About 5 minutes of walking distance away from the eastern gate of the First Bond school lay a dorm room for students with no family members to live with.
If they did, they could ask for a house instead, which would be provided to them by the school, but in that case, basic facilities such as food, clothes, and sanitation should have to be taken care of by the students themselves.
Saphandra had her hair in a bun again and was wearing a hat on top of it to hide it. Trevain didn't want to hide his hair color, but his hair itself wasn't that good-looking, so he chose to wear his hat for now as well.
Besides, he was used to wearing hats.
Saphandra found her dorm and walked over there, and Trevain and Ning found their dorm room and went over there.
After resting for a while, they went out to eat something together. To their surprise — which they should have expected already— the food in the canteens around the city was free.
All that would happen was the food the students ate would be put on the school's tab, which they would pay later on their own. So, the students could go to any location in any part of the city, and not worry about having to pay for their food.
After they were done, Saphandra and Trevain left for somewhere while Ning walked to someplace else on his own.
As it was now late afternoon, the school would be over and the person would be available.
Ning stood in front of a rather large house and knocked on the door. A maid walked out of the house and looked at Ning curiously.
"May I help you?" she asked.
"Yes, can you tell your lord that Ning is here?" he asked.
The maid nodded and turned to leave, but just then a voice came from behind Ning.
"Little brother, you're here already?" the voice asked.
Ning turned around and smiled. "Were you guys out?" he asked.
Yelena gave a big smile and nodded. "We were out doing groceries," she said with her mother by her side.
"Are you looking for him?" the mother asked.
"Yes, is the vice headmaster back?" Ning asked.
"He should," she said and turned to the maid with a curious face.
"Lord Haymond has already returned," the maid said.
"Let's go in. You can talk what you want with him there," she said.
Ning nodded and entered the house.
After treating Yelena, Ning had returned here a few times a week to check up on her and see how the process was for her getting better.
With her mother's help, she was slowly starting to be less child-like and more ladylike. Very soon, her body would catch up to all the years she had missed and grow by an incredible level which she had to be ready for.
In fact, in some places, she was already growing.
Ning found the old man sitting on a chair, drinking some tea. He entered the room and sat opposite him.
"Hmm, you came again?" he asked after seeing Ning.
"Through the front door today," he said.
"Oh," the old man looked in surprise. "I thought you liked just popping into someone's house."
"That seemed easier, but I was already in the city, so there was no point in just popping in. Besides, I wanted to see what the city looked like."
"Hm? Why were you in—"
Ning brought out his student card and showed it off.
"Ohh… was it today? Right, it is today. So you passed?" the old man asked.
"With flying colors," Ning said. "In fact, look here, I'm not even a student."
The old man took the card with a confused expression, and when he saw the information on it, his eyes nearly popped out.
"What the hell? You are working under sister Verina?" the old man asked. "How?"
"Just happened," Ning said, not bothering to explain anything.
"Well, you must have shown her some sort of skill in summoning circles. She wouldn't have you be an assistant otherwise," the vice headmaster said while sipping his cup of tea.
Ning nodded and kept back the student card.
"So, we did what you told us to do. We got into the school. Now what?" Ning asked.
"Well… now you wait," the old man said. "With a month and a half still left, you can do nothing but wait."
"What about the spots? How does that work?" Ning asked.
"2 weeks from now, the Headmaster will ask for the names of the students who I will choose, along with the other various teachers who have some people they can choose as well."
"Once I give them, the next day over you will be called to check if you are eligible to go to the Forbidden Island or not."
"Don't worry, this is just a small formality thing. Unless you are injured, you will pass right by," the old man said.
"Hmm, seems fine I guess," Ning said. "A month and a half, huh? Well, since I'm here, might as well have some fun at the school."
"Well, do whatever you want, but just don't get my name involved in any of it," the old man said in a tired voice.
"Why do you think I would do anything? Do I look like someone that goes around looking for fights?" Ning asked.
"Not you," the old man said. "But since you will get a spot when others won't, it is likely that they will come to harass you. At that time, don't come asking me for any help. Although, I think it will be the others that will be needing help, won't they?"
"As long as they don't mess with me, I won't mess with them," Ning said with a shrug.
Ning stayed around for a while longer and spoke to the old man about the school and the city before leaving the house around evening.
He went back directly to the dorm and prepared for his school life starting tomorrow.
