[Lifespan Remaining: 21 days, 7 hours, 9 minutes.]
After the pledge, the students were divided according to their Houses and handed over to the workers waiting nearby. What followed was a tour that Noct didn’t really care about, already knowing it from the game.
First was the training grounds to the east, with several open fields which had been prepared for practical lessons, while enclosed facilities were available for students whose abilities were a little too destructive to use near everyone else.
Nearby were the advancement chambers. According to their guide, students could reserve one when preparing for their next class advancement, though access depended on availability and the chamber they needed.
’At least I won’t have to do everything in my bedroom...’
Then there was the notice board.
Calling it a board felt somewhat dishonest, considering how much space had been dedicated to it. Notices covered an entire section of the central square, with upperclassmen already picking out commissions.
Once they approached the northern side however, the guide slowed, pointing toward the forest stretching beyond developed grounds. "The Restricted Forest. You’ll be making your way there during the Adventuring Skills class. But apart from that, you are not permitted to enter without authorization."
’Gee, I never would’ve guessed. But if I remembered correctly...that should be where—’
"Noct, you okay?" Alice snapped him out of his thoughts.
By the time they approached their dormitory, Noct could barely breathe from all the walking. And well, after getting a glance of some of ther other House’s dormitories, this one was just...plain at best.
It could only be described as a town house, with tiled roof and several rows of windows. A small set of stairs led to its entrance, and the Phoenix crest had been mounted above the door. Noct knew that thing was barely holding on by how crooked it was.
"...Seriously?"
There was nothing particularly wrong with the building. It looked clean, well maintained, and perfectly suitable for someone who needed a place to live. It wasn’t like he hated it or anything, but living a while as a noble...he had gotten used to the perks.
’The same education and facilities, my ass...’
One by one, the other students began heading inside. Annie looked quite pleased with the place. Alice followed her up the steps, briefly glancing back at Noct before disappearing through the doorway. Even the students carrying their own luggage managed to get past him.
Finn took the steps too, but turned around right after to wait for him. "You coming? You look like you’ve seen a ghost."
"Not out of the realm of possibility," Noct sighed. "I’m coming."
By the time they entered, the hallway was already crowded with students carrying their belongings upstairs. There was only one worker there, and against all odds, she had somehow assigned a room to everyone in an orderly fashion.
But by the time Noct and Finn approached, the worker’s chart was completely filled to the brim. "Uhm...I’m afraid most of the single rooms have been taken. Though there is still one room with two available beds, but it’s kind of..."
"Something wrong?" Noct asked with curiosity.
"Ahh, it’s just that...somebody is already there," the worker pushed up her glasses. "If you don’t mind sharing, then you can have that room."
Before Noct could turn tail and choose something else, Finn had already accepted the room key. He began heading up to the room by himself, this time, not even waiting for Noct to say anything.
’You traitor...!’
Their room was at the far end of the upstairs corridor. Noct checked the number on the key over Finn’s shoulder, then the one beside the door. At least they had found the right place.
Finn put the key into the lock and held onto the handle, yet even he was hesitant on opening it. He turned to Noct with a meek smile. "O—our roommate is probably a nice person...!"
"If he’s a nice person, why was his room available until now?" Noct frowned.
Instead of answering, Finn simply opened the door. What they both found next was a completely dark room, and the sound of soft snoring on the top bunk bed. But as soon as they stepped a single foot into the room, the snoring stopped.
Then, Noct watched the figure on the top bunk shift and slowly pushed himself upright. That alone was enough to make Finn take a small step back.
Their new roommate was huge. Even sitting down, his shoulders seemed to take up most of the space under the ceiling. His dark cyan hair was a complete mess, and the shirt he wore could barely hide how much muscle the guy had been packing underneath it.
He slowly climbed down the stairs, finally seeing the two people who were standing at the doorway. As he stepped into the light, Noct noticed a small scar that ran across his nose, making him look considerably intimidating.
"...Who are you?"
Finn straightened instantly. "S—sorry for waking you. There were no other rooms available so we were assigned to this one. I hope that’s not too much trouble..."
He looked a little older than them, probably. Yet standing beside Finn, he looked like someone who had come to collect his younger brother from school.
"There were other rooms," he said plainly. "Choose another one and leave me alone."
"They told us this was the last one with available beds," Noct replied. "That’s what the lady at the reception told us."
The young man glanced toward the corridor behind them, his jaw tightening. Noct wasn’t sure if he quite believed what they said.
"I told them to leave this one alone."
"Noct..." Finn whispered. "M—maybe we should choose another room..."
Noct was intimidated, sure. But he was also exhausted from the entire day shopping, riding an airship, and walking around this big ass island. The only thing he wanted to do now was rest.
Their roommate rubbed a hand over his face before reaching for the jacket hanging beside the bed.
"Wait here. I’ll speak to him," Noct whispered back.
"Look, neither of us asked to be put here," he sighed. "If there’s another room, we’ll happily take it. But until then, can we at least come inside?"
The young man stopped with one arm through his sleeve. He looked at Finn at the back before turning back toward Noct’s direction.
"What did he call you?"
"Noct."
"Noct...?"
"De Arcadia."
The change in expression was immediate, like the guy had visibly mellowed out. He looekd at Noct once more, this time, paying more attention. "...Duke Amon’s son?"
"His youngest."
For a few seconds, nobody said anything. Then the young man removed his half-worn jacket and placed it back where it had been.
"Come in," he finally said, pointing at the two unoccupied spaced before moving a chair out of the way. "You can use the beds on the other side. Don’t sleep in the one under me."
Finn glanced at Noct, who could only look back with an equally confused expression.
’Did my surname finally do something useful...?’
He had expected some hesitation, perhaps a little more politeness. Instead, the guy had abandoned his complaint entirely.
Though there was a suspicion that Noct had. With Amon being a big benefactor to many regions and families, maybe he had somehow helped his new roommate’s family out somehow.
Either that or he was feared enough that anyone who heard his name immediately decided not to mess with his descendants. Noct didn’t know which way.
"Are you sure?" Finn asked carefully.
"Yeah. Sorry about earlier. I wasn’t expecting anyone."
His voice was still deep enough to sound vaguely threatening, but the irritation had disappeared from it. Finn stepped inside first, evidently eager to accept the change in attitude before their roommate reconsidered.
Noct followed a little more slowly, though another question intrigued him. "What’s your name? I feel like I’ve seen you before?"
"It’s Ronan—"
"Ronan de Hark."