Chapter 206: Finch
Asher stared at the departing upperclassmen as they nonchalantly left the group of new students to their own devices, almost as though their presence had been nothing more than a fleeting shadow. They did not offer any more guidance, nor did they bother with pleasantries; they simply vanished into the distance, leaving behind an air of superiority that made several of the freshmen bristle in silence.
Asher, however, remained calm. He stood motionless for a moment, his expression neutral, as though weighing several decisions in his mind. On one hand, he had just stepped foot into this Academy, a place brimming with mystery and potential.
As a transmigrator, curiosity urged him to explore every corner, uncover its hidden depths, and learn every secret it possessed. But on the other hand, he reminded himself that there would be plenty of time for that later. For now, perhaps practicality should come first.
At the edge of the crowd, several students had already begun moving. Some wore frowns as they glanced toward the two separate residential buildings that had been assigned to them. Displeasure lingered in their expressions, but Asher could understand the reasoning behind the Academy’s division. It was not a matter of fairness but of pressure, a system designed to force them to work harder, to climb higher in the ranks, and to yearn for improvement.
He did not yet know the exact differences between the two buildings, as he had not been properly briefed. To him, a room was simply a room; the only distinction might lie in the luxury and privileges afforded by one structure over the other. Still, in the grand scheme of things, it was a trivial matter. A guess, nothing more.
"Should we go in, or should we explore first?" William’s voice broke his thoughts, the boy appearing at Asher’s side as though he had casually perched himself upon his companion’s shoulders.
Ryaen was not with them. She had already departed earlier. Whether she had gone to inspect her room or to explore the vastness of the Academy grounds, Asher neither knew nor particularly cared.
"Let’s check out our rooms first," Asher replied with quiet composure. "We still have plenty of time to explore later."
William gave a short nod, seemingly arriving at the same conclusion. Both of them prepared to move, but just as their feet lifted to take the first step, a voice called out from the side.
"William, wait up!"
Both Asher and William instinctively turned their heads in the direction of the call. A slightly overweight boy came hurrying toward them, his cheeks flushed from exertion but his expression alight with relief.
"Finch? You made it?" William’s tone carried a mixture of surprise and familiarity.
The boy halted in front of them, panting lightly. He stood about five foot ten, with dark black hair and equally black eyes that gleamed faintly in the sunlight.
"I didn’t at first," Finch admitted with a rueful smile. "I was ranked two-hundred and twenty-fifth on the exam list. But unexpectedly, a group of us was called back. It seems others made mistakes that cost them their places, and I was fortunate enough to take one of the vacant spots. So yes, I barely made it in, at the expense of others’ missteps."
William nodded thoughtfully. Truth be told, he had almost forgotten about Finch altogether. They had not been housed in the same residential building prior to the examination, nor had circumstances allowed them to meet afterward. With everything happening so quickly, it was understandable.
Only then did Finch’s eyes shift, and he seemed to notice the silent figure standing beside William. The moment his gaze locked onto Asher, his throat tightened, and he swallowed audibly.
"I greet the Tenth Sun," Finch said, his voice steady though his body betrayed a trace of nervousness as he bowed respectfully.
Asher gave the barest of nods. He did not know Finch, and as such, he found little reason to respond with words he did not feel.
Seeing Asher’s silence, William quickly filled the gap. "Asher, this is Finch. He’s the son of a Baron Household. We’ve been friends for quite some time now."
Finch blinked in disbelief, stunned at William’s casual use of Asher’s name. Where had William found the audacity to address the Tenth Sun so informally? Yet the chastisement he expected never came. Instead, Asher’s expression remained unchanged, and Finch immediately realized that there was a familiarity here that perhaps he should not question.
"Nice to meet you, Finch," Asher finally said, his voice calm and measured.
Finch almost stumbled in shock at the simple greeting. "Thank you," he replied, though the words slipped out almost unconsciously.
’Thank you?’ Asher thought silently, bemused by the odd response.
"It seems you are in the second building, Finch," William remarked, noting his placement.
"Indeed I am," Finch admitted without the slightest hint of complaint. "But it hardly matters. Why should I protest about a place to stay when I was never truly meant to be here in the first place?"
His tone was one of genuine acceptance, neither bitter nor resentful. After exchanging a few more words, he clasped William on the shoulder, then turned to bow once more toward Asher.
"I’ll be seeing you later. For now, I must go check my room." With that, Finch departed.
Asher watched him leave but said nothing, a faint smile playing on his lips as he finally turned back toward his own building.
"Why are you smiling?" William asked as they entered together.
"Nothing really," Asher replied coolly.
The ground floor opened into a long, spacious hallway, its polished stone floors reflecting the light that streamed in through tall windows. Carved numbers glowed faintly above each door, guiding the new arrivals. Asher’s sharp eyes swept across them quickly, assessing their arrangement.
’Ten doors, ranks ninety-one through one-hundred. That means ten rooms per floor... which would place ranks one through ten at the very top,’ Asher thoughtinwardly, recalling that the building had ten floors in total.
There were no elevators here; only staircases led upward. Unfortunately, clusters of students had gathered around the stairs, either chatting animatedly or slowly moving as they considered the climb.
William, unwilling to waste time, stepped forward. With a sudden burst of agility, he leapt onto the railing. His body twisted midair with practiced grace as he vaulted from one floor’s railing to the next. Flip after flip, he ascended with effortless momentum until he landed lightly upon the railing of the topmost staircase, perfectly balanced as though he had rehearsed the maneuver countless times.
A few heads turned at the display, but most of the students offered no reaction. Here, after all, agility and strength were expected. William had only done what many of them could accomplish if they so desired.
Asher tilted his head back, watching his friend’s figure above. A temptation stirred within him. Ten floors was a tedious climb, and though walking was the simplest method, efficiency beckoned him toward a quicker option.
With a mere thought, Virelass manifested in his hand. He raised it with calm ease and hurled it upward toward William’s location. The blade embedded itself neatly into the floor beside him, causing William to blink in confusion.
Then, in the blink of an eye, Asher vanished from where he stood. His form reappeared beside the rapier, space itself bending to his will. He had marked the floor with his Position Marker and teleported effortlessly to its location. Upon arrival, he calmly removed the Mark, retrieving Virelass once more.
William stared for a moment, a flicker of disbelief in his eyes, though he remained silent.
’Perhaps,’ Asher thought with faint amusement, ’I should have simply used the teleportation ring the Principal gifted me.’