Chapter 62: A Slightly Expensive Meditation Room
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 62: A Slightly Expensive Meditation Room
I carefully left the shop, carrying my incense burner, which still held a lingering hint of warmth.
The aura and presence that Senior Sister carried made me feel instinctively uneasy. It wasn’t that I disliked her—to be honest, I liked her quite a lot—but I was acutely aware of the mental abnormality her presence induced, which triggered my subconscious resistance.
Once I was away from her, I loosened up significantly.
Sitting on the bus, I felt completely relaxed, even finding the leisure to slowly examine the incense burner in my hands.
After studying it for a while, I reached a conclusion: it was just a very ordinary little burner. It still held the faint scent of the incense that hadn't fully dissipated. Though the aroma was weak now, smelling it was still incredibly soothing.
It was even a bit hypnotic. After only experiencing it for a few minutes in the shop, I was already feeling drowsy, yawning uncontrollably.
I almost regretted not taking the bus back home.
That’s right—this bus wasn't heading back to the villa; it was going to the Meditation Rooms.
The Meditation Rooms were a massive facility provided by the academy specifically for meditation, containing row upon row of individual chambers.
However, with so many students in the academy, I had my doubts about whether a single facility was truly enough.
As for Senior Sister Ying Shiqian’s recommendation to check the library for a Meditation Technique Ritual, I hadn't gone yet. I wanted to try it on my own first—to let my confidence take a bit of a hit before seeing how that ritual worked.
Even though I accepted that this was a world of transcendent power, the idea of "rituals" still felt a bit unreliable to me.
I’d save that as a last resort.
Before long, I reached my destination. On my phone’s map, it occupied a massive area, but seeing it in person was even more spectacular than the photos.
Even at this hour, I could see Senior Sisters coming and going.
It seemed this place was quite popular.
Driven by curiosity, I stepped into the lobby. The front desk area was vast; I could almost hear the echo of my own footsteps as I walked in.
"Hmm... a freshman? Are you here to get a Meditation Card?"
"A Meditation Card?" I looked at the Senior Sister behind the counter. She’d jumped straight into a sales pitch the moment she saw me. That felt all too familiar.
"Yes. A Meditation Card is essentially a membership card for this facility. If you find it a hassle, you can handle it online through your phone. There are various packages. Would you like me to go over them for you?"
"No, no, thank you. I just want to try out a meditation room for now. I haven't thought that far ahead yet."
"Just a temporary trial? That’s fine too. Once you have a card, you can apply for rooms freely. If you have any questions, just ask."
Hearing my request, her interest visibly waned. It made sense, though—having to work this late would make anyone miserable.
After all, I was technically off the clock myself.
"Where do I check for rooms? Is it through the Academy System?" I asked, holding up my phone. The Academy System was packed with features; you could even register for the library or read certain books online through it.
"Yes. Have you bound your student card to the system yet? It’ll be a bit of a hassle if you haven't."
"I have. Ah, found it. I won't trouble you further, Senior Sister."
"Alright."
Once I found the meditation section in the system, I easily navigated to the room reservations.
Yes, reservations.
It seemed the meditation rooms really were in short supply. Luckily, I saw there were still some vacancies, so I breathed a sigh of relief.
The rooms were divided into tiers, much like the difference between a standard suite and a deluxe room in a hotel.
A quick glance at the descriptions revealed that the difference lay in the level of internal service. There were even helpful photos provided for reference.
The basic choices were Ordinary Meditation Rooms and Advanced Meditation Rooms, along with custom reservations for specific requirements.
One look at the price for the custom ones and I immediately gave up. That was not for me, nor was it for my bank balance.
I looked at the most basic rooms instead. They ranged from fifty to a hundred credits per hour.
Even the most ordinary rooms were billed by the hour. Although the photos didn't show exactly what made them worth that much, surely the academy wouldn't just let my money go down the drain?
I checked the time. Although the trip to the aromatherapy shop had taken a while, it was still quite early—provided I ignored my usual internal clock for sleep.
I looked at my balance, then at the time.
In the end, I chose the top-tier option for the Ordinary Meditation Rooms: the 100-credit one.
Actually, I didn't have much of a choice. It seemed those were the only ones left. If I didn't move fast, even those would be gone.
As for the duration, I booked two hours. My incense was only enough to last about an hour at most; the second hour was for my final struggle with the process.
After I booked the room, a long list of precautions popped up on my phone. For instance, to avoid disturbing the meditation experience, staff would not proactively bother users. If a session went overtime, the user was expected to pay the additional fees promptly.
Forced eviction would only occur after twenty-four hours of overtime, so users had to keep track of time themselves.
The rooms allowed for manual time-reminders, but if you didn't set one, you were on your own.
After skimming the wall of text, I received my room number: 01032.
"Um, do I find this on my own?" I went back to the front desk to ask the Senior Sister.
"Yes. That number is on the first floor, Room 32. It’s easy to find. Off you go."
"Alright, thank you."
After a brief thanks, I headed inside. Walking toward the back, I found a series of straightforward, long corridors lined with doors packed tightly together. They certainly made efficient use of the space.
I wasn't sure if it was an illusion, but walking through the halls made the place feel even larger than it looked from the outside.
I soon found my number hanging on a door.
A quick scan of my phone, and the door opened easily.
As it swung inward, a faint scent of incense wafted out. It was subtle, yet it seemed to linger permanently in the air.
Stepping inside, I realized the so-called meditation room was even smaller than I’d imagined. There was almost nothing in it.
Just a mat on the floor and a small area to take off my shoes.
The worn marks on the floor indicated that this place had been used many, many times.
I wasn't in a position to be picky. I immediately placed my little incense burner on the floor. Coincidentally, there was a spot specifically designated for a burner.
Recalling the movements the Senior Sister had demonstrated earlier, I began trying to set up the incense.
This tiny bag represented a full day’s wages; I didn't want to waste a single grain of powder.
I didn't breathe a sigh of relief until I had lit the incense with a special match.
As the unique fragrance began to drift through the air, I started to examine the room's facilities.
The incense would take a moment to take effect anyway, so I might as well look around.