The sixteenth morning did not carry the same quiet weight as the day before. It carried clarity.
Not the kind that comforted—but the kind that revealed. The kind that stripped away assumption and left only what remained. The word from the previous day had settled deeply into every student's mind, but now, it had changed.
The courtyard felt different the moment the students stepped into it. There was no tension in the air, no visible anxiety—but something sharper lingered beneath the surface. No one spoke loudly. No one moved without purpose. Even the smallest actions carried awareness. Because today they would be seen.
Near the training grounds, the noble group stood together, though their posture lacked the quiet confidence they once carried.
"They'll compare us," one of them said.
"They already have."
