Chapter 142: Identity of the Villain (3)
Another new day has begun.
At 6 a.m., the students wake up to the sound of the wake-up call and head to the field in front of the dormitory building.
The field is divided in half, one side for won and one side for n. All wearing gray sweats.
They follow the gymnastic movents of the instructor standing at the front, shaking off the last of their sleep into the cold early morning air.
Afterward, when the exercise is over, the students disperse.
So go back to sleep to catch up on their sleep, so head straight to the bathhouse, and so head straight to the dining hall.
For the girls, so head straight for the long process of applying makeup.
The academy's baths are quite large and well-equipped, with cold, hot, and even a sauna.
After passing through the locker rooms slling of pungent foot odor, a dip in the hot water and the early morning chill in the air would not only help you sleep, but also revive your appetite.
As roommates, Vikir and Piggy headed straight for the bath after gymnastics.
"Ugh, the air is so cold at this ti of day. Please don't make
do early morning gymnastics, I think my brain could use a little more sleep at that hour...."
Piggy, a morning person, grunts like his entire body is falling apart during every gymnastics session.
Vikir comforts him as he heads to the bathhouse.
Two people see them and wave to them.
They were Tudor and Sancho, who were also sharing a room.
"Hey, Vikir and Piggy. You ca straight to the bathhouse again today."
"Yeah. I co right after gymnastics so the showers are free. We have to wait in line for the showers after breakfast."
Tudor and Sancho follow Vikir to the showers and get into the hot water.
"What are you guys going to do after your bath, eat right away?"
"I don't have an appetite today, so I'm skipping it. I'm going straight to the lecture hall to catch up on my assignnts."
"I'm going to sleep a little longer and eat just before the cafeteria closes. That way I can eat a lot of leftovers. What's the side dish today, anyway?"
Piggy, Tudor, and Sancho are deep in discussion about what to do with their morning.
That's when Vikir chis in.
"I'm going straight for the food."
It's always the sa pattern for Vikir.
He doesn't change his plans based on other people's schedules and always walks his own way.
Piggy, Tudor, and Sancho thought for a mont before nodding.
"I guess I'll go eat, then."
"Hmm. Now that I think about it, I'll be hungry until lunch if I skip it. I should eat too!"
"Right. You're going to eat right away, and I'll join you. Rice tastes better together."
Vikir's consistent lifestyle was quickly becoming a standard for his friends.
Whether consciously or unconsciously.
At exactly ten minutes, Vikir got out of the tub, showered, and left the bathhouse.
Piggy, Tudor, and Sancho did the sa.
Tudor shook his head as they left the bath.
"That's weird."
"What?"
Sancho asked, and Tudor smirked.
"That Vikir guy. When you're with him, you naturally stand next to him."
"Is that so?"
"It is. It's like you're looking at a big brother, or an older brother. Is it because I don't have an older brother in the house?"
"Yeah. He's always moving like a machine. I think it's good that we move together because it keeps
on track. It's sothing to emulate."
"I'd like to get to know him a little better, but he's a bit stiff. He doesn't let go easily."
"Ti will tell, we'll be seeing each other for the next four years."
It was the sa for Piggy, who was listening to Tudor and Sancho's conversation.
'Vikir is amazing.'
Tudor, a highly retarded mber of the Don Quixote family, and Sancho, a scholarship student from the Northern rcenary Guild, both want to get to know him first.
He even studies well and is popular with the girls.
He's even kind enough to help soone who was struggling in a talent show.
Piggy thought he was lucky to be roommates with soone like that.
'I should be a good roommate to make Vikir feel lucky to have .'
Just as Piggy was saying to himself.
"Hey. Piggy."
Vikir, walking at a steady pace in front of him, suddenly stops and looks over.
Tudor and Sancho, who were walking next to him, also stopped and looked back.
"Ugh, huh?"
Piggy asked, a little confused, and Vikir gestured toward him.
"Why are you coming from behind like that. Walk a little faster, we're supposed to be working on our morning class assignnt together."
Vikir said, glancing to his side.
Suddenly, Piggy's face lit up.
"Yeah! I'll go! My leg hurt for a second...."
"Your leg? Did you hurt it?"
"No! It doesn't hurt now!"
Piggy rushed over and stood next to Vikir with a look of pride on his face.
Then Tudor and Sancho say sothing to Piggy, too.
"Did you hurt your leg in gymnastics? Where does it hurt?"
"Small injuries should not be taken lightly. I'll give you so of the herbal juice I brought from the north. It's a salve that even works on broken bones."
Piggy smiled brightly at his two new friends' concern.
Sothing sprouted in Piggy's chest, an unfounded confidence that he could make it through the next four years.
* * *
Later, after bathing, they went to the dining hall for breakfast.
Bread and cereal, grilled corn and pineapple, and so blanched vegetables.
There are also sausages, chicken, fried eggs, and grilled octopus legs, but few people eat a full breakfast.
There wasn't as much separation between boys and girls as there was in the cafeteria, but first-year boys and girls generally sat far apart.
After breakfast, Vikir headed straight for the lecture hall.
Piggy, Tudor, and Sancho walked beside him, side by side.
Then.
Tudor suddenly stopped walking and called out to Vikir.
"Huh? Wait a minute. Hey, Vikir, this is the way to the main staircase, and we can't go there because it's only for professors and fourth years!"
"...."
That was sothing Vikir already knew.
Except.
'I'll have to find the least traveled way out of the academy at night so we can use it to get back in.'
As a matter of strategy, Vikir had checked out every single passageway in every single building in the academy.
As a result, even though it was early in the sester, he had a pretty good idea of the layout of the Academy's buildings.
Of course.
"Beep, freshman, why are you taking the central staircase?"
It also put him at a huge disadvantage in terms of his lifestyle score.
Then, the face of the person who had warned Vikir drew closer.
Dolores Rune Quovadis. The student council president had spotted Vikir and given him a detention.
When Dolores recognized Vikir's bushy bangs, horn-rimd glasses, and face, she placed her hands on her hips in wonder.
"Vikir. Is it you again?"
"I'm sorry, ma'am. I'm a stray."
"This central staircase is where the professors and seniors do their research. How many tis have I told you that it's off-limits to freshn, not only because it's supposed to be quiet, but because there are many experintal areas that are classified or downright dangerous?"
"I'm sorry."
"There's no such thing as a junior in the club, it's a derit."
Dolores wrote down Vikir's derits and the reasons for them in her magic journal.
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