The carriage wheels came to a halt on the polished cobblestones of the Academy entrance.

  Maria pulled aside the velvet curtain.

  The view before her looked more like a legendary fortress than a school. High stone walls reaching twenty meters, atop the watchtowers, the kingdom’s blue-and-gold banners, marked with the sun-and-lion crest, danced in the wind, and a massive gate of oak and iron reinforced with magic.

  This was the place where the military and political future of the country was forged.

  "We're here."

  Edward's voice brought her back to reality. The Commander of the Royal Guard was wearing his full formal uniform today.

  "From here on, you have to go by yourself, Maria. As the Commander of the Guard, I can't take you to the dormitory door, otherwise, the 'Edward’s favorite' label stuck on you will only get worse."

  Maria picked up her leather backpack and took her small suitcase in hand. She had secured her twin daggers (Shadow Daggers) under her navy and gold uniform, at her waist. Their cold weight lessened her anxiety a bit.

  "Don't worry, Commander. I'm not a child."

  Edward gave a bitter smile.

  "That's the problem. I wish you acted a little like a child."

  Maria stepped out.

  The air in the courtyard smelled of expensive perfume, new leather, and pride.

  Hundreds of luxurious carriages were parked in the courtyard. Carriages with gold plating, embossed family crests, and purebred horses with braided manes.

  Noble children, in magnificent clothes and with servants carrying their luggage, were disembarking. They laughed loudly and hugged each other. A world completely different from the dirty slums.

  Maria stood alone. Without a golden carriage, without a servant, and with a simple backpack and a suitcase in hand.

  The heavy stares began.

  "Hey, look at that girl..."

  " Why didn’t she come by carriage?"

  "I heard she's that 'street scholarship kid' Edward brought."

  "Wow, how classless. Look at her uniform; It looks terrible on her."

  Maria fixed her gaze straight ahead and began to analyze:

  Environmental analysis: Three emergency exits on the north side. Watchtowers have blind spots. Students... mostly weak, reliant on equipment, and lacking environmental awareness. Physical threat level: Low. Psychological threat level: High.

  She took a deep breath and took a step.

  Let them stare. In the wild, the quiet one is usually the hunter.

  A little ahead of the entrance gate, a line of Academy staff in formal gray uniforms and white gloves stood. With stiff, military bows, they guided the noble students toward the main hall. Their behavior toward the noble children was a mix of respect and flattery, but when it was Maria's turn, they sized her up with cold looks from the corner of their eyes. There was no bow; they simply pointed out the path with an indifferent hand gesture.

  In those six months, people at the palace, especially Edward and Master Simon, had treated her with respect despite her poor roots. But here... here was the harsh truth of society.

  Maria tried not to care, but she felt the weight of the class difference on her shoulders.

  She entered the main courtyard.

  The wide path leading to the assembly hall was paved with polished white stones; stones so white and clean as if they were polished every single day.

  On both sides of the path, groups of students were strolling. As Maria passed them, the sound of laughter and conversation would cut off for a moment, replaced by stinging whispers. Index fingers pointed at her like invisible arrows.

  "Look at that..."

  "What a mismatch."

  "I heard her mother was a whore in the slums who died."

  Maria froze. Her steps stopped for a fraction of a second.

  The last sentence hit her face like a whip. Heat rushed to her face, and her breath stalled.

  No... don't listen. Calm down.

  She clenched her fist. Hard enough that the pain of her nails digging into her palm distracted her from the pain in her heart.

  She lowered her head so no one would see the slight trembling of her lips. She took a deep breath, exhaling the lump in her throat along with the air.

  She raised her head and fixed her gaze on the end of the path. She tried to focus all her senses on the sound of her own footsteps so she wouldn't hear those annoying whispers.

  Clip... clop...

  The sound of her leather boot heels hitting the cobblestones had a regular, firm rhythm. Unlike the soft, silent sound of the nobles' silk shoes, her footsteps announced her presence. The sound of someone who has come to fight, not to dance.

  At regular intervals along the path, tall bronze lamp posts were installed. Inside the glass enclosure of each lamp, a blue mana crystal glowed. Even though it was day, the lamps were on; an arrogant display of the Academy's wealth and magical power as if they were saying: "We don't need the sun even during the day." Maria had seen similar expensive technology only in the private grounds of the palace.

  But scarier than the lamps were the statues.

  At every intersection stood gigantic stone statues of ancient knights and heroes of past wars. They were carved in epic poses with full armor and drawn swords.

  Maria paused for a moment under the shadow of one of them.

  She looked up. A statue of a knight who had taken off his helmet and held it under his arm. The angle of the statue's head was such that it seemed to be looking straight down at Maria.

  A cold, stony look full of contempt.

  It was as if the very soul of the Academy had been breathed into those stones, screaming: "You don't belong here, little mouse. Go back to the sewer you came from."

  Maria swallowed. She unconsciously pressed her hand against her waist, where the daggers were hidden.

  She answered in her heart: Maybe you're right... I don't belong here. But all this behavior and discrimination isn't enough to stop me! I have stared into the eyes of the Angel of Death; lifeless stones are nothing.

  She straightened her shoulders and passed under the heavy shadow of aristocratic history to reach the hall.

  ***

  Maria entered the hall amidst the flood of people.

  The interior of the hall was even more magnificent than its exterior. Thousands of velvet chairs were arranged in neat rows, almost filled. But what took one's breath away was the ceiling.

  There was no ceiling; or at least the eye couldn't see one. Thanks to ancient and powerful magic, the hall's ceiling was a living image of the night sky. Galaxies spun and stars twinkled, as if the entire universe was watching this ceremony. Starlight slid over the students' faces. A few involuntarily fell silent and looked up.

  Senior students in colorful robes and shining family crests sat in the front rows, talking proudly among themselves.

  Maria quietly went to the back rows. Where the shadows of massive columns created a safe shelter from curious eyes. She sat down and hugged her arms.

  Moments later, the lights dimmed, and a focused light shone on the stage.

  The Academy Headmaster, a fat man with a long white beard reaching his belly and wearing a purple mage robe with gold trim, went behind the podium.

  "Welcome to the Royal Academy, where the future elites of Alverin are born..."

  His voice was monotonous and sleep-inducing. His speech was a hodgepodge of big, repetitive words about "honor," "nobility of blood," and "sacred duty."

  Maria covered her mouth with her hand and yawned. She closed her eyes for a moment.

  In all worlds, whether modern or fantasy, school headmasters only know how to talk nonsense. I wish there was at least a 'Skip' button.

  An agonizing half-hour passed until finally, the Headmaster's tone changed, and excitement returned to his voice.

  "And now, the representative of the first-years... the one who had the highest written entrance exam score and the highest recorded mana capacity in the last decade... I invite him up: Damian Von Taurus."

  Suddenly, the sleepy silence of the hall broke. The applause became deafening. Even the professors sitting on the stage clapped with respect.

  A boy Maria's age climbed the stairs of the stage.

  His long silver hair was tied back in a ponytail with a black ribbon. His eyes were the color of emerald green; beautiful but cold, like jewels found deep in caves. He walked with the dignity of an emperor, not a ten-year-old student. His family crest, the "Silver Viper," shone on his chest like a dangerous warning.

  Damian stood behind the podium. Absolute silence reigned over the hall; everyone was eager to see what this year's genius would say.

  He placed his hands on the wooden edge of the podium, but his gaze was not on the crowd; as if he was looking at something beyond the walls of the hall, at a distant horizon.

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  "Look at the ceiling... beautiful stars, magical lights."

  He paused slightly and lowered his gaze:

  "Look at the velvet chairs you are lounging on... look at each other, at the magnificent and luxurious clothes you are wearing."

  Then he raised his head. His voice wasn't loud, but it cut through the hall's atmosphere, sharp and decisive like a scalpel:

  "These are all lies."

  A murmur rippled through the hall. The Headmaster frowned and shifted in his seat.

  Damian lowered his voice again, but his tone became colder and more biting:

  "While you are here boasting about your ancestors' honors and worrying about the style of your uniforms, on the northern borders, 'Seragonia' is sharpening its swords. In the west, shadows are rising."

  He paused. His gaze swept over the terrified or confused faces of the students, as if judging each one of them.

  "We didn't come here to play at being knights. History doesn't give medals to those who only have 'good intentions'; history is written by the victors."

  Suddenly, a heavy mana pressure radiated from his body. Not for show, but like a slap to wake them up. The air in the hall became heavy.

  "This Academy is not a kindergarten; it is a smelting furnace. A forge that separates and burns away your impurities. If you can't stand the heat, if you think the color of your ancestors' blood will save you... go back to your parents' mansions right now. Because in the real world, weakness is the only unforgivable sin."

  He said his last sentence while his gaze unconsciously—or perhaps entirely deliberately—passed over the crowd and fixed straight onto the darkness of the back rows, where Maria sat.

  Maria narrowed her eyes and looked away, but a storm was brewing in her mind:

  Damian... so this is the boy Edward warned about. Charismatic, intelligent, and ruthless. He's not just a spoiled rich kid looking for grades; he's an ideology that understood the truth far earlier than his age. He is arrogant... but damn, he's right. These fools think life is a party, but he and I know well that life is a battlefield.

  The ceremony ended.

  The hall quickly descended into chaos.

  Immediately, a large ring formed around Damian. Noble boys and girls gathered around him like moths attracted to light, beginning to flatter him. Damian answered them with a faint, indifferent smile, as if he were a king among his subjects. For a moment, Damian's gaze fixed on Arthur, who was in the other corner of the hall; not with overt hostility, but with the curiosity of a rival wanting to know where his competition was.

  On the other side of the hall, a different crowd had formed. Prince Arthur Valerion, with his golden hair and warm smile, was surrounded by his admirers. Unlike Damian, Arthur's circle was full of laughter and intimacy, but still, a wall of people surrounded him.

  Amid a flood of congratulations, Arthur turned his head and spotted Maria leaving alone.

  A spark shone in the Prince's eyes.

  "Maria!"

  He tried to open a path and go toward her, but the flood of eager people wanting to shake the Crown Prince's hand pushed him back like a wave.

  "Your Highness! What do you think about the dorms?"

  "Your Highness, would you honor us by having lunch with us?"

  Arthur reached out his hand helplessly, but the social gap between them acted like a physical wall.

  Maria stopped. Her gaze locked with Arthur's.

  She saw that the Prince wanted to come but couldn't.

  Your world is different from mine, Arthur. You are in the light, and I am in the shadow.

  Maria shook her head, turned away, and without waiting, exited the large doors of the hall and disappeared into the shadows of the corridors.

  ***

  After the long ceremony in the hall, the flood of first-year students poured toward the dirt training field. The afternoon sun shone intensely, heat rising from the ground.

  In the center of the field, on an ancient stone pedestal carved with runic letters, sat a massive crystal orb. The orb was as large as a watermelon, and its surface reflected the sky like a mirror.

  The testing official was Master Garret; a muscular man with sun-burnt skin and a black eyepatch over his left eye, a memento of past battles. He shouted with a voice that needed no magic for amplification:

  "Maintain order! Come forward one by one. Put your hand on the orb and give it all your mana. The color and intensity of the light determine your classification."

  The process began.

  "Young Lord, Thomas... Yellow color, medium intensity. Class B."

  "Lady Elizabeth... Blue color, high intensity. Class A."

  The crowd reacted with every score announcement. But everyone was waiting for the main stars.

  "Next... Damian Von Taurus."

  Damian stepped forward with measured paces. There was no anxiety in his face, only boredom. He placed his hand nonchalantly on the orb.

  BOOM!

  A sound like dynamite exploding ripped through the air.

  The orb not only lit up, but a pillar of red fire and purple lightning shot out of it, howling as it rose three meters into the sky.

  The wave of explosive heat forced the students in the front row to shield their faces with their hands. The smell of ozone and burning filled the air.

  Absolute silence born of fear. And then shouts of admiration.

  "Class S!"

  "My God... he's a monster!"

  Without smiling, Damian took a silk handkerchief from his pocket, wiped his hand as if it had gotten dirty, and stepped aside. His expression said: Did you expect less? But for a moment, it seemed something bothered him; he swallowed slightly, as if a bitter memory had surfaced, then his face quickly returned to its previous state, a serious and penetrating look.

  Master Garret cleared his throat and tried to maintain his composure.

  "Next... His Highness Arthur Valerion."

  The whispers changed. Fear gave way to excitement.

  Arthur went forward with a humble smile. He placed his hand gently on the orb.

  Unlike Damian, no explosion occurred. Instead, a pure, golden light, like the midday sun, radiated from the orb. A light that didn't hurt the eyes, but was warm and magnificent, bathing the entire field in its glow.

  "Class S!"

  A group of students shouted with enthusiasm:

  "Long live House Valerion!"

  Arthur was smiling, but his gaze roamed the crowd searching for someone. When he saw Maria standing alone in a corner, a hint of hidden worry appeared at the corner of his lips, a small anxiety invisible to others but very real to Arthur himself. He nodded to Maria; a small gesture that caused many envious looks to turn toward her.

  Damian, who had been indifferent, narrowed his eyes upon seeing Arthur's attention toward a girl.

  Master Garret read the list again.

  "Next... Maria Alessandra."

  The stinging whispers began.

  "It's that girl..."

  "I heard Edward personally recommended her. She must be very strong."

  "Let's see what 'Edward's Choice' has up her sleeve."

  Maria took a deep breath. She pulled the hot, dusty air of the field into her lungs and stepped forward. She felt the weight of hundreds of pairs of eyes on her back.

  She placed her small, calloused hand on the cold, polished surface of the orb. The coldness of the crystal contrasted with the warmth of her hand.

  Alright... time to face reality.

  She closed her eyes and focused. She tried to send the flow she had learned over the past months into the orb.

  The orb vibrated.

  The crowd went silent, waiting for a storm.

  And then...

  A weak, trembling, and feeble white light, like a dying firefly, flickered in the center of the orb.

  That was it.

  No fire, no lightning, not even a light that could cast a shadow.

  A heavy silence reigned over the field. So heavy that the wind could be heard.

  And then, the sound of a girl laughing from the front row cut the silence like breaking glass.

  Everyone burst out laughing. The laughter hit Maria like a wave.

  "That was it?!"

  "She can't even light a candle!"

  "How did they let her in here? It's a disgrace! Edward has gone senile!"

  Amidst the laughter, a senior student standing outside the training field watched Maria carefully instead of laughing, as if seeing something different in her.

  Master Garret shook his head with regret and a bit of disappointment, announcing loudly:

  "White color, intensity... very low. Class F. Move aside, kid, don't hold up the line."

  Maria pulled her hand away. Her face was stone, but a storm raged inside her.

  The sound of laughter drilled into her head. Hundreds of pairs of eyes that moments ago looked at her with curiosity now saw her as "worthless, stupid, and useless."

  She felt her cheeks catching fire. Not from shame, but from a cold anger born of helplessness. The familiar feeling of "not being enough," inherited from the betrayals of her previous life, clawed at her throat.

  She swallowed her saliva, which tasted bitter. She tried to walk straight, but her legs felt heavy. Every step was a struggle not to run away. As she passed through the wave of mockery, her head spun for a moment, like someone standing on the edge of a high cliff.

  But suddenly, Master Simon's voice echoed in her mind:

  "Remember, Maria... the Appraisal Orb only shows volume, not control. A vast ocean might be deep, but a narrow, shallow river can pierce through stone."

  Maria stopped. She straightened her shoulders.

  She knew; she knew these orbs only measured the "fuel tank," not the "driver's skill."

  She turned slowly, and while passing through a tunnel of ridicule and finger-pointing, she lowered her head so no one would see the dangerous glint in her eyes.

  A faint, invisible smile settled on her lips:

  Laugh... let you think I'm simple. This way, you'll pay less attention to things you aren't supposed to see.

  ***

  Maria walked through the long, winding corridors of the girls' dormitory. Corridors covered with thick, lacquered carpets and smelling of polished wood and fresh flowers. The sound of laughter and girlish screams could be heard from behind closed doors; happy, carefree sounds that hammered into Maria's head, reminding her that she didn't belong here.

  Maria held her room key in her hand. Room 304.

  She was tired. Not just physical fatigue, but the fatigue of enduring stares and swallowing the lump in her throat. She just wanted to fall onto a bed and figure out how to survive this circus.

  She opened the door.

  Immediately, the scent of sweet perfume like peaches and the pleasant warmth of the room caressed her face.

  The room was large and airy, with two beds. But half the room; on one of the beds, a mountain of pink suitcases, gift boxes with shiny ribbons, and colorful clothes was piled up.

  Maria's mind was so exhausted and worn out that she had even forgotten her usual habit of "checking danger points and securing unfamiliar environments." She just wanted silence, but there was no silence.

  A girl with curly brown hair and a round face full of freckles sat amidst this clutter, excitedly fiddling with a box of chocolates.

  Upon seeing Maria, the girl jumped up like a coiled spring.

  "Hi!! You must be my roommate! Oh my God, you finally came! I was dying of loneliness!"

  The girl came forward with dizzying speed, grabbed Maria's limp hand, and shook it vigorously. Words poured out of her mouth like machine-gun fire:

  "I'm Sarah Lynn! I come from the Xenia Federation. My dad is a magical equipment merchant, he sells mana crystals too, of course. Aww, you're so tiny and cute! What's your name?"

  Maria pulled her hand out slowly but firmly.

  "Maria."

  Sarah didn't notice her coldness (or maybe didn't care). Her eyes sparkled.

  "Maria! What a beautiful name. Look, I brought you something. It's our custom to give a gift to our roommate."

  Sarah ran excitedly, rummaged through the clothes and suitcases on her bed, and pulled out an inlaid wooden box. She opened the lid. Inside was a gold bracelet with moving gems, clearly featuring advanced Xenia technology.

  "This is a Mana Storage Bracelet! My dad heard from the Academy Headmaster that I'd be roommates with you, he said since he heard you have low mana, this would be useful. We can charge it together and..."

  Maria stared at the bracelet.

  Gold... gift... friendly smile.

  Suddenly, the image of the room and Sarah faded...

  High school courtyard...

  Her best friend, Catherine, gave the gift to Elmira with a beaming smile.

  "Happy Birthday, Elly!"

  And then the warm feeling of Catherine's body hugging her gently.

  Suddenly, the scenes shattered like glass...

  Orange sunset sky... secluded area behind the school building... Catherine and Elmira's boyfriend hugging and kissing each other... the sound of their laughter...

  And the feeling of infinite cold that froze Elmira's heart.

  Maria's breath caught in her chest.

  The bracelet glittered in Sarah's hand. Sarah's smile looked exactly like Catherine's smile in Maria's eyes. Warm, intimate... and fake.

  She wants to buy me. Or maybe she pities me. Or maybe she found out I'm backed by Edward and wants to use me.

  Maria stepped back. Her gaze turned to ice, cold and emotionless.

  "I don't need charity."

  Sarah's smile froze. Her hand remained in the air.

  "W... What? No, this isn't charity! It’s a friendship gift..."

  "We aren't friends."

  Maria continued with a voice void of any emotion:

  "We are just two people forced to sleep in one room. Don't put your things on my bed, don't touch my belongings, and don't try to get close to me."

  Sarah's large eyes filled with tears. The bracelet trembled in her hand.

  "But... I just wanted..."

  "Did you hear what I said?"

  Maria threw her backpack onto the empty bed and turned her back to Sarah so she wouldn't see her crying face. She started unpacking her suitcase with stiff, nervous movements.

  The sound of Sarah quietly sniffing grated on her nerves. Maria closed her eyes. The corner of her eye got wet, but she didn't let the tear flow.

  She clenched her teeth together so her chin wouldn't tremble. Her heart ached. A physical, sharp pain, as if someone was squeezing her heart.

  She remembered her mother, Alice, who always said with a smile: "Be kind to others, Maria; kindness makes the world beautiful."

  Now she was treating a girl who only wanted to be kind like trash.

  I'm sorry, Mom... but your world was different from mine.

  Another voice screamed in her head, a voice born of repeated betrayals:

  Uncalculated kindness is an invitation to get hurt. If I let her in, I'll get stabbed again. Solitude is the border of my safety.

  Maria took her daggers from under her clothes and hid them under the pillow. She curled up under the blanket, like a child afraid of the monster under the bed; unaware that the monster was her own self-imposed solitude.