At the Sword and Roses University of Cailleach.
Three bright luminaries gradually sank toward the west. Along a campus path, a young professor walked as usual. But the mont he spotted a radiant young female student approaching head-on, he imdiately veered aside and quickened his pace in a futile attempt to escape.
"Professor Librom..."
The professor stopped and let out a helpless sigh. "Miss Selby... I must admit, your sincerity is impressive. At this rate, if you keep pestering , my reputation will be ruined. My father, strict and serious as he is, even ca personally to warn not to do anything that might tarnish the university's na, like entangling myself with a student."
Sonya's eyes lit up. "So—"
"But I really don't have the authority to change the host at the last minute. You have two options. Either you disappear, or if I can't find a replacent half an hour before the event, the ergency plan will be triggered, along with a warning to you. Or you go straight to the dean. With her permission, the rules can be bent, and your hosting duties can be revoked even without a valid reason."
Sonya shook her head repeatedly. "The dean is reclusive, and she's a Four-Winged Legendary sorcerer. I wouldn't dare approach her. If I anger her, not even Professor Trosan could save ."
"And you're not afraid of getting angry?"
Sonya quickly covered her mouth, but her voice still slipped through her fingers. "Because you're just a Two-Winged alchemist specializing in theory. Offending you won't harm or my interests."
She looked at Librom with a touch of helplessness. "Professor, I truly can't help it. This is the truth. I cannot lie."
Librom's face stiffened with anger. He drew a deep breath. "Thank you, Miss Selby, for your honesty. You've made realize my value in the eyes of ordinary students... I've learned much today. But since you dare not approach the dean, you have only two choices left. Either you fulfill your duties, or you accept a warning. Dinner is approaching, so please make your decision quickly. I'll be waiting for you backstage at the event."
Watching Librom leave, Sonya felt utterly helpless. She wanted to call the Watcher to strategize, but today was also the day he would be carrying out his mission. In the end, she chose not to disturb him. I wonder if he's made it out of the prison.
With a heavy heart, Sonya trudged back to her dorm.
Louisa and the others also happened to return from dinner at that mont. They were shocked to find Sonya still there. "Why are you still here? Everyone from Truth University is already at the gate! Aren't you going to change into your dress and do your makeup?"
"I don't want to go."
Seeing Sonya so unusually defiant, Louisa finally grasped how serious her mood swing had been these past few days. "What childish tantrum is this? If you skip, you won't just damage your reputation. You'll also disgrace both Professor Trosan and Sword and Roses University. Don't think that just because you're a swordsmanship prodigy, you can do whatever you want!"
She hadn't expected it to reach this level. The intercollegiate gala was nothing like a simple party. Under the watchful stars, each university sent its top students to participate in a friendly exhibition match, which served as a prelude to the annual Cailleach High School League. Its true purpose was to gather intelligence on rival competitors and assess their strength.
Battle-oriented sorcerers no longer held the dominance they once did, while production-focused sorcerers gradually gained influence. As a result, most universities reduced combat courses and expanded production-based disciplines. Even so, battle specialists still received the lion's share of resources and respect, not because anyone feared them, but because combat ability equaled potential. The more proficient a sorcerer was in battle, the more they could achieve in the Virtual World, and the higher their ceiling.
Among One-Winged sorcerers, production specialists outnumbered battle specialists. By the second wing, combat sorcerers overwhelmingly dominated. By the third wing, even the most production-focused sorcerers needed an impeccable combat system to survive in the Virtual World.
To encourage apprentices to improve combat skills, the Cailleach High School League was created. Now in its 167th iteration, it had long beco the most prestigious program in both Cailleach and the entire Starry Kingdom. For apprentice sorcerers, performing well in the league was the fastest path to fa.
As a prelude to the league, the intercollegiate gala carried imnse prestige, especially since its rival was Truth University. There was no room for carelessness.
Seeing Sonya still sprawled lazily across the table, Louisa realized the village girl she despised was truly in trouble.
"Adele, go through her wardrobe and find the school's custom dress. Angelica, hold her steady. I'll do her makeup."
"Got it!"
"Okay."
The two girls went straight into action, while Sonya let them fuss over her without resistance.
Deep down, Sonya was still hesitant. Between telling the truth at the gala and accepting a school warning, she could not yet judge which would carry worse consequences.
If a warning cost her minus one hundred, then speaking honestly at the gala might range anywhere from zero to minus one thousand.
Maybe she could keep everything under control and carry out her hosting duties flawlessly. Or maybe she would blurt out sothing outrageous, offend professors from both Sword and Roses and Truth University, and go down in history as the worst student the academy had ever produced.
As Louisa carefully attached false eyelashes to Sonya's lids, she asked, "Isn't this the opportunity you've been waiting for?"
She was clearly confused. "Two months ago, we signed up together. Out of more than a hundred female sorcerer apprentices, you made it to the final selection. You even beat the other senior students and to get this chance.
"You know the league hosts are usually chosen from the gala hosts. That's why this matters so much. If you really beco this year's league host, that experience alone could land you a presenting job on any program. Not to ntion exposure to millions nationwide. There's no shortcut more comfortable than this.
"Yes, you're Professor Trosan's research apprentice, but you don't just want to be a swordsmanship prodigy forever, do you?"
Angelica snapped. "What's wrong with being a swordsmanship prodigy?"
Louisa was now working on Sonya's eye makeup. Without looking up, she replied, "For you, Angelica, that's perfect. You're bad at socializing, you hate the spotlight, and that role suits you. But Sonya, just like , isn't that simple."
Her lips curved into a small smile. "Shining under the lights. Being admired. Surrounded by crowds. Famous across the stars. First at school, then on stage and screen. Releasing albums. Becoming the brightest, most dazzling star in the sky. Just like Didaros."
Sonya blurted out, "How do you know Didaros is my favorite?"
Louisa shot back, "Who doesn't like Didaros?"
Didaros Rena was the most famous actress in the Starry Kingdom. She had starred in nearly every classic production since her teens. Works such as The Return of the Queen, Gorgeous Rebellion, and Don't Apologize to Strangers were replayed year after year. She had won the Holy Grail Award for Best Actress five tis and was hailed as The Most Beautiful Under the Stars.
She was also a powerful sorcerer. When she ascended to the Three-Winged Sacred Realm last year, all of Cailleach erupted in celebration. Wealthy nobles spent fortunes hiring sorcerers to launch fireworks for three consecutive days, so that anyone who stepped outside could see the words Congratulations to Didaros for Ascending to the Sacred Realm written across the sky.
For Sonya, Didaros had always been the pinnacle of her childhood dreams.
As a child, her only entertainnt beyond studying had been watching the teor Channel. Seeing Didaros radiant on stage, accepting awards, and singing before massive audiences filled Sonya with endless longing. She never expected to beco soone like her. But she knew that without relentless effort, she would never even co close.
Louisa was right. Sonya could not be content with being only a swordsmanship prodigy.
Power mattered, but it was not her goal. It was rely a tool. She might no longer be a child, but her desires remained simple. She wanted to step into the light. She wanted to sing, to shine, to bask in the admiration of countless strangers. She wanted to beco soone others looked up to.
Sonya took a deep breath. "Thank you, Louisa."
Louisa laughed. "You've beco shockingly frank lately. Honestly, it's a little disgusting."
Sonya asked, "Then why are you encouraging like this? Shouldn't you be secretly gloating that I might miss this chance, then running off to mock with the others?"
Angelica's lips twitched, while Adele covered her mouth, stifling a laugh.
Louisa looked slightly embarrassed. She pursed her lips. "I didn't... Didn't you openly and secretly mock too after you won the selection?"
The conversation suddenly veered into old grudges. Louisa quietly prepared her next move, ready to dig up earlier examples the mont Sonya retorted.
Instead, Sonya said, "Because putting you down is the only way I feel confident enough to stand on equal footing with you."
The mont the words left her mouth, even Sonya herself froze.
The dorm fell into an awkward silence.
Louisa didn't know how to respond either. She blurted out the first thing that ca to mind. "Y-you even flirted with my admirer..."
Sonya said, "Because I wanted your attention. I wanted you to notice . I wanted to keep competing with you. If even you started dating soone, I'd feel left behind."
Louisa was dumbfounded. "I-I... I'm sorry. I..."
She did not even know why she apologized. "Then why did you compete with when we first enrolled? I wanted to be friends. If you hadn't rejected my goodwill again and again, I wouldn't have—"
"Because you were born a noble. You grew up wealthy and happy. I was a wild girl from a small village with nothing. I envied you so much that it made feel inferior. Your kindness felt like charity. To protect the last scraps of my dignity, I clung to the only defense I had. Stubbornness."
By then, Sonya felt utterly defeated. It was more embarrassing than any childhood humiliation she could rember.
Sword and Roses University no longer felt like a place she belonged. She wished she could pick up a train and flee straight ho.
Naturally, Sonya shifted the bla. This isn't my real inner voice. It must be the Watcher controlling my mouth! None of this counts!
After a long silence, Louisa finally said, "Alright. Change your clothes. There's no ti for dinner. We're heading straight to the gala."
Sonya was dragged out of the dorm. As they descended the stairs, Louisa leaned in and whispered, "I'll keep an eye out for you."
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