Chương 92: The First Day of Waiting

The day after the final test dawned with a cloudy sky and a cold wind blowing in from the forest. For the first time since they had arrived at the academy, no one needed to wake up early. There were no tests, no evaluations, and no pressure to fight or make difficult decisions. Even so, almost no one had slept well. Joker woke up later than usual, his body sore and his head heavy. He stayed lying down for a few minutes, staring at the ceiling of the room, before sitting up on the bed with a low groan.

His shoulder still ached a little from the blow he had taken the day before. On the other side of the room, Harley was already awake. She was sitting on the edge of her bed, slowly spinning her pink hammer between her hands, as if she wasn't quite sure what to do with the free time. — Did you sleep? — she asked, without looking at him. Joker ran a hand over his face and answered in a hoarse voice: — More or less. You? Harley shrugged. — Not much either. I kept thinking about the test…

and about what we did at the end. Joker stayed silent for a few seconds. He knew exactly what she was talking about. Releasing part of the seal had helped, but it had also left a strange feeling in their heads — as if something inside them had been woken up and now refused to go completely back to sleep. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. — We'll be fine — he said, trying to sound calmer than he actually felt. — It was only a little. We can control it.

Harley nodded, but she didn't look fully convinced.

After getting ready, the two of them went down to the common hall of the boys' wing. Some candidates were already there, talking quietly or simply resting. The atmosphere was clearly different from the test days — calmer, but also more tense. Everyone was waiting for the results. A short while later, the girls appeared. They also looked tired, especially Astrid and Rina, who were walking more slowly than usual. — Good morning… or good afternoon — Marina said, yawning. — What time is it?

— Almost noon — Lirien replied, her voice still a little hoarse. The group gathered in a quieter corner of the hall. For a few minutes, no one spoke much. They were all clearly exhausted from the previous day. It was Astrid who broke the silence first, her voice rough: — So… we have three free days now, right? Joker nodded. — Three days until the results come out. Rina slowly wagged her tails, still looking tired. — What are we going to do with that time? Just sit around waiting? Harley shrugged.

— We can leave the academy. Take a walk around the capital, eat something… I don't know. Anything is better than staying in here all day thinking about the results. Sylvara, who was quieter than usual, spoke softly: — I don't mind going out. Just… I don't want to do anything too tiring today. Lirien agreed with her. Kuroe, who was sitting a little farther away, commented: — We can split the days. One day go out, another day stay quieter… something like that.

Joker looked at all of them and said: — Then let's decide together. What do you want to do today? The group stayed silent for a few seconds, thinking. After a while, Harley was the first to offer a suggestion: — I want to go out. Just walk around, eat something that isn't academy food… and try not to think about the test for a few hours. Astrid grumbled: — I want to go out too. Staying in here is going to drive me crazy. Rina nodded in agreement. Marina and Lirien also seemed to like the idea.

Sylvara didn't object. Kuroe simply shrugged, as if anything was fine with her. Joker looked at Harley and gave her a small smile. — Then we'll go out. Just us. No tests, no evaluators, no pressure. Harley smiled back, still with a bit of tiredness on her face. — Finally something that doesn't involve almost dying. The group decided to go out together after lunch. For the first time in days, they would have truly free time — without needing to fight, decide who lives or dies, or worry about the seal.

Even if it was only for a few hours. End of Chapter 92 (continues in Chapter 93)