Shelter

“So, you just openly covered for her and falsified her scores?” Meriane, seated in her office, frowned slightly as she listened to the vice principal’s account.

“Oh, come on, falsifying scores? I just tweaked them a bit,” Hecate replied, sipping her coffee. The rich, slightly bitter liquid tingled her numb taste buds, and the white steam clouded her view. Through the mist, her face lit up with a satisfied smile.

“Using your authority to alter a student’s scores and admitting it to my face—Hecate, have I been too lenient with you lately? Forgotten the rules?” Meriane tapped her pen sharply on the desk, the dull thuds striking at Hecate’s composure, nearly making her spill her coffee.

“Hey, hey, don’t turn this on me!” Hecate grabbed a tissue, wiping coffee droplets from her hand, her flustered demeanor almost comical.

“How is this turning on you? Don’t I, as principal, have the right to discipline you for breaking academy rules?” Meriane retorted.

“Spare me. I know you too well, Meriane,” Hecate said, smirking. “You’ve always coddled Felicia like a treasure. Now her sister’s here—do you really think you’d let a genius like her slip away?”

As Meriane’s century-long confidante, Hecate knew her inside out. Meriane’s lips twitched, caught off guard. Having a best friend who saw through her so easily was a double-edged sword—pretending to scold was pointless.

“Fine, but what’s with Andre’s report saying you and Selina had a confrontation?” Meriane asked, steering the conversation.

Hecate tossed a sugar cube into her coffee, shaking her head with a sigh. “Her Elemental Affinity? What else could it be? Just like her sister, she’s got a staggering 99% affinity across all elements. Truly worthy of Themis’s bloodline—it’s enviable.”

A 99% Elemental Affinity was nearly divine—one step below godhood. For both sisters to have 99% in all elements meant they could reach forbidden-spell mastery in any element they pursued.

“How did you adjust her scores?” Meriane asked.

“I gave her 75% affinity in three elements—just for show. That girl’s sharp, though. She wouldn’t continue the exam until I swore to keep her secret,” Hecate said.

“Everyone has their secrets. Covering for her isn’t against the rules, especially since you provoked her first. Plus, don’t you owe Hestia a favor?” Meriane’s sidelong glance carried an unspoken jab.

“Uh, well… it’s not like that!” Hecate stammered, her relaxed coffee-sipping vibe faltering. “I just sensed a familiar power and got curious about its source.”

“I knew it. You don’t help out of kindness—you were settling a debt,” Meriane teased.

“Hey, don’t make me sound so awful! Can’t I just be chasing some fun?” Hecate’s face reddened, her voice quickening.

“I know you’re lazy. As a witch, you barely leave your office. Your dream is probably an endless stream of entertainment delivered to your desk so you don’t have to move,” Meriane said, mercilessly exposing her friend’s quirks.

Hecate, a millennia-old witch, flailed in embarrassment, her face flushed. If outsiders saw the carefree, thrill-seeking witch acting like a tsundere auntie, their jaws would drop.

“But seriously, I don’t get it. Rumor has it the elven princess sisters are close. Why’s the younger one hiding from her sister, skipping the recommendation and competing with commoners?” Hecate mused, genuinely puzzled. As a self-proclaimed slacker, she believed in taking the easy path. With divine blood guaranteeing admission, why bother with these pointless exams?

“She’s a lot like Aemiya in that way, but even more extreme,” Meriane remarked.

“Aemiya? The Blood Empire’s princess studying here? The only vampire royal in the academy…” Hecate said, recalling. “But vampires are vampires—gloomy and reclusive by nature. I don’t like dealing with those coffin-dwelling bat people.”

“Aemiya’s case is special. It’s understandable she’s withdrawn—who’d be happy having their bloodline and mother forcibly changed? But that’s not our concern. Handle Selina’s enrollment as she wishes—treat her as a commoner, no special concealment or promotion. The academy only needs to ensure fairness,” Meriane said, stamping Selina’s application with her official seal.

“What about the final Secret Realm exam?” Hecate asked.

“Let her participate. She’s already passed the initial screening. Besides, I’m curious how Carina’s second daughter, sister to the academy’s top student, will perform in the Secret Realm.”