Arin sat before the small bronze mirror, watching her reflection as Irene carefully worked on her hair.
The older woman's fingers moved with slow precision, tugging and twisting the dark strands into a style that could pass for a boy's.
Arin felt herself smile.
All her life, in her old world, she'd thought her mother's coldness was normal. She'd told herself that was just how mothers were… quiet, detached, surviving. She'd respected it, even copied it.
But watching Irene now… Irene was everything the word mother should mean.
And it made Arin's chest ache a little, knowing this woman wasn't truly hers. And she had lost her real daughter.
She couldn't help but wonder if her own mother was worked up over her disappearance. She was sure she wasn't.
If she'd grown up with someone like Irene, maybe she wouldn't have turned out so emotionally… blank.
After they had finished eating earlier, Irene had finally asked what her plans were. Arin didn't hesitate, she told her.
The Imperial Academy.
It was the best way to understand magic faster, grow stronger, and find the ones responsible for Orlo's death at the confines of the Academy.
Irene hadn't wasted time. She sent Julio to fetch the academy form before the enrollment closed, and told him to bring back male clothes that would fit Arin's frame.
"Make sure the fabric is thick," she'd told him. "And loose enough to hide her hips."
"What about my chest?" Arin had asked.
"There's not much to hide," Irene had replied dryly.
Arin snorted. At least Irene and her mother had one thing in common. A knack for brutal honesty.
Still, she supposed she should be grateful. Being almost flat-chested for once was finally coming in handy. And if not, well… her face card doesn't decline in this world too.
"All done!" Irene said, sounding proud of the work she had done on Arin's hair.
Arin glanced at the mirror. With her hair bound and her jawline looking more defined, the face staring back at her looked almost convincing.
"Now, we'll need to bind your chest," Irene announced, drawing Arin's attention away from her reflection.
"It's not like I have to go now, so maybe that can wait." Arin suggested.
"No, it can't," Julio said, announcing his presence as he stepped into the room. Both Arin and Irene turned toward him.
"You're back," Irene said, walking over to him. "Did you get everything?"
"The clothes, yes. But I couldn't get the form because I was told whoever's applying has to fill it out right there and then undergo a test afterwards. If they pass, they're to resume immediately. I came back to tell you."
"That's too soon. Maybe we can wait a few days until Arin is ready before going back there," Irene reasoned, but Julio shook his head.
"This is the last day they're accepting, I'm afraid."
"Then we'll wait for the upcoming year," Irene said.
Arin shot up. She couldn't wait that long. And what were the chances that she had transmigrated into the novel at the exact time and day they were taking the last set of students for the academy for the year?
"Actually, I can go now."
Irene turned to her as though she'd just grown two heads. "I am in support of whatever you do, but you have to think strategically, my child. Going now risks you being found out. You haven't even figured out how to do your hair yourself, or how to talk like a male."
Arin had watched Irene mat her hair, so she was sure she could redo it if necessary. And as for her voice…
"My voice is not going to be an issue." she said with a bit of more baritone.
Irene's eyes widened slightly at the sudden change of voice.
"I still don't think it's a good idea," Irene muttered.
But Arin thought it was a great idea. She couldn't possibly think about what would happen if she stayed here for months, when in just a single day, Irene had already begun to soften her in ways she never thought possible.
"How about this," Arin offered. "I go there… and if I don't pass the test, I'll come back and wait for a year. At least that way I'll know what to expect."
Irene thought about it for a while before she eventually sighed and nodded in acceptance.
"We must hurry." Julio interjected.
"Come, sit, child," Irene said, motioning to Arin as she took the clothes from Julio. He exited the room, waiting outside while Irene finished the last adjustments that would make Arin look convincingly male.
***
Julio and Arin finally got to the gate of the Academy after a tiring trek. One that Julio didn't seem to find tiring at all. Probably because he already knew the route.
But Arin felt like she had just walked through a desert without water.
"This is where you leave," Arin told Julio when she noticed he was about to step inside the gate.
He turned to her. "What? I can't. I have to be here for you as your guardian."
"We can't go in together," she said, lowering her voice. "I don't want any trace that could lead them back home."
Julio opened his mouth to argue but froze, as though the thought had only just occurred to him.
"So what will you tell them? If they ask where you came from?" he asked after a moment.
"Leave that to me. Go home. Mother will need you since I'll be here."
"Don't talk like you're not coming home today, Arin. You're taking a test you might most likely fail."
Gee, thanks, Arin muttered under her breath.
"I will wait for you here, Arin. No one is going to question me standing by the gate so go on in. I'll wait."
"But if I don't come back before the sun set, I need you to turn back okay?"
"Arin, you won't pass the test…"
"Right, but just in case I happen to…"
"You won't.."
Arin stared at him like he had grown horns.
"Wait until sunset, Uncle Julio. And then leave."
Without waiting for whatever he was about to say next, she stepped through the gate.
Inside the prestigious Imperial Academy, Arin slowed her pace. The place was beautiful and lush, almost unreal. She spotted a long line of people and assumed that was where the test was happening.
When it got to her turn, she stepped inside the room. She paused at the wooden sign above the entrance that read: The Merit Tribunal
A name that definitely promised something grand.
Inside, she found three men.
One sat with a hand resting on his knee like he was posing for a painting only he could see.
The second was digging inside his bottom robe, for a snack he had apparently lost in there.
And the one in the middle… was fighting sleep. Badly.
Arin stared at them, wondering if she had been in line all that time just to enter the wrong room.
Suddenly, the one digging in his robe spoke without looking up.
"This one doesn't know how to greet his elders. Definitely doesn't fit the criteria we expect from applicants who want to join the academy."
"Mm…" the middle one agreed, eyes still closed.
Arin bowed immediately.
"Apologies, to you sirs…"
"Grand masters. It's Apologies, grand masters, and you may continue," the one with his hand on his knee interrupted.
"Apologies, grand masters. I'm not very familiar with how things are done here."
"This one is not from our kingdom. He smells… different," the one digging finally said, looking up to assess her. "What's your name, and where are you from?"
"My name is Arin. I do not have a specific home. I move around a lot, sirs—great grand masters," she quickly corrected herself.
"The school isn't here to host paupers or hand out scholarships. So if you're hoping for that, you might as well turn back now."
"No. I came here for the test. I want to try, with nothing expected in return."
"Well, you've failed. You may leave now."
Huh? When did the test even start? Arin wondered.
"Please, if you would grant me just a bit more of your time… look here…" She hurriedly rolled up her sleeves, trying to summon her spiritual veins like she had before. But it wouldn't work. She wasn't settled, and it was hard to focus her core energy.
"You can't even summon your spiritual vein? A basic requirement. Even boys at the age of ten can do this."
"That's why I'm here. I don't know how, and I wish to learn. Please…"
"Out," the one with his hand on his knee said again.
Arin sighed, stepped back, and turned.
"What did you say your name was again?" the one in the middle asked, making her whirl around.
"Arin. My name is Arin."
"Arin. If there are others outside, tell them we've closed for the year."
"Can you do one thing for me, so I can at least remember you, great masters, for your time here?" Arin asked, deciding to make use of her mundane power: manipulation.
"Halven, give the poor boy what he wants so he can leave, and I can finally take a nap," the one in the middle said to the man who had been digging for his snack.
Halven rolled his eyes, sighed, and pointed at Arin's hands, muttering a string of incoherent words under his breath. Immediately, her hands glowed with her spiritual veins.
"Good heavens!" he exclaimed, standing up.
The others followed his gaze and also stood.
Halven turned to them. "Roldar, Varyn, this is unlike anything we've seen before. Another unique heavenly spiritual vein."
Before Arin could process Halven's intrigue and words, Roldar, the grand master who had been fighting sleep earlier, spoke.
"This is not a heavenly spiritual vein. It's a dual mix—both of Heaven and… " He trailed off, eyes fixed on her glowing hands.
Realizing she now had their full attention, Arin bowed again. "I'll be on my way now, grand masters. Thank you for honoring my request."
She turned to leave but was stopped by the men.
"On second thought, you do deserve to be here in our academy."
Arin smiled to herself but as she turned, she masked her expression with a sad one.. "Now that I think about it, maybe it's not wise for me to be here. Gold and silver, I do not have…"
"You will be given a scholarship, sponsored by us…" Roldar said.
"Us?" Halven and Varyn asked in unison.
"We do not have enough money for that. I can barely buy myself enough snacks," Halven said.
"Or have myself drawn in a portrait," Varyn added.
"Yes, us…" Roldar declared, then leaned closer and whispered so only the other two could hear. "Imagine how much we'll make when we present her to the Grand Masters."
"Grand Masters? I thought you were the Grand Masters," Arin interjected.
"Yes…" they cleared their throats. "But only in this room."
"So I'm a student now?"
"Yes," they all affirmed.
There was a brief silence before Arin spoke again.
"So… what now?"
"A room! You need a room, one befitting you and the other heavenly spiritual veins. You could learn a thing or two from them to speed up your process. Come, I'll show you," Holdar offered.
Arin followed him. As they walked further into the academy, she spotted Julio peeking from the gate and smiled to herself, then refocused on Holdar.
They passed rows of students in uniforms bearing the academy crest. Everyone stared and whispered as Holdar led her upstairs. The further they went, the more impressive the surroundings became.
Arin kept her eyes peeled, searching for the three brats who had killed Orlo, but she didn't see them in the crowd.
There will be plenty of time and space to find them and plot on revenge now that I'm in, she thought to herself.
Holdar finally stopped walking. Arin looked up to see a single door at the end of the hallway. It was the only one that looked different from the others she had just passed.
"This is where you'll be staying," Holdar said, handing her a small, brass key. "Keep it safe. I'll come check on you later… if you're still alive," he muttered under his breath.
Arin blinked. "What was that?"
"Nothing. See you!" he said before dashing off.
For someone with grey hair and a beard, he sure had stamina, she thought, turning the key over in her hand.
Arin slid the key into the lock and hesitated for a heartbeat, feeling the weight of the moment. She turned it, opened the door slowly, and stepped inside. Once she was fully in, she closed it behind her and clicked the key back into the lock.
Only then did she allow herself to look around the room.
It was dark, but even through the darkness she caught sight of three gazes locked on her. They watched her the way she'd seen tigers watch their prey right before snapping its neck.
Much to her distaste, the eyes began to inch closer, and Arin's pulse spiked.
She moved back instinctively, trying to put distance between herself and whatever was coming toward her, until her back pressed against the door.
She fumbled along the wall, searching for the light switch. Her hands shook as the figures edged closer, inch by inch.
Finally, her fingers found it. She flicked it on.
Light flooded the room.
Three students stood in front of her, fully visible now.
Recognition hit her as she realized why their hair, eyes, stance, and towering height felt familiar. She had seen them in part 1 of the last episode. The final scene to be specific.
Shit, my roommates are murderers.