Episode 8
I had already started climbing out the window while Helrod was still talking.
“Students who share a dorm with Edner show up at the infirmary so often they’re in the top three in all of Vensia.
Honestly, he trains like him? Student? Where’d he go?”
By the time he turned back, I was already outside, feet hitting the grass, speed-walking away like my life depended on it.
No way… I ran into him. And that guy was Edner Prior?!’
Of all people, I had been avoiding the Vensia 3 like my life depended on it.
Declan Aires.
Gaklux Taver.
And Edner Prior.
And of the three… I met him first?? When I barely talked to anyone all day?!
I didn’t look back. I ran straight toward the dorms.
As soon as I got to my door, I shoved a hand into my jacket pocket, searching for my key.
“Once I get inside, I stay in my room for the rest of the day. Seriously.”
Wait.
“Where’s my key?”
I checked the outer pocket, inner pocket, pants pockets—everywhere. Nothing.
‘Don’t tell me I dropped it back there when my heart started hurting…?’
“Ugh. Oh COME ON!”
I kept patting my pockets like a panicked squirrel when suddenly a hand reached past me from behind.
A key slid into the lock.
Click.
The door opened.
“Thanks”
I turned around to say it properly.
And my eyes met the eyes of the guy holding the key.
“Why’d you leave first? I said I’d wait.”
Edner.
His blank expression was aimed straight at me.
This was my dorm.
So if he had the key…
“Don’t tell me… You live here?”
“Yeah.”
He nodded casually.
In that moment.
Something icy crawled up my spine.
I felt it—dozens of eyes watching from balconies and garden paths.
Dozens of students stared at me.
The guy—actually girl—who was apparently going to live in the same dorm as Edner Prior.
It felt like my whole body sprouted spikes.
“Uh—I’m going in.”
I slipped inside and slammed the door. Bang.
Silence.
“Okay then, bye!”
I grabbed my doorknob to escape into my private room—but Edner caught my wrist and turned me back toward him.
“So you’re Chacey Wood.”
He was close. Too close. His expression was blank, but his eyes were scanning me.
I swallowed hard.
He still didn’t let go of my wrist. His gaze travelled down my face… to my shoulders… down my arms…
I blinked faster and faster.
Then he said.
“Take it off.”
His eyes were fixed on my arm.
‘This psycho—!!’
Before I could think, my elbow shot forward and jabbed him right in the solar plexus.
“Urk.”
I didn’t wait. I sprinted to my room and slammed the door.
So I didn’t hear it.
The quiet, serious whisper he muttered while rubbing his chest:
“I wanted to see the muscles…”
A crack.
I peeked through the tiny gap in my door.
‘Nobody’s there, right?’
Left.
Right.
All clear.
I slowly opened my door and stepped out.
The living room felt… lived in overnight.
Someone’s jacket was tossed across the sofa.
A random dumbbell was on the floor.
The books on the shelf had moved around.
Last night, two of my roommates tried to break into my room.
One was Edner.
The other was… some unknown guy.
I’d been standing by the window, ready to jump out if they opened the door.
The lock on my room was practically made of paper. If anyone turned the handle, I was diving straight outside without hesitation.
‘Thankfully, they didn’t come in…’
Still, I barely slept.
I tiptoed toward the front door and put on my shoes as quietly as possible.
Click.
A door opened behind me.
‘No— I didn’t put both shoes on yet!!’
My eyes widened.
The door kept opening.
Not good.
I grabbed the half-worn shoe in my hand—not on my foot—then bolted out of the dorm like a terrified squirrel.
SLAM!
The echo of the front door closing faded behind me. I ran all the way to the plaza until the building disappeared.
“Huff… huff….”
What am I even doing?
Today was Day 3 of being assigned to this cursed dorm.
For three days straight, every morning began with the same desperate prayer:
‘Please, please don’t let me meet anyone today.’
I had to be careful with everything.
Showering.
Leaving my room.
Returning to my room.
Even breathing felt risky sometimes.
Living with boys was already bad enough.
But.
Living with Edner Prior? WHY HIM???
When I found out, I ascended into a higher realm out of pure shock.
Sure, there were two other roommates somewhere, but unless they were absolute maniacs, they couldn’t out-crazy Edner.
At least today, I haven’t run into anyone yet.
Whew.
I exhaled deeply.
The memory of dozens of eyes turning toward us in front of the dorm still made me nauseous.
I’d never been stared at like that. Ever.
So the only solution is—sleep late and wake up early.
Go back when everyone is asleep.
Leave before anyone wakes up.
Avoid them completely.
That was the plan.
Even in a tiger’s den, you can survive if you stay alert. Ugh, I’m tired…’
Yaaawn.
I dragged myself to a bench in the courtyard and slumped against it.
The sleep deprivation was absurd.
Still…
‘Let’s at least be grateful I can walk around like this.’
In the original story, the descriptions of “Chaysha Ludin” were few but haunting.
Skeletal.
Dry as straw.
Barely clinging to life.
Knowing that it was supposed to be me was terrifying.
If I hadn’t remembered the original novel, I would’ve ended up like that—unable to walk within a few years.
Thankfully, I found a way to fix things.
‘Aier, I’ll get healthy soon. I won’t let the original story happen.’
I sat by the fountain, watching dawn slowly brighten the academy.
“‘Shirr’!”
I wanted to call a spirit like that one day. Gracefully. Coolly. Without stuttering.
What kind of spirit would I form a contract with?
“Only a tiny fraction of people are born with the qualities of a Spirit Mage.”
Breed professor’s words echoed in my head.
Only a tiny fraction.
I mean… I do have the qualities, right?’
In the original, my awakening never got shown. By the time Aier returned home… I was already dead.
…No. No.
That was the old plot. Not anymore.
I’ll make it happen! It WILL happen!!’
I slapped away the negative thought mentally—and literally spat three times like I was exorcising it.
Ptui! Ptui! Ptui!
‘Let’s just go wait in the classroom.’
I headed to the West Hall. Luckily, the door was open.
Even though it was summer, the early morning air was chilly.
I took off my jacket and hung it over a chair, then sat down in my usual spot.
‘Just 10 minutes… let me nap for 10 minutes…’
The classroom was empty.
I lay down on the long bench.
My eyes drifted shut.
Silence.
Just my breathing.
I didn’t know how long I slept.
My eyelids fluttered open… and someone was sitting on my desk.
Morning sunlight streamed through the window, outlining the broad shoulders of a familiar golden-haired boy.
Pale gold hair.
Slightly tanned skin.
Sharp, clean features.
Blue eyes staring off somewhere, expression unreadable.
‘…Ah. That guy.’
The one from last time.
He still hasn’t dropped the class, huh…
I sat up slowly.
He turned toward me, flinching—just a little—before pretending to stretch casually.
He almost fell off the desk but pretended it didn’t happen.
Nice save, I guess.
