The end of the school year was coming up fast, which meant it was time for the fief selection. For every student at the academy, it was both thrilling and nerve-wracking. Some would be chosen to serve powerful barons and gain a place among the elite. Others would stay behind to face an uncertain future. This was a rite of passage for all, but Winny saw it differently.
She wasn't one of the top students, not by a long shot. Her name barely registered in the highest ranks of the class. While she was smart, her intelligence was quiet and often overlooked. She wasn't popular, but she had a few close friends, including Catherine. Unfortunately, Veronica, the school's bully, often targeted Winny with insults.
"You think you'll get picked for a fief?" Veronica jeered one afternoon as Winny walked by with her friends. "Please, you don't even stand a chance. Maybe they'll send you to some farming village, just like the others who don't have what it takes."
The words hurt more than Winny wanted to admit. Veronica's jealousy and cruelty were expected, but Winny still felt a sting of self-doubt. She had never been the best student, the most outgoing, or someone everyone admired. So why did she always feel like she was meant for something greater?
She tried to shake it off, but uncertainty weighed on her as she returned to her room that evening.
In her small, cozy room, Winny gazed out the window at the setting sun, deep in thought. The only family she knew was her aunt. Her mother had died before Winny could remember her, leaving her to be raised by a quiet and somewhat mysterious woman. Her aunt was always there, caring for her, providing for her, and keeping her safe. Yet, even after all those years together, Winny never fully understood her aunt's past or the strange secrecy that surrounded her.
Her aunt often warned her, even when she was a child, about things Winny couldn't grasp: cryptic phrases about her "true nature" and the importance of certain items, like the sword-shaped necklace Winny wore all the time.
The pendant was a detailed piece made of silver and gold, shaped like a sword with a glowing gem in its hilt. It was the last gift her mother had given her before she passed away, but Winny never understood why her aunt insisted she wear it. Her aunt's voice echoed in her mind as she traced the pendant with her fingers: "This will protect you, Winny. It's more than just a necklace. Never take it off, no matter what."
Winny always obeyed, even though the true meaning of those words was unclear to her. All she knew was that the necklace mattered—enough that her aunt went to great lengths to make sure Winny never took it off. But why? What danger was out there?
In the days that followed, Winny's thoughts became heavier. The day of the fief selection was near, and while most students buzzed with excitement or anxiety, Winny felt distant, crushed by the weight of her fate. Her future was uncertain, and the thought of being left behind scared her more than anything.
Though she had a few friends, Winny often found herself alone, thinking about her place in the world. Her aunt had always supported her, but it felt like there were things her aunt never shared—secrets buried in the past that Winny feared to ask about.
One afternoon, while walking through the school garden with Catherine, her best friend, they brought up the fief selection again.
"You're going to be fine, Winny," Catherine said with a reassuring smile. "I know there's something special about you. The way you think, the way you see things... I've always felt there's more to you than meets the eye and plus even if you don't get in, you still have other chances next year.
Winny smiled faintly, though she didn't fully believe Catherine. She appreciated the encouragement, but it just didn't feel accurate to her. She had always sensed something missing, like a part of her lay hidden, waiting for the right moment to emerge.
"I don't know, Catherine," Winny replied, running her fingers over the sword necklace again. "I've never really felt like I belong here. I don't even know what's so special about me."
Catherine nudged her gently. "Maybe it's time you figured it out. Perhaps you've been holding back, but it's time to face whatever you're meant for."
Later that evening, as Winny sat in her room with moonlight pouring in through the window, the pressure of the upcoming fief selection returned. Catherine's words echoed in her mind: Maybe you've been holding back.
Winny touched the sword-shaped necklace again, pondering what it all meant. Could there be something more to her fate? Was she truly destined for something greater than she had ever envisioned?
The days leading to the selection grew shorter, and Winny's feelings of uncertainty became impossible to ignore. Catherine's words prompted her to think about whether there was a side of herself she had been too scared to explore, too reluctant to accept. But was she ready to confront it?
As she drifted off to sleep that night, Winny's fingers still brushed against the pendant, the glowing gem appearing to pulse gently in the moonlight. She didn't know what awaited her, but deep down, she felt a stirring—a sense that her true path was about to reveal itself.