Dormitory Commotion (1)

The carriage carrying the three of us arrived at the Island of Knowledge late at night, when it was already completely dark.

Just like us, the line of noble carriages entering for academy admission stretched deep into the island, so Ethan and I had to face a long queue of carriages just like on the day of the entrance exam.

It wasn’t until nearly 11 PM that we were finally able to enter the academy.

“You should stay at a nearby inn tonight and return to Blackwood tomorrow. You’ve worked hard driving such a long distance.”

“Yes, Young Master. I wish you a safe and successful academy life.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“Have a safe trip back, coachman!”

After sending off the coachman and carriage that had brought the young master and two maids to the academy, we too entered the academy dormitory, dragging our slightly fatigued bodies from the long journey.

All three of us were carrying various belongings for the four months of life ahead.

Before entering the dormitory, let me briefly explain – Lumina Academy’s dormitories are divided into Buildings 1 through 4.

Each department accepts about 50 students, and with four grades, there are roughly 200 students per department.

With eight departments totaling about 1,500-1,600 students, it’s impossible to house and manage everyone in a single building.

Thus, Lumina Academy’s dormitory system accommodates students by assigning two departments to each building.

Building 1 houses the Swordsmanship and Spearmanship Departments, Building 2 the Archery and Martial Arts Departments, Building 3 the Engineering and Pharmacy Departments.

And Building 4 contains the Magic and Theology Departments where I was enrolled, meaning Ethan and I – enrolled in Swordsmanship and Magic Departments respectively – would be assigned to Buildings 1 and 4…

‘Wait a minute.’

Come to think of it, as Ethan’s personal maid, shouldn’t I be staying in the Swordsmanship Department dormitory with him?

Cases like mine – academy students also serving as personal maids or butlers – weren’t entirely unheard of. Among servants, there were naturally those with excellent talents or physical abilities.

Just look at Princess Seraphine, who enrolled Luke in the Engineering Department to utilize him as her bodyguard.

Unless enrolled in special dormitories for royalty like Seraphine, servant students in different departments from their masters would normally have to stay in the servants’ waiting rooms attached to their masters’ dorm rooms.

Therefore, as Ethan’s personal maid, I should naturally be in Building 1, the Swordsmanship Department dormitory…

‘…But then, what about Isabelle?’

Come to think of it, Isabelle came along to the academy this time as my personal maid, right?

But if I end up in the Swordsmanship Department dormitory, wouldn’t Isabelle be left alone like a duck egg in the Nakdong River, stuck in the Magic Department dormitory?

Even if that were possible, the academy likely wouldn’t permit it, and more importantly, that would defeat the entire purpose of bringing Isabelle to the academy.

Her reason for coming was to assist me in serving Ethan, but if we’re in different buildings, serving him would naturally become cumbersome.

But if I stay in the Magic Department, there’d be no one to serve Ethan at all, so in this case, what should we…

“Lilith?”

“…Yes, Young Master Ethan.”

“What’s wrong all of a sudden? You made a serious face as soon as we entered the dormitory.”

“…Actually, I was briefly considering the issues that might arise from Isabelle’s and my dormitory assignments.”

“Issues? What issues?”

“I-issues…?”

At the mention of potential problems, Ethan tilted his head toward me while Isabelle looked at me with anxious eyes.

I explained the issue that had just occurred to me to both of them.

After hearing my explanation, Ethan smiled slightly before answering in a manner that suggested I needn’t have worried about such things.

“Ah, come to think of it, I haven’t explained this to Lilith yet.”

“Huh?”

“You don’t need to worry about situations like me and Lilith being separated, or Lilith and Isabelle being separated. I’ve already thought of a solution.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yes. …However, there’s one document Lilith needs to sign before we enter the dormitory. We should stop by the dormitory management office first.”

“Understood, Young Master Ethan.”

…Come to think of it, ever since he started maturing, this guy’s brain has been working pretty well.

Assuming Ethan would have found a solution on his own, I followed him into the management office without suspicion.

But when I checked the document he handed me there, I couldn’t help but feel slightly flustered.

“Lumina Academy Married/Engaged Couple Dormitory Room Application Form”

The dormitory application form he handed me was what Lumina Academy players commonly called the “Couple Dormitory Application.”

Since he’d written his name in one section and handed it to me, Ethan’s intention felt somewhat strange.

“……”

What exactly does this mean?

Wondering if I’d misread it, I closed and opened my eyes again, but the phrase “Married/Engaged Couple” at the top of the form remained unchanged.

The name “Ethan Richard Blackwood” written in the male fiancé section also remained unerased.

Naturally, my gaze shifted to Ethan, who had given me the form.

“Young Master Ethan…?”

“…I didn’t give this to you with any strange intentions, so don’t worry.”

“You seem aware this could be interpreted strangely.”

“I’m sorry to put you in this position, Lilith, but this was the only way for male and female students to share a dorm room. Specifically, the only way for all three of us – including Isabelle – to use one dorm room.”

“Huh?”

“Each person can only bring one personal maid into the dormitory. To bring Isabelle into the dorm room, you and I would need separate rooms, which would make it cumbersome for both of you to serve me.”

“That… is true, but…”

Still, using a married/engaged couple dormitory room was an unexpected solution.

While called a married/engaged couple dormitory, in the original game it was simply a means to produce cohabitation CGs with heroines.

And of course, those special event CGs included lewd scenes.

Naturally, I had no intention of creating such CGs with Ethan.

Objectively speaking, there was nothing particularly problematic about it.

Even as a baronet’s daughter, a noble is still a noble – whether I became engaged or married to Ethan, it wouldn’t violate imperial law.

For the three of us – Ethan, Isabelle and me – to share a dormitory, this was the most trouble-free and effective solution.

But still, a couple’s dormitory with Ethan? It feels somewhat awkward…

Though Ethan doesn’t seem the type to do anything weird, so maybe I shouldn’t overthink it…

I never planned to marry a man anyway, so rumors about being engaged then breaking up with Ethan wouldn’t matter.

If anything, Ethan might face more troublesome rumors, but he made the suggestion himself.

No need to overanalyze it for deeper meaning.

No point taking the hard road when the easy path is available.

“You truly didn’t give me this with any strange intentions?”

“…Yes. I-I didn’t give it to you with any strange intentions, so don’t worry.”

“Understood. Since you say so, Young Master Ethan, I don’t see any particular reason to refuse.”

“……Really?”

“Yes. As you said, this is the most efficient way for all three of us – including Isabelle – to share the dormitory.”

“Thank you for understanding, maid.”

Having reached my conclusion, I filled in my name on the Married/Engaged Couple Dormitory Room Application form Ethan had given me.

I didn’t want to wander around the academy all night unable to enter the dormitory.

“Engaged Couple

(Male) Ethan Richard Blackwood

(Female) Lilith Blackwood Rosewood”

…Seeing Ethan’s and my names side by side as an “engaged couple” felt somewhat odd, but since it wasn’t a real engagement…

Just paperwork for sharing a dormitory – nothing more to it.

Really, nothing more to it at all.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

After submitting the couple’s dormitory – no, the Married/Engaged Couple Dormitory Room application with Ethan…

It took about 30 minutes to complete the paperwork before we were finally assigned a double room in Dormitory Building 1.

A spacious room fitting for a married/engaged couple’s dormitory, featuring one large double bed.

With one door leading to a private bathroom and another to the servants’ waiting room, it was a fairly simple space.

Likely because it was a dormitory frequently used by nobles, the facilities were much better than the island outskirts inn we’d stayed at before.

…This time I made sure there wasn’t a separate changing room, so I’ll be careful not to make that strange mistake again.

“Everyone must be tired from the long journey today, so let’s just change clothes and go to bed.”

“Yes, Young Master~!”

“Understood, Young Master Ethan.”

As Ethan said, we’d accumulated considerable fatigue from the long carriage journey from morning till night, so it seemed best to go to bed early and prepare for tomorrow.

With Lumina Academy’s entrance ceremony just three days away, there were many tasks to handle – adjusting our condition, preparing uniforms, and more.

With that in mind, I was about to move to the servants’ waiting room next door with Isabelle and our luggage when Ethan suddenly blocked our way, preventing us from entering the dormitory room.

As the confused Isabelle and I looked at him, Ethan shamelessly made an outrageous declaration.

“I’ll use this room. You two can use the spacious room outside instead.”

“…Huh? Wh-what do you mean?”

“Young Master Ethan?”

“The outer room is a double while the servants’ room is a single. Wouldn’t it be much more comfortable for you both if I, a man, used the single room alone?”

“Wh-what?!”

“……”

Ethan suddenly pushed this absurd logic while trying to take his luggage into the servants’ waiting room.

As Isabelle stood frozen in shock at his bombshell announcement, I quickly grabbed his arm to stop him from entering the single room.

Faced with his unacceptable statement, my mouth blurted out blunt words to Ethan before I could stop it.

“Have you lost your mind, Young Master Ethan?”