In the midst of Myra's concern for Liyn, the classroom door opened once again.
Viola and Nico walked in.
The classroom, which had been filled with lively chatter moments ago, gradually grew quieter.
Standing at the front of the room with the attendance list in hand, Viola spoke in a firm and professional tone.
"Alright, the next five students, please proceed to Instructor Leith's examination room."
Without realizing it, Liyn let out a quiet breath.
So Myra was right...
The examinations really didn't take more than ten minutes.
The thought left her feeling slightly uneasy.
Especially when she noticed Viola briefly glance in her direction.
It was only a moment.
Yet it was enough to make Liyn uncomfortable.
Viola lowered her gaze back to the attendance sheet.
"Elara Hesra."
"Myra Storm."
"Aiden Harkon."
"Atlas Arganox."
"Theo Nexora."
She closed the list.
"Those whose names were called, please head to the examination room immediately."
Several students immediately rose from their seats.
But before they could leave—
"Wow."
Elara let out a long sigh.
"I thought the examination would be quick."
Her tone sounded casual.
Yet her eyes briefly flickered toward Liyn.
"Turns out it can take almost half an hour."
Aiden, who was adjusting his uniform, chuckled.
"Yeah. I was surprised too."
He shrugged.
"Usually it doesn't take that long."
Several students exchanged glances.
No one mentioned Liyn's name directly.
But everyone knew who they were talking about.
Liyn lowered her gaze.
Her fingers slowly tightened around the edge of her desk.
The discomfort that had started to fade returned once more.
Quieter than before.
Yet somehow more real.
Beside her, Myra remained silent.
Her eyes moved from Elara to Liyn.
Then to the other students whispering among themselves.
For the first time, she began to understand what was really happening.
The things she had said earlier.
Her conversations with their classmates.
The rumors she had unknowingly allowed to spread.
All of it may have created something that never should have happened.
Myra looked at Liyn.
Her friend had lowered her head again.
Silent.
As though trying to make herself invisible.
And for the first time that day, guilt began to take root in Myra's heart.
...
Meanwhile, the atmosphere inside the examination room was far calmer than in the classroom.
The five newly arrived students stood in a line before the white marble table used to measure Veyra.
The bowls of clear water engraved with ancient symbols still rested on top of it.
Leith stood beside the table with his arms crossed.
"Before we begin, I'll give a brief explanation."
The five students immediately focused their attention on him.
"Veyra is the energy possessed by every Syntara user. A person's Veyra level does not completely determine their strength, but it provides a general indication of their potential and energy capacity."
Leith pointed at the bowl of water.
"The process is simple. I'll take a small sample of your blood, and this device will react and reveal the detected Veyra level."
He paused briefly.
"There's no need to be nervous. The examination only takes a few minutes."
The students nodded.
"Atlas Arganox."
Atlas immediately stepped forward.
"Please."
The examination began.
Leith pricked the tip of Atlas's finger with a small needle and allowed a drop of blood to fall into the bowl.
The clear water slowly began to change color.
As Leith observed the reaction, a quiet conversation started behind him.
"I still can't get over it."
Aiden spoke softly.
"Thirty minutes for one examination is excessive."
"Right?"
Elara replied while briefly glancing toward Leith.
"I've never heard of an examination taking that long."
Leith kept his eyes on Atlas's result.
As if he hadn't heard a thing.
Yet he caught every word perfectly.
"I heard Liyn once hid her Veyra level too."
Aiden raised an eyebrow.
"Seriously?"
Elara nodded slightly.
"That's the rumor."
"That's strange."
Aiden crossed his arms.
"If it's true, why would she hide it?"
Elara pretended to think.
"No idea."
Then she continued, her voice slightly louder.
"Maybe because she thinks she's different from other Syntara users."
Leith remained silent.
His gaze stayed fixed on the examination bowl.
But from the corner of his eye, he carefully observed every student in the room.
Theo didn't seem interested.
Atlas, who was currently being examined, wasn't paying attention either.
Aiden looked genuinely curious.
As for Elara...
Too active.
Too deliberate.
As though she wanted someone to notice every sentence she spoke.
Leith's gaze slowly shifted.
Then stopped on Myra.
The girl stood at the very back.
Not participating in the conversation.
Not interrupting.
Her head was slightly lowered.
Her fingers were clasped together nervously.
An expression that was easy enough to read.
Guilt.
Interesting.
Leith turned his attention back to the examination bowl.
So that's how it is.
He didn't know the full details of what had happened in the classroom.
But from the fragments he had overheard, the overall picture was beginning to form.
Rumors.
Whispers.
Misunderstandings.
And one student who seemed to be at the center of it all.
"Finished."
Leith's voice cut through the conversation.
The water stopped reacting.
Atlas blinked.
"Huh?"
"Your Veyra level has been recorded."
Leith wrote the result on the examination sheet.
The room fell silent once more.
But before calling the next student, Leith lifted his gaze.
His silver eyes swept across the room.
Calm.
Expressionless.
Yet enough to make everyone immediately fall silent.
"You all seem to have plenty of time to talk about other people."
There was no anger in his voice.
Which somehow made his words feel even heavier.
"You'd be better off using some of that time to improve your own Veyra."
The room instantly fell silent.
Elara froze.
Aiden instinctively straightened his back.
Meanwhile, Myra slowly raised her head.
Leith closed the examination sheet.
"Next."
His gaze landed on another student.
As though the previous conversation had never happened.
But everyone in the room understood.
Leith had heard every single word.