned to the lobby and turned down the other corridor, one which sloped downward at a gentle angle toward a single large glass door. It slid open automatically as they approached, revealing an absolutely gigantic room.

Rows upon rows of bookshelves, filled to the brim, lined the area to the left, while to the right were rows of standalone system information terminals. Even though it was pre-dawn, the room wasn’t empty. All but two of the terminals had students busily scrolling away, and they didn’t even glance at the newcomers. Several others sat in the book half of the library, open volumes on laps or spread out on tables around them.

Directly ahead a curved reception desk blocked the way, dividing the room down the middle. They would have to walk around it to one side or the other. Sitting behind the desk, was a man in his late thirties with black hair, a short stubble, and quite a mean look. The nameplate on the desk read ‘Library Warden Imyn Frehor’ in silver lettering. He did look up when they entered, and didn’t stop looking, though his already dark expression grew more dour still.

“This is Auren, and he's a new student joining us from today,” Elsie said, stepping right up to the desk. "Can you introduce him to the library?”

"An introduction?" Warden Frehor eyed Auren up and down dismissively.

"Well, yes, he needs to know how to use the library."

"What's there to even explain about that?" the warden grumbled. He gestured vaguely. "Those are all the books. They have a catalog right there." A poster on the end of each shelf explained how to navigate the books and how they were sorted within each section. "Other side are the system information terminals, filled with all kinds of exclusive videos and material if you need them. The books also have digital versions. What else do I have to explain? The ABCs? Does he need a pictograph interface? Can he eat for himself, or do you chew the food for him, Elsie?"

"Have you used a system information terminal in the past?" Elsie asked Auren, not bothering to respond to the warden’s sarcasm. Clearly she was used to it.

"I have, yes.” He didn’t look that poor, surely. Even the outer suburbs had system terminals… just very inadequate ones.

She smiled. "Lovely. As for the books, like he said, I believe you can navigate them.” She raised an eyebrow at the warden, who simply scoffed. “Warden Frehor is quite a moody person," she added quietly to Auren. "Probably best not to bother him much."

"Oh yes, I forgot to mention," the warden interjected, addressing Auren. "The books you take out—once you’re registered as a student—will automatically be logged into the system when you exit the library. You don't have to interact with me at all. And the system terminals? As you can see, you shouldn’t plan on them being available in the mornings, so don’t expect to rush in here and cram before class. Everyone does and almost all of them are disappointed." He seemed oddly happy about that fact.

"In the mornings? Why so?" Auren asked.

"The mornings are completely booked for the next few months. As you might imagine, students are always eager to use them. But late at night, they're not reserved all that often. So if you want to use them without a time limit, I am 'sad' to inform you that you must use them late at night." The man looked at him with an eyebrow raised, almost as if challenging him to refute it.

What he did not seem to have expected, however, was Auren nodding excitedly. "I'm fine with that! So I can book late-night slots? And no one else can take them away once I do?"

"Well, yes." The warden seemed perturbed that Auren didn't appear frustrated. "Why, in fact, you can use one right now, if you want to. As long as no one else is there, you don’t need to make a reservation for off hours. If someone shows up with a slot claimed, get out of the way for them."

"Oh, I will!" Auren turned to Madam Elsie, everything else practically filtered out by his excitement over the exclusive materials he would get to access. "Can I?"

"Certainly." Madam Elsie fished a pale blue cube out of her pocket and held it out to him. "As long as you authorize me to act on your behalf, I can go get your paperwork sorted while you have your fun."

Auren nodded and pressed his finger against the cube. “For the duration of today, you may act on my behalf in regards to accessing my basic information for the purposes of admission to this academy, conditional upon my receiving a report on said information’s access and usage afterward.”

She chuckled but tucked the cube away. “I see someone knows his way around authorizations. But you’ll be receiving a copy of my report anyway and will need to sign it before it’s official, regardless. We don’t take advantage of our students here.”

Auren wasn’t going to apologize for his caution, so he only shrugged. His eyes were drawn back to that last empty terminal. Someone else had come by while they were talking, and he had to know what these exclusive materials were. “Anything else?”

“Once you’re done here, do remember to stop by the front desk to choose your classes and pick up your schedules and information packet. You should have today off since you just joined. And I know it’s exciting, but don’t stay up all night. You’ll have your first class tomorrow and you wouldn't want to enter that fatigued.”

Auren tried to remember the route back to the front, but he’d been through too many twists and turns since then. “Where is the front desk?”

Elsie pointed to the far end of the library where another door led out to what looked like a balcony. “Outside, down the steps and across the courtyard to the west, and you’ll come in the side of the main entrance. Third door on the right. The dining hall is just under the overpass to the North Wing, and breakfast will be served in about two hours.”

Auren nodded, repeating the information back until he could remember it perfectly. “Thank you again. For everything.”

“Only doing my job.” But she did smile and give him one more wink as she said so, before turning to leave.

Auren all but ran to the desk. “I’d like a terminal. And I’d like to reserve one for the night.”

The warden seemed slightly off-put by his sheer enthusiasm but dutifully noted his name down and scanned his student identification button before waving him on through. "Alright, stop disturbing me and go use your system terminal. You’ve got twenty three minutes until it’s spoken for."

Auren hurried to the open terminal. As soon as he stepped in front of it, a blue screen flickered to life.

>Welcome, Student Auren.

>Schedule not found. What material are you looking for today?

>Designated specialization is spear, recommended material 'Spear Basics.'

Auren raised his eyebrows.

"Spear Basics."

A catalog of videos opened—a catalog detailing how a spear should be used. Diagrams. Slow motion demonstrations. Corrections down to the angle of a leg or the tilt of a wrist.

Everything from each pose and movement to how to counter an attack properly with a spear. Each form’s benefits, its pros and cons…

And this was just the basics?

Auren gaped, hardly able to believe his eyes. Hours—days, weeks—an absolute wealth of knowledge right at his fingertips, ready to teach him everything he wanted to know.

Oh, he wasn't going to sleep tonight.

It felt like no time at all before the student who’d reserved this terminal for the next time block arrived, leaving Auren adrift. With the system information terminals fully occupied, it seemed the morning students had properly arrived.

The warden did mention it’d be busy in the mornings. Sighing, Auren looked around just once more, but sure enough, every terminal was claimed. Mainly by people who looked like they were still asleep or about to fall over if not for the sheer anxiety on their faces.

He could go to the books side and continue browsing, but with the memory of the full video instructions so fresh in his mind simple text didn’t quite hold up. Assuming he could even figure out which of the complicated-sounding titles were relevant.

Besides, if his stomach had anything to say about it, he should go hunt down some breakfast. He was practically starving now that he thought about it. He didn’t even remember the last time he’d eaten.

The warden looked up from the book he was holding when Auren arrived, his face crunching up again. "What's up? Why are you disturbing me now?"

"I’d like to reserve a system terminal for tonight into the morning."

"Tomorrow morning?"

"Yes, in the night. From midnight to first sunlight—or whenever I can book it until."

The man hummed under his breath. "Yeah, you should have a free slot. I'll sign you up for the seventh system information terminal from 12:00 to 5:30 tomorrow. Good?"

Auren nodded. "That works for me."

The man frowned at him for a second before scanning his uniform logo. "All right, that's that. You can leave now. No need to keep disturbing me."

Auren nodded politely with a smile before leaving the library.

According to what Madam Elsie had said, both the reception and the dining hall should be close to the main entrance. He decided to go to the reception first to get his scheduling details, and then he would go to the dining hall and eat. A lot. He wondered if they would let him refill his food or if it was only a single portion. The academy looked rich, but then again, he was a scholarship student, so Titans only knew how the treatment would be.

—

Dawn had broken while he was distracted, and in the early morning light the academy was already alive with activity. The reception was already bustling. He even passed several people on the steps down from the library, despite the early hour.

The receptionist—a woman who was wearing the exact same white robes he'd seen Madam Elsie wear—stood talking to a handful of students. By the time he reached them, the students finished with whatever they were asking and left.

The receptionist turned her attention towards Auren. "What brings you here today, student?"

"Oh, I just joined yesterday, and my dorm keeper told me to choose my classes, grab my schedule, and various other things here."

The receptionist quirked an eyebrow but nodded. "Quite the late admission you are." She pulled out the same type of scanner that the librarian had used and scanned his uniform's logo before checking her terminal. "It seems that Lord Keine has already allotted you your classes. That explains it."

"Does it?”

"Normally, students select their own starting classes. Since each of you has unique abilities that are specialized in one direction, the Academy allows you to choose from the available options based on your capabilities. However, since you're a late admission and also a special case, it seems Lord Keine has already allotted you your classes as if you were an existing student with a direct mentorship.” She tapped something on the visual interface and pages began printing out.

He couldn’t help but notice they were crisp and clear, none of the grey squiggles across the page like the machines the Hospice Center had to put up with. He was given several thick, sturdy pages and a full color map. Even the schedules had color-coded sections, showing which weeks were combat focus and which theory.

"You’ll be in the second year, second semester, primary classes with Lord Vrann and Lord Harding. Those and the map should be enough for your journey in the Academy. Of course, if you feel like you need anything more or you have any questions, you can approach me, your dorm keeper, or most professors, really."

Auren nodded. "Thank you. I appreciate it."

She smiled at him before flashing a look of sympathy. "Professor Vrann, huh? You're going to be in for a hard, hard time."

"Hard time? Why so?" Auren asked, still curious.

"Well, Professor Vrann has..." The receptionist hesitated, grimacing. "...quite the infamous reputation. You'll find out, though. You look like a strong man. I'm sure you'll manage."

“The dining hall is… that way?” Auren guessed, pointing towards one of the doors.

“Not quite.” She gestured towards the corridor behind her. "If you’re hungry, you’re right on time for breakfast. The dining hall can get occupied quickly. Plenty of people just grab food and eat outside. But if you want to refill—which, based on your appearance, I do think you will—then it is better that you occupy a seat inside."

Auren nodded. "Thank you for your advice." Papers in hand, he walked towards the dining hall.

With the map, it wasn't too hard to navigate, even though it was in an entirely different wing: the north wing. He walked out the back of the reception hall and into the interior of the academy. While the front walkway had been quite grand, lined with forest on either side as it had been, the interior courtyard was even more so.

Low flowerbeds lined the walkways, dividing the courtyard around crystal-clear fountains. Benches were liberally scattered throughout, and in the patio just outside the dining hall were dozens of small elegant metal wrought tables with matching chairs, many of which were occupied.

Arches and pillars and broad colonnades surrounded it in the same pentagon shape that he’d observed from inside, dormitories and lecture halls rising to four or five stories on four sides and an open-sided chapel with statues of the Five Guardian Titans: Lucero, the savior of Zalrieth; Azean, the First Titan; Suris, of strategy and benevolent guidance; Maeris, the titan of purity and compassion; and Halthin of persistence and determination.

But while it had been elegant and impressive through a window in the night, the whole courtyard came alive as a bustling commons in the brilliant grey of dawn. Towers, spires, castle balconies…

The overpass network was a fascinating thing. Because the academy was built around a large, castle-like building, there were many bridges and towers.

The dining hall doors were grand, much larger than even the library doors, and made out of what looked like pure, tempered glass. He walked to one and pushed it open by the handle. The dining hall was just beginning to get occupied. There were four doors, one on each side, and a few students popped in through each door every few seconds.

He walked past one of the tables to the food being served. It was a buffet, as far as he could tell, and the dishes on display made his mouth water. There was a small sign above the food with the dishes' names and whether they were refillable or not. A few specific dishes—surprisingly plants, not meat, that were clearly mana-imbued based on the description—were limited, each student allowed only one serving. Some were restricted to higher ranks. But the rest? The entire row of food was his to consume as he liked.

With his mouth drooling, he stood up from the bench he'd occupied in the front. As soon as he had sat, it flashed his name along with a "RESERVED" symbol, clearly to tell others he was sitting there.

As he reached the stack of plates one of the workers—a chef perhaps, by his uniform—looked at him with a frown. "I’ll need to scan for your identity."

Auren nodded and offered the Academy logo clipped near his collar. "Will this suffice?"

"Of course. Are you a first year, a second year, or a third year?"

"Second year.” First day, but year two was what it said on his schedule.

The man nodded before tilting his head lightly. "I've never seen you around," the man said curiously. But then he scanned the logo on Auren's uniform before he ooh'd. "Oh, you're a new student. Anything you need me to explain, or do you understand how things work?"

"I think I understand." Auren picked up a plate and stepped toward the first bay, containing a steaming grain dish that looked like it had been boiled and then fried with vegetables and strips of meat. "All the dishes marked 'refillable' are ones I can come back for more of freely, right?"

The man chuckled. "You’ve figured it out. It is a very intuitive system, though, if I say so myself."

Auren grinned at the rows and rows of food. Titans, he was going to have so much fun.

Initially, he assumed they would eventually stop him from refilling his plate. But they didn’t, so he continued to refill his plate. He realized around his fourth refill that the food he was eating didn't actually seem to settle in his stomach. He could feel himself chewing it, but it never seemed to land. As though it was being converted directly into energy to fill some mass deficit. He felt slightly rejuvenated, but the hunger was still immensely present. And so he continued eating.

By the time he reached his eighth refill, he thought for sure they must be getting ready to throw him out. But none of the cooks seemed to care, so he continued.

A tenth refill. A fifteenth.

Initially, the chefs and the cooks had been unbothered. Then they started flashing him discreet glances. At this point, they were simply staring at him with wide eyes, as if stunned that he was still going.

Which was a reasonable response. He’d been at this for most of an hour and had seen whole tables of people come and go and be replaced by others who also finished and left.

Even Auren wondered if he should just stop. But his deep hunger was only now beginning to be sated.

It was just food, in the end. Even if it was an unimaginable bounty to him, here it was perfectly normal to bring out tray after tray of a dozen different fantastic breakfasts. It wasn't like the academy would punish him for eating.

So he continued. The plates seemed to blur, though he did vary the foods he chose and his refills were hearty. They had to replenish a few of the buffet items just to keep up with him.

By the time he took his plate up for the thirtieth or so time, the chef finally came out from behind the counter and walked towards his bench. Considering he was sitting close by, the chef didn't have to walk too far.

The man leaned down—since Auren was sitting—and whispered, "Student, I understand that you're hungry, but this is too much."

"Too much?" Auren asked innocently, even though he knew what the man meant.

"I have a lot of students to feed. You're taking very large portions. If you continue at this rate, you'll have individually eaten almost a hundred students' worth of food."

Auren smiled bashfully. "Ah..."

"And I know that for the academy, doing this sounds really petty,” the man continued gently, “but we carefully portion the food, you see. We do keep a few extra portions just in case, but since we usually know how much each student eats, if someone eats too much, other students will miss out on their food."

Auren chuckled. "I understand. I'll leave."

The chef smiled apologetically. "It does make me happy to see you enjoying our food so greatly, but it is not in my hands. I’ve already cooked everything we have in stock. All we have left are the animal entrails we use to feed the tamed beasts, and that’s hardly something we could cook for a student.” He laughed slightly, clearly trying to soften the eviction.

But Auren looked at the man, his expression fully serious. "Why not?"

The chef blinked. "What do you mean, 'why not'?" he tilted his head.

"Why not feed me the entrails?" Auren asked, completely serious. "With your cooking ability, I imagine anything would taste delicious." And he did mean it sincerely; every single dish they cooked was amazing.

As someone who had resided in the slums, there were days he had to drink animal's blood and make do with every single piece of their meat. He wasn't someone who would be squeamish about entrails, of all things.

The chef didn't seem to know what to say for a few seconds before he took on a more contemplative expression. "Well, we do have a few younger chefs, and them practicing on those dishes would be good for their experience." He stroked his chin. "But wouldn't that be disrespectful to a student?"

"I don't mind."

"Even if they don’t taste the best?”

“Even if they don’t taste the best,” Auren confirmed.

“Alright then, wait here.”