The main hall of Bridgewater University was filled with a palpable tension. Hundreds of students and other onlookers crowded into the university's main room, their faces a reflection of nervousness, hope, barely suppressed excitement, or just plain curiosity. The tall windows let in the morning sunlight, which refracted in the half-faded remnants of the shimmering Essence patterns that still hung in the air from the previous day's exam.

  Valentina stood at the edge of the crowd, her heart pounding so loudly in her chest that she feared everyone could hear it. She felt Vyxara's presence in her consciousness, a strange mixture of reassuring warmth and eerie cold.

  "Be calm, little Weaver," the demon whispered. "You have nothing to fear. Your triumph is certain."

  Suddenly the murmuring in the hall fell silent as Professor Emberfell stepped up to the podium. The silver-haired woman swept her gaze over the assembled students, her face a mask of professional neutrality.

  "My dear students," she began, her voice clear and firm, "I know you're all anxious to hear the results of the first round of the Greystone competition. Don't let me keep you in suspense any longer."

  She unfurled a parchment and cleared her throat. The tension in the room became unbearable.

  "In first place, with a truly impressive performance that astonished even our most experienced testers: Valentina of Palewood."

  A collective gasp went through the hall, followed by scattered applause and incredulous whispers. Valentina stood frozen, unable to comprehend what she was hearing.

  "See?" Vyxara's voice dripped with satisfaction. "I told you you'd outshine them all."

  "In second place," continued Professor Emberfell, "some points behind: Faustus Boarfend."

  This time, the applause was louder, especially from a group of wealthy-looking students near the podium. Valentina saw Faustus' face contort into both pride and barely concealed anger.

  "And in third place: Ignacio Flintside."

  The red-haired student beamed with joy and was immediately surrounded by his friends.

  Professor Emberfell continued to announce more names and rankings. Valentina barely listened until she heard the names of her friends.

  "In ninth place: Lady Innogen Ashbourne. And in twelfth place: Crispin Gillespie."

  Valentina searched the crowd for her friends. She saw Innogen, who nodded with a satisfied smile, and Crispin, who breathed a sigh of relief.

  When Professor Emberfell had finished the announcement, a commotion broke out in the hall. Students congratulated each other, exchanged experiences, or complained about their placements.

  Valentina was still standing there in a daze when she suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around and looked into Innogen's beaming face.

  "Val, this is incredible!" her friend exclaimed, hugging her fiercely. "I knew you were good, but this... this is phenomenal! I'm so happy for you!"

  Crispin joined them, his face a mixture of admiration and slight confusion. "Yes, Val, that's really impressive. How on earth did you manage that?"

  Before Valentina could answer, she heard a cutting voice behind her. "Yes, Valentina, how did you manage that?"

  She turned around and found herself facing Faustus, his face red with rage. His eyes glittered dangerously as he took a step closer and stood threateningly in front of her with his massive body.

  "I don't know how you did it," he hissed, "but I'll find out. No one makes such progress in such a short time without cheating."

  Valentina felt the blood rush to her cheeks. "I didn't cheat, Faustus," she said, her voice surprisingly firm. "I worked hard and-"

  "Worked hard?" Faustus interrupted her with a derisive laugh. "Oh please, spare me your lies. You're nothing but a little trickster from the hinterland who-"

  "That's enough, Faustus!" Innogen's sharp voice cut imperiously through the air like a knife. "Just because you can't stand that someone is better than you doesn't give you the right to make such accusations."

  Faustus' eyes narrowed to slits. "Be careful, Lady Innogen. You should be careful who you get involved with. Who knows, you might be in cahoots with her."

  "Is there a problem here?" The stern voice of Professor Emberfell made everyone flinch. The professor was suddenly standing next to them, her eyes firmly fixed on Faustus.

  "No, Professor," Faustus muttered, his posture suddenly less aggressive. "We... only want to congratulate Valentina on her success."

  "I'm glad to hear that," Professor Emberfell said, her tone making it clear that she didn't believe a word he said. "I expect all participants in the competition to conduct themselves in a manner befitting the dignity of Bridgewater University. Is that clear?"

  A chorus of "Yes, Professor" rang out, and Faustus retreated with one last hateful look at Valentina.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  As the crowd around her dispersed, Valentina took a deep breath. She felt Vyxara's satisfaction like a smug, warm glow in her consciousness.

  "See, little Weaver, there is nothing to worry about," the demon whispered. "If we stay careful, they can't harm you."

  Valentina nodded slightly, unsure whether to take Vyxara's words as a comfort or a warning. She turned to her friends, who looked at her with concern and affection.

  "Thank you for sticking by me," she said quietly.

  Innogen smiled warmly. "That's what friends are for, Val. And now," she added with a mischievous grin, "we should celebrate your success. Shall we go to my place like we agreed yesterday? I got some treats from home."

  Crispin nodded eagerly. "That sounds wonderful. I'm literally starving after all this excitement."

  Valentina smiled gratefully. "Yes, let's go."

  As they left the hall, Valentina took one last look back. She saw Faustus standing in a corner with his friends, gesticulating violently. His eyes met hers and for a moment she felt a hint of fear.

  "Don't worry about him," Vyxara said gently. "He's just another obstacle we'll overcome. Admittedly, a rather large one. Quite a fat butterball he is."

  Valentina suppressed a laugh and followed her friends. They went to Innogen's room, which was on the first floor of the dormitory, where the more spacious residences were. Valentina could immediately feel the difference from her own modest attic room. The thick, soft carpet beneath her feet cushioned her steps, the air was filled with a scent of lavender and best of all – it was wonderfully warm.

  She had been in Innogen's room before, but when Innogen opened the heavy oak door, Valentina's breath caught in her throat again. The room was at least three times the size of her own and exuded an elegance she had only dreamed of when listening to fairy tales before coming to Bridgewater.

  An imposing dark wood desk stood against one wall, littered with books, scrolls and her well-crafted Essence tools. Opposite was a large four-poster bed with curtains made of the finest silk. A cozy fire was crackling in the small fireplace.

  "I wish I had a room as nice as yours," Crispin murmured next to her. "Mine is... smaller."

  Innogen smiled sheepishly. "It's a bit much, I know. But please, make yourselves at home."

  She led her friends to a cozy sitting area in front of the fireplace, where a small table was already waiting with steaming teacups and a mountain of pastries and even fruit – in winter.

  "Your maid must be a clairvoyant," Valentina joked as she sank into one of the soft armchairs.

  Innogen laughed. "Oh no, that was me. I sent a message to the kitchen this morning. I thought we could do with a proper breakfast, whatever the results."

  "How prescient," Vyxara commented in Valentina's head. "Your noble friend knows how to celebrate hospitality."

  Valentina ignored the demon and gratefully reached for a cup of tea. The spicy scent of cinnamon and apple filled her nose and helped her to relax.

  "Well," Crispin began as he took a slice of cake, "I still feel so happy for you, Valentina! First place is just incredible!"

  Valentina felt the blush rise to her face. "I... I can't quite believe it either," she mumbled.

  "Don't be modest," Innogen said with a warm smile. "You've worked hard and earned it. I'm so proud of you!"

  Valentina felt a stab in her heart. If only her friends knew how she had really achieved this success...

  "You have every reason to be proud," Vyxara whispered. "Just because I've helped you doesn't mean you haven't accomplished things and worked hard in your own right."

  "And you two were great too," Valentina said quickly to drown out her own thoughts. "Ninth and twelfth place, that's not bad, you're still within striking distance of the top!"

  Crispin blushed slightly. "Well, it could have been worse. But compared to you..."

  "Hey," Innogen interrupted him gently, "no comparing. We've all done our best and we can be proud of that, we don't want to be jealous of each other, that's not proper between friends."

  She took a sip of tea and leaned back in her chair. "What do you think awaits us in the next rounds?"

  "I've heard that the second round is to test even more practical application," Crispin said, glad to escape her admonition with the change of subject. "Maybe we need to weave a complex Essence pattern under time pressure?"

  Valentina nodded thoughtfully. She knew more, of course, thanks to her Essence eavesdropping ability, but she couldn't risk revealing too much.

  "That would definitely be a challenge," she said cautiously. "I think they'll want to test our skills in a variety of ways."

  "Wisely said, little Weaver," Vyxara praised. "Don't reveal too much, but there is no harm in subtly sharing a bit of your knowledge."

  The conversation drifted in different directions, from speculation about the competition to gossip about her fellow students. Valentina noticed how Crispin kept trying to get closer to her and catch her attention, whether it was by touching her when passing her pastries or giving her meaningful looks.

  "You know," Innogen said suddenly, her eyes twinkling mischievously, "we should really celebrate tonight. What do you say we go to The Burning Quill? I will buy us a round!"

  Crispin's eyes widened. "That tavern in the old town? Isn't that a bit... wild for us?"

  Innogen laughed. "Oh come on, Crispin! We're young adults in the prime of our lives at one of the most prestigious universities in the kingdom. A little fun won't kill us."

  Valentina felt excitement rising inside her. She had never been to a proper tavern before. In Palewood, there was only a small village tavern where the farmers met after work. There were few women there. Valentina would have liked to have taken a look inside, but her mother always said that only women of ill repute went there.

  "That could be interesting," muttered Vyxara, amused. "Maybe you'll learn something useful in this dive."

  "I think that's a great idea," Valentina said with enthusiasm. "I've always wanted to go to a real tavern!"

  Crispin didn't look entirely convinced, but finally gave in. "All right, but we have to be careful. If the professors find out about this..."

  "Oh, don't worry about that," Innogen waved it off. "Half the teaching staff are regulars there anyway. As long as we behave ourselves, no one will say anything."

  The hours flew by. They laughed, ate, gossiped and simply enjoyed each other's company. Valentina felt really relaxed again and was able to laugh freely for the first time in weeks. Here, in this cozy room, surrounded by her friends, all her worries and fears and all the relentless pressure seemed far away.

  "It's getting darker," Crispin remarked, looking out of the window. "Shall we start getting ready for the tavern? I don't want to come back home too late."

  Innogen nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, let's go! I can't wait to show you the 'Burning Quill'. It really is a nice place."

  They stood up and stretched. The day of partying and relaxing had done them all good, but now there was a new excitement in the air.

  "Shall we meet in the courtyard in half an hour?" suggested Valentina. "Then we'll have enough time to freshen up."

  Her friends agreed and they said goodbye to each other. As Valentina left Innogen's room, she felt anticipation and nervousness rising within her. The evening promised to be interesting.

  "Oh yes," Vyxara agreed, a hint of amusement in her voice. "Very interesting indeed."

  With one last wistful glance back at Innogen's luxurious room, Valentina made her way to her own humble quarters to get ready for the evening.