In my pamphlet, there is a whole list of rules regarding the program. These are the three most important rules:

1: It is impermissible to leave the university while you are in the 2 week program, due to the rigorous nature.

2: You may not communicate with anyone outside of the program for two weeks.

3: You must keep a high grade in the program, or you will be expelled, as points and academic standing are a competitive matter.

Lukas would fold the paper and put it in his satchel. He had bought parchment paper and vellum for all of his class notes for two coins, but in that evening, he had sold a piece of his artwork for seven coins to another student in the program.

55 coins.

He made his way to the dining hall, nervous about what dinner might be. For their dinner, each student was given a small pamphlet with information about how to pronounce each item. Additionally, there was the nature of the questions. The pamphlet had also given a variety of questions–and responses–to basic questions, with the implications that the participating students would introduce themselves to at least two other people.

Despite the vast shift, and despite the strict rules, Lukas found something akin to serenity. When he had struggled to bring home money for rent, Irvin had often told him he should have made it into law school. Maybe then, they wouldn’t have to deal with their financial problems like such. Lukas tried to ignore such comments, but they had been painful. Even though Lukas had no passion for law, he had often found a strong feeling that Irvin was right. And when he received further notices about failed payments, his stomach would coil into strong knots.

He dared not to think too hard on what had happened to Irvin. According to his journal, it had already been a few days since he had left, so there wouldn’t be too many consequences for their rent back home. Even still, the remorse settled. Every day he found himself in the new realm, despite all of his problems, his desire to return home dwindled. He could almost hear Irvin chastising him for not being practical enough at this point. And then, when Lukas tried to speak up for himself, connecting to his sister for help, Irvin would often bring him his favorite treats. The fruit cake, as well as the coffee, weren’t treats Lukas could afford easily himself. After that, Lukas would begin to question himself.

The university dining hall had plenty of ornate paintings on the wall, as well as some eggs which had been designed to be like gold. According to his pamphlet on the dining hall, the eggs were mere replicas of the real items at the palace. The artwork here, in the capital of the kingdom, had been stuff of legends. As he sat next to one, he would paint the egg with his watercolor, before looking up. The other students had filed in, lining up to ask for their food. Lukas supposed he should as well, but his hunger had been suppressed.

After everyone else had stood in line, Lukas found himself at the back of it, despite his initial hesitations. The smell of the soup lingered in the air, as behind a counter, a woman barked out orders to her other workers. They would then bring out a plate with the soup from the kitchen, with some bread at the side. Lukas would step up to the counter, and then he would order.

“Can I have some Solyanka soup?” He asked, his entire body trembling. This was his first time speaking in his new language, after studying and practicing in front of the mirror for a few hours.

The woman turned back to one of her workers. Before long, Lukas was presented with a bowl of his own, with some bread on the side and with a spoon to accompany it. She shooed Lukas away, then she turned back to her workers, continuing to yell at them.

Lukas sat down near two women, and he gave a smile before giving a basic greeting. “Hello.”

The first girl wore a deep red gown which complimented her deep brown hair. According to her dress, she was likely of nobility herself. She looked upon Lukas and his outfit, frowning. “Hello. Which realm are you from?”

“The third. My name is Lukas,” Lukas said.

“I am from the fifth,” the girl said. “My father sent me here. I am the Lady Carina.”

Lukas nodded, not knowing what else to say. Apparently, she had already been given some instructions on the language. Meanwhile, Lukas was able to figure things out. He then took his painting of the egg and presented it.

The other woman’s name was Iris, and she was the second realm. She did not talk much, but she only studied Lukas’s artwork. In looking at it, she would present Lukas with ten coins. Lukas almost wanted to protest, saying that was much to high a price. But before he could, Iris had taken the artwork, exchanging it for the ten coins.

“Thank you,” Lukas said.

Iris nodded. She looked as if she would have more to say, but instead, as she placed the piece of paper inside her own parchment, she would place it in her bag before turning back to her other friend. They had been able to hold basic conversations.

65 coins

Lukas wondered when he would be able to find new papers for his artwork. There was the university store, but such items had been far too expensive. And while he could replace his ink, he wasn’t certain he could replace his watercolors. At least, not here. He had bought his current set of watercolors from a respected merchant in his old world, and he had sacrificed his morning meals for them. When Irvin had questioned him, he claimed he would have rather had these items. But the truth was, he had regretted his decision as he worked in the food mart, watching customers buy large bags of food while his stomach complained.

As he took a bite of the soup, the mixture of cured meats, olives, and pickles created quite a sour combination, but the warmth of the broth dispelled any cold he had experienced previously. And as he put his bowl in the stack of dirty dishes, he recognized his satisfaction with his meal. Even though Dina and Nikola had made sure he had been fed properly, the concept that he had been able to walk away, each day, with a full stomach still seemed novel to a degree.

When he made it back to the dorms, his bunk mate would be reading something from one of the other worlds. Technically, reading in another language wasn’t permitted within the school, but Lukas would not point it out. Instead, he would continue to work on his ink drawings, hoping he would be able to ignore the fact that his bunk mate had broken a core rule. If he were called to be a witness, it would likely create some problems.

He tried to ignore it, instead focusing on his work. He only had a small sketchbook to work with, but either way, he drew key elements from his day. The dogs, the dining hall, and then everything else.

There would be a few hours before bed time, and in this time, Lukas found the lack of things to do to leave him antsy. He studied the language pamphlet, using a complementary notebook to keep track of his studies. In working on his memorization of each word, he would hope that he had done enough to remain at the top of the class.

I know it’s a long ways off, but I do wish I could remain here forever.