Für Elise [4]

——Professor, what do you think?

Elise stood proudly with her hands on her hips as showed off her graduation cap.

At this point—two hours and thirty-five seconds into the play—the audience was fully immersed. 

It no longer felt like acting. They weren't watching a performance anymore. They were watching Elise herself, as if the story had come to life before their eyes.

The scene shifted slightly as Professor Valen stepped forward.

——You've done well, Elise.

Only a few months remained. Just a few more exams and, of course, the submission of the third-year final thesis before graduation.

By this point, even if Professor Valen were biased enough to give Elise a high grade, her efforts and talents only managed to keep her ranked twelfth in her entire batch.

Her adoptive parents had already lost hope of her securing a spot in the top three. 

They had at least expected her to make the top ten.

But twelfth?