Chapter 14

  One morning, an unexpected announcement was called.

  The bell chimes echoed across the Academy grounds, summoning all students to the Grand Auditorium. The summons was unusual—formal announcements weren’t common unless something significant was happening.

  Ren, Leo, and Davian were already making their way across the main courtyard when they overheard hushed voices nearby. A group of noble students, standing near the marble pillars of the courtyard, spoke in low tones, their conversation laced with amusement and self-assured confidence.

  "You hear? The mid-terms are finally official," one of them muttered, his voice carrying just enough for Ren to pick up.

  "Of course they are," another sneered. "We’ve known about it for days."

  Ren’s steps slowed slightly. His eyes flickered to Leo and Davian, who had also caught onto the conversation.

  "So it's confirmed?" A noble girl leaned against the pillar, crossing her arms. "The rankings will be adjusted after the exams, and failures will be demoted?"

  "That’s what they’re saying. Not that it matters for us—we’ll pass without issue. But the commoners?" The boy laughed under his breath. "They’ll be lucky to hold onto the scraps they’ve been given."

  Ren clenched his jaw. So that was how it was.

  The nobles had gotten word before everyone else. It wasn’t surprising. The Academy had always favored those of status, but hearing it so blatantly laid out was still grating.

  "Come on," Davian said quietly. "Let’s go."

  Ren didn’t argue. They continued toward the auditorium, leaving the nobles behind.

  By the time they arrived, most of the student body had already gathered. The Grand Auditorium was a vast, circular space with tiered seating and a high domed ceiling enchanted to mimic the sky outside. At the very front, on a raised platform, stood several high-ranking Academy staff, their robes marked with gold embroidery.

  At their center was Professor Aldric, the Vice Headmaster. His sharp blue eyes scanned the students before he spoke, his voice magically enhanced to carry through the hall.

  "Students of the Academy, as you are all aware, our institution values excellence above all else. To that end, your Mid-Term Evaluations will take place in one month’s time."

  A murmur spread through the crowd.

  "Your evaluations will test both theory and practical application, ensuring that all students meet the Academy’s rigorous standards. Those who fail to demonstrate sufficient competence will be demoted in rank, with limited access to advanced classes and resources. Those who excel, however…" Aldric’s gaze swept over them, lingering on a few high-ranking nobles. "…will be given priority for advanced courses, personalized training, and, of course, the opportunity to distinguish themselves before the Summer Tournament."

  That caused a stronger reaction.

  Stolen story; please report.

  The Summer Tournament was one of the only ways for commoners to rise in rank, as performance was all that mattered. It was the single greatest chance to prove that nobility wasn’t the only path to power.

  "The details of your exams will be provided by your instructors," Aldric continued. "Use this time wisely. Dismissed."

  With that, the announcement ended, and the students immediately broke into discussions. Some looked confident, others nervous, but everyone understood the weight of what had just been said.

  "One month, huh?" Leo exhaled, cracking his neck. "Not a lot of time."

  "We don’t need a lot of time," Davian muttered. "You either know your magic or you don’t."

  Ren didn’t comment. He was already thinking ahead.

  —

  That night, in the quiet of his dorm room, Ren sat at his desk, flipping through his neatly arranged notebooks.

  Leo had already collapsed onto his bed, exhausted from training, but Ren’s mind was too active to rest.

  Like always, he meticulously reviewed his notes, making sure every concept, every sigil, was committed to memory. His enchanted lamp cast a soft glow over the pages, the familiar scent of parchment and ink filling the air.

  Then, he stopped.

  His fingers brushed over an old page, one he had copied from a book he had studied as a child. A fundamental magic theory book—one of the first he had ever read.

  His gaze flickered between it and the Academy’s official notes, which were stacked neatly beside it.

  A frown formed on his lips.

  Something was different.

  He looked closer, eyes scanning the details. The sigils were the same—at least, at first glance. But then, he noticed it.

  The Academy’s version had an extra line.

  A nearly invisible stroke, subtle enough that the casual observer wouldn’t think twice about it. It didn’t change the sigil’s primary function, but it was present in every single sigil he compared.

  Ren’s brows furrowed.

  He flipped through more notes, comparing dozens of sigils across different subjects. Every single one contained the same discrepancy. A tiny, seemingly meaningless addition.

  That wasn’t normal.

  His heart rate picked up as he grabbed his quill, carefully isolating the extra lines from multiple sigils, sketching them separately.

  And that was when he saw it.

  These weren’t random markings.

  Each of these extra strokes, when separated from their sigils, were forming something.

  Not a sigil.

  A larger pattern. A formation.

  Ren’s breath caught in his throat.

  This wasn’t a mistake.

  It was intentional.

  Ren leaned back in his chair, staring at the formation slowly taking shape on his parchment. His mind raced through possibilities.

  Why was this here? Who added it?

  At first, he considered the possibility that it was some kind of encryption method, a way of preventing students from perfectly replicating Academy sigils outside of sanctioned use. But that didn’t make sense. If it was just a security measure, then why did the extra strokes form a pattern when isolated?

  He tapped his quill against the desk, brow furrowed.

  The instructors had to know about this. There was no way something like this had gone unnoticed for decades. In fact, the Academy’s 5th-year students—the ones on the verge of graduation—should have figured it out as well.

  And yet, none of the lower-class students, even the nobles, seemed to have any knowledge of it. If they did, he would have at least overheard some mention of it. The nobles flaunted everything they knew—it was unlikely they’d be quiet about something like this.

  Which meant…

  This information was deliberately hidden.

  Ren exhaled slowly, staring at the fragmented formation on his page.

  There was a purpose behind this.

  And he needed to figure out what it was