Chương 23: First Day

Ch 23 - First Day As the train slowed to a stop, Evan stretched his stiffening joints and limbs. He waited patiently for the other passengers to collect their luggage before making his way toward the exit. The station stretched wide beneath layered ceilings of light panels. People filtered through the platform, while security officers stood at fixed points along the exits. For a moment, Evan looked over the moving crowd and felt like he might get swallowed by it.

A man in a suit brushed past, bumping his shoulder without so much as a glance back, still talking into his phone. Evan's jaw tightened as he briefly considered kicking him in the back of the knee, then exhaled and forced himself to let it go. He should find Reid. But in this sea of bodies, could he even spot him? He searched through the crowd, uneasy, until his eyes landed on a tall figure near a support column. Reid straightened and lifted a hand in a wave before pushing off and walking toward him.

Thanks to his height, and perhaps his looks, people naturally shifted aside to make space for him.

"How was the ride?" Reid asked with a bright smile. It was so bright that even a few passing girls and boys glanced over, some of them blushing as they looked away.

"It's fine," Evan said dryly, lifting his luggage slightly.

"Help me with this. I don't think I can carry them through this hell." Reid chuckled and easily took the carry-on and duffel bag, leaving Evan with his backpack.

"Yeah, it gets pretty crowded here in District 1. Follow me." Dodging and weaving through the throngs of people like small fish swimming through a creek, the two brothers made their way out of the station and onto the street. Reid led Evan to a nearby transit stop, where a bus pulled up moments later. They boarded the bus and took their seats as District 1 unfolded beyond the windows. People moved in steady streams while buses and private vehicles flowed smoothly through the streets.

Unlike the capital city Evan remembered from his previous world, traffic here rarely came to a standstill. An extensive public transportation network kept the roads moving and prevented congestion from ever becoming overwhelming. Outside, District 1 stretched in every direction, lined with soaring buildings of glass and light. Elevated walkways linked entire blocks above the streets, while luminous signs floated between the structures. Yet amid it all, nothing drew the eye more than the Tower.

Even from a distance, its scale had been overwhelming, rising far beyond the horizon. Now, up close, Evan had to tilt his head back fully just to see where it ended. Even then, he couldn't. The upper half vanished into cloud, an impossibly smooth pillar of white that seemed to swallow the sky as it climbed.

"Want to go inside?" Reid asked. Evan elbowed him.

"Don't joke. I know you don't have your Awakener license yet, and even then, what's so great about going inside the Tower? Just more monsters and uppity elite people."

"But you were staring at it so hard."

"Yeah, because it's filling my entire view just by being that big." With a hiss, the bus soon stopped not far from the sprawling Central Awakener Academy. Standing before him, tall structured lines of pale metal and stone framed the entrance, leading into a vast campus. Reid led the way, taking Evan to a shuttle bus that would bring them closer to the Student Residence. Passing through wide pathways, Evan observed clean divisions separating towering academic buildings from open training grounds.

To one side, enclosed fields and reinforced arenas sat under faint protective barriers. On the other, structured halls rose in orderly rows. Soon, they reached deeper into clusters of residential buildings that stood slightly apart from the main academic core. Too expensive. Way too extravagant. Was this a school or a small city? Evan felt even more uncertain about being here. Aside from the fact that he was an F-rank Awakener getting in through nepotism, he had never experienced anything like this.

In his previous life, he had not even managed to finish high school because he could not afford it. And now he was expected to attend a place like this?

"You'll like it here," Reid squeezed his shoulder gently.

"Let's just get to my room," Evan said. They entered the Student Residence and walked through its wide central atrium. The space buzzed with activity as students gathered in groups to chat and laugh, while others occupied the tables, quietly working on their homework. Moving into a corridor, they passed doors lined on both sides in clean repetition, each one identical except for the small nameplate beside it. Soon they stopped at room number 209.

"Here's your room," Reid said, pulling out a keycard and scanning it at the lock. Pushing the door open, he revealed a compact room with a single bed in one corner, its simple frame neatly made with high-quality bedding already prepared. A desk sat beneath the window, paired with a sturdy chair, while a built-in wardrobe occupied one wall. A door beside it led to a private bathroom, complete with a shower, sink, and toilet. Overall, the room looked surprisingly spacious and far more generous than Evan had expected.

Before arriving, Evan had half-joked to himself that he'd end up with the classic web novel treatment: a moldy, dimly lit room draped in cobwebs to remind him how unworthy he was of attending the academy. Then again, considering he was a "nepo entry," it would've been a little too on the nose if they made their disapproval that obvious. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

"What do you think?" Reid placed the carry-on next to the wardrobe and the duffel bag beside the chair.

"Looks nice," Evan said, sitting on the bed and finding it thick and springy.

"I was hoping we could share a room together, but they said those weren't available here," Reid said.

"Maybe I can try finding an apartment somewhere near the academy and—""Hold that thought!" Evan said, crossing his arms into an X.

"Do you know how expensive those places are? No chance. I'm perfectly fine living here."

"If you say so." Reid smiled.

"But you don't have to worry about the cost. I'll cover it, so if there's ever something you want, just tell me." Evan resisted the urge to groan.

"No. Let's not talk about this right now. We don't even know if I can survive here, and, ugh..."

"Of course you will! You're very smart, and the kids here are nice," Reid said. Evan highly doubted that. He looked at Reid's face and thought, as the old saying went, people were naturally drawn to beauty. There was even a term for it: beauty privilege. Someone like Reid could fit in anywhere without lifting a finger. But Evan? No way in hell.

"Sure," Evan said, dead-eyed. Evan's classes would begin the following morning, and while he was curious about what one of the most illustrious academic institutions in Nova Terra could offer, he already had a lot on his hands. Mainly, he needed to catch up on the academic lessons taught at Central Awakener Academy. He had been given access to online courses and a stack of textbooks, all of which he was expected to study before classes began so he wouldn't fall behind.

The hours slipped by as Evan settled into his room, taking a few minutes to tidy it before burying himself in his studies for the rest of the day. As the sun dipped toward the horizon, Reid knocked on his door again, this time carrying dinner. He set down two neatly packed sushi boxes, their compartments filled with fresh slices of salmon, tuna, and shrimp alongside tamago rolls and small portions of pickled ginger. Beside them rested sealed cups of miso soup and packets of soy sauce.

"It's too bad we can only cook simple things using the communal kitchen," Reid said as he picked up a piece of salmon sushi with his chopsticks, the two of them sitting on the floor eating together.

"Can't trust kids with fire," Evan said, chewing on his tamago rolls.

"Hmm... maybe I should join the Cooking Club. I heard you get to take home whatever you make," Reid said. Evan only nodded. Trying to stop Reid from feeding him home-cooked meals had long since become a lost cause. Glancing at the stack of books on the table, Reid said, "It's good to see you're so studious, but don't forget to take a break."

"I know, but unlike you, who only has to worry about Awakener classes, I have to keep up with the academic ones too," Evan said. Reid frowned, a flicker of guilt crossing his face.

"I'm not blaming you," Evan added.

"But I'm going to be busy, especially since I just moved here. And it's not like I have any friends who can help me with the assignments."

"I'm sure you'll make plenty of friends soon," Reid said.

"Whatever you say."

When morning arrived, Evan put on his new uniform: a fitted dark jacket tailored cleanly along the shoulders and waist, with subtle silver threading along the cuffs and collar. Beneath it, a crisp white shirt sat neatly pressed, paired with a slim dark tie. His trousers had a smooth matte finish that resisted creasing, and the academy insignia rested over his chest as a small metallic emblem. Picking up his bag, he headed toward his classroom, where he was introduced to his new classmates.

In their tailored, high-quality uniforms, they looked like a group of posh brats.

"We have a transfer student joining the class. Evan Whitfield," the teacher said, giving Evan a brief glance.

"Take the empty seat at the back." Such a cold reception, Evan thought, though he still flashed a practiced customer-service smile at the class, who did not even bother to look at his face. As he walked toward his seat, he wondered if these people had heard about him being a nepo entry and also an F-rank Awakener. Considering how obsessed people were with gossip, the answer should be yes. His desk was two rows from the back, one seat in from the window.

After settling in, he pulled out his textbooks and notebook, then quietly followed along as the teacher began the lecture. Thankfully, all the studying he'd done beforehand had paid off, allowing him to keep pace without much trouble. The class dragged on sluggishly until the sun reached its peak. Then the long-awaited lunch bell rang, and the students sprang to life. They stood up almost in unison and streamed toward the cafeteria.

Watching the hungry students move in droves, Evan couldn't help but think that even rich punks turned into the same hungry gremlins at lunchtime. He stood up at a more leisurely pace, but his attention was soon drawn to a lone teenage boy with dark blue hair who remained seated at his desk. Before the apocalypse, hair like that would have turned heads. Now, strange colors were one of the more common side effects of Awakening. Glancing at the boy's name tag, Evan saw Konoe Hiroto before heading off to lunch.

The academy cafeteria occupied an entire wing of the main building. Sunlight streamed through towering windows, spilling across polished marble floors and rows of long wooden tables. Pale pillars supported the vaulted ceiling, giving the expansive space the feel of an elegant dining hall. Along one side, a series of serving stations offered everything from freshly prepared meals to lighter dishes and desserts.

Conversations overlapped as students moved through the orderly lines with trays in hand, while the staff continuously replenished the food. Taking in the sprawling cafeteria, Evan almost thought the absurdly expensive academy might actually be worth the tuition. After filling his tray with a selection of food and snacks, he decided to find somewhere quieter to eat. The main dining hall was already packed, so he headed outside in search of an empty bench.

Unsurprisingly, the seating around the cafeteria was just as crowded. Just as Evan started wondering whether he should simply sit on the ground somewhere, or even eat while standing— Splash! A teenage girl with dark blue hair had just thrown a glass of orange juice into a boy's face. Evan blinked and realized one of them was that gloomy-looking kid, Hiroto.

"Didn't I tell you never to show your face to me, especially at school?" the girl snapped.

"Are you deaf or dumb?" Hiroto only lowered his head.

"Deaf, then," the girl said. Evan pursed his lips and was about to turn around when a voice called out.

"And what are you doing here?" He froze and glanced back. The girl's glare had shifted to him.