Chapter 215: Branch
Within minutes, William was out of the bathroom. He swiftly changed into another set of clothes before heading back into the living room, where Asher was waiting.
"You done?" Asher asked without turning his head, his voice casual yet carrying a tone of expectation.
"Yeah. What now?" William responded, finally settling into a couch. Up until then, he had been sitting cross-legged on the floor during his earlier conversation with Asher.
"We should explore a bit. It’s getting late, but there are still some things we need to take care of. For instance, we should buy some basic supplies, like a toothbrush, toothpaste, and of course, a towel. You’ll need them tomorrow." Asher rose from his seat as he spoke, his expression calm but his tone laced with practicality.
William gave a nod before rising from his own seat, and together they made their way toward the door.
The cool night air greeted them as they stepped out. Within moments, they reached the staircase. Instead of walking down the flight of stairs, William chose a more unconventional method. With the grace of an agile predator, he leapt from one rail to another, descending floor by floor like a cat playing with gravity. Their room was on the tenth floor, the highest in the building, so each jump was calculated, yet effortless for him.
Asher, however, took a more refined approach. Using the teleportation ring, he simply vanished with a thought, reappearing on the ground below.
When William landed, he found Asher already waiting for him. He wasn’t surprised in the slightest; after all, he already knew about the teleportation ring. In fact, the entire class knew. Beyond that, William also knew that Asher possessed the rare space affinity, which made such feats second nature to him.
Together, they began their walk out of the building. The world beyond seemed strangely serene, untouched by chaos, as though the Separate Dimension itself was carved out of quiet order. The moon hung high above, its silver glow cascading down like a blessing, bathing the streets in soft luminescence.
Around them, a number of students could be seen strolling without a care in the world. Some moved with ease, already accustomed to the Academy’s atmosphere, while others stared wide-eyed at their surroundings, still overwhelmed by the enormity of their new environment.
Asher and William walked with steady, deliberate steps, their gait calm yet marked with subtle confidence. Eventually, they arrived before a building clearly labeled in bold script: Logistics Branch. Without hesitation, they pushed open the doors and stepped inside.
The interior was neat and organized, its air faintly scented with parchment and polished wood. Behind the counter sat a man with an expression of quiet patience, his presence steady like one who had watched countless students come and go.
"New students... huh?" the man said in a tone that straddled the line between a question and a statement.
Neither Asher nor William bothered to ask how he knew. It was likely experience; after all, it was common knowledge that new students sought out this branch first. The Logistics and Mission Operations Hall was said to provide almost everything, so long as the request wasn’t absurdly outrageous.
"Good evening," Asher and William greeted in unison, their voices polite but firm.
The man nodded once. "So, what do you need? Toothbrush, toothpaste, towels, soaps, we have it all. That’s usually what new students come for." His tone was brisk, practiced, as though he had repeated these words hundreds of times before.
Asher shook his head slightly. He already possessed everything he needed. William, however, stepped forward.
"I will only need a towel, a toothbrush, and toothpaste," William said simply.
The man regarded him for a moment, as if silently questioning whether that was truly all. William, however, remained silent, his expression unreadable.
"The toothbrush costs five points, the toothpaste costs ten, and the towel costs twenty. How many of each do you need?" the man asked evenly.
"Just one of each," William replied without hesitation.
There was no attempt at bargaining; he already understood that within the Academy, every item carried a fixed price. Discounts did not exist here.
The man reached beneath the counter and, without delay, placed the requested items on the surface. It was clear he had anticipated such purchases, likely having prepared them ahead of time, given how predictable new students were. This spared him the trouble of constantly walking back and forth for the same common orders.
Finally, he placed a small crystal orb on the counter. "Infuse your point card with Astra, then either swipe it or place it against the orb’s surface," he instructed.
William gave a nod and followed the directions. The moment his card touched the orb, he felt a faint pulse of energy as thirty-five points were deducted from his account.
Asher stood to the side silently, watching the process without comment.
"We also have a wide variety of other things, perfumes, clothes, and—" the man began, his tone shifting as he attempted to pitch the more luxurious items.
But William cut him off quickly. "We don’t need anything else."
The man offered a knowing smile. From the way they dressed and carried themselves, he had already deduced that the two were noble heirs. He had hoped to entice them into buying items befitting their status, but their disinterest was clear.
"Very well. Thank you for your time," the man said with a professional smile.
William gave a curt nod, transferring the purchased items into his space ring before turning to leave with Asher.
Soon, they arrived back at their own building. Asher’s sharp eyes drifted to the side, catching sight of another structure he remembered Thalric and Stephanie mentioning earlier. It was the dry cleaning hall. Students either had to pay others to wash their clothes or do it themselves.
’Points. Points. Points.’ The thought lingered in Asher’s mind as he and William re-entered their building.
William prepared to leap once again like a cat toward the upper floors, but Asher stopped him with an outstretched hand.
"I want to try something," Asher said, his tone calm but deliberate. He placed his hand lightly on William’s shoulder.
"What—" William began, but before he could finish, their surroundings blurred. In the blink of an eye, both their forms vanished, reappearing moments later in the hallway of the topmost floor.
"It seems the teleportation ring can also bring others along," Asher murmured thoughtfully to himself.
Hearing Asher’s murmured words, William needed no further explanation. The conclusion was clear enough.
With a quiet nod, he moved toward his room. "You coming?" he asked.
Asher shook his head. "Nah. First class tomorrow is at 8 a.m. I’d rather sleep early so I can wake up on time."
"Fair enough," William replied simply. Without another word, he entered his room and shut the door behind him.
Asher turned, walking toward his own room. Upon entering, he changed into a set of soft pajamas, the fabric light against his skin. He lay down on the bed, his body sinking into the mattress. For a while, his thoughts drifted aimlessly, flashes of the day’s events, stray considerations of the future, before sleep finally claimed him.