Chapter 95: Apex Privilege [III]

A moment later, the door opened again, with Elle stepping aside to let them in. Eden was the first to step through the entryway, followed closely by Deputy Captain Vera and the administrative secretary, Liora. By then, Chloe had already changed out of her nightgown and was sitting neatly on the edge of her bunk, while Ariel sat quietly on the edge of her own bed, watching the visitors with guarded eyes.

Eden’s gaze swept across the room before settling on Starlight. His eyes lingered on her for a brief moment, taking in the crimson-haired girl sitting at her desk before he gave a polite nod. Starlight returned the gesture, though her expression remained unreadable as she tried to gauge the purpose of the unannounced visit.

Elle immediately stepped forward, closing the distance between the roommates and the official delegation. She gestured toward the soft leather armchairs arranged around the central glass table in the sitting area.

"Make yourselves comfortable," she said, her voice smooth and accommodating.

Eden nodded in acknowledgment, taking a seat on the long sofa opposite the armchairs. Vera and Liora followed suit, sitting beside him and settling their belongings onto the tabletop.

Elle remained standing for a second, looking between them and Starlight before turning toward her with an incredulous expression.

"What do you think you are doing? Go and join them. They came all the way here for you."

Starlight pressed the heel of her hand against her forehead, taking a slow breath before pushing herself out of the high-backed chair. She walked over to the sitting area and dropped onto the sofa directly facing Eden and his colleagues.

"So, what exactly are you looking for me?" Starlight asked, keeping her tone even.

Liora adjusted her glasses and opened a sleek digital ledger. "First of all, congratulations on securing the top rank. You’ve barely been a student at Asterion Academy for a week, yet you’ve already achieved the number-one spot. That’s an exceptional feat. The Eclipse House and the administration are thoroughly impressed with your performance. The Apex ranking system is highly competitive, and the students who reach the top positions have usually spent years building their reputations and accumulating votes." She gave Starlight another pleasant smile. "So, congratulations. You have officially earned one of the most prestigious positions available to a student at this academy."

Starlight shifted slightly in her seat, leaning back. "Yeah? Okay." She offered nothing more, unsure of how to navigate the sudden praise.

Liora paused. "Yeah? Okay?" That was... awkward. It was clear Starlight had absolutely no idea what else she was supposed to say.

Eden cleared his throat, leaning his elbows on his knees to bridge the distance. "Well, I am here in my official capacity as the House Captain of Eclipse House. We are required to handle the administrative arrangements for students who reach the top three positions on the Apex Board and escort them to their newly assigned private residences. As you’ve probably heard, students ranked first, second, and third are granted access to private suites. So, we are here to escort you to your new suite and help you get familiar with the relocation process."

Starlight’s eyebrows drew together. When Elle had explained the privileges that came with being ranked in the top three, she had never expected it to be this serious. "Can you give me a moment to digest all of this?" she asked, looking between them. "I don’t think I’m ready to change rooms yet. I’m comfortable here. I’ve only just gotten used to this place and my roommates."

Vera nodded understandingly.

"We understand your hesitation, Miss Dawson. It’s a significant change, especially when you’ve only recently settled into your current room. We’re not asking you to pack everything and leave this second. But the relocation itself is part of the academy’s protocol. Every student who reaches the top three is required to move out of the standard dormitory and into their private accommodation. That said, the protocol does allow some flexibility. If you are reluctant to stay alone, you are permitted to select one roommate to relocate with you."

Liora nodded in agreement. "That is correct. You may bring one roommate along if you prefer not to occupy the suite by yourself."

Starlight pressed her lips into a thin line, rubbing her temples. "Okay, but I still need some time. I cannot just pack up and change locations right now. I need a time to process everything, figure out what I want to take with me, and what I want to leave behind. I’ve barely even had time to understand what this privilege actually means."

"That is fair," Eden said, holding up a hand to pause the secretary from speaking. "You do not have to move right this minute. But you need to follow us now so we can show you where the suite is, hand over the access codes, and register your presence. You can return here afterward and finish whatever you need to do. Just ensure your complete relocation is done before the end of this week. The academy gives students a short adjustment period, but you can’t remain in the standard dormitory beyond that."

​"Okay," Starlight nodded slowly. "I understand."

"And one more thing," Liora added, retrieving an authentication terminal from her shoulder bag. "We need to transfer your Apex earnings into your personal account."

Starlight blinked. "My what now?"

"Your Apex earnings," Liora repeated. "The points accumulated through the ranking system can also be converted into monetary rewards. Once a student reaches the required transfer threshold, the accumulated amount can be transferred directly into their personal account." She tapped something on her tablet.

"And your current earnings have reached the minimum amount required for a transfer, so we’re here to process that for you before we take you to your new suite."

Starlight scratched the back of her head, her eyes darting slightly to the side. This was way more serious than she had expected. She did not have a personal bank account, having always relied on her mother’s account details for minor transactions before arriving at the academy.

Vera picked up on her hesitation immediately. "From the look of things, I’m guessing you don’t have an active account."

"Yeah," Starlight admitted, setting her hands flat on her knees. "I don’t have one. Is that going to be a problem?"