I Became The Academy’s Narrow-Eyes - Chapter 83: The Gift

That moment-

“This silver spoon-fed jerk.”

I almost blurted out that insult, but managed to swallow it down.

The room was immaculate, freshly redecorated with an antique charm that went beyond simply tidy.

It appeared to come with a basic kitchenette suitable for quick meals, and even a private bathroom.

Although compact, it was still much more spacious than any dormitory room I was aware of.

The dorm rooms I knew were so cramped, a bed and desk would fill them up – it was a symbol of human rights violations under the so-called efficient use of space, truly akin to battery cages for humans.

Back in my college days, two of us shared a room even smaller than this one.

“And to think we paid an arm and a leg for that!”

A dorm room this nice provided for free was beyond a nymph’s dwelling; it was of princess quality.

But what’s with all the fuss about this princess-like room?

“Eh!? What are you-… Oh, it’s you, Ceylon?”

Roke, who was disgusted by the presence behind him, turned around and, recognizing me, started talking in a friendly manner.

“Ah… Ceylon. Have you seen these rooms? Horrendous, aren’t they? It’s unbelievable they expect us to stay in such cramped spaces – more fitting for stables. Even our servants have larger quarters.”

You get what I’m saying, don’t you?

With that expression, I thought –

‘You have no clue, do you?’

He’s a born rich kid.

He should try renting a room in Seoul with his own salary, then he’d grasp the true value of this place.

Ceylon, a former working professional who had once lived in a Seoul studio, not even half of half of half the size of this room, worked to the bone and wished he could say that aloud.

But, with our noble friends, it is wiser to keep them close rather than make enemies.

“Noble networks are better when abundant,” goes the axiom in this aristocracy-driven world.

“Ah…!”

It was just then that our noble friend showed the perfect reaction.

‘Right, he’s a commoner…!’

His face conveyed the realization of a language slip-up.

“No, Ceylon, what I meant was…”

I extended my hand to pacify the guy who couldn’t keep still.

“Oh my… The room is too… cramped for our classmates, it seems.”

“That’s right!”

I genuinely thought it was unsuitable, and expressed it plainly – the guy enthusiastically latched onto my sentiment.

“Just as I suspected, Ceylon! You understand. You’re not just another commoner, are you?”

Roke patted my shoulder, continuing earnestly with a face impressed by the profound connection.

“Eh? What’s this?”

“Ceylon and Roke? That’s an odd pairing.”

Latecomers to the dorm building approached us.

“Hey, friends. Take a good look at this room.”

Roke gestured with his chin, prompting two others to check out the room’s interior.

“…Is this for real?”

“My god.”

“Now I know why academy students bother to find lodgings outside the dorms.”

“No kidding. How are we supposed to live in this tiny space?”

After ranting about the rooms with as much fervor as Roke, they suddenly became quiet.

“Ah…!”

“…!”

“Oops.”

Just like Roke, they became aware of my presence, albeit belatedly.

‘Isn’t this strange?’

What exactly do they think a commoner is, our noble friends?

‘Well, anyway.’

Given they were creating a scoring opportunity for me, it was a pleasant turn of events.

“As it happens, I was just discussing this matter with Roke. The rooms seem far too small for our classmates—”

I repeated what I had said to Roke once more.

Like Roke, our noble friends were deeply moved to hear this again.

“So, what I was saying—”

“Hey, let’s hear Ceylon out too—”

“Ah, Ceylon! Drop the formalities, okay? Why so formal among us?”

As the conversation developed, they began to treat me just as they would another noble, not just another cadet.

A phrase I had read on Wiki came back to me.

[For a commoner to adapt at Ain Academy, which is a noble’s field, is nearly impossible.]

I took it as a compliment.

***

After bolstering friendships in the corridors with new friends, I finally arrived at my new lodging.

“Wow~”

It was identical to Roke’s room.

‘No?’

It turned out to be even nicer than Roke’s room.

‘It’s on the fifth floor, so the view was just… wow.’

In any ordinary dormitory, without an elevator, being on the fifth floor might have elicited heartfelt Korean complaints, but here, it was actually a perk.

After all, such things didn’t exist in any dorm I knew.

-Clink-

A balcony.

There was actually a balcony.

I stepped through the balcony door.

A small city drenched in the sunset.

It was a view of Ain Academy, a city within itself.

“Wow~”

-Clap-clap-clap-

Applause came out naturally.

My studio.

It was a feeling reminiscent of when I first set up my leased home.

Feeling like I had my own space in this world.

It was an indescribable comfort, as if my brain was gently overheating in coziness.

Moreover.

I felt sorry for Mise – my old studio’s nickname – but the truth was, this space was so splendid, it would be impolite to even compare it to Mizu.

Poor Mise.

I felt too harsh even for thinking it, but it was inevitable.

‘Mise, my apologies. This is the reality now. And we have now become strangers to each other.’

This is the dormitory of Ain Academy, a symbolic place in this world.

You might call it a sign of success.

It was as if I was gazing down at a Han River view, perhaps even better.

‘Am I making too much of a fuss over a dorm?’

But I really might as well.

At this moment, I felt hopeful for the future, a sensation I hardly experienced during my anxious days as a working adult.

I decided to bask fully in this feeling.

“Ah~”

The sound naturally escaped as I threw myself onto the bed.

Are you the king of beds in this world?

This guy, the stability was no joke.

‘Look at how clean the ceiling is.’

Back in my working days, the ceiling I used to stare at before sleeping was a mess, covered with mold and the wallpaper peeling off.

Staring blankly at that ceiling before sleep often felt as if it was taunting “This is your future~.”

Now.

The ceiling I looked at was spotlessly clean.

‘This is your future~’

I wondered what that gloomy voice would have turned into.

Filled perhaps with hope, it’s likely my voice wasn’t as clear as Adryn’s.

“Good enough.”

That’s how I spent some time healing in the energy of my new room.

“Time to get up.”

There were many things to do if I wanted to continue enjoying this hopeful and beautiful life.

[Main Quest: The Promising Hero’s Sprout]

-Reach the level of 3 stars within a week.

>Swordsmanship Department: Swordsmanship Level 20

>Magic Department: Magic Level 20

What immediately came to mind was this quest.

“Let’s see…”

Since I had won the representative battle and achieved what I asked from Phibian, it was safe to say that this quest was practically cleared.

At least, that’s what my known knowledge and information indicated.

But it was too early to be relieved.

“Remember, you narrow-eyed fool. The disparity between game and reality.”

Who knows what kind of discrepancy might arise to serve me a big and beautiful ‘screw you.’

But since I didn’t know what that discrepancy was, I couldn’t really prepare for it in advance.

All I could do was keep my condition optimal and consider potential variables that could arise.

Keeping my body and mind clear.

What might fulfill these two criteria?

Yes, a bath.

It’s definitely not because I wanted to check if the hot water was working properly.

I entered the bathroom to make all the necessary preparations.

***

“Since when does a dorm bathroom come with a bathtub and bath products?”

After having a happy – or rather a contemplative time in the bath, I came out wearing a robe.

The sun, preparing to clock out for the day, had already traded places with the moon.

The world beyond the balcony was darkened.

“Hmm?”

Huh, what’s that?

There was something on the balcony door that definitely wasn’t there when I entered my room and stepped out on the balcony.

-Click

“What’s this…”

A basket full of peaches.

A small bottle that looked luxurious in itself – perhaps perfume upon further guess.

A watch that was unostentatious yet suggested luxury.

A rich, multicolored bouquet of flowers.

Liquor that could make you exclaim, “Do you know how much a glass of this is?” at its price.

A jewelry box-like container filled with finely packaged cookies.

All of this was placed atop a soft fur.

It was as if someone didn’t know what I liked, so they prepared everything just in case.

Standing up, I left the items untouched after identifying each one.

“What is all this…?”

I pondered the identity of these items and a face came to mind.

-What’s your room number again?

It was Kasha who had inquired about my room number before leaving the dormitory.

“…Eh~”

But then a chuckle burst out of me.

‘Kasha Hanahan put this outside while I was bathing?’

With all these items in tow, she climbed all the way up to the fifth floor?

Like Santa Claus?

‘That doesn’t make sense.’

Kasha Hanahan in a Santa Claus outfit just didn’t come to imagination.

Therefore, these must be a surprise gift prepared by the Academy for the new entrants.

That was my final conclusion.

“Wow~ Ain Academy sure has a different class even with its surprise gifts, huh?”

‘Let’s see~’

I picked up the luxurious-looking small bottle first.

Sniff-sniff.

I was right. It’s perfume.

Having seen similar ones before, I spritzed some on my wrist and then dabbed it behind my ears and neck.

“Oh…”

Immediately, a sophisticated scent spread out.

Should I call it a coolness?

It was a refreshing mint-like scent, intense yet not overdone, maintaining a fine line.

‘It’s like I can feel my wallet leaking just by smelling this…!’

It was as if I was gilding my nose.

This was in a whole different dimension compared to the perfumes I had occasionally used in my previous world.

“Sniff-sniff…?”

Wait.

This perfume – or rather this scent, seems familiar…

-What’s your room number again?

‘Why does that person’s face come to mind again?’

Certainly.

It seemed that Kasha did have a similar scent coming from her.

‘Well, it must be a famous fragrance.’

Pushing the needless thoughts aside, I grabbed a peach from the basket.

[Kasha Hanahan’s Likes: Honey-preserved peaches]

‘What am I supposed to do with this?’

It’s driving me mad.

Right now, my state was anything but normal.

It’s as though I really want to believe that Kasha is to blame for these gifts.’

‘Is that plausible? Huh? And that navy fur might as well just be Kasha Hanahan’s skin, right?’

You narrow-eyed fool.

That’s just overthinking.

In an attempt to shake off these distracting thoughts, I took a bite from the peach.

Sweet and fulfilling.

The flavor was full of the Academy’s affection towards the students.

***

Before I knew it, time had passed, and it was thirty minutes before midnight – the agreed time.

I had already arrived at the designated meeting place, an open space within the Academy.

As expected, Phibian was not yet present.

“Hmm…?”

Just as I had that thought briefly, I felt someone watching me from hiding.

According to my unnecessarily sharp senses –

The owner of that gaze was Phibian.

I recalled her disgusted expression when she heard my request.

I thought she might not show up at the meeting place or deliberately arrive late.

Yet, here she was, already here before I, who came thirty minutes early, started waiting.

Unexpected.

“…?”

But why won’t she come out, this person?

I checked the time on the wristwatch provided by the Academy.

35 minutes.

40 minutes.

45 minutes.

50 minutes.

55 minutes.

And so, midnight came, the appointed time.

After another ten minutes passed, Phibian finally revealed herself from hiding, pretending she had just arrived.

“Tsk…”

Phibian showed me a displeased expression as if to make a point.

“Sorry, I’m late.”

Then she offered me an insincere apology.

Reflexively, I asked her back.

“Huh? Weren’t you here before me, Phibian?”

“?”

What nonsense is this?

Phibian feigned ignorance.

“Huh? So you were hiding there waiting all this time—”

“W-what are you talking about…!”

Then Phibian became flustered, blushing noticeable even under the dim moonlight.

‘What’s with her?’

Ever since I stated my demand, she’d been acting strangely.

I just couldn’t understand why she was behaving like this.

But apart from that –

‘How intriguing…?’

Phibian in her strange state seemed to be great fun to tease.

And maybe because I ate too much sweet stuff earlier and because the weather was dry, my lips felt parched.

I stuck my tongue out slightly to moisten my lips.

“EEK…!”

And with that, Phibian hugged herself tightly as if suddenly self-conscious.