章 121: Academic Life(1)

Eight o'clock found me trudging back to the dorms, my muscles still aching from the morning's training sessions. The thought of a hot shower was the only thing keeping me moving at this point.

The dorm room had changed since I'd left in the early morning hours. Alex's bed was already empty and neatly made - no surprise there. He was probably out practicing his sword forms, always the dedicated one. Ryn sat cross-legged on his bed, completely absorbed in a thick textbook that looked like it might be about essence theory. Only Toby remained unchanged, sprawled across his bed and snoring softly.

I grabbed my towel and fresh academy uniform clothes, moving quietly to avoid disturbing anyone. Ryn barely glanced up from his book, too engrossed in whatever he was studying to pay attention to my presence.