Chapter-4.

  The crowd had mostly dispersed, but a lingering energy remained in the air as the examinees filtered down from the stage to reunite with their families. The nobles were the first to leave, discussing their results in quiet, measured tones, their fates already decided by bloodline expectations. For the commoners, however, the choices ahead felt heavier—uncertain, yet exhilarating.

  Ren and Leo descended the wooden steps together, the last remnants of the sunset casting a golden glow over the gathering families below.

  “There they are!” A familiar voice called out, and Leo barely had time to brace himself before his mother, Emilia Thorne, rushed forward and wrapped him in a crushing embrace.

  “Mom—ack! You’re going to break me,” Leo groaned, though he made no real effort to escape.

  “You were amazing, Leo!” His younger sister, Elle, practically bounced on her toes, her brown eyes wide with excitement. “Did you see how everyone was staring? You’re totally famous now!”

  Leo smirked, ruffling her hair. “Yeah, yeah. Guess your brother’s kind of a big deal.”

  “You were incredible,” his father, Garrick Thorne, added, his expression a mix of pride and contemplation. A man of sturdy build, Garrick had the quiet, commanding presence of someone who had worked hard his entire life. He clasped Leo’s shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze. “The Royal Academy wants you. That’s an honor, son. But… the Crimson Fang recruiter was interested, too.”

  Leo hesitated for the first time since the test. “Yeah. I noticed.”

  Ren, standing slightly to the side, gave his friend a moment before shifting his gaze to his own family. His father, Edwin Aldren, had his arms crossed, an unreadable expression on his face. His mother, Mira, stood beside him, her fingers clasped together in silent thought.

  Then, as if coming to a decision, Mira suddenly stepped forward and cupped Ren’s face in both hands.

  “My son,” she murmured, her voice thick with emotion. “You… you have magic.”

  Ren stiffened slightly but nodded. “Yeah.”

  A trembling laugh escaped her lips. “I always knew you were special, but this…” She swallowed hard. “Ren, I won’t lie to you. Magic is a dangerous path, but it is also a powerful one. I just—” She exhaled, searching his face. “I just want you to be safe.”

  Ren softened, his shoulders relaxing. “I know, Mom.”

  His father finally spoke, his voice even. “The Green Zone Academy wants you.” He paused. “And so does Obsidian Hall.”

  Ren blinked. “You know already?”

  Aaron let out a short chuckle. “Word travels fast, especially when it’s about my son.” He studied Ren carefully. “I won’t tell you which to choose. This is your life. But you should know what it means.”

  Mira’s grip on Ren’s face loosened, and she let her hands fall, looking between her husband and son with a worried expression.

  Aaron continued. “Green Zone is a stable path. A respected one. If you go there, you’ll have security, a clear direction—alchemy, runes, refinement. A future that makes sense.” He hesitated, then added, “Obsidian Hall… is different. They take the outliers. The ones who don’t fit neatly into a box.”

  Ren took that in. “And you think I don’t fit into a box?”

  Aaron’s lips twitched. “Son, you memorized half the town’s supply records when you were eight. You studied magic theory before you even had magic. If anyone belongs in a school that values intelligence over brute strength, it’s you.”

  Ren didn’t respond immediately. He glanced at Leo, who was still deep in discussion with his father. Garrick was explaining the pros and cons of each academy, while Leo’s mother hovered nearby, clearly wanting to just celebrate rather than debate.

  Then, Elle suddenly grabbed Leo’s hand and grinned. “I think you should pick the one that lets you fight the biggest monsters.”

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  Leo burst out laughing. “Now that is some solid advice.”

  Ren chuckled, shaking his head before turning back to his own family. His mother gave him a weak smile. “No matter what you choose, Ren, we’ll support you.”

  His father nodded. “Just remember—the choice you make now will shape your entire future. Think about what kind of mage you want to be.”

  Ren inhaled deeply.

  No pressure, huh?

  _________________________________________________________________________

  The streets were quieter now, the last remnants of the crowd thinning as families departed in different directions. The energy of the day still crackled in the air, but now it was subdued, settling into a low hum beneath the quiet murmur of conversation.

  Ren and Leo walked side by side, the cool night air easing some of the tension from their shoulders. Neither spoke for a while, each lost in thought.

  Leo finally exhaled. “This whole thing still doesn’t feel real.” He glanced at Ren. “We both got into the Royal Academy.”

  “Today was insane,” Leo muttered, running a hand through his hair. “I mean, I knew we’d do well, but this whole thing still doesn’t feel real.” He glanced at Ren. “We both got into the Royal Academy.”

  Ren smirked. “Not bad for a guy who nearly tripped over his own feet at the start of the agility trial.”

  “Oh, come on,” Leo groaned. “I recovered—and I still crushed that run.”

  “You did,” Ren admitted. “It was impressive.”

  Leo grinned, nudging Ren with his elbow. “Damn right it was. And you—don’t think I didn’t see how those recruiters were watching you. Especially Evander.”

  Ren sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Yeah. That was… unexpected.”

  Leo scoffed. “Unexpected? Ren, you outperformed nobles.

  Ren exhaled slowly. “It’s just… the Royal Academy is for the best. For people with talent, power—”

  “And?” Leo cut in. “You have both.”

  Ren shot him a dry look. “You know my mana pool is tiny.”

  Leo rolled his eyes. “But your control is insane. You basically pulled off a perfect cast while everyone else was struggling. And don’t even get me started on your memory. I bet you could learn sigils faster than half the second-years there.”

  Ren hesitated. He wasn’t used to being the one people talked up like this. Leo was always the confident one, the one who never doubted his own strength. Ren had never thought of himself as weak, but he had always known his limits—small mana pool, no family lineage, no special inheritance.

  Leo must have noticed his silence because he clapped a hand on Ren’s shoulder. “Listen, I get it. You’re overthinking. But take it from me—you earned your spot.”

  Ren let out a small chuckle. “You sound like my dad.”

  Leo smirked. “Smart guy, your dad.”

  They continued walking, the quiet night air stretching between them. Then, a voice broke through the stillness.

  “Well, look at this. The stars of the commoner world.”

  Both of them stopped. Under the flickering glow of a lantern stood Lucian Valcrest, arms crossed, an amused smirk on his face. Behind him, Cassandra Vale leaned casually against a wooden post, her expression unreadable.

  Leo groaned. “Great. This guy.”

  Ren kept his expression neutral. “What do you want, Lucian?”

  Lucian took a slow step forward, his gaze flickering between them. “Just making observations. The Royal Academy taking two commoners? Unprecedented.” His smirk widened. “Makes you wonder what kind of game they’re playing.”

  Leo scoffed. “Or maybe we’re just that good.”

  Lucian chuckled. “Sure, keep telling yourself that.” He turned to Ren. “And you—are you really going? Or are you going to run off to the Green Zone and scribble runes for the rest of your life?”

  Ren met his gaze evenly. “I haven’t decided yet.”

  Lucian’s smirk didn’t waver. “You will.” He gave a casual wave. “See you at selection.”

  He turned and walked away. Cassandra lingered for a moment, studying Ren with a thoughtful expression before following.

  Leo let out a dramatic sigh. “I really hate that guy.”

  Ren smirked. “You say that every time.”

  “And I mean it every time.”

  They started walking again, the tension from the encounter slowly fading.

  Leo stretched his arms over his head. “Anyway, let’s get some sleep. Big day tomorrow.”

  Ren nodded, though his mind was still restless.

  _________________________________________________________________________

  Lying in bed, Ren stared at the ceiling, the weight of the decision pressing down on him.

  The Royal Academy wanted him. Him.

  He could take the safe route—Green Zone, stability, a structured future. Or he could go where the strongest mages trained, even if he wasn’t sure he belonged.

  He closed his eyes.

  Tomorrow, he would have to decide.