CHAPTER 68: A NEW DAY

Noah staggered under Arlo’s weight as he passed through the academy gates, forcing a grin onto his face.

The guards at the entrance frowned, their eyes flicking between him and the limp student slung over his shoulder.

"He’s fine." Noah said quickly, adjusting his grip before Arlo slid further down. "Just... had a little too much to drink." He even threw in a chuckle for good measure.

One of the guards raised an eyebrow. "Drunk?"

"Yeah," Noah said with a shrug. "You know how some people are when they think they’re invincible. One too many pints and... well..." He gestured vaguely toward Arlo’s head, as if that explained everything.

The guards exchanged a glance, clearly not buying it, but neither looked eager to press the matter.

Especially when the students could either be nobles or commoners. Either way, it wasn’t worth the effort.

With a muttered warning about ’keeping trouble out of the gates,’ they waved him through.

Inside the academy grounds, Noah allowed himself a brief pause, leaning against a stone wall to catch his breath.

His muscles burned from the effort of carrying Arlo this far, and his legs felt like they’d been wrapped in stone. But he couldn’t stop for long.

"Come on, you idiot," he muttered, hauling Arlo up again and making for the infirmary.

By the time he reached the building, his arms were trembling from exhaustion. He pushed the doors open with his shoulder and stepped inside, calling out to the nearest healer.

"He overused his skill," Noah explained, carefully lowering Arlo onto an empty bed. "Got a bit carried away showing off and now... well, you see the result."

The healers immediately took charge, checking Arlo’s pulse, casting diagnostic spells, and bringing over a tray of potions.

One of them gave Noah a curt nod. "He’ll be fine after some rest and treatment. He just needs to recover from the strain."

That was all Noah needed to hear. With a relieved exhale, he turned and left the infirmary.

Every muscle in his body ached, and his stomach reminded him with a loud growl that he hadn’t eaten properly since before entering the monolith.

He made his way to the cafeteria, fishing out some coins from his pouch. He didn’t even care about the price. All he cared about right now was eating until he couldn’t move.

He piled his plate high with steaming rice, roasted meat, spiced vegetables, and thick slices of bread, then found a table in the corner.

The few students scattered around the cafeteria glanced at him curiously, some even whispered, but Noah ignored them completely.

He dug into his food like a man possessed, barely stopping to breathe between mouthfuls. By the time his plate was empty, he felt only marginally human again.

Dragging himself out of his chair, he trudged toward the dorms, the quiet halls echoing under his slow footsteps.

He entered his room, staring at his bed in longing. But there was something he needed to do first.

He headed to the bathroom, and once in there, he stripped and stepped into the bath, letting the hot water soak away the stiffness in his limbs.

When he was finally done, the bed was the only thing on his mind.

He didn’t bother with anything else, he just collapsed onto the mattress, pulling the blanket over himself.

Sleep claimed him almost instantly, and in moments, his snores filled the room.

[][][][][]

Noah’s eyes snapped open to the pale light of dawn creeping in through his window.

For a moment, he blinked in confusion, trying to remember when exactly he’d gone to sleep. Then it hit him.

The memories of the day before began rushing in, and he realized that he’d slept straight through the evening and the night.

He let out a slow yawn, stretching his arms above his head.

The dull ache in his muscles was still there, but it was muted now, no longer the bone deep exhaustion that had dragged him into unconsciousness.

He swung his legs off the bed and sat there for a moment, letting the cool air wake him fully.

Today was the first day of the week. Classes resumed again, and his schedule was packed with Magical Theory and Basic Spellcasting, both taught by professors who couldn’t be more different if they tried.

Professor Cecilia for Magical Theory, and Professor Geldrin for Spellcasting.

He got up and took his bath, letting the warm water loosen whatever stiffness remained. By the time he stepped out, toweling his hair dry, he was already mentally running through his checklist for the day.

He pulled on his uniform, adjusted the Stone-tier trim at his sleeves, and began packing his satchel with everything he’d need. His scrolls, a few required texts, and a couple of spare quills and ink bottle just in case.

Before heading to class, he made his way to the infirmary. He wasn’t leaving without checking on Arlo.

The moment he stepped inside, the faint smell of medicinal herbs and alcohol greeted him, along with the quiet murmurs of the nurses moving about. One of them spotted him and smiled.

"Your friend’s doing better." She assured him. "He’d miss classes today, but he’ll be up soon enough."

Noah nodded, relief washing over him, and moved to Arlo’s bedside. His friend was still asleep, but the difference from yesterday was clear.

His complexion had lost its sickly pallor, his breathing was even, and there was a faint hint of color returning to his cheeks.

Noah stood there for a few seconds longer, watching him, before quietly slipping out so as not to disturb his rest.

From there, he made his way to the cafeteria. The air was thick with the smell of fresh bread and sizzling meat, and his stomach growled on cue.

He joined the breakfast line, grabbed a plate piled with eggs, toast, and some spiced sausages, and ate quickly. The food was simple but filling, giving him the energy he needed for the day ahead.

Once done, he wiped his mouth, slung his satchel over his shoulder, and stepped outside into the crisp morning air.

His first class awaited, and for once, he was almost looking forward to it.