Levina's eyes opened, slowly adjusting to the lights of the academy clinic. Her brows furrowed, wondering where she was, but the memory of the semester's challenge flashed through her mind.
"Sh*t!" She shot up like a coil spring, throwing the blanket away, but she halted when she heard the click of the door.
Headmaster William emerged through the door frame, holding a basket of fruits. He closed the door behind her and headed to Levina with a genuine smile plastered on his slightly wrinkled face. He was clad in his usual black suit jacket with a white dress shirt and black trousers.
"How are—"
"The semestral battle? I need to go back." She tried to get up from bed, but the headmaster held her shoulder.
"You need to rest, Levi."
"But I need to finish the battle! My rank depends on that." She removed his hands from her.
Headmaster William sighed. "Levi, the battle is already done."
"It can't be! I haven't finished it. Let me out!" Levina tried to get away, but the headmaster kept her in place.
"Levi, it's already night. The students are already resting in their places. You need to take a rest, too. It doesn't mean your wounds are treated you can just go around."
"But, sir! How about my rank!? I can't just dawdle around here for nothing!"
He forced a smile and tapped her shoulder. "We can't continue the semester's battle anymore. The outcome is determined and Hestia came out first followed by Joaquin and Thomas."
"F*ck!" She averted her gaze from him, clenching her fists.
If she hadn't been too complacent with her alliance with Hestia, this wouldn't have happened. She should've listened to her hunch that Hestia would betray her, but she still held on to the tiny hope after they successfully defeated the two.
"I apologize, but Levi, you failed to complete the semester test. As an alternative test, you need to do an alternative mission and succeed in it to reclaim your position." Headmaster William sighed, seeing the disappointment and frustration in his student's face. "However, failing to do the task will cause you to fall to A-rank."
Levina clenched her fists even tighter, causing her blood to ooze out of her palms. That's her sole option to stay in her rank. She needs to get stronger than she is today, so falling down her rank is not good for her record—for her performance.
Frustration swallowed her upon thinking about her performance in the semester battle. She started to doubt herself—her own abilities. What she did earlier wasn't enough to avenge her clan—her family.
"When is it? When will it be my mission?" she questioned, her eyes burning with desire.
"There's a C-rank mission on my list that is scheduled for tomorrow, but as you are now, I won't permit you to leave our town. You need a rest."
"But, sir! I need to do that as soon as possible!"
"No, is no, Levi. You need to engrave that into your mind. I cannot allow my students to deploy in any mission if they're not yet in their perfect condition."
Levina wanted to argue—to refuse and force him to allow her to do the mission, but she knew that it was only futile. She has known the headmaster since she was young and he was the one who took care of her when she lost her whole clan to the hands of a malevolent organization.
Levina sighed and nodded forcefully. "I understand."
"I have another C-rank mission that is scheduled two days from now. I'll let you know the full details tomorrow. Just take a rest for now and eat these fruits." Headmaster William placed the basket on the bed next to Levina.
He stared at his student's face before he spun on his heels. "I need to go now. Let me know if you need something. I'll come and give it to you."
Before he left the room, he gazed first at his student, and the disappointment was still evident on her face. He closed his eyes briefly and sighed, closing the door.
This was the first time that Levina hadn't finished the semestral battle or test, so he knew how it was so disappointing and humiliating for her.
Levina took an apple from the basket and bit it. The scenes from an earlier event are still fresh in her mind. She wanted to scream—to let out all of her frustration. It feels like she's drowning in a river and can't be able to swim upward. Despite all the rigorous training she had, she still lost. For being in the unbeatable first place in the S-rank semestral battle, she still lost.
Humiliation. Doubt. Frustration. Shame. She felt all of that. It's as if she's still not enough despite the difficulties she has faced in the past.
Her thoughts were disrupted when the click of the door resonated into her room. This time it wasn't the headmaster, but one of the S-rank students, Hestia.
She grinned and approached Levina. The latter clenched her fist, breaking the apple in her hand.
"Are you—"
"What the hell are you doing here?"
The red-haired woman's mouth went agape but she closed it afterward. Her face is filled with amazement due to Levina's confidence.
"I'm here to check you out." Her gaze trailed down to Levina's midsection. "It looks like your wounds are okay."
"I don't need your concern." She threw the squeezed apple, but Hestia tilted her head to avoid it, causing it to stick to the wall behind her.
Hestia chuckled, running her fingers through her hair. "Come on, now. Why are you so mad?"
"Why are you asking such an obvious question? Are you dumb?" Levina raised a brow, wiping the traces of apple from her palm.
"Didn't you expect that already? You were the most intelligent among our ranks. What happened? Were you—"
"Shut up, Hestia. You're not helping at all. Just get out." Her voice was filled with hatred.
The red-haired woman collapsed in gales of laughter, making Levina grit her teeth. She held her collar, attempting to punch her face, but the other woman halted.
"Do the mission two days from now." Hestia removed her hand from her collar, pushing her to the bed. "I'm entrusting her to you."
Levina furrowed her brows, watching as the other woman left her room. She wondered what she meant by her last sentence. Who is she entrusting her to? She was puzzled, but also surprised upon knowing that there's a mission for her in two days from now.
"She's up into something."
—
It was a cloudy day, but the Headmaster didn't postpone the semester's battle for all A-rank students in Mysthic Academy. The battle will also take place in the same area where the S-rank semester's battle happened. This battle will determine the fate of all A-rank students whether they're eligible to rank up to S-rank, remain in their current rank, or fall to lower ranks.
Levina stood there, far from any audience. Her gaze was fixated on the big hologram where the headmaster was giving his speech. They decided that after the semester's battle, he would discuss the information about her mission tomorrow.
Joaquin, the blood manipulator and also one of the S-rank students, tried to convince her to sit with them to watch the battle together, but Levina refused. She couldn't bear to be with them after humiliating herself in front of a lot of people yesterday.
Nicholas swerved his gaze at Levina, standing far from their seats. He sipped his chocolate drink, curving a smirk.
"Isn't she interesting?"
Hestia glanced at Levina, chuckling. "Indeed. Do you like her?"
"Well, yeah. She's the only one who doesn't communicate with us. I wonder what's going on with her mind." Nicholas shrugged, staring at the woman.
Hestia's face became solemn, taking a deep breath. "Nicholas, can she succeed in it right? The mission?"
The latter just darted her a glance and didn't say anything. He gripped his bottle of drink.
"She's the only one who can save her... for now," Hestia added, almost whispering.
Levina furrowed her brows when she felt something uncomfortable. She swerved her gaze at Nicholas, making the two gaze at each other. Nicholas smiled, waving his hand a little. Levina, on the other hand, didn't return any gesture. She just averted her gaze wordlessly.
After the battle, Levina proceeded directly to the headmaster's office. She didn't wait for the reason since she already knew the outcome of the battle based on their earlier performance. She thought that maybe Gwydeon Chavez would rank up to S-rank or Ginger, but it doesn't matter to her now. All she wants to do is to know her mission and to remain in her rank.
Levina waited for a moment outside the office before knocking. As she stepped inside, the headmaster was no longer talking to the hologram, which means he had already announced the outcome of the battle.
Headmaster William gazed at his student, beckoning her to sit across from his desk.
"There is an unexpected change to your mission, Levi."
***