It was the graduation day of one of the academy's most legendary classes, and the ceremony had attracted prestigious figures from various parts of the world.

Guests gathered in rows of seats, whispering among themselves and exchanging curious glances toward the graduates, who stood aligned in the center of the courtyard.

Among them, a few names stood out as true prodigies, young individuals who had achieved remarkable feats even before graduating.

Arthur, tall and strong, exuded the leadership for which he was already known.

Seraphina, standing beside him, held the posture of an indomitable warrior. Her fiery red hair was tied back in a ponytail, giving her an air of fierce determination.

Derek displayed a carefree and haughty smile, the kind typical of someone who knows the value of their name and legacy.

Luna, on the other hand, stood with a wide smile, observing everything and greeting everyone around her.

Finally, Kai appeared more at ease, a figure almost wild, exuding a natural confidence that matched his reputation as an impetuous warrior.

Arthur was the first to break the silence among them, his stance firm and tone controlled.

"Finally, we're here," he commented, with a faint smile.

Kai let out a laugh, crossing his arms.

"Who would've thought we'd see so many familiar faces just to watch us all dressed like this," he said, glancing at their formal attire.

"I thought you'd be the first to ditch the ceremony, Kai."

"Hmm? Even if it doesn't seem like it, I actually enjoy events like this," Kai replied.

"Hahaha, you?"

Derek teased Kai with a sly smile.

"But it doesn't matter. Today, everyone's eyes are on me—the 'prodigious Derek.'"

Luna merely let out a soft sigh, drawing the others' attention as she smiled gently.

"Is that your greatest motivation, Derek? To be noticed?"

Her tone was gentle yet incisive, eliciting a laugh from Seraphina, who until then hadn't seemed to enjoy the environment much.

The spectators observed the group with admiration and recognition.

They were the children of great families, the promising talents everyone expected to lead the world to a new pinnacle of glory.

Each of them seemed destined to carry a part of the world's future on their shoulders.

But, beside this group of young prodigies, one figure stood out as different.

He stood there, silent, with a distant gaze that seemed to absorb the entire scene without truly being a part of it.

Unlike the others, there was no aura of heroism or greatness in his demeanor.

He was almost invisible next to the rest, and yet, not a single person in the courtyard failed to notice the strange, shadowy presence of the young man with crimson eyes and an inscrutable expression.

In the guest seats, two figures whispered about him, intrigued.

"That's Evan, isn't it?"

"He's not like the others."

The second man lowered his voice.

"He doesn't come from a renowned family, and I've never heard of any great achievement of his. How did he even get into Spectra?"

"If I'm not mistaken, he's a scholarship student."

"What? Seriously? Someone like him graduated with this class?"

"Shh, quiet!"

"The headmistress is here; you know she doesn't tolerate that kind of talk."

On the other side, a member of the "Guild Aureus," who had come specifically to observe the key figures of the day, also commented on the group.

"So, what do you think of them?"

A man with long, dark hair replied absentmindedly, his gaze fixed on the graduates.

"He doesn't have the same brilliance as the others, but he's… peculiar. It's hard to understand what goes on in his mind. It's like he's in another world, isn't it?"

"What? What are you talking about, leader?"

"Oh... haha, nothing important."

====

"Fuuuh…"

In the silence of my room, I sat in front of my computer, absorbed in the words I was typing.

The graduation of the characters I had created and molded for months felt more vivid than ever.

On the screen, Arthur, Seraphina, Derek, Luna, Kai, and other key characters gathered in a scene I could almost see.

In my mind, each of them felt so real, like old friends or fascinating strangers whose lives I had the privilege of observing.

Sigh

I glanced again at Evan's description.

He was a character I planned to dive deeply into and develop further in the future.

Unlike the others, he didn't have their achievements or immediate brilliance, but he would become a character of great significance.

I knew that some readers who liked him would probably hate me for what I intended to do to him, but since it was realistic, it would be worth it.

As I typed the final sentence about him, a slight shiver ran down my spine—a strange sensation.

I shook my head and smiled.

"It's just my imagination," I said, closing the file.

'These are the characters of my novel…'

'And this is the universe they will never leave…'

I closed the laptop, already preparing to rest.

After that day, I was left with both a certainty and a doubt.

The certainty that this was a universe they would never escape.

And the doubt… whether, perhaps, they truly were just characters in my novel.