The Queen of Shadows

Interlude: A Director's Gamble

The Clock Tower: 6 months ago...

"Can you believe it, Gabby?"

"That THE Olga Marie Animusphere wants to see us? Gu-dork, I had to remind myself repeatedly all morning and I STILL can't believe it. How about you?"

Gudao was walking through the halls of the Clock Tower with Gabrielle following beside him. They were making their way past stonework, display cases, and ornate busts and statues that lined the corridors of this prestigious place where all aspiring mages come to study.

"Could hardly sleep last night," Gudao admitted to his stepsister. "Not even the thought of doing our exams made me THIS nervous."

"I remember you cramming lecture notes for two straight weeks," Gabrielle amused, trying to keep the mood light. "We were lucky to bounce back after a rough first-semester, then we cruised through our courses the rest of the way. Could that be why she wants to see us?"

Gudao visibly pondered, unsure of how best to answer Gabrielle's question. It had been mere days since the conclusion of their final exams and they got all their test scores. Inside of which they both unexpectedly received invitations from the Director of Chaldea herself for an "interview" for later that same week.

And today was the day...

Having no idea as to why the one-and-only Olga Marie Animusphere wanted to meet them in person, the siblings were feeling both excited and anxious. It was almost unheard of for someone so high up in the magus hierarchy to take an interest in two fledgling mages with no nobility or reputation to their name; something Gudao was quick to point out.

"I don't see someone as important as the Animusphere heir to take time out of her busy schedule just for the two of us. Considering that there were students who scored even higher in semesters before. Like... a hundred and ten percent..."

Hearing that, Gabrielle's face fell as they kept walking.

"Makes our eighty-four percent's look laughable..." Gabrielle deadpanned before expressing how absurd that fact was. "How do you even get scores THAT high, anyway?"

"Wodime did it..." Guado replied. "And they gave him a plaque on display in the entrance hall, along with at least six others. I forget their names..."

"(Sigh) I'm willing to bet most of those people are from prestigious families. As proud as I am of the fact that we scored so high, it's still not enough for nobodies like us to get some special standing. This community's standards are so messed up."

Gabrielle's frustration was understandable to Gudao. It had been an uphill battle for both of them to get to this point; passing all their tests where so many fresh mages before them failed or dropped out altogether. The reality was that talent alone only gets you so far in the realm of Magecraft, where mages from the more recognized and privileged families get positions of power and influence that most unaffiliated mages work their whole lives for far less effort.

"I hear you, sis..." Guado sympathizes, trying to be hopeful. "Maybe Olga sees something in us that most of the other higher-ups don't. Potential reasons aside, I can't help but be grateful for the fact that someone of such status ACTUALLY noticed us. This could be game-changing..."

Gabrielle perks up after hearing that, having her mood lifted by her stepbrother. This got her thinking...

"You know," she says aloud. "I hear she is expanding her late father's company. What if her reasons for meeting us is to offer US a job?"

"That would be hitting the jackpot," replied Gudao. "Working directly for the Animuspheres could increase our standing in the mage community. That opens-up a lot of doors..."