"I-It's a Legendary Class. LEGENDARY!"
"A S-Sun Princess?!"
"Q-Quick, let's go quickly!"
The crowd erupted. Shouts of disbelief, gasps of wonder, and the sound of people scrambling over seats filled the air.
The few remaining recruiters who had been packing up suddenly abandoned their belongings, rushing toward the platform with desperate urgency, their eyes blazing with the fervor of those who had just witnessed history.
Even their teacher, Mr. Borin, was shocked, his usual composed demeanor completely shattered as he stared at the display in bewilderment.
'Just what am I seeing...'
In his twenty years overseeing awakenings, he had never witnessed anything like this. Perhaps this would become the most memorable day in his life.
The same went for many others. Including the only close person to her here.
"This is..." Nael felt his world tilt on its axis. But his emotions mirrored the masses. "This is... amazing!"
Why shouldn't it be?
After all, his one and only friend just awakened as the Sun Princess.
A Legendary class that could command the very light that gave life to the world.
It was then that a familiar sound echoed in his mind, with a message screen appearing in his vision:
[ Investment Status: COMPLETE ]
[ Beneficiary: Mireille Solen - Class: Sun Princess (Legendary) ]
[ Calculating Returns... ]
'Huh?'
Nael's mind barely registered the system message.
The calculating part of him knew he should be fascinated by the promised "Returns," but it was utterly drowned out by a more immediate, primal concern: 'Mira.'
He watched as she stood on the dais, looking small and bewildered amidst the roaring chaos her awakening had unleashed. Her eyes, still flecked with newborn gold, darted around, wide with shock and a flicker of fear.
"Mira!" he shouted, raising his hand and trying to push his way forward. But his voice was drowned out, a single pebble lost in a landslide of noise.
His figure was overshadowed by the adults, teachers, and officials who were surging toward the platform, their movements frantic. But they were overtaken by others as well.
'Are they...' Nael saw figures in distinctive, high-quality robes moving over the crowd, using minor movement skills to land gracefully on the platform itself, instantly forming a circle around her.
His thoughts were confirmed as one of them, a woman with severe features and silver-threaded robes, made a sharp gesture.
A translucent barrier of shimmering energy erupted from the platform's edge, forming a dome that sealed Mira and the newcomers inside. The roar of the mob became a muffled hum.
"Hey! She's the sigil of the Imperial Academy!" someone from the faculty yelled.
"Are they from the top 10 academies?!" a student shrieked.
Inside the barrier, Mira was surrounded. The figures, though not overtly threatening, were intense, their offers flying fast and furious.
"Student Solen! A full scholarship to The Legends Academy! I promise we will make you a true legend!"
"The Imperial Academy guarantees a personal mentor from the Royal Weaver's Court!"
"Grand Elemental Academy offers a seat on the Elemental Council!"
Mira took a step back, her hands coming up slightly as if to ward off the onslaught of words.
"Stop."
A new voice cut through the din, calm yet carrying immense authority that silenced everyone instantly.
"Friends. Let us not trouble our promising talent on her most momentous day."
The crowd parted as Principal Theron strode forward.
He stepped onto the platform, placing himself between Mira and the eager recruiters. He offered Mira a small, reassuring smile before turning to address the gathered elites. "This is a day of celebration. Student Solen has just undergone a life-changing event. She needs time to process everything."
The recruiters looked momentarily chastened, though their eyes still burned with avarice.
Then, the recruiter from the Imperial Academy stepped forward. She offered Principal Theron a respectful incline of her head, but her voice was firm, leaving no room for argument.
"Principal Theron speaks wisely. Discussions of this nature should not be held in a crowd. For the student's privacy and safety, let us adjourn to somewhere more secluded and peaceful within the Lyceum."
The other recruiters nodded in firm agreement, a unified front. The principal's jaw tightened slightly, but he knew the protocols. He gave a single, curt nod of assent.
"Then, let's talk in my office."
Then he turned back to Mira.
"Student Solen, would you come with us?"
"I-I..." Mira stuttered, not knowing what to say.
The overwhelming pressure, the intense stares, it was all too much for a young girl like her.
'Umm...' Her eyes frantically scanned the crowd, hoping to find a single familiar face. '!'
It was then she saw them through the silent but chaotic crowd. A pair of hazel eyes, struggling to move through the mass of people. They met hers across the distance.
'Nael!' she thought, relief flooding through her.
Despite the chaos around him, despite being pushed and jostled by the crowd, he managed to give her a small, reassuring nod. As if to tell her everything would be okay. That she could handle this.
She nodded back, drawing strength from that simple gesture, before turning to the principal.
"I-I'll come with you," she said quietly.
But what she didn't notice were the sharp eyes of several recruiters following her gaze, noting the brief interaction with keen interest.
"Good." Principal Theron nodded and gestured toward the lyceum building. "Then let us proceed."
The crowd parted before them like water, creating a clear path as the principal led Mira and the recruiters away from the platform. Their robes billowed dramatically as they moved, an imposing procession that commanded respect and distance.
Nael, knowing it was futile to try crossing the suffocating crowd, made his way back through the throng of people. He pushed toward the rear, escaping the chaos and noise until he found a quiet spot where he could breathe.
He watched as Mira was led away, surrounded by elite figures. The distance grew between them until she disappeared through the lyceum's grand entrance.
"Hehe."
A small smile spread across his face. A genuinely happy one. Despite everything, despite the uncertainty of what this meant for their friendship, he was truly happy for her achievement. She deserved this. After everything she'd been through, everything her family had suffered, she deserved this moment of triumph.
"Beep! Beep!"
His acronometer rang, the sound cutting through his thoughts.
He glanced at the caller's name and sighed; it was from the orphanage.
"Hello?"
"Mr. Nael." The voice was businesslike, efficient. "We've received your Awakening results. Your Common-grade classification means you no longer qualify for state-funded housing. You need to collect your belongings and vacate by nightfall. Your spot has already been reassigned."
The words landed with the weight of a final judgment. The line went dead before he could form a response.
Nael stood frozen, the arconometer still hanging in the air.
The happy smile slowly faded from his face, replaced by numb shock.
"..."
He slowly lowered his arm.
Around him, the last remnants of the crowd were dispersing, their excited chatter about the Legendary class fading into the distance. No one noticed the boy with the Common class receiving his eviction notice.
"Haha."
A dry, humorless chuckle escaped him. The sound was hollow in the empty space.
"Ha..."
His best friend got swept away by the most powerful people in the realm, while he got kicked out of the only home he'd ever known.
The irony wasn't lost on him.
"Welcome to adulthood, I guess."