Races: Online

The dormitory rooms in Dewrowan Tower weren't all standardized. Some might have been a little larger than others. The rooms having ample space for bookshelves and an extra bed that could fit three people or more. And others would barely have enough room for a lavatory and a bed for an individual. If one were to ask about the architecture of the Kraelonia Academy's design? An Architect would have said that it had focused more on the outside than the inside.

But one thing was for sure, it hadn't taken too much into account the windows.

Or if one were to be more specific, there was a lack of it. In some of the available rooms inside the Academy, it might have been a witch's den or a prisoner's room. And it might have exactly been just that for a few centuries ago. 

It was where the need for most rooms to have their own clocks to tell the time came from. Only a lucky few had the opportunity for lovely windows. But better to have no sunlight than to get bombarded with magical assailments, right?

And so it was for that reason that it wasn't that early when Iola had woken up. The moment that she had sat up happened to be where a nauseating feeling overcame her. She lurched and since her stomach was empty—nothing exactly regurgitated out of it. 

"Ugh…" And yet it was a good thing that she had risen up. Or else she might have been caught unaware when two men stepped into the room. The woman threw her blankets over herself and sent a glare, "What is the meaning of this?" Her voice was scratchy and her throat raw.

"Um, hello there?" A sheepish smile formed on this newcomer man's face.

Iola offered him no greetings.

She could not believe this! The pri—woman rubbed her forehead and clicked her tongue. First, it had been that sickly Mage, and now it was… this unremarkable guy. 

Well, not thoroughly unremarkable.

She faintly remembered following him into the dining hall. But it did not make her any less uncomfortable with him around. Having to live with one man was already questionable for her, then how much more if this guy began to keep visiting?

"He figured it out yesterday, so cut me some slack." Timothy sighed and brought his plate to the table. Once again, in a flick of what seems to be of his finger—he stopped. He then addressed the guy, "Hey Han, place your plate here."

"Okay?" The man followed his friend's request and then glanced back at her. "Maybe we should sneak in some more food?"

She frowned. Did the man think that she was some kind of glutton? He should be more worried about the food that was served in the Academy. 

"No need," Timothy waved at the man. "This is more than enough, Han. You'll just have to wait and see for yourself."

Iola raised a brow and fought back the urge to roll her eyes. It might not seem like it—but Timothy surely wanted to put an act to his Skill. The young man waved his arm over the meal in a flourishing manner. Two new plates appeared beside the original ones.

Some sense of showmanship, perhaps?

"What the fu—" Han exclaimed and stepped back once, biting down his tongue and then motioning wildly at him. "Did you just multiply the food?"

Timothy glanced at him and picked up a plate, his voice was monotone and flat. "Yes," And then he turned to her, a little smile on his face this time. "Do you think you can stomach your food now?" He scrunched up his nose. "I'd rather not have you spewing your guts like last time."

"Wait, the thing from… last night?"

The man didn't know how to keep his mouth shut, didn't he? Iola's face heated up, and now did she notice that something had indeed changed. She eyed their surroundings and sniffed a bit, "I suppose I'll be able to eat. Everything is clean now compared to last night." She wouldn't confirm Timothy's words.

"...Listen to your stomach. Even if you're in a pig pen and your stomach is growling, you'd eat anything." Timothy wrinkled his nose at her. "But if you don't feel like eating anything at all then we have water."

"I would rather starve than eat in a pigsty."

"Suit yourself."

This was the moment that her body betrayed her with a growl. All of the mana she had drained from last night had made her body more susceptible to hunger.

It was an awful time to show weakness.

Timothy's companion stifled a chuckle beside him… what did he even find funny with this? 

She kept her face blank, hoping for the hunger to vanish but it did not. She finally sighed. "Fine, I have decided to eat." Iola knew what her circumstances were—she could not afford to be picky. And she needed to remember her manners, especially once the man passed the plate to her.

"Thank you."

.

.

.

Han didn't exactly expect this kind of person to be with Timothy… to be the person that Timothy decided to help. Then again, she was like Penelope 2.0—if Penelope had chosen not to act sweet and kind with Timothy? So that was one thing to take into consideration.

It was a far cry from Chan Lee.

And he knew that he shouldn't be comparing the two, and yet he did. This girl acted like some princess while Chan Lee was nothing but a sweet angel. Han blinked at the thought and decided to finally eat. 

His hunger was getting to him or something.

But more than that, there was another thing to note—he picked up his plate and stabbed the meat with a fork to check if it was real and not some illusion—it did kind of feel that he was unnecessary here. 

So maybe it wasn't that different from his own world?

It was almost terribly funny that he felt this way. What was his excuse for this kind of thinking?

He couldn't compare Timothy to the guy that Chan Lee introduced him to either. He hadn't exactly met them that long to judge them or anything.

And yet, the same could apply to her as well.

Maybe they were kind of harsh like Timothy? But the guy paid him money while Timothy wasn't exactly rich or anything. He didn't even look at the guy or something to check if they looked completely the same, unlike with Chan Lee... and Timothy's friend.

"Take a seat and quit picking at your food, or we're going to be late for our class." Compared to him—Timothy was already eating and at a quick pace at that.

He drank the watery soup and then shoved the bite-sized vegetables in his mouth. Chewing them in his mouth, he took note of the taste. It might have just been a medley of vegetables resembling carrots, corn, and green beans. He paired it with the purple meat and scarfed some more of it—it tasted like… beef mixed with the texture of chicken?

Weird.

Han shook his head and gave a reply, "Yeah, I doubt we'll miss much though when Professor Pierce always brings up the previous topic in summary." 

He continued to eat. 

Cuisine. 

He didn't get much of a chance to appreciate it, but this was part of the twenty-gold tuition fee, wasn't it?