Results

Eira stepped inside, closing the door softly behind her. She had decided against going to the exam location. Her gaze drifted toward the window. The streets were still empty. No transportation was available yet. That meant she wouldn't make it in time if she tried to reach the training grounds now.

Clicking her tongue, she leaned back in her chair, thinking. Going out just to be stranded halfway was a waste of time. She was better off staying put and using the extra time to prepare for the rest of the day.

She moved toward her desk, brushing aside a few scattered parchments before pulling out a fresh sheet.She dipped her quill into ink and let it glide over the surface, her mind shifting back into focus.

Her first priority was meeting Veer and Faelor. She wanted to hand over the textbooks she had prepared for them as soon as possible. She wanted to begin the production of guns and cannons immediately.

Next,she would need to meet up with Elandor, they had to discuss the schooling system. Slates and chalks had been available and in production for some time now.

She frowned slightly, setting the quill down for a moment. The recruits' uniforms also needed to be handled. It had been an afterthought at first, but it was necessary. Discipline extended beyond training—it was reflected in how they carried themselves, how they presented themselves. A proper uniform would reinforce the structure she was building, a visible reminder of their purpose.

But then,here's the problem-No fabrics. She would need to see if there's was a tailor in town,but even if there was,something just tells her that they would need to leave the island to procure fabrics. Their town had little to zero trade options,she needed to sort that out ASAP.

Her quill scratched against the parchment, listing the next priority.

The barracks,the only place which has been labelled on the map,for now. The reparations had been slow but steady, and she needed to ensure that the progress wasn't lagging. It was another matter she had meant to check on earlier but had postponed due to the exams. If the barracks weren't fully restored, housing and training conditions would be affected. Unacceptable.

Eira pressed her lips together, tapping the quill against the desk.

And then, there was the matter she had been avoiding.

The trip outside the island.

She had postponed it multiple times now, always caught up in the never-ending stream of responsibilities that demanded her attention. She groaned, with the way things were going,leaving would be more harder than she thought.

Eira exhaled slowly,She had a long day ahead of her.

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Draco stood at the front of the assembled recruits, his gaze shifting between the moon hanging in the early morning sky and the dark line of the forest beyond the clearing. His arms remained crossed, his posture rigid, but his mind was elsewhere. Where is she?

He had half-expected Eira to emerge from the trees at any moment, striding toward them as if she hadn't just vanished the day before. But the forest remained still. No rustling, no approaching footsteps.

Nothing.

He let out a slow breath through his nose, his jaw tightening.

The recruits, standing in their perfect rows, didn't dare speak. They already knew who he was waiting for, and so, for the past thirty minutes, they had all remained in complete silence, their breaths measured, their backs straight. Some shifted on their feet, but no one spoke out of turn. They were disciplined, if nothing else.

Still, they weren't the only ones growing impatient.

Damn it,Eira.

Draco's fingers curled slightly at his sides before he forced himself to relax. He wasn't about to spend the entire morning standing around like a fool. If something had happened, he would deal with it later. For now, the recruits needed results, and waiting around wouldn't change that.

With a quiet sigh, he turned his attention back to the parchment in his hands. His brow furrowed as he skimmed the words, trying to make sense of Eira's meticulous but frustratingly detailed notes. There were symbols, numbers, and strange markings that he vaguely recalled her explaining at some point, but none of it clicked.

He glanced at the recruits, then back at the parchment.

Yeah. No. He wasn't deciphering this.

Well, whatever. He'd just do it his way.

Straightening his shoulders, Draco cleared his throat and let his sharp gaze sweep across the recruits. "Alright," he said, slipping the parchment into his coat. "Let's get started."

"You all know why we're here," he said, his voice carrying effortlessly across the open space. "The results of the exam will determine your future roles. Some of you will move up. Some of you will stay where you are. And some of you… well." His lips curled into a faint smirk. "You'll be learning a different trade."

A few recruits swallowed hard. Others clenched their fists at their sides, their nerves evident despite their best efforts.

He pulled out the parchment once more, quickly scanning the list of names.Draco sighed through his nose. The mere list of names wore him out already,you might think–what? It's just calling out names isn't it?—but mind you,this was 500 names,it was no easy work.

"I will now announce the results. If your name is called, step to the right and line up accordingly."

He lifted his head and began calling out names. "Thalos, Fynn, Gerald, Vaelen..."

Kael stiffened, his stomach twisting into knots. He hadn't expected to be called, and when his name rang out across the field, he hesitated. Did he mean another Kael? Surely, he didn't mean—

"Kael," Draco repeated, his tone sharper this time.Kael quickly joined the others, his heart still hammering.

He continued calling names until finally, he looked up from the parchment. His eyes scanned the remaining recruits before settling on Lyanna.

Lyanna had already accepted her failure. She had seen stronger, faster recruits still standing where she was. Her heart sank further with each name called, and she had almost tuned Draco out completely—until she heard her own name.

"Lyanna."

She froze.

The world seemed to blur for a moment as every head turned toward her. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out. Was this a mistake? Had she misheard?

Draco's sharp voice cut through her daze. "Lyanna, move."

"Y-yes, sir!" She scrambled forward, nearly tripping over herself. As she reached the new formation, her face was burning. How? Why?

A recruit beside her, Nyx, smirked. "Surprised?"

Lyanna nodded numbly.

"You earned it," Nyx said, her tone carrying certainty. "Own it."

Lyanna swallowed hard and straightened her back.

These were the ones who had proven themselves, who had displayed skill, discipline, and adaptability. They weren't perfect, but they had potential.

He closed the parchment as he brought out another.He turned to the remaining recruits—about 150 of them.

"You all fought well," he began, her voice steady. "But not well enough."

Tension spread through the crowd, and several recruits lowered their gazes.

"If it were up to me,I would have sent you all parking",he continued staring at every one of them. He sighed,"But you have a very good,nice person as your Chief Commander." He began opening the second parchment.

"If you hear your name,step to the left and do the needful."

Another round of names was called.

Ceylan felt her heartbeat quicken as the first parchment was read and her name remained unspoken. The disappointment hit her like a punch to the gut.

"This can't be happening," she whispered. "Did I... completely fail?"

She wanted to scream, to curse, but just as frustration reached its peak, Draco pulled out a second parchment and began calling more names.

"Ceylan."

She nearly collapsed from relief. She exhaled sharply, only then realizing she had been holding her breath. With shaky steps, she moved toward the left.

Finally, Draco turned toward the remaining recruits—100 individuals who had been left standing. The weight of their failure settled on them, and a few already had tears welling in their eyes.

Draco studied them carefully before speaking. "You did not make the cut. As of now, you will be classified under the Police Force."

Murmurs spread among them, disappointment thick in the air.

"You may continue training and attempt to retake the next exam," Draco—as much as he didn't want to—stated firmly. "Or, if you feel this is not your path, you may leave to pursue other opportunities. The choice is yours."

Some recruits wiped their eyes, struggling with their emotions. But Draco's tone was not cruel—only factual. Life was harsh, and so was war.

"You should feel disappointed," he continued, "all those weeks of training. Honestly like I said,if it were up to me,I won't want to see any of your faces,but yet here we are." He paused and let it sink down,then he turned to his left.

"You barely made it," he told them. "You need to work twice as hard as the others. But you are now Privates of the Navy."

The recruits nodded solemnly.

"Two of you have shown particular promise," he added. A pause for suspense. "Lirien and Talis, step forward."

Lirien's eyes widened in shock, but she moved swiftly. Talis did the same.

"You are promoted to Lieutenants," Draco declared. "From this moment, you are responsible for the performance of the Privates under you. If they fail, you will be punished in their place. Understood?"

"Sir, yes, sir!" they chorused, saluting him.

They turned toward their comrades, and the Privates saluted them in return.

Draco shifted his attention to the rightmost formation. "And as for you—congratulations."

The recruits stiffened, standing taller.

"You excelled," he continued. "You are now Privates, and among you, four have been promoted to Lieutenants: Vaelen, Thalos, Raven, and Nyx."

The newly appointed Lieutenants stepped forward, saluted, and received their responsibilities just as the Navy officers had.

Draco then stood in the middle of both groups. "That concludes the rankings. You have one week to rest and prepare. When you return, expect harsher training, stricter discipline, and harder tests. You are now part of the military. Act like it."

The recruits saluted before being dismissed, murmurs spreading as they dispersed.

As the clearing emptied, Draco let out a quiet breath and glanced toward the forest one last time.

Where the hell did you go, Eira?

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Meanwhile far across the vast ocean and scattered islands...