The tables were laden with food, and the delicious aroma made Eirene's stomach twist with hunger. Yet, no matter how hard she tried, her thoughts kept circling back to the cruel murders committed by Theron Ravencrest. A heavy sadness pressed on her chest, as if she had lost someone close to her.
Noticing that Eirene hadn't touched her plate, Lily nudged her gently."Eirene, why aren't you eating? Are you feeling alright?" she asked with genuine concern.
Eirene forced a small nod and, to reassure her, scooped a little biryani rice onto her plate. Slowly, she began to eat. Seeing this, Lily relaxed a bit and returned to her own meal.
After a few quiet moments, Lily spoke again, "I've heard you've been here since birth. You must know everything about this place."
"Not everything," Eirene replied softly. "I've lived mostly with Uncle Maeron at his cottage. I only visited the college from time to time. So yes, I know a little, but not everything. What about you? Where are you from?"
"I'm from the Calestra Clan," Lily answered.
The words struck Eirene like lightning. Her hand froze mid-air, the bite of food still inches from her mouth. "C-Calestra Clan? That means… you know what happened there yesterday?"
Lily's eyes clouded with grief as she lowered her gaze. "Yes… King and Queen Valestra were wonderful people. I met them many times. My father was their right hand. But I don't understand how King Theron managed to attack. Marcus and I had already left for Grimswald by then. We only learned the truth from this morning's paper."
The staff standing nearby overheard their conversation and immediately warned them."Headmaster Dreymark has strictly forbidden discussing this topic. If either of you are caught talking about it again, I will report you directly to the Head Girl, Tessa Wynn."
Both Lily and Eirene quickly apologized and silently returned to their meals.
As soon as all the students finished their dinner, the food and utensils on the tables vanished into thin air. Professor Serelina Duskbane then rose from her seat and addressed the students.
"Everyone will now head directly to their House dormitories and nowhere else. First-year students, you will follow your respective Head Boy or Head Girl, who will guide you to your dorms. No mischief will be tolerated. Since Headmaster Aurelius Dreymark is not here at the moment, it is your responsibility to take care of yourselves. Alright then—good night, everyone, and all the best for your new session."
Hearing her instructions, the first-year students quickly lined up according to their Houses. Following the guidance of the Head Boys and Head Girls, they began to march toward their dormitories.
In the middle of this, Aeron and Eirene ended up walking in lines opposite each other. The moment Eirene noticed him, she couldn't hold back."It's good that you're in another House," she said sharply. "You don't even bother to talk to me anyway."
Aeron gave no reply and silently kept walking with his group. His silence made Eirene angrier. She leaned forward slightly and challenged him, "Why don't we compete? If I defeat you this academic year, you'll have to stop showing me this attitude of yours."
Aeron glanced at her with a small smile but still said nothing."Come on, say something!" Eirene pressed. "You're not mute—I know that much. Then why don't you ever speak?"
But again, Aeron didn't respond. Frustrated, Eirene finally gave up and ignored him, walking quietly in her line.
Strangely, her silence didn't sit well with Aeron. And just as the groups split off toward their separate dormitories, Aeron suddenly turned toward her and said, in a calm but firm voice,"You won't be able to defeat me."
With that, he walked ahead quickly, leaving Eirene speechless, unable to think of a single reply.
"Do you already know him? Who is he?" Lily asked curiously.
"No," Eirene shook her head. "I have no idea who he is, or why he's so full of ego. But never mind, I have plenty of time ahead… I'll deal with him sooner or later."
Talking like this, Eirene and Lily walked along with the rest of their Housemates until they reached the gate of their dormitory. To their surprise, the large wooden door was firmly locked.
"This is locked! How are we supposed to get inside if you're not always with us?" one student asked Head Girl Tessa Wynn nervously. "Is there some sort of password?"
Ms. Wynn gave a small smile and replied calmly, "No password is needed. Because you have been chosen for this House, the door will always open for you. Only members of this House can enter."
One by one, the students stepped forward, and just as Ms. Wynn said, the door opened effortlessly for each of them. Inside, they found a cozy common room with wide sofas, bookshelves, and warm firelight—an inviting space where students could study or relax during their free time.
Ms. Wynn gathered everyone and explained, "On that board ahead, you'll find a list with your names and your assigned dorm room numbers. Please check it and head to your rooms for the night. Tomorrow morning, after breakfast, all of you will assemble in the Main Hall. There, you'll find another board with your syllabus posted. According to that, you'll receive your books from the library."
She gave the group a final nod."So, good night everyone. Rest well and be prepared for tomorrow."
"Eirene and Lily checked their dorms and found that both of them had the same dorm number. Seeing this, they felt happy and then went to their designated room to rest."