Introduction
Within the walls of a prestigious orphanage for exceptional children, a mysterious ranking system dictates the lives of the seven top-ranked geniuses — controlling their fate from the moment they arrive until the last breath they take.
Among them is Len Thousin, almost fifteen, tied for first place with her rival and enemy, Reusin.
Len's parents sent her to this place when she was only four. She knows — though pretends not to — that they're still alive. It's a truth so dangerous that if anyone discovered it, they'd erase her memories again, just as they once scrubbed every memory she had before she turned four.
So Len keeps it buried deep: the faces she once knew, the warmth of a forgotten voice — locked behind her sharp gaze and a silence that no one can read.
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Chapter 0
Six years ago, Len had woken in a palace bed—broken, silent, and under the smirk of a boy prince who looked down on her from his chair.
Now, at seventeen, she stood before him again—no longer a wounded orphan but the only student in history to score a perfect hundred at the world's most brutal academy. Draped in a gown of black and crimson, pearls woven into her modest veil, gloves hiding the calluses of survival, she drew every eye in the royal ballroom.
And on the throne, Prince Hail Irven leaned as he always did—slouched with one elbow propped lazily against the armrest, chin resting in his hand, posture careless yet deliberate, as though the entire hall existed only for his amusement. His eyes glittered with the same cold mischief that had once made her feel small.
The chandeliers caught her face, and for a fleeting moment, the Crown Prince became the sun. Her brown eyes drank in the light, turning a molten, blood-red glow that silenced the room.
He offered her a place not at his feet, but in his palace. A palace scientist—his equal in name, but never in the dangerous game playing out between them.
This time, Len didn't cower. She met his gaze with the sharp stillness of a blade sheathed, her silence cutting louder than words.
The same smirk.
The same crown.
But a girl who had risen high enough to drag the stars down with her.
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Chapter I
backstory
Len was four when she first stepped inside the orphanage's stone gates: skin the color of warm sand, black thick 3a curls brushing her cheeks, and reddish-brown eyes that seemed to see too much.
Her family made only one request: "Do not change or touch her religion." Islam would stay hers, untouched by the institution's cold hands.
The director, Esmeralda, barely cared. To her, Len was just another fresh, brilliant mind to bend and mold.
They welcomed Len with practiced kindness — a warm smile, soft words. But even at four, Len wasn't fooled. Her expression stayed frozen: sharp, silent, unblinking. Almost like a painting that refused to move.
In the final test, the director asked, "Len, sweetheart, can you smile?"
Len managed a small, subtle curve of her lips. Her cheeks softened just enough to seem innocent. Behind her eyes, she was already watching, measuring.
My Roommate
Her new room felt too white. White walls, white twin beds, white carpet worn at the edges. It felt cold — like the color itself had stolen the warmth.
Len glanced at the second bed. Someone had lived here before; she could feel it. On her desk, a book waited for her — something the other desk didn't have.
She was still staring at the cover when the door opened.
A boy stood there: black hair, dark purple eyes behind glasses, and a calmness that suggested he'd been expecting her. Reusin Duke — six months older, which meant he'd arrived half a year before.
Len stepped closer, her voice quiet, almost flat:
> "Did you put the book here?"
Reusin blinked, caught off guard, then shook his head.
> "No. But I got a similar one when I first came."
Len studied his face, searching for a lie. Finding none, she asked:
> "How long have you been here?"
> "About five or six months. There's another boy, Lethain — he's older than me by four months. And he just got a new roommate too: Thorn. He's your age."
Len nodded, absorbing it silently.
> "So Thorn will share the room with Lethain?" she clarified.
> "Yeah," Reusin answered.
Len's eyes drifted to two women standing by the door.
> "Who are those ladies?"
> "Oh, them? We call them Aunties. They help us. The one on the left, Lizzy, takes care of me. The other one… I guess she'll be yours."
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First Night, First Day
That night, the Aunties held their small hands and took them to dinner: warm bread, soft rice, something sweet for dessert. They helped them wash up, brush little teeth, change into inside clothes.
In bed, Len and Reusin whispered introductions, two strangers on the edge of becoming something more. Then sleep took them.
Morning came too early: 6 a.m. sharp. Reusin was whisked away before Len could wish him good morning.
Len's new Auntie — Caroline — explained her schedule in a soft rush:
> "Darling, we'll brush teeth, change clothes, have breakfast. At 8 a.m., first class. Then practice at 9 a.m., graded. Then you'll choose from four activities…"
Time blurred until Caroline cried,
> "Oh, it's almost 7! Let's get you ready!"
.... .
By evening, Len felt drained, her head stuffed with numbers and words. In the cafeteria, she scanned for a place to sit — and saw Reusin waving in the crowd.
> "Hi again, my roommate," he chuckled.
Len sat opposite, offering a small, tired smile.
> "Wow," Reusin teased gently. "You have such a pretty smile that would bless the whole world. Why hide it behind that sharp face?"
Len side-eyed him, then explained,
> "It's just my face when I'm relaxed. And I don't find much reason to smile."
> "Then I'll be your reason," he grinned, ridiculous and sincere laughter started to erupt from him.
She tried , and failed — to hide a giggling laugh.