After a long, dreamless sleep, Reid slowly opened his eyes — only to find Harven sitting beside the bed, smiling.

  It wasn’t a normal smile either. It was the kind of grin that suggested he had been watching for far too long.

  Reid blinked and sat up, rubbing his eyes. “Harven… why are you staring at me like that?”

  Harven shrugged innocently. “Hey, Reid.”

  Reid narrowed his eyes. “Hello, Harven.”

  They held the silence for a moment longer — awkward, heavy, but oddly familiar. Then Harven clapped his hands.

  “Shall we start?” he asked brightly.

  “Yes,” Reid replied immediately, his voice brimming with quiet determination. It was clear he’d been waiting for that question since yesterday.

  Harven pulled out a few crumpled papers from his coat, riffling through them like secret documents.

  Reid frowned. “What are those papers in your hand?”

  “These?” Harven said, smiling. “These are the exam questions.”

  Reid froze, his expression twisting into a mixture of disbelief and disgust. “How… how did you even—”

  “I stole them,” Harven said proudly, as if confessing to a noble deed.

  Reid’s jaw dropped. “You what?”

  Harven waved his hand. “Oh, don’t make that face! Just this once — no one will know. You’ll ace it, and everyone’s happy.”

  Reid stood, his tone firm. “I can’t do that. I’m sorry, Harven.”

  “Why not? It’s just a shortcut!”

  “No,” Reid said, shaking his head. “I’d never cheat.”

  For a moment, Harven stared at him, as if trying to read the stubbornness in his eyes. Then he sighed and scratched the back of his head.

  “Well… okay then. What do you want to do instead?”

  “You’re the one who said we’d study.”

  “I meant study the answers, not the topics,” Harven muttered, slightly annoyed.

  Reid crossed his arms. “Then please, sir, give me a book. I’ll study myself.”

  Harven blinked — then grinned. “You really are serious, huh? Alright, alright… I’ll find you a teacher. Wait here.”

  He dashed out of the room before Reid could reply.

  Reid sat back down, anxiety swirling inside him. His hands fidgeted with the edge of the bed sheet. Could he really pass the exam by studying in just one day? He’d never even seen what kind of tests the Academy used.

  As the thoughts spiraled, the door burst open again.

  Harven entered, beaming, and beside him stood a young girl — no older than twelve. She wore bright red armor that gleamed even in dim light, her brown hair tied neatly behind her head. Her face was sharp and serious, but what caught Reid’s attention most was her eyes. One of them — the left — looked just like his own. A beast’s eye, amber and alive.

  “Reid,” Harven said proudly, gesturing toward her, “this here is Emilia. She passed the Academy Exam last year with full grades. I’m sure she can help you.”

  Reid blinked in surprise. “Full grades? That’s impressive.” He thought to himself.

  “Well then,” Harven said cheerfully, already backing toward the door, “I’ll leave you two geniuses to it. Don’t forget to study hard, Reid — I believe in you!”

  The door shut behind him before Reid could respond.

  Reid turned toward Emilia, still unsure how to begin. The girl stared back with a calm, confident gaze — the kind that made her seem far older than she looked.

  “So,” she said, pulling a chair toward the desk. “You’re the one trying to take the exam early?”

  Reid nodded slowly. “Yes.”

  A faint grin tugged at her lips. “Good. Then let’s see if you’re worth the trouble.”

  Reid smirked awkwardly. Normally, he didn’t have much trouble talking to girls — but a pretty one around his own age made his confidence stumble. His expression hovered somewhere between a grin and a grimace.

  Emilia noticed but pretended not to. She opened a thick, leather-bound book on the desk and said, “Let’s start with the basics — mana.”

  “Do you know what mana is, Reid?”

  “Not entirely,” he admitted, still wearing that weird smile, trying to act casual and failing miserably.

  Emilia blinked at his face, a flicker of confusion crossing her expression. Still, she kept her focus and began explaining. “Mana is the free energy that flows within your body. It circulates through a system called Sistus Enegias — the inner energy network that connects your core to your senses, your strength, and your will.”

  Reid leaned closer, fascinated despite himself.

  “Everyone has mana,” she continued, “but not everyone can use it properly. That’s why the Academy exam tests not only knowledge, but control — the harmony between mind and flow.”

  As she spoke, Reid’s earlier awkwardness faded. His eyes sharpened, following every word, every diagram in the book. Emilia glanced at him mid-sentence — and froze. His expression was focused, intense, almost admirable.

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  A faint blush crept onto her cheeks. She cleared her throat and looked away quickly.

  “Did something happen?” Reid asked innocently.

  “N–no. Nothing,” she said, a little too fast, and buried her nose back in the book.

  They studied through the afternoon and into the night. The hours passed unnoticed, filled with lessons about history, tactics, mana flow, and magical theory. Reid listened to every word, determined to absorb it all.

  When the first hints of dawn began to touch the window, only one hour remained before the exam. Emilia decided to give him a final review.

  “Alright,” she said, stretching her arms, “final test round. Let’s go over everything one last time.”

  Reid nodded, alert despite his exhaustion.

  “Who were the last three kings of Aquilonis?”

  “King Rucon, King Maxi, and King Ducon.”

  “Correct. Who are the commanders and vice-commanders of the Army and the Kingsguard?”

  “The commander of the army is Sir Baranor Klutz,” Reid answered confidently. “The vice-commanders are Harven Klutz and Lunia Tenzel. The captain of the Kingsguard is Mirvana Tenzel.”

  Emilia gave a satisfied nod. “Good. Now, why is Sir Baranor Klutz called the Unyielding?”

  “Because he fought the Lord of Curses three years ago and saved Aquilonis,” Reid replied.

  “Explain in more detail.”

  “During the battle, he was struck down hundreds of times by the Vessel of Hatred,” Reid said, voice growing more certain. “But every time, he stood back up. He fought until the curse was broken and the city was safe.”

  Emilia smiled faintly, impressed. “That’s correct. Good job, Reid. You’re ready.”

  Reid exhaled deeply, relief washing over him. “Thanks, Emilia. You really saved me.”

  Her cheeks turned slightly red, but she tried to hide it with a smirk. “Well, don’t thank me yet. Just make sure you pass, okay? I don’t want anyone I’ve taught to ruin my reputation.”

  Reid chuckled, the tension easing from his shoulders. “Don’t worry — I’ll make you proud.”

  He picked up a pencil and an eraser and headed for the door.

  As he stepped into the morning light, Emilia watched quietly from the window.

  “Good luck, Reid,” she whispered to herself. “Show them what you’ve got.”

  When Reid arrived at the exam hall, his breath caught. The place was enormous — a domed chamber of white marble and golden arches, with rows upon rows of crystal-lit desks stretching toward the far wall. The air shimmered faintly with mana, humming like quiet thunder.

  Amid the crowd of examinees, he spotted Harven waiting near one of the pillars, waving him over.

  “Hello, Harven,” Reid greeted cheerfully as he approached.

  Harven quickly glanced around, eyes darting to the guards and officials stationed across the hall. Then, with a subtle motion, he bent down and whispered near Reid’s ear, “Don’t call me Harven in the castle, Reid. It’ll stain my name. Call me Mr. Klutz.”

  Reid blinked, confused. But you were the one who told me to stop calling you that, he thought, sighing inwardly. Still, he replied, voice full of mock seriousness,

  “Well then, Mr. Klutz, I’ve arrived. Where should I sit?”

  Harven smirked, pretending not to notice the jab. “Anywhere you like. When you find a desk, write your name on the left corner. Once the exam begins, the desk will seal itself. If you stand up before the end, you fail. Got it?”

  “Yes, sir,” Reid said with exaggerated formality.

  “Good,” Harven said, giving him a light push forward. “Now go on and ace that exam.”

  Reid nodded and made his way between the rows until he found an empty desk. He sat down, exhaled deeply, and wrote Reid Corvane in the top-left corner.

  The moment his pen lifted from the wood, the desk glowed faintly — a golden circle of runes spreading out from beneath his hand before fading. He shifted nervously in his seat as other students whispered in surprise around him.

  A few moments later, the examiners — robed men and women with crystal badges — began distributing the papers one by one. When the last student had received theirs, an older man wearing enchanted binoculars stepped to the front of the hall. His voice echoed magically through the chamber.

  “You may begin. Duration: sixty minutes. Good luck.”

  The silence that followed was immediate and heavy. Only the scratching of quills and the rustle of parchment filled the air.

  Reid took a deep breath and began. The first few questions came easily — history, geography, basic mana theory. His training with Emilia paid off well. But then his eyes landed on one question that made him freeze:

  ‘What are curses, and how do they affect magic?’

  His stomach sank. Curses? Emilia hadn’t mentioned anything about curses. He searched his memory desperately, flipping through every lesson in his head — nothing.

  He stared at the page for a full minute, biting his lip. Then, with a resigned sigh, he wrote the only thing that made sense to him:

  “Bad spells.”

  He stared at it for a second longer… and then, to his own surprise, chuckled quietly. Well, it’s not wrong.

  The rest of the exam went smoothly. When the final bell rang, the glow around his desk faded, signaling the end. Reid leaned back, exhausted but proud — he’d finished every question, and that alone felt like victory.

  He stood and walked toward Harven, who was leaning against the pillar again, pretending to be busy.

  “Harv— I mean, Mr. Klutz,” Reid corrected mid-sentence, “I did all the questions!”

  Harven smirked. “Good for you, kid.”

  “When will the results be ready?”

  “Two hours from now, give or take,” Harven said casually, stretching his arms. “Go rest in your room. You’ve earned it.”

  “Okay,” Reid said, smiling faintly.

  He made his way back through the marble corridors toward his chamber, his mind still racing with half-remembered questions and Emilia’s voice echoing in his head. Whatever the results, he knew he’d done his best — and somehow, that felt enough. When Reid returned to his room, the sun had already climbed high above the castle walls.

  He sat on the edge of his bed, thinking. The silence was heavy — too heavy. To calm himself, he reached for his favorite book: The Chronicles of Baranor, Sovereign Knight of Calanoid.

  As he opened the worn pages, the world around him seemed to fade. He read of Baranor’s battles, his honor, his unbreakable resolve — and each line pulled him deeper into admiration. Two hours passed like minutes. But Harven never came.

  Reid glanced at the door again and again, unease slowly creeping into his chest. He said he’d be back. Still, he waited.

  Another hour passed. He was about to set the book aside when a knock echoed softly from the door.

  Reid jumped to his feet and hurried to open it.

  Harven stood there, face unreadable, a folded sheet of paper in his hand. The playful spark that usually danced in his eyes was gone.

  Reid’s stomach tightened. “Well then,” he asked carefully, “how did I do?”

  Harven hesitated for a moment before answering. His voice was calm, but his eyes gave away the sadness behind it. “You got seventy, Reid.”

  Reid’s heart sank. “Do… do I pass?”

  Harven’s expression didn’t change. “The passing mark is seventy-five.”

  Reid’s shoulders slumped. His eyes fell to the floor. A wave of grief crashed over him — sharp at first, then hollow. He felt the weight of every late night, every hope, every moment he had believed he could be more.

  But before despair could root itself, Harven’s voice softened.

  “But, Reid…” he said, his lips curling into a faint smile. “You didn’t look at the questions last night — which, by the way, was also part of the exam. That section was prepared by none other than my brother, Baranor.”

  Reid blinked, processing the words — then his entire face lit up. His eyes gleamed, and he threw his arms around Harven in pure joy.

  “I passed! I really passed!”

  Harven laughed quietly, patting his back. “Don’t get too happy yet. You’ve only cleared the first part. The second exam will be in three days — and that one’s harder. I’ll train you myself until then.”

  Reid looked up at him, still grinning. “Then I’ll give it everything I’ve got.”

  Harven smiled, a little weary but proud. “For today, you get to rest. You’ve earned it. Sleep well, kid — you did good.”

  Reid nodded. “Thank you, Harven.”

  As Harven left, closing the door behind him, Reid sat by the window, watching the sun sink behind the towers of Aquilonis. For the first time in days, his heart felt light.

  He whispered to himself, “Baranor… I’m one step closer.”

  The glow of dusk filled the room, warm and silent.

  And somewhere in that golden light, the Sovereign Knight of Calanoid seemed to smile.