“It’s fine. A kitten like this, I can—”

“Idiot! Why are you planted there like a stump? Run! You really wanna slide-tackle it?” Qianya plunged like a hawk stooping, seized Xuewei’s collar, and bolted. Behind them, the giant tiger split its blood-red maw and roared; the sound rolled like an avalanche through the mountains, shaking trunks and sky. Birds burst up like leaves on wind, beasts tore off like rivers breaking banks.

The roar hammered Qianya’s skull; dizziness swirled like stormwater. She almost slammed into a nearby trunk. At the knife-edge, Xuewei angled toward the bark and snapped a move; their shoulders skimmed past the tree like swallows skirting eaves.

“I told you! A baby tiger like this, I alone—”

Vmmm—

Who am I? Where am I? Qianya blinked, mind blank, feet rooted in a white, misty space like frost on a lake.

“My my, you two juniors are full of surprises. You’re the first group eliminated.”

“Huh?”

Qianya turned, still fogged, and saw Vice President Taoran behind them, a smile opening like a painted fan.

“Ugh… my head hurts…” Xuewei pressed her right hand to her brow and rose from a floor flooded with white light, like dawn on snow.

Whoosh~

Taoran snapped her fingers. The white glow blew away like dandelion fluff, and the scene flipped; they stood on the plaza where they’d gathered earlier, sun and stone steady again.

“Clearer now?”

“Mm…” Qianya nodded, face tangled like knotted silk. The memory was fresh as a cut; she wished she could slap herself.

Shame first, breath second. Why would I pull a stunt that dumb? Even as a kid I wouldn’t. Otherwise I’d have died at one.

Right—it’s her. That fool must’ve warped my judgment somehow. Ugh… now I get why Tangxue felt like a ditz the instant we met.

Qianya covered her head and sighed, the sound like wind through pine.

“Don’t sigh~ You’re both still kids. Reaching this level is already pretty good.”

Your smile could be even more perfunctory. Qianya didn’t have the face to call her out. The dignity of a queen had been tossed in the trash yesterday, like a broken crown.

Seeing her sink further, Taoran rushed to lighten the air. “Right, right! Didn’t you have something to ask me? Not asking now?”

“Almost forgot…”

Qianya straightened, tone turning grave like winter rain. “Vice President, how much do you know about Rain Moon Willow?”

Taoran put on a thoughtful look. “Rain Moon Willow, huh… why are you two asking?”

“I… there’s someone important to me, closely tied to Rain Moon Willow. I want to confirm it myself. I already talked to her, but she didn’t really trust me, so I want to investigate.”

“Mm. What do you want to know~?”

“Anything. I want to understand what kind of person Rain Moon Willow is, and what she’s been through.”

“Ha… then I’ll start with my take. Honestly, I don’t know much. From the student council’s files, she’s a rather shy kid. She’s seen a lot, but mostly with her sister’s help. You could say without her sister she’s basically useless.”

“…?”

Qianya recalled their first meeting, that gaze like cold moonlight. That didn’t look like someone who couldn’t breathe without her sister.

“Maybe you think I’m being harsh… but that’s the fact. The sisters’ talents are similar, yet in everything they’ve been through, the sister did the work. Rain Moon Willow mostly stepped in for a photo.”

“That’s all I’ve got. For concrete info on that child, I need more observation. Like right now.” Taoran’s eyes slid to the side like a fish flicking tail.

“…Got it.”

“Any other questions~?”

Qianya shook her head lightly. Then a bigger question struck; she spoke at once. “Where are we?”

“Uh… you don’t even know where this is?” Taoran gave a sheepish chuckle, like a bell muffled in cloth.

“I know it’s the Heavenly Deity Academy. I don’t know why I’m back here. Vice President Taoran, is this the divine realm?”

“Nope~” Taoran couldn’t help a puff of laughter. “Divine realm? There’s no such thing. This is just a little, ordinary space. The Heavenly Deity Academy is where we realize our own teaching ideals. Everyone here is both student and teacher. Qianya, if you’re interested, stay a few more days. Whatever the outcome, you’ll gain a lot.”

“…Last question. Is your name really Taoran?”

“Aiya~?” Taoran looked a bit surprised. She didn’t answer straight, just dangled the bait. “You tell me~?”

“I don’t want to guess… but that’s as good as an answer.” Qianya shut her eyes for a beat, then turned to leave, footsteps like thin rain.

“Move, dummy. We’re going back to sleep.”

“Huh? We’re done already?” Xuewei hadn’t caught up, but Qianya was already far down the path. She had no choice but to follow, like a kite tugged by string.

“What an interesting child…” Taoran chuckled, then shook her head, thoughts drifting like smoke.

“Qianya… did you get the answer you wanted?”

“No. She’s playing coy, and I’m too lazy to bite.”

“Ah… then when can we leave?” Xuewei buried her head in the blanket, a muffled whine like a pup.

“This afternoon, I’m going to the library. Since Taoran said the prime suspects are under watch, outside should be safe. I want the inside story on the Heavenly Deity Academy. It’ll be key to backing my hypothesis.”

“Qianya, what’s your hypothesis?”

A pause first, caution pricking like thorns. Qianya glanced at Xuewei, hesitated, then answered. “Sorry, Xuewei. I can’t tell you this time. If I say it, the person behind the curtain will hear us. Even a guess can’t be tossed around.”

“Mm… okay.” Xuewei didn’t push it. She slipped back under the covers, a little crestfallen, like a drooping flower.

Sleep!

In the afternoon, Qianya asked for directions a few times and found the Academy library. Shelves held books on the Academy’s history, dry as old bark. She read fast, picked out what she needed, and marked it cleanly, like pinning fireflies.

So that’s it. Among deities, survival of the fittest still rules like iron. Not every god wants to fight, though. The apex gods split into two factions. One founded the Heavenly Deity Academy, using absolute strength to build an education space free from rank and title. The other clung to old ways, sorting gods by sheer power. In the end, strength still speaks. If the student council president weren’t strong enough, the Academy couldn’t exist at all.

Rain Moon Willow… Taoran said her deeds were basically her sister’s. Without the sister, she’s a dead weight. In a world that worships power, people would sneer. So she came here to study?

If I’m right, there is no Heavenly Deity Academy in reality. Rain Moon Willow’s give-up attitude doesn’t match her talent. So in her mind, she dreamed up a place where gods could live in peace together, like a quiet lake holding mirrored moons.