“Ok, so maybe part of it was a bet with Rainer. That’s not important. My secondary reason was for you.” He looked at her levelly. “I know you second guessed yourself back there. You do that entirely too often. Doubting your own knowledge can be just as dangerous for a sorcerer as knowing nothing at all. It’s an important lesson we all have to learn, and I needed you to learn it sooner rather than later.”

Nadrina hung her head. She knew she had always been like that, always getting into her own head and ruining things for herself. She thought being here might have improved that, but being surrounded by so many talented people brought those old feelings back again.

“It’s why I needed you to compete today,” the professor continued. “You needed to see how far you’ve come, and being the only sorcerer in our weird little class means you have nothing to compare yourself to. I asked the headmaster to use the first year’s sorcery exam for a reason. You are head and shoulders above most of the other sorcerers in this school. Since you wouldn’t believe me if I just told you that, I had to show you.”

He ruffled her hair playfully and gave her a genuine, encouraging smile. “You’re a fantastic mage, Nadrina. I’m proud of you.”

Nadrina could feel her eyes well up with tears against her wishes. She hadn’t known how badly she needed to hear that. She opened her mouth to speak, but all she could get out was, “... thank you.”

“Useless!” a voice snapped out, ruining the lovely moment in an instant. “You useless imbecile! I should have known sending a failure like you would cost me! How could you screw up that badly?!”

Nadrina turned to see Professor Rainer berating the boy she’d just been going up against. He looked nearly on the verge of tears as he hung his head in shame, but Professor Rainer didn’t let up.

“Useless, idiotic, pointless! All of you!” he screamed, now addressing the rest of his silently shocked class. “You were under my tutelage! My tutelage! You dare mock me with this farce?!”

“Professor Rainer. That is enough.”

The headmaster wore the deepest frown Nadrina had ever seen on his face. His quiet words somehow made him more intimidating. Professor Rainer took one look at his expression and decided to turn his attention elsewhere. Unfortunately, that meant he spotted Nadrina.

“You!” he seethed, stomping towards her. Lilianna had been hanging back and waiting for Nadrina, but now moved protectively next to her. The professor only had eyes for Nadrina, however.

“You filthy little commoner! People like you are the reason this world is going to madness! Little sheep who don’t know their place, trying to be more than what they are! You’re nothing but a silly little girl who yearns for things out of her reach!”