Chapter 7

Adrelo Le Ven Dierre.

The name was infamous, spoken more often with scorn than respect. Among the noble circles, it was whispered with derision, a title synonymous with failure, mediocrity, and disgrace. The House of Dierre, a once-glorious family renowned for producing magical prodigies and political masterminds, had its reputation tarnished by none other than their youngest son.

Adrelo, the so-called trashy bastard, was the glaring exception to his siblings' brilliance. While his older brothers and sisters dazzled the empire with their feats of power and intellect, Adrelo's name became a punchline, a constant reminder of squandered potential.

To many, he was a stain on the Dierre name, a living testament to imperfection in a lineage that prided itself on excellence. And it wasn't just his lack of magical prowess that earned him infamy. It was the stories, the endless tales of his laziness, his blunders, his inability to meet even the lowest expectations.

The court jesters joked about him. The academy students whispered about him. The servants of the noble estates exchanged knowing glances whenever his name was mentioned.

The trash son. The black sheep. The talentless one.

But what none of them could have imagined was that the Adrelo Le Ven Dierre they ridiculed was no longer the same.

Unbeknownst to the world, a different soul now resided in his body, a soul that bore none of the shame or baggage of his predecessor. A soul that had yet to reveal itself, but one that burned with quiet determination.

Adrelo Le Ven Dierre might have been infamous, but the man he had become was ready to redefine that reputation.

As Adrelo stood in his new dormitory, staring out the window at the sprawling academy grounds, he couldn't help but smirk. The weight of his past identity felt both suffocating and freeing. He had nothing to lose, and everything to gain.

Adrelo stood by the window, his silver eyes trailing over the sprawling expanse of the academy grounds. The view from his dormitory was nothing short of breathtaking. Students dotted the cobblestone paths below, their laughter and chatter drifting faintly upward. Groups huddled together, exchanging notes, or simply basking in the golden light of the late afternoon sun.

He rested his chin against his hand, the cool glass of the windowpane pressing against his fingertips as his thoughts wandered. This place... Mystevorne, Citadel of Enchantment.

It was larger, more intricate, and alive than he had imagined, even from the glimpses described in the novel. Yet, it was also a world brimming with dangers-socially and politically. Every move he made would be scrutinized.

Three days. That was all he had until his official schedule began. Three days to adjust to this new reality, to familiarize himself with the workings of the academy, and to craft a plan.

Unlike the original Adrelo, whose reckless behavior and sharp tongue had drawn unnecessary attention, he had no intention of making a spectacle of himself. He knew better than to get involved with the Main Leads of the novel, whose lives intertwined in a web of conflict, ambition, and chaos. His goal was simple.

Survival.

'No trouble'

He thought firmly, watching a group of students animatedly debating near the fountain. Their brightly embroidered academy uniforms shimmered under the sunlight like living tapestries, each thread a declaration of elegance.

'And no crossing paths with the Main Leads.'

As his mind ran through the names of the novel's characters, figures both dangerous and magnetic, Adrelo's thoughts shifted.

The dormitory.

He stepped away from the window and glanced around. It was vast, almost like an apartment complex with multiple sections. Each student had their own private bedroom, along with shared common areas, a kitchen, a study lounge, and a spacious living room with floor-to-ceiling windows. The opulence of it was almost absurd.

Adrelo sighed, running a hand through his hair. He remembered from the novel that the dormitories housed groups of two to four students.

"So, who were the unfortunate souls stuck with the infamous Adrelo?"

He racked his memory, trying to recall the faces and names from the story. There were a few potential candidates. He distinctly remembered how the original Adrelo had caused no end of grief for his roommates, who tolerated his antics either out of apathy or sheer endurance.

But their names remained fuzzy, details muddled in the backdrop of the Main Leads' tales.

Were they minor characters? Irrelevant extras in the grand scheme of the novel? Or was there more to them?

Adrelo frowned.

If I want to stay under the radar, I'll need to handle them carefully. If they've been dealing with the original Adrelo's nonsense all this time, then they're likely already on edge.

He crossed his arms, leaning against the wall.

It was a delicate balance. Too much interaction, and they might pry into his sudden change in behavior. Too little, and they might see him as distant, or worse, suspicious.

The faintest of smirks played on his lips.

"Well, this should be interesting," he murmured to himself.

There was no telling who would walk through that door in the next few hours or days. And until they did, Adrelo resolved to prepare himself for whatever came next.

The faint creak of the dormitory door signaled the arrival of company. Adrelo, still lounging near the window, straightened slightly, adopting a casual posture. The "friendly but not too friendly" demeanor he'd rehearsed in the mirror earlier was about to be put to the test.

The door swung open, revealing a stocky, broad-shouldered boy with short black hair and a scowl that seemed permanently etched into his face. He carried a large duffel bag over one shoulder, and his eyes instantly narrowed when they landed on Adrelo.

"Great," the boy muttered, stepping inside and dumping his bag on the nearest couch.

"Just when I thought my life couldn't get worse, they tell me I'm stuck with you again."

'Ah? This guy seems familiar? Gar-' Adrelo trying to absorb the memories of Adrelo's academy background flashing in his head right now.

"Gareth?"

Adrelo smirked, though it didn't reach his eyes.

"Ah, Gareth. It's been a while. Missed me?"

Gareth rolled his eyes.

"Like I'd miss the stomach flu."

Adrelo chuckled. It wasn't the warmest reunion, but it wasn't unexpected either. Gareth had been his roommate for two years now, two years of enduring the original Adrelo's lazy antics, loud complaints, and, occasionally, creative messes that made him infamous even in the upperclassmen dorms.

"Don't get too comfortable," Gareth warned, dropping onto the couch.

"I'm not cleaning up your messes this time, and if you pull the same stunts as last year, I swear I'll-"

"Relax," Adrelo interrupted, raising his hands in mock surrender.

"I'm a changed man."

Gareth snorted.

"Yeah, and I'm the Emperor of Mystevorne. Spare me the act, Dierre. I know exactly what to expect from you."

Adrelo shrugged, letting the conversation die as Gareth leaned back into the cushions, already flipping through a small notebook he'd pulled from his bag. This is going to take some time, Adrelo thought grimly. Winning over Gareth's trust, or at least his indifference wasn't going to be easy.

The dormitory door opened again before the tension could settle. This time, revealing a tall, lanky boy with dark curls that seemed to defy gravity. He was carrying a stack of books so precariously high that his face was barely visible behind them. His dark curls framed a pair of wide, nervous eyes that darted between Adrelo and Gareth.

"Uh... hello?" the boy said, his voice uncertain.

"Is this... Dormitory 11-B?"

"You've got the right place,"

Gareth replied without looking up from his notebook.

The boy stepped in, paused, and turned toward Adrelo.

"Are you... the infamous Adrelo Le Ven Dierre?" His tone was as neutral as it could be, but the slight twitch in his left eye betrayed his unease.

Adrelo sighed internally. So much for first impressions.

"That's me," he replied smoothly, pushing away from the window and leaning against the wall.

Adrelo sighed.

"You don't have to say the full name. Just 'Adrelo' is fine."

Milo didn't seem reassured.

"Right. Well... I've, uh, heard some things about you."

"I'm sure you have," Adrelo muttered,

"But don't worry, I'm not as terrifying as the rumors make me out to be."

The boy blinked, then set his books down on the nearest table with an audible thud.

"Terrifying?" he repeated, adjusting his glasses.

"I think you're mixing up adjectives. The ones I heard were more along the lines of 'disastrous,' 'lazy,' and my personal favorite, 'walking cautionary tale.'"

Adrelo winced. "Ouch. Right to the heart."

The boy shrugged.

"I'm Milo. Roommate number one. I've read enough novels to know this probably won't go well, but here's hoping I don't regret my decision to room here."

Adrelo blinked. "You had a choice?"

"Of course," Milo said, already flipping through one of his books.

"Everyone in the selection pool did. But someone has to be the martyr."

Adrelo rolled his eyes.

Milo placed his books on the table, clearly uncertain how to respond.

"Well... this should be interesting."

"That's one way to put it," Gareth said dryly.

****

The three of them sat in awkward silence for a moment before Milo glanced around the room.

"So, uh... is it always this quiet here?"

Gareth scoffed.

"Hardly. This room used to feel like a circus. You're lucky you didn't show up two years ago."

"Oh?" Milo perked up, curiosity lighting his face.

Gareth leaned back in his chair, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"We had another roommate before you. A senior named Rowan. Now he knew how to keep this idiot in line." He jerked his thumb toward Adrelo.

Adrelo winced at the memory. Rowan had been his roommate from the start of his academy days until last year, when the older boy graduated. Tall, imposing, and utterly no-nonsense, Rowan had been one of the few people who could intimidate him into doing anything.

Milo tilted his head.

"What happened to him?"

"He graduated," Gareth said.

"But not before he nearly throttled Adrelo at least a dozen times. If it weren't for Rowan dragging this moron out of trouble, he probably would've been expelled."

Adrelo rubbed the back of his neck, feigning nonchalance.

"He wasn't that scary."

Gareth barked a laugh.

"Says the guy who used to hide in the closet whenever Rowan came back from dueling practice."

Milo looked amused.

"So, basically, Rowan was the dormitory's babysitter?"

"Exactly," Gareth said with a grin.

"And now that he's gone, it's my job to make sure this guy doesn't burn the place down."

Adrelo sighed.

"I'm standing right here, you know."

"And we're ignoring you," Gareth shot back.

Milo chuckled.

"Well, if it makes you feel better, I'm not great at cooking, so if you burn something, I probably won't even notice."

Adrelo smirked.

"Good to know. Let's hope neither of us has to test that theory."

****

Adrelo was determined to start his day right. He woke early, dressed quickly, and even managed to avoid tripping over the clutter that had already started accumulating in the common areas.

He walked into the shared kitchen, only to freeze. Milo was there, surrounded by a whirlwind of chaos-flour on the counter, eggshells on the floor, and a mysterious green goo bubbling on the stove.

"What... are you doing?" Adrelo asked slowly.

"Breakfast," Milo said cheerfully, stirring the green goo with a wooden spoon.

"That," Adrelo said, pointing at the pot, "does not look like breakfast. It looks like a potion gone horribly wrong."

"Cooking is just alchemy with food," Milo replied, completely unbothered.

Adrelo stepped closer, peering into the pot.

"And what, pray tell, is this supposed to be?"

"Pancakes," Milo said confidently.

"Pancakes?" Adrelo echoed, incredulous.

"I'm pretty sure pancakes aren't supposed to be... luminous."

Before Milo could respond, Gareth entered the kitchen, his hair a tangled mess and his expression one of pure annoyance.

"What is that smell?" he demanded, glaring at the pot.

"Breakfast," Milo said again, this time with less confidence.

Gareth stared at him, then at the pot, then back at him.

"If I die because of your 'cooking,' I'm coming back as a ghost and haunting you forever."

"Noted," Milo muttered.

Adrelo couldn't help but laugh.

"Well, at least I know I'm not the only disaster in this room."

Gareth shot him a glare.

"Don't get too comfortable. I'm sure you'll find a way to outdo him."

Adrelo grinned. "Challenge accepted."