CHAPTER 810: CHAPTER 125 - ODD PAIR TO ODD TRIO (2)

The professor walked in, his steps echoing against the walls, and without even the slightest hesitation, he made the announcement that cut through the air like a blade. His tone was so casual it almost made it worse.

"Unfortunately, someone from the Gold Class will now be transferred to the Silver Class, effective immediately," he declared, not even blinking. "As of now, you’re no longer part of this class, and you’ll be replaced by Miss Rose."

The moment those words landed, the whole room froze. And then, it was like something inside that guy just shattered.

"No... No...! Ahhhhh!" he screamed, voice cracking, raw with panic. His hands flew up to his head, clutching at his hair like he was trying to rip it out. "I can’t get demoted! I can’t get demoted! S-Stop this! T-This is a lie!"

It was hard to look away. His voice was hoarse and almost broken, like the floor had vanished under his feet and he was desperately clawing at empty air.

Getting promoted in this academy was so rare that most cadets didn’t even dream about it. And being demoted... well, that was even worse. It felt like falling from the clouds, smashing face-first into the ground, and then being told to keep crawling.

I could almost guess what was running through his head. He probably thought he was safe and that there was no way in hell anyone would catch up to him. But Rose had been steadily grinding her way up, and that last physical exam last month must’ve tipped the scales.

And because the academy could only hold a strict hundred cadets in Gold, someone always had to fall when someone else climbed. And unlucky for him, it was the one at the very bottom.

"T-This has got to be a mistake! Y-You can’t do this to me! I’m a son of a viscount! I-I can’t go down to the Silver Class! What does that even mean?! Are you sure this was the administration’s decision? Are you all sure?! T-This can’t be happening! If I get demoted, my family will kill me! P-Please, just give me another chance! I can prove myself! I can do it! Just please... please!"

But the professor’s expression didn’t waver. The decision had been sealed. And that was it.

All that begging, all that desperation. All of it didn’t matter.

He was quietly led out of the room, his shoulders hunched, steps heavy as if he was dragging chains behind him. I couldn’t help but watch him leave. Someone I’d seen so many times in this class, but never really spoke to was gone just like that.

And in exchange, we got someone new and that Rose.

"Now I’ll be able to get up and destroy you from up there!" she practically shouted at Gabrielle, voice dripping with challenge and fire.

Neither of them even seemed to care about the fact someone had just broken down crying right in front of us.

Gabrielle tilted her head, looking genuinely unimpressed. "What do you mean? And honestly... who even are you?"

That was like throwing oil on a fire.

"What did you just say?!" Rose snarled, lunging forward and grabbing at Gabrielle’s tie. But instantly, Gabrielle’s Guardian barrier kicked in, and a sharp, translucent barrier flickered into place. Rose’s fingers slammed into it so hard I swear I heard them crack.

"T-That freakin’ hurts!" she screamed, clutching her hand and glaring daggers.

"Oh? I remember who you are now," Gabrielle said, her voice calm and almost bored, like the sound of Rose’s pain had flipped a switch in her memory. "You really don’t learn anything, do you?"

"What did you say?!" Rose shouted again, lunging forward a second time. And once again, the barrier flashed into place and once again, she smacked right into it, recoiling in pain.

Just watching them made my head pound like it was about to split open. The frustration bubbling in my chest felt so strong I nearly wanted to scream just to let it out.

Honestly, all of this felt so damn ridiculous that, at that point, I didn’t even feel bad for the guy who just got demoted.

***

From then on, Rose wouldn’t leave Gabrielle alone for a second.

She kept throwing herself at her, spitting out challenge after challenge, calling Gabrielle her "rival" like it was the only thing keeping her alive. And Gabrielle? She just handled it like she’d done this dance a million times with her being completely unfazed.

Every time Rose’s face got too close, Gabrielle would calmly summon a barrier, pressing it right against Rose’s nose. Rose would end up squishing her face into it, glaring, but never backing down.

Sometimes, it really felt like I was stuck babysitting two stubborn, loud, impossible kids who refused to behave.

I mean, I sort of got why Rose kept going at her, but it felt so damn excessive, like she had something personal and deep-rooted against Gabrielle.

"Hey, you—woman that is very unbecoming and unladylike," Gabrielle said, voice cool as ice, every word measured. "Please put that face away from me."

"Why? Scared of my face?" Rose shot back, eyes narrowed as she pressed her forehead right into the shimmering barrier, her breath fogging it up.

"No. It’s just that your face right there is incredibly distracting," Gabrielle said, barely blinking. "I’m trying to think of more ways to get people to see why I should be the next president."

"Next president?" Rose echoed, blinking like she’d just heard something weird. "Is that the position where you have to say stuff in front of the crowd every week and do all the monitoring and stuff?"

"At least you understand what a president is," Gabrielle replied, deadpan.

Rose pulled back slowly, hand resting under her chin as if she was thinking really hard.

Then, without a single warning, she pushed herself away from the table so hard that the chair clattered and nearly toppled over. And just like that, she bolted out of the cafeteria at full speed, not saying another word.

Watching her run off like that, my stomach sank. It was so obvious she was about to do something absolutely stupid.

And sure enough... the very next day, there she was. She was standing right in front of the academy’s main gate, shouting her head off that she’d run for president too.

All I could do was sigh so hard it felt like my whole chest deflated.