Chương 12: Someone... Special?

Chapter - 12

"Finally", I muttered under my breath as I got up from my seat and stretched my aching back, feeling the stiffness from hours of sitting in the classroom. The lecture had drained me, and I was ready to head back to my dorm. I waited for most of the students to leave before slowly making my way towards the door, hoping to avoid any unnecessary attention. Athena was still standing on the platform, her arms crossed as she watched the students file out. I glanced her way, once again mesmerized by her piercing gray eyes. Her gaze was intense, and for a second, it felt as if those eyes could see right through me.

'Snap out of it, Callum,' I told myself, shaking my head to clear the fog.

Just as I was about to make my escape, her voice echoed across the hall. "You, student—wait for a minute."

I froze mid-step. There were still a few stragglers in the room, but I turned around, pointing to myself as if to ask, 'Me?'

Athena's sharp eyes narrowed, and she nodded. "Yes, you. Come here for a moment."

I sighed inwardly and made my way back toward her, my curiosity piqued but anxiety rising. What did she want with me? I couldn't have screwed up that badly in just one lecture, right? As I approached her, I noticed how she stood, arms crossed just below her chest, her imposing presence magnified by the way she seemed to effortlessly command the space around her. Her massive breasts were pressed up against her arms, but I forced my eyes up to meet hers, not wanting to earn her wrath by staring. Athena was not the type of woman who tolerated being ogled.

"Callum Brown, isn't it?" she asked.

I blinked in surprise. She remembered my name. I supposed that made sense—gods likely had perfect memory.

"Yes, ma'am," I replied, standing at attention.

Athena studied me for a moment, her eyes searching for something I couldn't quite discern. "Student Callum, don't for a second think I didn't notice how disinterested you were in today's lecture." Her voice was sharp, cutting through the last remnants of any nonchalance I had. "But, since this was your first class, I'll be lenient." She paused, her expression softening just a touch. "I expect a better attitude next time."

She dismissed me with a wave of her hand, turning back to gather her things.

I stood there for a beat longer, processing the mini-scolding I had just received. As I finally walked out of the hall, I wiped the thin layer of sweat that had formed on my forehead. "Wow," I muttered. "Strict much?"

Athena hadn't singled out Callum Brown just to scold him. In truth, she rarely wasted her time on students who lacked interest or potential. To her, they were lost causes, hardly worth a second thought, let alone a lecture. But with Callum, it was different.

There was something about him that tugged at her instincts, something that didn't quite fit. His stats were unimpressive—by far the weakest in the entire class. By any logical measure, he shouldn't have even been accepted into the Olympian Academy. His power level was so low it bordered on laughable.

And yet, Athena couldn't shake the feeling that Callum was significant in some way. Her instincts, honed over centuries of battle and wisdom, told her not to dismiss him so easily. There was something more to him, something she couldn't yet identify.

She had learned long ago to trust those instincts, the subtle whispers that hinted when something important was unfolding. Callum Brown, despite his unimpressive appearance and stats, felt like a piece of a larger puzzle. His presence would send ripples through the academy, and perhaps beyond. And somehow, Athena knew that his fate would affect her as well.

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Outside the hall, I realized I had an entirely different problem on my hands. I was lost. Completely, hopelessly lost. The Olympian Academy was huge—massive, even. The buildings were spaced far apart, and the whole place was at least the size of a small city.

I had spent nearly half an hour in the morning on my way from my dorm to Hallroom 4. And now, I had no idea how to get back.

The simplest thing to do would've been to ask one of my fellow first-year students where the dorms were, or just quietly follow them like I had when I left for class earlier. But, of course, things weren't going to be that easy.

"So, which dorm building are you headed to?" the student in front of me asked.

"Wait—there's more than one?" I replied.

"Yeah, there are five just for first-years. And they're pretty spaced out," he said casually, as if it wasn't a nightmare of navigation.

I groaned inwardly and facepalmed, knowing my luck. "Of course they are," I muttered, then quickly excused myself before I could embarrass myself further.

So, I began my adventure of trying to find my dorm by wandering aimlessly across the academy grounds, checking each dorm building as I went. I figured I'd start at Dorm 1 and work my way up until something looked familiar.

I should've picked up a slice-of-life novel instead of diving headfirst into this action-filled novel. At least those stories include all the mundane details, right? But no, all I remember from the one I read was Tiberius training non-stop, getting stronger, and fighting off monsters. Well, that and the occasional fan service moments sprinkled in between. No mention of there being 'five' dorm buildings anywhere.

Three hours later, I had only managed to cover three buildings, and none of them were mine. The day had gone from bad to worse, and now I was on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion. I was beginning to seriously consider just crashing somewhere when I stumbled upon an open field. It looked like some kind of training ground or practice field, with benches lining two sides, kind of like a high school soccer field from my version of Earth.

The sun was blazing overhead, and despite the pleasant breeze, I could feel the heat starting to wear me down. I spotted a shaded area under a large tree that cast a cool shadow over part of the field. Without thinking twice, I headed toward it.

The benches under the tree could probably seat fifteen or so people, but for now, they were empty. I collapsed onto the second row, sprawling out across the bench with a groan of relief. Propping my feet up on the lower bench in front of me, I closed my eyes, finally able to relax for the first time since the madness of the day had begun.

As the breeze gently rustled the leaves overhead, I felt my mind begin to drift. I wasn't sure how long I'd stay lost at this academy or how long it would take me to adjust to the fact that I wasn't in my own world anymore. But for now, all I could do was close my eyes and enjoy the peace, however fleeting it might be.