Chapter Fifty-One: A Noble Roommate!!
The colossal building was constructed of gray stone, its design reminiscent of medieval castles, topped with small towers and arched windows. Inside, the corridors stretched long and were lit by oil lamps fixed to the walls; each floor held a row of sleeping rooms, and beside every room a simple bathroom shared by only two.
Daniel climbed the stone stairs until he reached Room (99). He drew the metal key and opened the door, and found another person inside—clearly his roommate.
The young man lifted his head and examined Daniel from head to toe with a disdainful look, then said in a tone of scorn: — "Don't tell me you're not noble." He didn't wait long for a reply before continuing: — "Damn… why must I be rooming with a commoner?"
Daniel smiled sardonically, then cast a quick glance at the young man's clothes and saw the emblem of an ordinary noble family—one of the lesser houses, not among the five great houses—then stepped inside with heavy strides that sounded clearly on the wooden floor, and said loudly: — "Yes, your life will now be hell."
The noble's face reddened from the unexpected retort, and he said, threateningly: — "Well… now you've really angered me, and I will make your life miserable from now on. If you rely on academy rules, wait until we leave it… I'll have my family ruin yours, and you will be my humble slave."
Daniel stuck out his tongue and replied sarcastically: — "Good luck."
The noble assumed Daniel was merely a wealthy commoner whose family had helped pay his academy fees; he knew nothing of Daniel's true nature or family, nor of the danger he might face by provoking him.
Daniel looked around and found the room ordinary: two sturdy wooden beds—planks from old, rare dark trees—polished with a glossy finish that hid signs of frequent use. Beside each bed stood a small chest with three shiny metal drawers that seemed relatively new compared to the other furniture. To the left wall was a small door leading to the bathroom, which, when opened later, proved very simple: a carved stone basin, a mirror slightly cracked at the edge, and a deep water trough like those in noble houses a century ago.
Daniel noticed everything in the room was arranged with care despite its simplicity: on the front wall a small painting of a stone castle in a misty forest, and on the shared table between the beds a ceramic vase holding dried flowers whose faint scent filled the air. The ceiling sat a little low, making the room feel warmer but also more confined, as if it tried to embrace and conceal its occupants from the outside world.
When the noble saw Daniel surveying the room, he sneered: "It seems this is the first time you've lived somewhere with such luxury, isn't it?" then laughed softly and added: "Damn the commoners; everything they see of junk they think is a priceless treasure."
Hearing those words, anger flared inside Daniel. It wasn't the cramped space or the modesty that bothered him so much as the idea of spending his days in this grand academy—so eager to bleed students dry—in such a primitive room, and worse, to share it with "this noble filth" as he called him in his mind. He had hoped to see some influence from those who had transferred before him, some trace of modernity, but the academy clearly hadn't absorbed any of that.
He didn't answer. He sat on his bed, closed his eyes, and assumed a meditative posture to enter absolute focus, trying to divert his mind from the features of this arrogant roommate. He practiced controlling mana, following its flow through his body as if tracing little rivers running through his veins.
The noble, annoyed by Daniel's indifference, began to speak loudly and make a deliberate racket—shifting furniture and stamping his feet on the floor—to bother him. Inwardly he thought: (He's only pretending to concentrate. I'll continue until he can't make use of his time, then I'll be a constant nuisance until he requests a room transfer himself.)
Of course, the noble never considered leaving; he knew that doing so would subject him to ridicule among his peers: "Look! A commoner kicked him out!"—enough to tarnish his social image for years.
After an indeterminate time, Daniel opened his eyes and found that the noble had left the room. He moved quickly, withdrawing from his spatial ring everything he needed: spare clothes, simple tools, and even enough money to last several months so he wouldn't have to use the ring again in front of anyone. He also took out some powdered medicinal herbs to relieve headaches, placing a little in his mouth and savoring the fresh, sharp taste that was followed by a clearing feeling in his head.
He arranged his things carefully in the wardrobe and locked it with the key. He decided to carry his money at all times, using the secret pocket sewn into his academy uniform—a perfect place to hide valuables.
He left the room intending to try some new dishes and wander a bit, but when he opened the outer door he noticed night had already fallen. He realized then that his window had been closed the whole time and that the only light he had relied on had been candlelight, which had robbed him of any sense of time.
He changed his plan immediately and decided to go straight to the dining hall before the nightly curfew forbade students from roaming outside. He entered and ordered the same meal he'd had before, this time omitting the unpleasant dish he hadn't managed to finish. He ate quickly while watching the students chatting boisterously, until a loud bell rang through the hall, signaling everyone to return to their lodgings.
On his way back he saw his roommate standing with two other students in the corridor leading to the building. One of them, smiling, pointed at his roommate and said slyly: "Hurry before I shut the door on you and leave you outside alone."
The words hit the noble like a slap; his face flushed with anger as the other two students exchanged questioning glances. When they asked what he meant, one of them replied in surprise: "Wait… your roommate is a commoner?"
The noble answered with disdain: "Unfortunately, yes. I don't know what the room allocator was thinking—are they blind? But don't worry, I'll have him thrown out tomorrow. I'll bring another noble in his place, or maybe I'll pay and take the room for myself."
The third, smiling slyly, said: "How lucky you are; if this commoner asks to change rooms, you'll have your chance to be alone."
The noble lifted his head with pride: "Of course."
When they all returned to the dormitory, the noble decided not to bother Daniel that night, knowing that tomorrow would be the important day to begin the academic schedule and he did not want to waste his energy on this "commoner."