It was a crystal black ship with red edges and a golden emblem of the Academy. The emblem had two crossed swords under a paper and a pen with something scribbled on the paper in red ink. The pod opened its gates as the wind settled. Many people emerged from the pod, but three of them came straight to the onlookers.
"Oh, Guruvar Shuka is from the academy, too. But who is the other person on the right side of Guru Drona?" Shambhu thought, without letting his thoughts appear on his face.
Drona spoke as the Dean, "Congratulations on becoming the winners and joining this prestigious Academy. Today you all are free, but remember to come to Jnana Kendra tomorrow morning by 8 o'clock for your professional oath-taking ceremony. Guruvar Shuka and Guru Angira will be overseeing the ceremony." He gestured to his left and then his right, introducing them as teachers. Guru Angira was a brown-skinned, average-sized man with red eyes and red hair. He was looking on with contracted eyebrows. His long hair and beard gave the impression of being red in the sunlight, and he had a burn scar on his left hand.
After informing them, the three went inside the Vyavashthapika, and Vidura took the students to the living quarters of the Academy. They had to walk almost half a mile northeast from the buildings. A well-planned, village-like living quarters area welcomed them at the end of the walk. Students were wide-eyed, looking at each other's faces. They did not expect such a planned structure would exist in this forest.
An area of over 5 square kilometres was cleared in the forest, and single-floor homes and big buildings were built there. The construction was done with grid planning, with roads meeting each other at right angles. Initially, single-floor homes were constructed on both sides of the road. After walking for a quarter mile, there was a big, light-green building named BHOJANALAY, facing North. It was the canteen building for the students.
Vidura made a stopping gesture with his hand and then spoke in a voice reaching every ear present.
"I know all of you are hungry, and it is already evening. You all can eat here and then go to your quarters. The information about your quarter should have already been sent to your I-bands. If not, it will be before you are finished with the food." Vidura paused and then spoke in a serious tone after sweeping his eyes over their tired faces. "Do not forget to read the rule book of the academy and follow it to the letter. And also remember to reach the Gñyanà Kendrà on time."
The students greeted him, then went into the canteen. The whole building was the same light-green colour. The smell of fresh food was in the air. There was a counter on the right side where ten people were standing to serve the food. Behind them was the kitchen area. Except for the kitchen area, this ground floor was just a big hall. The roof of the hall was supported by yellow pillars. These pillars decorated the building like yellow flowers in a green field. The hall itself had a thousand ground seats. Shambhu had taken a seat. He was surprised by the softness and silky texture of the seats. Some students were still washing their hands and feet under wall taps on the East wall of the hall. When all the students took their seats, food was served. It was less spicy, almost non-spicy, but their taste buds picked up several medicinal herbs present in it, added to increase their immunity and body strength. The food was cooked in ghee, and they were also given supplementary medicinal milk mixed with some rare herbs.
But Purandar, the big guy from the test, asked, "Is there no meat in the meal?"
"Meat is not part of a student's diet," a lady worker answered.
Students were talking among themselves now.
"But this food doesn't have any flavour," a thin girl murmured to another. "My concern is whether it's just for today or if we will have to eat the same bland food every day," the other girl added.
A fat guy grumbled, "I will lose all my muscles eating this grass food."
But then a booming voice stopped all the murmurs.
A man almost 7 feet tall, with a big black moustache bridging one ear to the other and a black skin tone, came out of the kitchen.
"You guys are here to earn knowledge, not fat. A student must have restraint. It is a fundamental need and quality of being a student. You guys can eat whatever you want after leaving this academy. All the nutrients needed for your growth are present in your food, in excess. So stop complaining. You will need a lot of self-control while staying here." He spoke with a raised eyebrow and red face, then went back into the kitchen. A student asked in whispers who the man was. A lady worker, Meena, answered, "He is the chief chef. I know it's hard to transition from meat and spicy food to this slightly bland food, but you guys had better not make him angry again. He gives only one warning. After that, the offender's food supply is cut. That's his only punishment, but even Gurus of the academy are not exempt from his punishment." Hearing this, the students shut their mouths and ate their fill. Shambhu finished his meal without any complaints. It was like a normal day for him, as his life as a Seeker meant he had always eaten less spicy or non-spicy food. After washing his hands, he came out. The sun was already about to set and the lights of the student village were turned on. They were installed on the trunks of trees planted beside the roads and in the front yards of the living quarters, four on each tree facing four directions.
"Your quarter has been allotted. Please check the information." His wristband (I-band) then alerted him. He checked it. He was allotted the 678th quarter.
He tracked it and reached there. It was south of the canteen. There was a neem tree in the front yard of the home. The quarter itself was bluish-white and facing East. There was a big, black sliding metal gate in the front of it. It used a digital locking system. There was a scanner on the left wall. After he scanned his I-band, the door slid open for Shambhu to enter.
An AI voice welcomed him, "Welcome student, Shambhu. I am the operator of this quarter. You should connect your I-band to the operating system command unit present in your bedroom."
Shambhu was standing in the living room, which was just behind the sliding door. There was a round table and two chairs in the living room. He then moved ahead towards the inner gate. Opening the gate revealed an open yard. There were two rooms on the right and left of the yard. The right one was big, while the left one was comparatively small. The yard itself stretched longer towards the back. Towards the end, in the Northwest corner, there was a toilet.
Shambhu entered the right room. His assumption was right; it was the bedroom. A bed was in the middle. On the right wall, a display was installed, and below it was a black box. He brought his left hand near the box, and a beeping sound started. A prompt asking if he wanted to connect to the command system popped up on the small reddish display of his I-band.
When he clicked yes, the AI voice spoke again, telling him how he could command the AI for assistance in daily life. It also told him every detail about the house.
'Hmm, this monitor is only for study, and not a TV. No other entertainment tools, no extra furniture, plain walls, and an AI to do meager tasks. Makes my life easier,' Shambhu thought. He was in tune with this minimalistic approach of the academy.
Shambhu ordered the AI to prepare cold water for a shower and settled the uniform bag in the closet. He then took another round of the house and checked everything present there. After that, he went to the bathroom. It had a big bathtub too, but Shambhu preferred showers. The cold water from the shower relaxed his sore muscles and soothed him. After taking a shower, he came back to the bedroom, and the first thing he did was read the introductory rule book of the academy. All the rules indicated the importance of punctuality. His AI partner would turn the lights and unnecessary digital systems off after 10 o'clock at night and wake him up by 4:30 AM under any condition unless it was an emergency. He put the booklet on the desk beside the left wall and lay down on the bed.
"Raktaa, how is the quarter, and why are you so quiet?" He then asked Raktaa's opinion.