"Hurry!" The receptionist was already moving toward the door. "Come on!"85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7QOHJQReyM
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Cel matched her quick stride as they moved through the corridor. She didn't look back to see if he kept pace - just assumed he would.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn3TVxms5Rw
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They reached his door. She stopped, gesturing sharply.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVGYZumOulZ
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"Uniform. Now. I'll wait."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGtwC8t51Sh
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Cel pushed inside and crossed to the wardrobe. The dark fabric still sat folded where he'd left it, the silver threading along the collar catching morning light from the window.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfTjf2SeZAW
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He stripped off his clothes and pulled on the uniform. The fabric was stiffer than the commoner clothes he'd worn the past ten days, the collar higher. Over his heart, the silver mark of the Moon Goddess stood out against the dark cloth.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdQ2mLZ29b6
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When he emerged, the receptionist gave him a quick once-over and nodded.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwvuZxI6txi
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"Good enough. Let's go."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlETpj7lyfW
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She set off at a pace just short of running. Cel matched her stride easily, his divine body making the speed feel natural even as she began breathing harder.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNQDd0iWiy
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"Everyone's already gathered," she said between breaths. "You were supposed to be there twenty minutes ago. I checked your room three times this morning - where were you?"85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjIzSXeYVCP
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"Walking."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxkBg1Za0Nn
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She shot him a look but didn't press. They turned a corner and the main hall loomed ahead - massive oak doors standing open, voices spilling out in a dull roar.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡarLTRKoxLp
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The receptionist slowed as they approached. "Get in line with the others. Don't make a scene."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9rptfEsZvX
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Cel slipped through the doors.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWjbs4a6fa
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The hall stretched vast and high-ceilinged. Rows of students stood in formation before a raised stage at the far end. Perhaps forty of them, all wearing the same dark uniform with silver threading. All commoners.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4FoqbE7V84
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Cel moved along the back of the formation, looking for a gap. The students were packed tight, shoulders nearly touching. He found space near the end of the fourth row and stepped into it.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJx3fcRD2xN
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No one turned. No one acknowledged his late arrival. Every face pointed forward, attention fixed on the empty stage.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRTYR2bTxCs
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The boy to his left shifted his weight from foot to foot. His fingers drummed against his thigh in nervous rhythm.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzygnI6fLvw
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ607MFWy2DZ
"—heard she's really coming," a girl whispered two rows ahead. "The princess herself."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2kw6fFAl4G
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"No way," a boy to her right hissed back. "That's just a rumor. Why would she—"85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8adzy3q2La
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"My cousin works in the palace kitchens. She said—"85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡysjs00rNwo
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"Quiet!" someone snapped from the front row.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHasLBOu36
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The whispers died, but the energy remained - crackling tension that made the air feel charged. Bodies leaned forward slightly, as if the extra inch might let them see better when something finally happened.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwEm5MsGcDG
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A door opened at the stage's side and a man emerged - tall, gray-haired, wearing formal robes with the royal crest prominent across his chest. The headmaster. His boots clicked against the wooden platform as he crossed to the podium.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOw0QIq6WM5
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The silence deepened, every fidget ceasing.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcBndIgaKM5
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He surveyed the assembled students. His gaze swept the rows without hurry, taking in every face. When he finally spoke, his voice carried easily across the hall.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvS4nCNbgtI
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"Welcome to the Chosen Academy. Before we begin, it is my honor to announce our distinguished guest for this year's opening ceremony."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5sbH5mDwUO
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He paused. The silence somehow deepened.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGZTcVItgJS
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"Her Imperial Highness, Cassandra Stellarion, Princess of the Empire."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmapOEFO0TO
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The whispers had been right.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9aHNr2BBP
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Excited murmurs rippled through the formation - quickly suppressed but unmistakable. Bodies straightened. The nervous energy transformed into something sharper, more focused.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOjPo06N6xu
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The side door opened again.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpwV8VjK4NU
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She entered with practiced grace - each step measured, her posture perfect. The princess wore deep purple robes edged in gold, the royal crest embroidered across her chest in intricate detail. Deep purple hair - the same rich shade as her clothes - fell in an elegant arrangement that must have taken hours to achieve. Her features were refined, beautiful in the way that came from centuries of careful bloodline cultivation.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUEskxF5RME
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Cel had seen her once before. At the ceremony where the Emperor granted Esrin the title of Hallowed - the highest honor a Chosen could receive. The princess had stood among the other royals behind the throne, present but not prominent.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgr7G4fEf2I
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She looked older now. More composed. Every movement deliberate and controlled.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQTCXZuB0IL
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The whispers started immediately, rippling through the rows in broken fragments.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzN4Nx04GdC
85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcgRYapV4NT
"—actually her—"85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡudx7oE29cC
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"—so beautiful—"85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfSJZjEJvRW
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"—can't believe—"85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY86jYZw2Rz
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The princess reached the podium. She let the moment breathe, her deep purple eyes sweeping across the assembled students with the same measured assessment the headmaster had used.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkxUcoN3x1t
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Then she smiled.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjckStQMlLh
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Warm. Genuine. The kind of expression that made people feel seen, valued.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfbo86AktCJ
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"Thank you, Headmaster." Her voice carried the same effortless projection, clear without being loud. "And welcome to all of you. This is a significant day - not just for the Academy, but for our Empire."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLHIt7IDe6E
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She paused, letting the weight settle.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO718KQaOJx
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"Each of you has been blessed by the gods. Chosen to stand against the darkness that threatens our world. The rifts that tear reality apart. The creatures that crawl through to destroy everything humanity has built."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZN5GbE2i4
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Her expression shifted - still warm, but underlaid with steel.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMzBW4XzvVR
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"You are humanity's defense. Its hope. And the Academy exists to ensure you become worthy of that sacred duty."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4t8JxXOX0p
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The students around Cel leaned forward, drinking in every word. The girl two rows ahead had tears in her eyes. The boy beside Cel had stopped fidgeting entirely, standing rigid with attention.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgapO8RCY9i
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Cel watched the princess's face. The fleeting expressions that flickered beneath the controlled exterior. The calculated pauses that gave her words time to land.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIjwi1W8DV0
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This wasn't normal.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeGWrNjEHEJ
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Royalty didn't attend academy openings. The Emperor had never spoken at one. The Empress hadn't either. It was beneath their station - a task delegated to the headmaster and instructors.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtvsoGZhRED
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So why was she here?85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFiSklI31g7
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The answer crystallized as she continued speaking.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOlh9xrm4jS
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"The Empire stands at a crossroads. Threats gather both within and beyond our walls. We need strength. Unity. Chosen who understand that their power serves something greater than personal ambition."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmp8B5juLs9
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There it was. Buried in platitudes about duty and service.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJVpYhsygF
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Recruitment.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN1FoKmallj
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She was here to secure promising students early. To establish relationships before the nobles arrived and complicated the social dynamics. To position herself - and by extension, whichever faction she supported - as the benefactor who cared about commoner Chosen.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Goc6RcIi4
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The question was which faction she supported.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ23iht5XLti
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Her father, the Emperor, backed the First Prince. Her mother, the Empress, backed the Second. The princess herself couldn't inherit - only men could ascend to the Stellarion throne, following the precedent set by the First Chosen.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2qhRag4Dy
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"—know that I will be watching your progress with great interest," the princess was saying. "The Empire's future depends on Chosen like you. Never forget the responsibility you carry."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmaShTzeT8y
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She stepped back from the podium. The smile returned, softer now.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0ZXKCkFUu
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"May the gods guide your path." 85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqQB8dlMctV
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Applause erupted - immediate, thunderous. The students clapped with desperate enthusiasm, as if the force of their approval might somehow keep her attention.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2lrxfr03Jf
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The princess inclined her head graciously, then turned and walked toward the side door with the same measured grace she'd entered with.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1a9zsxDPeW
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The headmaster returned to the podium as she disappeared.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv6eEEuAu6c
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"Thank you, Your Highness, for those inspiring words." He waited for the applause to fade before continuing. "Now, to practical matters. You will proceed to the dining hall for your first meal as academy students. Afterward, assemble in the main classroom where your instructor will explain the curriculum and answer questions.”85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlpXDgKAM9t
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He gestured toward the hall's main exit. "Dismissed."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBw9t37gGZI
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The formation dissolved immediately. Students streamed toward the doors in clusters, voices rising as the enforced silence broke.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlxoOR25IEE
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"My parents won’t believe—"85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwFRzPNsgv0
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"—incredible speech, I got chills when she said—"85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOGYjx3RKCw
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"—maybe she'll visit again, do you think—"85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFyfI9qYFu
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Cel followed the flow through corridors that opened into a large dining hall. Long wooden tables filled the space, already set with plates and cups. The smell of fresh bread and cooked meat filled the air.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdkOJpxOXAX
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Students claimed seats in groups, gravitating toward familiar faces from their home territories or shared deity affiliations. Conversations continued unabated, everyone still buzzing with excitement over the princess's appearance.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0qbeGtAzHF
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Cel found an empty table near the back and sat.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Q7TTru4Gr
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No one joined him. The surrounding tables filled quickly, but his remained isolated - an island of empty space in a crowded hall.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsagINItUCH
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He didn't mind.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLEwNqauEay
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Food arrived - brought by kitchen staff who moved efficiently between tables. Bread, still warm. Roasted chicken. Vegetables in some kind of sauce. 85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjYmIsSbfP0
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Cel ate mechanically, tasting nothing. His mind was elsewhere, still processing the princess's speech and what it meant for the shifting political landscape.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsjnliEvqv8
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Footsteps approached. Hesitant. Uncertain.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwdINLSHyhw
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Cel looked up.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWkvTknxNq
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A boy stood at the table's edge, perhaps his age or slightly younger. Wheat blond hair fell across his forehead. Soft blue eyes that rarely made direct contact, currently fixed on a point somewhere past Cel's shoulder. His posture curved inward, shoulders hunched as if trying to occupy as little space as possible.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwMXXvC491C
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The silver crescent moon over his heart caught the light.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjT6iMIzOnO
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Another Moon Chosen.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡluKWxD5zpf
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The boy's hands twisted together. His mouth opened, closed, opened again. Finally, words emerged - quiet, apologetic.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQbvSn8IbxO
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"I'm sorry to bother you, but... you're a Moon Chosen too, aren't you? I saw your mark during the ceremony and I thought maybe..."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFb4yJebjIc
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He trailed off, uncertainty written across every feature.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa2mvmEiBEi
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"Would it be alright if I sat with you?"1234 copyright protection81ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQkGUHW1OS 尼

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