"Papa, I believe you can't do that."
Evie stared at her father—the great Baron of Caerwyn, the Legendary Tank who through his steel earned a noble title. He now sprawled flat against the cobblestones like invisible boulders had pinned him there. Not a shred of dignity remained.
"Don't worry, Evie! Papa will walk you to your dorm no matter what!" Baron Edrien wheezed, crawling forward inch by inch, stubbornly ignoring the glowing sign that read: Only Students Allowed Beyond This Point.
Students passing by stopped to gawk, some giggling and others whispered in hushed sneering tones.
"Papa, you're embarrassing me!" Evie squawked, cheeks red as fire. So much for her plan of keeping a low-profile. She did not want to attract attention to herself as much as possible her plan was to finish her three years at the imperial academy living like a shadow away from people's gazes.
Her mother chimed in "I see the headmaster finally used the enchantment spell I designed. Effective, if it can keep even you out." Baroness Elowen assessed with satisfaction. Then, turning to her daughter; "That's reassuring, at least—but one can never be too careful. Here, Evie, take this. Stick it on your door and all your windows."
She pressed glowing sheets of mana paper into her daughter's hands. Evie recognized them as protective enchantments, these were sprawled around doors and windows of Caerwyn Manor.
"I don't think this is necessary—"
"Of course it is! Oh dear, are you cold? You look cold. Here, wear this. It's hard getting sick when we're so far away from the capital" Without waiting, Baroness Elowen bundled her daughter into an enchanted cloak, enchanted threads glowing faintly.
"I'm not cold, Mother." She said trying to take off all the layers.
"And in case you have trouble sleeping, I packed your pillow from home. In case you can't sleep in your room."
She produced a plump pastel pink cushion, embroidered with sleeping sheeps.
"Mom!" Evie yelped, snatching it and immediately shoving it into her system inventory. "You should've packed it in my trunk. You're embarrassing me even more!"
Unbothered, Elowen clasped something cool and shimmering around her daughter's neck—a necklace glowing with a faint blue light.
"I packed five more of these in case you misplace one. Make sure to wear it at all times do you hear me?"
"Yes, Mother, I understand." Evie sighed, meeting her mother's gaze softened with fierce protectiveness.
Finally, Elowen exhaled and hugged her tightly. "Alright, alright—I'll go. Remember, take care of yourself, my darling."
"You too, Mother. Stay safe in Caerwyn" Evie hugged her back, her throat tight.
"Smead, the carriage," Elowen called, patting her daughter's head one last time. Her steps were firm, but inside her heart twisted with doubt—was it truly alright to let Evie go? Yet she told herself it was time.
"Mother!" Evie called after her.
Baroness Elowen turned back, half-expecting her daughter to run into her arms like she had when she was little. She knew Evie wasn't ready—this was the time to be firm—but still, she braced herself, willing to give her daughter one last hug. "Yes, darling?"
Evie pointed toward the ground.
"Please don't forget to bring Father with you."
Baron Edrien was still clawing on the ground, his effort wasted as he did not move a single inch.
"My lord!" Elowen barked, her expression sharp. "We have to return to Caerwyn at once—there's far too much work waiting for us there. Smead, to the carriage." She turned with a dramatic swish of her cloak.
"But dear I need to walk Evie to her room." The Baron said finally lifitng himself up to all fours.
"I'm sorry, I thought you were my husband—the valiant and responsible baron who had the people of Caerwyn in his heart. Clearly I was mistaken. I suppose I'll have to find him elsewhere."
With the strength of a thousand men, Baron Edrien sprang to his feet. "My wife wait!"
He swept Evie into one last crushing hug "Have a wonderful time at school, my sweet girl!". Then, releasing her, he charged after his wife, his booming cry ringing through the dormitory.
"I should probably find my room before I attract any more stares. Now... the Makiling Hall is which way again?" Evie muttered, flipping through the folded freshman guide she'd been given at the entrance. She was so focused on the confusing map that she didn't notice someone coming the other way until—thud!—she collided with a girl balancing a stack of books.
"Woah! Careful—are you alright?" The girl steadied herself, dark brown hair spilling over one shoulder, her sharp black eyes quick to scan Evie. A slender sword, sheathed at her hip.
"I'm alright! I'm so sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going." Evie bent quickly, gathering the books that had spilled across the ground.
"It's fine. Here—this one must be yours." The girl held out Evie's freshman guide with a small smile. "Freshman?"
"Yes. My name's Evie."
"Haelena. I'm in my third year," she replied pointing at the red ribbon on her collar. "Nice to meet you. Are you lost?"
"Yes, I was trying to figure out how to get to the Makiling Hall..."
"You're in luck. I live in Makiling Hall too. Come on, I'll show you the way." Haelana offered
Evie glanced at Haelena's stats through the system—a habit she'd developed both out of precaution and curiosity. The stats revealed that Haelena's highest attribute was Dexterity, followed closely by her Combat Skills and Constitution. Wisdom was notably low and Intelligence was average. Her listed affiliation was under the House of Viscount Hathira.
Then Evie's eyes drifted to the titles below:
Good Noble Daughter,
The 12 Swords of the South,
and Cursed by the Clumsy Jester.
Nothing stood out as a red flag, so Evie decided this senior didn't seem like a threat. Furthermore getting her as a guide was better than circling around the academy trying to figure out where her accommodations were.
"Thank you I'd appreciate that. At least let me help with some of those." Evie took a few books she was carrying and together they set off.
The Makiling Hall loomed grandly, its stone façade softened by pastel pink bougainvillea clung over the centuries-old walls. A sakura tree was shading a few students as they chattered along. Large, arching windows gleamed faintly, and the soft hum of magical energy emanated from within, as if the building itself were alive with the power of its students and its secrets.
As they walked inside, they passed a girl with ember hair and a sharp gaze spoke to the house mother so arrogantly "This is outrageous do you not know who I am? I cannot live in this arrangement I demand to see the head master this instance!"
"I wonder what's got her in a bunch?" Evie asked more to herself.
"That's Angelique, the daughter of the Duke of Panyita. Just ignore her—she can be a bit..." Haelana paused, searching for a polite word. "...passionate about nobility and status. This year a few freshmen from commoner families enrolled, so she's having a bit of a fit."
"Why, were commoners not allowed here before?" Evie asked, keeping pace beside her.
"Not just housing. Until about five years ago, commoners weren't admitted to the academy at all. And female commoners? That only started two years back." Haelana shot her a quick glance, her hands pressed on the hall's entrance. "So... what's your take on that?"
"My take? I don't see why it should matter. If someone has the talent, they should have the chance. The academy exists for learning after all."
Haelana's lips curved into a knowing smile. "I bet we're going to get along just fine." With a gentle push, the doors swung open to reveal the common hall.
It buzzed with lively energy. Groups of students clustered here and there, their voices weaving together in a cheerful hum. Some lounged on plush chairs near the roaring fireplace, warming their hands and sharing quiet conversations. Others hurried past, clutching brightly wrapped summer gifts. A few scribbled diligently at the desks lining the walls beneath tall windows that welcomed the soft morning light.
Moving gracefully through the crowd school maids tidy scattered books, replenished trays of refreshments, and placed vases of flower around the common room - their quiet footsteps barely audible over the chatter.
"I'm heading to my room to put these away, but if you follow this, it'll take you right to yours." She quickly scribbled Evie's name on a piece of paper, folded it into an intricate paper crane, and tossed it into the air.
The paper shimmered with a soft glow, then drifted up before Evie, hovering at eye level as if beckoning her to follow.
"Thank you very much," Evie said with a small curtsy to the helpful senior.
"No problem and Welcome to the Imperial Academy!" Haelana waved and Evie followed the direction to her room.
The small little crane lead her through corridors and stairs passing through chatter and clamor. Students darted in and out of rooms, their laughter and voices overlapping in a cheerful buzz. A few doors stood open, revealing academy maids bustling around trunks stacked in precarious towers. Across the hall, a trio of upper-years tried—unsuccessfully—to shove a grand piano through a doorway, their shrieks of frustration sparking giggles from onlookers.
Farther along, a delicate, elven-looking girl strolled past, trailed by a swirl of glowing butterflies that filled the corridor with light. Beastkins padded through tails swishing and ears twitching as they carried their belongings with ease, chatting in overlapping voices that blended like a chorus.
The little crane led her onward, fluttering up one staircase, then another, then a third. By the time Evie reached the polished door to what could only be her room, she was clutching the banister, wheezing out of breath.
"I should install a travel point here. I'm not taking those flights of stairs again." She collapsed on the soft carpet.
That's when then she noticed the ceilings were tall, trimmed with ornate molding, the windows framed with soft pastel velvet drapes. There was a bed, desk, a chair, a modest sitting room and in the center sat an enchanted trunk her mother had packed. The housemaids was able to deliver to her room.
"Alright... time to unpack." She flipped the lid open and saw the endless pit of things her mother packed. Then shut it again with a groan. "Too much. I'm too tired to unpack all of this. Let's see... Mama gave me those mana paper earlier, where are you?"
She pulled out a slip of mana-paper. At her touch, the talisman sprang to life and wobbling into the shape of a tall paper man.
"I think I'll call you Paps!"
Paps tilted its head.
"Get it cause you're made of paper?"
Paps seemed to understood her because it made a small little clap, too polite not to mock her character naming.
"Alright Paps! Let's spruce up the place to make it feel homey"
With a flimsy bow, it waddled into the magically expanded trunk and began sorting the packed items.
"If I'd known Mama knew about the System, I wouldn't have needed this giant trunk," Evie muttered.
"System Inventory!" She summoned the blue panel and started decorating her new room.
First she stored all the basic dorm items.
From her system, she summoned a four-poster, a sturdy oak dress, an expanded wardrobe, a dainty vanity and velvet pastel pink seating facing the fire place.
Paps then got to work on decorating the entire room, first on the four-poster bed it draped pastel pink silk drapes that fluttered as if stirred by a breeze, spread silk sheets and a downy comforter, then set ornate lamps on twin bedside tables. Seven plump pillows appeared—one of them Evie's cherished childhood pillow.
She hugged it tight, cheeks heating. "I can't believe Mama even packed this. Ugh, so embarrassing." Still, she set it gently at the head of the bed.
"I leave the rest to you, Paps." With a brisk nod, the paperman busied himself: neatly arranging her uniforms and dresses in the wardrobe and dresser, sliding books onto the shelves, setting mana paper with envelopes and ink across the desk, laying perfumes, powders, and a brush along the vanity, and tossing a soft knitted blanket over the velvet settee by the fire. In no time, the once-bare chamber felt warmly lived-in.
Evie discovered her room came with its own private bath. "Ooh, there's a bath too!" she exclaimed. With a flick, she swapped out the plain fixtures adding her own bathtub, a self cleaning latrine, a makeshift shower charm that imitates the flow of the waterfall and a sink with an ornate mirror.
Paps then proceeded to stock the shelves with Evie's favorite soaps and oils, the scents of sampaguita and ylang-ylang quickly perfuming the air. He added some tooth powder and a storage trunk with plush towels. It tucked a few paper talismans that summoned cold or hot water.
"Right—Mama said I have to put these up." She pressed paper talismans over her window and door, feeling the faint shimmer of the protective barrier settle in.
Then she remembered. "Oh right the box!" From her inventory, she brought out the ornate letter box Lemeric had gifted her and placed it neatly on her writing desk.
She collapsed onto her soft sofa wanting to nap, already feeling the weight of the day's travel and unpacking settling into her bones, when—knock knock knock.
Evie barely had time to drag herself out of the comforts of the plush seating when Paps opened the door and she heard a startled yelp from the otherside.
"AAAAAH!" It was Haelena's voice.
"Haelena! Are you alright?" Evie rushed out in alarm.
The paper man, completely unphased by Haelena's reaction, tilted his head at her.
Haelena blinked up at the towering figure, her expression caught between surprise and awe. "Goodness! I only came to see if you needed help unpacking—but I've never seen anything like that before. It gave me quite a start."
"Fascinating." An ice-blonde girl bobbed her head into view behind Haelena, studying the intricate mana circle etched on the paper man's wobbly body. Her expression deadpan and unafraid. The figure, not sensing any danger from the curious guest, picked her off its shoulder, gently placed her on the ground and wobbled out the way.
"Who might you be?" Evie asked after her.
"Almira! I told you not to barge into people's rooms like that." Haelana restrained her because Almira wanted to climb onto the paper figure again - curious wanting to divulge its secret. Then she said to Evie, "I'm sorry about that — this is Almira. When she sees something fascinating, she tends to lose all perspective."
"I apologize, my lady. My name is Almira." Almira bowed into a curtsy but her face remained expressionless.
"You don't have to call me that — just Evie is fine."
Almira glanced at Haelena, who answered with a reassuring nod. Almira called her informally, "Evie"
Evie opened Almira's stats, and she was shocked to see this girl had 80s and 90s scores in her attributes. She had high affinity in mana, high levels of constitution, intelligence and wisdom. Her dexterity and strength were also average.
Her Special Titles below:
Jack-of-All-Trades
Generational Talent
Blessed by Arts of Sage & Magic
Top-Scorer of Imperial Academy
Evie then realized indeed, she was in an academy for the gifted. She definitely paled in comparison to this girl.
"Well since you're done unpacking. Almira and I are headed to the Concord Grand Hall for the Welcome Banquet."