Chapter 7: Welcome to our world

Julian leaned against the doorframe of Aiden's room, arms crossed, watching him quietly. Aiden had gone completely silent, eyes locked on the floor in deep thought, brows slightly furrowed like he was trying to solve a puzzle only he could see. After a moment of silence that stretched too long, Julian sighed.

"Well, looks like you're not snapping out of that anytime soon," he muttered with a soft shake of his head.

He turned and headed to his own room, the door closing gently behind him.

Aiden let out a long, heavy sigh once he was alone. He sat on the edge of his bed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. Growing up, he had been spoiled—he could admit that much. His parents had always been generous with him, giving him everything he ever needed and shielding him from hardship. But now? Now he was in a situation completely out of his control, and it was unsettling.

"Did I really come all the way here just because of someone I barely know just to find out he have a giancee?" he asked himself out loud, regretting how impulsively he'd acted. This school wasn't normal. And he still didn't know why or how he'd gotten accepted.

With a sigh, Aiden reached for the school brochure lying on his nightstand. He skimmed through the rules again: No wandering beyond the school gates. Do not enter restricted buildings. Students are generally given space to manage their own time...

"So basically, don't die and don't cause trouble," he murmured under his breath.

Then he grabbed his class timetable. There was only one activity listed for the entire week: an entry test. Everything else—schedules, classes, ranks—would be determined afterward. What kind of school arranges itself around one test?

He was still wondering what kind of test it could possibly be when his phone suddenly lit up and vibrated in his hand. The name flashing on the screen made his stomach flip—Mom. He groaned. He had completely forgotten to call home.

Guilt swept over him. He'd promised to check in as soon as he arrived, but so much had happened since—mystery roommates, magical badges, and suspiciously luxurious dorms—that it had slipped his mind.

He accepted the video call, and in an instant, his mother's concerned face filled the screen, followed closely by his father's equally worried expression.

"You promised to call us the moment you arrived, Aiden," his mother said immediately, arms folded. "It's been more than six hours! If you can't keep a promise on your first day away, how do you expect us to believe you'll keep in touch later on?"

Aiden winced and offered a sheepish smile. "I'm really sorry, Mom. I've just been busy trying to adjust. I only just got to my room, actually—I haven't even unpacked yet."

To prove his point, he turned the camera toward the neatly stacked suitcase and backpack by the wall.

His father leaned in a little, squinting. "Hold on… Is that your room? It's huge."

"I know, right?" Aiden said with a faint laugh. "That's what I've been saying. This dorm is like an actual apartment."

His mom raised an eyebrow. "How rich is this school, exactly? To afford rooms like that for students?"

Finally, someone who understood just how bizarre this was. Aiden perked up, nodding eagerly.

"That's not even the craziest part," he said, animated now. "There's a whole sitting room out there for just two of us! Our dorm is split in two like an apartment. It doesn't feel like a dorm at all."

But then his mom frowned slightly, catching on to something. "Wait. You've been saying we. Are you sharing the room with someone?"

Aiden nodded. "Yeah, but don't worry. He has his own room, separate from mine."

His mother's eyes narrowed as she scanned the background. "Then why is there only one bed in the room? Don't tell me the school expects you to share it."

"No, no mom I just said he have his own room!" Aiden said quickly, shaking his head. "This is my room. My roommate has his own room down the hall in this dorm. Like I said, it's more like we're housemates."

"Hmm." His mother still didn't look convinced.

"Want to meet him?" Aiden offered.

She perked up. "Yes, I'd actually like that."

Aiden stood up and made his way to the door across the small hallway. He knocked softly.

Julian opened it a few seconds later, his expression mildly surprised. "Is there something else you need me to explain?"

Aiden gave a small smile and held up the phone. "My parents want to meet you."

Julian glanced at the screen, then stepped forward, squeezing into frame beside Aiden.

"Good afternoon, ma'am. Good afternoon, sir," he said politely.

Aiden's mother brightened almost instantly, her frown melting into a warm smile. "Oh my! Look at you. You're such a handsome young man," she said with a chuckle. "We just wanted to meet our son's roommate. We're very glad to see who he'll be living with."

Julian returned the smile. "It's nice to meet you too, ma'am. Don't worry—he's in good hands."

Aiden groaned quietly, rolling his eyes as his mom laughed again.

"Wow, Aiden," she teased. "You really got lucky. Your roommate is not only polite but also easy on the eyes."

Aiden shot her a flat look. "Yeah, lucky me," he muttered.

The call continued for a few more minutes. His parents asked about meals, security, and if there were curfews. His mom kept circling back to one point: "Don't forget to call. I mean it. I'll be waiting to hear from you often."

"I get it, Mom. I'll call. Promise."

After more reassurances and goodbyes, Aiden ended the call and flopped backward onto his bed. His eyes wandered to the ceiling as silence fell over the room again.

Aiden rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Sorry if I was disturbing earlier… it's just, my parents wouldn't stop worrying if they didn't get to meet my roommate."

Julian shook his head with a small chuckle. "You're not disturbing me. I wasn't mad or anything," he said, casually tossing a pillow back onto his bed. "And for the record, your mom is really beautiful. Honestly, I was half convinced she might be Fae—those golden eyes, that graceful vibe… I was sure that's where your blood came from."

Aiden blinked and quickly shook his head. "Oh no, you've definitely got the wrong idea," he said, laughing nervously. "My mom's human. I mean, yeah, she has golden eyes like mine, but she's just always been... normal, you know? She's lived like any other human. I can promise you, she's sweet and quiet and wouldn't know what to do with magic even if it stared her in the face. Healing powers?" He scoffed lightly. "Definitely not."

Julian gave a skeptical look, eyes twinkling with amusement. "Whatever you say, Aiden."

Aiden let out a sigh and flopped onto his bed. "Let's hope I don't end up surprising myself too much."

Julian leaned back against his bedpost and stretched his arms behind his head. " Did you know about the test tomorrow?"

"Sort of," Aiden replied. "Just read bits and pieces about it on the school bronchure. Do you know what it's really about?"

"Yeah," Julian said, nodding. "It's a routine thing here for the new students. The test is mainly used to determine what species a student belongs to—wolf, witch, Fae… whatever. Most students already know what they are, but there are always a few like you—people who grew up not knowing."

Aiden sat up, interest sparking in his eyes. "So it's like... a bloodline reveal?"

"Exactly. But it's more than that." Julian's voice grew a bit more serious. "It also measures the potential in your blood. The strength of your magic, combat ability, intellect—whatever your race values. It's how they determine who's exceptional and who's... not."

Aiden frowned. "So basically, the test separates the 'geniuses' from the rest."

Julian hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah. Pretty much."

Aiden's thoughts began to spiral. Isn't that kind of unfair? he thought. What about the kids who don't score high? Even if they came into this school with big dreams, now they're just going to be shoved to the side, treated like they matter less... just because of how they were born?

Julian glanced over and seemed to read his thoughts. "Yeah," he said quietly. "It's unfair. You and I both know that. But to the school? They see it differently. They've got limited resources—trainers, mentors, opportunities—and they want to invest in the ones who'll go the farthest. In their eyes, giving everyone equal treatment slows down the progress of the most gifted students. So they prioritize those with the highest potential."

Aiden exhaled deeply, his chest tight with unease. He understood the logic, but it still didn't sit right. "That sucks," he murmured. "Feels like no one even gets a chance unless they're born 'special.'"

"Yeah," Julian agreed. "But that's the world we're in. Harsh as it sounds, it's how things have always worked here."

There was a moment of silence between them. Aiden leaned his head back against the wall, gazing at the ceiling. "You know," he said with a small smile, "just yesterday, I was in my room, completely clueless. I didn't know anything about this school, let alone that it was full of supernatural beings. Now I'm talking about bloodlines and magical potential like it's normal."

Julian laughed lightly. "It's like being dropped into another world, huh?"

"Exactly," Aiden said. "It's overwhelming, but… kind of fascinating too."

Julian leaned forward and offered a hand. "Well, welcome to our world."