As I stepped out of the examination hall, I was immediately aware of the weight of dozens of stares following my every movement.
"Did you see how quickly he finished?" someone murmured behind me.
"Probably gave up halfway through," another voice replied with obvious disdain.
"Look at those clothes—what did we expect from a peasant?"
I could feel the hostile gazes boring into my back as I walked. My simple shirt and breeches, which had seemed merely practical this morning, now felt like a scarlet letter marking me as an outsider in this world of silk and privilege. The irony wasn't lost on me—in finishing first, I had somehow committed the dual sin of appearing both incompetent and presumptuous.
