"Congratulations! I can see who's on call for that now, should be just a few-"

She ducks out behind the desk into the hall beyond.

"Chell can come get you in a few minutes. She's reviewed well and has no complaints, but her fee is five copper and four copper pennies, not the standard four, acceptable?"

Details, details. 

"Yes, that's acceptable," she says mildly.

Chell is another lizardperson! Spunky and energetic. She leads Liath to an office.

"Awright! So my notes say you're going into combat casting, you'll maybe want some basic gen-eds, maybe want some basic weapon. What Wind? Better to focus on one at first, if you want to get proficient enough to fight. You looking to be an adventurer, or is your real goal something else?"

"Adventurer first, pivot into politics," she says. "My strongest Wind is aqshy."

"Well, Bright Magic is sure the right one for firepower. Looks like you've already got a politics skillset pretty covered, aside from some history and admin stuff. I think that all can wait, right? What weapon do you want as a backup? Sword or dagger is the usual option for casters. How many hours a day can you work consistently, how heavy should I make your schedule-"

"That can wait. Sword, please. Twelve hours." She'd prefer ten, but with the Demon Lord on the rise...

"Right. Let's start you tomorrow, so first we want lots of aqshy control, Montville's pretty good with novices..."

Chell quickly puts together a schedule for the first month, then three alternate schedules for the second month depending on how well the first goes. She should be competent to go into dungeons by then if she sticks to it and levels well. That's about how long her two gold will last at such an intense course load, even with the first month's room and board paid for.

She managed worse hours in the succession war. She can do this. 

"Thank you for your help, Chell. Can you give me directions to Haigley Hall?"

"Sure thing! There's maps around campus too. You'll know your way around in no time."

Directions are given. Cheerful waves goodbye, too, and she points out that her room number in Haigley is printed on the metal student ID now. 115.

She goes to her room in Haigley and looks around her accommodations, then pops out into the hall to look for her new roommates. She was always told she'd find allies in college...

Her floor's common room contains:

A teenage boy, maybe sixteen or seventeen, playing some sort of board game with hexagons and colored pieces alone.

A human couple cuddled together in an armchair, whispering to each other and edging close to PDA.

A prototypically nerdy-looking man, glasses and all, reading a book ("Implications of Kannaut's Eigenspace Theory") at a table.

Two lizardpeople at the common kitchen, gossiping rapidly and cooking some sort of stir fry.

A muscled young woman telekinetically juggling two pens in the air with a metal gauntlet that tickles at her newly awakened Windsight, a look of focus on her face.

... nobody she'd really like to talk to, but she should get to know the neighbours. 

"Hey," she says to the lizardpeople, cutting in on their conversation. "I'm new here, just moved into 115. Who are you two?"

"Olesm."

"Karst."

"What about you? Do you play chess? We were just talking about Hans, Tactician, totally obsessed about it and maybe he'd like a new opponent-"

"New to the city? So many humans in Liscor these days..."

"Liath. I play chess, though not very well. I'm new to the city. Either of you two know a good clothier in town?"

"Dressed as nice as that, but not enchanted as far as I can tell... You'll want Chelsea's or Red Hat Needles if you're looking for more of the same."

"I was looking for something a little less upscale, actually. Something suitable for swordfighting practice, that I don't mind getting dirt and dust in."

"Ohhh. What do you think, Olesm-"

"There's a lot more options for that. Just get something self-cleaning and armored, I'd say, but I'm sure Karst would love to help you go shopping, he practically exists to shop."

"Don't go all pushy at the new neighbor, now!" Karst nudges Olesm lightly with the spatula. Olesm snickers.

"How affordable is that? I hate to have to consider the question, but most of my money is tied up in tuition."

"A full outfit? About a gold. If you just go for a dress or shirt and pants, skip the gloves, greaves, boots, socks and undies, hood and all, you could get that for... I want to say eight silver if you're good at haggling."

"That's just within my budget," she says. "So that'll have to do. Can you give me directions to Red Hat Needles from here? I don't know the city."

"No, see, for armor you want to comparison shop a bunch of different places if you actually want to score eight silver. I can be a native guide if you want, soon as I have lunch! The cafeteria can't get garti right, they don't use enough spice, so we have to do it ourselves."

"I would love to comparison shop with you!"

Surprisingly, she would actually. Maybe it's just easier to like lizards.

Karst laughs, it's a slightly odd sound, a bit like 'hshshshs'. "It's almost done, you won't have to wait too long. What are you going to study? I'm here for alchemy and brewing."

"Combat magic as a Bright mage. Secondary affinities Shadow and Amber, though I won't be learning either of those anytime soon."

Maybe that'll make them sit up and take notice.

"Hsssha, you mean a sorcerer? That's rare enough. Don't blow yourself up, now."