Opening the door, Kyle offered a polite smile. "Hello. How can I help you?"
He kept his gaze firmly fixed on the man’s eyes. If he looked anywhere else, God’s Eye would inevitably reveal details he had no desire to see. Unfortunately, it was already slipping. Even while staring ahead, he caught the coffee stain lingering at the corner of the man’s lips, the slight imbalance in his eyebrows...
No. It was happening again.
"Ah, hello. I’m Godwin Stellar, Professor of Human Relations with the Aether World."
The man extended a hand.
Kyle shook it without letting his eyes wander. Hopefully, he didn’t come across as some unsettling weirdo.
"Would you like to come in, Professor?"
"Thank you."
Godwin stepped inside, and Kyle quietly shut the door behind him. There were still a few students lingering in the hallway, and the last thing he wanted was someone interrupting their conversation.
"I’m afraid I can’t offer you anything to drink," Kyle said apologetically as he pulled out a chair and sat opposite him. "I still have no idea what’s available around here."
Godwin gave a light chuckle.
"Don’t worry about it. Though, for future reference, the kitchen is stocked with the basics. Coffee, tea bags, sugar, and a few other essentials. Someone refills them every day, so feel free to use whatever you need."
Kyle’s eyebrows lifted slightly.
That was surprisingly generous. Almost like the complimentary amenities in an expensive hotel.
He certainly wasn’t going to complain. As someone who enjoyed sipping on a hot drink while reading or streaming, that little luxury was more than welcome.
"Now then, before anything else, I’d like to apologize for everything that happened." Godwin lowered his head slightly. "I heard about the incident that forced you to resort to violence, as well as the prank that was planned against you."
His apology sounded sincere.
Even so, God’s Eye caught the tiny twitch of his left eyebrow and the faint stiffness in his breathing.
Kyle could tell those words had been rehearsed. Either Godwin had practiced them on his way here, or he had delivered the same apology often enough that it had become routine.
Neither possibility surprised him.
"I just hope my privacy won’t be violated again," Kyle replied evenly. "Otherwise, I’d be reluctant to leave any of my belongings here."
He wouldn’t always be around to notice someone tampering with his room.
Nor could he carry everything with him everywhere he went.
If the dormitory’s security was truly this unreliable, then someone like that brat could easily sneak in again while he was asleep and pull another stunt.
He refused to spend even his sleep on guard.
That time belonged to recovery, both mentally and physically.
"You have my assurance, Student," Godwin said firmly. "The room’s security system will be repaired. No one will be able to enter without your permission."
Kyle raised an eyebrow.
"And if someone still manages to get in..." A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Do I have your permission to discipline them personally?"
The professor let out an awkward smile.
"Physical fights are prohibited. However, if someone provokes you, you’re free to challenge them to a duel. They wouldn’t be allowed to refuse."
A faint smirk appeared on Kyle’s face.
"That’s all I needed to hear."
An official duel gave him considerably more freedom than an ordinary scuffle ever would. If someone insisted on becoming a problem, he could always claim he was simply teaching them a lesson.
"I understand." Kyle gave a small nod. "So, what brings you here?"
"Ah, right."
Godwin set the stack of books on the table before pulling a terminal from the top.
"If you could share your contact number, I’ll send you your class schedule." He paused before adding, "Also, please collect your own terminal after dinner. Any schedule changes are announced through it."
He smiled apologetically.
"And unlike the other students, yours will change quite frequently. Your curriculum is designed to move at a much faster pace."
Kyle nodded in understanding.
"Right. A crash course."
Three years’ worth of academics compressed into six months.
Fortunately, he wasn’t expected to master every subject. The goal was simply to teach him enough to avoid accidentally violating major laws and to ensure he could respond appropriately in situations involving public safety or the secrecy of the Aether World.
"Hopefully there aren’t too many books to get through," Kyle muttered with a grimace.
It wasn’t that he disliked studying. Up until recently, his grades had been consistently good.
He simply learned better through experience than by burying himself in textbooks and memorizing pages of information.
Godwin let out a soft laugh.
"You really don’t need to worry that much." This time, his smile carried no trace of formality. "Students spend three years here primarily developing their abilities and honing their combat skills. From everything I’ve heard, you’re already remarkably capable in both areas."
Kyle gave a casual shrug.
"Circumstances forced me to adapt."
There was no point mentioning everything he had hunted or survived.
The truth was, if he had awakened with nothing more than an ordinary ability like everyone else, he might already be dead.
Or, at the very least, he wouldn’t be important enough for the academy to bend so many rules on his behalf.
The thought reminded him of something else.
He really should stream tonight.
It was the least he could do to thank the people who had continued supporting him through everything.
"These are the books you’ll need to study." Godwin rested a hand on the three thick volumes beside him. "The most important sections have already been highlighted, but I’d still recommend reading everything. Together, these books cover nearly every regulation a Nightwalker is expected to know when dealing with non-awakened humans."
Kyle nodded.
The sheer thickness of the books was enough to intimidate most people, but he understood the weight of the knowledge they contained.
He picked up the first volume and opened it.
His eyes swept across the page.
Then he turned to the next.
And the next.
Godwin blinked.
His eyebrows slowly rose as Kyle’s gaze darted through the text at an almost unbelievable pace.
Is he... just skimming?
"Ah."
Kyle suddenly stopped flipping pages.
"I see why you emphasized reading everything." He tapped a paragraph with his finger. "This point isn’t highlighted, but it’s clearly important."
Godwin stared at him for a moment before asking, "You were actually reading all of that?"
His voice carried unmistakable disbelief.
"Are you some kind of scholar with extraordinary reading experience?"
A faint smile crossed Kyle’s face.
He understood why the professor had reached that conclusion.
The real reason, however, was far simpler.
God’s Eye allowed him to process written information at an absurd speed.
"I’m just used to reading novels," he replied, offering the safest excuse he could think of.
Godwin rose to his feet with a polite smile.
"Well then, I’ll leave you to your reading."
Kyle stood as well and walked him to the door.
Just as Godwin reached the doorway, he suddenly stopped.
"Ah, one more thing."
Kyle looked at him.
"There’s an emergency training session for the third-year students at seven this evening. The Headmaster has requested that you attend."
Kyle let out a quiet hum of surprise.
"Where is it?"
"The indoor arena." Godwin smiled. "I’ve already sent you a map of the campus, so finding your way shouldn’t be an issue."
"I see."
Kyle gave a small nod as he watched the professor leave.
A training session for the academy’s third years...
That was something he genuinely wanted to see.