Johan, Dorin and Sebastian rushed inside the canteen. Sebastian fell on the nearest chair, trying to catch his breath. Mrs. Cooper stepped out of the kitchen to great them, her arms across her wide chest.
"What took you three so long?" she asked her part-timers. "You should have been here ten minutes ago!"
"Sorry, Mrs. Cooper, some students blocked our way..."
[We had a little conversation with some students.] Sebastian showed the cook.
"Whatever," Mrs. Cooper started to go back into her kitchen. "Now hurry up and get in here."
"So, what's on the menu?" asked Dorin.
"Beans, blueberry muffins, eggs Benedict, ham, bacon, sausages... same old Wednesday morning menu..." Mrs. Cooper answered absentmindedly.
"I'll be on the grill," said Johan, donning on an apron.
Later, the students started entering the cafeteria. Sebastian and Dorin went out front to serve the food. The line soon reached the entryway, there, Dorin met their friends Robert, Stephen, and his twin brother Rylie.
"Hey, you guys, are you getting off soon?" Asked Rylie. "Can we hang out for a bit?"
"We can leave at eight," replied Dorin.
"Oh, in about an hour, huh?" said Robert. "We'll be sitting over there with Nathan," he said pointing at a table near the middle where the botany student sat reading a thick book.
"Ok, we'll join you guys later," Dorin smiled.
Later, Dorin and Sebastian made their way to their friends' table, with Johan in tow.
"Thanks for waiting," Dorin said as they sat down. "By the way, this is our roommate Johan." Johan harrumphed, sat down at the end of the table and started eating.
"Hey, can you tell us what's up?" Rylie asked Dorin, ignoring Johan. "We heard that you guys are now part of some 'special class'?"
"Yeah, Sebastian, Johan and I..." said Dorin as he ate his second breakfast that day.
"I heard you're all staying at the special rooms at the top of the dorm?" asked Robert.
"Is it true that your class cards are black?" asked Stephen wide eyed.
"Was that you who had a fight with the 3rd prince?" Nathan said, placing his book down.
"Well..." Dorin didn't know which question to answer first.
[Yes. They are all true.] Wrote Sebastian. [except for the last one. We did not fight with the prince. We simply defended ourselves against his bodyguards.]
"That's right, it was self defense!" agreed Dorin. "Fighting is not allowed in the Dorms!"
"But, wow, to be part of a special class, you must be high rank mages to get in!" chattered an excited Stephen. "So, Dorin, what's your class, exactly?"
"Oh, I'm a 2nd rank elementer." Dorin replied. Stephen looked a bit disappointed. "Now, Johan here," he placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Johan's a rank 4!"
Johan was caught off guard and turned a brighter shade of red. "I-it's just a class..." he mumbled as he moved his beans around his plate."
"Sebastian went up 1 rank too!" Dorin added proudly. "He's a rank 3 now!"
"Wow, congratulations Sebastian!" mussed Stephen. "And Johan, to think that you're a freshman with the same rank as I! And I've been in the university for 6 years!"
"Really?" Dorin asked, surprised, "How old are you then?"
"We're 17," answered his twin, Rylie. "We came here when we were 11."
"We were scouted by professor Raevers from our former school," continued Stephen. "Our parents were against it at first, but we really wanted to study here."
"There were also rumors of young mages being abducted from rural villages at that time," added Rylie, "that's why they agreed in the end."
"Abductions?" Dorin asked with a frown.
"In our village, it wasn't just a rumor," Robert said in a low voice. "One of my cousins got abducted a year before I was sent here."
"So, it's been going on for some time now, huh?" Dorin asked thoughtfully.
"Yes, usually out in the back woods, where the kids won't be missed much." murmured Nathan.
The group went silent.
"This is the first time I heard of an attempted abduction inside Royal Aubrianne University, though, even if it failed," said Robert. "We're really glad that you are both safe."
[We were really lucky to have escaped] Sebastian wrote in his slate.
"Just tell us if you get into any other trouble," Robert looked at Dorin and Johan, "especially you two, being new here and all."
"Special class or not, we students must stick together," Nathan said, "And if those mages from the capital ever harasses you again..."
"Just let us know," finished Robert.
[We will keep that in mind] wrote Sebastian.
The three companions went back to the kitchens after Dorin and Johan finished their 2nd breakfast. There was a lot of cleaning to be done.
"There are a lot more students today," Dorin noticed.
[That's because it's enrollment week] wrote Sebastian. [Most of the students, if not all of them, are back in campus to get their lecture classes]
"Which reminds me," Mrs. Cooper said from behind them, "Shouldn't you three also be busy applying for subject units this time of the year?"
"Subject units?" Johan and Dorin asked in unison.
[You need to apply for subjects to study a certain field.] explained Sebastian, [Every class has a corresponding number of units.]
"Then, why are we not getting our subject units?!" Dorin looked alarmed, "I remember you said before that there are only a limited number of slots per class!"
"Prof. Dupont takes care of my subjects," Johan said nonchalantly. "He chooses what lectures I need to take."
[Also, as special class students, we would be assigned a fixed schedule,] wrote Sebastian. [After receiving that schedule, then we can choose additional classes we want to pursue. That's what all the aptitude exams are for. Which, may I remind you, we still need to take until tomorrow.]
"What if we run out of slots?" Dorin asked.
[Don't worry. As the title implies, we are the 'Special Class'] wrote Sebastian. [We will be given special treatment and can join any class even if it's already full. There's just 3 of us anyway.]
"Hmm... I didn't know that..." Johan speculated.
[I read up on it last night on the student help page in the University site.] Sebastian confessed. [I also found out that we get a monthly allowance of 1000 almas- ]
"We do?!?" Johan exclaimed. "That's more than I can make in the mines for a year!"
"Well, I guess that means you won't need to work here in the kitchens anymore." Mrs. Cooper said with a smile.
"I still want to work here..." Dorin spoke up. "You don't need to pay me, I just like it here."
Mrs. Cooper laughed heartily. "Well, with all the food you eat, I say I'm at the loosing end!"
"I would like to stay here too," Johan mumbled, his face flushed. "I like the heat in the kitchen."
"Well, to tell you the truth, my usual kitchen staff will be back by next week, so I wouldn't need much help from you guys anymore, but if you insist, then I guess you can still help out mornings, as long as your schedules permit it..." Dorin and Johan lit up. "And of course. the food will be free."
"Thank you Mrs. Cooper!" Dorin declared as he tried to put his arms around the cook.
"That's enough, off with the three of you!" Mrs. Cooper ruffled Dorin's hair and did the same to Johan who stood in front of her, looking embarrassed.