Chapter 34

When Mika arrived at the dormitory room, she immediately began checking out the desk and wardrobe assigned to her.

While watching Mika, Mesalight kept talking non-stop.

It seemed that Mesalight, who had moved into the dormitory the day before yesterday, had a lot of free time.

Mika took a small bottle out of her desk drawer and offered it to Mika.

It seemed to contain candy.

"I'll give you one. The candy here is quite popular."

"......I won't return the favor."

"Don't worry. I'm not expecting anything."

Saying that, Mesalight placed a piece of candy in Mika's hand.

Looking at the candy in her palm, Mika noticed the clothes she was wearing.

There were patches all over them.

When she looked at Mesalight's clothes, they seemed to be of rather good quality.

Mesalight smiled wryly.

"My parents run a merchant guild, so we're pretty well-off."

It didn't seem like Mesalight had any ill intentions.

When comparing Mika's and her own attire, there was no air of mockery.

It felt more like a statement of fact.

Mika put the candy in her mouth and opened the desk drawer.

There were four drawers in total.

Three drawers were stacked vertically on the right side of the desk, and there was a wide drawer on top of her lap.

It seemed that only the drawer on top of her lap could be locked, but it was a simple design and could be easily opened.

(I have to manage my money... This won't do at all, and I need to think about what to do in the future.)

Mika had learned a lesson from Ninetyana.

She couldn't entrust all her wealth to such a flimsy desk lock.

Still, for now, she had no choice but to put the bag of money in the drawer and lock it.

Of course, she made sure to hide the action with her body so that Mesalight couldn't see.

This wasn't a matter of security but of manners.

Showing off where you put your money would be a matter of trust before anything else.

Next, she looked at the wardrobe.

It was a child-sized wardrobe, about 120 to 130 centimeters tall.

Still, it was a bit tall for Mika.

The wardrobe had a closet on the right side for hanging coats.

There were four drawers on the left side, and the top drawer could be locked.

However, it was too high to see inside without a stool.

For now, she decided to think about what to use the top drawer for later.

Mika threw her duffel bag into the closet.

She could organize it later.

"Did you hear the dormitory explanation?"

Mesalight asked.

"After lunch, I was told to come to the room downstairs. I think I was also told to ask you some questions."

"Okay, then let me give you a quick tour of the dormitory."

With that, Mesalight jumped up from the chair and headed for the door.

It seemed that Mesalight had a lot of free time.

It seemed that Mesalight would be happy to do anything to pass the time.

When Mika followed, Mesalight headed for the stairs.

"This is the boys' floor, and the third floor is for girls. The rooms on the other side of the stairs are for the students who came to the academy the previous year. They are seniors."

Saying that, Mesalight pointed to the doors on the right side of the stairs.

"That's the toilet. I was quite relieved to see it was pretty clean."

The first door on the right side seemed to be the toilet.

Mesalight opened the door for Mika to peek inside.

There were six individual stalls on the right side, but there were no urinals.

Naturally, there were no sinks for washing hands.

Mika couldn't help but frown.

"Huh? You don't like it? I was quite relieved."

This was probably the level of hygiene in this world.

If she kept worrying about such things, she wouldn't be able to survive in this world.

She had to get used to it before she became neurotic.

When they returned to the stairs, Mesalight pointed to the stairs leading to the third floor.

"You can go up to the third floor from here, but as I said, it's for girls only. If you value your life, you'd better not go up there."

Mesalight started to say something ominous.

(If you value your life? The lady I met earlier also said it was dangerous.)

Would she be beaten up by all the girls?

Mika didn't understand the sentiment, but in a way, it might be a kind of reward? Mika thought it was a silly idea.

When Mika made a puzzled face, Mesalight whispered to her.

"Magicians are valuable. But those who commit serious violations are not needed. The more power they acquire, the more dangerous they are to the country. So, they are punished."

"......Punished?"

"I don't know the details, but it's said that such people are used in other ways, not as magicians. ......Because magicians are valuable."

Mika shuddered.

It wasn't hard to understand that bad magicians were punished to protect the valuable ones.

But the method of punishment seemed to go beyond Mika's imagination.

A world without human rights. What kind of use would they be put to?

"If we punished every violator, there would be even fewer magicians. Unless it's a serious violation, they won't be punished that severely. But entering the girls' floor is different. The ratio of male to female magicians is almost equal. If we can't protect the female students, we'll lose half of the country's magicians."

Mika was impressed.

It was amazing how much Mesalight knew.

"You seem to know a lot. Were you actually here last year? Did you repeat a year?"

"Hahaha, no way. I said my family is pretty well-off."

It seemed that Mesalight had been gathering information since it was decided that he would attend the magic academy a year ago.

For Mika, it was a relief to have someone nearby who was well-informed.

In that sense, it was lucky to be roommates with Mesalight.

"Then, let's go to the first floor next."

Mesalight went down the stairs.

When they reached the first floor, Mesalight pointed to the wide area on the left.

"This is the dining hall. We have three meals a day. Even after the academy starts, we come back here for lunch. I've eaten here a few times, and the food isn't bad. However, they prioritize quantity over quality. This morning, I said I couldn't eat that much, but they piled it on anyway. And when I left some, I got scolded."

"Hahaha."

Mesalight's exasperated look was so funny that Mika couldn't help but laugh, forgetting the disaster that might befall her in an hour.

"Other than that, there's not much else to see in the dormitory."

Mesalight passed by the lady's room and went to the end of the hall.

"This is the bath. The back is for girls, and the front is for boys. If you go in, you'll be punished immediately. No need to say more, right?"

It was true that it didn't need to be said, but Mika had something else on her mind.

"Are the baths separated for boys and girls?"

Mika thought that the concept of separating baths for boys and girls didn't exist in this world, but it seemed that it did.

"In the past, they weren't separated, but now they seem to be more considerate of the girls. After all, they are the future magicians."

Mesalight entered the boys' bath.

Mika followed.

"Apparently, the number of magicians is decreasing every year. So, the treatment is getting better. In the past, there were so many that they couldn't all fit in this dormitory. But this year, there are only six."

"Seven, right?"

Mika corrected.

"Is that so?"

"I heard that. But it might have changed since then."

When Mika heard it, there were seven.

However, it might have changed since then.

Mesalight continued without much concern.

"The bath is usually prepared for use in the evening. You can use it right after the academy ends. All the cleaning is done by the servants."

"Servants?"

"They prepare the meals, and they also do the cleaning and laundry."

It was a very well-cared-for environment.

The changing room was old, but it seemed to be cleaned regularly.

The bath was wider and cleaner than a cheap inn.

The basic structure was the same, but there were no covered shelves like in the inn.

"Why do they do so much for us, even though we are future magicians?"

"Probably because we have more important things to do."

Mika understood.

It was to focus all their energy on growing as magicians.

Mika's face showed a hint of exasperation.

"Well, that's a quick tour of the dormitory. We're not allowed to go to the school building yet. The next few days will be a battle against boredom."

After resting in the room for a while, it was lunchtime, and Mika went to the dining hall with Mesalight.

Mesalight had said the food wasn't bad, and for Mika, it was a satisfying meal.

However, the quantity wasn't as much as Mesalight had said.

This was because the lady in the kitchen had mistaken Mika for a girl and adjusted the portion size accordingly.

Mika didn't point out the mistake and accepted it with a cool expression.

She ignored the resentful look from Mesalight, who was holding a mountain of a tray, and sat down silently.

After a satisfying lunch in terms of both taste and quantity, Mika went to the first-floor room as the lady had instructed.

It seemed that the lady she had met earlier was the dormitory matron, and there were a few other ladies working as servants.

Mesalight, who had informed Mika, was currently groaning on his bed, saying his stomach hurt.

Mika advised him not to lie down right after eating, but it seemed he wouldn't be able to get up anytime soon.

After knocking on the door a few times and waiting for a response, Mika entered the room.

There was the dormitory matron and another girl.

The girl, who was probably Mika's age, had a slightly reddish blonde hair that was a bit messy and slightly hanging down, making it hard to see her eyes.

Her face was mostly hidden by her hair, and she was wearing a patchwork dress, looking very uncomfortable in the unfamiliar environment.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

"Oh, it's fine. I just finished my work. Let me explain about the dormitory."

The matron led them to the back of the room.

There were various sizes of clothes stacked on a shelf.

"I'll distribute uniforms and other things to you two later, but let me introduce myself first. I'm Trilence, the dormitory matron. My job is to support you two for the next two years so that you can do your best. If you have any problems, feel free to talk to me."

Trilence patted her chest.

She had a motherly feel to her.

Since she was in charge of many children, this kind of person was probably more suitable for the job.

"Let's start by taking your measurements. Stand straight there."

She had them stand in front of a column marked with height measurements.

"Rimrische is 118 centimeters, and Mika is 114 centimeters."

The girl's name was Rimrische.

Come to think of it, I'm shorter than a girl!

Mika didn't know if this girl was tall or short compared to others, but she was definitely shorter than Mesalight.

(Maybe I'm just short...?)

Mika had never really thought about it before, but the shocking fact made her dizzy.

(Damn it... But it's not over yet! I'm still growing! My growth is just beginning!)

Mika felt down and then motivated, but she didn't show it on her face.

She watched Trilence, who was looking for uniforms, with a smile.

"......Boy..."

A voice whispered from the side.

Mika turned to see Rimrische with wide, surprised eyes.

(I didn't notice because she was looking down, but this girl has big eyes? She might be cute if she tidied up a bit?)

It was hard to tell because of her messy hair and downward gaze, but it seemed a bit of a waste.

Still, everyone has different values.

Not caring about appearance is also a personal choice.

When their eyes met, Rimrische's face turned bright red, and she looked down even more.

She might be the type who has trouble interacting with others.

Then, they received a brief explanation of the dormitory rules.

Wake-up time, meal times, bath times, and how to do laundry.

The time settings were all flexible, so it seemed they wouldn't have much trouble following them.

However, the curfew was at 6 PM.

Mika thought it was a bit early.

It wouldn't be a problem if she only lived at the academy, but Mika had planned to earn some extra money, so the curfew was strict.

But this was a dormitory for 8 and 9-year-old children.

It was probably a generous curfew.

"If you stay out overnight, you need to submit a notice. I'll give you the form if you tell me."

It seemed that staying out overnight was allowed.

This meant that from "Saturday noon" to the next "Sunday 6 PM," she would be free.

In practice, this would be the only time she could work properly in a week.

Then, Trilence led them to a shared well next to the dormitory.

They could use it freely if they wanted to do their own laundry.

If they wanted to drink water, they could use the water jar in the dining hall.

Most of the children in the dormitory used water bags and drank them when they were thirsty in their rooms.

They were reminded to change the water at least once a day.

Apparently, every year, some children got sick from drinking water that had been left out for days without proper care.

Back in the dormitory, Trilence showed them the dining hall, bath, and toilet.

Mika followed silently, as there might be some points Mesalight hadn't mentioned.

However, there didn't seem to be anything particularly important to note.

Except for the strong warning to Mika: "Absolutely do not go to the girls' bath or the third floor!"

When Mika asked what would happen if he went in, Trilence only said, "......You'll have to leave the dormitory."

From Trilence's reluctance to give specifics, Mika understood that Mesalight's rumors were not just rumors.

During the tour, Rimrische didn't say a word.

Mika felt a bit hurt by Rimrische's subtle attempt to keep a distance.

Children's honest reactions can sometimes deeply hurt adults.

(Oh, she's just a girl, and she's a bit shy around boys. It's not like she dislikes me. I'm not hurt or anything!)

The tour ended with a slightly awkward atmosphere, and they returned to the matron's room.

"How many uniforms and sports clothes do you have?"

Trilence asked.

"Can I get more than one?"

"Most students have two uniforms and about four sets of sports clothes. Some bring more to wear in the dormitory as well."

It seemed that the uniforms often got dirty during classes, so students brought extra.

If they got torn or too small, they could get replacements.

Mika looked at her own clothes.

They were already patched up.

If she could use them as everyday wear, she would like to do so.

"Can I have two uniforms? And six sets of sports clothes?"

Mika asked without hesitation.

Trilence didn't seem to mind and prepared the clothes for Mika.

The sports clothes included short-sleeved shorts, long-sleeved tops, and long pants, and the uniforms were also included in a mountain of clothes.

"Can I take these now?"

"Yes, you can. I've finished the explanation, so you're free to do as you please."

"Okay, thank you. Rimrische, nice to meet you."