Thief Mage

17

After two days of quarantine, they realized I wasn't actually mentally ill, aside from being just clueless, so they released me! So I stayed in the hospital for two more days for free. I felt so devastated, I almost cried.

Out of the hospital, I breathed in the fresh air, seeing the light of day again. Seeing the morning sun, I felt so refreshed that I couldn't help but shout out in joy, "I~~~!"

Hadn't finished speaking, a group of doctors came running over from a distance, shouting, "Over there, over there! Catch him! Don't let him get away! Quick!"

The leading doctor ran up, took one look, and exclaimed in surprise, "Huh? You again!"

I stared at him in horror.

He turned to the other doctors and warned, "He's not... You should be aware that many clueless individuals and mentally ill individuals share similar behaviors. Be careful to distinguish them and don't catch the wrong person! Okay, everyone, continue the search!" With that, the doctors dispersed.

Damn! What do you mean by many clueless individuals and mentally ill individuals share similar behaviors? I was speechless.

I returned to the registration office, my eyes vacant and dejected! I checked my assignment at the registration office and received a certificate for the Class 15 boys' dormitory. Alas, I can't live with Kate and the others anymore. What should I do now? I should go check out the new dorms first!

I wasted my time walking alone, feeling this school was incredibly large. Imagine accommodating 100,000 students and so many teachers and staff. It must be the size of a medium-sized town. I had no idea how many people I asked along the way before finally arriving at the student dormitories.

I walked along the gray-white stone brick wall to the entrance. The dormitories were all one-story, tiled houses. With today's construction standards, building more than two stories is quite difficult, so the cost of two stories could cover the same six bungalows. The school had plenty of land anyway, so they wouldn't spend the extra money on a second floor unless it was necessary. However, this would significantly increase the size of the dormitories.

Each grade in this school has about a hundred classes, each with about a hundred students, and each dormitory has about six people. Therefore, each class has ten boys' dormitories, while there are fewer girls, though each class also has nine girls' dormitories. I handed my credentials to the dormitory administrator at the entrance, and he directed me to the boys' dormitory for Class 15.

I opened the door, and the five people inside all looked in my direction. The administrator introduced, "This is the new student, Richie. See if you can arrange for him to stay here."

I nodded and smiled, gesturing to them. Inside, a flurry of discussion erupted:

"Is this the guy who fainted after setting off the fireball in the magic testing field?"

"I think his name is Richie!"

"I heard he was in the psychiatric ward?"

"Oh! Yeah, I heard that!"

"We're supposed to live with someone like that?"

"Hmm! That sounds a bit scary."

I was astonished at the speed with which gossip spread. Perhaps this is just how efficient the Central Plot Bureau is.

Someone who seemed to be their leader stood up and said unhappily, "We're full here. You should go ask in other dorms!"

I saw an empty bed, and I knew what to do! I wisely withdrew!

I asked several dormitories, each with different reasons for rejecting me. Standing in the hallway, I felt a sense of loss. The administrator looked at me strangely, almost disdainfully, and said, "I have things to do right now. Find a dorm yourself!"

"Go do your own thing. I'll find one myself!"

"Then I'll go home!" The administrator said, shaking his head and leaving.

Alas! I never imagined I'd fallen to this point. Dejected and disappointed, I wandered the hallway in a melancholy mood. Just as I felt myself sink to despair, I suddenly felt a pat on my back. I turned around and saw a black boy about my height. He looked familiar.

"Who are you?" I asked. "Oh, you don't remember me? Weren't we locked up together in the disciplinary office that day? Me, Jack! You don't remember? The one from Class 15, Grade 1!" He excitedly pointed at his face.

"Oh, I remember, it's you! I didn't even notice which class you were in that day. I didn't expect we'd be in the same class. Haha, what a coincidence!" I said, realizing it.

"So, which dorm are you living in now?"

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The Thief Mage, latest chapter, Chapter 17, website: "Not yet!" I whispered, a hint of disappointment in my voice.

Jack smiled, seeming delighted. He said righteously, "It just so happens that we have a vacant room in our dorm. This will help us bond more deeply as comrades! Haha! How about coming to our dorm?"

The comrades he was referring to were, of course, the gamblers. Fortunately, I had established a strong following that day. Otherwise, I don't know how I'd survive!

"Of course, of course!" I immediately agreed.

"Okay, come with me."

I was deeply moved and followed him to his dorm.

Following Jack into the dorm, Jack introduced him to his roommates at the front, "This is my comrade—Rich. He'll be living with us from now on. Please take good care of him!"

"Rich? I heard he has mental issues..." a thin, bespectacled boy asked cautiously, closing his book.

My heart sank again at this.

Jack retorted angrily, "How can you be so sure he has mental issues based on hearsay? There are definitely no mentally ill gamblers. Only those who don't gamble have mental illnesses!"

The bespectacled roommate tilted his head, thought for a moment, and muttered, "Hmm, that seems to be the case!" The expressions on the other roommates' faces seemed to agree with this view!

Someone actually agreed with this view. I guess those who agree must be good gamblers!

After getting their approval, Jack helped me tidy up the empty bunk closest to the door. As he gathered the clutter, he said, "Rich! Where's your luggage?"

Luggage? Besides my new prison uniform, I don't seem to have anything else with me. But my money's still in Kate's dorm. I need to go back for a stroll and say goodbye to Kate and the others. So, I replied to Jack, "The luggage's all in Kate's dorm."

"Oh! Then I'll go get it with you!" Jack paused what he was doing and turned to the boy with glasses. "Little Glasses, help tidy up this bed. I'll help with the luggage!"

"Okay! Leave it to me!" Little Glasses put down his book and stood up.

Since we weren't very familiar with each other, the interaction was a bit awkward. I thanked him awkwardly, "Well! Thank you so much for your trouble."

The man with glasses was quite easygoing. He smiled and said, "Don't be polite. We'll be living together for years to come. It's only natural to help each other!"

I was about to exchange a few more pleasantries when Jack urged, "Rich! Let's go!"

"Oh!"

Wu Wu said goodbye and walked gracefully with Jack towards Kate's dorm. Jack's dorm was neither far nor close to Kate's. Jack was in the third dorm block, Kate in the sixth. Although only two dorm blocks apart, it's a mile to walk through each dorm block.

As I followed behind and chatted with Jack, I was surprised to find that his gossip skills were definitely on par with Kate's. Jack was very familiar with several shortcuts, and it was clear that he often went to Kate's dorm. After about twenty minutes of walking, I knew we had reached the sixth dorm block. I was familiar with the lower part of the wall that Kate often climbed. Of course, they didn't climb the wall in broad daylight. The two of them swaggered through the main gate.