Kyle was handed a keycard and told to head to the male dormitory, room 302.
That was it.
No explanation of the academy’s rules. No map. Not even a word about where he could grab something to eat.
It was already nearing the afternoon, and the faint ache in his stomach reminded him he hadn’t eaten in hours.
Still, that could wait.
The male dormitory wasn’t hard to find. It stood only a short distance from the administration building, towering over the surrounding structures.
Even so, he stopped a group of girls walking past.
"Is that the male dormitory?" He said while pointing towards the left.
The three girls exchanged amused glances.
The one in the middle, sporting bright pink hair, tilted her head and asked with an innocent smile, "Are you our new instructor?"
The other two immediately burst into giggles, making it painfully obvious the question was nothing more than mockery.
Kyle rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, I am. Now, where’s the male dorm?"
The pink-haired girl gave a casual shrug.
"Shouldn’t you be staying..."
"Yeah, whatever."
The moment she started dragging it out, Kyle lost interest. Trusting his own judgment, he walked past them and continued toward the dormitory.
"Hey, wait!"
The girl on the left suddenly rushed forward and planted herself in his path, glaring at him.
"How dare you ignore our Kai?!"
The other two quickly stepped beside her before the pink-haired girl, who was apparently Kai, folded her arms.
"Aren’t you a little short-tempered for your age? People always say wisdom comes with age, but I guess that doesn’t apply to everyone."
Kyle nearly facepalmed.
So this was what Amanda had meant when she talked about school hierarchies and petty bullying.
To him, the whole exchange felt unbelievably childish.
Then again, they were children.
"What?" Kai sneered when he remained silent. "Cat got your tongue?"
Kyle calmly reached into his pocket and pulled out a coin.
"See this?"
Without waiting for an answer, he flicked it high into the air.
The three girls instinctively tilted their heads, their eyes tracking the spinning coin.
BOOOOOM!
A streak of golden light flashed across the sky.
The coin exploded into glittering fragments as a radiant golden bow materialized for the briefest instant before vanishing just as quickly.
The deafening blast made all three girls flinch violently, stumbling backward in shock.
Students across the courtyard froze and turned toward the sound, their conversations abruptly cut short.
Kyle casually slipped both hands into his pockets, looking as though he had done absolutely nothing.
Without sparing the stunned trio another glance, he walked straight past them.
’God... how am I supposed to survive this place?’
He shook his head, genuinely wondering if every day here was going to be this exhausting.
Kyle had expected to run into a few immature people.
He just hadn’t imagined it would happen within minutes of arriving.
Letting out a quiet sigh, he headed toward the dormitory building. Fortunately, a grown man was standing by the entrance.
"Hey," Kyle called. "This is the male dormitory, right?"
The man crossed his arms and gave him a measured look.
"It is. Were you the one who caused that explosion a moment ago?"
Kyle scratched the back of his head with an awkward laugh.
"Ah... yeah. I was getting bullied and had to defend myself. Don’t worry, though. No one was hurt."
The man let out a slow sigh.
"Since it’s your first day, you won’t be punished. But remember this. Using any offensive skill or attack is strictly prohibited unless it’s part of an officially sanctioned duel."
Kyle gave a helpless shrug.
"I wasn’t aiming at them, but I understand."
The man’s expression eased slightly.
"What room were you assigned? I’ll take you there."
Kyle handed over the keycard.
"302."
The man nodded.
"Follow me."
They stepped inside.
Like the administration building, the dormitory featured towering glass walls that allowed sunlight to flood the spacious interior. Long corridors stretched across each floor, giving the place a clean, modern atmosphere.
They entered the elevator, and the man pressed the button for the third floor.
After a brief silence, he spoke.
"To be honest, what happened earlier was partly my fault."
Kyle glanced at him.
"I’m the dorm warden. I was supposed to meet you at the entrance and escort you here."
He rubbed the back of his neck with an embarrassed smile.
"But... I had to make a quick bathroom run."
Kyle raised an eyebrow.
"So you’re the warden, huh?"
The man extended his hand.
"Carlos."
"Kyle."
They shook hands just as the elevator chimed.
The doors slid open, and they stepped into the hallway.
Students wandered through the corridors, some returning to their rooms while others were heading out. Quite a few glanced curiously at Kyle, though he paid them little attention.
As they walked, Carlos continued explaining the rules.
"You can’t return to the dorm after eight in the evening. If a teacher keeps you back beyond curfew, you’ll need their signature on a late-return permit."
Kyle nodded.
"Got it."
The more he learned about the academy, the more it reminded him of a boarding school.
A place he had never liked.
Still, if enduring all this meant learning more about the world of Aether, it was a price worth paying.
"Go ahead and unlock it," Carlos said. "This will be your room from now on."
Kyle nodded.
"Thanks for bringing me here."
He pressed the keycard against the scanner.
Beep.
The light turned green.
As his hand settled on the doorknob, his expression shifted almost imperceptibly.
Something was off.
There was someone inside.
His God’s Eye effortlessly pierced through the door, revealing a figure crouched just out of sight, patiently waiting.
Kyle glanced at Carlos.
"Am I sharing this room with someone?"
Carlos frowned.
"No."
A brief pause.
"...Did you sense someone inside?"
Kyle nodded.
"They’re hiding. I can feel them."
Carlos’ brows knitted together.
He hadn’t sensed a single presence.
Whether that spoke to Kyle’s extraordinary perception or his own oversight could wait. Without another word, he motioned for Kyle to step back.
Kyle quietly complied.
Carlos reached for the handle and pushed the door open.
DHANK!
PFFFT!
A bucket of thick black tar crashed over his head.
An instant later, a storm of feathers rained down, sticking to the tar coating his face and clothes until he looked utterly ridiculous.
A burst of laughter echoed from outside the room.
"Tch."
The hidden culprit finally stepped into view, grinning from ear to ear.
"What are you even doing, Carlos?"
Before Carlos could respond, another young man sauntered over, a mocking smirk spreading across his face as he took in the warden’s miserable appearance.
Kyle’s eyes narrowed in recognition.
"Ethan..."
The same guy he had fought in the arena.
"You... damn brat," Carlos growled, wiping thick tar from his face.
Ethan only smirked.
"You spoiled him too much by bringing him here personally. This is what you get."
Another boy stepped in the conversation, folding his arms with a grin.
Carlos’ patience finally snapped.
"Get out. Now."
His voice rang through the hallway.
"Or I’ll be calling both of your parents."
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever."
Ethan dismissed him with a lazy wave as he strolled past, completely unfazed.
When he reached Kyle, he slowed his steps just enough to meet his gaze.
A smug smile curled across his lips.
"Welcome to my kingdom, Mister Ogre."
He brushed past without another word, his companion following close behind while chuckling under his breath.
"..."
Kyle stood there in silence, watching the two disappear down the corridor.
Was he...
Actually caught in the middle of some ridiculous teenage bloody drama?
Because what the hell was all this?