Having aced the exam (by rewriting the curriculum), Arthur was assigned his dormitory.
The Academy dorms were separated by rank. As a Duke's son, Arthur was in the "Gold Tower." However, the school believed in "humility."
Arthur opened the door to Room 304.
It was a stone cell. Two narrow cots with thin mattresses (straw). A single, drafty window. A wooden desk that wobbled.
"Unacceptable," Arthur stated instantly.
Behind him, a skinny boy with messy brown hair and glasses stood holding a heavy trunk. He was trembling.
"Umm... hello?" the boy squeaked. "I'm... I'm Zack. I'm your roommate."
Arthur turned. [Scan Active.] [Name: Zack Miller.] [Background: Commoner. Scholarship Student. Highest scores in Mathematics.] [Current Status: Terrified of the noble.]
"Zack," Arthur said, shaking the boy's hand firmly. "You are good at math?"
"I... yes? I calculated the trajectory of a falling apple once?"
"Good. You can help me measure."
Arthur walked to the window and whistled.
Outside, three stories down, the Steam Wagon was parked. Hammerhead the Dwarf (who had come along as Arthur's 'bodyguard/mechanic') looked up.
"Hammerhead!" Arthur shouted. "Deploy the Cargo Lift!"
...
For the next hour, Zack watched in stunned silence as the stone cell was transformed.
First, the straw beds were thrown out the window (Arthur checked to make sure no one was walking below).
In came two Pendelton Twin-XL Orthopedic Mattresses with memory foam toppers. In came two ergonomic desk chairs with lumbar support. In came a mana-powered radiator (Arthur had jury-rigged a boiler system using a fire crystal). In came a rug made of plush wool to dampen the cold stone floor.
Finally, Arthur installed a small, copper machine on the desk.
"What... what is that?" Zack whispered, sitting on his new, incredibly comfortable bed.
"Espresso Machine," Arthur said, tightening a valve. "Prototype. It uses high-pressure steam to extract caffeine from ground beans. We will need it for late-night study sessions."
Arthur surveyed the room. It was now a 5-star hotel room.
"Zack," Arthur said, handing the boy a cup of dark, rich liquid. "Welcome to the Pendelton Sector. The rules are simple: Do not touch my blueprints, and flush the toilet twice."
Zack took a sip. His eyes widened. The caffeine hit his scholarship-exhausted brain like a lightning bolt.
"I can see sounds," Zack whispered.
"That is the dark roast," Arthur nodded. "Now, let's review the syllabus. I intend to automate our homework."
End of Chapter 21