Chapter 17
Time passed, and it was finally the moment for the freshmen’s oath.
“Both of you, get ready.”
The male student who had told Selina to come forward approached her, giving a subtle warning. Soon, she would have to step onto the stage as a student representative in front of hundreds of people.
She had firmly resolved to remain quiet and inconspicuous, but the very first step had gone completely wrong.
[Next, we will have the entrance oath of the freshmen representatives. Freshman representatives, Silvia Hailers of 1st-year Class 1 and Selina, please come up to the stage.]
A stir ran through the crowd. While it had been quiet when Silvia’s name was announced, the moment Selina’s name was mentioned, whispers spread instantly.
Selina followed behind Silvia. Students who saw Selina up close murmured among themselves, wondering who she was. They couldn’t understand what she was thinking, stepping onto the stage like that.
[Oath: We, the 407 freshmen, pledge to faithfully abide by the regulations of Perrion Academy…]
Beside her, Silvia recited the oath as the representative. Selina just stood there, blankly holding her hand up.
[…We pledge to do so. Freshman representative, Silvia Hailers.]
Silvia handed the voice-amplifying magical device to Selina. After noticing Selina had been silent for a long moment, Silvia nudged her side.
[…Selina.]
Selina spoke her name a step behind, finally saying it aloud.
The headmaster approached and shook hands with both Silvia and Selina.
“It is an honor to have all members of the Hailers family at Perrion Academy. I look forward to your contributions, Silvia Hailers.”
“The honor is mine, Headmaster.”
After a brief exchange with Silvia, the headmaster turned to Selina.
“You must be Selina. I’ve heard a lot about you. I hope you devote yourself to academy life.”
“…Thank you.”
[Next, greetings from the upperclassmen for the freshmen…]
As soon as the handshake was over, the ceremony moved on to the next order. Following the guidance, Silvia and Selina descended from the stage. Hundreds of eyes seemed to pierce right through Selina.
“Are you okay?”
Silvia, noticing her pale complexion, expressed concern.
Selina returned to her seat, leaning back and letting out a long sigh.
“You must have been very nervous. Your face doesn’t look good.”
Selina confessed the truth after washing her face with water.
“…I didn’t actually expect to be chosen as a student representative.”
“What?”
“I didn’t know until I sat here. I don’t even know why I’m a student representative in the first place.”
Silvia’s already large, round eyes widened even more, owl-like, in surprise.
“Do you know what the criteria for student representatives are?”
“Hmm… they select two representatives every year. First is the student with outstanding grades.”
“Grades?”
“The entrance exam scores, I mean.”
Selina exhaled slowly, realizing she had never taken the exam. She was anxious that anyone might find out she had entered fraudulently.
Watching Silvia carefully, Selina suddenly realized something and looked at her. Silvia blushed slightly and scratched her head.
“So, that’s you. The high-achieving student.”
“Uh-huh, that’s right.”
Silvia twisted her body awkwardly and fiddled with her hands, embarrassed.
“Do you know the criteria for the other representative?”
“The other one is supposedly a special-exemption student. But I don’t know the exact criteria for selecting them.”
Indeed, Selina technically qualified as a special-exemption student… though it was completely through irregular means.
“…Actually, I was a little surprised when I saw you sitting here at first.”
“Me?”
Taken aback, Selina pointed to herself in confusion.
“Yes. According to rumors, there was already a student designated as a representative besides me.”
“Who was that?”
“‘Theodore.’ From the Temple of the Sun, apparently.”
Ding—
Hearing the unexpected name hit Selina like a punch. Theodore… could it be that Theo she knew?
“Apparently, he’s in our class too.”
As Silvia spoke, Selina quickly turned her head. Two students sitting right behind were startled, but Selina paid them no mind. She didn’t need to search far to spot Theodore; he was seated in the fourth row.
Silvia had spoken of the person Selina knew. Theodore—her childhood friend—had grown distant after an “incident” five years ago.
Theodore’s golden eyes met hers briefly. He seemed surprised but quickly looked away awkwardly.
“Oh? That’s him? Black hair, so it should be.”
Silvia followed Selina’s gaze, turning to see whom she was looking at.
“Do you know him?” she asked.
“…No, I don’t.”
Though glad to see her old friend after so long, he didn’t return her warmth. Selina couldn’t act friendly while he avoided her. Seeing him deliberately avoiding her stirred a mix of frustration and nostalgia.
“Who is that girl?”
“I thought the student representatives were Hailers and Theodore.”
“Shh! Theodore’s right there!”
Students whispered in confusion. Seeing Selina on stage, everyone started speculating.
Noble children were shocked by the inaccurate information, while commoners, unaware of who the representatives were, recognized Selina instantly.
“Why is the witch here…?”
“Is she really a witch? What if she’s a noble?”
“Didn’t you hear her name? No family name, so a commoner. How rare is it for a commoner to have such vivid red hair?”
Living near Terrion Street in the capital, commoners immediately recognized Selina.
“What’s so bad about a witch?”
“Obviously… they manipulate people with strange magic, and it’s rumored that any curse a witch utters comes true. Some say she might even serve demons.”
“Eek! She… eats people?”
The rumor spread like wildfire. From the lower-numbered commoner classes, the story of Selina being a witch reached Class 1.
“Hey, she’s a witch. Apparently famous among commoners.”
“A witch? Isn’t that just a rumor?”
“No, apparently some commoners have even seen witches eat people.”
Silvester folded his arms quietly, listening to the murmurs around him.
“A witch?” he murmured, glancing at the front. There, sat the younger sister he loved and the other student representative—the one who had rested her face on his shoulder before the ceremony.
Just a bold girl, he thought… and now a witch?
“Hmm…”
Silvester frowned, clearly uncomfortable.
The boy sitting next to him noticed Silvester’s sudden sour mood. Already uneasy around the famous Hailers family, he now wanted to escape the room entirely. Helplessly, he sought aid from those nearby—but nobody understood him.
“I can’t believe it. That ‘witch’ actually came to the academy. Isn’t that right, Theodore?”
A male student with sharp green hair snapped his tongue sharply.
“Chris, be quiet.”
“But isn’t it true? Do you even realize where this is…!”
Despite Theodore’s warning, Chris didn’t stop.
“I’ve disliked it from the start. That the daughter of a witch gets attention from both Lady Freiman and His Majesty… and even took your seat, Theodore! Don’t worry. If she tries to interfere with you again…”
Frowning, Theodore gripped the armrest of his chair.
Crack.
A slight sound as the chair bent. Few noticed it. Theodore’s golden eyes gleamed dangerously, like sunlight scattering across them. Chris shut his mouth instantly.
“I told you to be quiet.”
“…Sorry.”
“If your lips ever speak Selina’s—no, her—name carelessly again, I’ll make sure you regret it. Understood?”
The deadly aura in Theodore’s eyes tightened around Chris’s throat. Chris struggled to push down his rising fear.
By the time Chris’s hands were damp with cold sweat, Theodore turned his gaze forward.
A sigh of relief came from beside him.
He glanced again at Chris, then returned his eyes to the front, focusing entirely on the swath of red hair weaving through the crowd ahead.
Selina struggled as Silvia kept trying to talk to her, flustered and unsure how to respond.
Finally, a faint smile appeared on Theodore’s face.
He half-listened to the ongoing speech, letting words wash in one ear and out the other, entirely absorbed by Selina.
The expression of shock she had shown him earlier replayed in his mind.
Their violet eyes met, and his heart thumped violently. Reflexively, he looked away, trying to calm the pounding in his chest. By the time he looked back, Selina had already averted her gaze.
Regret surged. Perhaps this had been his last chance to truly meet her eyes, and he had thrown it away himself.
He longed to return to those days with her—free, unrestricted—but if he did, she alone would suffer the consequences.
The events of five years ago could not be repeated. Pretending not to know each other was safer for both. Yet memories of her kept shaking his resolve.
‘Selina.’
Theodore closed his eyes tightly. A single memory flashed: Selina collapsed, unable to rise, blood seeping from her head.
The recollection choked him. He bit the inside of his cheek to stifle a groan.
‘Never. Never. That must never happen again.’
Through slowly opening lashes, fleeting emotions vanished, leaving only resolute golden eyes.
Theodore could not take his gaze off Selina for the rest of the entrance ceremony.
