Once the monorail had been stabilized and cleared for operation, it resumed its route without further incident. The return trip was quiet, the earlier tension replaced by exhaustion. It didn't take long before they reached the coastal dormitory Takumi and Lyss had originally been headed toward.
Takumi stepped off and paused, taking in the structure rising above the water.
"I guess the Institute has the budget for something like this," he remarked, running a hand through his hair as he studied the building's scale and design.
Lyss glanced at the exterior with familiarity. "This is the only off-campus dorm they maintain at this level," she explained. "The others are functional, but nothing like this."
Lyss inhaled deeply before continuing. Her posture showed a slight hesitation, which Takumi noticed right away.
With deliberate word choice, she stated, "Just so you know, the dorm council here can be… intense." Although it's not personal, she is strict. She simply anticipates appropriate behavior from others. Try to be prepared for that, then."
Lyss grabbed the handle and turned it after that warning was given, unlocking the door and then pushing it open. Takumi knew exactly what she had meant the instant the entrance gave way.
The door opened, and Takumi immediately understood the warning.
The lobby was spotless—almost aggressively so. Desks aligned perfectly. Shoes arranged with painful symmetry. Not a single paper out of place.
At the center of that rigid order stood the dorm council president.
Blonde hair framed her face in sharp layers, red-tinted glasses resting low on her nose as golden eyes flashed over the lenses. A cropped crimson jacket draped over a dark fitted top, layered with belts and metal accents that made her look less like a student and more like someone who ran the building by force of personality alone.
And beneath her boot was another student.
A first-year lay face-down on the polished floor, still clutching a glowing handheld console while she pressed her heel into his back.
"Homework!" she snapped. "Done or not done?!"
"I—I was about to finish—!"
"About to?!" she shot back instantly. "Since when does 'about to' mean completed?!"
She bent down, ripped the console from his hands, and shut it off in one clean motion.
"You've got time to grind levels for three hours," she continued sharply, waving the device in front of him, "but when it's algebra, suddenly you're exhausted?!"
"I just needed a break—!"
"A break?!" she barked. "From work you didn't even finish yet?! That's not a break, that's avoidance!"
Takumi stood quietly near the entrance, hands tucked into his pockets, observing the scene with a calm, unreadable expression.
Across the room, the dorm council president adjusted her red-tinted glasses with deliberate composure, while the boy beneath her boot glanced up toward Takumi.
The first-year looked small and thoroughly defeated—messy brown hair falling over wide amber eyes behind thin round glasses. He wore a simple dark pullover that hung loosely on his frame, sleeves slightly pushed up as if he had been trying to look productive moments earlier. His posture screamed guilt; shoulders hunched, expression caught somewhere between panic and embarrassment.
"Um—" the boy started, but the word died in his throat.
The council president had already removed her foot and straightened to her full height, adjusting her glasses before folding her arms. The shift in her posture was immediate—less explosive, more controlled. She stepped toward the entrance with measured composure, the earlier shouting replaced by a cool, assessing calm.
Her golden eyes moved over Takumi from head to toe, studying him openly.
"I like your style," she said after a moment, tone steady but edged with confidence. "You've got presence. Handsome, composed. Mozen wasn't exaggerating."
She tilted her head slightly, then gestured lazily over her shoulder.
"Unlike that achievement-hunting raccoon back there."
The first-year had already pushed himself up from the floor, brushing off his pullover without much urgency. He didn't look frightened—just mildly inconvenienced, as if this had become routine.
"Raccoon? Seriously?" the brown-haired boy muttered as he stepped forward, retrieving the books he had left on the end table.
"You could at least introduce me properly to the new guy," he added, sounding more mildly offended than hurt. He carried his books over and dropped into a seat at the dining table, opening one with a resigned sigh.
"You can handle introductions later," the woman said evenly. "I'm Cinder Helsion. I teach at the Institute, and I oversee this dorm." Her gaze returned to Takumi—measured, assessing, but not hostile. "I've been told you have an unusual ability. Something about absorbing anomaly residue. Is that accurate?"
While she spoke, Takumi took in the space around him. The dorm's main area was surprisingly open—an expansive living room that blended seamlessly into the dining area and reception desk. A wardrobe lined one wall, and a pair of sofas faced a television, with a gaming console resting beneath it. Despite the earlier chaos, the place felt structured, almost staged.
"Lyss."
Cinder shifted her attention.
Lyss reacted instantly, straightening with her arms drawn close to her sides, a bead of sweat forming at her temple. "Yes, ma'am?!" she answered, voice tight.
Cinder paused, mildly puzzled. "There's no need for that tone," she said calmly. "I just need you to show Takumi around. I would handle it myself, but I have faculty work to complete upstairs. I'll be in my office for most of the evening. Please try not to interrupt unless it's necessary."
"Of course, ma'am!" Lyss replied quickly, catching herself before she overdid the formality again.
Cinder turned toward the staircase with quiet confidence. "Make sure he's settled into his room once you're finished. And keep an eye on Timotheo."
Her gaze shifted toward the brown-haired boy seated at the dining table.
"I'd prefer not to see his study session mysteriously turn into something else."
Timotheo lowered his head slightly and flipped a page with exaggerated focus.
A brief silence settled over the open room once Cinder disappeared upstairs. Lyss exhaled quietly, some of the tension still lingering in her posture.
Takumi glanced at her and spoke after a moment. "She's… interesting." He didn't elaborate. Being introduced to the dorm's council head in that manner hadn't been what he expected.
Lyss gave a faint, uneasy smile. "She's strict, yeah. But she genuinely wants people to do well. That's kind of her thing." She rubbed her arm absentmindedly. "Still… she can be terrifying. I'm starting to understand why Theo volunteered to head back to the academy so quickly."
Takumi didn't look particularly unsettled.
"I kind of like her," he admitted.
Lyss's eyes half-lidded with tired disbelief. "Of course you do," she muttered. "You've got a talent for that."
She straightened and brushed off the moment. "Anyway, let's get moving. I'll show you around the dorm now. Tomorrow, I can give you a proper tour of the campus."
To be continued...