It Started with Slime - Part 1

Chapter 146 - Beginnings

They would need to stick together since, as far as they knew, no one else was aware of their situation or secret identity. Boren gave Aarav a forlorn look as they parted and Aarav decided there was unlikely to be a safer place in the city than this but he couldn't help his knowledge of humanity acquired in his last life to colour his emotions now. Even the most outwardly fair of societies had hierarchy. If anything the ones that looked best on paper hid the darkest secrets.

With goodbyes said Aarav made his way to his section glancing back from time to time until he could no longer see the other boy. Hope you will be alright. Worse case, I can always crash in your room. The accommodation was home to many of the smaller races in the Fryst. Fairies, pixies, gnomes, sprites and the like milled about in the hallways exchanging words and in some cases spells. Some of them would have been given some understanding of what to expect when they came here.

It was like the fresher's week in university and college if Aarav had ever attended. One big party and everyone meeting everyone else. The only damper was that the separation of the races by size created a barrier between the races before things were even off the ground.

Student housing was divided into four main categories. Small, medium, large and premium the last was for the wealthy of course and came in a host of sizes able to be customized with magic to cater to almost any need. The mana formations and arrays were expensive both to maintain and create so they were only practical for the paid rooms.

Meanwhile, the room assigned to Aarav as one of the smaller races on the continent was...lacklustre for want of a better word. He was underwhelmed even compared to what was offered in the palace. The room was small, designed to fit his current size and the bare bones of what a room should contain. A small bed with plain wooden frame and mattress and a few bed covers. A cupboard that could be used for the few personal effects he was allowed to bring along, not that he had any, and a desk with a chair made of the same wood that the bed was made from. It occurred to him that the wood was likely from Pleutr and that made him feel a little more comfortable. After all the forest was home.

A single small window looked out onto the central space of the Academy. The building itself designed as a square three storeys high enclosed the space that served as courtyard, garden and training grounds all rolled into one.

Still it was up to him to make this place his own for the year. Some Alchemy stuff and a few personal items would have to do for the moment. Within twenty minutes Aarav had left his meagre possessions and returned to where he left Boren.

The prince was already there waiting impatiently, or rather Boren corrected mentally, Craden Blake. That was the name Boren had decided on for his new persona. Aarav thought it sounded pretentious but the prince seemed to truly like the name and it was different enough from his original that no one would suspect, as if the disguise was not already sufficient.

"So what next?" Boren asked before Aarav had even reach him.

"I suppose we need to get to the central reception area? They are apparently taking new students around and it looks like there is something happening over there." Aarav pointed over to the middle of the training area where it seemed many of the students had congregated.

Since only a single year was mandatory most of these students were new. The faculty had become quite efficient at organising the tours and showing the new comers around. Aarav and Boren, from now on called Craden joined one of the smaller ones that was led by a short man with a shaved head. It almost seemed as though he hated hair and so had chosen to shear it all off by choice.

The man peered at the latest additions to his group and grunted. "Follow me! We have enough now!" He said for the benefit of a straggler that was about to join in as well. He left that last kid in the dust. Aarav was a little shock at his behaviour considering the child was only nine years old but maybe that was the way of this world. "You, go find another group!" The man barked at the startled boy as they all filed past him.

Aarav felt sorry for the kid that was left in their wake looking a little lost, but two minutes later one of the older students came and added him to a group with a female instructor. Aarav saw all this as he and Boren walked away from the courtyard. This tour promised to be something special and Aarav was eager to find out what was on offer.

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