The man paused briefly at Mike's name, glanced up at him, then nodded. "Single rooms. Second floor. Doors twelve and thirteen."

He handed them two keys. "Curfew is at midnight. No fighting inside the dorms. If anything breaks, you pay for it."

"Understood," Mike said.

They took the keys and headed upstairs, stopping briefly in the hallway.

"I'll see you later," Elina said. "Don't keep Drax waiting."

Mike smiled slightly. "I won't."

After dropping his things in his room, Mike headed back toward the academy grounds. From a distance, he could already hear familiar laughter.

Drax was waiting.

Elina was already there talking with him as he lauged while patting Elina's shoulder.

Drax was waiting near the academy gate.

Elina was already there, talking with him. Drax laughed loudly as he patted Elina on the shoulder.

"There he is!" Drax said when he spotted Mike. "Rank One himself."

Mike shook his head. "You're way too loud."

Drax grinned. "Hey, you crushed everyone. I'm just stating facts."

"Mike is really strong," Elina said. "He didn't even use his tamed beast, Zephyr."

"That's the scary part," Drax agreed. "I think he could easily defeat someone a rank above him if he fought with Zephyr."

He scratched the back of his head, his smile fading a little.

"The villagers will be proud of you two. And your father, Elina… he also wanted to enter this academy. But he was only a C-rank mage, so he never made it here."

Drax sighed.

Elina nodded quietly.

"He'll be happy knowing you made it," Mike said calmly.

Elina smiled softly. "Yeah. He always said that one of us should reach this place, even if he couldn't."

Drax straightened up and forced a grin back onto his face. "Well, looks like that dream came true."

He stepped back and pointed toward the academy grounds. "Just don't slack off now that you're inside. Especially you, Mike."

Mike smirked. "Wasn't planning to."

Drax laughed. "Good. Because next time we meet, I expect you to be even stronger."

The three of them stood there for a moment, letting the silence settle.

Then Drax waved. "Go on. Don't keep the academy waiting."

Mike nodded once. "Take care."

Elina gave Drax a small bow. "Thank you… for everything."

As Mike and Elina turned back toward the academy, the gates slowly closed behind them.

Outside, Drax watched until they disappeared from sight—then smiled to himself.

"Yeah," he muttered. "They'll be just fine."

"So, what should we do now?" Mike asked as he walked around the academy with Elina, casually touring the grounds.

"According to Professor Felix, our schedules, uniforms, and books will be delivered to our rooms within a day," Elina replied.

Mike nodded. "I still think it might've been better if we trained on our own."

To him, it felt like a waste of time—but because of the story dungeon rules, he had to come here with Elina.

"You can't say that," Elina said, stopping and turning to face him. "The academy can teach us a lot of things."

Mike nodded. "Yeah."

In my world, people go to academies because they have better resources, Mike thought as he looked at the massive buildings around them.

Kekekeke… should I start an academy harem here? Since this is just a story dungeon, I don't have to worry about lifelong commitments, he thought with a small smile.

Suddenly, he felt a sharp glare from beside him.

"What?" Mike asked.

Elina was staring straight at him.

"I just saw you thinking something weird," she said suspiciously.

"W-what are you talking about?" Mike replied quickly, acting innocent—while inwardly wondering if this was the legendary woman's intuition.

Elina narrowed her eyes.

"…You're hiding something."

Mike coughed lightly. "You're imagining things."

She didn't look convinced.

They continued walking and soon reached the dormitory again.

As Mike pushed the doors open, the inside was far more lively than before.

The lobby was bustling with activity. Newly qualified students were everywhere—some carrying luggage, others talking excitedly in small groups, and a few already arguing over rooms. Voices echoed through the wide hall, mixed with laughter and nervous chatter.

"Looks like everyone's moved in," Elina said, glancing around.

Mike scanned the area calmly. "Yeah. Guess we're not the only ones starting a new life today."

Students in academy uniforms walked past them, some casting curious looks in Mike's direction after recognizing him from the exam. Whispers followed, though Mike ignored them.

Elina leaned closer. "You're attracting attention again."

Mike sighed. "I was hoping for at least one quiet day."

They made their way toward the stairs when a loud voice suddenly called out from across the hall.

"Hey! You're Mike, right?"

Several students turned to look.

Mike stopped and turned toward the voice.

A tall student in a second-year uniform waved at him as he approached. He had a confident smile and a relaxed posture.

"Yeah, that's me," Mike replied.

The senior grinned. "Name's Corin. Second year. We're putting together groups for new students—makes things easier early on."

He gestured behind him, where a few first-years were already gathered, listening.

"Study help, training schedules, dungeon practice, information sharing," Corin continued. "Being in a group helps you survive Spireheart. Solo types don't last long."

Elina looked between them. "Is this required?"

Corin shook his head. "Not required. Just… recommended."

Mike thought about it for a moment. He wasn't interested in relying on others—but information and resources could still be useful.

"We'll think about it," Mike said calmly.

Corin nodded, unfazed. "Fair. If you change your mind, we're in the west wing common room tonight."

He glanced at Mike once more, clearly interested. "With your performance, you'd be an asset."

After the senior walked away, Elina looked at Mike. "So?"

Mike shrugged. "Could be useful. Or annoying."

She smiled slightly. "That sounds like you."

They continued up the stairs, the noise of the dormitory slowly fading as they reached the quieter upper floors.

Mike stopped in front of his door and glanced at the key in his hand. "I'll drop my stuff off first."

Elina nodded. "Same. We can meet later."

They went their separate ways, each unlocking their rooms.

Mike's room was simple but clean—a bed, a desk, a wardrobe, and a window overlooking part of the academy grounds. He placed his bag down and sat on the edge of the bed for a moment.

Groups already forming. Seniors recruiting. Politics starting on day one.

"…Figures," he muttered.

A soft knock came from the door.

Mike stood and opened it. Elina was there.

"So," she said, crossing her arms. "Are you actually thinking about joining that group?"

Mike leaned against the doorframe. "Maybe. Information is useful. Doesn't mean I have to rely on them."

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