Mandy stared at her name on the bulletin which was printed above of it with her overall average score of her exam. She was listed among the outstanding students in the academy, which she could hardly believe to see her name with them since she thought there is still other students who are better than her.
"Is that her right? The rookie who passed the periodical exam"
"She does really ace it. How did she do it?"
"She even surpassed Leah's score. No wonder she beat her."
"Can you lower your voice, she might be here and heard it." they haven't realized Leah was already there, which was beside Mandy.
Mandy might have not known if Leah hadn't purposely bumped her shoulder hard enough to move her. It obviously shows that Leah was very furious by knowing it, that she immediately leave the place.
"Oh great, she's more irritated now!" Mandy stated sighing. She never intended to really surpass her, she just want to pass the exam in order for her to qualify in the selection of student council.
"Mandy! It's great to see you. Congratulation on passing and acing the exam girl! You're the best!" Grace was rejoicing while shaking her. Mandy already saw their names on the board which they also passed the exam. She wants to greet them but Grace was happier than her right now, she tried to fight back her dizziness she felt while Grace still shaking her.
"Stop it already Grace, you're making her dizzy." Chris spoke out, which Grace immediately noticed.
"Oh, I'm so sorry." She steadied Mandy.
"Let's call it a Celebration then." Heart stated as she approached Mandy and gave her a hug, whispering her greetings.
"After our afternoon class let's go to the Lake Noside. It's a great place to celebrate." Julie joined them.
"That's a good idea, so see you guys later! Especially you Mandy, you should be there." Grace said waving as she slowly walks backward waiting for Mandy's respond.
"Okay, I'll be there." Mandy shook her head how silly Grace was.
As she arrived in their classroom, she heard the very busy murmurs of the students. When she entered the room she noticed the students surrounded her desk while they still murmur.
"I can't believe this."
"Is that really is it?"
"I've only seen this once a year, I can't believe she have it."
"It's an invitation from the Ruler's right?"
"I know that letter. Most of them are summoned to the palace. Most of them came back injured, except for the other students who became a Student Council."
"Yeah, I remembered it. Leah also received one, when she became a student council." They all looked at Leah's table then saw the same letter.
"She also have one, but where is she?" Scanning the place to find her, a surprise look was on them when they saw Mandy. That made them went back to their seats.
Mandy ignored their stares from her and have her seat, noticing the letter in her table.
'This must be it, the starting point to know the truth of my existence.'
As she opened the paper and read the content in it, she frowned. They were summoned to the palace tonight which means she could not join Grace on their little celebration. She must tell them she could not make it to the Lake Noside. They will surely understand her situation.
The class goes on, until the afternoon class end. Mandy immediately went to Grace's classroom and tell her about it. It made her sad to hear it and at the same time happy to hear that Mandy was chosen to be summoned. She even tells her she was lucky and gave her a good luck.
***
Exhaling when she was already in front of the huge gate of the palace, she knocked trice. With the creaking noise as the huge gate opened slowly.
"Welcome Ms. Mandy Frost to the humble palace of the king." an attendant creature greeted her then she motioned her to follow her, leading her in the lobby and through the hallway.
The place was so huge. She can't imagine who else lived in the huge castle. Even their doors are too huge, as well as the windows. 'Did a giant live here?' she asked herself about it but she brush off the idea. She divert her attention and looked at the huge paintings in the walls, there were so many kinds of creatures on the painting. One captures her attention; it was the painting which was in the top of the staircase. It was an image with the monsters and humans bloody clash. The first king must have ordered it to be painted as a memory of the clashing of the humans and monsters.
As they reach the peak of the staircase, they turn left and walk in the long hallway. It was too creepy as it is very empty except for her and the attendant which leads her.
"Are we there yet?" she tried to ask the creature, but it did not answer her. Until the attendant suddenly stopped and turned right, facing a double door. After the knock made by the attendant, it opened revealing a living room.
"Please come inside and be comfortable to use anything inside the room while waiting for the others to arrive." The attendant stated, leaving her alone. She realized she was too early to arrive, but as she checked the clock it was already the time of the gathering. 'What takes them so long to come here' she thought to herself. She sat on the couch and picked a book on top of the table.
As she scanned the title, it was familiar to her since they've also have a book about it in the library. She once encountered it since there was a topic in the book they've take up in the class. There was a part she never expected to be there.
"From the envy of humans after discovering the special abilities of the monsters, they started to capture each monster they could find and made them an experimental tool for their science development. Humans were considered to have improved for the past years by these experimental results. Making the monsters decide to seclude themselves from the humans, but humans was consumed by their greediness. It was alarming for the monsters that they were slowly being captured. A revolt from the monsters was formed. Until it resulted into the bloody clash that they wish it never happened."
A mixed emotion felt by Mandy. It was sad to hear that it was human who started it, but at the same time mad at what they just did to them. They even sacrificed too many humans by it.
"If I were you, I would not bother to think about that revised story of history." It was a familiar voice she heard. That she ignored to face the creature.
'What is he doing here? I thought only the selected students are gathering here?' Mandy could not help but complain to herself. She closed the book, losing her interest to read.
"That's none of your business to tell me." She placed the book back to the table. Morgan sat beside her which made Mandy a little uncomfortable.
'Why does he have to sit beside me when there are so many spaces available? Okay, I must be overreacting over this.' She told herself and calm by sighing.
"Does my presence really bother you that much?" Mandy was surprised why he asked that all of a sudden. It was indeed bothered her when he is around, but why does he have to ask that? And who would be? He was beside her of all the places. Does she need to voice it out that he must choose another place to sit? But who is she if she would tell him that?
"What are you talking – Huh?" she did not finish when he suddenly stood up and transferred to another couch. He did not bother to talk. He picked out his phone and check only to it. She was in daze for a few seconds when a group of noise entered the room.
"Well, it looks like she was already here first." One of them said. Behind her was Leah and the other students who was selected. They all looked at Mandy's direction not noticing the presence of Morgan.