After parting ways with Lisa,
I headed back to the dormitory alone.
By the time I stepped outside, the sun had already slipped past the horizon.
Even though it was late evening, the academy grounds were still bustling with students rushing around like they were being chased.
Right… midterms were coming up soon.
Groups of students hurried past me, arms full of books, notebooks, and even borrowed reference materials from the library.
Seeing them jog across the campus with that desperate look in their eyes triggered a memory I had pushed to the back of my mind.
Exams.
The academy's first set of exams.
No wonder the place felt like a battlefield.
Everyone had their reasons for studying until their eyes bled.
Commoners were fighting tooth and nail for scholarships—sometimes the only way they could afford to stay enrolled.
Noble students were busy proving their worth, hoping to secure the position of family heir or at least avoid getting scolded at dinner.
Meanwhile, me?
