I took a deep breath of the damp, early morning air.
Last night’s rain had left the ground cold and the skies dark, the chilling wind cutting through both of my clothes at the sa ti. It took everything I had not to shiver in the cold right now.
“So… these are the dorms.”
I stood before a large building, tucked deep within different regions of the Royal Knight’s expansive grounds. This place was closer to a small town more than anything, with how everything was spaced out.
Back to my dorms… they had several glaring differences besides the different location.
The building—which I decided to refer to as the fancy dorm from now on—was at least twice the size of the standard ones I had passed on the way here. The fancy dorm, as my self-approved na suggested, was fancy. Marble pillars frad its entrance. Tall dark wooden doors with golden handles…
“Lady Carine,” a woman’s voice said softly at my side. “Allow us.”
Two academy staff mbers stepped forward at once, heads lowered, and pulled the doors fully open.
I had no desire to spend another second in the cold. I walked inside with Leila at my side, the sound of footsteps following close behind. Three other staff mbers carried my luggage in silence, careful in their steps.
The interior refrad what the word “dorm” ant inside my head. This wasn’t a dormitory; this was a full-on hotel that materialized here casually. The entrance lobby was a room unto itself, opening into a lounge with tall windows overlooking the garden outside. With pure white chairs, tables, and other kinds of furnishing, the lounge looked like a small in-house cafe.
I took a mont to open my student guidebook, which was handed to by mail a few days ago, along with my new set of academic uniforms.
The guidebook listed all the basic details I needed to live and study here. From the rules of the academy to my schedule and classes. My room number was also displayed there in bold black text under my na. I had already skimd through it, but I wanted to make sure.
[Ladies Dorm 1 - Room 300]
Judging from the room numbers I could spot down the halls, which numbered in the hundreds, I felt annoyed.
My room’s all the way on the third floor, isn’t it?
I closed the guidebook with an audible tap.
“Allow to lead you to your room, Lady Carine,” a staff mber said, already turning.
I, who had no choice, followed at her pace.
“This dormitory is equipped with facilities intended for rest and relaxation,” she explained, her voice precise and practiced. “Each floor contains a lounge hall where you may enjoy the scenery, and there is a shared bathhouse on the first floor free to use alongside your personal bath in your room.”
“I see.”
This place has it all, huh?
Before long, we finally reached the third floor of the dorm. It had similar facilities as the floors below it, but the atmosphere here was even more sophisticated than the floors below for so reason. Must be the grand view overlooking the grounds.
The view almost made it worth it, that was until I found out to my annoyance that my room wasn’t just on the third floor, it was also at the end of the long hall, literally the opposite end of the stairs.
I’m so gonna hate my legs going to class and back.
The staff opened the door and stepped aside, allowing to enter.
The room was the size of a modest living room, with a clean, faded blue wall color, an actual canopy bed, a wardrobe the size of a carriage… Everything about it scread opulent. It was undeniably grand, less grand than my room back at the estate, but even I knew this was excessive for a temporary student housing.
“All dorm rooms are furnished to ensure a comfortable stay,” the staff mber said. “Each includes a private washroom and bath. However, yours, my lady, offers the finest view in the building.” Her eyes flicked, briefly, toward the glass balcony doors.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
My suspicion was right. The academy did give this room on purpose. What was this about? An apology about that exam incident? Or was it just because I was a duke’s heir? Could I request a first-floor arrangent instead?
“Shall we assist with unpacking, my lady?”
“I will handle it,” Leila interjected imdiately. “Please leave the bags here.”
“A-actually, Miss Leila,” one staff mber said, carefully polite, “we were instructed to escort you to your assigned quarters. If you would prefer to remain here, we can guide you afterward.”
With how many bags Mother had bring, unpacking them all alone would take a while, even if it was Leila.
“Leila?” I called her. “Let them handle the bags. Settle into your room first.”
She hesitated, eyes flicking to the luggage before returning to . Then she nodded deeply. “Understood, Lady Carine.”
She followed the staff out, leaving the others behind.
They began unpacking without further instruction. My clothes, my gear, my books… they slowly but surely began putting them all in their appropriate place.
I took the ti to walk past them all and onto the balcony. Indeed, the view was magnificent. The view wasn’t as expansive as I would’ve hoped, but what can you expect from a third-floor view where the main building before easily reached triple that?
But I could see small glimpses of the capital from here, and no doubt, the view here at night would be spectacular.
As the staff behind were busy unpacking, I spotted a singular figure walking around the academy grounds with his student guidebook open, looking totally lost.
That figure.
Was .
It should be obvious by now, but Carine was getting the full service here. The mont my carriage stopped by the front gates, I felt less like a student and more like a VIP guest at so grand hotel.
When we arrived at the academy, I exchanged a brief but awkward goodbye with Mother, who accompanied us for the ride. The mont I stepped down, Carine was imdiately led by the staff mbers through the academy.
Of course, that ant they left the other behind. I was like the wind to them.
Their attempt at catering to ended up irritating instead.
Anyway, it took so ti, but now that I had the bird’s-eye view from Carine’s eyes, I managed to find my way to Feyt’s dorm without any help. I had to carry my bag all alone, but thankfully I didn’t bring much in the first place.
The dorm was a lot more… standard, if you know what I an. Cobblestone walls, basic windows, you know the gist. Not saying it was disheveled or anything, but yeah, compared to the hotel experience on the other end, this was jarring.
“Excuse …” I whispered as I opened the doors without much fanfare.
The interior was that of a dorm… Duh.
What was I expecting? Another hotel?
Carpeted floors, wide hallways, modest decorations, numbered doors lining the walls. Yep. Definitely a dorm.
“Room 116,” I murmured. “Thank god it’s on the first floor.”
I walked down the hallway, passing door after door. Unlike the quiet, serene atmosphere of the fancy dorm, to the point it felt like no one was living there… here, I could hear basically everything—snoring, conversations, the thud of soone exercising against the floor.
Even here, I couldn’t help but invade people’s privacy, but this ti it was worse with how packed tight this dorm was gonna be once it was all filled up.
Oh, god, why didn’t I buy ear muffs?
I stopped in front of a door marked 116, the numbers etched neatly into the wood. I fished the key out of my pocket and unlocked it without any trouble.
The first thing I noticed inside was the size.
The second thing was the fact that there were two beds.
Oh, it’s a shared room…
And here I thought I would have so sort of personal privacy.
I was involved in the incident too, y’know? Couldn’t you guys spare so of that pity to ?
Whoever my roommate was, they hadn’t arrived yet. No luggage, no personal items. That ant I had free rein to pick either bed, neat. After a quick stress test, I claid the bed that felt less likely to give a stiff back in my sleep.
I set my bag down on the bed and took a look around. In front of the beds were an identical, minimalist set of wardrobes, a shelf, and a desk. Nothing more, nothing less. I didn’t waste ti and began unpacking my stuff.
As both my rooms were being set up, I noticed the gradual increase in sound and presence in the academy grounds.
Carriages lined up at several of the front gates; there were many of them, each bearing a family crest and a future student being ushered in with varying degrees of ceremony. The academy grounds that were quiet minutes ago, now stirred with noise and vigor.
Tomorrow marked the start of classes and the first assembly. Today was nothing more than a move-in day. Get settled into your room, take a walk, familiarize yourself with the surroundings, all that stuff. But to be honest, I just wanted to sleep in for today.
Father had insisted we co early. Even through the lingering drowsiness in my eyes, I had to admit he’d made the right call. I couldn’t even imagine how long I would be waiting in that barely moving line of wooden boxes with wheels.
I leaned forward on my balcony, staring at the clearing sky.
Tomorrow, huh?
I wonder… what would life here be like?
I was so busy making sure both of us passed that I hadn’t given a single thought to what it would be like once I was actually here.
Would I be able to adapt here without much issue, or would I struggle to even survive here? Either way, I had to keep my guard up.
Would the instructors be as strict as Cornellia, or would they be more lax, considering the incident? I doubted it. This was the Royal Knights after all, discipline is basically their middle na.
Tomorrow would hopefully answer those questions. With the entrance examinations over and the celebration ball concluded. All the formalities were neatly wrapped and set aside.
All that remained was simply the act of living my academic life.
Though there would be a lot of new things, it shouldn’t be much different than learning back at the estate. Besides, nothing could be worse than Mother’s private tutoring, right?
Besides, I wanted to be here. Both of .
I intended to make the most of my ti.
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