Chapter 12: The Roommate


    After leaving the garden filled with tables laden with pastries, Fulan and Fayrouz made their way to the main entrance of Ragandarok Academy. As they crossed the threshold of the brown wooden door, they were struck by the elegance of the interior. The floors were covered in pristine white ceramic tiles that seemed to gleam under the soft light. The walls were spotless, painted in a clean white, and the wooden staircases, crafted with meticulous precision, added a touch of warmth to the grandeur. The entire space was illuminated by dozens of golden lanterns hanging from the walls and ceiling, casting a warm, inviting glow.


    Despite the opulence, the atmosphere was eerily quiet. The only person in sight was a young boy, no older than nine, dressed in the same sleek black suit as the elderly butler they had met earlier. His brown hair and green eyes gave him an innocent appearance, but his demeanor was anything but childlike.


    Fayrouz approached him slowly, her voice tinged with concern. "How can they make a child like you work in such a grand place?"


    The boy, unfazed by her question, replied in a calm, almost mechanical tone. "Your room number is 037. The person behind you is in room 243. Rooms below 200 are on the right—the girls'' wing. Rooms 200 and above are on the left—the boys'' wing."


    Fulan, standing behind Fayrouz, couldn''t help but smile. "He''s good at his job, regardless of his age. Anyway, I guess this is where we part ways. We''ll see each other again during the exam. Goodbye for now."


    Fayrouz, matching Fulan''s calm demeanor, nodded and headed toward her room without another word. As she opened the door, the familiar aroma of coffee filled her senses. The room was spacious, with a narrow hallway near the entrance that housed a wardrobe and a shoe rack. Beyond the hallway, the room opened up into a cozy living space with two beds. Sitting on one of the beds was a girl with long blonde hair, her green eyes focused on the cup of coffee she was preparing.


    The blonde girl looked up slowly, her gaze meeting Fayrouz''s. For a moment, the room was silent, the only sound the gentle clinking of the spoon against the glass cup. Then, the girl spoke, her voice calm and measured. "It seems even the most prestigious academy in the world can''t afford to give each student their own room... Hello, roommate. Want some coffee? This will be the first and last time you get to drink my coffee for free, so think twice before refusing."


    Fayrouz walked to her bed, which was positioned opposite the blonde girl''s, and replied in an equally calm tone. "Students at the academy live under a strict dietary program set by the administration. What you''re doing right now is a violation of the rules, no matter how minor it seems."


    The blonde girl smiled, pulling out another glass cup. "That''s fine. Because I''m going to make you break this silly rule with me right now..."


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    Meanwhile, Fulan had reached his own room. Unlike Fayrouz, he leaned against the wooden door for a moment before sliding down to the floor, his mind racing. *''Tracking Menma particles? That''s exactly what I was missing. Now, even if I get the chance to assassinate the king of Saita, it''ll be impossible to get close to him as long as there are people who can track Menma. All my paths are blocked. The only way left is to become a high-ranking knight and earn a legitimate opportunity to meet the king. Only then can I carry out my mission...''*


    Shocking thoughts that revealed hidden layers of Fulan''s true intentions. The kind, helpful boy who acted like a brave hero was now showing his true colors. But was Fulan really the type to kill someone so easily? And not just anyone—the king of Saita itself! Who was Fulan? What was his past? If his goal was truly to assassinate the king, who had sent him? And would he really go through with it?


    The answers to these questions were shrouded in mystery, but one thing was clear: Fulan''s mission was far more complicated than it seemed. And what about Fayrouz? Had Fulan been deceiving her all along? How would she react when she discovered that his true goal was to undermine the very laws she sought to uphold?


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    As Fulan sat quietly by the door, he heard footsteps approaching. Slowly, he turned his head to see a boy about his age standing in the hallway. The boy had short, light blue hair and eyes of the same color. He wore a white shirt and black winter pants, and his eyes glowed faintly, a sign that he was ready to use his ability.


    "Finally, my roommate has arrived," the boy said, his voice calm but laced with determination. "The person I need to crush to secure my spot in the academy..."


    ---


    In this academy, every room had a narrow hallway, three meters long, with a wardrobe, a coat rack, and a shoe rack. As long as someone was in this hallway, they couldn''t fully see the room. Since Fulan was sitting on the floor, leaning against the door, he hadn''t noticed the other person in the room until he heard the footsteps.


    The boy with light blue hair stood seven meters away, his posture ready for combat. "Finally, my roommate has arrived," he repeated. "The person I need to crush to secure my spot in the academy..."


    Fulan placed his hand gently on the door, preparing to stand. "I can understand that we''re roommates and will be sharing this space, but what exactly do you mean by ''crushing me'' to secure your spot? I don''t think I''m your enemy or anything like that."


    The boy pulled out what looked like thin, black boxing gloves from his back pocket. They were sleek and delicate, almost like bandages. As he put them on, he explained, "No, it seems you don''t understand anything. But I''ll be kind and explain. Last year, the number of new students was much higher than this year''s applicants. So much so that they had to put three students in each room. Of course, this was only for the welcome day. The next day, the trio fought each other. The people who had dinner together, thinking they''d be friends or roommates for the next three years, ended up eliminating each other the very next day."


    The boy finished putting on his gloves and clenched his fists. "Let me guess," Fulan said, his voice calm. "You think they''ll repeat what they did last year and make us fight until only one of us remains to claim this room."


    The boy nodded. "I''m glad you understood quickly."


    "But there''s one thing that bothers me."


    "What is it?"


    "If we''re really going to fight tomorrow, why do you look like you''re ready for battle right now?"


    The boy raised his fists, his stance that of a professional boxer. "I don''t want to be eliminated tomorrow, no matter what. So I''ll measure your strength here. If your ability is troublesome and poses a significant threat to me, I''ll make sure to inflict critical injuries on you to ensure my victory tomorrow."


    Fulan smiled faintly. "I admire how honest you are with yourself and with me. I wish I had the courage to be as straightforward with others as you are."


    The boy remained silent, his focus unwavering. Fulan realized that the fight had already begun, and there was no turning back. The white aura around his body flared as he prepared to defend himself.


    *Crackle!!!*


    The boy with light blue hair moved like a bolt of lightning, his speed astonishing. But when it came to speed, Fulan was no amateur. He had trained to move at the speed of sound.


    The boy''s left foot shot out in a kick aimed at Fulan''s face, but Fulan reacted quickly, raising his hands to block the attack. But he didn''t just block it—he caught the boy''s foot with both hands, stopping the kick in its tracks.


    The boy''s eyes widened in shock. He had never encountered someone who could match his speed. But instead of pulling his foot back or launching another attack, he remained still.


    Fulan released the boy''s foot, his expression calm. "What''s wrong? I thought you were going to cripple me to ensure your victory tomorrow."


    The boy smiled faintly as his foot touched the ground. "There are many strange abilities in this world. Some people have disgusting powers that can make you unable to breathe with just a touch. I hate those kinds of abilities. I hate how someone weaker than me can win just by touching me. I prefer abilities that can be strengthened through hard work, like yours. You have a good ability. You deserve a fair fight against me."


    Fulan removed his shoes and placed them to the side, walking further into the room. "In short, you''re impressed by my ability and want to fight me? But you don''t even know what my ability is yet. All I did was stop your kick."


    The boy jumped onto his bed, picking up a book titled *The Theory of Life Before Menma.* "The speed at which you moved your arms is enough to tell me that you''re accelerating your Menma particles. In my entire life, I''ve never faced an opponent who could match my speed. Now, I truly hope they don''t change last year''s rules. I want you to be my opponent."


    Fulan smiled as he lay down on his own bed. "That book you''re reading..."


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