SOUL DORM

55

Great balls of fire...

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CHAPTER 55:

DUEL

While Ursa slept soundly, I was left searching for the meaning of life on the ceiling. I closed my eyes, hoping to bury reality in the darkness. It didn't work. Despite my friend's peacefully oblivious face, my forehead was all furrowed from too much thinking. My gaze drifted to the half-finished carton of milk. Now that I knew what was in it, I was sure it could help me relax. But with last night's memories still fresh, I hadn't reached for it.

Finally, giving up, I got up and went to my bookshelf. Given my luck, I wasn't expecting to find a new chapter added to my book, but, to my surprise, there it was. Excited, I dove back under the covers and started reading. In the latest chapter, the princess and her companion, captives of a conceited prince, encountered his sweet sister. In this part, the sister was helping the princess escape.

The shared struggle of two strong women swelled my heart with pride, stirred deep emotions, and sparked excitement, making me feel empowered alongside them. I was captivated by a thrilling dungeon escape scene. I found myself nearly standing in anticipation when suddenly, soldiers encircled them. The scheming prince had foreseen their every move. My heart sank. The dream shattered. It seemed like the end was near for our heroine.

But the story took an unexpected turn. As they fled, the bridge they were on collapsed under their weight, sending soldiers into the water, while anyone who survived hung by a rope in mid-air. No matter what he tried, the prince couldn't reach his sister. In the end, it was the fugitive princess who saved her. With her companion's help, they managed to climb back up, and this changed everything.

It turned out the spoiled prince wasn't so indifferent when it came to his sister. Finally, he agreed to listen to the princess, who told him about the dark winter threatening her kingdom. Shockingly, he offered to help, thinking the same curse might threaten his realm. He decided to join her on her journey, seeking a solution together.

"Wow..." I closed the book.

I loved the character twists. I would have traded all the books in the room to continue the story, but the next chapter would come only when the Dorm decided. With nothing left to do, I laid my head back on the pillow and closed my eyes. This time, sleep came without much fuss. I wrestled with the spoiled prince in my dreams until Ursa's voice woke me. Strangely, the prince's face looked just like Mars's. So much so that when I opened my eyes, it felt like I was mad at Mars, not the prince.

Ursa pecked my cheek and said she was heading to her room. Half-asleep, I thanked her and drifted back into other dreams. Whether it was the exhaustion from the carnival or the weight of my emotions, I slept twice as long that night. When I finally woke up, my face and hands were swollen. Even Trouble must have gotten tired of me; he was lying in the bathtub. He grumbled and ran off when I turned on the shower.

I, Olive, must really be changing. Instead of planning my day like a diligent student, I found myself grumbling about having to go to class. When I opened my closet, my complaints escalated into cursing. Inside hung a baffling white outfit: a jumpsuit, a long-sleeved, high-necked blouse with snaps at the bottom, knee-high socks, and sneakers. I had to check my mailbox for the class schedule to figure out why I had this outfit.

Fencing.

"No!" I said to the paper in my hand. "No!" I looked up as if the Dorm could hear me. I kept saying no as I reluctantly dressed. No, no, no!