223 Raven's Room.

'You sure about this?' Blaze asked me as he looked at me.

'Well..... I am quite bored and this isn't that bad.' I shrugged off my shoulders.

'Risk of being seen, breaking rules of the campus, and potentially getting another demotion...yes, it's not that bad.' he listed.

"Well then, here goes nothing." I said to myself in a low voice.

Knock*

I knocked on the window panel once, then twice—she's asleep?

Sirk*

"Whoa!" I grabbed the ridge of the outer window before I could fall down.

"What the hell—" Raven raised her voice, but I grabbed her mouth, saying.

"Shhh, senior. You'll get me caught." I looked at her. She didn't have her glasses and wore a white nightgown, and her face looked like she was sleepy.

Her eyes looked at me and then down the window, where there was a drop of two stories. Just like me, she also lived on the upper floor of the second-year dorms, which were a bit in a distance from my dorm.

"May I?" I asked.

"Y-yeah," She backed off as I put my leg inside the room, and the warmth made me realize how chilly it was outside tonight.

Raven's dorm room was a small, cozy space tucked away in the corner of the building. The room was always neat and meticulously organized, reflecting Raven's penchant for order. Her single bed, dressed in a simple white comforter, occupied one side of the room, while a wooden desk with a chair was strategically placed by the window, where she spent hours immersed in her studies.

The bookshelf that dominated one wall was filled with a diverse collection of academic texts and novels, giving the room an air of intellectual curiosity mixed with a touch of whimsy.

A small wardrobe held her modest collection of clothes, and a nightstand with a lamp provided a convenient spot for late-night reading.

A mirror on the back of the door allowed her to quickly check her appearance before heading out.

'Shut ya creepy ass! don't stare this much into a maidens room!!!... And you forgot how good it smells in here.' Blaze said, isn't smelling her room much creepy?

Click*

I closed the window as Smokeball slipped in alongside me.

"Why are you here?" Raven questioned dumbfounded.

"....to study," I replied bluntly.

"At this hour!? What would happen if anyone saw you!?!" She questioned, "You'd be in trouble."

"But no one saw, so no problem, right?" I was sure that no one passed by the second-year dorm from eleven to twelve at night.

Raven still seemed bewildered, but she lowered her voice. "Studying here in the middle of the night? Are you that serious about your academics?.....we could've studied anytime tomorrow."

"You forgot that tomorrow is the test? I gotta grind tonight so I can pass tomorrow."

I gave her a half-smile. "Well, you could say I have a lot to catch up on, and I don't want to fall behind. Plus, I could use some help with Arcane History."

"..... weird," she muttered, "Well, give me the book. You gonna sit there?" She questioned.

"I shouldn't?" I asked as I looked down at the bed I saw. Her dorm room is smaller than others because it's already in the corner of this building but it's good that she doesn't have to share her room with anyone.

And the point to be noted, this dorm is shared between Adam Stales, Mary Kleine, Elsa Starleaf, and Raven.

So yeah, just like any other game, the protagonist is surrounded by his heroines.

"It's fine," She turned around and then walked towards her desk that was placed by the right side of the window.

Pulling the drawers, she took something and closed it again—it was a bundle of papers.

"These are the notes I took for you." She waved them.

"Took for me?" I questioned.

"Y-yeah, I just thought you might need them ..... I was about to give them tomorrow though, I wasn't awake hoping that you'd come." She pulled her chair and sat on it, making an anxious expression.

So she was awake, huh? I found it rather cute.

"That's great, still... I might need you to explain a few of them to me." I took the notes and looked through them.

'Be honest... You don't need these,' Blaze was right, I don't need help with my studies.

"I am quite dumb, so I might rely on you to explain Arcane History chapter fifty-two, the revolution of internal affairs of Grav Kingdom." I picked a topic that...

"Say less, sit down, pick up the quill and listen." This was one of Raven's favorite topics.

There was a small conversation in which she explained how interested she was in this chapter.

I did just as she told, slipping a bit deeper into the bed so she could pull her chair near. With that, the lesson began.

Raven began explaining the topic with enthusiasm. "Alright, so let's dive into the history of Grav Kingdom. Grav was initially a monarchy, where the power was centralized within the royal family. They held sway over the entire kingdom and had the final say in all affairs. It was a system that had been in place for generations."

"However," she continued, "things began to change when a wave of reform swept through the kingdom. The people grew dissatisfied with the monarchy and the aristocracy. There were widespread protests and demands for a more equal and just system."

Raven went on, "As a result, the monarchy was abolished, and the aristocracy was dismantled. In its place, the people of Grav Kingdom established a democratic system. The power shifted from a single royal family to the hands of the people. Now, the royal family still exists, but their role has changed. They are more symbolic figures and don't possess the same authority they once had in ruling the kingdom."

She emphasized, "This transformation was a significant turning point in Grav's history, leading to the establishment of a more inclusive and egalitarian government. It's an interesting example of a kingdom's transition from monarchy to democracy."

I already knew this, still...

"What was the Royal family's name? Like, I am from Grav, but no one has mentioned it," I questioned.

And it's true; I don't know why, but this is the thing... nobody ever talked deeply about Grav's Royal family at all.

"Well, how would they? Like, this happened about four hundred years ago, so it's not common knowledge, as the Royal family doesn't appear much," She leaned back in the chair as she said, "If I remember correctly, then it's 'Neklerè.'"

"Neklerè, quite a name. Still, do you think they might be able to regain control of Grav?" I asked.

"Hmm, nope, I don't think it's possible at all." She scribbled on her paper and then showed it to me.

There was a circle drawn on the paper.

"The family would have to have the strongest backing to stand up and regain control of Grav," Her hand traced four random shapes, "These are Reva, Hestia, Elishia, and Grav. One would need everything in their hands to be able to regain control, since Grav is geographically the largest on this continent after the no-man's land."

Raven made a point, and I couldn't help but agree. "You're right. Trying to regain control of Grav Kingdom would be a monumental task, considering the strategic and economic importance of this region. The other major kingdoms wouldn't just let it happen."

She nodded in agreement. "Exactly. Even if the Neklerè family tried, they would face strong opposition from the other kingdoms, not to mention the democratic government that's firmly in place now."

"Sounds like a complex political landscape," I remarked.

"It is," she replied with a wry smile. "The history of Grav is a mix of tradition and modernization. Understanding it can be challenging, but it's also what makes it so fascinating."

As we continued our discussion, I couldn't help but appreciate how much Raven knew about the history of Grav Kingdom and her genuine passion for the subject.

"Haaa, pause, pause, a break, I'm tired." I let my back fall on the bed.

"You're tired with just this much? It's only been two hours," she pointed out.

Usually a shy girl acts like a strict teacher, huh? Guess she already had that toughness in her.

"Please, it was fun, but I must do what I'm here to do."

"Okay, five minutes break," she closed her book.

"Fifteen... no, twenty," I looked at her and then at the desk behind her.

"Fine," surprisingly, she agreed.

"Who is that person in that frame?" I asked about the small frame placed on the table behind her.

It was an old man with a withered face but a smile was still there. Why do old Mafia guys look wholesome?

And yes, he's human.

"Oh, that's my grandfather," she smiled, "I was adopted."

...Well, way to state the obvious.