The princesses led me across the campus.

  Well… floated ahead, technically.

  I trailed behind like unwanted luggage.

  Students immediately swarmed them. Smiles. Bows. Flattery.

  “So many people sticking to you…” I said loudly, picking at my teeth. “Like flies on honey. Or something worse.”

  Their backs stiffened, but they pretended to be deaf, continuing to nod at their admirers.

  We stopped in front of a massive five-story stone building.

  “There,” Alexia gestured. “That’s your dormitory.”

  “Dormitory?” I whistled. “So this whole building is mine? The King’s generous.”

  “No, idiot,” Lianelle rolled her eyes. “One room. And you share it.”

  “Share?” I stopped walking. “You mean I won’t be alone?”

  “No. It’s a shared dorm. Boys and girls live here, just different wings. Alexia and I have rooms next to each other on the top floor. You’re placed with some guy from another group.”

  “…Fantastic,” I groaned. “It’d be easier to sleep on the roof. At least there’s fresh air and no snoring.”

  They both exhaled in unison and turned toward me.

  “You’ve noticed?” Alexia hissed. “You’re embarrassing us. And we’re barely holding it together.”

  “Embarrassing?” I smirked. “In front of who? That crowd of bootlickers? They’re only talking to you because of your surname. Take away the crown and they wouldn’t even greet you.”

  “That’s not true!” Lianelle snapped. “There are real friends among them!”

  “Heh,” I couldn’t help it. “You? Friends? That’s funny. Believe your fairy tales, princesses.”

  We started climbing to the fourth floor.

  Step. After step. After step.

  “Boring,” I muttered. “Teleport.”

  “STOP!” Lianelle grabbed my sleeve. “Forbidden! You’re a nameless newcomer. It’s too early to show magic like that. They’ll investigate you immediately and the legend will collapse. Use your legs!”

  “Oh please…” I dragged myself upward. “I thought this was the ‘strongest students in the kingdom.’ Figured I wouldn’t have to hold back.”

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  I glanced at Lianelle with a crooked smile.

  “Right, Your Highness? Or are they all as ‘strong’ as you were in our duel?”

  Her teeth ground together so loudly it echoed down the stairwell.

  But she said nothing.

  1:0.

  We reached the door.

  Room 404.

  “Symbolic,” I muttered. “Nature error. Room not found.”

  “Here’s the key,” Alexia handed it to me. “Your roommate’s name is… uh… I forgot. Just behave. Don’t kill him the first night.”

  “I’ll try,” I said without enthusiasm. “But if he snores, no promises.”

  They turned and left for their “elite” wing, abandoning me in front of the worn-out door.

  I sighed and unlocked it.

  SCENE: Room 404, White Cloud, and Territorial Conquest

  The dormitory was structured like layered cake:

  first floor — female,

  second — male,

  third — female again,

  fourth — male.

  Apparently the architect believed constant stair climbing builds character.

  I found Room 404 and pushed the door open.

  Bright.

  And… pretentious.

  A tall, slender boy stood by the window.

  Perfectly styled golden hair.

  Clothes entirely white. Not a speck of dust.

  Face straight out of a magazine called Young Aristocrat.

  The kind of guy girls fall in love with instantly and other guys want to suffocate with a pillow.

  I froze in the doorway.

  A wave of black jealousy rose inside me.

  Bastard.

  He’s better-looking than me.

  I hate him.

  Already hate him.

  He turned.

  His perfect face twisted in disgust the moment he saw my jacket and muddy boots.

  “Oh gods…” he groaned toward the ceiling. “Father, why? You promised me a lesson in humility — not to put a street vagrant in my room! I’ll die of his diseases by morning! It already smells like poverty!”

  I ignored him.

  Remembering the princesses’ advice (“behave”), I decided to stay silent.

  For now.

  I walked to the mirror.

  My eye under the lens itched terribly.

  “Enough,” I muttered.

  I hooked a nail under the edge of the bear cornea and, with a wet sound, pulled the makeshift lens out of my eye.

  Crumpled the slimy piece and tossed it into the trash.

  Looked at myself.

  The blackness had almost faded. Only a dark stain remained in the center.

  “Tomorrow it’ll probably be normal,” I muttered. “Regeneration’s working.”

  I turned to my roommate.

  He was pressed against the wall, pale as paper.

  His eyes looked ready to pop out.

  “Y-you…” he stammered. “Are you a MONSTER?! What did you do to your eye?!”

  “No,” I answered lazily, blinking my mismatched eyes. “Born like this. Biological feature. What do you want?”

  “What do I want?!” he shrieked. “You’re disgusting! And— and—”

  He scanned me, searching for more flaws.

  “And dressed like a scarecrow!”

  “And you’re dressed like… I don’t know, a cloud?” I shot back, eyeing his white suit. “You realize we’re at an Academy, not a wedding? Or a funeral? Though with a roommate like me, it might be a funeral for you.”

  His cheek twitched.

  My patience was thinning too.

  “What’s your name, ‘Cloud’?” I asked, dropping onto my bed — without removing my boots.

  He straightened, trying to reclaim dignity.

  “I am Alfus Shedor! Son of Duke Shedor, owner of the Northern Mines, heir to the Great House, victor of—”

  “Greg,” I cut him off. “Alfus is enough. I’m Greg.”

  He nearly choked on outrage.

  “‘Alfus is enough’?! You unbearable savage! I’m going to the warden! I demand relocation! I refuse to sleep in the same room as a monster!”

  He stormed out, slamming the door.

  I stretched out with a satisfied smile.

  “Perfect. Room secured. Conquered without a single strike.”

  Silence settled over the room.

  Peaceful.

  I sank into the pillow.

  “Good night, Alfus,” I muttered. “Hope the warden’s deaf.”

  Within a minute, I was asleep, enjoying my victory.