In class 11-D, Soraya went around passing out test sheets.
The students were busy chitchatting about the Light festival. Most didn't even bother looking at the sheets.
Soraya reached Yesu's seat at the back of the class.
Yesu was sound asleep, head on her desk.
Soraya sighed, shaking her head.
"How did she even get in here?" She muttered, then dumped the sheet of paper on Yesu's face and went onward.
A cool breeze blew in from the window.
The paper fluttered.
Yesu sat up sluggishly and yawned. The test sheet drifted to the floor.
She bent and picked it up, flipping it to the front page. Her score was boldly written at the top in red ink.
Yesu sat up straight.
"Zero?" She asked in disbelief. "I studied really hard for the test."
She automatically glanced sideways.
Finch was dozing off. One elbow rested on the desk, palm supporting his sleeping head. His test sheet lay face down in front of him.
Yesu tapped his desk.
"Hey."
He didn't move an inch. Yesu tapped harder.
"Finchkin."
Finch woke with a start, then eased into the seat on seeing her.
"What did you score on the test?" She asked.
Finch yawned. "What?"
Yesu raised her sheet and tapped it twice. "Test." She said.
Finch's gaze shifted to the sheet of paper on his desk. He yawned again and flipped it to the front.
Then paused.
Yesu leaned closer.
"What is it? A zero minus?"
Finch grinned.
"You wish." He flipped it to her face happily. "I got a five."
Yesu blinked.
"Out of what?"
"Thirty." He was staring at the sheet in awe. "History has just been made."
Yesu leaned back in her seat.
"Unbelievable."
Finch was smiling brightly at the sheet.
Yesu stared at her own test sheet, at the zero written prominently. Was it a sign or sothing?
Will she never be more than just a Zero?
Finch carefully folded the sheet and slipped it into his pocket.
Yesu stared. "Are you keeping that?"
"Of course."
"Why?"
Finch looked offended. "It's my personal best."
"Co on, let's go," he said, rising to his feet.
Yesu looked up at him. "I'm not going to the toilet with you."
Finch gasped dramatically with a hand to his chest, feigning hurt.
"Beauty, I would never push past the boundaries of our relationship." Then he smiled mischievously. "Unless you want to, of course."
Yesu shook her head pitifully.
"Just when I imagine you can't get any worse."
Finch laughed. "Let's go."
"Where?"
"To celebrate."
"Celebrate what? You got five out of thirty."
"And you, my friend, got a zero. Co on, let's go."
Finch pulled Yesu out of her seat, dragging her towards the back door. She followed, not struggling one bit.
A few of their classmates watched.
"We'll miss the next lesson." Yesu said.
"You can thank later."
And they were out the door.
Barely a minute passed before Miss Heaven walked into the classroom.
The class went deathly silent.
Miss Heaven's eyes scanned the room, landing on Yesu's desk.
Empty.
As well as the desk next to it.
Miss Heaven said nothing about the empty desks. Not even a glance lingered where Yesu and Finch had been sitting.
As if the space had always been vacant.
She placed the stack of attendance sheets neatly on the desk, then spoke.
"Mid-Sester Trials begin next week."
The room shifted imdiately.
Not excitent.
Tension.
Everyone understood what "Trials" ant.
Combat. Ability demonstration. Survival under pressure.
Miss Heaven continued calmly.
"All classes will participate in ranked combat evaluations. Pairings and brackets will be released before the end of the week."
A low murmur passed through the classroom.
No one looked happy.
No one spoke out loud either.
Miss Heaven continued as though she hadn't noticed.
"No student will be permitted to leave for ho during the weekend preceding the trials."
That got a reaction. Not loud but imdiate. Subtle, but sharp.
Shoulders stiffened.
Eyes widened slightly.
Still, no one spoke.
"You will all remain on campus for mandatory preparation training."
She tilted her head slightly.
Then, with a small smile that didn't reach her eyes,
"I trust you will all enjoy your Light Festival while it lasts."
The words sounded like a warning more than permission.
Silence followed.
Then—
A knock.
The classroom door opened.
A ssenger stepped in quietly. He crossed the room quickly and leaned in close to Miss Heaven.
He whispered.
The class watched.
Miss Heaven's expression shifted. Not dramatically. But noticeably.
A flicker of surprise.
Then stillness.
The ssenger bowed slightly and left without a word.
The door clicked shut behind him.
For the first ti, the students shifted uneasily.
Sothing had changed.
Miss Heaven turned back to the class.
"I assu you are all aware of the incident at the academy library last night."
Silence deepened.
No one answered.
Her gaze swept across the room.
"An Air user was responsible."
A pause.
"Effective imdiately, all Air Ability users are to report to the Principal's office on Saturday morning."
Another pause.
The air in the room tightened.
"Failure to comply will be treated as obstruction of investigation."
Her smile returned faintly.
"This will not be negotiated."
The silence that followed was absolute.
***
Professor Wakefield sat behind his desk, fingers loosely intertwined.
Across from him, Mr Wallace lounged comfortably on one of the sofas, looking entirely too relaxed for a discussion about an academy intruder.
For a while neither spoke.
Then Professor Wakefield broke the silence.
"I must admit, Apollo's involvent surprised ."
Mr Wallace glanced up.
"Really?"
Professor Wakefield nodded.
"He has never shown much interest in academy affairs or any affairs for that matter. Yet he volunteered to investigate this personally."
Mr Wallace shrugged. "Maybe he wants to clear his brother's na."
"Perhaps."
Professor Wakefield looked toward the window.
"His proposal was intelligent."
"The air users?"
"Yes."
Mr Wallace chuckled. "A public summon disguised as cooperation."
Professor Wakefield nodded once.
"Anyone can improve their rank. That much is true."
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"But concealing significant growth for an extended period is another matter entirely."
Silence followed.
"The individual would need exceptional control."
Mr Wallace folded his arms. "Which doesn't sound like a student."
"Or staff." Professor Wakefield added.
Mr Wallace humd thoughtfully.
"Interesting thing is..." He leaned back. "Apollo seed rather certain this wasn't an intruder."
Professor Wakefield considered that.
"No."
Mr Wallace raised an eyebrow. "No?"
"He never actually said that."
A grin spread across Mr Wallace's face.
"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree now, does it? The kid is just like the High Regent."
Professor Wakefield thought about it. Then slowly shook his head.
"Not quite."
Mr Wallace's grin faded slightly.
Professor Wakefield's gaze drifted toward the darkening sky outside.
For several monts he said nothing.
Then—
"What concerns ," he said quietly, "is what happens if Apollo's suspicion is correct."
A pause.
"What if we do have soone capable of such skill, breathing and learning right under our noses?"
The room fell silent again.
Neither man seed eager to answer that question.
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