Raymond's words carried an air of frustration, but beneath that, there was something else—a creeping sense of desperation. What he was trying to convey was simple: they were experiencing something akin to a mid-life crisis. Even now, in our second year, we hadn't managed to break past bronze rank, let alone reach silver. The realization was gnawing at them, weighing down their every decision. A future still uncertain, aspirations slipping further away with each passing day—it was only natural that they'd start to panic.
I supposed they still didn't have enough faith in Princess Myrcella's grand ambition. Her plan to restructure the academy—allowing all three classes to graduate with equal opportunities, even the chance to become Magic Knights—was revolutionary. Yet, as it stood, tradition dictated otherwise. For decades, only gold-class cadets had been allowed the prestigious title. But Myrcella wasn't one to bow to tradition.
