Everly smiled warmly. "You've passed the trial splendidly. Resourcefulness, teamwork, and creativity you've shown all three admirably."
For a long moment, silence filled the air, heavy with disbelief. Aria blinked rapidly, her wide eyes darting around as if waiting for someone to burst into laughter and announce that this was all a grand joke. Beside her, Riven looked mildly nauseated, clearly convinced the reward was some form of cleverly disguised punishment.
Smaug puffed out his chest importantly, the gleam of satisfaction radiating from him like sunlight off polished armor. "Naturally," he drawled smugly, tossing a haughty glance at a pair of nearby students who groaned audibly upon realizing their defeat. "With me as your leader, was there ever any doubt?"
The system's voice slipped quietly into my thoughts, dripping with sarcastic delight. [You've created a monster, Elyzara.]
I bit back a laugh. Too late to fix that now, I thought dryly, shaking my head.
