Episode 2 – The Tests of Pride
Purity awoke with a flutter of excitement, her heart beating like a drum inside her chest. For so long, she had dreamed of stepping beyond the walls of their heavily guarded mansion, of joining other children in classrooms she had only read about in books. Today was that day. Her father, Kelvin, had finally agreed to take her to school.
"Are you ready, my dear?" Kelvin's calm voice carried into her room. He stood in the doorway, dressed in his simple but immaculate suit. His presence radiated both power and gentleness.
Purity turned with a smile so radiant that Kelvin's heart softened. "Yes, Father. I'm ready."
They stepped into the car, its sleek frame gleaming as security escorts lined the road. Kelvin was not only one of the wealthiest men in the state but also the most brilliant scientist of the age. He was respected, feared, and whispered about in equal measure. His daughter, however, remained a mystery. No one had seen her since the day his wife had died during childbirth.
Rumors swirled endlessly. Some said he had hidden the child out of grief. Others whispered darker stories—that Kelvin, the man who created machines capable of mimicking life, might not have a normal daughter at all. Since no one had ever seen her, people speculated endlessly. Some criticized Kelvin for ignoring his daughter's education, claiming grief had clouded his judgment. To many, it seemed irresponsible: Purity was already thirteen and had never attended any school. Others believed he loved her too much, guarding her with a possessiveness born from both pain and devotion. They said overprotecting her might turn her into a spoiled recluse.
But today, all those whispers would be challenged.
The First School – Greenleaf Academy
Their first destination was Greenleaf Academy, ranked fifth among the top schools in the community. The iron gates opened with practiced ceremony, the guards bowing low as the convoy rolled in. The headmistress, Mrs. Victoria Adeline, stood at the steps of the grand hall. Her smile was polite, yet behind it flickered a strain of curiosity and doubt.
"Mr. Kelvin," she said, dipping her head respectfully, though her eyes glimmered with something sharper. "We are honored to receive you and your… daughter."
Purity stepped out gracefully, her white dress catching the sunlight. The children nearby craned their necks to look at her, whispering curiously. Mrs. Victoria's smile faltered for a moment.
"It has been… years," she continued. "Everyone knew you had a daughter, yet you never sought schooling for her. One wonders why."
Kelvin's expression remained unreadable. "I did not think the time was right. And no one," he added quietly, "has the right to tell me how to raise my daughter."
Mrs. Victoria chuckled softly, as though to cover her discomfort. "Of course. But, as Greenleaf is an institution of high standards, Purity must pass an assessment. I hope you understand."
Kelvin looked down at his daughter. "What do you think, Purity?"
Purity gave the slightest nod, her voice gentle but firm. "Yes, Father. I'll do it."
The Test
They led her into a vast examination hall. Desks stood in neat rows, sunlight streaming across polished floors. Mrs. Victoria, determined to prove a point, ordered her staff to search Purity thoroughly.
"No devices, no notes," she said with a smug tone. "We must be fair."
Purity raised her arms without complaint, her calmness unsettling the staff. She was handed a thick booklet filled with mathematics, English comprehension, science, logic puzzles, and advanced reasoning problems.
"You have one hour," the headmistress announced, folding her arms.
But Purity merely sat down, picked up her pen, and began. Her hand glided across the paper as though the answers already lived inside her mind. Within five minutes, she placed the pen down.
Mrs. Victoria frowned. "Finished? Impossible."
She collected the paper, skimming through the answers with growing disbelief. Each calculation precise, each essay eloquent, each reasoning question flawless. Her lips parted, but no sound came.
Still unwilling to yield, she ordered another set of even harder questions—advanced work from the top grade. "Try these, then," she said sharply.
Purity glanced at them once, then smiled faintly. In less than ten minutes, she solved them all.
Whispers rippled through the hall. Teachers stared, stunned. Mrs. Victoria could no longer mask her awe.
"This child…" she whispered. She could outshine our brightest.
A Change of Heart
When they stepped out of the hall, Mrs. Victoria's earlier disdain had melted into eagerness. She forced her tone into measured warmth, preserving the dignity of her academy.
"Mr. Kelvin, your daughter is… extraordinary! Greenleaf Academy would be honored—no, privileged—to have her. This is the best place for her. We can challenge her, nurture her, and help her achieve greatness. She will have peers to push her further."
Kelvin listened silently, his face calm. Then he shook his head slightly. "That will be for Purity to decide. Not me."
Mrs. Victoria blinked, taken aback. She had expected Kelvin to leap at the offer. Then Kelvin added, his voice firm, "I hope your school's policies on bullying are strong. I won't allow any student or teacher to harm my daughter."
"Of course," Mrs. Victoria assured quickly. "Any bullying here is dealt with immediately. Our cameras, our staff—they ensure safety. Your daughter will be protected."
Kelvin gave a small nod. "We'll get back to you." He shook her hand, and together he and Purity walked out, their composure untouched.
The Other Schools
The same scene played out again and again.
At Riverside Academy, Headmaster Dr. Lionel Brooks greeted them with a cold, calculating tone. He too demanded rigorous tests, certain he could expose weakness. But Purity dismantled every problem with ease, her answers leaving even the senior teachers gaping.
At Summit International School, Principal Charles Edwards wore a mask of politeness but laced his words with doubt. "A child hidden for so long may lack social development," he suggested slyly. Yet after Purity's flawless performance, his tone turned syrupy, dripping with flattery.
At Crystal Heights Academy, Mrs. Beatrice Howell presented an exam designed for university-level students. Purity breezed through it, her composure never faltering. Mrs. Howell, once arrogant, nearly begged them to enroll by the end.
Finally, at Starlight Institute, the most prestigious of them all, Headmaster Professor Marcus Steele attempted to intimidate Purity with complex logic chains and riddles. Yet Purity answered each one with calm precision, her bright eyes unsettling his confidence.
At each school, the pattern was the same: doubt, suspicion, and the hidden intention of humiliating Kelvin for keeping his daughter in the shadows. But every time, Purity turned their plans to dust, leaving them awestruck and desperate for her presence.
Father and Daughter
As they left the fifth school, the evening sun bathed the city in golden light. Purity leaned against her father, her eyes shining. "Father, was I… good enough?"
Kelvin looked down at her, his lips curving into a rare smile. "Purity, you were more than enough. My daughter is brilliant. You've made me proud."
Purity nodded, though in her heart she felt a spark of pride. For once, she had stepped into the world, and the world had seen her.
Kelvin's thoughts, however, were heavier. He knew these schools did not see Purity for who she truly was. To them, she was a jewel to polish their crown, a tool for prestige. But to him, she was his daughter—the only link to his lost wife, his most precious existence.
The choice, as he had told them all, would belong to Purity alone.
And so, their journey through the five schools ended not with a decision, but with a beginning. Purity had shown the world a glimpse of her light. And the world, dazzled and shaken, would not forget it.