CHAPTER 5 - WELCOME TO THE ACADEMY 2

Aegis stared at her dorm assignment slip. Room 237, East Wing. At least it wasn't the basement.

[No Scarlett as a roommate. Damn. Would've been fun to wake up to those abs every morning.]

She climbed the marble stairs. Her new uniform still felt stiff and uncomfortable. The hallways buzzed with students dragging trunks and arguing about room assignments. Most nobles had their servants handle the heavy lifting. Aegis just had her one bag and her wits.

Room 237's door stood slightly ajar. Inside, someone hummed off-key.

Aegis pushed the door open and froze.

A girl sat cross-legged on one of the beds, painting something on a canvas propped against the wall. Black hair fell all the way to the floor, looking almost more like a cape, and when she looked up, pink eyes met Aegis's purple ones. She wore the standard uniform but had already customized it, albeit unintentionally perhaps. Paint stains on the sleeves, tie loosened, top button undone.

[Who the hell is this? I don't remember any painter girl from the game.]

"Oh. You're my roommate." The girl looked up from her painting, expression neutral. "I'm Lune. Lune Solana."

She stuck out a paint-covered hand, paused, then wiped it on her skirt before offering it again.

Aegis shook it, mind racing. Solana was a minor noble house known for their proficiency with illusion magic, but she'd never encountered a Lune in any of her playthroughs.

"Aegis Starcaller. A commoner."

"A scholarship winner." Lune's voice was flat. "I barely passed the entrance exam. My illusions malfunction sometimes."

She gestured at her painting. A landscape that shifted and moved, trees swaying in an invisible breeze.

"Your magic bleeds into your art?"

"It's inconvenient." Lune turned back to her painting, her eyes unchanging. "Last week I accidentally made breakfast look like spiders. Mother was displeased."

[Unstable magic. Minor noble. I feel like I'd remember someone like that from the game. This is... concerning.]

"Which bed would you like?" Lune asked, voice monotone. "I took the left."

"Right is fine." Aegis tossed her bag on the bed. "You heading to dinner?"

"I suppose." Lune set down her brush. "I don't know where the dining hall is."

"I've got a general idea." Aegis opened the door. "Shall we?"

They stepped into the hallway and immediately ran into trouble.

Four students waited against the opposite wall. Three of them looked like typical mid-tier nobles. Rich enough to be jerks, not important enough for the private rooms. Aegis instantly recognized their leader, though.

Varyn Duskbane had black hair, violet eyes, and pale skin. In the game, he'd been a recurring antagonist in the first arc, the type who'd poison your tea while complimenting your outfit.

Aegis was confused, though.

[But... usually, he goes after male players. What's he doing here? Or,] she held back a snicker, [does he just pester anyone with a dick?]

"Well, well." Varyn pushed off the wall. "The famous commoner graces us with her presence. And she's rooming with a Solana. How... quaint."

His lackeys snickered. Lune stayed silent.

"Lord Duskbane." Aegis gave a shallow bow. Varyn recoiled a little, seeing that she was familiar with who he was. "Starting the harassment early this year?"

"Harassment? I'm merely greeting my fellow students." He stepped closer. "Though I must say, your scholarship is quite the topic of conversation. A nobody from nowhere, suddenly admitted to Rosevale? Some might call it suspicious."

Aegis raised a brow.

[He's just fishing. Trying to find ammunition to use later.] Aegis narrowed her eyes. [I won't let him.]

"Some might call it jealousy that a commoner scored higher than them on the entrance exam." Aegis kept her tone light. "But I'm sure that's not the case with you, Lord Duskbane. Your house is, after all, known for being above such petty concerns."

His eyes narrowed. A blonde girl with too much jewelry stepped forward.

"How dare you—"

Varyn held up a hand.

"Clever. Using my house's reputation as a shield. But cleverness only gets you so far here, commoner."

"I'm sure I'll manage." Aegis winked. "Now if you'll excuse us, we're famished. I hear the kitchen made something special tonight."

She grabbed Lune's arm and walked past them. Varyn chuckled.

"This won't be our last conversation, Miss Starcaller."

"Looking forward to it," Aegis called back.

They rounded the corner. Lune exhaled.

"You talked back to Varyn Duskbane."

"He's just another pompous noble with too much time on his hands."

"He's from one of the Great Houses, Aegis. His family controls half the spy networks in Valdria." Lune's expression didn't change. "Mother said to avoid all Duskbanes. They collect blackmail."

[Good instincts, mom. Too bad your daughter just got on his radar thanks to me. I'll dogeza later.]

"Then we'll just have to be boring enough that he loses interest." Aegis steered them down another hallway. "Besides, showing weakness to bullies just makes them push harder."

"I guess." Lune stared ahead. "You're brave. Or, are you stupid?"

"Who's to say?"

The dining hall doors loomed ahead, carved oak with iron reinforcement. Noise leaked through, that of hundreds of voices, clattering dishes, scraping chairs.

"Big room." Lune observed. "Lots of people."

"You don't say."

Aegis put a hand on the door. She stopped for a moment. This had been one of the standout moments from the game, walking into this place. She was so excited she wanted to savor the moment properly.

[Showtime.]

She pushed the doors open.

The hall was massive. Five long tables, each claimed by different factions. House banners hung from the ceiling. Servants ran between tables while students ate and schemed.

[Just like the game, but louder. And real food.]

"AEGIS! COUNTRY MOUSE! OVER HERE!"

Scarlett stood on a bench, waving both arms. Several nobles glared at her.

"Is that normal?" Lune asked.

"I've known her for two hours and yes, absolutely."

They made their way to Scarlett's table, clearly the scholarship student section. Scarlett grabbed Aegis in a one-armed hug that lifted her off the ground.

"You survived the dorm assignments! And you brought a friend!" Scarlett beamed at Lune. "I'm Scarlett Lionheart. Future greatest knight in Valdria!"

"Lune Solana. I paint."

"Cool! Sit, sit! The food's so good!"

They squeezed onto the bench. Scarlett immediately launched into a story about her roommate fainting when Scarlett did pushups to warm up for this dinner.

Aegis half-listened, scanning the room. The factions were forming exactly like the game.

At the center table, Princess Talia held court. Black hair styled perfectly, yellow eyes surveying her domain. Nobles hung on her every word. When someone made her laugh, a short, sharp sound, the whole table acted like they'd won a prize.

[Ice princess indeed.]

The left table belonged to combat students. Students looking to become knights and the like. Modified uniforms, comparing bruises, arm-wrestling between courses. Several futanari girls caught Aegis's eye. Confident postures, athletic builds, and, well, prominent bulges on their tight pants.

[The muscle-brain faction. Scarlett will fit right in.]

To the right, academic elites had books open during dinner. They wore badges showing magical specialties. Blue for water, red for fire, silver for mental arts. One table over, social butterflies networked over wine.

"—and then her face turned purple!" Scarlett finished. "Like an angry eggplant!"

Lune didn't react. Aegis smiled.

"Your roommate sounds delightful."

"Right? Way better than getting stuck with some—oh shit, incoming."

Three combat students loomed over their table. The leader was built like a tank.

"Heard there's a scholarship brat who thinks she's hot stuff."

Scarlett grinned.

"Heard there's a noble brat who peaked at age twelve. Guess we both heard right."

[Day one and already starting fights? Usually takes until day two.]

The boy's face went red.

"You want to take this to the dueling grounds?"

"Love to, but I don't beat up children on the first day." Scarlett examined her nails. "I have standards."

"Why you—"

"Is there a problem here?"

A woman in professor's robes appeared. Aegis's heart stopped.

[Professor Nazraya. Oh fuck.]

Black hair, red eyes, curves that her robes couldn't hide. And yes, that telltale bulge marking her as futanari as well.

The combat students straightened.

"No problem, Professor. Just introducing ourselves."

"How neighborly." Pure sarcasm. "Run along before I assign remedial manners."

They fled. Nazraya's gaze swept their table, pausing on Aegis.

"Scholarship students. Try not to get expelled before classes start."

She left, trailing expensive perfume.

"She's incredible," Aegis breathed.

"I guess," Lune replied.

Scarlett looked between them.

"She's trouble. That's Professor Nazraya. Teaches advanced magical theory. Rumors say she eats students who fail."

[Not quite, but she does do other things to her favorites.]

The rest of dinner blurred. Gossip, faction-watching, planning. Game knowledge helped, but real people were messier than scripts.

Across the room, Aegis spotted Liora. Same blonde curls, freckled face, worn notebook clutched tight. She sat alone at the scholarship table's edge. Their eyes met. Liora smiled tentatively.

[There's the cinnamon roll.]

Before Aegis could move, Princess Talia stood. The hall went quiet. She swept toward the exit, entourage scrambling after her. As she passed their table, her yellow eyes met Aegis's.

The princess's lips quirked slightly.

Then she was gone, leaving roses and future conflict behind.

[Two main targets spotted. Time to plan.]

As they left the dining hall, a hand grabbed Aegis's shoulder. She spun—a prefect stood there. Tall, severe, senior staff badge.

"Aegis Starcaller?"

"That's me."

The prefect smiled sharply.

"The Headmistress wants to see you. Now."

Scarlett's eyes went wide.

"But classes haven't even—"

"Now," the prefect repeated.

[Well, fuck.]

Aegis swallowed. Being called to the Headmistress's office on the first night? This wasn't in the game.

This wasn't in the game at all.