"Hurry!" The receptionist was already moving toward the door. "Come on!"115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ6r7iC2wOD
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Cel matched her quick stride as they moved through the corridor. She didn't look back to see if he kept pace - just assumed he would.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIVLGrpCLMw
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They reached his door. She stopped, gesturing sharply.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRwopnsfZWe
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"Uniform. Now. I'll wait."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNf48z8wNAB
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Cel pushed inside and crossed to the wardrobe. The dark fabric still sat folded where he'd left it, the silver threading along the collar catching morning light from the window.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsQRowRQ9ub
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He stripped off his clothes and pulled on the uniform. The fabric was stiffer than the commoner clothes he'd worn the past ten days, the collar higher. Over his heart, the silver mark of the Moon Goddess stood out against the dark cloth.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp5vUVllxGB
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When he emerged, the receptionist gave him a quick once-over and nodded.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXHVyk1YxKy
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"Good enough. Let's go."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTkwmF9iIG9
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She set off at a pace just short of running. Cel matched her stride easily, his divine body making the speed feel natural even as she began breathing harder.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq4xCZRVU6k
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"Everyone's already gathered," she said between breaths. "You were supposed to be there twenty minutes ago. I checked your room three times this morning - where were you?"115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKHgSey3yI
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"Walking."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmQtpuQvri
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She shot him a look but didn't press. They turned a corner and the main hall loomed ahead - massive oak doors standing open, voices spilling out in a dull roar.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKUbvvtDbhO
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The receptionist slowed as they approached. "Get in line with the others. Don't make a scene."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfU9Qg72zaz
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Cel slipped through the doors.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6rvYsOdhk
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The hall stretched vast and high-ceilinged. Rows of students stood in formation before a raised stage at the far end. Perhaps forty of them, all wearing the same dark uniform with silver threading. All commoners.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8LX8u2v6cY
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Cel moved along the back of the formation, looking for a gap. The students were packed tight, shoulders nearly touching. He found space near the end of the fourth row and stepped into it.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU7nxiJ3DV2
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No one turned. No one acknowledged his late arrival. Every face pointed forward, attention fixed on the empty stage.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZA2ndzWBz7
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The boy to his left shifted his weight from foot to foot. His fingers drummed against his thigh in nervous rhythm.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡftf4vvszG9
115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ11CJ3leHtw
"—heard she's really coming," a girl whispered two rows ahead. "The princess herself."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW1SiX5QuSI
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"No way," a boy to her right hissed back. "That's just a rumor. Why would she—"115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj7iLRRT0pN
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"My cousin works in the palace kitchens. She said—"115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ18KaTlf0HL
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"Quiet!" someone snapped from the front row.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlnpONc9JIa
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The whispers died, but the energy remained - crackling tension that made the air feel charged. Bodies leaned forward slightly, as if the extra inch might let them see better when something finally happened.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0BxKxdAP7j
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A door opened at the stage's side and a man emerged - tall, gray-haired, wearing formal robes with the royal crest prominent across his chest. The headmaster. His boots clicked against the wooden platform as he crossed to the podium.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrIgn11HZSe
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The silence deepened, every fidget ceasing.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3BBi8rISGo
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He surveyed the assembled students. His gaze swept the rows without hurry, taking in every face. When he finally spoke, his voice carried easily across the hall.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhc4zOgy1ri
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"Welcome to the Chosen Academy. Before we begin, it is my honor to announce our distinguished guest for this year's opening ceremony."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuaeT9X8SbC
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He paused. The silence somehow deepened.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ7TbnZkeEn
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"Her Imperial Highness, Cassandra Stellarion, Princess of the Empire."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyLtEMfJzJh
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The whispers had been right.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡypK8WzspLh
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Excited murmurs rippled through the formation - quickly suppressed but unmistakable. Bodies straightened. The nervous energy transformed into something sharper, more focused.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6sxByr67HJ
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The side door opened again.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcfrm6s6AKK
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She entered with practiced grace - each step measured, her posture perfect. The princess wore deep purple robes edged in gold, the royal crest embroidered across her chest in intricate detail. Deep purple hair - the same rich shade as her clothes - fell in an elegant arrangement that must have taken hours to achieve. Her features were refined, beautiful in the way that came from centuries of careful bloodline cultivation.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7WUKQTZeCY
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Cel had seen her once before. At the ceremony where the Emperor granted Esrin the title of Hallowed - the highest honor a Chosen could receive. The princess had stood among the other royals behind the throne, present but not prominent.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNzsBqjPmyO
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She looked older now. More composed. Every movement deliberate and controlled.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzURJGR5ecC
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The whispers started immediately, rippling through the rows in broken fragments.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFPnksJwGl
115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLBu8tTAkAo
"—actually her—"115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh2sbKnaOd6
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"—so beautiful—"115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkziUFOoBWD
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"—can't believe—"115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWNDU638MYl
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The princess reached the podium. She let the moment breathe, her deep purple eyes sweeping across the assembled students with the same measured assessment the headmaster had used.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZa1ffEddX4
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Then she smiled.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7yf6MvUk1S
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Warm. Genuine. The kind of expression that made people feel seen, valued.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlVIXecR41I
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"Thank you, Headmaster." Her voice carried the same effortless projection, clear without being loud. "And welcome to all of you. This is a significant day - not just for the Academy, but for our Empire."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB3zRRZHzCb
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She paused, letting the weight settle.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ4dXt5TBRI
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"Each of you has been blessed by the gods. Chosen to stand against the darkness that threatens our world. The rifts that tear reality apart. The creatures that crawl through to destroy everything humanity has built."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjflDn2S2Gg
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Her expression shifted - still warm, but underlaid with steel.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2o4BSADauI
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"You are humanity's defense. Its hope. And the Academy exists to ensure you become worthy of that sacred duty."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYMaLSKmxPp
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The students around Cel leaned forward, drinking in every word. The girl two rows ahead had tears in her eyes. The boy beside Cel had stopped fidgeting entirely, standing rigid with attention.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ45bczZFW6I
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Cel watched the princess's face. The fleeting expressions that flickered beneath the controlled exterior. The calculated pauses that gave her words time to land.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdoPMr0JDzC
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This wasn't normal.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIiSkaOQpjW
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Royalty didn't attend academy openings. The Emperor had never spoken at one. The Empress hadn't either. It was beneath their station - a task delegated to the headmaster and instructors.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwohUypehjj
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So why was she here?115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu003E0tOFc
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The answer crystallized as she continued speaking.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7dnOTMskFD
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"The Empire stands at a crossroads. Threats gather both within and beyond our walls. We need strength. Unity. Chosen who understand that their power serves something greater than personal ambition."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlI0WEh3TZu
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There it was. Buried in platitudes about duty and service.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrtEHePcyBf
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Recruitment.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLNK0eCZvlf
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She was here to secure promising students early. To establish relationships before the nobles arrived and complicated the social dynamics. To position herself - and by extension, whichever faction she supported - as the benefactor who cared about commoner Chosen.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeT8WlnEyFS
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The question was which faction she supported.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOCNbY4ezCu
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Her father, the Emperor, backed the First Prince. Her mother, the Empress, backed the Second. The princess herself couldn't inherit - only men could ascend to the Stellarion throne, following the precedent set by the First Chosen.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy3gt0x5EQ7
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"—know that I will be watching your progress with great interest," the princess was saying. "The Empire's future depends on Chosen like you. Never forget the responsibility you carry."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjMwQ4oxNyw
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She stepped back from the podium. The smile returned, softer now.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQL4xzGcr56
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"May the gods guide your path." 115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7t1cjrHU1Q
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Applause erupted - immediate, thunderous. The students clapped with desperate enthusiasm, as if the force of their approval might somehow keep her attention.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFj52rHaVPW
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The princess inclined her head graciously, then turned and walked toward the side door with the same measured grace she'd entered with.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4Ju9x3mUo
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The headmaster returned to the podium as she disappeared.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBEzAwWeBG1
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"Thank you, Your Highness, for those inspiring words." He waited for the applause to fade before continuing. "Now, to practical matters. You will proceed to the dining hall for your first meal as academy students. Afterward, assemble in the main classroom where your instructor will explain the curriculum and answer questions.”115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBv9CJQ1fZB
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He gestured toward the hall's main exit. "Dismissed."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUyOkinKUew
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The formation dissolved immediately. Students streamed toward the doors in clusters, voices rising as the enforced silence broke.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTCsx3vauqh
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"My parents won’t believe—"115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoXIQeDfvdA
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"—incredible speech, I got chills when she said—"115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBdCtfpiCQF
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"—maybe she'll visit again, do you think—"115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKsjJq5bPK5
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Cel followed the flow through corridors that opened into a large dining hall. Long wooden tables filled the space, already set with plates and cups. The smell of fresh bread and cooked meat filled the air.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQGZRZ3si9
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Students claimed seats in groups, gravitating toward familiar faces from their home territories or shared deity affiliations. Conversations continued unabated, everyone still buzzing with excitement over the princess's appearance.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqzx3vLrIdY
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Cel found an empty table near the back and sat.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDnKFdhQXOW
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No one joined him. The surrounding tables filled quickly, but his remained isolated - an island of empty space in a crowded hall.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtXKX4Uj3ri
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He didn't mind.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYxA5FJAM3
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Food arrived - brought by kitchen staff who moved efficiently between tables. Bread, still warm. Roasted chicken. Vegetables in some kind of sauce. 115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡreeo3Xu4xg
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Cel ate mechanically, tasting nothing. His mind was elsewhere, still processing the princess's speech and what it meant for the shifting political landscape.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgOsFHnFtRm
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Footsteps approached. Hesitant. Uncertain.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzSDgujAJmC
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Cel looked up.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7d9gIMEO3H
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A boy stood at the table's edge, perhaps his age or slightly younger. Wheat blond hair fell across his forehead. Soft blue eyes that rarely made direct contact, currently fixed on a point somewhere past Cel's shoulder. His posture curved inward, shoulders hunched as if trying to occupy as little space as possible.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjrFI3HoEDN
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The silver crescent moon over his heart caught the light.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ZHpAsIGuo
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Another Moon Chosen.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnirY7io4hC
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The boy's hands twisted together. His mouth opened, closed, opened again. Finally, words emerged - quiet, apologetic.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNw6NUmET6Q
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"I'm sorry to bother you, but... you're a Moon Chosen too, aren't you? I saw your mark during the ceremony and I thought maybe..."115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOrGLbMsKAI
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He trailed off, uncertainty written across every feature.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOCakkZv9MC
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"Would it be alright if I sat with you?"1234 copyright protection111ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKx0oqmRrg 尼

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