Retrieve the Kingdom

Discovered

It’s been months since they have been living a great life. It was a privileged one. It’s suspecting for Phoebe that she doesn’t see any tyranny of his uncle there. Not even a single bit, nor a single event. Well, she can only say that in Oliver but she has been receiving news from Mires that the guards are already stealing what they caught, especially when they are hungry.

She was angry, she hopes that no one got hurt again unlike the last time she saw before. It’s been months since that incident and she still can’t get over with it. It was the very first evidence and motivation to go faster accomplishing her plans to overthrow her greedy and evil uncle. 

It was a mystery that he haven’t take his move when she was just growing up. But she suspects in those 15 years of idle, he have done something that she haven’t known. She will get to it no matter what, that’s how determined she is.

This week was the observation and examination week of her school. They are near the end of the school and she will graduate from middle school. She was studying hard these past few days. She heard that some people who provide scholars to students will observe them and see who will get in the top. She wants one of them carry her to her plans.

She went to school early, she didn’t waited for Shyrene so she could review and practice. She went to the campus and went to the library and looked up for some books to read. After some few minutes, she sets the books back to their shelves and left the library. She went to the garden to study how she will execute the gardening test later. 

“Are you even studying the soil, nerd?” She stopped looking around and turns on her back. It was the five girls who kept bothering her and made her experience in this school a bit bad. They all giggled as she looks at them confused. “I know you want that scholarship that some of the council of Enoch offers, we get it, it’s everybody’s dream.” Dona of Oliver said, boasting with her squeaky, annoying voice. “But you will not get that, understand? The most probable candidate for that is us.” 

“Why do you say so?” Phoebe, for the first time, speak to them with confidence. “Wow… You are now talking back?” Dona laughs, “Where did you get that? From your dad’s crappy dishes?” All of them laughed along with her. “I am just asking, I might get tips from the most probable candidate.” 

The girl in front her was a bit pissed, but she calmed herself to maintain her poise. “Oh well, I might lend you some tips so you could at least an inch from my success rate, just for a little challenge~ First, we are the siblings of the former scholars of the councils, they may recognize us and say, ‘Oh, it’s the little sisters of our former scholars, they may be as good as they are!’ One point for us~!” She smirks at her, trying to add a reason to make Phoebe pissed. 

“Second, it’s fairly obvious we are smarter than you and we will have the highest possibility to pass every test and be on the top. You don’t even belong on the star section, which we belong to. Another point~” The others giggles as she smirks again, she thought she was winning.

“Thank you for the advice. And the thing why I am not in the star section because one, I am a transferee and second, the god’s know I will be beating you and he doesn’t wants you to cry. Two points for me.” She smirks as she leaves them alone. Dona was pissed, she was about to ran to her to pull her hair. A teacher comes out of the building and told them the program before the examinations will start at any minute.

Phoebe glances to them one more time, “And… I have more willpower and patience than you, manage your anger.” She proceeds to the main school grounds. “The nerve of that girl! Let’s go and prove to her I—we will beat her!”

“Welcome to Finals Week, everyone!” The master of ceremony announced as everybody claps. “Before having your exams, we will introduce to you this year’s scholar providers.” She announced and introduced every council of Enoch present there. “That’s all for the guests we have for the Final Examination and Observation Week! Do your best and let’s see who will be this year’s scholars!” 

They all went to their respective classrooms or perhaps this week, examination rooms. Her first exam was a historic one, they are now in the history classroom. Phoebe took a deep breath as she looks at her exam papers. She started answering them, it was a bit hard for her since she kept over thinking about she will pass or not.

It was a 3 page-long test, they were given 2 hours to take it. She was focused. Minutes pass by, she is reaching the end of her test. But she knows everyone is already starting to pass their papers. She was pressured as she almost got cut off her thoughts on the choices. She wrote the last letters she needs as she stands and passes them to the professor. She was the only one in the room. 

She excused herself as she goes out of there. As she was navigating the hallway, she heard their voices again. “What took you so long? The exams are hard? Good! At least you know who will be getting that scholarship. Try harder.” Dona snickers as they left her with those words. Phoebe just took a deep breath and tried not to fight them back.

She went to the back of the school to eat her snacks. “P-phoebe!” Shyrene ran to her, “Why didn’t you went to my house?” She looks at her and sighs, “I am sorry, I was too focused and I want to solo the library in the morning.” The girl’s face lightens up, “Oh! It’s fine, I know how bad you want to be on the scholar’s list!” 

“Thank you for understanding.” Shyrene held on to her arm, “Let’s eat our snacks!” They went to their usual spot and ate their snacks to fuel their minds up. 

After that, Phoebe went to the gardening part of their school. She waited there until the exams are gonna start. Her examination group for the gardening already starts to go there. She was a bit pissed that she will encounter Dona today and one of her friends in an examination. They were looking at her sinisterly, Phoebe decided to avoid looking at them and even saying a thing. 

The exams start as they perform what they learned in their gardening class. First they planted a seed and they were closely observed by some of the scholar providers and their instructor. Then they created their art to a plant. 

Dona smirks as she sits beside her. “Already tasting the defeat?” She didn’t answer. It was still a mystery to her that she’s targeting her in the past few weeks. She doesn’t remember that she has done anything to her. But she seems to have fun bossing her around.

“Heh.” She smirked one last time as they start trimming the plants. When she was halfway there, Dona simply and secretly cut one part in an irregular shape. Phoebe didn’t notice it until her final touches. It made hers a bit ugly. She tried to fix it but time was up. 

Dona laughs to her, “I told you, you can’t even be an inch same as me. Try harder.” With her evil look, she wants Phoebe to get pissed off at her and pick up a fight with her. But Phoebe remains unbothered as they went to the last phase of the gardening exams. 

Phoebe went home as all of the 3 exams were done today. The next day, she came to school early again and with Shyrene. They studied together since most of the exams today were in the sheets. “The nerd brought her stupid best friend. Kinda ironic, you know? I mean, you could’ve been friends with me. But you didn’t, because you don’t want to feel belittled to yourself.” She giggles as Phoebe’s fist clenched. Shyrene held it, “Phoebe…”

She calmed herself and didn’t answer anymore. “I know this will be easy, see you later, maybe we will cross paths again~” They left her. Phoebe dismissed what they said as she and Shyrene studied. They both went to their day, Phoebe was thankful she never met them again and was wishing they will never be. 

On the last day of exams, Phoebe was determined she will pass. She was practicing cooking in the house to pass her culinary subject. She studied on some of her exams that she will answer on a paper. She was going with Shyrene to school. 

“I am sure some of them will get you as their scholar! You are the perfect candidate! Everyone knows that.” She motivated Phoebe as she pats her back. “Thanks, Shy… How about you? You don’t dream of being a scholar?” She shook her head, “Not as much as you do, I just go with the flow. I don’t really like stressing myself. My parents can enroll me in a prestigious school if I want, but I rather not to.”

“Don’t you have high dreams? Like being one of the leaders of this kingdom. I mean, you have a good political stance and beliefs. You do great too as the leader of Oliver Female Youth.” Shyrene shook her head again, “I don’t want to advance on my life. I mean, I don’t really wanna rule. I just want a simple life. Studying middle school can get you some jobs already. And, I might as well pursue sewing really well.” 

“Your choice, it’s your life anyway.” Shyrene snickers, “Yeah, you only live once, right? Unless the gods reborn you again.” Phoebe was frozen, ironically, she already lived twice. “Do you believe that once-in-a-century myth?” She shooks her head, “I mean, I am not belittling the gods. But we are too damned to be reborn again.”

“What if I tell you, this is my second life?” Shyrene looks at her, she giggles. “Nice joke, Phoebe. Come on, let’s study.” Phoebe smiles, but deep in her, she was telling the truth. I guess it wouldn’t be a problem for her to explain everything she is doing to her one day. 

Phoebe went to her last exam, the cooking test. After picking up Bastien’s delivery at the school gate, she went to the cooking halls of the school. She settled herself to her own reserved cooking spot. The others were going in too. Soon as everyone was there, they started. There was one who was late, but she was excused anyway. 

They started to slice their ingredients, then go with what they are doing. The others were finished as they served it to their taste tester. Phoebe’s tester took a bite, he started coughing as he ran to the nearest comfort room. It was a scandal that Phoebe never expected. 

It was Friday, and its the announcement of the scholars. Phoebe went to the school grounds with Shyrene. “Could you tell me what happened these past few days?” She holds her hands, “Later, I’ll tell you.” They went to their respective seats.

“Welcome to the closing ceremony of the Final Examination and Observation Week! We will now start the program and please standby until the end of the ceremony for we have a great announcement!” The master of the ceremony said as everyone cheered. The program went on, but Phoebe was just waiting for one part. “And now, the Scholars for this year!” She started to announce names, “Margarita of Gotthilf” “Maria of Lott” “Leina of Oliver” It was those names that made Phoebe a little bit nervous.   

“For the last one, Council Ernest of Riossoco chose…”

“Dona of Oliver!”