Chapter 172: It Begins
The walk back to their assigned quarters felt longer than it should have, their bodies finally beginning to feel the full weight of exhaustion from their day. The base’s corridors seemed to stretch endlessly before them,lit brightly by the luminous lights hanging from poles.
Building 4 rose before them like a towering monolith, its multiple floors housing accommodations for permanent personnel, and various guild members who found themselves stationed at the Port base for extended periods and very lucky. The structure’s design was more residential than military, with wider hallways and more comfortable furnishings than the purely functional buildings they had seen elsewhere.
They climbed the stairs to the second floor, their footsteps echoing softly against the polished stone steps. The hallway was quiet at this hour, with most occupants either still engaged in training exercises or taking advantage of the base’s other facilities. The numbered doors they passed suggested a capacity for housing dozens of individuals, each room presumably offering the same accommodations they were about to discover.
Room 247 awaited them halfway down the corridor, its solid wooden door bearing a small nameplate that had been hastily updated with their information. Arthur fumbled briefly with the keycard before the lock clicked open with a soft electronic chime.
The door swung inward to reveal accommodations that far exceeded their expectations. The room was spacious by military standards, easily twice the size of their cramped quarters back at the academy. Natural light streamed through a large window that offered a view of the base’s inner courtyard, where they could see other personnel moving about their daily routines.
Immediately to the left as they entered, a well-appointed bathroom beckoned with the promise of hot water and privacy—luxuries that had been in short supply during their recent travels. The fixtures appeared modern and well-maintained, with fluffy towels neatly arranged on warming racks and toiletries provided in small dispensers mounted on the wall.
Beyond the bathroom area, the main living space opened up to reveal two single beds positioned against opposite walls, each made with crisp white linens and military precision. A substantial desk sat beneath the window, its surface clear except for a small lamp and what appeared to be information packets about the base’s facilities and regulations. Two matching dressers provided ample storage space for personal belongings, their dark wood finish lending an air of permanence to what was supposedly temporary housing.
Both young men stood in the doorway for a moment, taking in the unexpected comfort of their surroundings. After weeks of rough travel and uncertain accommodations, the sight of clean sheets and private space that wasn’t constantly rocking side to side felt surreal.
Aziel dropped his travel bags with a heavy thud that seemed to echo his own exhaustion, his expression shifting from tired appreciation to genuine curiosity. "Why do we get such a nice room anyway?" he asked, his voice carrying a note of suspicion. "Most of the smaller guilds and lower ranks in the big ones are stuck sleeping in shitty makeshift barracks or tents outside the main compound. What kind of pull does Cara have around here?"