Ari followed Maya to the dining room, where Marissa and Lana waited patiently. They sat at a large table with a variety of delicious-looking food spread out before them.
Ari approached the table.
“This looks incredible.”
He couldn’t remember the last time he had eaten or drunk anything.
When the incredible aromas entered his nose, he salivated instantly.
“We didn’t know what you liked, so we decided to give you a few options to choose from,” Marissa said.
Ari smiled. “How kind of you.”
“For the record, I can eat anything, but I really appreciate the effort you put in. Thank you.”
Maya glanced at Lana, then back at him. “Ari, you can sit next to Lana.”
He winked at Lana. “Sure.”
A faint blush appeared on her cheeks, but she quickly composed herself when she noticed her mother’s smile.
As soon as he took his seat, he felt a sting on his left thigh.
Ari turned to Lana with a look of confusion.
“What was that for?” he asked in a low voice.
Lana glared at him, but he detected no hostility behind her eyes.
“It’s rude to fall asleep in a lady’s company.”
“Ah, yes. Sorry about that. I thought you were in a rush to leave the room.”
“Well, I wasn’t.”
Ari grinned. “Oh? So, you wanted to take things further?”
Her cheeks flushed pink. “I didn’t-”
“That’s enough flirting at the dinner table,” Maya said. “You can save that for later.”
“We’ll continue this in private,” he pretended to whisper.
Maya and Marissa grinned when they noticed Lana’s flustered expression
Lana harrumphed. “Let’s just eat.”
Ari helped himself to a bit of everything on the table. Roast chicken and roast beef, lamb stew with rice, macaroni and cheese, and a variety of fresh salads and vegetables.
His taste buds were in heaven. Everything, even down to the vegetables and salads, was unlike anything he had tasted before, at least from what he could recall.
The flavours and textures were so rich and delectable that he continuously found himself going for more.
When creating characters in video games, players never have to consider certain aspects as they would never apply to the game, in most cases.
Ari made a pleasant discovery about his new physique that never crossed his mind before.
Due to his new, much larger frame, he required substantially more calories to sustain himself.
It was a welcomed surprise to say the least, allowing him to thoroughly enjoy everything they’ve prepared for him
“Would you like some more?” Marissa asked, holding a wine bottle in a pouring position.”
“Yes, thank you.”
The exquisite red wine paired so well with the food, Ari thanked the webcomic’s creator for making the legal drinking age eighteen.
“I understand your circumstances, but are you fine being a freshman at nineteen?” Marissa asked as she filled his glass.
Ari savoured the aroma of the wine, taking a generous sip before answering.
“Well, it’s only fair I begin my academy journey like everyone else.”
“Besides, being one year older than my peers isn’t too bad.”
Lana made a complicated expression. “I think she’s referring to the seniors,” she remarked. “They might end up giving you a hard time.”
Noticing his look of confusion, Maya spoke.
“Ambrose Academy has a hierarchical system, meaning that juniors always have to show respect to their seniors and obey their instructions.”
‘Right, there was something like that.’
Ari raised his brow. “All if their instructions? What if I refuse?”
“There are rules against acts that might cause humiliation, bodily or psychological harm, or instructions given with ill intent,” Maya replied. “If you refuse a reasonable instruction, it will count against you in your behaviour portfolio.”
“I can’t imagine you imposing such a rule…”
Maya shook her head. “It was established one hundred and fifty years ago when the Academy was founded; however, it served a different purpose then,” she responded.
“When I became headmistress, I implemented revisions and regulations to prevent abuse and exploitation,” she said. “What do you think the purpose of the rule is in the current age?”
Ari sat back, pretending to give it some thought.
“It has to do with exploration of Divine Towers, right?”
All three women smiled.
“Correct,” Marissa said. “At the Academy, Tower exploration mainly occurs in teams, so respecting the team captains and following their orders is vital for the survival of the group as well as yourself.”
“Okay, I’ll keep the rules in mind. Thanks for the heads up.”
He turned to Lana and flashed a charming smile. “Please be gentle with me, senior.”
Her eyes widened. “I-I’ll take it into consideration,” she said, then turned her head.
“By the way, Marissa, you’re a senior too, right?”
She nodded. “This is my final year.”
“I see, it all makes sense now.”
“What does?” she asked.
“At first, I thought it was due to the presence of the Lumus Tower, but now I realise…Having all three Reese beauties gracing its halls at the same time sounds like paradise to me. No wonder Ambrose is such a popular academy.”
The Reese women smiled simultaneously.
“If that’s how you feel about the academy, how does it feel to be living with us?” Marissa asked.
Ari smiled. “That should be obvious.”
He took a sip of wine.
“I’m the luckiest man alive.”
“It’s good that you know,” Lana said under her breath, but everyone at the table heard her.
Maya glanced at Lana. “Does he really know?”
Lana pursed her lips and avoided Ari’s inquisitive gaze on her cheek.
‘Right, Maya mentioned Lana trying to assault me in my sleep… I should punish her later.’
“Is there something I should know, Lana?”
“You’re imagining things. Stop staring at me and finish your fourth plate.”
“Oh? Does my appetite bother you?”
“Don’t mind her, Ari, eat as much as you’d like,” Marissa remarked.
“Yes, you have a healthy appetite for a man of your…stature,” Maya commented.
“Thank you. For a moment there, I thought I overstepped.”
Lana turned to him in a panic. “No, I didn’t mean it that way. Please enjoy yourself.”
Ari laughed. “If you say so, senior.”
Lana opened her mouth to say something, but decided against it.
She returned to her plate and shoved a piece of broccoli into her mouth instead.
“If you don’t mind me asking, what was your rank before you…” Marissa asked.
Ari chuckled. “Died? I’m not sensitive about it, so you don’t need to be either.”
“That’s not good, Ari, you should cherish your life,” Maya remarked.
“Of course I do, but there’s no point in being sensitive about something that’s already happened.”
“It’s more productive to move forward, no?”
“Yes, you’re right,” Maya agreed.
“To answer your question, Marissa, I don’t recall my previous rank, nor the intricacies of the ranking system; it’s a side effect of everything that happened.”
Ari decided to go with a selective memory loss to avoid any problems in the future.
If Maya discussed his rank with his aunt before, or even in the future, he couldn’t afford to be caught in a lie.
He smiled when he noticed the looks of concern on their faces.
“Don’t worry, apart from that, there are no lasting side effects.”
“Besides, I gained way more than I lost. I was reborn, remember?”
“With overwhelming potential, right?” Lana asked. “What is your final rank? Uhm, only if it’s not too intrusive.”
“Hmm… While we’re on that subject, would you mind giving me a crash course on the ranking system? I’ve been too focused on other matters; I didn’t have the time nor mental capacity to refresh my memory.”
The room fell silent for a few moments.
In truth, Ari recalled many things about Ambrose Academy, including the system; however, his knowledge only extended to the first half of the second season.
He stockpiled chapters and planned to binge the rest of the season once it ended, but died before he could.
He had to check if there were discrepancies with his knowledge of Ambrose Academy, and the world he now resided in.
“It’s referred to as Ranks of Ascension,” Lana remarked.
“Do you remember when the world experienced a mass awakening? It’s okay if you don’t.”
Ari nodded. “Yes, I remember that, I think... If my memory is correct, it occurred two hundred years ago, just before the Divine Towers appeared.”