Scene 4

Serina felt crushed on all sides, but her excitement made her oblivious to the cries of joy and the weeping around her. She pushed her way through, weaving her way as best she could to reach the wall where the test results were posted. Her hands were sweaty, her stomach was in knots, and her heart was pounding.

Would she be with Jaren and Anwyn? That would be brilliant! But the sobs of some of the candidates reminded her that she too could fail, and the thought chilled her to the bone.

She shook her head. No, impossible. She’d felt, as she left each test, that she’d passed with flying colours. The questions had seemed clear to her, and her only real stress had been finishing on time. She’d come out with a sore wrist from all the writing. It was obvious: she’d passed, and would be able to choose her school. Arkadia.

She took a deep breath, pushed her way through one last time and found herself facing the gigantic wall covered with hundreds of first names. Next to each name was the national ranking, confirmation of progression to the next level, and then a code that would allow them to select their school. Why not do it directly online rather than brave such a crowd outside the town hall? Tradition, they said, to allow young people to experience this decisive moment together. And deep down, she had to admit: if everything went as she hoped, she too would want to jump up and shout with joy alongside the others.

Her eyes scanned the lists frantically when she came across a line entirely highlighted in gold. Nothing like the others. And above all, a strange detail: apart from the name column, no other information had been entered.

No code, no ranking, no distinction. Nothing. Several curious onlookers had already spotted this anomaly, and it was then that she realised the stares that had been fixed on her for some time. Far too many stares. With a lump in her throat, she forced herself to step forward and read the name: Serina Willhelm.

The emptiness of the realisation in her head was quickly replaced by a wave of stress.

It didn’t say she’d failed, but without a code, how could she choose her school? She didn’t understand the situation at all, and this uncertainty was making her panic. What if that gold colour meant a penalty? Perhaps she was suspected of cheating? Perhaps her result had been cancelled, or she was even being barred from continuing her studies! Her heart raced.

Was there anything she could do? What if it was final? Would she be forced to learn a manual profession? She was only fifteen; she hadn’t decided on her future yet… but her good grades were supposed to give her that time.

Two hands then rested on her arms to pull her out of the crowd.

“Serina, are you alright? Hello, Earth!
— I passed the tests, it’s all thanks to you! And I’ve checked, I can go to the local school! Have you seen your ranking? You said you’d done well, are you in the top 1,000?” Anwyn asked excitedly.
— I bet Frank you would be, make me win,” Jaren laughed.

Serina swallowed and shook her head.

“I don’t know. There was no written result.
— What?! Are you blind already, granny?” Jaren sneered nervously.
“No, I swear… There really was nothing. Just my name.”

She bit her lip to hold back her tears, but her pale face spoke for her. She needed a moment to gather her thoughts and emotions, but at the same time, she didn’t want to be left alone. Too much was happening around her: the crying, the laughter, the pressure of her cousins’ hands on her shoulders, the hard soles of her shoes, the sky too beautiful for how she felt. Her breathing quickened, her heart beating abnormally fast. What would her uncle and aunt say?

“Can we go home? I don’t have the strength to talk to anyone.”

Her cousins understood immediately and nodded. The journey home was in complete silence, in stark contrast to the way there, which had been filled with excitement at the prospect of the results and Anwyn’s stress. But as they turned the corner to head back to their residential neighbourhood, Serina froze.

A black, luxurious and slightly vintage car was parked right outside their front door.

Vehicles like this never appeared in her neighbourhood. Why was it there? Why today, when she’d surely just been accused of cheating? They must be important people… for her? Elystria didn’t waste any time when it came to false accusations! How was she going to face her uncle? Shame was already consuming her.

“Go on without me… I’d rather get some fresh air.
— No, I’m staying with you,” declared Anwyn.

She wasn’t going to refuse: she didn’t even know what she might be capable of if she stayed alone. But Jaren, for his part, didn’t agree. He rolled his eyes before pulling her towards the house.

“Stop being such a drama queen, you didn’t fail your exams! Maybe they’re here to give you an award because you were so brilliant?”

She tried to pull her arm away, but unfortunately boxing had given Jaren a formidable grip. No sooner had they reached the doorstep that it swung open abruptly. Her uncle grabbed her so suddenly that she jumped.

“I didn’t cheat, I swear —
— Eryndor! You’re going to Eryndor!” her uncle cut her off, brimming with joy and pride.

Her uncle’s radiant joy swept away the wave of panic she was feeling. Eryndor? What was that? Surely an excellent school, judging by the way he was reacting… Without giving her time to comprehend, he lifted her with one arm as if she weighed nothing. She widened her eyes and clung to his neck, afraid of falling, whilst he was already carrying her back into the living room.

A man was sitting in their armchair, positioned opposite the sofa, separated by a coffee table. He stood up as she entered and turned towards her with a smile. His red hair was tied back in a neat bun, a few strands falling across his still-youthful face. He was tall and well-built, though his face was rather ordinary, dotted with freckles.

He was wearing an open, purple-coloured robe, adorned with a symbol she didn’t have time to examine closely, for what struck her was the golden scarf around his neck, a shade that immediately reminded her of the colour of the highlighting on her first name.

Her uncle sat her down on the sofa and sat right next to her, stiff as a board, a beaming smile on his lips. Serina nodded politely, almost out of habit, and looked at the man in puzzlement. He wasted no time: he told her the reason for his visit in a deep, solemn voice.

“Serina, you have passed your exams with flying colours. You achieved perfect marks in every subject. That is exceptional. We have looked at your school records: you have always excelled, with impressive consistency. That is why we have the honour of announcing that you have been accepted as a student at Eryndor.”

A silence fell, and she looked at him, frowning. Her uncle, for his part, placed a firm hand on her shoulder. She saw in his eyes an immense pride, long held in check.

“Sorry, but… what is Eryndor?
— You don’t know what Eryndor is?! the man choked out abruptly.
— Serina… Didn’t they tell you about the school? her uncle asked, surprised.
— No… They just told us that if we were good, we’d have a choice, and that Arkadia was the best school in the area. ”

Another silence, and the redhead’s face was buried in his hands, overwhelmed.

“Serina, Eryndor isn’t just the best school in Elystria, but in the world. Only Elystrians are admitted there. You’ve just achieved an extremely rare feat.”

The best school… in the world? Her, Serina Willhelm? No, impossible.

“Are you sure you haven’t got the wrong person?
— We’ve checked three times. Quite honestly, it’s very rare for someone from this… part of the country to get in. But it’s not impossible. The last student from this region was three years ago,” replied the red-haired man. “You should know it’s a boarding school; you’ll be provided with room and board.
— We don’t have any money.
— It’s free,” replied the stranger.”

Another shock. So not only was it the best school in the country, but it was also cheaper than Arkadia?!

“To be more precise, you’ll even receive a small monthly stipend. Just enough to buy a few bits and bobs. Our students are obliged to work for Elystria after graduation; that’s why.
— How much?
— 1,000 aurei. ”

Her eyes widened. Half her uncle’s salary… to study? She turned to him to see his reaction and was surprised to find his eyes glistening with tears of joy. A lump formed in her throat. It was an incredible opportunity, but what moved her most was seeing her uncle so proud of her. Then her thoughts turned to her cousins. She wouldn’t see them every day anymore.

“Do I have to go?” she asked the red-haired man in a fragile voice.
— No… but that’s a question we’re never asked. Don’t you want to come?
— Serina, this is an opportunity you can’t pass up, her uncle interjected.
— But Jaren and Anwyn…”
— Think of yourself. Think of your future. You can’t refuse.”

She lowered her head and nodded slowly. He was right. It was a once-in-a-lifetime chance, for her, and for them. She would no longer be a financial burden, and she might even be able to repay them for all those years of support.

“The new term starts in two months. Here is the list of supplies, along with a card to pay for them. All expenses are covered by the school. Please note, it is only for purchases related to your studies. If you try to buy anything else, the transaction will be declined and the card blocked. In this letter, you’ll find all the details for the start of term. On the first day, bring your biometric ID card."

The man stood up, then added with a smile:

“Welcome to your new home, Serina.”

Her heart was pounding as she took the letter, torn between her uncle’s joy, the sadness of having to leave her cousins, and the unknown that lay before her beyond that golden door. She didn’t even notice her cousins’ arms wrapped around her neck, happy for her.