Calypsera and her roommate had already found themselves at the field where the test would be conducted. The massive arena was packed with people from both outside and inside the academy.
The seats rose in wide rows around the field, filled with nobles, officials, and curious spectators who had come to watch the new students prove themselves.
Most of the seniors were already seated, lounging comfortably as they observed the newcomers below like predators studying prey.
Calypsera's eyes moved slowly across the arena, scanning everyone seated there. She remained quiet as usual, her sharp gaze taking in details others might easily miss.
Aurora leaned closer to her after scanning the area as well. Her voice dropped low so only Calypsera could hear.
"That man over there in the blue suit," she whispered, subtly tilting her head. "He's the Head Siren. I heard he's a kind man. If you perform well today, even if you are not chosen into a court, you could be selected under his office and work directly under the Ebon Concord."
Calypsera turned slightly, following Aurora's gaze.
Her brows knit together in confusion.
Is that an office? she gestured with her hands. expression of surprise.
Aurora nodded as if understanding her sign language
"Depending on how you look at it. The entire academy and the ministry operate under the body of that agreement. The Duke is the head of the Ebon Concord."
Calypsera's eyes immediately shifted to the man seated farther away from them.
Aurora noticed the direction of her gaze and nodded approvingly.
"Correct," she murmured. "But not everyone knows that. Which is more reason to stay away from him."
Aurora straightened slightly before muttering again.
"If it is not the siren and the mermaid… I wonder who they are going to pair me with for the duel. I would love to kick both of your asses"
Calypsera and Aurora turned at the same time when a voice sounded behind them.
They saw a girl with bright purple hair approaching, walking confidently beside Neresa.
The moment Calypsera recognized her, she turned away without a word. Aurora did the same, and both of them began to walk off.
However, Lexa was not the type to be ignored.
She stepped forward quickly and grabbed
Calypsera's wrist, yanking her back.
Calypsera's lips curled into a quiet snarl.
Aurora stopped in her tracks as the two girls stepped directly in front of them.
Lexa looked them over with obvious disdain.
"For a powerless mute and a fish, I did not expect such audacity," she said coldly.
She lifted her chin proudly.
"My name is Lexa. And I do not like being ignored."
Aurora's eyes narrowed immediately.
"A witch trying to block my path?" she said with a scoff. "You must know that we mermaids do not like associating ourselves with anything ugly… talk less of one blocking our path."
Several students nearby who had been watching the confrontation suddenly burst into laughter.
It was well known among supernatural races that mermaids adored beauty above all things. They surrounded themselves with elegance and perfection, rejecting anything they considered unpleasant.
So when Aurora said that, the crowd instantly interpreted it one way.
If the mermaid called her ugly… then perhaps she truly was.
Lexa's face twisted with fury.
"Excuse me?" she snapped. "Did you just call me ugly?"
Aurora tilted her head innocently.
"I don't see any other ugly wench here."
Gasps and laughter rippled through the watching students.
Lexa's expression turned vicious.
"You asked for it," she hissed.
Her fingers began twisting rapidly as she started chanting a spell, her hands twitching with gathering power.
"Bring it on, bitch," Aurora replied calmly.
She lifted her own hand.
A shimmering ball of water immediately formed in her palm. Within seconds the liquid began to freeze, turning into sharp, glittering ice.
High above the arena seating, several older students leaned forward in interest.
"Nik, who do you think will win?" Sebastian asked, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
Nikolai did not answer immediately.
He watched the confrontation below with sharp attention.
He had only come to the ritual ceremony because it was one of the few entertaining events held in the academy. Secretly, he had also hoped to see his father here today, but the man had not appeared.
Still, the unexpected scene unfolding below had captured his attention.
Never in his life would he have expected the new students to possess this much audacity, especially the mermaid.
His gaze shifted briefly to the silent dark-haired girl beside her.
Since yesterday, he had placed both the mermaid and the siren under quiet observation.
After all, the mermaid had spoken about the ministry and the Concord as if she had personally witnessed the creation of the agreement.
That alone made her interesting.
Beside him, Darius whistled casually.
"My money is on the witch."
"No," another voice said confidently. "I think the mermaid has a better chance."
A noble vampiress gracefully dropped into the seat beside them.
"Octavia, where have you been?" Sebastian asked immediately. "We haven't seen you since yesterday."
Nikolai raised a brow as he listened.
Before Octavia could answer, a loud explosion echoed across the arena.
The spectators erupted into loud shouting.
Nikolai's gaze snapped back to the field below.
Lexa had already thrown her blazing fireball.
Aurora's frozen sphere shot forward at the same time.
The two spells collided in midair with a thunderous crash, bursting into steam and sparks without touching either of them.
"Bitch, you are going down today!" Lexa screamed as she began forming an even larger sphere of fire above her palms.
Aurora only smirked.
"There may be people who can beat me," she said coldly. "But not a mere ugly witch like yourself."
Around her, shards of ice suddenly formed.
They rose from the ground in long thin spikes, surrounding her body like a crown of frozen needles, each one pointing toward Lexa.
The crowd roared louder.
From his seat above, Nikolai's brow lifted slightly.
"Interesting," he murmured.
Then a commanding voice rang across the arena.
"Enough."
The single word carried unnatural power.
The entire crowd fell silent instantly.
The compulsion ability of vampires was among the most terrifying gifts of their race, the power to command obedience.
The fire and ice vanished immediately.
"Leave the fighting for the ring, where official duels will be conducted," the voice continued. "Gather around."
Headmaster Alaric stood at the center of the field.
As usual, his attire was simple. His dark hair fell loosely over his shoulders, and his expression remained calm yet authoritative.
"Welcome to the initiation ceremony," he announced.
The students slowly gathered closer.
"There will be three stages in today's test," Alaric continued.
"The first stage will test your hunting ability and speed."
He raised a silver pendant.
"You will each be given half of a pendant. The other half has been hidden in the woods behind you."
He gestured toward the dense forest surrounding the academy grounds.
"Your task is simple, find the other half."
A large hourglass was placed beside him.
"There shall be no killing or mutilation of your fellow students. No cheating. However, you may obtain the missing half by whatever means necessary."
A faint smirk touched his lips.
"Brute force included."
Several students grinned eagerly.
"If the sand in this hourglass finishes and you have not returned, you will have lost this round."
Almost immediately, murmurs and excitement filled the arena.
Soon bets began forming among the older students.
Aurora did not realize she had already become popular among the spectators because of the stunt she had pulled earlier.
Sebastian jumped onto the edge of the seating row with a paper and pencil in hand.
"The betting pool is officially open!" he announced loudly with a mischievous grin.
"Place your bets on your favorite contestants!"
Students rushed toward him eagerly.
"Remember," Sebastian continued cheerfully, "you can bet with anything, blood supplies, money, your bodies… Or better still villas or holiday houses. Let's all have fun more fun"
Nikolai shot him an irritated look.
"Was it necessary to add bodies?"
Sabastian laughed lazily.
"You know they love it. And they do it willingly," he said. "This way it becomes easier for them to pretend they only did it because they lost a bet."
Octavia shook her head.
"Typical Darius. I know you put him up to it."
Daruis only chuckled as the line of betting students grew longer.
Meanwhile, the pendants were distributed among the new students.
The whistle was blown.
Instantly, dozens of students sprinted into the forest.
All except one.
Calypsera simply strolled calmly into the woods.
Her slow pace made several spectators shake their heads.
Most of them quickly removed her name from their betting slips.
To them, she clearly had no intention of winning.
Except for one person.
Nikolai.
"Wise," he murmured softly.
Many people bet on Aurora emerging first.
Others bet on Lexa.
Some even bet on the exact number of minutes it would take them to return.
Even Darius placed his wager on the witch.
Then Nikolai spoke.
"Five gold coins that the dark-haired siren comes out first."
Darius stared at him in disbelief.
"Are you mad?"
He leaned closer.
"She is a mute with no magical power whatsoever," he said bluntly. "She doesn't even have a chance. If she encounters that witch in the forest, she might not even come out alive."
Several nearby students nodded in agreement.
But all eyes turned toward Nikolai.
He simply shrugged casually.
His gaze remained fixed on the forest path where Calypsera had disappeared.
"It's fine," sabastian muttered. "It's not like Nik lacks money. He is a Duke after all."
That comment alone was enough to silence the crowd.
Some students sighed quietly before returning to their seats, already anticipating the outcome of the hunt