By the fourth morning, the academy felt different. There was no slow easing into routine, no gradual adjustment like the days before. The tension was already there, settled into the air as if the entire campus had woken up with the same thought. Today, they would be tested—not through written exams or structured evaluation, but in a way that left no room to hide. Today, they would be seen.
The courtyard filled earlier than usual, students gathering in tighter groups, their voices quieter but more focused. No one wandered aimlessly anymore. Every conversation circled back to the same question. "What do you think he means?" "It has to be practical." "He wouldn't ask for something simple." A noble student adjusted his gloves, jaw set. "It doesn't matter. We show him what we already know." Another nodded. "Exactly."
