Chp 9

Pearl

I was standing there, holding the uniform in my hands, eyes wide open. I couldn’t believe what was happening to me. I had no idea why the moon goddess was doing this—why she kept sending unwanted people into my life. I was so frustrated and tired that I decided to go find my dorm.

After a lot of searching, I finally found Dorm No. 20. I removed my tag, rechecked the number, and then looked again at the dorm door. Okay, I’m at the right place. I took a deep breath, walked toward the door, and opened it.

When I entered the room, I noticed there was no one else there. I was the first to arrive. I quickly closed the door behind me and began inspecting the room. It was pretty spacious—big enough to fit the four of us comfortably.

There were three other guys assigned to this dorm, one of them being Rowan, and since none of them were here yet, that meant I had the whole room to myself for now. That thought alone brought a huge smile to my face.

I was so tired that I decided I’d sleep for a little while.

I looked around the room—there were four beds placed neatly against each wall, each with a small wooden chest at the foot and a narrow wardrobe beside it. One of the beds was near the only window, with sunlight pouring over it, and a small breeze fluttering the curtain. It was perfect.

I walked straight to it and threw my uniform on the mattress, claiming it before anyone else could. “Mine,” I muttered under my breath with a smug little smile.

I opened the chest to check what was inside—just a spare blanket and a set of neatly folded sheets. Nothing suspicious, thank the goddess. I glanced at the door, half-expecting Rowan to barge in with his annoying grin, but the room remained silent. This is my moment, I told myself. I quickly laid down, hugging the edge of the bed as if protecting it from invisible thieves. I knew they’d all come in soon, and Rowan would definitely try to charm his way into taking the best spot. Not happening, I rested my head on the pillow and smiled. For now, peace.

*----*---*

The soft glow of sunset filtered through the thin curtains, casting a golden hue across the room. I stirred slightly, blinking slowly as I opened my eyes. For a moment, I forgot where I was—until I saw the unfamiliar ceiling and remembered: Scholar Academy. Dorm number 20. New life. New risks.

I yawned and stretched my limbs lazily. When I looked around, I noticed the boys were still not here—I was the only one. Weird. Why are they still not here? Then again, why should I care? It’s good for me that they’re not around. It's bath time! I thought to myself with a smile.

I rushed to my bag, took out my clothes, and exited the room. It wasn’t possible to use the academy’s bathhouse for a warm bath at this hour, but I had expected a situation like this. Thankfully, I was well prepared. I had already located a nearby private bathhouse; the only thing I needed to do was pay for it. I had saved my money for moments exactly like this.

I walked toward the bathhouse and handed a few coins to the owner. He nodded and showed me the way. I smiled as I entered the private bath chamber. A warm bath was everything I needed. I quickly took off my clothes and stepped into the tub. As the warm water enveloped my body, a soft sigh escaped my lips. It felt like heaven. The steam rose gently around me, easing the tension in my shoulders and washing away the exhaustion from the day's trials. For a few moments, everything else faded—the pressure, the bullies, Rowan’s annoying smirk.

I leaned my head back against the edge of the tub, staring at the ceiling. How long can I keep this up? Pretending to be someone I'm not... it wasn't just physically tiring—it was emotionally draining too. But I had no choice. This academy was my only shot, and I wasn’t going to let anything, or anyone, get in my way. My fingers skimmed the surface of the water as I let myself drift in thought. Rowan… for some reason, his face kept flashing in my mind. That grin, those eyes… Ugh, stop it, Pearl! You’re not here to think about boys. You’re a boy now. At least to them.The warm water soothed every inch of my body. I leaned back, letting my head rest on the edge of the tub, eyes closed, letting the heat melt away all the tension. For the first time in days, I felt safe, alone, and at peace.

This is what luxury feels like, I thought, smiling to myself, but my moment of peace didn’t last long. I suddenly heard faint footsteps echoing just outside the bathhouse door. My eyes flew open. I froze, straining to listen. Maybe it was just someone passing by?, No. The sound grew louder, closer—and then, before I could react, the door creaked open slightly.

“Sorry! I didn’t know someone was—”

The voice stopped mid-sentence.

I quickly ducked lower into the water, my heart racing. From behind the thin screen, I saw a silhouette—tall, broad-shouldered, definitely male.

“Get out!” I yelled, my voice half-panicked, half-angry.

The shadow flinched. “Whoa! I’m so sorry! I thought this bath was free—my bad!”

The door slammed shut as the person hurried away. My heart was still hammering in my chest.That was close, too close. What if he had seen anything? What if he recognized me? I gritted my teeth. So much for a relaxing bath.

Oh no, no, no! What if he saw me? That would be trouble. I quickly got out of the bathtub and began to dress. I bound my chest tightly, put on my clothes, and tied my hair up into a bun. Grabbing my white towel, I stepped out of the bathhouse. I walked as fast as I could, scanning my surroundings to check if anyone had been nearby during my bath. Luckily, the place seemed deserted—if I hurried, no one would notice a thing. If anyone saw me... if anyone even suspected—I’d be thrown out. My heart wouldn’t stop pounding, but I had to act normal. Breathe, Pearl. Just breathe.

I finally reached my room. As I opened the door, I saw Rowan sitting there with a huge smile on his face. Rowan was always smiling, always acting like he knew something I didn’t. That smile made me nervous, and I didn’t trust it—or him.

He wasn’t wearing the standard white robe that all students had been given. Instead, he still wore his noble clothes. He stared at me intently, making me feel deeply uncomfortable. I cleared my throat, adjusted my clothing, and slowly stepped inside. As I closed the door behind me, I noticed another figure in the room—someone standing near the window with his back facing us. He, too, wore noble attire, and I couldn’t see his face.

“Hey, Perin!” Rowan called cheerfully, tilting his head.

“Hey, Rowan,” I replied with a small, tight smile. I wasn’t particularly happy to see him here. My attention shifted to the silent man at the window as I tried to figure out who he might be. Rowan noticed and walked toward me, lowering himself to my level so he could speak near my ear—he was 6’3”, after all, and I was far shorter.

“You must be wondering who he is,” he said softly, his lips brushing against my ear. Goosebumps erupted all over my body, and my cheeks flushed red. I quickly stepped away, turned to face him, and nodded, eager to know the identity of the other guy.

Rowan grinned and took a step closer, but I backed away again. “His name is Killian,” he said, gesturing toward the guy near the window.Something about the way he stood—still, silent, watching without watching—made my skin prickle. Who exactly was Killian?.

Just then, a knock at the door drew our attention. Rowan motioned for me to open it, and I obeyed.

At the door stood a man dressed in black, his face covered with a cloth. He was clearly one of the workers. Looking outside, I saw other students stepping out of their dorms too.

“Tell your roommates to come to the main hall. There are important announcements. Don’t be late,” the man said in a stern tone. I nodded and closed the door, heading back inside.

I walked over to Rowan, who still had that same mysterious smile on his face. “We need to go to the main hall. There’s something important they’re going to announce, so let’s go,” I told him as I made my way toward the door.

But Rowan simply took a seat and leaned back against the wall, eyes closed.

“You’re not coming?” I asked, confused. “They said everyone needs to be there.”

“You go on ahead. I’ll stay here,” he replied calmly, eyes still shut.

I looked toward the man by the window. Taking a few cautious steps toward him, I asked, “Are you coming?” But he didn’t respond or even move. I waited for a moment, but still nothing. Strange. I guess I have weird roommates. If they don’t want to go, that’s their choice. I’ll go alone.

With a small sigh, I walked out and closed the door behind me. I made my way to the main hall, where the announcement was supposed to take place.

Once there, I stood quietly, placing my hands in the pockets of my white robe—one on each side. A new instructor stood before us. He looked like he was in his forties, with a stern expression and black cap covering his hair.

Students around me were buzzing with noise, speculating about what might be announced. The instructor stood silently, clearly waiting for us to settle down. He didn’t hide his irritation, and I could guess what he was thinking—probably something along the lines of: Why did I get stuck with this noisy batch?.

The murmurs around the hall were growing louder. I stood with my hands in my robe pockets, shifting my weight from one leg to the other, half-listening to the noise until the instructor raised his hand. Silence swept through the crowd like a sudden wind.

“Attention,” he said firmly, his deep voice slicing through the last of the whispers. His dark cap cast a shadow over his eyes, making his stern expression even harder to read. “You’ve all made it past the first test. But your journey has only just begun.”

I swallowed hard, heart thudding against my ribs.

“We will begin with a Dorm Challenge,” he continued. “Each dorm will compete as a team. Your ability to coordinate, survive, and protect each other will be tested. This will help us determine who among you deserves to stay and who will be sent back home.”

A few students gasped. I clenched my fists.

“You have until dawn to prepare,” he added. “At sunrise, you will be transported to the Outer Grounds. There, you will face a series of tasks—physical, tactical, and mental. Success depends not only on your strength, but your unity.”

He paused, letting the weight of his words settle on us. I glanced around—some looked nervous, others confident. I wasn’t sure what I felt. My dormmates barely spoke to me. Rowan smiled too much, Killian didn’t talk, and the fourth… still missing?

“You will be watched,” the instructor said sharply. “And judged. The dorm that performs the worst will be dismissed from the academy.”

Dismissed?

I could feel my pulse quicken. No. I didn’t come all this way to get sent home. Not without fighting.

“Dismissed,” the instructor snapped. “Return to your dorms. Prepare well. Tomorrow, everything changes.”

As the crowd began to break apart, I turned and hurried back toward my dorm, my mind already racing with plans—and worries.