"Enough," Elira said at last. The word wasn't loud, but it carried to every seat in the hall. It settled over the students with the same gentle pressure as a blanket being laid across tired shoulders.
The noise faded. They straightened without being told.
She let the silence last for a few seconds more, letting the stillness work like a deep breath before the next step.
Then she said, "What you saw today is not punishment, nor praise. It is a mirror. Look into it when no one else is around.
If you find something wrong with the reflection, fix it before someone else does. The ground is always watching, and it will not lie to you."
The holo-screens began to dim, their color draining away until the stage looked plain again. Elira lowered her hands. She didn't smile, but her posture was quite satisfied.
Across the rows, the students began to relax. Someone whispered that it was over, and someone else whispered that it was only beginning. Both were right.
