CHAPTER 36: HOMEROOM

Three glowing, silver lines appeared within the ring of numbers; the longest and most faint moving around clockwise within the ring, the shortest and most clear one on the number 8 and the neither short nor long one moving around clockwise also, but much slower than the longest was currently on the number ’4’.

’I guess watches work the same way here... it’s 8:20, but what are the other runes for though?’ Xenon said to himself before he placed the watch on his bedside table and lay down. ’Status.’

_________________

NAME: XENON PRASEDYMUM

AGE: 15

LEVEL: 11| EXP: 14140/51200

STATE: FINE

HP: 35/35

OUSIA: []

Stage: 2 (Transitional)

Progression: 88%

Àse: 300/300

Spirit Contract: 1 (Kusin)

ATTRIBUTES: []

|Strength: 20| |Agility: 24| |Endurance: 20|

|Intelligence: 22| |Senses: 20|

[Fatigue: 18% | Vitality: 99.9%] Stat points: 11

SYSTEM SKILL: SCAN (Lvl 3)

QUESTS: []

SIDE QUEST: Gain full mastery over HYPERCELERITY.

DAILY QUESTS:

▪︎Meditate for 2 hours. Reward, 50 exp.

▪︎Drink 4 litres of water. Completed.

_________________

Xenon yawned loudly and slept off.

— — —

Xenon, in his uniform –red shirt, black sleeveless jacket and black trouser– was sitting at a round table with Aoi and Jason. He brought out his watch to check the time, it was fifty eight minutes past seven in the morning.

He shifted his gaze to Aoi who immediately put the hem of his red sweater over his head, shielding his face from view. Xenon looked away from him and stared at Jason who just finished cramming a sandwich into his mouth, he picked up a bottle of water which he drank from to help him jam the sandwich down his throat.

Jason looked up, he sighed as his eyes met Xenon. "Hey, I’m almost done." Jason said, his gaze dropping back to the two sandwiches left.

Xenon stood up, his gaze travelled around the cafeteria, they were the only first years left, all the others had gone to the hall and he would also have been there if not for Jason who was delaying both him and Aoi.

Xenon walked over to Aoi and outstretched his arm signalling for him to follow, Aoi stood up.

"You’ve delayed us for more than thirty minutes and we’re late already because of you. You can either stay there and enjoy your meal, or follow us." Xenon began to walk away and Aoi followed, mouthing a "sorry, I also don’t want to be more late" to Jason.

It took all the self control Xenon had not to curse, shout, or even drag Jason out of the cafeteria himself. Xenon was walking very quickly that Aoi was barely catching up but he knew better than to call out to Xenon as he could see he was almost exploding in anger.

They hadn’t walked for very long before they heard panting and muffled speech behind them, they both looked back and it was Jason jogging towards them with a sandwich tucked between his jaws.

"Wait for a sec... minute." Jason said, prompting Xenon to stop.

"What is it?" Xenon replied.

"Well... hear me out, why don’t you let me finish my breakfas–wait! And then you can super speed us to class." Jason nodded slowly with a smile.

Aoi shook his head and wanted to say something but Xenon stopped him. "Okay, finish it, quickly!" Xenon turned back to Aoi and grinned.

Once Jason finished his sandwich, Xenon held both he and Aoi by the waist. "Once you’re ready, both of you should jump."

"Jump?" Jason said.

"Yes! just do it, unless you want your shoes to tear burn from scrapping again the floor at super speed. Now one... two... jump!"

All Jason and Aoi could saw and felt for the next ten seconds were blurs and the wind hitting their faces.

Xenon stopped in front of the hall, released the guys and opened the door, they all went in. They hadn’t taken five steps in before Jason hands moved, one clutching his stomach and the other over him mouth.

Xenon also put his right palm over his mouth to hold in a laugh as Jason bolted for a dustbin in a corner of the hall and regurgitated all of his breakfast into it.

Aoi smiled, shaking his head whilst looking for a seat and Xenon burst into laughter, the rest if the class either chuckling or expressing irritation.

Jason moved away from the dustbin to join Aoi and Xenon where they were seated. He sat down at the right end of the seat, Aoi in the middle as usual –to prevent them from killing each other– and Xenon was at the left end, resting on the wall beside their seat.

"You knew that would happen, didn’t you?" Jason asked staring at the desk in front of him.

"Maybe." Xenon simply stated, holding back laughter.

"And you, Aoi?" Jason said.

"I tried to warn you." Aoi replied, trying hard not to smile.

"Good... good." Jason said

"That’ll teach you not to use me as a ride the next time you are late." Xenon said, his and Jason’s eyes connecting, but before Jason could reply, the door to the hall burst open.

"Good morning everyone, I am Mr. Hakym, your homeroom teacher, Professor Arkham’s assistant and deputy head of Erythros house – of which professor Arkham is the head." Mr. Hakym, a tall, light skinned, sallow faced man with a pronounced jawline and smooth black hair tied in a ponytail walked in.

"You all can’t greet?" Hakym asked as the whole hall full of forty two first year students stayed silent after his entry.

"Good morning sir!" Everyone chorused.

"Now tell me... which one of you soiled the dustbin with vomit?" Every head in the hall turned to the trio.

— — —

"Pick one and pass the rest." Hakym handed leaflets to each seat at the front which the students picked one and passed the rest.

"Those are your class schedules for the entirety of your first year. I should have addressed this yesterday but I was busy, that’s why I will release you soon to make sure you go over to the bookstore to get textbooks for lessons that require them, especially the ones you have today.

"Normally, in your first year, you are meant to attend classes with your housemates... but since the intake of students this year has been reduced, the school has decided to pair houses up for lessons and you guys have been paired up with Hwita. Now, before I leave you all to get your materials for your lessons, any questions?" Hakym’s eyes swept over the hall quickly, catching a raised hand.

"Yes, Mr?"

"Juan, Juan Marino." Juan who raised his hand answered when Mr. Hakym beckoned to him.

"Your question?" Hakym asked.

"Yeah. I see that on our schedules, only the activity for the days Monday to Friday are on here, what about Saturdays and Sundays?"

"Sundays are your days off and Saturdays’ activities are different from house to house, more details will be given on the coming Saturday."

"Okay." Juan replied, not satisfied with the answer he received. The rest of the class were also confused about the ’Saturday business’.

"Any other questions?"

"Where is the bookstore located?" Aoi asked.

"It is difficult to describe, consult your wristbands or ask around. Now before I forget, we need to elect a representative for your class of first years. Anyone who wishes to run for the position, gather supporters by weekend, voting will be held on Saturday by eight in the morning. You are all dismissed." Mr. Hakym announced. Everyone scrambled out of their seats, heading out.

"Hey, you who vandalised the dustbin, stay behind." Mr. Hakym called back Jason. Xenon grinned and Aoi waved solemnly to him as they exited the hall, not waiting for him.

"Pick it up and follow me." Hakym ordered.

Jason met Aoi and Xenon at the bookstore, recounting had the homeroom teacher made him wash out, sanitize the dustbin and also made him put some fragrant herbs all around the hall to drive out the smell of his vomit. Xenon grinned happily as Jason recounted his tale, saying he deserved it, while Aoi tried his best to stay neutral because he knew he was the one keeping the delicate balance between all three of them.

"We’ve gotten the textbook for History and Geography, but what the hell is TSEUCAEE?" Xenon asked in frustration.

"I don’t know, let’s ask the clerk." Aoi suggested and a few minutes later they left the bookstore with the textbooks to Our History 1, and The Runic Language: Book 1 – which they would need tomorrow – after the clerk informed them that students couldn’t get textbooks for both TSEUCAEE and the one they had later tomorrow without permission for the professors in charge.

"Homeroom, nine to ten fifty five; History and Geography, eleven to twelve fifty five; break, twelve fifty five to one fifty five; and then we have TSEUCAEE on a double period from two to five fifty five." Jason muttered as he read from his leaflet. "Hey, snow ball, what’s the time?"

"10:32." Xenon replied.

"Let head to class then. It’s better if we get there early." Aoi said.

"Of course not, why don’t we head over to get something to eat, and then I can just get us to class in a second with my ability." Xenon proposed grinning.

"I’d rather go to class now, you know, to get good seats." Jason replied smiling.

"Are you sure? You’ll be missing out a chance to wash the wash the dustbin, or even better, the classroom floors." Aoi added and the three of them burst into laughter.

"No, I’m... I’m good." Jason said amidst laughing as they walked through the academy grounds, towards the History and Geography classroom.