Ethan stepped quietly back into the dorm, letting the door close with a gentle click behind him. His fingers still tingled faintly with the remnants of mana, the echoes of a new spell humming sowhere deep in his core like a low, satisfied sigh.
He felt... lighter. Not just in his limbs, but in his chest too. Like sothing had cracked open, and the weight of fear and doubt was bleeding out slowly.
"Whoa—what the hell?"
Kai’s voice cut through the early quiet, and Ethan looked over to see his roommate sitting up in bed, hair sticking out in every direction, one eye squinting suspiciously.
"You’re awake?" Kai rubbed his eyes. "You’re up early? The world has ended."
Ethan blinked. "Good morning to you too."
Kai tilted his head. "Wait—you weren’t in bed. Where were you?"
"I just stepped out for a bit."
Kai squinted harder. "At sunrise? You went to the washroom or sothing?"
Ethan hesitated. "...Sure. That’s exactly it."
Kai snorted. "Fair. Can’t knock nature."
Ethan chuckled lightly, walking toward his side of the room. "Actually, I, uh... kind of forgot where the bathhouse is."
Kai stared for a second. "You’ve been here a whole week."
"Yeah. Not exactly been exploring."
"Right." Kai stretched his arms above his head with a dramatic yawn. "Fine. I’ll show you. Aiden!"
A muffled groan answered from the next bed over.
Kai didn’t wait. He picked up a nearby pillow and smacked it directly into Aiden’s sleeping face. "Ti to rise, oh delicate flower of the storm."
Aiden’s hand shot up, catching the second swing. "If you hit again, I’ll put a sleep rune under your pillow that never deactivates."
"That’s a risk I’m willing to take."
Aiden groaned and sat up, rubbing his face. "What ti is it?"
"Ti for a soak," Kai said, already rifling through the closet for fresh towels. "Ethan here’s finally asking for help like a real person. That ans bathhouse bonding."
"...You’re too chipper."
"You say that like it’s new."
Within a few minutes, the three of them were dressed in loose robes and towels slung over their shoulders, shuffling down the dim morning hallway toward the bathhouse located on the male side of the dormitory complex.
The bathhouse was part of the academy’s original structure—built with polished stone, wood beams, and enchanted lighting that gave it a soft, golden warmth. Steam drifted lazily from the archway ahead, and the scent of clean water and herbs floated out like a welco mat.
They entered the changing room first—quiet and still mostly empty.
Kai tossed his towel onto a nearby bench. "Alright. Robes off, modesty down, egos aside."
"I’m not modest," Aiden said, already pulling his tunic over his head. "I’m just not awake."
Ethan laughed, slower to change, but followed suit. He wrapped his towel securely around his waist and followed the others into the bathing area proper.
The heat hit imdiately—thick, humid, soothing.
The main pool was a wide basin carved from dark marble, filled with steaming water that shimred with light-blue runes glowing faintly beneath the surface. The room was spacious, ringed by decorative pillars and lined with magical sconces that kept the light soft and ambient.
Several other students were already there—so lounging in the shallower ends, others subrged to their shoulders, heads tilted back with blissful expressions. A few nodded in greeting as the trio entered, but no one spoke much.
Kai walked confidently to one end and dropped into the water with a loud, satisfied groan.
"Gods, I’ve missed this."
Aiden followed with a little more grace, sinking slowly and exhaling. "Better than that wind-rattled shower enchantnt in our room."
Ethan stepped in last, the heat wrapping around his legs, climbing steadily up as he lowered himself. His muscles, tight with tension from the morning’s revelations, slowly started to unwind.
The water was near perfect—hot but not scalding, laced with faint mana that tingled against his skin like a gentle current. He leaned back against the curved edge of the pool, let his head fall back, and for a mont, forgot everything else.
No system prompts. No deadly exams. No fate.
Just warmth.
Kai leaned over, resting his arms on the edge near Ethan. "So? Worth it?"
"Yeah," Ethan said, closing his eyes. "This is nice."
"No," Kai said. "This is legendary. This is what we fight for. Baths like this, naps after, and als that don’t try to kill you."
Aiden, ever the realist, added, "Enjoy it. It’ll be chaos again soon. There’s always sothing around the corner."
"True," Ethan murmured, "but... right now, this is good."
And it was. For the first ti since waking up in this world, he wasn’t worried about being behind. He wasn’t obsessing over exams or enemies. He wasn’t wondering whether or not the world would kill him just for being here.
He was just... here.
And that, sohow, made everything easier to bear.
They stayed a while. Just enough ti to loosen their joints, let the steam work its way into tired limbs, and forget the long road ahead—if only briefly.
Eventually, the quiet rhythm was broken by the low chi of a nearby mana orb flickering three tis—a dorm-wide reminder that morning announcents would start soon.
Kai groaned. "We just got relaxed."
Aiden was already climbing out. "Better than being late."
Ethan followed, towel wrapping around him again as he stepped onto the stone. He hadn’t realized how much he needed this until now. His thoughts felt clearer. His breath easier.
They returned to the changing room, quickly drying off and slipping back into their uniforms. The academy robes were sleek, fitted just enough to feel formal but loose enough for movent. White trim marked them as first years, with personalized detailing beginning only in later terms.
Ethan adjusted his collar in the mirror, catching his reflection in the glass.
He looked... more alive than he rembered.
Still himself. But lighter.
He didn’t say much as they left the bathhouse and began making their way toward the central plaza, where announcents were held each morning. The sun had crept higher now, flooding the courtyard with golden light.
Students gathered ahead—hundreds of them, scattered in small cliques and friend groups, talking softly as the staff prepared the stage.
Ethan slowed a step, letting the others move ahead slightly.
He took in the morning breeze. The warmth of clean skin. The knowledge of a secret strength waiting inside him.
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