Knight Dormitory
In April, I moved from my old dorm to the Knight Dormitory.
In the General Studies Department, dorm rooms were assigned based on family rank, but in the Knight Department, rooms are assigned without regard to status. Of course, it’s still divided by gender.
There are two Knight Dormitory buildings—the East Wing and the West Wing—and the women’s dorms are on the third floor of the West Wing. The women’s bathhouse and bathrooms are on the same floor. The cafeteria is on the first floor and shared by everyone. There are two daily menu options, and as long as you go during the set mealtime, you can eat freely. After dinner hours, the cafeteria apparently turns into a bar. Not that I can drink yet.
My room for the next four years is a corner room, and next door is Belle. There aren’t many girls, so we each have a private room, but the boys’ rooms are shared—two to four people per room—and except for the senior year, they reshuffle every year regardless of class.
The room was plain—just wooden floors, a closet, a bed, and a desk. I stored the bed and desk in my storage, took out a cleaning set, and gave the place a good scrub. Then I put up curtains and laid down a soft, fluffy long-pile rug. I brought the bed and desk back out, then placed a short-legged table in the center. Near the entrance, I set up a small shoe rack. My room was done. No shoes allowed in here.
“Dimension. Thanks for waiting~”
From the Dimension Room, I brought out Pearl and Rosso.
(Oh my, what a cute room.)
(Yeah, yeah, it’s really sunny too~)
Since I’m a registered Tamer, I’m allowed to live with Pearl and the others. Still, Pearl’s in puppy size for now.
Knock knock knock. “Joan, you in?”
“Belle? Come in.”
Click. “Whoa, so cute!”
“Ah, take your shoes off before you come in. Sit down, sit down.”
I took Ripple Tea and cookies out of my storage.
“Ehehe, thanks. Joan, you’re just the same as always, even here.”
“Eh? Really? I’m nervous, you know.”
(Doesn’t look like it to me.)
(Joan gets nervous?)
“Hey, Rosso, that’s harsh! … Ah, I made lunch boxes for us—with Ken and the others… Ta-da!”
I took out a two-tiered lunch box.
“Wow, that looks delicious.”
Inside were rice balls, fried chicken, rolled omelets, sausages stir-fried with ketchup, and burdock kinpira, among other things.
““((Let’s eat!))””
“The dorm entrance ceremony starts at the third bell, right?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“Mmm… such a pain. I just wanna nap like this.”
“I know~ But we have to go, right~? …Even though I don’t wanna…”
“Right~”
(Hey, you two. If you lie down right after eating, you’ll turn into orcs, you know?)
Pearl scolded us as Belle and I lay sprawled out on the rug. Still the big-sister type as always. Meanwhile, Rosso had already fallen asleep on the bed.
＊＊＊＊＊
There are fifty-two first-year students in the Knight Department—the departments all start from first year. Classes are divided by grades into Class A and Class B. For reference, the Magic Department has forty-six, and the Civil Department sixty.
At the dorm entrance ceremony, aside from the first-years, the Knight Department teachers and two representatives from each year and class attend. The participating upperclassmen are the top-ranking students from each class. Naturally, from 4-A comes Vee, and from 3-A, His Highness Prince Fred.
After the department head’s long, long speech finally ended, the teachers were introduced.
“I’m Brian Walker, the homeroom teacher for 1-A. I used to be part of the Monster Subjugation Corps. If you ever need anything, come talk to me anytime.”
“And I’m the assistant homeroom teacher, Hector. I was also with the Monster Subjugation Corps. Nice to meet you.”
Both Mr. Walker and Mr. Hector used to serve under Father, and I’d met them once before at a New Year’s party.
Mr. Brian Walker had curly light-brown hair, matching eyes, and a boyish face.
Mr. Hector was short, with green hair cropped short and black eyes, and he had an easygoing, friendly smile.
After the teacher introductions, each year’s representatives were presented. Then, since there weren’t many of us, all first-years gave brief self-introductions—just names.
When the entrance ceremony ended, there was to be a welcome dinner in the cafeteria, but Belle and I were called over by Mr. Brian.
“It’s been a while, Mr. Brian, Mr. Hector.”
“Oh, glad you remembered us! You’ve grown so much.”
“Of course. It was after hearing your stories that I decided to enter the Knight Department.”
“Haha, really? Honestly, I didn’t think you’d actually come here. Still hoping to join the Monster Subjugation Corps?”
“Of course!”
“I see. Work hard, Joan. Oh, and here, everyone’s on a first-name basis. How about you, Belle?”
“M-me? I-I’m aiming for the Royal Guard.”
“I see. Shooting for Lady Lindsay’s unit?”
“N-no, no, no, that’s way too much for me.”
“Haha, yeah, she really is in a league of her own. Anyway, I’ll introduce you girls to the senior students we have now.”
He brought us into a room where two beautiful senior girls were waiting.
“On the right is Elena Diesel, and on the left is Chloe. Both are third-years. Now then, we’ve got to get ready for the dinner party, so the four of you can chat. The dinner starts at the sixth bell.”
“Oh, and feel free to use the tea set over there. Just bring it back to the cafeteria when you’re done.”
Saying that, Mr. Brian and Mr. Hector left the room.
“Alright, let’s start with introductions. I’ll go first—Elena Diesel, Class 3-A. I’m hoping to join the Royal Guard.”
Elena had long black hair tied high in a ponytail and sharp brown eyes. The Knight Department uniform was the same for men and women, and it suited her perfectly. If she and Belle’s maid Zoe stood together, they’d look straight out of a Takarazuka revue.
“I’m Chloe. I’m also in 3-A and aiming for the Royal Guard too, but since I’m a commoner, I’ll probably go for the Knight Corps instead.”
Chloe’s hair was the color of milk tea, soft and curly, tied into two bunches. Her wide dark-brown eyes sparkled brightly.
“I’m Joan Lampail. I hope to join the Monster Subjugation Corps. Please just call me Joan.”
“I-I’m Belle Burst. I-I’m aiming for the Royal Guard.”
“Joan, you’re going for the Subjugation Corps? Is that because of Brother Gene’s influence?”
“You know my brother?”
“Yes, I’ve worked with him during training exercises.”
“I see. But no, it’s not because of him. Um… Miss Elena, you’re the daughter of former Monster Subjugation Corps Commander Dominic, aren’t you?”
“Yes, that’s right. You know my father?”
“Yes. When I was little, Sir Dominic, Lady Letty, and also Mr. Brian and Mr. Hector told me stories about monster subjugation.”
“Ah, maybe that was when my parents attended that New Year’s party long ago?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“I see~ And Belle, you’re Cousin to Brother Eric, right? Why the Royal Guard?”
“Because I admire Lady Lindsay… and I want to protect my friend.”
“Friend?”
“We’re friends with Young Lady Cathy, Prince Albert’s fiancée.”
“Ah, I see. That makes sense.”
What do you think about this chapter?
