The morning air buzzed with anxiety as students swarmed the Announcement Board like bees to honey. Today was the day the literary exam results were to be posted, and half the institute held its breath in anticipation.
Lyra pushed her way to the front, her heart pounding like a war drum.
"Move—move! My destiny awaits!"
Kael, following behind her lazily, mumbled, "Or your doom."
Rhydan scowled. "If I fail, I'm blaming the questions. Who asks about historical rune syntax in a battle exam?!"
Just then, a magical scroll unfurled across the board with a crackling glow, golden letters etching names in glowing sequence.
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✦ TOP SCORERS ✦
1st – Auren Drakonis
2nd – Iris Elowen
3rd – Valric Drakonis
4th – Enric Solvar
5th – Fiona Mallin
...
27th – Celeste Viridion
...
37th – Lyra Ellenvale
41st – Kael Vireon
48th – Rhydan Valehart
Only 50 passed. Out of nearly 300.
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The crowd broke into gasps and murmurs.
"Wait… Celeste passed?" someone whispered.
"Rank 27?" another added. "That quiet girl?"
Lyra blinked at the scroll, mouth slightly agape. "Wait, what? I passed?!"
Kael chuckled. "Barely."
Rhydan threw his arms in the air. "I told you! They just wanted us to fail. This was rigged. Rigged, I say!"
But Valric, who had just walked over with a proud tilt to his chin, looked positively pleased.
"Third," he muttered, brushing imaginary dust off his shoulder. "Not bad."
But his gaze quickly shifted sideways—to the girl just beside the board. Tall, elegant, silver hair cascading down her back like a waterfall, sharp sapphire eyes fixed on the rankings.
Iris Elowen.
A name none of them had heard before. But her air was unmistakably noble. Her composure? Immaculate. And her second rank? Unchallenged.
Valric stared longer than necessary. Kael nudged him.
"Close your mouth, lover boy."
Valric blinked. "I'm just… impressed. Academically."
"Sure," Kael smirked.
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Meanwhile, in the crowd—
Celeste stood still, unreadable, her emerald eyes glued to the board.
Twenty-seventh?
She had calculated each wrong answer meticulously. Just enough to scrape by. But the paper had been harder than anticipated… and apparently, most others had failed.
Lyra came bouncing over and wrapped her arms around her. "You did it! We did it!"
Celeste forced a smile. "Seems so."
But her thoughts whirled. I didn't mean to draw attention…
Suddenly, a voice sounded behind her.
"You surprised me," Auren said, stepping close.
She stiffened.
"Didn't expect you to pass," he added, lips curved in amusement. "Let alone with that rank."
Celeste kept her face neutral. "Neither did I."
Auren studied her face for a second longer, as if trying to unravel something just beyond his reach. But before he could say more, Lyra grabbed Celeste's arm.
"Come on! We need celebratory food. This calls for something sweet and greasy!"
Kael added, "And something strong for Rhydan. He's mourning his score."
"I PASSED," Rhydan shouted from a distance. "I'm celebrating."
The group began to scatter from the board, but Auren lingered for a moment longer, eyes narrowing as he reread her name on the scroll.
Celeste Viridion.
She was full of surprises.
And this one wasn't the last.