The examination hall had finally emptied.
Students flooded out of the building like survivors escaping a natural disaster.
Some wore expressions of relief.
Others looked as though their souls had been harvested.
Several students sat upon nearby benches staring blankly at the sky.
Questioning their life choices.
Questioning the academy.
Questioning reality itself.
Aetherial Institute examinations possessed that effect.
Meanwhile—
A certain black-haired girl stood in the corridor with her arms crossed.
Waiting.
Patiently.
Dangerously patiently.
Long black hair rested upon her shoulders.
Blue eyes remained locked onto a certain silver-haired young man.
The moment Kel exited the classroom—
Luna grabbed his sleeve.
"Aedon."
Kel blinked.
The tone immediately told him this conversation wasn't ending quickly.
"Yes?"
"Explain."
The corridor became quiet.
Students passed nearby.
The ancient academy walls reflected the afternoon sunlight.
Golden rays filtered through enormous crystal windows.
Dust particles drifted lazily through the air.
A peaceful atmosphere.
Unfortunately for Kel—
Luna was not feeling peaceful.
At all.
"A very broad request."
Kel replied calmly.
Luna pointed directly at him.
"No."
Her blue eyes narrowed.
"What's broad is whatever is happening inside your head."
Kel looked mildly offended.
"That's rude."
"It was meant to be."
Kel sighed.
Luna stepped forward.
"You told me you don't study."
"I don't."
"You finished first."
"I did."
"You knew every answer."
"Apparently."
Luna's eye twitched.
Again.
Kel was beginning to notice a pattern.
The black-haired girl stared at him.
Trying to determine whether he was joking.
Unfortunately—
His expression remained completely sincere.
Which somehow made everything worse.
Finally she spoke.
"Aedon."
"Hm?"
"Explain."
This time her voice carried genuine curiosity.
Not annoyance.
Not suspicion.
Curiosity.
Because she genuinely wanted to understand.
How could someone who never studied know answers that even top students struggled with?
It made no sense.
Kel considered for a moment.
Then finally answered.
"I don't study."
Luna's eyebrow twitched.
Again.
Kel continued before she could interrupt.
"I simply remember things."
The answer confused her immediately.
"What does that mean?"
Kel leaned casually against a nearby pillar.
Students continued passing by.
The academy grounds beyond the windows stretched into the distance.
Ancient towers pierced the sky.
Runic lights shimmered beneath daylight.
For a brief moment his golden eyes drifted toward the scenery.
Then he answered.
"When I read something..."
His voice remained calm.
"I usually remember it."
Luna blinked.
"That's normal."
Kel nodded.
"Yes."
Then added—
"But I rarely forget it afterward."
Silence.
Luna frowned.
"I still don't understand."
Kel expected that.
Most people didn't.
Not because the concept was complicated.
But because his version of "remembering" was somewhat abnormal.
"A few years ago I read a historical text discussing the Third Arcane Dynasty."
Luna nodded.
"Okay."
"The author made three factual errors."
Luna stared.
Kel continued.
"The first was in chapter twelve."
"The second was near the end."
"The third involved the succession crisis."
The silence became strange.
Very strange.
Luna slowly blinked.
"...You remember all of that?"
"Yes."
"You read it years ago."
"Correct."
"You remember the chapters?"
"Mostly."
Luna stared.
Then stared harder.
Then stared even harder.
Because she was beginning to understand.
And what she was understanding was ridiculous.
"No."
She shook her head.
"No normal person remembers things like that."
Kel nodded.
"I know."
"Then why are you acting like this is normal?"
"Because for me it is."
Luna opened her mouth.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
Nothing came out.
The absurdity of the situation left her speechless.
Eventually she managed—
"That's unfair."
Kel laughed softly.
The answer arrived immediately.
Far too immediately.
Which somehow made Luna even more annoyed.
The girl rubbed her forehead.
Then suddenly remembered something.
"Wait."
Kel looked toward her.
"You said you don't study."
"I don't."
"Then how do you know academy material?"
Kel smiled faintly.
"Because professors talk."
Luna blinked.
"What?"
"During lectures."
Kel pointed toward the classroom behind them.
"The professors explain things."
"That's their job."
"Yes."
Luna still didn't understand.
Kel continued.
"When they explain something..."
"I remember it."
The realization hit.
Hard.
Luna froze.
Her blue eyes widened.
"No way."
Kel shrugged.
"If Professor Armand spends three hours explaining magical theory..."
"I usually remember it afterward."
The silence that followed was almost painful.
Luna suddenly recalled every lecture they had attended together.
Kel always looked relaxed.
Half the time he appeared bored.
Sometimes he stared out the window.
Sometimes he doodled random symbols.
Sometimes he looked as though he might fall asleep.
Yet apparently—
The entire time—
He had been listening.
And memorizing everything.
The realization felt horrifying.
Because Luna studied relentlessly.
Hours every day.
Notes.
Books.
Practice questions.
Review sessions.
Meanwhile this monster simply sat there.
Existing.
And somehow absorbed information like a magical artifact.
"That's cheating."
Kel laughed.
"I don't think that's how studying works."
"It should be."
"That's concerning."
Luna sighed dramatically.
A deep.
Defeated.
Soul-crushing sigh.
Then suddenly another question appeared.
"Aedon."
"Yes?"
"How much do you actually remember?"
Kel thought for a moment.
Then answered honestly.
"Most things."
The answer nearly caused physical damage.
Luna grabbed the bridge of her nose.
"Define most."
Kel looked thoughtful.
A dangerous sign.
Then—
"Do you remember what you ate three years ago?"
"No."
"I do."
Silence.
Complete silence.
Luna slowly lowered her hand.
"You what?"
Kel looked upward.
Thinking.
"Three years ago."
"Hm."
"It was grilled river fish."
The silence deepened.
"With herbs."
"..."
"The seasoning was slightly excessive."
"..."
"The cook was having a bad day."
"..."
Luna stared.
The world stared.
Reality itself stared.
Finally—
"You're lying."
"I'm not."
"That's impossible."
Kel shrugged.
"Perhaps."
Luna no longer knew what to believe.
Far away beneath Scarder Lake—
A familiar voice suddenly echoed inside Kel's mind.
"You are terrifying ordinary people again."
Kel ignored her.
"At this point you should simply tell them you're a monster."
"Helpful."
"I try."
Kel's eyebrow twitched.
Meanwhile Luna continued processing the conversation.
Unfortunately—
The more she processed it—
The less normal it became.
Eventually she reached a conclusion.
A dangerous conclusion.
"Aedon."
"Hm?"
"You aren't stupid."
Kel blinked.
"Thank you?"
Luna pointed accusingly.
"No."
"That's not a compliment."
"Then what is it?"
"It's an accusation."
Kel looked genuinely confused.
The black-haired girl crossed her arms.
"Do you know how many times I thought you weren't paying attention during lectures?"
Kel considered.
"Many?"
"Many."
She nodded firmly.
"Very many."
Kel laughed.
A rare smile appeared on Luna's face as well.
Small.
Subtle.
Yet genuine.
The frustration was slowly fading.
Replacing it was something else.
Curiosity.
Interest.
And perhaps a tiny bit of admiration.
Though she would never admit that part.
Not yet.
The pair continued walking through the academy grounds.
Students moved around them.
The afternoon sun painted the stone pathways gold.
Ancient magical towers stood proudly against the horizon.
For a brief moment everything felt peaceful.
Normal.
Then Luna suddenly remembered something.
Question Seven.
The illusion.
The answer sheet.
Her face instantly reddened.
She turned toward Kel.
"You."
Kel immediately sensed danger.
"What?"
"You made me cheat."
"A strong word."
"You literally wrote answers on my paper."
"I offered assistance."
"That's cheating."
"A little."
"A LITTLE?!"
Nearby students jumped in surprise.
Several turned toward them.
Luna immediately lowered her voice.
"You are impossible."
Kel nodded.
"I've been told that before."
"By who?"
"A surprisingly large number of people."
Luna buried her face in her hands.
For some reason—
That answer felt completely believable.
Far away beneath Scarder Lake—
Seiren laughed again.
Kel immediately muted the connection.
The goddess sounded offended.
Which only made him feel slightly better.
Eventually Luna lowered her hands.
Then looked toward him.
A faint smile appeared.
"Still."
Kel blinked.
"Still?"
"Thank you."
The words surprised him.
Luna looked away immediately.
Embarrassed.
"Question seven."
"Oh."
Kel smiled.
"You're welcome."
The black-haired girl nodded once.
Then began walking ahead.
Trying to hide her expression.
Kel followed leisurely behind.
The afternoon wind moved through the academy grounds.
Ancient runes glowed softly upon distant towers.
And somewhere above them—
The bells of Aetherial Institute rang.
Announcing the end of another ordinary day.
At least—
Ordinary by everyone else's standards.
For Kel, it was simply another reminder that pretending to be a normal student was becoming increasingly difficult.
And somehow...
He had a feeling things were only going to become more complicated from here.