Thora stopped in her tracks. Roxen paused briefly as he passed her. They shared a quick smile before he turned and walked away. Tobias looked grim. Before leaving, he also glanced at Thora. She noticed right away and didn't care. It wasn't new. To her, Tobias was like a poisonous snake hiding in the dark, always waiting for a chance to strike. Over the past year, they had clashed more than once behind the scenes. Tobias never came out on top, yet he kept hanging around, making him both troublesome and irritating. The military operated with efficiency. Within seconds, only Valen, Thora, and two guards were left in the hall. Thora nodded to him. "Mr. Mercer, you wanted to see me?"Valen got straight to the point. "You've been here a full year, and you've already completed every course. Mr. Ewing plans to keep the recruitment format the same as last year, with upperclassmen involved. Last time, Roxen, Mike, and Carlos acted as examiners while they were still second-year cadets." He paused, then continued seriously, "After discussing it, we think it's time to change things. This year, we want one top student to act as chief examiner, with the others assisting. It's both an experiment and a form of training. Seeing recruits from a student's view might reveal strengths teachers usually miss. "Of course, the chief examiner has to be among the best. We originally chose Adrian, but he'll be leaving during recruitment. He recommended you." Valen made his meaning clear and waited quietly for her answer. Thora lowered her gaze in thought. One detail stood out—Adrian would be leaving during recruitment. That meant once the mission ended, he'd be gone. "Is Adrian graduating this year?" she asked.Valen smiled. "No. He already qualified to graduate at the end of his second year. He stayed this year for personal reasons." There was clear admiration in his expression when he mentioned Adrian. After a brief moment of thought, Thora nodded. "Understood. If I take on the role of chief examiner, can I choose my own assistants?" "Of course," Valen said, taking a sip of water. Talking that long had dried his throat. "The academy wants more student involvement. Once the chief examiner is set, the rest of the team is entirely your call." They trusted her enough to let her decide. She and Adrian were tied at the top, but Valen personally leaned slightly toward Thora, though even he couldn't fully explain why. Later, Davis suggested it might be because Thora felt more alive. She was a bit wild, more human—both irritating and endearing. The more Valen thought about it, the more it made sense. While he was lost in thought, Thora excused herself and left. She had planned to go back and start picking her team, but after a moment, she changed direction and headed to the library. Thirteenth floor, Section B. The spot was familiar, but this time it was empty. Thora frowned, looked around, and was about to leave when she suddenly stopped. She turned and walked toward a long row of shelves nearby. The sound of her military boots was normally subtle, but in the silent library, each step echoed clearly. She turned into the aisle and saw a tall figure standing between the shelves, a book in hand. He turned at the sound, a faint smile touching his sharp, cool features. "You're here." Thora nodded politely. "Hello, Adrian."They had known each other for a year. Out of everyone at the academy, Adrian was the person Thora knew best. They didn't talk much, but there was a shared understanding between them—something between friends and equals. Even so, Thora could never fully read him. He felt like a stone sealed in ice, tightly closed off, showing only cold on the surface. She walked up to him, her eyes briefly flicking to the book. "When are you leaving?"