The walk to Raven Dormitory was quiet.
Students passed Noah without a second glance.
Some laughed when they recognized him.
Others whispered.
"That’s the F-Rank."
"He’ll probably drop out before midterms."
Noah shoved his hands into his coat pockets.
"People really need a hobby."
Eric chuckled.
"They’re academy students."
"Gossip is their hobby."
The two reached a crossroads.
Wolf Dormitory lay to the east.
Raven Dormitory to the west.
Eric extended a fist.
"Don’t die before dinner."
Noah bumped it.
"I’ll do my best."
"You’ve got terrible luck."
"I’ve noticed."
Eric laughed before disappearing down the eastern path.
Noah watched him go.
"A good guy."
"I hope the story doesn’t kill him."
Raven Dormitory wasn’t nearly as impressive as the other buildings.
It was old.
Simple.
Functional.
The walls were made of gray stone.
The windows were narrow.
No fountains.
No expensive statues.
No noble banners.
Noah actually liked it.
Less flashy.
Less attention.
Inside, dozens of first-years were unpacking their belongings.
Some glanced at Noah before returning to their own business.
Apparently, being F-Rank wasn’t enough to interest everyone.
He climbed the stairs.
Room 117.
The wooden door creaked open.
The room was small.
One bed.
One desk.
One bookshelf.
One wardrobe.
A single window overlooked the academy grounds.
"...Not bad."
It was certainly better than the apartment he’d rented back on Earth.
Noah closed the door.
Locked it.
Then reached into his coat.
The black envelope.
Its crimson wax seal gleamed faintly.
The broken crown symbol.
His expression became serious.
"No interruptions..."
He broke the seal.
The envelope unfolded by itself.
There wasn’t a letter inside.
Instead...
A thin sheet of black metal slid onto the desk.
Ancient crimson runes ignited across its surface.
Words slowly appeared.
To the Seventh Successor.
If you are reading this...
The First Guardian has fallen.
Noah’s breathing stopped.
The metal continued writing.
Do not trust the faculty.
Do not trust the nobles.
Do not trust the Church.
The final sentence appeared much more slowly.
As if whoever wrote it had hesitated.
Above all...
Do not trust the System.
Silence.
Noah stared.
His mind went blank.
"...What?"
The System.
The very thing keeping him alive.
The thing giving him skills.
The thing guiding him.
Not trust it?
A cold sensation spread through his chest.
The black metal trembled.
More words appeared.
It is watching.
The sheet suddenly burst into crimson flames.
Noah instinctively reached for it.
Too late.
The metal crumbled into black ash.
The ashes scattered across the room.
Gone.
As if the message had never existed.
Only one thing remained.
A small black key.
No longer than a finger.
Its bow was shaped like...
A broken crown.
Noah picked it up.
The moment his fingers touched it—
The System chimed.
Unknown Item Detected.
Analysis Failed.
Noah’s eyebrows shot up.
"Analysis... failed?"
It was the first time the System had admitted it didn’t know something.
Then—
Knock. Knock.
Someone was outside.
Noah instantly slipped the key into his pocket.
"Who is it?"
A cheerful voice answered.
"First-year orientation!"
"We’re checking that everyone arrived safely."
Noah frowned.
The timing felt... off.
He opened the door a crack.
A smiling academy staff member stood outside.
A middle-aged man wearing instructor robes.
Kind eyes.
Friendly smile.
Yet...
Predator’s Instinct activated.
Not violently.
Just enough to make Noah cautious.
The instructor looked at him warmly.
"Mr. Blackwood."
"I hope your room is satisfactory."
"It is."
"I’m glad."
The man’s eyes drifted around the room.
Just for a second.
Almost...
Searching.
Then he smiled again.
"If you need anything..."
"...don’t hesitate to ask."
He turned and walked away.
Noah watched until the instructor disappeared down the hallway.
Only then did he close the door.
Lock it.
His expression hardened.
"He wasn’t checking on students..."
"He was looking for something."
Noah glanced toward the pocket containing the black key.
Then another notification quietly appeared.
Unlike every notification before...
This one was written in dull gray instead of crimson blue.
Hidden Quest Accepted
Find the Door That Should Not Exist.
Reward: ???
Failure Condition: Unknown
Noah slowly looked up.
"...This academy is even worse than the forest."
Outside his window...
High atop the tallest tower...
An old man in crimson robes watched Raven Dormitory from a distance.
Headmaster Leonhardt.
His expression was unreadable.
Quietly, he whispered,
"Let’s see..."
"...which side chooses you first."