The Perfect Knight and the Illusionist (BL)
Chapter 11: Looking for a Bird

Chapter 11: Looking for a Bird

MARIUS

’So Skylark is sharing a room with Dimitri and Briant...’

I made a mental note as I found his name on the dormitory room assignment poster that was put up in the hallway. A big crowd was gathered with everyone eager to find out where they would be staying and whom they would be sharing rooms with. Some seemed delighted, presumably because they ended up with their friends, while some seemed disappointed that they didn’t get the room or roommates they wanted.

"Oh, Marius—we are in the same room. Up there."

I heard someone speak next to me, and turned to find that it was Thomas. He was the man who had been with Skylark and Isabelle earlier. When our eyes met, he simply pointed at the top left corner of the poster. I followed his finger and found my name grouped with Thomas and—

Dorian Ashcroft.

That was the dark-haired man who bumped into me in the morning, just before Skylark caught me off guard.

"I see," I said.

"What were you even looking at this whole time? Hah."

Thomas chuckled and shook his head.

"It seems we shall be sharing quarters. I trust we will have a productive living arrangement," I told Thomas with a smile.

Thomas stared at me and said,

"You mean, like roommates?"

"Precisely."

"That’s nothing like what you said..."

As I stood there not quite knowing what to say, Thomas looked at me, blinked a few times, and asked,

"You don’t have any luggage?"

"No."

"You are not moving in today?"

"The helpers should have brought my luggage to the room by now."

"Heh~, that’s nice. Then do you mind lending me a hand?"

It was only then that I noticed Thomas was carrying two large bags, one slung over each shoulder.

"Oh, I’m sorry. I should have noticed earlier."

I quickly took one bag off his shoulder to carry it for him.

"Thanks a lot."

Thomas smiled and led the way.

We conversed as we walked, and as he was talking about how he saw me in last year’s Youth Archery tournament, I noticed that we were walking past the infirmary. I craned my neck to peek in as the door was open, but Dr. Branson wasn’t there and the bed was empty too. When Thomas talked about how competing at the Academy level would be exciting, I saw that the field where the seniors were playing kick-ball earlier today was oddly empty despite the nice weather. By the time we arrived at the dormitory, I counted five eagles in the sky, and then we walked in silence after entering the building until we reached the door of our room.

"Whoa! What’s all this stuff?"

Thomas dropped his bag to the floor after opening the door.

"It seems my luggage is here," I said.

"Did you pack your entire room or something?"

"I hadn’t quite packed it myself. I’m sorry that my things are crowding the room. I will sort them out quickly and send any unnecessary luggage back."

"Nah, it should be fine. Which bed do you want?"

I looked around and saw that there were three beds. One bunk bed on one side and a single bed on the other side.

"I suppose you’ll get that one," Thomas pointed at the single bed with his chin.

I looked at the single bed, then the bunk bed, then at my luggage piled up in the middle of the room, then outside the window, then at the single bed, and then—

"Tsk, if you are going to stand around looking for a bird, then do it outside."

Dorian’s voice suddenly came from behind.

"Pardon me?" I asked, not quite understanding what he said.

"Move it. I’m taking this bed."

With that, he threw his bag onto the single bed and walked toward it.

Thomas looked at Dorian, then at me, then shrugged and said,

"I’ll take the top bed, then."

As Thomas took his bag off my shoulder, I heard Dimitri’s hearty laughter from outside. I immediately turned to leave the room, and my auditory senses instinctively guided me toward where the sound came from. It seemed he was walking up the stairs, so I walked down the hallway in that direction.

’It is courteous to help classmates move into their rooms,’ I thought to myself as I continued.

’Dimitri’s probably carrying heavy luggage too.’

I hastened my steps.

’He’s coming up the stairs. I had better hurry and help him.’

I started to jog.

As soon as I turned the corner, I saw Skylark come up the stairs.

"Skylark—are you alright?"

He froze on the spot as he saw me and looked to either side of him. Dimitri was on his right carrying four or five bags. Briant was on his left, carrying a bag in each hand. Skylark took a nervous step backward, his foot finding the stair below.

"Skylark! That’s dangerous!"

My own sudden raised voice startled me. A little too coarse, perhaps even harsh.

But I was relieved to see that he immediately stopped moving and was no longer in danger.

"See you later, Marius," Dimitri said as he walked past me with Briant.

Skylark stood in the middle of the stairs. He looked pale and fragile.

"I... I’m okay Mario...," he reassured me finally, his voice barely audible.

Thank God he was okay.