317 Is this a joke?

"Hey, wake up, Ren!" Blaze's voice rang in my head.

"Hmm?" I woke up feeling very weird, like my head was aching. That small amount of alcohol shouldn't give me a hangover, so this was new.

I swept my gaze around my room and saw Blaze staring at me. "What time is it?" I asked.

"Around 10:30. You should leave for the meeting," he reminded me.

"What meeting?" I questioned. I don't remember any meeting.

"Don't y'all do meetings before Challenges?" he questioned. We do, but there's no challenge today.

At that time, the door swung open, and Professor Night entered the room. "Thank God you're awake! I thought you were still asleep...oh, maybe you should—"

I looked down and saw the only thing covered by the thin bedsheet was my groin; everything else was out in the open. "I'll... just give me a second," I said as I pulled the bedsheet and adjusted it, putting a pillow on my lap.

"Anyways, why were you here, professor?"

"Oh..." She blinked a few times, finding words before she said, "I wanted you to be present for the meeting. Please come to the common room in a few minutes... an hour or so if you want, but just come by," she said as she turned to leave.

"..." I couldn't say anything as she left the room. Meeting? Are they taking the next round that seriously? Well, they obviously should, but still, it was surprising.

I grunted as I jumped out of my bed, and the door of the room swung open again—this time Vexa entered.

S I L E N C E

"..."

"..."

We both stared at each other before she cleared her throat and muttered, "I'll come back later," and left. I pulled the bedsheet up and covered thing that Vexa shouldn't have seen, and the first thing I did was to lock the door.

***

After locking the door, I quickly dressed and gathered my thoughts. The common room was buzzing with energy when I arrived, students and faculty alike discussing the upcoming Challenges. Professor Night stood near a large table, poring over a map with several other instructors.

"Ah, Ren, glad you could join us," she said, glancing up. "We have important matters to discuss regarding the next phase of the Challenges."

I sat down, and Blaze went under the round table. My eyes met Vexa's; her face turned a bit red, and she avoided eye contact.

On the table, on my right was Erik, and on my left was Aron, while Vexa, Adam, and Isolde sat opposite me. Professor Night stood in front with a small parchment of paper.

She always had the same parchment every time she explained something—it contained details about things that could be useful.

C R E A K

Someone's chair creaked.

"What's happening?" Professor Night asked as she saw Isolde standing up from her chair.

"Oh, just needed a change in seating. Erik, would it be fine if I sit in your place?" she asked very politely.

"Oh..." Erik looked stunned and glanced at me. "Y-yeah, you can." He slowly got up from his seat while keeping his eyes on me. Did he expect me to say anything?

I said nothing. What is she trying to do? Isolde immediately rounded the table and sat in the chair even before Erik could step towards hers.

She had a very nice scent. Sitting down, she looked at me and gave a slight smile before turning her attention to Professor Night.

"Okay, now can we start?" she asked. "I'll start then." But she didn't wait for an answer as she began.

On the other side, I saw Adam staring at me with his eyes red and jaw clenched. He looked like he would jump me any second. What's happening? Did they have a fight or something?

Because Isolde sitting beside me on her own accord was very weird and didn't sit well with me in any circumstances.

"We are already leading in terms of points, so if we win the next round, then it's going to help us in the long run. I'll need everyone to listen carefully while trying to give their own opinion on this matter," Professor Night gave a small brief on the importance of the next round. "The Phantom Chamber, this is actually more dependent on the individual, strength-wise and even mental strength-wise. I'll require y'all to write down—"

"Professor," I called.

"Hmm?" She turned towards me. "What is it, Ren?"

"...are you fine?" I questioned. What does she mean by that?

"What do you mean, Ren?" She questioned in return.

I scrunched my nose when I heard this and objected, "We just cleared a round yesterday... What's happening? Why'd you say that—"

Professor Night looked at me for a second and then asked, "What do you mean?"

I replied, "What do you mean 'what do I mean'? I mean that we just completed a round yesterday. Why are you saying weird stuff?"

There was a moment of silence before a small chuckle came from Adam. He mocked me, saying, "He must have hit his head in the Chameleon's Maze if he's spouting such ridiculous stuff."

Ridiculous stuff? What I said was ridiculous? On what terms was that ridiculous?

"Ren, are you joking? Is this some kind of prank?" Professor asked, smiling.

"No... why would I joke with y'all of all people? I am serious, we just lost Phantom Chamber yesterday... remember?"

"Lost? Don't talk so negatively out of nowhere, Ren! You'll push the team's morale down," the professor narrowed her eyes. Motivation of this team? It's not going to happen since there's nothing that demotivates them.

I turned to Erik, who also looked puzzled. "I don't remember doing the Phantom Chamber," Erik said. "We just completed the Chameleon's Maze yesterday. Do you need a nurse or healer to check if there's any damage around your skull?"

Professor Night's expression shifted from confusion to concern. "Are you sure you're feeling alright, Ren? We just did great in mazes because of you, and The Phantom Chamber is the next challenge, scheduled for tomorrow. Are you fine? Do you need any help?"

My mind raced. "But I remember—"

"Are you sure you're not mixing up dreams with reality?" Isolde interjected gently, her earlier smile replaced with a look of worry.

I felt a wave of dizziness wash over me. "I... I don't know. Everything feels so jumbled."

Professor Night stepped closer, her voice softening. "Ren, maybe you should visit the infirmary. Just to be safe. We need everyone in top shape for the Phantom Chamber."

As I stood up, Blaze nudged my leg reassuringly. I made my way to the door, feeling the weight of everyone's eyes on me. I couldn't shake the unsettling feeling that something was terribly wrong.

What is happening?

As I stood in the doorway, I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself against the rising tide of confusion. The common room had fallen silent, all eyes fixed on me with varying degrees of concern and bewilderment. Professor Night's voice broke through the tension, her tone gentle but firm.

"Ren, why don't you let Isolde accompany you to the infirmary? Just to make sure everything is alright," she suggested, her concern palpable.

Isolde nodded beside me, offering silent support. I glanced around, meeting the eyes of my teammates. Erik's brow furrowed with worry, Isolde's expression reflecting genuine concern, and Adam still watching me intently, though his earlier mockery had faded into a more neutral expression.

"Fine by me," I said, trying to understand what's happening.

Professor Night nodded, her features softening with relief. "Good. Isolde, take care of him," she instructed, her gaze moving from me to Blaze.

We left the common room. I just couldn't get my head in the right place. What is happening here?

"We should get to the Healer, they might—" Isolde started to say.

"Nah, I'm fine," I interrupted.

"Huh? Oh, you can't... I think you should check what's up? You don't behave weird like that—" Isolde began.

I turned to face her. "What's happening?"

Isolde looked confused, a question mark forming on her face. I repeated myself, "Why are you following me?"

"Um, Professor said to help—"

"Okay, and now you can go. I'll figure out what's happening and solve it myself. I don't need your help—thanks for your concern," I said, feeling like she might have different intentions behind her actions.

Never had this girl looked at me with a smile before, but now she smiled and sat beside me, helping me... weird as hell.