Eren didn't go straight to his dorm room. Instead, he unpacked his belongings, neatly arranging them in the cupboard allocated to him. After setting up his study table near the bed, he sat down, wondering what to do next. Since he had no immediate tasks, he decided to collect his academy uniform. Leaving the dormitory, Eren walked in the opposite direction. After some time, he realized he couldn't find the logistics section and decided to ask a senior for directions to avoid unnecessary trouble.
As he wandered across the academy grounds, he couldn't help but admire its architecture—towering buildings adorned with intricate carvings stretched toward the sky, each structure radiating a sense of history and grandeur. After walking for a while, he spotted a group of older students engaged in conversation. Deciding they were his best chance, he approached them.
"Greetings, esteemed seniors. Could you direct me to the logistics section?"
The group of girls stopped talking, their gazes sweeping over Eren's figure. Their eyes gleamed with amusement, like predators spotting prey for entertainment. Eren's instincts screamed that something was off, but he recalled Charlotte's words—students were not allowed to bully others in the academy. Steeling himself, he maintained an indifferent expression.
"Who are you, and what are you doing inside the academy?" one of the girls asked, her face twisting in disgust as she eyed his worn-out clothes.
Eren ignored the condescending look, trying to gauge the situation. Were they just messing with him, or were they serious? Leaving without answering could make things worse, so he decided to handle it carefully.
"Esteemed seniors, I am a new student. I arrived today and am trying to collect my academy uniform."
"A new student…?" one of the girls muttered, her expression still full of disdain.
"Didn't you attend the welcome ceremony? Why are you wandering around here?" another girl asked, her tone no less hostile.
Eren had already prepared an excuse while leaving his dorm. "The ceremony had already started before I arrived at the academy. Since I wasn't in uniform, the instructors didn't allow me to enter the hall. That's why I came to collect it first."
The girls exchanged glances before the one who seemed to be the leader scoffed. "Go ask someone else. And next time you see me, make sure to stay out of my sight."
"The same goes for us," another added. "From now on, stay at least twenty meters away from us."
Eren was taken aback, visible confusion flashing across his face. What did I even do to deserve this? Still, he didn't argue. Bowing slightly, he replied, "Yes, esteemed seniors," and turned to leave, eager to escape this bizarre predicament.
But before he could take a step, something struck the back of his head—hard. With a dull thud, he fell face-first onto the ground. Shock filled his eyes as he instinctively turned back, trying to see what hit him. To his surprise, he saw a hand—manifested from pink fire—slowly fading into the air.
Eren's gaze shifted to the girl responsible, his expression questioning. Why the hell did you hit me? Noticing the irritation on his face, the girl's expression hardened, and she spoke with a chilling tone.
"Who told you that you could talk to us now? As a fine, you have to pay 100 gold coins."
Eren blinked, confused. When did I even say anything? And why do I have to pay 100 gold coins for that? Involuntarily, he refused.
"I didn't do anything to you. Why do I have to pay? And I don't have 100 gold coins."
"What? You don't even have 100 gold coins? Then why are you even at this academy? You don't belong here."
"Hey, where are you from?" another girl asked, a smirk playing on her lips.
"I'm from Amberwood Village," Eren replied, confusion written all over his face as he struggled to understand the situation.
"Where is that backwater place?" one of them sneered. "Never mind. Just hand over whatever money you have on you." The leader of the group demanded, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Realizing that he couldn't leave without handing over the gold, Eren reluctantly took out the 20 coins Jorlen had given him and held them out.
"Don't come near me. Put it on the ground," the girl sneered.
Eren placed the coins on the ground and turned to leave, but before he could take a step, he was slammed down once again, falling face-first onto the ground. This time, he didn't bother looking back. Without hesitation, he pushed himself up and hurried away.
As he disappeared from sight, one of the girls sneered. "Is our kingdom so poor that creatures like that are allowed to attend the academy?" She laughed mockingly, and the others joined in, their laughter ringing through the halls.
Eren walked hurriedly, without any particular direction, his mind clouded with frustration. Why is this happening? Was coming here a mistake? Should I just leave? The events of the day weighed on him heavily, each humiliation pushing him closer to the edge. His mother's words echoed in his mind—Without a strong Verse, you'll only get bullied.
Thinking about his mother, his vision blurred, and before he realized it, tears had begun to well up in his eyes. He kept walking aimlessly, struggling to suppress the emotions surging inside him. When he felt warm tears rolling down his cheeks, he stopped, hurriedly wiping them away. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to calm down before finally looking around to see where he had ended up.
After a long, directionless walk, he found himself standing before a magnificent building—the academy's library.
Eren hesitated for a moment. He didn't want to return to his dorm just yet, at least not until the welcome ceremony was over. Deciding to stay in the library for a while, he stepped inside.
As he entered, an unexpected thought crossed his mind. Is this what my friends are doing right now? I came to this academy to experience life with them, but ever since I left the village, I haven't been able to stay with them at all. That realization weighed heavily on him as he pushed open the library doors.
Near the entrance, an old man sat behind the counter, his sharp gaze immediately locking onto Eren. The librarian's brows furrowed slightly at the sight of a student entering without a uniform, but he said nothing. Since the new students had already arrived, he saw no issue with a latecomer wandering in.
Eren barely acknowledged the old man, only glancing at him from the corner of his eye before stepping inside.
The moment he entered, he was mesmerized. The interior was even more breathtaking than the outside—towering bookshelves stretched toward the high ceiling, and enchanted ladders moved between them, assisting students in retrieving tomes. All around, students were immersed in books, their focus so intense that they paid no attention to anyone else.
Eren walked deeper into the library, his eyes scanning the vast collection. Ancient, tattered tomes rested alongside pristine new ones, their spines adorned with intricate designs. He eagerly browsed the titles, his curiosity pulling him from one shelf to another.
As he reached the center of the building, he noticed a woman sitting at a desk, her nose buried in an old tome. She wore spectacles, her sharp eyes flicking across the pages with deep concentration. The space where she sat seemed to divide the library into two sections.
She briefly glanced up as Eren passed, but seeing that he posed no trouble, she returned to her reading.
Eren continued moving to the other side of the towering shelves, his enthusiasm undeterred as he browsed through the books.
There were numerous tomes related to different innate flames and the verses connected to them, explaining how they functioned. Many books also detailed methods to purify innate flames and separate them from their verses—something Eren recalled Jorlen mentioning earlier.
Roaming from shelf to shelf as if searching for something in particular, Eren was actually hoping to find any book related to his innate flame or anything that could help him strengthen himself. However, every book he came across was either about verses or innate flames in general, none specifically addressing his concerns.
After scanning through half the bookshelves, exhaustion finally set in. Hunger gnawed at him, and without any success in finding what he was looking for, he decided to head to the Dining Hall for a meal before returning to the dormitory.
As he made his way toward the exit, crossing the open space separating the library hall, a voice suddenly called out to him.
"You! The one not wearing a uniform—come here," the librarian's voice rang out.
Eren's heart skipped a beat. Why is she calling me? With slight hesitation, he turned around and walked toward the desk where she sat. Once he reached her, he remained silent, merely looking at the librarian.
He had deliberately avoided asking for help while searching for books. He had considered approaching the librarian but ultimately decided against talking to anyone.
"Who are you? Why have you been roaming the library for almost four hours?" the librarian questioned, her expression stern.
Eren was momentarily at a loss for words. Everywhere I go, it's the same question, the same look… His expression shifted from innocent confusion to visible irritation.
Noticing the change in his demeanor, the librarian's own expression softened, and her tone became calmer.
"Are you a newly awakened?" she asked.
Without a word, Eren nodded.
"Where is your uniform?"
"I haven't collected it yet."
"Why haven't you collected it?"
"I don't know where the logistics section is," Eren replied.
The librarian observed him as he stood stiffly, staring at his feet. Without another word, she rose from her chair and walked toward the exit.
Eren stood there, confused. Why did she call me over just to leave? As he pondered, her voice rang out again.
"Follow me."
Reluctantly, Eren obeyed, trailing behind her as they exited the library.
Once outside, the librarian locked the doors. Maybe the library was closing, Eren thought, wondering if he had left just in time.
Without a word, she began walking along the library's outer path. Eren had no idea where they were headed, but he assumed she wanted him to follow, so he did—silently, step after step.
Eren followed behind her for more than a hundred meters, still unsure where she was leading him. After a moment, the woman finally stopped in front of a building. Eren glanced up at the sign—it read Logistics Section.
Turning to look at her, he saw her expression remain unreadable as she spoke bluntly.
"Go collect your uniform."
Eren didn't hesitate and stepped into the building.
Inside, a middle-aged man was slumped over the front desk, sleeping soundly. The sound of Eren's footsteps stirred him awake, and he slowly lifted his head, blinking at Eren.
"Esteemed Instructor, I'm here to collect my academy uniform," Eren said.
"I'm not an instructor. Call me Mr. Gerhart," the man corrected, his tone indifferent. He reached under the desk, pulled out a neatly bundled uniform, and handed it over.
Eren took it and nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Gerhart."
Without further delay, he turned and exited the logistics building.
To his surprise, the librarian was still standing outside, watching him with a slightly surprised expression. Eren walked toward her.
"Thank you, Esteemed Instructor. I've received my uniform," he said, gratitude evident in his eyes.
"I'm not an instructor. Call me Ms. Freyja," she corrected.
For the first time, Eren took a proper look at her. She appeared to be in her early twenties, with long black hair, a heart-shaped face, and a delicate button nose. She stood around 170 centimeters tall.
As Eren observed her, Mr. Gerhart suddenly stepped out of the building and walked toward Ms. Freyja. To Eren's surprise, the man gave her a polite bow before leaving. Was he waiting for her? Eren wondered.
Shaking the thought away, he turned back to Ms. Freyja.
"Thank you, Ms. Freyja. I'll head to my dormitory now."
Eren took a step forward but then halted, realizing he had no idea how to find Dormitory No. 17. He turned back to her with an awkward expression.
"Ms. Freyja, can you point me in the direction of Dormitory No. 17?"
Without hesitation, she responded.
"Follow me."
Eren said nothing and simply followed, hoping she would lead him to his dormitory.