Chapter 10 || First Day on the Job

Chapter 10: 10 || First Day on the Job

Code stopped in front of the door and quietly looked at the small metal plate attached beside it.

Room 5.

For a moment, the hallway was completely still.

He raised his hand and knocked softly.

A few seconds passed before a timid voice came from inside.

"C-Come in..."

Code placed his hand on the knob and slowly pushed the door open.

The room was neither small nor large. Some parts were neat, while others were noticeably messier. A bed sat against one wall, with several books scattered across the floor beside it. A few metres away, thick textbooks lay open across a wooden table, as if they had been abandoned halfway through studying.

A small kitchen and bathroom were built into the room, giving it everything a student would need.

A silver-haired girl sat at the desk, nervously adjusting her glasses. She wore a simple, light-colored nightdress that fell to her knees, its loose sleeves hanging comfortably around her arms. A small ribbon was tied around the collar.

She looked up briefly.

Then immediately looked away.

"H-Hi..."

Her voice nearly disappeared at the end.

Code stepped inside quietly and closed the door behind him.

Then he placed a hand over his chest and bowed politely.

"Good evening, Miss Lyra."

Lyra’s eyes widened. "N-No, no... please stand up."

Code slowly raised his head. "Was my greeting improper?"

He tilted his head slightly. "Should I kneel instead?"

He started lowering himself again.

Lyra immediately panicked and shot up from her chair.

"No! That’s not what I meant!"

Her glasses nearly slipped off from the sudden movement.

"I-I’m a student too, so you don’t have to bow like that. You’re making me feel important when I’m really not..."

Code straightened. "You think we’re equals?"

Lyra froze.

Her fingers slowly pressed together.

"I know most people here probably don’t think so..."

She lowered her gaze. "...but I’m not in support of the academy’s system."

Code remained silent.

Lyra’s voice became quieter. "The slavery system is cruel...and honestly a little scary."

"I see."

Code calmly glanced around the room. "So what are my assigned tasks?"

Lyra blinked. "Huh?"

"Cleaning? Washing? Organizing?"

"N-No," she quickly replied. "There’s no need for any of that."

She awkwardly adjusted her glasses again before sitting back down.

"I was studying before you came..."

Code’s eyes drifted across the room.

Books on the floor.

Papers stacked carelessly.

Pens scattered across the desk.

Without saying anything, he walked over and crouched beside the pile of books near the bed.

Lyra watched him curiously.

Code picked them up one by one, carried them over to the table, and placed them neatly on top of the other books.

Lyra blinked slowly. ’...Thank you."

Code’s eyes caught a picture frame sitting on the table.

Inside was a photograph of a younger Lyra standing in front of a silver-haired woman. The woman rested both hands gently on Lyra’s shoulders, and the two of them smiled at the camera.

Lyra looked different back then.

She wasn’t wearing glasses, and her hair was slightly shorter.

But the photograph had been torn on both sides.

On the right, only a small portion of a man’s black suit remained visible.

On the left, part of another child’s dark hair could be seen.

Code stared at it for a moment.

Then he looked away.

"Would you like tea or coffee?"

Lyra looked up from her textbook, genuinely surprised by the question.

"You can make tea?"

"Yes. I can also boil water."

A tiny laugh escaped her.

"Tea is fine..."

She hesitated. "...I don’t really like coffee."

Code nodded once. "Understood."

After getting directions from her, he quietly moved toward the kitchen.

A few minutes later, he returned with a steaming mug on a tray.

He carefully placed it beside her books.

The warm scent of tea slowly spread through the room.

Lyra wrapped both hands around the cup.

"...Thanks."

Code simply nodded.

He walked over to the window and stared silently at the moon.

The room became quiet again.

Only the soft turning of pages could be heard.

Then—

Ding.

Code’s phone vibrated inside his pocket.

He pulled it out.

Another message from Crimson Petal.

[Which do you prefer? Tea or coffee?]

Code stared at the screen silently.

’It seems like I’ve got myself a stalker.’

He calmly slipped the phone back into his pocket.

When he looked up, he noticed Lyra staring at him nervously.

"Um..."

Code turned toward her. "Is something wrong?"

Lyra quickly shook her head. "N-No..."

Then, after a second—

"...Actually..."

She gripped the edge of her book tightly.

"You looked bored standing there."

Code remained silent.

Lyra’s face turned slightly red. "So I thought maybe..."

She avoided eye contact again. "...maybe you could read with me instead."

A short silence followed.

Immediately, Lyra began to panic.

"But you don’t have to if you don’t feel like it! I just thought maybe since there’s nothing else to do, you would be interested in studying. I didn’t mean to force you or anything—"

Code turned his gaze back toward the moon.

"It’s fine. I’m not very good at studying. I’ll only slow you down."

Lyra lowered her head. "I see... okay then."

Silence settled between them for a moment.

"You should really finish your tea before it gets cold."

Lyra raised her head abruptly. "Huh?"

Code was still staring out of the window.

Lyra looked down at her books. "Right..."

’I can’t wait to collapse on my bed. I’m tired...’

Code thought.

He turned toward Lyra, who was quietly sipping her tea while studying.

’Still though, this part-time job... isn’t what I expected it to be.’

...

The mug on the reading table was empty now.

Lyra slowly closed the book in front of her, placing both hands over it gently, almost as if she were afraid the sound might disturb the quiet atmosphere that had settled over the room.

She looked up.

Then froze.

Code was seated on a wooden chair beside the table, his arms folded and his head slightly bowed.

He was fast asleep.

Lyra blinked once. Then twice.

"He’s asleep...?"

She glanced at her smartwatch and tapped the screen.

"It’s late."

She looked back at him.

"Code! Code!"

Code slowly opened his eyes.

"Code!"

Lyra called again.

His eyes were now fully awake. "Do you need anything?"

Lyra shook her head. "No. It’s late already. I think you should head back to your room."

Code stood up.

His hand reached for the empty mug. "I’ll take that to the kitchen."

Lyra quickly took the mug from him. "It’s fine. Just go get some rest. I’ll take it from here."

Code looked at her for a moment.

Then withdrew his hand.

"Okay."

He walked toward the door and placed his hand on the knob.

"Goodnight... Code."

Her voice came suddenly from behind him.

Code opened the door. "Goodnight, Miss Lyra."

And then he stepped out.

Click.

The door closed softly behind him.

The room became quiet again.

Lyra slowly looked down at the empty mug in her hands.

She picked up the tray and walked toward the kitchen.