CHAPTER 819: CHAPTER 127 - GRADUATION DISASTER (1)

Rose had come back to the Silver Class.

After spending almost three long years in the Gold Class, it was like everything she’d built up just vanished overnight—and she found herself right back where she started.

Now, there were seven new Gold Class cadets who’d managed to climb up from Silver, including one who’d been demoted before and somehow managed to fight his way back up again.

And honestly... well, seeing that made something sink deep into my chest. I couldn’t pretend I felt safe anymore... well, not with how low my rank had gotten in the Gold Class lately. For the first time, it hit me that I had every reason to start really worrying about where I stood.

I guess it took Rose’s fall to finally make me see it clearly. That there really aren’t any guarantees in life. That what I’d been holding onto could disappear, just like that. And realizing that... left me feeling strangely hollow. Alone, even.

It didn’t take long before Gabrielle caught wind of the news about Rose being sent back down.

She actually went over and spoke to Rose, telling her there was still a chance—if she just really focused, she could make her way back into Gold Class.

Of course, we all knew that just "putting your mind to it" wasn’t enough on its own. But Gabrielle offered, saying if Rose wanted, she could train her and help her fight her way back.

But Rose shook her head. She told Gabrielle she should focus on her real goal and that was becoming the best student council president the academy had ever seen.

It honestly surprised me how mature Rose had gotten.

"Well, it’s not like I ever actually wanted to be a magic knight that badly," Rose said, her voice calm. "So even if I can’t get back into Gold Class, it’s fine. There’s nothing I can do about it now. I’ll just become an adventurer instead."

"What are you talking about?" Gabrielle snapped. "You literally have a shot to get back into Gold Class and earn the highest title you could ever reach—and you’re just throwing that away to become an adventurer?"

"Well, yeah. But did I ever say I’d give up?" Rose said, her eyes steady. "I won’t just sit here and rot in Silver Class. I’ll bounce back. I promise."

Gabrielle fell silent after that. And then, when the two of us were walking back to the Gold Dorm, it felt off. It had always been the three of us walking together, but now... it was just me and Gabrielle. Rose wasn’t there, and that empty space felt heavier than I expected.

And then Gabrielle spoke.

"How about you, Irene?" she asked, her voice quiet but serious.

"What? What about me?"

"Do you think you’ll be able to graduate from Gold Class with me? Or... do you already have another plan in case it doesn’t work out?"

I didn’t know what to say. That was the kind of question that makes your chest tighten, because you know it’s something you don’t want to think about.

"Why are you acting like it’s guaranteed I’ll drop down to Silver Class?" I asked, my voice coming out sharper than I meant.

"It’s not just a possibility anymore," Gabrielle replied, her tone steady. "It’s a reality already. And if you don’t take it seriously now, it’ll be over before you even realize it."

For the first time in almost three years, something in me flared up.

It didn’t feel like she was trying to warn me... It felt like she was already sure I was going to fail. Like she’d already written me off.

"I don’t like the way you’re saying it, Gabrielle," I said, my voice low.

"What do you mean?" she asked, frowning a bit.

"It feels like you’re saying it’s guaranteed I’ll be demoted," I shot back.

"I am saying that, basically," she answered bluntly. "That’s why I want you to take it seriously now—so it doesn’t happen."

"I don’t need you to tell me that, Gabrielle," I snapped. "You should know by now it’s obvious I’m taking this seriously."

Gabrielle stopped walking and she just stood there staring at me. But I kept moving. For the first time in years, I walked the rest of the way to the Gold Dormitory completely alone.

***

The months started flying by, faster than I could even keep track. And even though I hadn’t been demoted to Silver Class yet, it wasn’t like I was moving up, either. I could feel it, like I was slowly and steadily slipping back.

Rose hadn’t managed to climb back to Gold Class either. She’d been stuck in Silver for a while now.

And honestly... Well, I think I finally understood why.

It all came back to what Gabrielle had done and that was the implementing equal opportunities for growth among all cadets.

Because of that, the cadets who’d never really had a chance to show what they could do before finally started to shine. And now, it was taking real effect. People who’d been stuck in Silver for so long were breaking through to higher classes.

But then there were cadets like us.... those who were the ones who’d hit our peak early on, or who’d stopped growing for some reason. No matter how hard we trained, it felt like we couldn’t improve anymore. And slowly, some of those people ended up falling behind.

It looked like Rose might have been one of them. And deep down, I couldn’t shake the fear that I was, too. Because even when I gave it everything, I couldn’t seem to break past where I was stuck.

But I don’t really blame Gabrielle. What she did helped a lot of cadets, and it made the academy stronger overall.

And I really do feel happy it worked.

Even if it means I might be the one getting left behind... I don’t want to lose the part of me that can still feel happy for everyone else.