Morning came gently.
The warm rays of sunlight streamed through the tall window, slipping past thin cream curtains and spilling across the floor in golden strips. The light crept over a polished wooden desk, climbed the edge of a standing wardrobe cabinet, and finally rested on Melvin's closed eyes.
He stirred and turned slightly in the direction of the warm rays, his consciousness returning at the same time.
For a brief second, he expected to find himself in a green cosmos and marble hall. But when he opened his eyes, he saw the golden light from outside his window illuminating his room.
He blinked slowly and sat up.
The room was comfortably quiet. Although not large, it was well arranged to Melvin's satisfaction.
Beside his sturdy single bed was a wooden, three-row drawer cabinet with clean metal handles. Near the window stood a study desk paired with a cushioned chair.
Then, he looked to the adjacent side of the desk and saw a slim wardrobe occupying the far corner, its surface smooth and unmarked.
Melvin looked around him for another while, taking into account details of how everything was arranged to his taste. Everything felt… prepared.
He exhaled.
"Not bad. At least, I never imagined living in a better room than that one somewhere in the outskirts."
His gaze returned to the cabinet at the side of his bed, and resting nearly against it was a black case.
'And what's that?'
He frowned slightly, then swung his legs over and crouched to open it.
When he did and saw what was inside the black case, his eyes widened in excitement. For a second, he simply stared at the equipment inside the case, then a smile tugged on his chin.
"The Principal…"
While they brought him to the academy, he had complained about leaving the equipment behind. Then, the principal hadn't paid him attention.
He least expected to see the tools again, for real.
Nodding in satisfaction, he took out what was contained in the black case.
It was his laptop and his smartphone. They were the only two things Melvin truly owned in this world, Meleny. Hence, he picked up the phone, felt its familiar weight, and did the same for his laptop before placing it back in the case carefully.
'I wonder if they will be useful to me again in this paradigm world,' he mused before his thoughts drifted briefly to a certain man.
The silent onlooker, one of the first people he had set his eyes on upon successfully regressing into this world.
"How's that man doing?" he murmured.
When it became clear that no one was going to provide answers to his concern, he returned to his bed and collapsed onto it, rested his head on the crossed arms behind it, and began staring at the white ceilings above. He felt satisfied that he was back in the normal world.
Soon… very soon, he was going to set off again to that dangerous world of the testament.
'Phew. I still have one week at least,' he thought. 'Now what?'
His mind sharpened for a moment, and a funny idea crept into his mind.
It was not funny, though, but Melvin had chuckled at the thought of it. He stirred on the bed slightly, remembering the days before the Spire. At least, the days he hadn't spent in this world, but had spent them in the previous world he regressed from.
He ran from job to job. Carrying boxes. Delivering packages. Cleaning storefronts. Sometimes, five small jobs in a single day.
All in the name of making ends meet. All to save. All because he wanted to earn that single root that seemed to hold power over most things in the world.
"Money."
It was through the slow scramble of it that he was able to buy himself a laptop and smartphone. When he got this devices, his mindset had changed.
He then decided to venture into the digital part of the world, strived, and finally acquired the proper skills for it through virtual courses.
That was even when he had once dreamed of creating a program that could change the way the world operated. He thought he could invent something that could act against the law of nature.
Now, he laughed at his reverie… so loud that when he got himself, he worried he might have attracted attention from his neighbors.
"That function is practically embedded in me," he muttered, thinking about his affinity.
In that case, especially now that he didn't have much worry about how to live life, he needed to find something to do to keep himself busy. At least before his next adventures.
He tilted his head thoughtfully, and all the plans he had while in the Silver Spire crossed his mind. But at the moment, that was not what he sought.
'Oh, yes. Why didn't I think of it?'
He just needed something he could be doing out of his passion for it. That was how the thing he loved the most crossed his mind.
He liked novels, enjoying reading plenty of them, so why not write one?
Melvin stirred again on the bed and turned to his other side.
'Once I'm done with the other plans, I can gradually write it while resting during my leisure,' he thought. 'Let's see, what do I name it?'
"Melvin's Adventures in the Silver Spire? The God's Successor?"
He thought of various novel titles, but they all seemed self-centered. After all, he wasn't planning to write himself as the protagonist. He just wanted to write a fun historical novel for the upcoming generations.
"The Silver Spire?"
That sounded like the best title to give the novel he would soon begin to write. But then, a sudden worry crept into his mind, and he snorted softly.
"Would it even sell in this world?"
Before he could answer himself, a knock came from the door.
Curious, he rose and walked over to open it.
Standing outside was a middle-aged woman pushing a small cart draped with a cloth.
Before he could ask what it was, a pleasant scent drifted into his nose.
"Oh…"
His stomach growled loudly.
"…right."
He had slept all through the other day due to exhaustion and didn't have the chance to have dinner.
The woman smiled warmly. "Congratulations on returning safely."
"Thank you," Melvin replied, accepting the plate she handed him and walking over to place it on his three-row cabinet.
But as she turned to leave, something struck him.
He stepped forward, hesitated for a while, and poked his head out of the open door. His eyes darted around the halls of the dormitory, scanning the walls and doors that concealed the rooms of other Climbers.
Oblivious of the surprise stare from the woman, he turned his head and asked.
"Excuse me… why is the dormitory so quiet? Is there some kind of soundproof system? Or is everyone observing silence decorum?" He paused. "And the food… was it perhaps specially sent by the principal? Shouldn't I be eating at a general cafeteria?"
The woman's smile softened, waving her hand.
"It's none of it. Nothing at all," she said gently. "All the Climbers have left the academy. They've gone to spend time with their families before the Crimson Moon appears and they venture into the Spire."
"Families?" Melvin repeated.
She tilted her head. "Is something wrong?"
He shook his head lightly. "No. Nothing. Thank you for the info."
She nodded and turned again to leave.
"One more thing," Melvin added quickly. "Since there's no one to show me around… how do I get oriented? I don't know the different structures of the academy."
"Oh, that's simple," she replied. "Check the drawer cabinet beside your bed. There's a map and an academy guide inside. It's the same for all students. You wouldn't know since you came in newly."
"I see. Thank you."
"You're welcome."
She left, her footsteps fading as she pushed the cart down the corridor.
Melvin sighed and closed the door slowly.
The room felt even quieter now.
He glanced toward the drawer beside his bed.
Then back at the plate of food.
"Alright," he muttered to himself and walked to the cabinet.
"Let's start with breakfast. Then, the library second."