The academy grounds emptied as the final bell rang.
Students poured out through the gates, their faces bearing mixed emotions. Yet oddly, none of them spoke about their own grades. Not about who passed. Not about who failed.
The only name on everyone's lips was Kazuki Ayanami.
"How did Kazuki get the lowest score?""Was it a mistake?""Is this some trick of his?"
The whispers spread like wildfire, from students to their families, and from households to markets, until the entire South Ryehem Kingdom buzzed with the same impossible question: What is Kazuki planning?
Inside Kazuki's soul, Elsa's voice echoed sharply in his mind, frantic and bewildered.
"I got it now… I finally see it," Elsa gasped."No way… there's no way a human could think this far ahead. Not without help. How… How did you even—"
She paused, connecting dots only Kazuki could have placed.
(She began to mutter about other conversations, critical secrets, and names the dear readers wouldn't yet learn — for those are secrets meant for Volume 2. Suffice it to say, the pieces were starting to fall into place for Elsa.)
And as she fell silent, Kazuki whispered back in his mind, his voice calm and certain.
"Failures are nothing but steps to the real destination. At least for me. I don't know about anyone else, but once someone truly understands how to reach their goals, they'll realize even failures can be turned into stairs to climb higher. In fact, those who aim for something greater… plan their failures. Because in the end, everything is just another stair leading to something superior."
His words carried the weight of someone who didn't just believe this — but had built his life around it.
The scene shifted again.
As Kazuki reached the royal mansion, Isabela and Shang were waiting. They had only just heard about Kazuki's results.
Both of them were visibly confused.
"Kazuki," Shang called out as he entered, "we… heard about the academy results. Is it true? That you…"
Kazuki smiled faintly.
"Scored the least?" he finished for him. "Yes."
Isabela blinked, even more baffled.
"But why? What happened?"
Kazuki gave no explanation, offering only a reassuring look before walking past them.
"Don't worry about it."
His calmness unnerved them more than the result itself.
In that moment, neither Isabela nor Shang could imagine that Kazuki's failure wasn't a mishap, but the ignition of a far-reaching plan whose scope they couldn't yet fathom.
And somewhere in the depths of his soul, Elsa whispered to herself.
"What kind of monster are you creating, Fate…?"