Chapter 198: Kicked Out (Part 1)
Erissen's perspective - Keris Imperial Academy - 3:12 PM, Warsaw Corps Army 2nd Combat Battalion
I was now in the school as usual, getting through the Warsaw Corps Army basic training, with the observation of Sir Hatano...or I considered. John did not come here today to observe us for some reason. We were now sparring in the backyard.
Back in the previous days, when Lord John took control to be the observer of the military training in the school, he changed all things. First change, the Head Hunters unit's personnel who occupied the school had been phased out gradually. And the basic training of ours had been changed from the Green Marine Corps to the Warsaw Corps Army.
Not yet, our Drill instructors (Now were so-called Drill Sergeants - this one was for the Army basic training). Had stopped harassing and beating us, not like the assholes of Hatano's people anymore, I was very glad.
But three schools: Keris Imperial Academy, Keris Knight Academy and Keris College had been used to launch the training in the different ways on ours.
Shortly, Imperial Academy was used to train the Warsaw Corps Army basic training for only schoolgirls from 3 schools. According to John, our women were physically weaker, we need to take the lighter training since hardly people can get through the intense basic training of Green Marine Corps.
Though he honestly wanted to put our girls out of the training but could not, His Majesty forced him to use all students as human shields. We were now safe, but kept questioning about our fates, whether or not our girls would be thrown on the battlefield.
Though this country hadn't been in any kind of war for more than 30 years...no, maybe I was a bit wrong. Honestly, the invasion of the monsters from a year ago could be considered as a kind of war. Though it ended quickly but most of the people in the Capital could still feel shivered every time they remind themselves of that nightmare day.
The odd thing about this military training that it was conducted during peacetime. Very strange, since this Kingdom was very peaceful, no signs of any conflicts with any factions in the future. But somehow, I thought like they were training us for some purpose which seemed to be about war.
Till this time, the schoolgirls of 3 schools would gather at Imperial Academy to take the Warsaw Corps Army basic training for 10 weeks. Meanwhile, the schoolboys of 3 schools would gather at Knight Academy to take the Green Marine Corps basic training for 13 weeks.
Keris College would be used for teaching something else, also about the military too. Though that school was not used for any military purpose this time, but I think John would use it in the future.
Actually, it was said to be the basic training but all of us had passed it more than 2 weeks ago, quite intense to rethink. Because the standard of the training of Warsaw Corps Army was 2 weeks. While it would be 4 weeks for the Green Marine Corps.
Though we had all passed the training but we could not yet go out of the school. We would have to finish the extended training to fit the standard training duration of the military in John's homeland. So we were now in that progress, still grinding hard to get out of this place.
This time, we were all in the backyard with our Drill Sergeant. With the observation of Sir Hatano since she stopped by here to see us after going around 3 schools for hours. Because the schools were next to each other, so the observer would go around to check on us. Strangely that, John did not come here today...sigh!
"Private Erissen!!!". - Our Drill Sergeant - Ms. Sgt. Sereski yelled at me after approaching me, I was losing my concentration to look at Raptu...sigh!
Anyway, because each platoon had been changed so I was mixed with Raptu, hehe.
"Yes, Drill Sergeant?!". - I replied
"I saw you lose your focus during my lesson!". "Now fucking get your ass in the circle! Welcome to hell!". - She immediately pointed to a red circle line which was drawn on the ground, away from me 40 meters
"Yes, Drill Sergeant!". - Well, that could be considered a cage fight, I replied to Sgt. Sereski and ran through there
As I finished running to the circle, Sgt. Sereski pointed to the armory crate on the left side so I ran there to grab my weapons. Preparing for a duel with a random member of my platoon...I wished I hadn't looked at Raptu earlier...sigh!
After a short time choosing, I managed to choose a long spear whose metal point had been replaced with a wooden blade, it looked good to fight. Later, I returned to the circle and waited for my opponent to show up.
"Pvt. Raptu, get on the line, grab your weapons!". - Oh, so I would fight against Raptu, eh? Alright...
Raptu after hearing the order of our Drill Sergeant, she ran fast and passed her, later came to the armory crate. So strange that she chose her weapons for quite long, kept leaning her hands inside the crate as if she didn't know which one to choose.
"You found it yet?!".
"Wait for me, Drill Sergeant". "Nothing in here can fit my strength, bring more crates like this". - After replying to Sgt. Sereski, Raptu grabbed out...4 long wooden swords at the same time?!
Her hands were huge but could not have enough space to hold 4 swords at a same time. So my fox friend just simply stuck the swords tightly together and held them, just like that. Raptu later got in the circle and smiled at me, while standing straight to wait for the order of our Drill Sergeant.
"What you're doing, Raptu? That's so nuts for holding weapons like that". - I was quite surprised so I asked her to change the fighting way
"Umm...picking heavy things is my hobby, Eris...hehe". "Don't worry, I'll be easy on you, attack me first". -
"Alright, starts the fight!".
"Beat her! Beat her! Make her blood, beat 'em, soldiers!". - The members of my platoon were yelling to ask us to fight against each other when Sgt. Sereski started the duel
I immediately formed my fighting stance, kept my distance from Raptu while pointing my long spear at her. Raptu seemed to be very casual since she didn't form any fighting stance, only standing straight as if to wait for my attack to be launched.
"Yarrrgggghhhhh!". - I ran the spear at her fastly while Raptu was still very casual
"Think 7 times before doing anything, Eris...". - She fastly grabbed the head shaft of my spear with her left hand, I kept trying to push onward
"Ohhh...". - She was quite careless, one of her swords fell to the ground while she was grabbing my spear, this time was a good chance for me when Raptu was crouching down, trying to grab the fallen sword
"Yarrrrghhhhhhhhhh!". - I pushed harder and alerted Raptu, she squeezed her muscles and started reacting to my spear
"Ohhhh!". - In a blink of an eye, with only a huge hand, she lifted my body above by rotating the spear, I was very panicked so I fell
"Ahhhhhhh!". - So lucky that I dropped my hands from the spear before she lifted me up the sky entirely, so lucky! Otherwise, some of my ribs would have been broken!
"Can still fight...?". - Raptu asked me if I can still fight, now I was sitting on the ground with my hurtful butt, still trying to stand up
"Nod!".
"Good, on your feet, soldier". - After speaking to me, she grabbed my right hand and lifted me up, I managed to stand still
"Here, Eris...if you're about to fight me, choose another one heavier and thicker". "With my hand, I can break this spear easily, now it's yours". - She even returned to me the spear, I received it while nodding to understand Raptu
"Pvt. Erissen, fight better next time, now restart!". - Sgt. Sereski yelled at me and restarted the duel
My butt was still very hurt but I tried to calm down and started pointing my spear at Raptu while she was standing with her swords in two hands. I shortly thought about fighting in the defensive style. Since my fox friend was strong, attacking her was not really suitable for the fight.
"Why don't you attack me, sis?". - I held my spear tightly while thinking about her attack directions to react
"Are you sure, Eris? I'll try not to hurt you...remember to dodge it, it'll be very hurt". "I'm about to do it now...". "Dodge fast, alright?". - Raptu said to me while squeezing the swords tighter, her veins could be seen popping out, as if she would use very much force in this single attack
"Nod! Eh-". - As I finished nodding, Raptu swiftly rushed to me, as I could see, in front of me was her, raising the swords above, about to make the strike
"Ahhhhh!". - I was startled so I lifted my spear up to block the attack, Raptu later swung her swords down and I could feel a very big pressure crushing the spear's head
"Smash!". - In a blink of an eye, the spear's head had gone, destroyed entirely while the soil below it had now a very deep destroyed ground to 2 or 3 meters
"Haaahhhh! Haahhh! Haahh!". - I gasped and fell to the ground, but managed to hold it with my hands, all 4 swords that Raptu was holding had now also broken terribly, what a terrible power of a fox-human!
"Ahh!". - Sgt. Sereski later threw a small rock at Raptu's back, so she moaned because of surprised
"You two fucking weapon breakers get your asses here quick!". - She yelled quite loud
This time, Raptu grabbed my hand and pulled me up. Both of us shortly ran toward Sgt. Sereski and stood straight opposite her, while hoping she would make out the slightest punishment for us.
"Pvt. Raptu, get your ass put there to pick up the logs! Run with them on your shoulders, rest no seconds!". "Run 5 rounds, now move your ass!". - Sgt. Sereski pointed to the east side of the backyard, which stocked a lot of big wooden logs over there
"Yes, Drill Sergeant!". - Raptu nodded and ran straight to the wooden logs, she shortly picked up two logs and put them on her shoulders, trying to have the balance
After having the balance, Raptu started running with the wooden logs on her shoulders. By running around the backyard in 5 rounds, I don't know if that kind of punishment was enough. Since this big sister was very strong because she was a fox whose father was a tiger.
"Pvt. Erissen, get in the circle once again, and fight!". - After finishing with Raptu, she told me to return to "the cage"
"Yes, Drill Sergeant".
I shortly came to the previous crate and took out another wooden spear. Later returned to the circle and noticed the broken weapons had now been removed by the soldiers who stood near here to watch the cage duel.
"Pvt. Lia, get in the circle".
Shortly after the order, Lia - another girl who was in my platoon, came to the crate to pick up a long spear and shortly joined the circle. Quite difficult for me to defeat her, since we were now using the same weapons to match.
"Alright, start!".
The fight was ordered to be started since I wasn't prepared for anything. But luckily that Lia hadn't prepared too for this fight. Making it as my advantage, I slowly formed my fighting stance while Lia was doing it as same as I, interesting.
Instead of running toward each other to charge our spears, we started walking in the circle form to think about the enemy's movement. I was quite...inexperienced, so I was rotating my spear's direction a few times. Trying to figure out Lia's attack direction.
"C'mon, just fight, goddammit! In the battle, you two won't have even half of a second to think, fight!". "Remember to use all of your senses, you don't have time to think about strategies! Just fight!". - Sgt. Sereski yelled at us since we hesitated to fight
"Beat her, bleed her! Come on, just get the fuck in!". "Beat her till she cannot stand!".
I heard that the yells from the members of my platoon were very loud. This time, I was quite hesitant to fight, not until I find out about her movement. Meanwhile, Lia was staring at me while rotating the spear, making its direction to be pointed to my head. Maybe...I had successfully guessed right her movement in the duel.
"Arrrrghhh!". - I was quite shocked when she charged at me while pointing down the spear, the previous one was just a decoy, shit!
I managed to push my force into the spear, pushing down her spear and diverting its direction. Lia later stepped back and both of us stared at each other while walking in the circle form. Seconds later, she rushed her spear to me once again but I managed to dodge it. That was dangerous.
"Haaahhhh!". - When I hadn't had the chance to prepare, she ran her spear to me, I dodged it and used my spear to crush it down
"Urrrrrgggghhhh!". - I crushed so hard that my spear was about to crush down hers completely, but she lifted it up in time and I was shocked
"Yarrrrghhhhhhhhhh!". - This time, she ran her spear to me, I blocked her attack and kicked her with my right leg, but the distance between us was still far, so I missed
Both of us jumped back while forming our fighting stances, sweating on our faces while keeping a certain distance. Suddenly, she charged at me once again but missed, her spear had now stabbed the soil and got stuck over there.
"Urrrrrgggghhhh!". - Seeing it was a chance, I swung my spear at her on the right side attack but her reaction was so good, she managed to grab it
"Urrrrrgggghhhh! Urrrrrgggghhhh! Urrghhhh! Arrghhh!". "Get out!". - Quite difficult to grab the spear since she was trying very hard to grab it, I think this was the chance to kick her
"Urrrghhh!". - I kicked her crotch by using my right leg, but she kept standing there, trying to snatch my spear, this technique did not work on women but men...shit!
"Urrrrrgggghhhh!". "Urrghhhh! Urrghhhh! Arrrrrggghhhhhhhhh!". - After a few moments of struggling, I pulled so strongly that both of us together fell to the ground
The fall was a bit hurtful but I kept trying to get up, I leaned my right forearm on the ground to have momentum. Suddenly, a shadow could be seen behind me. I looked up and noticed that was Lia, she grabbed the spear which used to be stuck in the soil, about to stab me!
"Yarrrrghhhhhhhhhh!". - Quite fast, but I managed to dodge her stab, the force was too strong so it got stuck again
I rolled my body to the right side so I managed to dodge the stab. After rolling, I looked to the left side and saw my spear was there, so I tried to reach my hand to it, come on. Lia was still struggling to pick up her spear so I must take this chance to fight back.
I managed to grab the spear after a short time struggling to reach it, so lucky. After having my weapon, I squeezed my muscles hard, trying to use all of my power in this one blow. To defeat my opponent by using this attack.
"Yarrrgggghhhhh!". - I swung my spear to Lia's face when she managed to pull up her spear, also successfully blocking my attack with it
"Arrrrrggghhhhhhhhh!". - Too late for her, my swing was too strong so her spear could not block all, my spear smashed her right cheek, some of her teeth fell to the ground
After getting beaten, Lia could not control her balance and fell while her mouth had some blood draining out. Luckily that I achieved victory. I stood up and stared at her while my hand loosing my spear gradually. Later dropped it and smiled.
"Stop!". - Sgt. Sereski told me to stop the duel, she later ran toward Lia and crouched down, checking for her wounds
"Medic! Get your asses here!".
A few seconds later, a group of 4 medic soldiers ran toward Lia and picked up her body, carrying it in their hands. Meanwhile, I barely saw some strange figures standing outside the backyard entrance.
"Get her to the pharmacy room".
"Yes, Sir". - The medic soldiers later walked away while carrying Lia, as I could see, she was now fainted after having my spear to her face
As the medic soldiers got out, those strange figures started walking inside the backyard. They approached me slowly and when they came close, I realized those were 4 Warsaw guards and a bearded man. The bearded one who walked in the middle did not wear the guard's helmet, must be the Warsaw guards' leader.
"Sorry for disturbing the training here, ladies...and my Lord". "We came here today through an order of His Majesty, to find a criminal who's hiding in this school". - The leader explained to Sir Hatano and Sgt. Sereski while showing them a scroll paper, which seemed to be an "Arresting Order" document
"We don't mind, Sir...look for this criminal...and arrest quickly...".
"Student Erissen of class I - 12, is believed to steal a relic of the Royal". "You're now under arrested, follow us to the Headmaster's room". - Hah?! I was startled as I was told to be the criminal
"Wait, wait, wait! Maybe something's wrong here, I'm not doing anything!".
"If you don't then you must have been very calm to hear this, your nervousness means you're very suspicious". "Anything you try to do against us is useless...follow us now, and we'll be easy on you".
"Bu-".
"Arrest her!".
In a blink of an eye, two guards approached me fastly and I raised my hands to defend myself, but missed. They leaned their hands to my armpits and started leading me to the Headmaster's room.
"Hey, what the hell are you people doing?! Release her!". - I could see Raptu was very pissed off when she saw me get arrested, she approached the guards and argued with them, trying to release me
"Get out of our way, beast! If you don't, then you'll be arrested for against the law enforcers...go away, fox". "Don't let us hear your stinky, return to the forest or cut off all of your furs...now get out".
"Huh?!". - Raptu was very mad, she pushed her muscles tightly as if she wanted to beat the man to death
"Raptu, wait! Don't do anything to harm you". "Whatever happens here, I'll be fine...don't worry".
"But, you got arr-".
"I'll be fine...please let them do their duty, please...".
Raptu lowered her head while squeezing her hands. After a minute of blocking the way, she powerlessly let me be pulled out of the backyard. While being led to the Headmaster's room, seeing the glances of the people I passed in the hallway made me feel like to be a "criminal". So I tried to hide my nervousness and my tears while being escorted there...sigh...
"That bitch must be punished well...". "If we can enslave those beasts like we used to do in the past, I want to taste her first...I love hot head women". - While escorting me, the guard's leader licked his tongue around a few times
"Hey, I'm not doing anythi-".
"Shut up...the things you say will be against you...".
Those guards kept leading me to the Headmaster's room without letting me say anything to them. Could not explain why I got arrested, I started hiding my sadness and shock when the glances were staring at me in the hallway.
After a short time escorting me, the guards finally stood in front of the Headmaster's room, right at the room's door. Because the door had a wide window, I could see some people standing inside there, waiting for me to come in. Gulp...I was nervous now.
"Get in...". - The guards used their shoulders to squeeze mine tighter while leading me inside the room
Two guards were behind me, two were grabbing me to lead me in, while the leader was the one who leads the way. After coming inside the Headmaster's room, I saw that I was now in very big trouble, could not do anything to save myself now.
The Headmaster was sitting in the middle, on his desk. While the school's counselor was standing beside him. On the left side of the room, 6 male and female students could be seen lined up, standing there while staring at me.
The guards who were grabbing me had stopped doing that. I looked around the place and saw on the Headmaster's desk, it had an object which seemed to be a small golden bear head seal being placed in the middle.
"Get down!". - The guards from behind kicked me so I fell, managed to grab the floor or I would have been fallen
I tried to get up but those guards kept pressing their feet on my back so I was literally forced to kneel. But why?! I didn't do anything, I did not have any guilty!
"Ms. Erissen of Class I -12... the first you came here, I thought you would be a good student who will be a proud light of the school". "But now, I am strongly...disappointed in you, you're not...worth to be a student, not even to have the right...to go to school". - The counselor said to me with cold words when I was still very bewildered
As I know, she was told to be a very strict teacher. A counselor whose duty to solve the affairs of the students in the school would not forgive me that easily. But I honestly didn't do anything.
"I...may I know what's happening here, Ms. Counselor? I didn't do anything bad but why?". - I lifted a bit of my head and my body up to ask her
"Get the fuck down!". - The guards kept pressing my back terribly so I had no choice but to kneel this annoying form
"What a liar...".
"Let me brief you on the crime you have made, Ms. Erissen of Class I - 12". - The leader of the guards slowly stood in front of me while pointing his direction to the headmaster
"According to your crime, yesterday at the 8th evening bell". "You had been spotted to be hiding inside the Keris Palace, stealing His Majesty's belongings". "Two relics, a Golden bear seal and His Majesty's Golden crown". "One of the stolen things has been found, the rest is still in the process of our searching".
"Wait, wait, wa-".
"Shut u-".
"No, Ms. Counselor, let her explain...I want to hear". - The old Headmaster let me explain, he was a kind man the first time I came to this school, I hope he will help me
"I admit that you're wrong". "Yesterday, His Majesty ordered us to have a visit in the Palace at night, even to show him our duels freely". "But I never came inside the Royal zone, that place's restricted and we were only invited to the backyard and stayed there all the time".
"Liar...these witnesses will be the ones to judge you guilty". "You students here truly saw her steal the relics, right?". - The leader asked those 6 students...somehow, I never saw their faces in the school
"Yes...she stole the relics".
"You see?! You're the criminal but didn't honest! You don't worth studying anymore!". "Now tell me, where the fuck is his Crown now, huh?! Tell me! Now!". - The leader later used his right foot to press on my head, which was very hurt
"Wait a minute, Sir Halvy". "After hearing your explanation, I got the situation now...but it's not enough to accuse Ms. Erissen to be a criminal". "She could have been blamed by someone...the proof you said is very unreasonable". "These students are the fresh faces that I had ever seen in my life after becoming the Headmaster here for more than 30 years". "No way they study in this school...they only said "yes" that Ms. Erissen stole the relics...". "No detailed proof to accuse her, please let her out...she's a student who has a bright future ahead, please release Ms. Erissen, I beg you". - The Headmaster was very kind but...seemed like most of the people in the room were against him
"You High Headmaster, don't be blinded like that, how can you let a criminal like her go away because of having "not enough" proof?!". - The counselor later protested the Headmaster
"Sir Headmaster, I understand you...but who will be arrested if you let her go?". "Even the last relic, who will pay for its disappearance?".
"Please let me explain, Sir Halvy...no way Ms. Erissen can be the criminal". "Even if she is, you don't need to arrest her to interrogate...the lost relic must be very close to finding if she's the true criminal".
"Since she goes to school, I'd say she's not a good-grade student but a very hard learner, a bright future one". "In a year, despite many tragedies that came to the school, she still successfully passed the elementary term". "Such a pity that she's a commoner, not a noble...". "But at least, I believe Ms. Erissen is an honest student, no way she'll do that crime".
"But the people here don't think that way, Sir Headmaster...she'll be arrested sooner or later when the proof is fully collected". "Everything she did must be punished...now she must be arrested to serve the case, finding the last lost relic".
"Sir Halvy...about the pay, I'll do it for you...but I, till the last moments, believe she's innocent without any doubts". - The Headmaster later stood up and stared at the leader straightly to express his belief in me
"If you say that, Sir Headmaster...but she must be expelled as His Majesty's order". "This is the new order, no commoner students have the right to study in this school...or will be detained". "If we find out she's the criminal...she and her family would be detained too". - The leader later pulled out another scroll paper and gave it to the Headmaster
The headmaster kept looking at the paper's details for a long moment before letting it off and staring at me. He sighed and then pulled out something from his desk's drawers, later looking at me once again for no reason.
"Please release Ms. Erissen". "Ms. Erissen, come here...".
After hearing the beg, the guards stopped pressing me and let me stand freely. After standing freely, I approached the headmaster as he ordered me to do, I wondered why he ordered me to do that.
The headmaster stared at me as I approached him. He smiled a kindly smile and gave me something, my hand just automatically received it. As I looked down, I noticed that was a copper plate that was held by my hands. That copper plate was a "Certificate of the Keris elementary class graduation".
"Congratulations, Ms. Erissen...you have been...graduated from the Academy, congratulations". "No need to be sad...though this degree won't help much". "But I see your bright future is still ahead, your life is still long". "You'll be succeeded even when you're not educated in this school". "Remember to learn things you can learn...as long as it's in your capability, good luck".
"Thank you...Headmaster". - Even when I have to be away from school, then I must say goodbye to my classmates, even to Raptu and others
"But this degree...how can I find a job with it...?". - My intention was to study till I graduated from high school, now what should I say to my mom now?
"Don't worry, Ms. Erissen...". "When I was your age, I didn't educate much". "If you have the degree but are only good at achieving it without knowing what you've studied, then it's nothing but just a plate". "Learn everything you can in life...I believe in you". - The headmaster tapped my shoulders to encourage me, thank you very much
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After being expelled from the school, I was told by the soldiers that they would kick me out of this school, not letting me do the training. Since my student name in the school had been erased, the military did not even need me. I was now being escorted out of the school zone by the soldiers, about to return home and face my mom.
Before going, I was forced to wear the red band on my right forearm to distinguish me as an expelled and bad student. Two soldiers were leading me to the gate by leaning their hands through my armpits to lead me to go. On the way I went, many glances from the soldiers to students looking at me, some of them even said bad when I got away.
Now I had gone to the gate, the soldiers who guarded the gate seemed to be curious about me but they kept silent to do their jobs as usual.
"Hey, why did you lead that chick here, man?".
"She dropped out...get expelled would be more right to say...poor her, isn't it?". - The soldier who heard the story later approached me
"Our boss did not want us to use her or something? This bitch can serve my platoon, our guys want to spurt out right now, want to do it?". - What?! They want to do something bad to me?!
"Stop kidding, I'm not interested in kids, now let us go, dude".
"Okay, Green Light's on!". - The soldier later turned back and asked the gatekeepers to open the gate
The gate was shortly opened widely, I got led by the soldiers to get out of the place once again. While going on the streets, I could see the road ahead was full of civilians. Sigh...
"Good luck out here, kid! Now you're on your own". "Welcome to the new school, named "Life", remember to roll in the society well...". "Otherwise, get here at night to serve our thirst soldiers". "Ten Gels a night fits quite much for a student like you, hahahahahahahahaha!". - After laughing at me, those soldiers threw me to the road and left me there, going back to the school zone
I fell with my right cheek hitting the ground, now it was swollen and had a few bruises on my cheek. Instead of letting myself fall, I leaned my palms on the ground, shortly lifted my body up and stood up painfully.
After standing up, I saw many glances from the adults walking on the streets. They were looking at me as if they were curious why their children could not be released from the school but I could. Or many...they were glaring at me as they saw the red band on my forearm. Since it was symbolic of the expelled students...but I didn't feel it.
I mean, I didn't feel ashamed or anything...just regretted that I could not have a high school degree. Since living in the Capital was very costly. A non-degree job could not help me to help my mom to pay for the taxes of the house, the living conditions and other things.
Maybe I should join to be a guild girl like my mom was working in the Adventurer's Guild. Since that job did not require me to have a degree, only needs to be enough 15, know how to read and write in basic ways and have patience.
But it was hard to say I could do the job without the approval of the Guild leader. But I must try to do it at all costs...
While walking on the sidewalk, many people intentionally bumped into me and left without apologizing. Because I did not want to get in trouble so I stopped by some shop on the corner which had fewer people going this way.
This time, I was wearing my red school uniform, my school bag and the elementary graduation certificate in my right hand. I slowly raised the degree and looked at it, thinking about what to do next...