Chapter 143: Chapter 143 - Back to Routine!

The late afternoon atmosphere surrounding Crownspire Academy carried the familiar sense of refinement and controlled elegance that separated the academy entirely from the outside world, as countless students moved through the enormous pathways connecting the various white-and-gold buildings beneath the soft orange glow of the descending sun. Conversations echoed faintly throughout the academy grounds while distant sounds of training, mana exercises, and students returning from classes blended naturally into the lively atmosphere surrounding the prestigious institution.

Meanwhile—

Damon quietly walked through one of the academy pathways with Sahira following a single step behind him in her usual timid manner, her hands lightly holding a small bag containing several necessities brought back from the Valecrest Manor.

Compared to the peaceful atmosphere surrounding the academy—

Damon’s expression remained considerably calmer than usual.

Yet inwardly—

His thoughts still lingered elsewhere.

The breach.

The losses Duke Valecrest mentioned.

And most importantly—

The figure that the spy told him about who is targeting him from the shadows.

Meanwhile, beside him, Sahira quietly observed the academy surroundings with visible curiosity every now and then despite trying her best not to appear distracted. Compared to the enormous yet cold atmosphere of the Valecrest Manor, Crownspire Academy felt entirely different. The modern architecture, glass structures, mana elevators, floating displays, and enormous interconnected pathways gave the entire place an almost unreal feeling beneath the evening sky.

Eventually—

The two arrived before the dormitory building assigned to first-year students.

Inside the entrance hall, the familiar receptionist still sat behind the front desk in his usual strange manner, facing away from everyone exactly as always while lazily flipping through a book without the slightest intention of acknowledging incoming students.

Damon calmly stepped forward afterward.

"Damon Valecrest. First year."

The man behind the desk did not even turn around.

Instead, without saying a single word—

A key suddenly flew backward through the air directly toward Damon.

Yet Damon casually caught it midair without even changing expression.

Meanwhile, standing nearby, Sahira quietly blinked several times while observing the bizarre exchange.

Then silently—

The two walked further inside before eventually climbing the stairs leading upward through the dormitory building.

The atmosphere throughout the dorm remained relatively quiet compared to the academy grounds outside, only occasional footsteps and distant voices echoing faintly through the corridors as students settled back into their rooms for the evening.

Eventually—

Damon and Sahira arrived at the third floor.

Damon calmly inserted the key before pushing open the door to the familiar dorm room.

The small room appeared exactly as he remembered it.

Simple.

Organized.

Clean.

Without saying anything, Damon stepped inside while Sahira quietly followed behind him.

Then almost immediately—

Sahira softly spoke.

"You can freshen up, young master... I-I will clean the room a little meanwhile..."

Damon’s brows faintly furrowed afterward as he glanced around the dorm room again.

"It already looks clean though."

But Sahira simply shook her head repeatedly afterward before lightly pushing Damon toward the bathroom entrance.

"You will see it when you come back..."

Damon looked at her suspiciously for another moment before eventually giving up and entering the bathroom anyway.

Soon afterward—

The sound of running water echoed softly throughout the dorm room.

Inside the bathroom, Damon quietly removed his clothes before stepping beneath the shower, cold water immediately cascading down across his body while the exhaustion accumulated from the long journey gradually loosened little by little beneath the steady flow.

A faint breath escaped him afterward. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

"...There’s really nothing better than a cold shower after a long journey."

The cool water continued sliding down across his skin while the steamless chill slowly cleared the lingering heaviness within his thoughts.

And after several more minutes—

The sound of running water finally stopped.

Soon afterward, Damon stepped out from the bathroom with only a towel loosely wrapped around his lower body while faint traces of water still slid down across his chest and shoulders.

The moment Damon stepped outside the bathroom with the towel loosely wrapped around his lower body, his eyes paused almost immediately as he looked around the dorm room once more.

Then—

His brows slowly furrowed.

Because somehow—

The room genuinely looked different now.

The small dorm room that had already appeared reasonably clean earlier now looked absurdly organized beneath the warm evening light filtering through the windows. The shelves had been rearranged neatly, the bedsheets looked smoother than before, the books stacked across the table had been aligned perfectly, and even the faint stale atmosphere lingering within the room earlier had disappeared entirely.

Meanwhile, Sahira still moved around quietly while cleaning the final corners of the room with complete seriousness, occasionally adjusting objects that Damon himself could not even understand needed adjusting in the first place.

Damon stared at the room silently for several moments before inwardly thinking—

...Was this place actually that dirty before?

Meanwhile, Sahira herself looked completely focused while continuing her work.

"A little more..." she muttered softly to herself while adjusting the curtains slightly. "A-and this too..."

Damon simply watched her for another moment before eventually walking toward the wardrobe afterward.

Soon, he took out a set of simple casual clothes before changing into them, replacing the formal attire from earlier with a far more comfortable dark shirt and loose trousers suited for staying within the dorm itself.

By the time he finished—

Sahira had also finally completed cleaning.

She stood there quietly afterward while lightly wiping her forehead despite barely sweating at all.

Meanwhile, Damon glanced around the room once more before eventually speaking.

"You can go freshen up too."

Sahira blinked slightly.

"Huh?"

"You have been moving around since morning too," Damon said calmly while sitting down near the desk. "Go."

Sahira immediately nodded afterward.

"T-thank you young master..."

Soon afterward, she quietly entered the bathroom carrying a set of spare clothes within her arms while Damon himself casually sat down upon the chair positioned near the desk.

Then slowly—

Almost absentmindedly—

He slid one finger across the surface of the table.

Not even a single speck of dust remained.

Damon quietly stared at the spotless table afterward before awkwardly coughing lightly to himself.

"...Ridiculous."

Eventually, he simply leaned back against the chair afterward before closing his eyes briefly, intending to rest only for a moment.

Yet without realizing it—

Time quietly passed.

The evening atmosphere inside the dorm gradually softened beneath the warm lights while silence spread gently throughout the room.

Then eventually—

The bathroom door quietly opened again.

Sahira carefully stepped outside afterward with slightly damp hair falling softly around her shoulders, only to immediately pause after noticing Damon sitting motionlessly against the chair.

At first, she thought he was simply resting.

But after observing him carefully for several moments—

She realized he had fallen asleep.

Quietly.

Completely defenseless.

Meanwhile, Sahira herself stood there silently while looking toward Damon sleeping against the chair with his neck tilted awkwardly from the uncomfortable position.

A small troubled expression slowly appeared across her face afterward.

"...That might strain young master’s neck..."

After hesitating for several moments—

Sahira slowly stepped closer.

Carefully.

Quietly.

As though afraid of accidentally waking him.

Then gently—

She reached toward him while trying adjusting the angle of his neck slightly to make his posture more comfortable.

But the moment she tried—

The position somehow became even stranger.

Sahira immediately panicked slightly.

"N-no..."

Then carefully again—

She attempted adjusting him once more with visible concentration spread across her face.

Yet somehow—

It still failed.

Meanwhile—

Damon himself was already awake.

He had opened his eyes midway through her awkward attempts yet simply watched silently for several moments while Sahira remained completely unaware.

Then finally—

Their eyes met.

"Aahh—!"

Sahira instantly gave out a small startled scream before immediately stumbling backward several steps in panic.

"I-I was just trying to adjust your neck!" she explained hurriedly while waving both hands nervously. "I-it looked uncomfortable... a-and it might have caused strain..."

Meanwhile, Damon simply looked at her silently for a brief moment before eventually giving a small nod.

"...I see."

The calm response somehow only made Sahira even more embarrassed.

"I-I will start preparing dinner!"

The moment those words left her mouth, she immediately turned and hurried toward the small kitchen area in complete panic while Damon quietly watched her escape afterward beneath the warm evening lights of the dorm room.

Time quietly passed within the dorm room afterward while the evening outside gradually deepened into night, the distant sounds of students moving through the academy corridors slowly fading little by little as Crownspire itself settled beneath the calm darkness spreading across the campus.

Inside the room—

A warm atmosphere had gradually replaced the earlier awkwardness.

Soft light from the mana lamp resting near the desk illuminated the small dorm while faint traces of steam rose from the dishes Sahira carefully carried over one by one from the kitchen area. The aroma of freshly cooked food soon spread gently throughout the room, replacing the faint scent of soap and clean fabric lingering after the earlier cleaning.

Meanwhile, Damon remained seated near the desk while quietly observing Sahira move around the room arranging the dishes with complete seriousness despite the simplicity of the meal itself.

A bowl of warm soup.

Fresh bread.

Lightly seasoned meat.

And several smaller side dishes she had clearly prepared with care despite the limited space and ingredients available inside the dormitory kitchen.

Eventually, after placing the final dish down carefully, Sahira quietly sat upon the edge of the bed nearby before softly speaking.

"You can eat now, young master..."

Damon gave a small nod afterward before finally reaching toward the food.

Soon—

The two quietly began eating together beneath the warm silence filling the dorm room.

Compared to the enormous luxurious dinners within the Valecrest Manor—

This meal felt considerably simpler.

Yet strangely—

The atmosphere felt more comfortable.

Meanwhile, Sahira occasionally glanced toward Damon nervously while eating as though still uncertain whether the food suited his taste properly or not.

At one point, she finally gathered enough courage to ask softly,

"D-does it taste alright...?"

Damon calmly swallowed the food before answering without much expression.

"It’s fine."

Yet despite the cold response—

Sahira visibly relaxed afterward anyway.

The dinner quietly continued for several more minutes beneath the soft light of the room until eventually Damon casually opened his mouth again without looking directly toward her.

"Do you know how you came to the Valecrest Manor?"