The assembly ended, and slowly everyone left. Eirene and Kalen also headed towards their rooms. When Eirene reached her dorm, Sophia and the other two girls were already there. As soon as they saw Eirene, all three friends congratulated her.
"Congratulations, Eirene! You did something no one has ever done before!" said Sophia.
"Selena is Professor Maeron's niece, and that's why no one ever dared to mess with her. We all thought Professor Maeron would never punish his own niece," Sophia added.
Ginny continued, "I was really scared when you challenged Professor Maeron. He is known for his anger."
Eirene smiled and replied, "Yes, I also thought Mr. Maeron was very strict and angry. But I noticed that he's actually someone who really values discipline."
As the laughter and chatter settled in the dorm room, Ginny suddenly turned to Eirene, her brows slightly raised. "Eirene," she said, interrupting the moment, "why don't you ever call him Professor Maeron? I just realized—you don't just say Mr. Maeron in front of us, but you even address him like that to his face. And what's even more surprising is that he's never corrected you."
She folded her arms thoughtfully, her tone turning a bit more serious. "You do know that Professor Maeron isn't just a teacher here—he's the actual owner of this place. Everything we have, the facilities, the comfort… it's all because of him. Otherwise, who knows what would've happened to us."
Eirene, still standing near her bed, paused and looked at Ginny with a hint of confusion in her eyes. "What do you mean by what would've happened to us?" she asked, genuinely curious.
Annie looked at Eirene and said sharply, "You're definitely brave… but honestly, I think you're also quite naive."
Before Annie could say more, Sophia turned toward her with a warning look, sensing that she was about to cross a line. But Annie ignored her and continued, her voice firmer now, "You probably don't even know, do you? Mapple Tree House is actually an orphanage. Kids like us—without parents—live here. Just think for a moment, if Professor Maeron hadn't taken pity on us and brought us here, what would've happened to us? We'd either be begging on the streets… or starving somewhere without help."
Her words hit Eirene like a sudden blow. She stood there, stunned and confused. Orphans?No parents? The thought echoed in her mind. Her parents were alive. They had sent her here to study, to grow strong, to one day return to her country and help her people. She had come here with dreams and a purpose — with a family waiting for her back home. Then… why did Annie say all that? Why did she speak as if Eirene was one of them?
Eirene took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm the storm of thoughts swirling inside her. Without showing much reaction, she looked at her three friends and spoke gently, "I'm sorry… I didn't know about this. My parents are still alive, and they sent me here to study."
Sophia stepped forward, placing a reassuring hand on Eirene's shoulder. Her voice was soft, comforting. "It's okay, Eirene. You've only been here for two days. You'll understand everything about this place with time."
There was a pause — quiet, but not uncomfortable. The other girls exchanged glances, and slowly, the tension in the room began to ease.
Sensing the heaviness in the air, Ginny quickly changed the topic. "Alright, it's getting really late now. We still have homework to finish, and our two-day break is almost over."
Sophia and Annie nodded in agreement, heading over to their study tables. Without another word, they began focusing on their assignments. Eirene quietly walked to her own study table and sat down, but unlike the others, she had nothing to do. There were no books, no assignments—just an unfamiliar space and the sound of pens scratching paper around her.
For a while, she simply watched them work, trying to understand what they were doing, but nothing made sense. It was all too new. After a few minutes, she finally stood up and said, "I don't have anything to do right now, so I'm going to step outside for a bit. By the way, how long will it take you all to finish your homework?"
Sophia looked up from her notebook and smiled. "It's okay, Eirene. Go ahead. We'll meet you in the canteen at lunchtime. After that, we'll go to Ms. Mary and talk about your school admission."
Eirene nodded with a small smile and quietly left the room, her mind still filled with questions, but her heart a little lighter knowing she wasn't completely alone.
Everything about this place felt foreign to Eirene. The walls, the hallways, the people — nothing was familiar, and she couldn't shake the feeling of being out of place. With hesitant steps, she made her way toward Professor Maeron's cabin, hoping that maybe a conversation with him would bring some clarity.
But just before she could reach the door, she was stopped by a firm voice. "Eirene, what are you doing here?"
It was Ms. Mary, standing with a file in her hand and an unmistakable look of authority on her face.
"This is the Headmaster's cabin," she added. "You can't just come here like that."
"I need to speak with Mr. Maeron," Eirene replied, her voice steady, then quickly corrected herself, "I mean… Professor Maeron."
Ms. Mary gave her a long look. "Listen, Eirene. Professor Maeron is a very busy person. Unless it's something urgent, you can speak with me instead. All the students here come to me with their problems or suggestions. We don't disturb him for small matters."
She gestured toward the hallway. "Come with me to my cabin. We can talk there."
But Eirene didn't move. "I understand your concern, Ms. Mary. But… you can't solve this. I need to speak with Professor Maeron personally."
Their conversation grew more tense, voices slowly rising in the quiet corridor. The faint sounds of their disagreement reached inside the cabin. A few moments later, the door opened, and Professor Maeron stepped out, his gaze landing directly on Eirene.
"What's going on here?" he asked calmly.
Before Ms. Mary could answer, he looked at her and said, "Let her in."
Ms. Mary blinked in surprise. "But sir—"
Professor Maeron didn't raise his voice, but his words left no room for doubt. "Not just today. From now on, if Eirene ever wishes to speak with me, she is free to enter my cabin."
Ms. Mary, clearly stunned, gave a reluctant nod and stepped aside, leaving without another word.
Professor Maeron turned slightly and gestured for Eirene to come in. She stepped inside slowly, the heavy wooden door closing gently behind her.