Everly nudged Ethan's shoulder with a soft but pointed motion, her voice dry with amusement. "You're right. It isn't very pleasant.
But it's only a pain for you. For others, this selection can decide whether they land a foot in a major department or spend their first term sweeping sensor halls."
Ethan didn't answer right away. He just gave her a sidelong glance—half resigned, half amused—because deep down he knew she wasn't wrong.
In a place like Astralis, where subtle hierarchies were hidden behind clean walls and smooth words, the smallest early evaluations could quietly shape a student's entire path.
Before he could reply, the pod began to slow.
The hum beneath their feet softened, and ahead of them, a new archway came into view.
This one wasn't grand like the Hall of Presence, but it didn't need to be—it had its own refined symmetry.
