Chapter 10) Roommate Problems
Lucien ran toward the pond at the edge of the cavern, its surface glimmering faintly in the dim light. He stopped, glanced around, no one was there.
"Good… no one followed me," he thought.
Closing his eyes, Lucien pictured Fenrir's form in his mind. "Come out."
From the image in his thoughts, a shadow stirred. Slowly, Fenrir stepped forth into reality, his massive frame settling beside the water.
"Hey," Fenrir said with a low growl, "why did you take so long?"
Lucien folded his arms. "Yeah, yeah. Just talk already, you said you had something important."
Fenrir's gaze swept the quiet cavern. "No one else is here?"
"You know that as well as I do," Lucien replied.
A faint, sharp grin crossed Fenrir's face. "Good. This is a serious matter we need to discuss."
Lucien hesitated, then narrowed his eyes. "Wait… can you actually hear what I think?"
Fenrir gave a short laugh. "No. I only send my thoughts to you through the pocket dimension. Nothing more."
"Phew… good," Lucien muttered, relieved. Then he straightened. "Alright, speak. Say what you came to say, and then I've got questions of my own."
"Yes," Fenrir said, nodding slowly. "Let's begin."
Fenrir's eyes narrowed as he stepped closer to the water.
"You felt it too, didn't you? That aura… when you were walking earlier."
Lucien blinked. "Aura? What are you even talking about?"
"Just before you called me out, I sensed a powerful presence. It might be the potential of one's beast." Fenrir's voice rumbled. "Tell me, were you with someone?"
Lucien frowned, shaking his head. "No… at least I don't think so. I…" He stopped.
A face appeared in his mind. Serenya. He had been with her not long ago.
"Yes," Lucien admitted slowly. "I was with Serenya. She's… my friend."
Fenrir's expression sharpened. "That girl… Her Beast is pretty dangerous. Best stay away from her, don't test her patience."
Lucien chuckled, brushing it off. "Relax. She's my friend. She trusts me. She'd never hurt me."
Fenrir's grin didn't fade. "I warned you. Take it as you will." Fenrir paused, it's tone shifting. "But there was something else you meant to ask."
Lucien smirked inwardly. "So that's all he wanted to tell me? Fine. My turn to ask something."
Aloud, he said, "Then answer me this, what's your rank? What stage are you, really?"
For the first time, Fenrir hesitated. His gaze drifted toward the dark cavern ceiling. "...I don't know."
Lucien froze. "What does he mean, he doesn't know? How can he not?"
"Then what about before?" Lucien pressed. "Before you were sealed away. What were you then?"
Fenrir's lips curled into something between a smile and a snarl. "Above Divine ranks. Beyond Supreme stages. Far above anything you can comprehend."
Lucien tilted his head. "Wait… how do you even fit inside my pocket dimension? I mean.. you're huge. Is there really space in there?"
For a moment, Fenrir's eyes flickered with amusement. "Space? If he only knew what kind of place that really is…"
Then aloud Fenrir said smoothly, "Yes, plenty of space. More than enough. I fit without any trouble."
Lucien exhaled in relief. "Good. Because honestly, you're massive. I wasn't sure if you'd even fit, damn it."
But as he studied Fenrir's face, a strange unease stirred in him. "His tone… it's off. Almost like he's hiding something from me."
Lucien straightened. "Well, if that's all, I'll go. I've got things to do."
"Of course," Fenrir said, almost too quickly. "Let me return first."
With a flicker of dark energy, Fenrir slipped back into the pocket dimension.
The moment he vanished, Lucien broke into a run, not daring to linger.
As Lucien ran back toward the Academy, his thoughts kept circling.
"Why did he even tell me that? What's so special about Serenya's beast that it caught Fenrir's attention? Damn, why didn't I ask more? Maybe… maybe Fenrir was just worried something might happen to me. And here I was thinking the worst of him. How embarrassing. I should try to get closer to him…"
By the time these thoughts had tangled themselves into guilt and resolve, Lucien reached his dormitory.
Inside the room, his roommate was already waiting. Alvaren looked up with a small smile.
"Oh, Lucien, there you are. You've been gone for quite a while. How's it going?"
Lucien forced a casual tone. "I've been sorted into Group C. What about you?"
Alvaren's expression brightened. "What luck, we're in the same group. I'm in C as well."
Lucien's face froze in a mix of surprise and mild dismay. "Of course. Just my luck."
Lucien sighed inwardly. "Great… looks like I have to start everything from scratch again."
He splashed some water on his face, then turned back to his roommate.
"Hey, Alvaren," Lucien asked, "what kind of beast do you have? I just want to see it, and also, could you tell me its rank and stage?"
Alvaren leaned back lazily. "Nah, I don't feel like showing it right now."
Lucien blinked. His mind stirred, "What? What the hell?"
Alvaren shrugged. "I'll just tell you the rank and stage. That's enough for now."
Lucien gritted his teeth. "Damn, he's stubborn as hell."
"Fine then," he said aloud. "So, what are they?"
Alvaren smirked. "Its Noble Rank, Greater Stage."
Lucien blinked. "Wait… seriously?"
"Of course I'm serious," Alvaren replied without hesitation.
Lucien studied his face. "Yeah, right. He's lying. It's written all over him."
Out loud he said, "Sure, I totally believe you. One hundred percent."
Inside, Alvaren's thoughts flickered darkly. "He definitely knows I'm lying."
He leaned closer and added with a teasing grin, "So, keep quiet, yeah? You know what I can do to you."
Lucien rolled his eyes. "God, what an idiot."
With heavy sarcasm, he said, "Oh yes, I'm absolutely terrified of you."
"Good boy," Alvaren chuckled.
That word stung. "Are you crazy or what? Just tell me your real rank already!" Lucien snapped.
"I already did."
"Yeah, right. As if I'd believe that. Spit it out, now."
Alvaren smirked again. "You're an idiot, you know that?" Then he finally admitted, "Fine. Elite Rank, Greater Stage."
Lucien exhaled, calming a little. "That's… actually pretty solid."
"Of course it is," Alvaren laughed, clearly amused.
Lucien only frowned. "He's trying so hard to get closer to me. He doesn't even realize what's going to happen in the end."
Alvaren stretched and said:
"Hey, classes start tomorrow. Did you even know that?"
Lucien frowned.
"No… What's going to happen?"
"Don't worry. We're in the same group anyway, we can go together."
Lucien nodded.
"Well… that would be nice."
Alvaren was about to add something, when suddenly the door creaked open.
A boy stood there with suitcases in his hands, his face lit up with a wide smile.
"Oh! So I'll be living here? Awesome! This is great!"
He was practically radiating positivity.
"Just what I needed…" Lucien thought grimly. "Is he really going to live with us?"
Alvaren perked up, waving a hand:
"Oh, so you're going to live with us? Nice."
The boy beamed, nodding quickly.
"Yeah, yeah! I'll be living here. That's… that's great!"
Without hesitation he added,
"Let's introduce ourselves!"
Lucien groaned inwardly. "Why is he so damn cheerful? What's wrong with this guy?"
Alvaren clapped his hands together.
"Yeah, that's a good idea."
Lucien sighed to himself. "Ugh… just what I needed. I really am the unluckiest person alive."