𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐑𝐘

TWO.

The school was huge. Immensely huge. There were towers that looked large before you, and seemed like the modern version of Hogwarts. It had that old kind of architecture that looked like it could belong to a museum.

"This is humongous," You muttered a complaint under your breath. It was almost as ominous as your fate—though your parents had excitedly boasted to every relative you had in sight that you had gotten into Daisei Institution, with all of your school fees—including boarding and food—covered.

Most of the alumni here went on to become entrepreneurs, millionaires, and some even celebrities. It was famous mostly because of the student's free rein over activities: the student council was essentially the government of the school and managed its students, punishments, and rules. It essentially meant freedom. Which was an attractive compromise, you admitted. A relief, in a way. Chances for you to release stress using the stress-free, non-STD way people called gaming.

But first, you had to somehow navigate your way to the admissions office.

"Hey," you tapped on a student's shoulder, making them jump and whirl around, "where's the office?"

"Oh, uh," when he turned around, you saw that you had interrupted him mid make out session, and he had some gross sauce smeared all around his mouth, "it's to the left."

"Sorry about that." You patted him on the back as thanks, peering into the direction he told you. You didn't see anything, only the vast expanse of nothingness. Oh, and a forest. Did that qualify as a school garden?

"Yeah...just go." The student waved you off quickly, looking strangely guilty. Was he ashamed to be kissing another guy? No harm even if they couldn't reproduce, it wasn't like you liked kids. Half the time you saw them to be sociopathic monsters who lived on sugar highs and survived on their little electronic gadgets.

"Looks like a forest."

"It's the..." the poor guy was stammering. He seemed extremely embarrassed, to your amusement. "The school garden," he babbled.

Oh, so it was the school garden! You approved deeply—it made sense the school garden would be big, considering the sheer size of the budget the academy had. You heard the money that it spent on amenities and education rivaled large corporations.

"I support," you grinned, before he stared and skedaddled. So this was the environment of the elite. Did all children of super rich people act this way? Whatever. It still wasn't as weird as your mother.

So, go to the left and go through the forest—garden...

As you neared, you squinted your eyes at the sign. Beware, poisonous snakes and possible sightings of crocodiles. You shrugged, brushing it off. Why did that matter, when your father had once proudly brought home a venomous cobra bigger than you? Said cobra had very nice cuddles: it liked to squeeze you. Or perhaps it had been trying to kill you, now that you looked back on it.

"Hm," you said thoughtfully, "this doesn't feel right..."

No one here to greet you, or take you through the garden. It could only mean one thing.

...Oh! You snapped your fingers, you knew.

This reminded you of the time your mother had you got lost in some jungle and slid down the hills. Sure, your clothes had snagged on some twigs and you had sustained a broken ankle, and your mother had nearly died as the doctors had claimed, but...

Oh, I get it, this is a test, you grinned. Count on such a prestigious place to give the students a test!

Was it supposed to be this easy though? Snakes and crocodiles weren't even that bad...