After saying goodbye to Lunette, Vesper headed towards the dorms.
The boys' dormitory was set a bit farther from the main castle, placed near the edge of the academy grounds. It stood tall, with clean ivory-white walls and long vertical windows.
A few students wandered around the entrance. They were mostly second-year student s, judging by their white overcoats. Some of them looked his way. One even gave a small nod. Vesper just kept walking.
The dormitory doors opened on their own as he approached.
Inside, the air was cooler.
The main lobby stretched upward through several floors, an open, clean space with polished dark wood flooring, white stone columns, and floating lamps hanging at different heights. A soft energy fountain was in the center, surrounded by curved benches. Off to the sides were lounge areas, reading corners, and long hallways.
It was surprisingly quiet.
He followed it up the stairs. With each level, the hallways became quieter.
At the fourth floor, there was a curtained archway. Vesper stepped in.
A single door waited for him at the end of the hallway.
It just opened as he neared it.
So this is the privilege of being the first rank, huh? It too big.
The room was wide and clean, with a high ceiling and soft white lighting. The windows stretched almost from floor to ceiling, offering a full view of the academy grounds.
A large bed stood along the left wall. Opposite it was a sitting area, a pair of armchairs, a low circular table, and a nearby bookshelf.
He walked across the room.
Near the back wall, a small training area was available, reinforced tiles, etched lines for energy practice. It wasn't huge, but it was a good place to train in private.
"...Not bad."
Vesper let out a quiet breath and sat on the edge of the bed.
Someone knocked on the door and entered.
Vesper turned his head, and saw Nefeli quietly step inside.
Her white cloak was drawn back, and her short black hair was visible. She looked around the room with her golden eyes.
Vesper raised a brow. "You're already here?"
"I arrived ahead of you, young master." she said, her tone calm and respectful. "I was assigned to monitor your quarters. Master Elar ordered this morning."
Vesper said slowly. "And by monitor, you mean… live here?"
"For now, yes. Only while your situation is sensitive," she added quickly. "I will not interfere with your routines unless necessary. Consider me a quiet presence."
He blinked. "Right. You make that sound so normal."
She tilted her head slightly. "If you prefer, I can remain outside the room. I understand."
Vesper shook his head. "No, it's fine. You're just doing your job."
After some moments of silence, he asked.
"Are you always this formal?"
"When required," she said simply. "You're my assignment. But I do not intend to treat you as a burden."
Vesper raised a brow. "You don't talk much, do you?"
Nefeli blinked, then gave a soft nod. "I speak when it is needed. But I can adapt."
He couldn't tell if that was a warning or a promise. Either way, he let out a breath and leaned back onto the bed.
"…This is gonna take some getting used to."
Nefeli remained standing near the door, hands calmly folded in front of her. She didn't seem bothered by the silence. Vesper wasn't sure if she was waiting for something or simply didn't know what to do with herself yet.
"You don't have to stand like a statue," he muttered, staring up at the ceiling. "There's a whole couch over there."
She hesitated only for a second before walking over to the sitting area and lowering herself into the armchair. Her posture was still rigid but less guard-like now.
Vesper glanced over at her again, studying her face. She didn't look much older than him, maybe twenty two or three, but her eyes were sharp and serious. She didn't have the same tension or forced politeness that most guards had.
"So," he said after a moment, "Should I call you something other than Nefeli? Or is that your only name?"
"That is my name," she said. "But if you prefer to use a title, I don't have any issues with that."
"I don't. Just checking." He exhaled slowly. "Nefeli it is, then."
She nodded once, seemingly satisfied with that.
Another moment of silence passed.
Vesper sat up and stretched his arms behind his back.
"Do you know if we get a schedule or something?" he asked. "Like classes. Training. Things like that."
Nefeli nodded. "Yes," she took out a scroll from her pocket and put it on the table. " This is the list of classes you should attend every week within a certain time. For the top ten, there are extra classes too."
Vesper leaned forward and reached for the scroll. The paper was thick, the wax seal already broken. He unrolled it slowly across the table
There were names of courses, Origin Theory, Combat Enhancement, Weapon Arts Mastery, History and some that he didn't even recognize. Off to the side, a small golden crest marked certain ones with the words Top Ten Priority.
"Origin Theory at dawn?" he muttered. "Who even wakes up that early…"
Nefeli didn't answer. Which meant she definitely woke up that early.
He tilted his head at one of the entries. "What's Ascendant Combat Techniques [Special]?"
"A specialized class," Nefeli said. "Reserved for the top five."
"Of course." Vesper sighed and slumped back. "I barely got here and they've already filled up half my week."
"It's structured to accelerate development. Especially for top ranks," she added. "The academy expects more from you."
"Right. Can't let the number one fall behind."
Vesper rubbed the back of his neck, then leaned on the table with one elbow. It wasn't like he hated the schedule. He'd trained harder than this before. But there was something about how neatly everything was already decided for him, it left little room to breathe.
"You've been at Lux Aeterna long?"
Nefeli gave a short nod. "Two years. Like everyone else."
"Then I assume you know what kind of mess I'm stepping into?"
There was a pause. Her golden eyes locked onto him. "You mean… politically?"
"You are being observed," she said carefully. "Your ranking brings attention. Some of it favorable. Some… less so."
Vesper snorted. "Of course."
"You've made a strong impression. That comes with expectations." She said.
He leaned back in the chair again, staring up at the ceiling. "Feels like everyone already decided who I'm supposed to be."
Nefeli didn't respond right away. Her gaze lingered on him a moment longer before she finally spoke.
"You get to decide that part. No one else."
It caught him off guard, how calmly she said it. She didn't say it as a comfort, or advice. Just something she believed.
Vesper looked over at her again. "You sure you're not some secret philosopher?"
She blinked, then gave the faintest shrug. "Not that I'm aware of."
A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. She's that old man's disciple after all. What did I expect.
Another moment of silence passed.
Vesper reached over and rolled the scroll back up. "Guess I better get used to early mornings."
"I can wake you, if needed," Nefeli offered.
He raised a brow. "You planning to knock on my forehead or what?"
"I'll be subtle."
"...That's what worries me."
She didn't reply to that either, but there was something in her eyes now, a quiet glint that almost resembled amusement.
Vesper stood and stretched.
"Classes start tomorrow?"
Nefeli nodded. "An hour after sunrise."
"Great," he muttered. "Tomorrow, I get to meet all the people who already want me dead."
A soft breeze moved through the room.
Behind him, Nefeli rose quietly to her feet.
"You'll be fine," she said, her voice steady. "As long as I am here, young master, no one can touch you. I will make sure of it."