It took me a solid hour until I finally finished writing the letter. And even after all this time and several different drafts, I'm not sure if I'm happy with it. It's too simple for my liking.
It reads simply.
"Dear Mom and Dad, I believe you've already been informed that I'm alive and well. And I have since made it to Oridalis Academy."
"Just in time to take part in the last exam of the year."
"And despite struggling and failing to keep up with other students, I have been chosen to become a student at Oridalis Academy. In the prestige class, no less."
"This was largely thanks to the whims of the headmaster of the school. But regardless of that, I intend to make you proud by doing my best in school. No matter what."
That's basically all I wrote. And I wasn't happy with it. But it was the best I got. It was the best I could come up with after deliberating and thinking everything over again.
Eventually, settling on telling them the truth personally when I meet them again. Whenever that may be. "Huuu." I sigh while I fold the paper neatly in half.
Because I know if I keep rereading it, I'll eventually crumple it up and start anew. And while I had time now. There were also other things I still had to do.
Other Prestige class students probably have others do these things for them. But I had to get everything for the start of the school year by myself. Like a uniform and my textbooks.
So after I finish writing the letter, I leave my room and head towards the courier office of the school. To hand it in and make sure it gets to my parents.
Yet despite knowing where the courier office is, it takes me a good half hour to get there. Since it's near the entrance gate of the school. And that at an almost jog. Reminding me of just how huge this place is.
But at least now that I was moving around again, I didn't feel so stiff and achy from yesterday. Though my legs still protested with every step. Especially when I had to climb up and down stairs.
It wasn't bad, though. This was the growing kind of pain. And I'd gotten used to it a long time ago. So I don't complain too much. Only occasionally muttering curses to myself when I twist or turn in the wrong direction too fast.
Which happens more than once as I go to fetch my uniform. After dropping the letter off at the courier office, of course. With a crumpy-looking middle-aged lady. With frizzy brown hair and a hook-like nose.
The process was surprisingly easy. I just had to tell her my family name and show her the emblem that I was of the prestige class, and she said she'd handle the rest.
Which freed me up to head to my next stopping point. The so-called Atelier of the school. After all, you can't call the building something as simple as a storage unit or a pick-up place for uniforms. It's a lot more than that.
I'm constantly reminded that this is a school for nobles. So it doesn't just have uniforms for pursuing. The Atelier is actually more like a high-end boutique. With multiple floors and all kinds of dresses and outfits on display. As well as a workshop out back where people can make their own clothes.
Sewing, stitching, and just how to make and design clothes in general are taught here as an elective class. On top of that, what is taught is different based on the season outside. So you can always be fashionable and trendy.
This comes as a surprise to me. I didn't think nobles would engage in things like this. If anything, I imagined their servants might take these classes. But they do. Plenty of them to.
And not just girls. There is a plethora of students in the boutique and coming in and out of the workshop. Talking, working, and just hanging out in general.
So caught up in doing whatever they are doing, I'm hardly even noticed. The few people who do notice me just shake their heads disdainfully before going back to doing what they are doing.
While I, in the meantime, just walk around confused for a while. Until I see someone who appears to be staff of the Atelier. A young man in his twenties. With an average build. Clean-shaven face and wearing simple, ornament-free robes.
What gives him away is that the robes are so perfectly tailored that they almost seem like he was born with them on. "Hi. I'm here to pick up a uniform." I explain while showing him my emblem. "Can you help me?"
He seemed a little surprised at my question. I thought maybe because I was being polite. Or maybe because he doesn't actually work here. But I'm proven wrong on both accounts."And you come now? You are aware that school starts in two days, right? How am I supposed to tailor you a whole new uniform in just two days? I don't even have your measurements yet." As it turns out, what had him look so baffled was my terrible timing.
But my words placate him. "Well. I mean. I only learned today that I'll be a student. Soooo. Sorry." At least somewhat. "Ohh. So you took the last exam. I see. Then come. Follow me. We have no time to waste." He replies before he ushers me into a separate room in the back of the atelier.
A measuring room. Where he obviously intends to measure me and make me a whole new uniform. "Hold on. I don't need anything tailor-made for me. I'm sure you have some spare uniforms lying around that would fit me, right?" But I stop him with raised hands.
Telling him that I don't need anything special or fancy. As long as it was a uniform that fit me, I'd be fine with it. "Oh, and maybe some spare workout clothes if you have any. All my stuff was lost in the airship crash."
I could tell he wanted to protest. Probably about a prestige class student being fine with hand-me-downs. But his words caught on his lips as he heard me talk about the airship crash. At which point I could see the gears turning in his head. "Oh. I've heard of you." He mutters with his hands on his hips. "Everyone has been talking about you. Negatively." The information he shares makes me chuckle and shake my head.
"Yeah? I can imagine. I only got accepted as a student because of the whims of the headmaster. Not based on my own merit. I would have failed if it weren't for him. So I understand that everyone is mad at me." Funnily enough, what I thought he heard was not what he was actually referring to.
I could see as much. Confusion and shock clouded his face at my words. But soon he shook it all off to focus back on what's important. "It doesn't matter how you got accepted. A lot of people get into this school through things that can't be considered their own merit." That is not exactly unbelievable, so I just shrug my shoulders and nod along.
"But even so. The fact that you are a prestige class student remains. So I won't let you run around in second-hand clothing. I will make you new clothes. Stand over here and stretch your arms out." I'm a tad surprised at his understanding and acceptance of the situation. Yet, despite this, it seems he won't let me run around as I please. As is expected of an eccentric who loves his work. Which he clearly does.
So I just sigh and do as he says. Letting him take my measurements while we talk about this and that. "So. What's your name?" I ask while he is handing me fabrics to choose from for my uniform.
"Hmm. Oh. My name is Jorvan Tyrellis." With his introduction over, I, of course, feel the need to also introduce myself. "Nice to meet you, Jorvan. I'm Daniel Blackwell. Feel free to call me Daniel or Dani." Any displeasure or annoyance he might have felt at me going right to a first-name basis is gone when I invite him to do the same with me.
The atmosphere is a little easier now that we both know a little more about who we are dealing with. The conversations are flowing a lot smoothly between us as we discuss what kind of uniform I want.
Though I feel like my insistence on keeping things simple seems a bit annoying to him. However. In the end, he agrees with my choices, and we settle on a simple uniform design in the typical colors.
The fabric I chose is airy and light to make it easy to move around in the uniform. Which is something I hadn't considered if it wasn't for his words.
We also settled on him making me just three uniforms instead of the usual five that almost all students have. Since the fabric didn't stain easily and was simple to wash.
It also let him use the rest of the fabric I had chosen to make me some workout clothes. As well as some for just leisure. Everything is still keeping the same simple, ornament-free design I asked for for my uniform.
"Since this is such a simple job, I will have everything ready by tomorrow. If you just give me your room number, I-" Jorvan starts before I cut him off with a wave of my hand. "Nah, I'll come pick it up myself. Just tell me when."
He tilts his head and thinks for a moment. "Come by at six in the evening." I nod and give him a little playful salute before I turn around and walk out.
Not empty-handed, mind you. He did give me some spare clothes that were just lying around anyway. Just so I had something decent to wear until my new clothes were ready.
It was just two plain shirts, a pair of dress pants, and some brown leather shoes. But at least with this, I would no longer stick out as much. My fur boots and crummy clothing have been drawing unwanted attention since I got here.
Even after I washed them in the bathtub on the first day. They had gone through a lot, after all. And now they were finally allowed to rest. Because I do go and get changed right away before heading to my next stop.
Which is, of course, the library. Where I walk past the cafeteria and think about going in for a moment. Since it's already well past noon. But since I ate such a hearty breakfast, I don't feel hungry.
So, instead, I go grab my textbooks next. To finish off everything I need to do before the first day of school in one fell swoop. So I can have the next two days off.
Getting the textbooks was also super easy. Even easier than handing in my letter with the couriers. Because I've been to the library multiple times before. So I knew where I needed to go to get my books.
It was more difficult to get the books back to my room. If I hadn't brought along my backpack, I would have definitely needed two trips. But I always think ahead.
`Yeah. For the dumbest shit. Not when it actually counts.` Since I've been busy the whole day, I haven't had much time to really think about everything. Sure, I spent an hour just thinking about what to write to my parents.
But that was different now. Now I was lying down in my bed. Staring up at the ceiling of the bed without anything to do. Nothing important anyway. So I really had time to think.
For perhaps the first time since coming to this world, I had nothing important to do and nothing important to think about. Everything I could do could wait for the first time.
`What about working harder than everyone else, though?` It's then that I remind myself of the promise I made. So I get up with a little groan. "Ah."
To do something. Just something. But the promise wasn't the only reason I wanted to do things. There was also something else going on that made me want to look for something to distract me.
It wasn't something that had happened for the first time now. But for the first time, I would have had the actual time and privacy to do something about it. It's something teenage boys deal with a lot.
I know because I was once a teenage boy myself. So I know how to deal with random horny thoughts and surprise boners. `It's all just a sign of boredom anyway. So let's go do something. Anything. To distract me from the unwanted needs of this body.`
However, since my body is still sore from yesterday, I decided to sort through all the books I got and read a little. To get a feel for what each subject is about.
Sure. The documents already had a list of all the subjects of the year. Mana Control Techniques. Focus & Visualization II. Runes II. Circlecraft II. Runic Syntax II. Elemental Principles I. Anatomy for Mages. Spellcraft I, and last but not least, Alchemy & Arcane Chemistry.
Fittingly for a school of nobles with education that was probably tailor-made for exactly these subjects. Most of the subjects sounded advanced. And once I checked the documents over, I saw that the foundational class seemed to have almost all the same subjects.
Except theirs seemed to be the introductory versions of the ones that are going to beat my ass. "Great." I sigh deeply at the list and the books before me. "I thought after the exam I wasn't going to get my ass beat as badly anymore. But it seems like this is only the beginning."
I mutter while opening the first book on the list. Mana Control Techniques. And then I started reading. Until it was time for bed.
And that was pretty much everything I did for the next two days. So once school starts, I'm not completely caught with my pants down about every subject in this school.