Jade Academy

"Miss Catherine from Chainlink port city… yeeeees… Room 114. All the first-year students live on the first floor of the dormitory…. The girls' dormitory is that building over there. Welcome to the Jade Academy."

A gatekeeper with a notepad nodded while checking off the black-haired girl's name before leaning back behind the gate and pointing in the general direction of the building in the shadow of the main Academy complex.

"Th-thank you, sir…"

The timid girl bowed her head and trotted by him, stepping on the Academy ground and waiting for the blond-haired girl with a sleek hairstyle and rather boyish choice of clothing. She was followed by a maid and another servant. That other servant was a rather monstrous man with rather disturbing body proportions, including, but not limited to, slightly too long limbs and unnervingly distorted green eyes.

"Young lady Melinda Fenrioette and her servants."

When it was their turn, the brown-haired maid, Adrianna, walked up to the gatekeeper and announced her master.

"Fen, Fen, Fen… Fenri… Fenrioette… Yes, it's right here… Room 1… 0… 2? Huh. Important person, I see."

The man squinted his eyes, looking for the surname before letting out a small gasp and pointing it out while checking it off.

"...wait...! THE Fenrioette?!"

"The very same."

For a moment, the gatekeeper lost his cool and gasped, staring at the golden hair and eyes of the noble girl from the neighboring country, to which the maid nodded her head and politely confirmed his words.

"Oh... oh my...! That... that's not a turn of events I ever expected... A-anyhow... A word about the servants. Unfortunately, as the Jade Academy promotes the student's independence, the servants aren't provided a place to stay within the Academy's grounds. Unfortunately, despite your lady's peerage, that also includes exchange students like her."

After a moment of shock, the man composed himself and nodded, putting the pain on his notepad and looking at stunned Adrianna with a polite expression.

"...that… wasn't included in the documents…"

The brown-haired girl breathed out with concern, putting one hand to her mouth while looking away as if mourning her shortcomings that brought inconvenience to her master.

"That said, do not be discouraged, Miss."

"...?"

The gatekeeper breathed out and leaned forward with an encouraging smile, causing Adrianna to look up at him with surprise.

"The servants aren't provided a place to stay, but it's not like they are banned. All of those buildings offer lodging for the servants of the students. Personally, I recommend that one over there."

The man explained in a hushed voice before taking up his pen and pointing it towards a rather large rustic-style building.

"Hostel Sirius - they aren't the cheapest option, but the meals they include in the overall cost are by far the tastiest… at least in my opinion."

He added and nodded at the brown-haired maid before straightening his back with an expression as if he hadn't said a thing.

"Thank you very much, Sir."

"Calling me Sir is too much, Miss. Mister Archibald is more recognition than I deserve. Have a nice day. And, young Lady Fenrioette, welcome to the Jade Academy."

Adrianna bowed her head to the gatekeeper, but the man merely waved his hand dismissively and stepped to the side... but not without bowing his head to the gold-haired girl.

"I see. Thank you, Mister Archibald."

The greeted noble girl nodded back with a smile as she passed the gatekeeper.

"Let's drop my stuff off and get the rooms for both of you. Cath, would you care to join us?"

As the trio rejoined Catherine, Melinda said with a lighthearted smile.

"I-I… I w-would p-prefer t-to n-not go… I… I want to unpack a-and make sure that e-everything is i-in ord-order…"

The timid girl cowered, lowering her head apologetically while refusing.

"Okay… How about a dinner after setting it all up, though?"

Melinda slumped her head to the side while acknowledging the refusal but then perked up, not giving up.

"I-if y-you don't m-m-mind my co-company, th-then I am o-okay with th-that…"

The black-haired girl fidgeted and nodded with a slight blush while Zane opened the door of the dormitory building for them.

"Until later, then. Bye-bye~"

"B-bye…"

As it appeared to be a facility room, Melinda's 102 was the first proper dorm room, the gold-haired girl waved at Catherine who still had some searching to do, and the timid girl smiled at her while receiving her suitcase back from Zane.

"Single. Nice."

Melinda opened the door and entered her new place, immediately taking the key out of the lock and pocketing it.

Just as she said, it was a room meant for one person.

It wasn't something that nobility would get excited about, but it was definitely better than she had envisioned in the worst-case scenario.

…although it was smaller and less comfortable than the rooms in Brylant Academy's dorms, she knew from the game…

Of course, this didn't mean that it was that much worse. The style definitely worked well, and the whole setting fulfilled the objective of encouraging students to be independent.

For once, the simple bed, nightstand, small closet, and a desk with a fitting chair should be very easy to keep neat and orderly, with cleaning not being that much of a chore even for someone with minimal housework skills.

Still…

"Are you two also curious about what makes this place worthy of an important person, as Mister Archibald mentioned?"

Melinda asked while Zane and Adrianna opened the suitcases, taking out her belongings while leaving their own.

"..."

"...?"

Adrianna didn't say anything and only motioned at the door on the opposite wall, making Melinda walk up there and open it.

"Bathroom-toilet combo… That's enough to make it premium? This is a school for the nobility of the Empire, right?"

After checking the slides of the small room, Melinda leaned back and pointed out in disbelief.

"I expect the tenants of the other rooms to have to use shared facilities, my lady."

Adrianna said as she kneeled by the closet and pulled out the drawer at the bottom, beginning to fill it with various undergarments belonging to the gold-haired girl.

"If it didn't have at least that much, I would certainly voice a complaint. Still, this is enough. Although barely."

She added, clearly holding back some choice words about the lodgings granted to her lady for the foreseeable future.