Arthur stared, clearly shocked by what God had just told him. He knew very well that to enroll at Da'at Academy, one had to declare themselves as an internal student—someone who stayed overnight on campus.
He had no problem with that. However, he had assumed there would be a separation between men and women when it came to sharing a room. It was simply too dangerous for a man and a woman to be together, alone at night.
But that wasn't what truly worried him. What really troubled him was that the director of the academy—the almighty God, creator of all—had assigned him to share a room with someone who clearly despised him.
In any worst-case scenario, he would have no way to defend himself against a Goddess, much less when that Goddess was Cleopatra.
The Goddess of Fertility, Beauty, and Seduction. She was also the goddess of something else, but Arthur didn't even dare to think about it in her presence.
Without realizing it, Arthur had been staring at Cleopatra in a seemingly dazed manner. She noticed his gaze and didn't hesitate to question him.
"What are you looking at, you filthy trash? The mere feeling of your gaze disgusts me."
Arthur shuddered at Cleopatra's curse directed at him. Throughout his life as a human, he had naturally been cursed by some of his fellow humans.
However, now he was being cursed by a god, and the effects were almost instant. He felt pressure—a powerful force weighing down on his back, threatening to crush him.
"This is the power of a Divine's contempt," thought the frightened young man.
God saw this and simply cleared His throat, and just like that, the pressure on Arthur's back dissipated.
When the boy was finally able to look forward, Cleopatra's expression was filled with fear and nervousness. Now, God turned His neck and looked directly at her, through the cloud that covered half of His omnipotent face.
"Cleopatra, let's make things clear. Despite knowing about your history with humans, I assigned you to the same dormitory as this boy here," He said, pointing at Arthur. "I expect you to respect and appreciate him."
Cleopatra said nothing. She merely swallowed hard, causing her throat to visibly shift, and nodded silently.
Then, God turned His gaze to Arthur and spoke with a tone filled with kindness, warmth, and courtesy.
"Very well, young man. You are now officially enrolled in this Academy as one of our students. The belongings you sent here have already been placed in the designated room," He said, pulling a paper filled with paragraphs and letters seemingly out of nowhere. "Here is all the information about campus exploration, as well as details about your classroom and your apartment number, along with its building location."
He took a deep breath before continuing.
"Although I'm only giving this to you just in case—I doubt you'll need it. After all, Cleopatra is heading to the same place as you…" He looked at Cleopatra again. "Surely, she will guide you and tell you everything you need to know, won't she?"
Cleopatra struggled to keep her face from twisting into one of sheer irritation. She was standing before her own superior and couldn't make such expressions at Him, so she simply surrendered and let out a deep sigh.
"Come with me, human."
Her statement didn't sound like a request—it was a command, a threat. Something she wanted to impose upon Arthur himself.
The young man figured that Cleopatra, besides being discourteous, was also being arrogant and bossy. Such an attitude was far too childish for a Divine.
However, who knew? No one really understood the true nature of the Divines. They could be as peculiar and volatile as the uncontrollable currents of a river or the abundant, unstoppable flow of lava.
Arthur didn't judge the goddess for this trait, as he hadn't read much mythology about her or any Egyptian gods. He only knew their names, and that was it.
Arthur looked at God for a moment, then bowed courteously.
"It was an honor to meet my Creator. Also, thank you for inviting me to Your academy. It is a unique opportunity I never expected to receive." God gave him a soft smile, which seemed brilliant and welcoming to Arthur.
"The pleasure is mine, my son."
After this cordial farewell, Arthur left the room, leaving God alone at His desk. The enigmatic Lord seemed to be deep in thought.
"An honor to meet Me, huh? I wonder if he remembers our first encounter."
Cleopatra walked hurriedly through the hallways. Her steps were firm and strong, loud and resounding, like stones falling to the floor. On her face, clear indignation and frustration were reflected solely in her furrowed brow and irritated eyes.
Some gods stepped aside, avoiding the furious former Egyptian empress. No one wanted to cross paths with her in the mood she was in.
Behind her, a young man struggled to keep up with the empress. The goddess's pace was so fast that Arthur had to shift from walking quickly to lightly jogging at certain points along the corridor.
The tension between them was palpable, even more so because the source of Cleopatra's indignation was the mortal walking among the divines.
Some gods watched curiously, wondering who this unfortunate yet lucky mortal was—the one who had managed to enter Da'at Academy but had also encountered Cleopatra on his very first day.
Both Arthur and some of the divines were unaware of the full story. There were things about Cleopatra that the divines knew but Arthur did not. And there was one thing Arthur knew about Cleopatra that the divines did not.
That was the fact that, besides having the misfortune of meeting Cleopatra on his first day at school, he would also be her roommate for the next five years.
Arthur could feel the gazes of the divines upon him, yet he was unaware of the reason behind them. He also had no idea who, or where, the presences that paid him genuine attention and interest were.
For instance, Metatron looked at Arthur with compassion—the scales of justice had not balanced fairly for the mortal. Enkidu regarded him indifferently, too preoccupied with his own matters, such as vandalizing the infirmary of the third building in the east.
Lakshmi observed him with amusement—it seemed prosperity would not be on his side at this academy. Meanwhile, Cai Shen silently prayed for his health and well-being.
Arthur chose not to glance around; doing so would only make him more nervous than he already was. In fact, simply knowing he was being watched unsettled him.
He quickened his pace to escape the attention the hallway was bringing him, and before he realized it, he was walking alongside Cleopatra, matching her stride.
Cleopatra noticed the mortal's actions and shot him a sharp, threatening look.
"How dare you walk beside me, you filthy trash?" Cleopatra said with disapproval.
Arthur looked at her, slightly surprised by the sheer disdain behind her words, but he did not slow his pace.
"Sorry, but I'm in a hurry too."
"A hurry?" Cleopatra scoffed. "Every time your kind is in a hurry, it's because they're about to do something despicable."
"I just want to get to the dorm. The hallway makes me uncomfortable."
"So why did you suddenly speed up? Are you trying to reach the dorm before a goddess?"
Cleopatra increased her pace to overtake Arthur, but he matched her stride.
"What?! Are you trying to compete with me?"
"No, it's just that if you get too far ahead, I'll lose my guide to the dorms."
Of course, Arthur's statement was a lie. He simply wanted to stay beside Cleopatra because the attention of the other gods was less overwhelming when it was split between him and her.
"Don't mess with me, mortal. You have the bulletin with the directions. Get lost."
Cleopatra sped up even more, and Arthur followed suit. At this pace, both Cleopatra and Arthur were now running side by side down the hallway.
As expected from a goddess, Cleopatra was incredibly agile and resilient—her body far superior to that of an ordinary human.
However, Arthur wasn't entirely outmatched. Though he possessed neither divine strength nor any special abilities, he had always chosen to be active and maintain a healthy lifestyle in both his past and present.
Thus, training and perseverance had paid off. Today was no exception—Arthur was keeping pace with a Divine, both in speed and endurance.
"Mortal, trash, scum, filth, worthless flesh and semen!"
"What kind of insult was that last one?!"
"I insult you however I want—for I am a goddess!"
"You use your privilege just to insult me! That's not gangster at all!"
"Shut up! No one gave you the right to judge me, idiot!"
And so, Arthur and Cleopatra sprinted through the academy's long corridors, from the second to the first floor, bursting outside into the courtyard and racing along the marble stone paths of the central fields, until they reached the dormitories.
Arthur was left speechless when he arrived and saw the towering residential blocks where the Divines lived.
Massive, thick buildings in rectangular forms, rising up nearly seventeen stories, stood both nearby and in the distance. Some gleamed like radiant capitals, while others loomed dark and gargoyle-like with gothic touches. Vast Viking halls stretched along the grounds, pagodas soared skyward, brushing against the silver midday clouds. Shinto temples merged with the exotic, verdant brilliance of the academy's campus.
A breathtaking sight—one that few mortals had ever witnessed.
Arthur stopped running behind Cleopatra. She advanced ahead but suddenly halted upon realizing the mortal was no longer keeping up with her.
She glanced curiously at Arthur, who stood in front of the dormitory entrance, gazing in awe. She arched a brow, trying to figure out exactly what he was doing.
"What are you looking at, filthy mortal? If you don't follow me, I won't wait to guide you to the dormitory."
With that, she turned her back to Arthur, shaking her golden hair—the same color as the desert sands—while her hips swayed with a sensual grace.
Arthur tore his gaze away from the grand building in front of him and stepped inside, following Cleopatra.
The Egyptian Dormitory. To the eyes of a Divine, this place wasn't anything extraordinary. However, for Arthur, it was new and refreshing.
The walls were made of solidified sand, with grand pillars and statues of Anubis, Osiris, Tutankhamun, and many more of Egyptian lineage standing both outside and inside the dormitory.
This had been what had captivated Arthur's attention back at the entrance. Yet, the interior was just as remarkable. Large lounges cushioned with silk blankets and pillows, adorned in the center with warm hearths and shallow pools of pristine, refreshing water.
Walls embellished with geoglyphs and torches illuminated the various meeting and resting halls, where the Divines would gather.
For now, this section of the dormitory was empty, but by nightfall, its residents would gather here to chat and drink wine, perhaps even play games among themselves for entertainment.
Arthur could see traces of such festivities—empty ceramic jars and bottles, most likely once filled with various alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
Meanwhile, he continued walking alongside Cleopatra, shoulder to shoulder along the hallway. She still regarded him with disdain, yet no longer complained about the "filthy mortal" walking beside her.
Together, Cleopatra and Arthur ascended the stairs to the second floor, where a long corridor lined with countless room entrances stretched on both sides.
Arthur glanced at the paper.
"According to the guide, our room is on the second floor."
Cleopatra's brow furrowed deeper as she adjusted her golden and cloth diadem uncomfortably.
"Our? Don't speak for me, worthless scrap of semen…" Arthur cringed slightly at the insult. "I'm allowing you into my room, but trust me—I'm not happy about having you there in my damn space."
Arthur stared at Cleopatra with a neutral expression, though a subtle vein swelled on his forehead, signaling his restrained irritation. He was clearly tired of the goddess's rude and disgraceful insults.
Cleopatra and Arthur climbed the stairs leading to the third floor in an awkward silence, neither exchanging a glance nor a word.
At least, that was Arthur's perspective. Meanwhile, the goddess cast him furtive glances, each laden with deep, heavy contempt.
'Wretched insect,' Cleopatra thought to herself.
Once they reached the third floor, they walked along the hallway, counted four rooms, then turned toward a door on their right—and there it was.
"Room 209," Arthur murmured quietly to himself.
Cleopatra entered first without a word, followed closely by Arthur. Once inside, the young man took in the view of their room.
It was a cozy space. There was no sofa, but instead, a plush carpet with a pile of mattresses stacked neatly. A short distance from them, at the front, lay a stone platform covered with a soft blanket.
Atop the platform were various bottles and ceramic jars sealed with cloth stoppers and wrapped in linen string. Just ahead of this setup, a television stood—Arthur examined it closely; it appeared to be a smart TV.
At the back of the room, another stone platform held finely crafted wooden chairs cushioned around a dining set. To the left, a countertop with a water faucet stood beside a towering stone block the size of Arthur, which resembled a refrigerator.
Arthur opened it to check, and sure enough, its interior was lit, emitting an icy, chilled air.
Facing the dining table, set within the wall, was a window with sheer white curtains fluttering in the midday breeze. Arthur stepped toward it to take in the fresh air and noticed that he could see the other Divines' dormitories from afar.
This led him to the conclusion that the architecture of the dormitories varied depending on mythology or religion.
For instance, pagodas housed the Chinese and Korean gods, Shinto temples sheltered the Japanese deities, cathedrals were for the Catholics, grand tents for the Jewish pantheon, and vast wooden halls for the Norse gods.
Once Arthur finished examining his surroundings, he turned his focus to his own room. He walked toward a door near the kitchen and, sure enough, found all his luggage neatly placed in order.
Perfect—he could start unpacking his clothes and belongings right away. He took off his uniform vest and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt.
He began unpacking and organizing his clothes with a decent amount of skill, placing his decorations and miscellaneous items gradually as he found their proper places. In less than half an hour, everything was unpacked and arranged to his satisfaction.
Arthur wiped the sweat from his forehead and lay back on the soft white mattress of his bed, resting while staring at the ceiling in thought. Despite everything that had happened today, his day didn't seem all that bad.
"Hey, stupid mortal."
As if some wicked demon had heard his thoughts and wished to ruin his perfect mood, Cleopatra appeared before him, staring directly into his eyes with her brilliant golden irises.
"This is my room. Get out immediately."
Arthur sat up quickly, his expression filled with disbelief and surprise.
"Impossible. My luggage was here—this must be my room." He told the goddess, alarmed.
"I don't care. I want this room, and you're going to give it to me. Oh, and don't even think about going into my room. From now on, you can sleep in the bathroom or on the floor if you want. A mortal cannot sleep under the same conditions as a god—it's degrading."
Arthur fell silent, staring intently at Cleopatra's imposing face. Clearly, she was doing this just to torment him.
However, he wasn't about to surrender so easily. He lay back down on the bed once more, closing his eyes and stretching out in a relaxed manner.
"Pass, go to your room. I can sleep wherever I want." He said that as he raised his hand and waved it in the direction of the bedroom door, signaling Cleopatra to go away and leave him alone.
It was clear that she was a goddess and he was a mortal. But even so, he didn't have to listen to her, he had always been an atheist anyway. He owed her nothing.
Cleopatra did not let this fault pass. Something inside her shook and she gritted her teeth and clenched her fists, holding in a growing anger that was soon to explode.
Quickly and without a word. She yanked the sheets off the bed, rushing the young mortal to the floor.
And before the boy could even blink, Cleopatra placed her foot on top of the mortal's chest, pressing him to the floor.
She looked at Arthur with some menace in her gaze, psychologically applying pressure to him as well.
"Listen to me mortal. Don't you dare disobey me again!" She shouted at Arthur with much anger "I will not allow a filthy, despicable lump of flesh like you to speak to me in such a manner."
Arthur looked up with a scowl, a certain defiance in his gaze.
"What the fuck are you doing you stupid goddess? Can't I be quiet in one place as long as you're with me?!"
Cleopatra squirmed with anger at the boy's words. But nevertheless, she didn't say anything and neither did she increase the level of aggression. Instead, she only sketched a malevolent smile.
"I already know what to do with you to make you respect me." He said with a certain pleasure in his voice.
Once she said this, she straddled Arthur's abdomen without warning, which caused the young man to have to let out some air through his mouth from the sudden impact on the goddess's part.
"What to do goddess of-?"
Cleopatra grabbed Arthur's cheeks before he could speak and with some sensuality pulled him close to her face. Arthur was shocked by the situation. Their faces inches from touching, so close that he could feel Cleopatra's breath beating against his mouth. Their eyes staring at each other without straying for a moment.
The voluptuous body of the goddess was also sticking with Arthur's, he could feel the softness of her breasts and the subtlety of her curves against his very torso, the sensation was divine to say the least.
"I've got you now" Cleopatra said in a sweet and soft voice, very different from that haughty and rough tone she usually used to use.
But from one second to the next, Arthur became alarmed. He was slowly losing consciousness the more he looked into Cleopatra's eyes. The irises of the goddess, had him in an inexplicable spiral of thoughts.
From one moment to the next, he began to change his mind, he didn't want to disobey her, on the contrary, he wanted to please her in everything she wanted.
Arthur broke out in a cold sweat, deep inside he was aware that something was changing for the better...?
No! This is wrong!' he shouted inwardly.
Cleopatra finally rose to her feet, still sitting astride Arthur, with a victorious, almost smug smile.
"I told you, mortal. From now on you will be my slave" She said with ecstasy in her voice. "You will do everything I tell you."
Arthur was losing his self-consciousness, his surroundings lighting up with new ideas on how to serve his mistress faithfully, while the logical part of his head was still thinking.
He deeply regretted having let his guard down. He looked at Cleopatra for the last time with his old perspective, while it was fading.
For a moment, by the goddess' casual, grumpy attitude, he had underestimated her. He had forgotten that he was in front of the goddess of beauty, love and that which few dared to think in front of her.
Cleopatra, the goddess of misfortune.