The Grading Hall for Divine Maidens stood nestled among trees, adjacent to the Archives Hall for seamless file storage post-evaluation.

Other halls existed for Divine Children, mages, alchemists, and secondary professions—but clustered together in one building, separate from the Divine Maidens’ domain.

This layout alone spoke volumes about the academy’s priorities.

In scale, the Divine Maiden Grading Hall dwarfed all others combined. Its numerous service windows ensured no queues, and with Divine Maidens being rare, it stayed quiet except during enrollment season. Even then, only a handful passed through daily.

After school, Dilin slipped into a blind spot within the woods. He fastened a hair accessory. Golden runes flared, and emerald eyes blinked open beneath a cascade of golden hair.

Thankfully, the transformation came with a fitted linen garment. If it shredded clothes instead…

Tilisha adjusted the Sun-Moon Diadem atop her head, then flattened her pointed elf ears to mimic human ones.

Still dissatisfied, she found a glass wall to inspect herself. Her delicate, baby-faced features were undeniably cute—ruined only by the stark black-and-white "scar" splitting half her face like a cracked porcelain doll.

She smoothed her bangs, nodded in approval, and stepped toward the Grading Hall.

Hair swept back, she walked with measured cat-steps: unhurried, precise. Her small chest lifted slightly, chin tilted just so. Golden hair swayed like a tail down to her thighs. Elegance seemed etched into her bones, radiating a princess-like grace she hadn’t consciously summoned.

These gestures felt like muscle memory—utterly natural.

Tilisha froze mid-stride, blinking in confusion. She wiggled her feet in their strapped shoes. *Since when did I walk like this? So… girly?*

She’d long known this elf body carried ingrained habits.

But this strong? Was elfish poise simply instinctive now?

Miss Blaise had waited awhile, yawning beside two men in black robes with crimson linings.

"Good day, Miss Blaise. My apologies for the delay," Tilisha murmured, eyelids lowering as she dipped into a curtsey, fingers pinching her skirt’s hem.

"No trouble—I arrived recently myself." A flicker of surprise crossed Blaise’s eyes. She’d assumed this golden-haired girl was a wild Divine Maiden—unaffiliated, untrained, likely a noble’s illegitimate child with no inheritance rights. Such girls rarely had etiquette lessons.

Years managing archives taught Blaise to read breeding in a glance. This child’s grace felt genuine… yet why hide her surname?

*Odd,* Blaise thought, *but not my business.*

"This is today’s new Divine Maiden student," she introduced Tilisha to the men.

"She hasn’t undergone Divine Maiden Transformation yet? Then we’ll only test her Divine Maiden Realm today. The rest waits."

One man crouched, frowning at Tilisha’s face. "Child, how did you get this scar?"

"Barros, *really*—" Blaise pinched the bridge of her nose.

"It’s merely an ordinary scar, sir," Tilisha replied.

"*Ordinary*…?" Barros stared until Blaise thumped his bald head.

"Rude to gawk! Apologize."

"...My apologies." Barros rose, rubbing his gleaming scalp—a badge of strength among mages—but stole one last glance.

That "scar"… it pulsed faintly with Divine Right. Less a wound, more like a *seal*.

"Focus, Barros," Blaise snapped, then turned to Tilisha with a strained smile. "Forgive him. Grading Hall assessors are… eccentric."

Tilisha shook her head lightly. No offense taken.

They moved to the rear testing grounds. Past enrollment peak, the hall lay quiet, the arena empty.

Barros positioned Tilisha on a circular platform etched with bumpy runes. "Stand still." He waved to a distant assistant.

The man nodded, rummaged through equipment, and lifted a crossbow.

Tilisha’s eyes widened slightly as the bolt locked onto her.