I stepped out of the showers, the warmth still clinging to my skin. Back in the reception area, the same student was behind the counter, already back to reading his book like nothing had happened.

I walked over to my locker, opened it, and put everything back where it belonged, closed it, gave it a small tap, and turned left the room.

Time to get dressed properly.

The corridor felt a bit more alive now. More footsteps, more voices. People waking up.

I made my way back to the room and pushed the door open quietly.

Ken was still on the top bunk, sprawled out like he’d been knocked unconscious. I walked over to my wardrobe, opened it, and pulled out my uniform.

"Great."

There were small tears here and there, nothing huge, but noticeable. A bit of dirt too, dried into the fabric. Not exactly the best look for a student but... oh well. I didn’t have another pair just lying there. This had to work.

"Not a good look, huh?"

I slipped into it anyway. Shirt first, then pants. Just as I was pulling them up...

"Why..." Ken’s voice came out, half-dead. "Why do I wake up to a man’s ass instead of a woman’s... why must the gods punish me like this..."

"Shut up," I said flatly. "Get up. Let’s go grab breakfast early."

"Uuh..." he groaned, turning his head slightly. "What’s that smell... you showered?"

"Yep."

"Wow... you woke up early, huh?" he said, slowly sitting up. "I’d never. That’s why I wait hours before the shower."

"Is it really that hard to get up?"

Ken dropped down from the top bunk with a soft thud, stretching both arms above his head, his spine cracking slightly. He yawned like his soul was trying to escape.

"Morning and I aren’t friends," he muttered.

"Clearly."

He rubbed his eyes and waved me off. "You go ahead. I’ll be there."

"Okay."

I left the room and headed toward the dining area. This time, there was no line. Nice.

I grabbed a wooden tray along with a fork and spoon, then stepped up to the counter. The worker behind it was already in motion, like he’d done this a thousand times. He scooped a portion of thick porridge onto the tray first, steam rising in soft curls. Then came a slab of dark bread, still warm, and a small serving of what looked like stewed meat with root vegetables, carrots, maybe potatoes, all cut rough and cooked until soft.

"Thanks."

I took my food and made my way to an empty table near the window. The wood creaked faintly as I sat down. The place was quieter than usual at this hour, only a handful of students scattered around, speaking in low voices or eating in silence.

I picked up the spoon and dipped it into the porridge first. It was thicker than it looked, slightly grainy, but warm enough to be comforting. After a few bites, I tore off a piece of bread and used it to scoop some of the stew. The meat was tender, the broth rich with salt and fat. Simple food, but it did the job.

From where I was sitting, I had a clear view of the courtyard and, beyond that, the girls’ dormitory.

At first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. A few students walking, some guards stationed like yesterday. Then movement caught my eye.

That girl. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

The one from the tavern. The one who stepped in without hesitation and handled that situation like it was nothing. An S-ranked student, if I remembered right.

She was standing out in the open street, posture tense, shoulders squared.

And she wasn’t alone. Across from her stood the student council president... Null. Even from this distance, there was no mistaking the tension between them. Their stances, the way they faced each other, it wasn’t casual conversation. It was an argument, sharp and heated.

The windows muffled most of the sound, but her voice still carried faintly. Not the words, just the tone; angry, firm, not backing down.

That alone was enough to draw attention.

Around me, chairs began to scrape against the floor. A couple of students stood up mid-meal, exchanging looks before heading toward the exit. Others followed, curiosity pulling them in the same direction. Within a minute, the dining hall had noticeably thinned out.

I stayed where I was.

I took another bite, chewing slowly, eyes still on the scene outside.

More students were gathering now, forming loose clusters in the courtyard. They kept their distance, like there was an unspoken line no one wanted to cross. Girls lingered closer to their dorm side, while the boys hung back further away, watching from safer ground.

No one stepped in.

No one interrupted.

They just watched.

I scooped up another spoonful of porridge and exhaled quietly through my nose. "At this hour, huh? So much energy."

The tension outside didn’t ease. If anything, it kept building.

A few seconds later Ken walked in, a little out of breath. His eyes moved quickly around the room before locking onto me. Since almost everyone else had already left, I wasn’t exactly hard to spot.

"You saw it?" he asked, voice carrying a mix of excitement and disbelief. "Come on, let’s go check it out."

I didn’t even look up from my tray. I tore another piece of bread and dipped it into the stew. "Nah."

Ken stopped for a second, like he didn’t expect that answer.

"Man..." he said, dragging the word out as he ran a hand through his hair. "You’re seriously boring."

"I care more about finishing this than getting involved in whatever they’ve got going on," I replied, keeping my tone flat.

He clicked his tongue, clearly disappointed, then turned on his heel and headed right back out, pulled in by the same curiosity as everyone else.

Didn’t take much to wake him up, apparently.

I kept eating at the same pace.

The warmth of the food settled in my stomach, mixing with the lingering heat from the shower. My hair was still slightly damp, and stepping outside into the cool morning air like that didn’t sound appealing.

Not that getting sick would matter much here. A basic healing spell could probably deal with something like that without much trouble.

I glanced out the window again.

The crowd had grown thicker, forming a wider ring around the two. More heads, more whispers, but still no one stepping forward. The argument was still going, their movements sharper now, more animated, though I still couldn’t make out what they were saying.

I took another bite and leaned back slightly in my chair.

"Not my problem," I said under my breath, then went back to my meal.

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