Chapter 15: Registering as a New Student
Shani got out of the taxi and walked toward the small open gate. Several students were coming and going, holding up their student badges to a camera box beside the entrance.
As a new student, Shani didn’t have a student badge yet. She simply let the camera scan her face.
"Go inside and wait by the lake," a voice instructed through the speaker.
Shani nodded and walked through the gate. Only then did she realize the small entrance was equipped with a security scanner.
Beyond the gate was a large artificial lake surrounded by a wide road, big enough for hovercars to pass through.
Along the road was a paved walkway lined with benches and shady trees.
Shani headed toward one of the benches, figuring that was where she had been told to wait.
Not far away was a bridge connecting the entrance area to the first building. She quietly watched the students walking back and forth.
Among the sea of young faces, one mature-looking man strode confidently across the bridge. Every student who passed greeted him warmly.
Shani immediately guessed he wasn’t a student. Probably an instructor.
Her eyes followed him until he suddenly turned and walked straight toward her. She quickly looked away, not wanting to seem strange.
"Shani Rowan?" the man asked with a warm smile that reminded her of a father.
Shani nodded instinctively.
"Come with me. Let’s get your student badge," he said without wasting any time, picking up her suitcase before she could react.
Shani didn’t even have a chance to refuse. Since he knew her name, she assumed he was the one who had told her to wait here.
As they walked, he introduced himself while returning greetings from passing students.
"I’m Damon Cross, the second-year Combat Instructor..."
Shani simply nodded. Since he already knew who she was, she didn’t think introducing herself was necessary.
Noticing her unexpected reaction, Damon continued.
"I’m Willa’s husband... Mrs. Barlow from the Avian Tower Admission Office."
This time, genuine surprise crossed Shani’s face. She looked at the blond man beside her again.
’So... Mrs. Barlow was the one who arranged for me to move into the dorm early, not Instructor Cole?’
"Willa asked me to help keep your Beast Gene and rank as confidential as possible," Damon explained.
"Your Beast Gene won’t be officially announced by the instructors. However, students usually don’t keep it secret because it makes it easier to find a Resonance Partner."
"It’s also common for students to ask potential partners about their Beast Gene. After all, your baby beast may inherit your gene. You’ll have to figure out how to deal with that when the time comes."
Shani nodded. She had already expected that. She planned to find a Resonance Partner who would agree to keep quiet about it.
Still, she was surprised by how much Mrs. Barlow had done for her. Her heart warmed despite herself.
Damon continued, "As for your rank... keeping that a secret is much harder."
"Beast Energy Rank is extremely important. The instructor of your class will definitely announce everyone’s rank. At least until then, no one else will know."
That was the best Damon could do. He had already gone out of his way, asking every instructor he was close to for help.
Shani understood his position. She nodded and thanked him once again. She also made a mental note to thank Mrs. Barlow later.
Before long, they arrived at the first building.
They went up to the second floor, where Shani registered her fingerprints, iris scan, and facial data.
Only after everything was completed did she finally receive her student badge.
She scanned it with her smartwatch, and a brief profile appeared.
[Name: Shani Rowan
Age: 17 years old
Hometown: Galesend, Zephyria Kingdom
Beast Energy Rank: F-Rank (20)
Beast Gene: Night Panther (Elite Grade)
Tower: Feline Tower
Classroom: 1-5 (First Year, Class 5)
Partner: None
Baby Beast: None
Same-Grade Rank: Not Ranked
Same-Tower Rank: Not Ranked
Academy Rank: Not Ranked
Dorm Room: Panther Building, 8th Floor, Room 30]
Damon then led Shani to the eighth floor.
"First and second-year students stay in this building, Panther Building. Third through sixth years live in the other two buildings," explained Damon while they waited for the elevator to go up.
Shani scratched her head and laughed sheepishly. "I thought I was assigned to this building because I’m a Night Panther beastman."
Damon turned toward her and nearly facepalmed, wondering whether Shani was simply innocent or completely clueless.
Then he remembered she came from a small border town. She probably had never received much education about beastmen.
In fact, the only beastman-related subject taught at town schools was History.
"Among all feline Beast Genes, only Lion and Tiger are Emperor-grade genes. That’s why the other two dorms are called Lion Building and Tiger Building."
"Meanwhile, among the Elite-grade Feline genes, Panther is the strongest. That’s why this building is called Panther Building," Damon explained patiently.
Shani nodded repeatedly, learning something new.
She had always known the Panther gene was powerful, but she hadn’t realized it ranked just below the Emperor-grade genes.
She couldn’t help wondering why the Ashbourne family had declined so much over the past ten years despite possessing such a powerful Beast Gene.
Her thoughts were interrupted when they reached the eighth floor.
Contrary to her expectations, the hallway was surprisingly busy.
Not with students, but with people carrying suitcases and moving belongings into the dorm rooms.
"I thought new students were only allowed to move into the dorm two days before the semester starts?" Shani blurted out.
Damon remained silent for a moment before replying. "That rule is... fairly flexible."
Shani immediately understood.
Just like her, these students must have had instructors or influential people inside the academy helping them move in early.
When they stopped in front of Room 30, Shani glanced to her left, where Rooms 1 through 29 were located.
She instantly realized those twenty-nine rooms already belonged to first-year students who had registered before her.
But seeing that none of the students were actually there, she guessed they were probably children of the top ten families or other influential households.
Most likely, they had only sent their butlers or servants to move in their belongings.
...