Upon finally finding his room, Samael quickly stepped inside.
But instead of exploring the place — which consisted of nothing more than a single bed and a dresser with a study desk — he closed the door behind him and leaned his back against it.
His body slowly slid down until he hit the floor.
He sat there, hugging his knees.
The same position.
Earlier that day, it had started like this — still in his male form — inside the decaying house his mother had left behind.
And now…
The day ended the same way.
But inside the Awakened Academy.And in a female body.
— This world is so harsh… — he murmured weakly. — And so cold.
He took a deep breath, trying to suppress the tightness in his chest.
— When I was reading… everything seemed so easy… — he continued. — Now all I want is to disappear.
Exhaustion won before any tears could fall.
Leaning against the door, still hugging his knees, Samael fell asleep just like that — dreaming of days he desperately wished would return.
What a shame.
He could not go back to the past.
The next morning, at seven o'clock, he woke up already in his male form.
The discomfort from the position he had slept in was what woke him.
— Was that… a dream? — he murmured to himself, as if hoping it had been.
But his body didn't lie.
He stretched slowly and took a deep breath.
Be strong, Samael.Be strong.
His gaze fell on the bathroom door.
He decided to take a hot shower, trying to relax.
The water slid down his body, its sound filling the silent room. Steam spread through the air, carrying the faint scent of soap.
It had been so long since he'd taken a truly hot shower.
It was so relaxing he could've stayed there all day.
Unfortunately, he had classes to attend.
After leaving the shower, hunger hit him hard.
On top of that, he still needed to take his measurements for the uniform and choose his classes. At least in that regard, he had no doubts: he would follow the combat course.
As a former legacy, he possessed at least a basic education.
Or so he thought.
Because he had forgotten one important detail.
He had enrolled in the Awakened Academy with a female body.
And his dormitory was located in the female sector.
When he stepped out of his room, he found several girls chatting animatedly in the hallway.
No boys.
The conversations stopped one by one.
And within seconds, every gaze turned toward him.
After all, a boy coming out of a room in the female sector wasn't something you saw every day.
When Samael realized the sudden attention, panic struck him like a blow.
Nausea rose.Cold sweat ran down his skin.His breathing grew short.His heart raced.
His first instinct was to run.
If he stayed there, he felt like something inside him would break.
And when he started running down the corridor…
Female screams echoed behind him.
After running for several minutes, Samael finally stopped.
The corridor he found himself in was narrow and apparently deserted. Not a soul in sight.
He bent forward, resting his hands on his knees, breathing deeply — or trying to. The air didn't seem to reach his lungs properly.
— Why does everything in this world feel like it's against me…? — he murmured, his voice trembling. — Is it such a terrible crime… for me to be alive?
The words escaped before he could stop them.
He felt something inside him give way.
— I started with so many expectations… — he continued, swallowing hard. — And this world makes sure to crush every single one of them.
The ceiling felt too low.
The walls… seemed to slowly draw closer, as if the corridor were shrinking in real time.
His heart beat wrong.Too fast.Out of rhythm.
His breathing spiraled out of control — short, irregular.
Even his own body felt like it was turning against him.
That was the sensation.
As if the entire world had become his enemy —and his body was just another weapon determined to break him.
Samael clenched his fists.
And for the first time since arriving in that world, he felt himself standing on the edge of something dangerous.
Not an attack.Not an enemy.
But a collapse.
Elsewhere in the academy
— I hope this is really important enough to interrupt my breakfast — commented a professor with long black hair and a sleepy expression.
She wasn't a dazzling beauty, but she was still an Awakened — and that alone made her beautiful. She came from a legacy clan of some prestige.
— Professor, a pervert entered the female dormitory — said a hurried student. Judging by her expression, it seemed genuine.
— Who would be stupid enough to walk out of the female sector in broad daylight? — she grumbled.
She activated her dormant tracking-type ability and quickly located the "pervert."
He was curled up in a corridor, completely alone.
He didn't seem to be hiding.
Just… broken.
That intrigued her.
She decided to go alone.
As she walked, she passed agitated students talking about the incident. She heard rumors about a new female student — they said she was crazy, that she defended traitors of humanity.
The words were cruel.
Extremely cruel.
Most of them were lies, but that didn't make them any less sharp.
People knew how to be cruel when they wanted to.
Finally, she reached him.
— Hey, kid — she called out.
The boy flinched at the sound of her voice.
He slowly lifted his head.
Tears were streaming down his face.
She recognized him immediately.
She had seen him years ago.
And she hadn't had a good impression of him back then — his behavior had been unpleasant.
But now…
Now she saw no trace of that boy.
Only someone hurt.Exhausted.Afraid.
— Hey… are you okay? — she asked, for the first time, with genuine concern.
He looked like he might collapse at any moment.
Samael raised his eyes to her.
And, between sobs, whispered:
— Help me…