CHAPTER 817: CHAPTER 126 - FRIENDS (4)

We ended up celebrating Gabrielle’s victory right there in the council office, and honestly, the air felt almost electric with relief and excitement.

Gabrielle herself was practically glowing. Her smile looked so wide it could split her face in two, and her eyes were sparkling like someone who’d just pulled off a miracle.

And really, it wasn’t like it came out of nowhere. I mean, she had every damn reason to be this happy, considering the insane amount of effort she’d poured into trying to win this presidential run.

I still remembered how crushed she looked when she lost before with how her shoulders slumped and how empty her voice sounded, like all her hard work had been worth nothing. And now, here she was, standing tall, smiling like the world had finally given something back. Winning must’ve felt like the universe finally saying, "Yeah, it wasn’t for nothing."

And well, she deserved that.

The current president—who still held the title until Gabrielle officially took over next academic year—stepped forward, giving her a soft, genuine smile.

She congratulated Gabrielle warmly, her voice tinged with something like bittersweet pride. She was honestly happy that Gabrielle got to live out the dream she’d been chasing ever since her first year, and she also thanked her quietly for standing by her side during her own time leading the council.

"Thank you, president," Gabrielle said, her voice a little shaky but her smile unwavering.

The other council members followed, offering their congratulations one after another, some clapping her on the shoulder, others giving small, respectful nods.

And me... well... Of course I congratulated her too. I mean, hell, I’d already told her how happy I was for her a bunch of times before.

Because I really was. I meant it.

What none of us knew—least of all me—was that this moment right here would quietly mark the start of my own downfall. The moment when my place in the Gold Class rankings would slowly start slipping away.

***

After all that, there was no way in hell we wouldn’t go and throw our own little party. So Rose and I dragged Gabrielle off to the pub, just like we always did.

We sank into the familiar old wooden seats, the dim light of the pub flickering over our tired but happy faces.

We talked about the dumbest things and the smallest things, like how we hated the taste of the academy rations, or which professor had the most annoying habit as well as laughing until our sides hurt.

Every sip of alcohol burned its way down my throat, leaving a warm haze blossoming in my chest and crawling up to my head, making everything feel lighter, a bit dizzy, but strangely comforting.

And then, finally, Gabrielle set her glass down, fingers tapping against the rim. Her eyes were calm but serious, and it felt like the air itself tensed up around us.

"Now then," she began, her voice just loud enough to rise over the hum of the pub, "with all of that finally in the bag... I wanna tell you both something."

It felt like the words had been sitting heavy on her tongue all night, waiting to spill out. I was honestly a little surprised she didn’t wait till tomorrow—but there was a strange relief in hearing it now.

"I told you both that once I won, I wanted you on the council, right?" she continued.

"Yes," I said, leaning in with a grin. "What? You thinking about our positions now?" I teased, trying to keep the mood light.

But Gabrielle shook her head slowly, and that tiny shake felt heavier than it had any right to.

"No," she said, voice softer. "I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can give you a spot on the council."

The words dropped between us like a stone sinking into water.

My mouth went dry. Rose fell silent too, her playful expression fading. We locked eyes for a brief second, sharing the same silent surprise.

It wasn’t anger but well... just a sudden emptiness. Especially after how much she’d kept telling us before that she wanted us there beside her.

"I-It’s not that I don’t want you both," she added quickly, the words stumbling out. "And it’s not that I think you’re incompetent. But I feel like... if I really wanna do what I promised everyone, I need members who’d make the council work more efficiently."

I listened, heart beating a little harder, not sure what to say yet.

"I feel like, if I want to actually keep the promises I made earlier, I need a solid plan and people who can help make it happen. That means picking those who can make the academy run better—not just my friends."

Hearing her say it out loud, it honestly made sense. It really did. But well... it still hurt. Just a little stab of something sharp, deep down.

And judging by the tight, thoughtful look on Rose’s face, she felt it too.

Still, there wasn’t any room for blame. We weren’t mad, because deep inside, I also knew there were probably people who could do the job better.

Plus, being in the council for a year was already more than enough. Part of me had been thinking it might be good to step back, too—because, gods, it was hard to keep my rank from slipping when I had to juggle all the council work.

"Well, I’m fine with it," Rose finally spoke up, shrugging lightly. "I don’t really think I’d fit in the council anyway. So thank goodness you’re not picking me. Even if you did, I’d probably just mess around and not do a damn thing useful."

"That’s so typical of you," I told Rose with a little laugh, shaking my head. Then I turned back to Gabrielle. "I get what you’re saying. And if you think this is what’s best, then do it. Honestly, I’m fine with it. Not being on the council means I can finally focus on training and studying—and maybe stop my rank from crashing any lower." I let out a small chuckle. "So in a weird way, it’s kind of a relief."

When we said that, Gabrielle’s face softened into a smile so warm it almost melted that heavy feeling from earlier.

It wasn’t the smile of someone happy to shove us out of the way—it was the smile of someone grateful we understood, and relieved we didn’t hate her for it.

She was just trying to be the best president she could be.

"Well, enough with the serious stuff!" I suddenly blurted out, raising my half-empty glass. "Let’s keep celebrating, yeah?!"

"Yes..." Gabrielle breathed out, still smiling, with her shoulders finally relaxing.

And so we did. We kept drinking and laughing until the lights blurred and the air felt heavy with warmth.

Eventually, Rose ended up completely knocked out drunk, and Gabrielle and I had to half-carry, half-drag her back to her room at the Gold Dorm with her snores echoing all the way down the hall.