In a world where magic defines status, Elias Draven stands as a living contradiction. A commoner in a prestigious academy ruled by the noble elite, he is both despised and feared. The scholarship that granted him entry into the Academy of Mystical D...
The exam room felt different now. It wasn't just the weight of the test looming over me; it was the thick, stifling air of anticipation. Nobles buzzed with excitement, whispering among themselves and casting glances in my direction.
They knew something. Something I didn't.
I sat at my desk, forcing myself to breathe steadily. Whatever trap they'd laid, I wouldn't let it crush me. I'd come this far. There was no turning back.
The same official who had spoken earlier strode to the front of the room again, his cold eyes scanning us like we were pieces on a chessboard.
"This exam," he said, his voice smooth and commanding, "will consist of a series of challenges. However, you will not face them alone."
A murmur rippled through the students. I felt the tension in the air shift as people began sizing each other up. The nobles looked smug, already calculating how they could use this to their advantage.
"As you've noticed, this exam is about more than just knowledge," the official continued. "It is about survival—knowing who you can trust and who you can outmaneuver."
I clenched my fists under the table. This wasn't just an academic test anymore; it was a social game. Alliances, manipulation, betrayal. Perfect.
"You will each be assigned a partner," he said, sending a wave of unease through me. Assigned. That meant I wouldn't get to choose who I worked with.
"You will depend on this person for the duration of the exam," he added. "Fail together, succeed together. Your fates are intertwined."
I heard a snicker from one of the nobles nearby. They were all waiting for this—salivating at the thought of being paired with me, the commoner. Someone they could easily throw under the bus.
The official began calling out names, pairing students off one by one. My heart pounded in my chest as I waited, dreading whatever cruel twist of fate was coming my way.
Finally, I heard it.
"Elias Cromwell, you are partnered with..." The official paused, a smile tugging at his lips as if he relished the moment. "...Seraphina Rosewood."
The room went silent.
Seraphina Rosewood.
I hadn't seen her in a while, not since the day she first arrived. She was a transfer student—quiet, always at the top of her class, and never seemed to get involved in the academy's usual social games. Unlike the other nobles, she didn't waste time trying to impress anyone.
But that didn't mean she'd be easy to deal with. The thought of being paired with someone so... controlled, so out of reach, made my stomach tighten.
I looked over, and sure enough, Seraphina was watching me from across the room. Her pink hair, neat and elegant, caught the light as she tilted her head slightly, studying me with those pale pink eyes. She didn't look angry or pleased—just curious.
The nobles near her were whispering, clearly amused by the pairing, but Seraphina didn't seem to care. She simply stood and walked over to me without a word.
When she reached my desk, she met my eyes, her expression unreadable.
"Looks like we're partners," she said softly.
Her voice was calm, devoid of any judgment or condescension. But that didn't make me feel any more comfortable. I wasn't used to people like her—nobles who didn't immediately try to tear me down or flaunt their superiority.
"Yeah," I muttered, standing up. "Guess we are."
We were directed to a table where our exam materials had been laid out. As we approached, I could feel the eyes of the other students on us, particularly the nobles. They were watching, waiting for me to fail, for this partnership to fall apart.
Seraphina, on the other hand, seemed completely unfazed by the attention. She sat down gracefully, hands folded in front of her, waiting for the official to begin explaining the task.
I sat next to her, my mind racing. How was I supposed to work with her? She was everything I wasn't—polished, respected, powerful. And I was... well, the academy's favorite punching bag.
"This exam will test your ability to think on your feet," the official said, breaking through my thoughts. "Each pair will be given a set of puzzles, both magical and logical. Solve them, and you move on to the next stage. Fail, and... well, you won't want to fail."
He didn't elaborate, but the warning was clear enough. This wasn't just about proving intelligence. There were stakes—real ones.
"Begin," he said, stepping back.
The room erupted into motion as students dove into their tasks, murmuring and debating with their partners. I turned to Seraphina, who was already examining the first puzzle laid out before us.
It was a complex magical diagram, intricate and filled with symbols I vaguely recognized. Seraphina didn't hesitate—she reached for a piece of chalk and began marking on the diagram, her movements swift and confident.
"I've seen this before," she said quietly. "It's a protection ward, but it's incomplete. We need to finish the sequence."
I blinked, taken aback by how quickly she'd figured it out. "You sure?"
"Yes." She glanced up at me, and for the first time, there was a hint of a smile. "Do you know how to create a binding rune?"
I nodded, though my throat felt dry. I wasn't used to people like her acknowledging my abilities, let alone trusting me to help. But there wasn't time to second-guess myself now.
We worked in silence for a few minutes, each of us focusing on our part of the puzzle. As the binding rune took shape, I realized something strange—I wasn't just holding my own. I was working seamlessly with her, like we'd done this before It was... easy.
Serafina Rosewood:
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