"I'm really sorry for all the inconvenience!" I apologized to Leandro while bowing at 180 degrees.
I'm not sure what got into Genevieve's head to make the school president come here to check on me! Doesn't she know what time it is right now? It's almost midnight!
"It's okay, I'm living two floors above here, so it isn't really inconvenient."
"Please, you don't need to be polite, Mr. President, because I'm pretty sure Genevieve annoyed you." Given that he came here in a pair of pajamas, it meant that he was about to sleep.
By the way, he still looks good in his pajamas, which is annoying. Anyway, this guy is probably the busiest student in this entire academy. Yet, Genevieve had the audacity to disturb his resting time for an irrelevant being like me!
He chuckled. "That, she did. But I'm used to meeting annoying people every single day. However, if you feel that guilty, why don't you tell me about the image you had in your mind that I ruined? "
"..."
I guess he still remembers that.
Leandro suddenly burst out laughing. I don't really understand why people kept laughing at me. Do I look that funny?
"Anyways, I was really curious when she told me you reached the 173rd floor of the Trial of Legends. If I remember correctly, isn't Professor Palmer the first student to pass that trial. "
I looked at Leandro in shock. "Isn't Professor Palmer the one who created the trial to find a suitable caretaker?"
"Nope," Rebecca answered. "Professor Palmer did not create the trial. A similar trial was actually created by a teacher of Professor Palmer's ages ago. He created it for the same reason that Professor Palmer created the trial. The trial stopped when that professor died. A few years ago, after coming here to teach, Professor Palmer brought the trial back. Most students during Professor Palmer's era did not know the existence of the previous professor, so most of them assumed that Professor Palmer was the creator of the trial. "
So that's what happened. Back in his days, Professor Palmer must've been a very exemplary student.
Now my respect for the professor is soaring greatly. Though I'm still slightly annoyed with him. Just because his professor made him suffer on that trial, doesn't mean he had to make us suffer too. Just allow us to use the elevator. That's all I ask!
"Good luck on the trial. We're cheering for you." Leandro gave me a light pat on the back.
He had a genuine, warm smile on his lips.
For some reason, I was suddenly reminded of my older brother.
We were extremely poor. Our father was the only one working. If it was just the two of us, our father's pay would have been enough. However, our good-for-nothing uncle and aunt both went to prison for selling prohibited drugs--leaving their five malnourished children behind.
My father ended up taking them in. And my brother had to quit school and work for my sake.
As the years went by, our situation got worse and worse. As the children grow, their needs also increase in proportion. But I don't resent my father for taking my cousins in. I'm angry with their parents.
I'm not sure what got into their heads to have so many children knowing they couldn't afford to raise them. I hate how irresponsible they are.
I still remember my brother's words that time after he told me he was quitting school.
"It's for the best. I'm not good at studying anyway, so I might as well work and help dad. But you, you're different. You have an extremely brilliant mind. So study hard for me, okay? I'm rooting for you," he said, his face full of warmth as he smiled.
Seeing a similar smile on the president's face made me miss my brother. 'I wonder what he's doing right now. I hope he is eating well.'
I gave Rebecca and Leandro a determined smile.
"I'll make sure I'll pass," I boldly declared.
…..
Iris Westii
[Enter]
CONGRATULATIONS!
You may now proceed to the 300th floor.
Unlike the previous times, the notifications showed the floor number.
One floor more! My already tired legs began to regain their strength after reading the notification. I felt tears welling in my eyes, but I forced them back.
It isn't the time to cry or celebrate. There is still one more trial left, and it's the most crucial of them all. If I fail this one, then all my painstaking effort will be gone with the wind.
I checked the time, it was already 3:34 in the morning. If I hurry up, I'll still have some time to rest before going to my 6 a.m. class.
When I arrived at the last floor of the tower, I froze in my tracks when I saw the flower projected on the hologram.
It isn't a rare flower.
Any botanist who is knowledgeable about tropical flowers would have seen this flower before. To be honest, it sounded like a joke, putting such a common flower on the last level. But what stopped me on my track was the memory that flashed in my head when I saw the fiery red trumpet-shaped flower.
My eyes trembled while staring at it.
"That's a Cyrtanthus ventricosus. It's commonly known as a fire lily. It's a flower of fiery purity and passion."
I gritted my teeth when I suddenly remembered the voice of that woman again. I was quite young when I last saw her. I could no longer remember her face. But I can still clearly remember her pleasing voice. It's the kind of voice that you'll never get tired of hearing.
My eyes went back to the fire lily once again.
I really hate that flower. If I could, I would uproot every single kind of that flower that existed in the world.
I didn't realize that my hands were trembling until I typed the answer on my phone. I didn't even try to look at the congratulatory notification I got afterwards. All I wanted was to get out of that place…
We were at a park at that time when I saw that flower. It looked really beautiful. So I plucked it off and gave it to her as a gift. That was the last day I saw her, before she ran off to the end of the earth.
I never want to remember that day. I will never want to see that cursed flower again.
"Lizelle, you did it!" Rebecca cheerfully exclaimed as she skipped her way in my direction. I forced a smile from my mouth.
"Hey, can we settle whatever needs to be settled tomorrow?" I requested. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't hide the odd expression on my face. Rebecca was quick to pick it up.
"Of course! Since you passed, you're officially hired. We can talk about the details tomorrow. You should take a rest after your classes today. And here, take this. " She handed me a small pouch.
When I opened it, I saw fine powders that smelled like the medicine in the bath earlier. "That's the same powder I put in the bath earlier. Pour that on a tub of hot water and it'll help relieve your fatigue."
I uttered, "Thank you."
With groggy footsteps, I headed towards the elevator. I feel extremely drained.
I… just want to sleep.
"Hey, are you okay?" I could hear the worry in Rebecca's voice.
I paused in my steps. "Yes, just a little tired," I replied, almost whispering and forcing a smile. If she heard the unconcealed sadness in my voice, she didn't comment.
I leaned on the elevator's wall as its door closed. All this time, I thought I was fine. Yet, I saw one stupid flower, and I started to crumble. I swallowed back the lump in my throat. That woman isn't worth any of my tears.
Ding!
The elevator door opened up to an empty lobby. I could see the navy blue sky through the glass door, with the moon hanging in all its glory. Because of the moon's presence, only a few stars could display their brilliance in the night sky. But none of them could match up to the beautiful moon. They ended up looking like decorations to make the moon stand out even more.
My footsteps made a clicking sound as I walked on the marble floor. My thoughts were so far away that I didn't notice the two people sitting on the couch by the lobby.
"Lizelle!" I traced the location of the voice and found Genevieve about to get up from the couch. Beside him was Leandro, already in a full suit, seemingly ready for work.
I was momentarily stunned to see them there.
Genevieve looked like she hadn't had a good night's sleep based on the bags under her eyes. Her face looked a bit haggard.
I could see the relief in her eyes when she saw me. It seemed that despite all the words I said to put her at ease, she still ended up worrying all night.
'Really, she's such a pain in the butt.' I couldn't help but shake my head at the thought.
"I did it," I said.
I don't know why I said it that way, in a way that seems to be seeking something. If it's approval or recognition, I don't really know.
A smile that made my heart feel warm bloomed from Genevieve's face. "I know. I'm proud of you."
Genevieve walked towards me and wrapped me in her protective embrace. At first, I was just standing there stiffly, at a loss of what to do. Then I began to melt in her arms.
For some reason, tears began falling from my eyes. It started with a silent sob, then turned into an all-out cry. I don't know why I was crying, though. It was just that my heart had been extremely heavy earlier.
When I saw her standing there, waiting anxiously for me in the dead of the night, it stirred something inside me—something that I thought I'd never get to experience.