The aroma that rose from the cup was unmistakably high grade. It drifted through the room like a quiet coup, occupying every dusty corner, pushing back the damp, stale scent that had lingered since they opened the door.

  Ferir sat down on the remaining chair, though not entirely at ease. The prince did not offer to share and the room had only one empty seat left anyway.

  The midday dragged on awkwardly for Ferir, and the afternoon began with a unnecessarily loud jarring bell.

  Ferir was terrified at the thought that from tomorrow he would be woken up by this terrible annoying bell ringing instead of his mother's gentle morning wake-ups. As the bell rang, a white-robed instructor appeared in front of the dormitory and led the candidates toward the regulations classroom.

  Everyone looked somewhat weary and tired. Ferir had a vague suspicion that today would not be the most productive of lessons.

  The classroom was larger than he expected, and cool, with neatly arranged wooden desks and chairs. The session was conducted by a small-framed man with a humorous tone, named Lamer.

  Lamer's way of speaking brightened the atmosphere in the room considerably.

  The way Lamer spoke instantly refreshed the atmosphere in the room. He introduced the procedures within the dormitory, the fixed daily schedule, and the important milestones ahead - most of which were examinations. Some tests would last only a single day, while others would stretch on for weeks.

  After that, Lamer pulled out a large drawing.

  “This is the map of the Training Base.”

  According to the map, the area they were currently staying in was merely a tiny corner of the entire Training Base. Several zones were explained in detail, but many others were introduced by name alone. Some areas were even strictly off-limits.

  “You’ll understand better when you need to use them,” Lamer said when asked about vague sections of the map.

  What followed was a long march through regulations, disciplinary measures, subjects of study, and a mountain of other dreary details. Ferir’s head throbbed as he struggled to stay awake.

  By the time the lesson ended, dinner had begun.

  Meals were pre-portioned for the trainees, no choosing allowed, though thankfully the spread offered far more dignity than a simple meat sandwich. The dining hall was shared with the support staff, cleaners, laundry workers, cooks and the like, while the instructors dined elsewhere.

  The stretch of time after dinner and before curfew was designated as personal time for the candidates.

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  To Ferir’s surprise, when everyone returned to their rooms, the bedding had already been washed, dry and fragrant, ready for sleep.

  When the two young occupants of Room 4 discovered they had nothing to do and nobly decided to dedicate the first evening of their “personal time” to sleep, a new problem arose.

  “I’ll take the upper bunk,” Kevin declared in the unmistakable cadence of someone accustomed to giving orders.

  Ferir tried to keep his voice from sounding harsh:

  “I thought we didn’t have class distinctions here, Prince?”

  “Aren’t you the one who cares so much about that? Then act accordingly.”

  “Everyone adapts. I suppose I’m willing to learn how to treat you as an equal. Starting with not considering everything you say an order.”

  This would have been a simple matter to negotiate, if not for the small cluster of mushrooms growing exactly where the occupant of the lower bunk would have to place his rear, regardless of sleeping position.

  It looked disturbingly as though someone in the distant past had wet the bed several time, Ferir firmly suppressed the horrifying thought before it could leave his mouth.

  Kevin suddenly nudged the sword that never left his side slightly forward. His stance made it clear that, in his mind, this was no longer a matter open for discussion.

  “Don’t force me to resort to… less peaceful measures.”

  Ferir calmly rested one hand on the Divine Flame sword lying atop the table.

  “You’re getting ahead of yourself.”

  The air between them tightened. Right at that critical moment, the supervisor of the male dormitory happened to pass by, knocking lightly on each door to remind the students that the lights would be turned off an hour earlier tonight.

  He stopped in front of Room 4, where the door stood wide open.

  “You two are…?”

  Ferir had already withdrawn his hand from the Divine Flame, his expression smooth and composed.

  “Conversing.”

  The dorm supervisor frowned.

  “Lights out in thirty minutes. Whatever it is, wrap it up.”

  Then he moved on to the next room.

  “Rock, paper, scissors.” Ferir proposed, tension coiled in his voice.

  Kevin had no better solution. He gave a curt nod.

  Rock. Paper. Scissors.

  Paper and scissors.

  Kevin satisfied, arranged his bedding on the upper bunk as if claiming conquered territory.

  Exactly half an hour later, the corridor lights snapped off with a sharp click.

  Ferir extinguished the last lamp in their room, shut the window, and climbed up to the top bunk with reluctance. Moonlight slipped in through the open cabinet door, pale and intrusive.

  He reached to slide the cabinet door closed.

  From below, Kevin’s hand shot up to block it.

  “In the palace, we never sleep in total darkness. I’m used to light.”

  In the end, Kevin insisted on leaving the cabinet door open. Forced to compromise, Ferir turned around and lay with his head toward the fixed end of the bed, the only corner untouched by moonlight.

  Unfortunately, the bed had been built with a slight incline. The moment he lay down, it felt as all the blood rushed to his head.

  Ferir tossed and turned for nearly an hour before sleep finally claimed him.