The Spectra courtyard buzzed with anticipation. It was the graduation day of one of the academy's most legendary classes, and the ceremony had drawn prestigious figures from all over the world.
Guests gathered in the rows of seats, whispering among themselves as they exchanged curious glances toward the graduates lined up 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 graduation.
Arthur, tall and strong, exuded the leadership he was already known for.
Seraphina, standing beside him, maintained the posture of an indomitable warrior, her red hair tied in a ponytail that gave her a fierce air of determination.
Derek wore a careless yet confident smile, the kind of expression typical of someone who knew the value of his name and legacy.
Luna, on the other hand, remained silent, observing everything with a serene and enigmatic expression.
Finally, Kai appeared the most at ease—a figure almost wild, radiating a natural confidence that matched his reputation as a reckless warrior.
Arthur was the first to break the silence between them, his stance firm and his tone controlled.
"We finally made it," he commented with a slight smile.
Kai let out a chuckle, crossing his arms.
"Who would've thought we'd see so many familiar faces just to watch us dressed like this," he remarked, glancing at the formal attire each of them wore.
"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."
"Hahaha, you?"
Derek smirked, teasing Kai.
"But it doesn't matter. Today, all eyes are on me—the 'prodigious Derek.'"
Luna let out a soft sigh, drawing their attention as she smiled faintly.
"Is that your biggest motivation, Derek? Being noticed?"
The spectators watched the group with admiration and recognition.
They were the children of great families, the promising talents everyone expected to lead the world into a new era of glory.
Each of them seemed destined to carry a piece of the world's future.
But among this group of young prodigies, one figure stood apart.
He was there, silent, his gaze distant as if absorbing the entire scene around him without truly being a part of it.
Unlike the others, there was no aura of heroism or grandeur in his demeanor.
He was almost invisible beside them, and yet, not a single person in the courtyard had failed to notice the strange, shadowy presence of the red-eyed young man with an unreadable expression.
In the guest seats, two figures whispered about him, intrigued.
"That's Evan, isn't it?" one of them murmured, trying to disguise his curious gaze.
"He's not like the others," the second replied in a lower tone.
"He doesn't come from a renowned family, and I've never heard of any great achievement from him. I don't even know how he got 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 like that kind of talk."
Elsewhere, a member of the Aureus Guild, 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 responded absentmindedly as he gazed toward the graduates.
"He doesn't have the radiance of the others, but he's… peculiar. It's hard to tell what's going through his mind. He looks like he's in another world, doesn't he?"
"What? What are you talking about, leader?"
"Ah... haha, nothing important."
====
ly explore and develop.
Unlike the others, he didn't have their achievements or immediate brilliance, but he would be a character of great significance.
I knew that some readers who liked him would probably hate me for what I intended to do, but as long as it was realistic, it would be worth it.
As I typed the final sentence about him, I felt a slight shiver—an odd 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 shut my laptop, already preparing to rest.
After that day, I was left with one certainty and one doubt.
The certainty was that this was a universe they would never leave.
And the doubt… was whether, perhaps, they really were just characters in my novel.