Chapter 42: CHOOSING RAGNAROK

The following day, after a perfect and uninterrupted rest that washed away the exhaustion of the trials, the students returned once more to the sanctuary grounds to discover their fate. This time, they stood not on the field of battle or illusion, but on the grand marble podium—elevated and in full view—where university representatives had gathered, poised to offer admission to those they deemed worthy of their banners. Amongst the various students, two names dominated every whispered conversation, every greedy glance. Aaron and Alice. They were the coveted prizes—hotcakes, as the slang went—being courted by every university present, each one desperate, almost ravenous, to secure their allegiance. Alice, the enigma—untouchable and serene—a lady walking the clear path to godhood, her destiny seemingly carved by the universe itself. And Aaron—the wildcard. The unpredictable element. The anomaly none of them could quite calculate or contain. Compared to those two, the other students faded into the background. Background characters in a play dominated by two leads. "As is custom," Dream, the ever-composed administrator of the sanctuary, began, her voice echoing with serene authority across the space, "priority is given to the Big Six to admit one hundred students each, selected based on merit, potential, and interest—provided, of course, the students themselves are willing to accept." She turned her gaze toward the gathered students and representatives alike. "I have reviewed the lists submitted by each of you. The chosen candidates have been summoned here today to receive your decisions." It was this very policy that had preserved the dominance of the Big Six across generations. The right to handpick the brightest stars before anyone else—leaving the remaining universities to scavenge for what was left. A hierarchy entrenched and unchallenged. "From every university here, two names appeared without fail. Aaron Highborn and Alice Frost," Dream continued, eyes flicking momentarily to the two students. "I will allow you all to present your offers to them, so they may choose freely the institution of their future." The stage was now theirs. Universities leaned forward, preparing their rehearsed speeches. Promises danced on the tips of tongues. Resources, opportunities, wealth, tutelage—words like gold bars waiting to be stacked before their feet. But Aaron stepped forward, arms crossed, expression relaxed but assertive. "I am sorry," he said plainly, voice calm but firm, "but there will be no need to tell me anything. I have already made my decision." A wave of quiet disappointment swept through the representatives, their opening acts cut short before the curtains could rise. Aaron had already chosen. Besides, what reward could they offer that could possibly outweigh what the system dished out? The system that had seen him through impossible odds. The one ally he trusted fully. "At least allow us to tell you what we have to offer," one representative protested, still clinging to hope. "We promise you will not be disappointed—" "It is fine," Aaron cut in, flashing a polite but dismissive smile. "Whatever you wish to offer, I believe I can get it on my own. If I am truly willing to chase it." He let that hang in the air for a moment, then added, almost casually, "My parents were wealthy, after all. All that wealth now belongs to me." The room stiffened. Wry, uncomfortable smiles crossed several faces. They had nearly forgotten—his parents had been the two richest demigods on Blue Star. Their fortune was staggering—enough to casually buy any of the universities present without flinching. Dream’s calm voice returned. "Very well then, Aaron. What university are you choosing from amongst them?" "Who said I have to pick from amongst the six?" Aaron asked, a playful smirk tugging at his lips, as though he were enjoying a private joke. A murmur ran through the crowd. Some representatives stiffened. Others scowled. "Oh?" Dream raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued. "Then where do you wish to study?" "Ragnarok," Aaron said plainly. "That is the university my parents studied in, right?" There was a beat of silence. "But Ragnarok is a third-rate—" "Does not matter," Aaron cut the representative off mid-sentence, not even sparing them a glance. During the competition, amidst the tension and chaos, he had reconsidered his choice. And he had made a final decision. Ragnarok. Once a titan amongst universities. During his parents’ time, it had rivaled the Big Six—perhaps even surpassed them. It had been a place of greatness, where visionaries were born and legends nurtured. But after their deaths—after the collapse of everything that bore the Highborn name—the university had fallen. Mysteriously. Rapidly. Its prestige had crumbled like weathered stone, until it slipped into the rank of a third-rate institution, barely clinging to relevance. The reasons for that fall? Aaron did not care. He would not waste his energy investigating a past buried in rot and betrayal. The true reason for his choice was simple. Freedom. In a third-rate university, restrictions were loose. Oversight was minimal. He would have breathing room—space to act, grow, and pursue his own path without being micromanaged like some fledgling in a cage. And of course... it was the university his parents once attended. There was nostalgia in that. Sentiment, even if he rarely admitted to such things. "Are you sure of your choice?" Dream asked again, her voice gentle, but probing. "One hundred percent." "Very well then." She turned. "All that remains is Alice. At the very least, you may all—" "I will be going to Ragnarok as well," Alice said, cutting Dream off without hesitation. Her voice was soft, but resolute. Her eyes had already shifted—to Aaron. Aaron blinked. "Hey, system. Why is she looking at me like that? Did I say something wrong?" "Hah. That is true. Has she fallen for me already? I expect nothing less from myself," Aaron thought smugly, brushing invisible dust off his shoulder. "Leave me? We are going to the underworld together. I am never losing you!" Aaron muttered under his breath with a grin, returning his attention to the ongoing chaos. The representatives were now practically begging. Pleading. Bargaining. "You both have to rethink this decision. That university will not be able to help you achieve your dreams the way we can. Please, at least consider Stormrest!" The Stormrest representative stepped forward, his voice tinged with desperation. But Aaron was done. "Then I will be off. I should go find the representative of Ragnarok and get acquainted," he said, already turning on his heel to leave before he had to endure another pointless sales pitch. "I will go with you," Alice said calmly, walking just behind him, her presence quiet but impossible to ignore. They walked together now. "Are you sure you will not regret your choice?" Aaron asked, genuinely curious. "Just like you, I will be fine. Besides, I have already learned enough not to worry about the school I attend. At this point, it is all formality," Alice replied, her voice surprisingly relaxed. It caught Aaron off guard. He had assumed she would be cold. Distant. The type to speak in clipped phrases, or not at all. "Everyone always believes that of me," Alice said, sensing his thoughts, her calm smile still resting on her lips. "And you do not bother correcting them?" "There is no point. I do not really mind the avoidance." "Hmm? Then why talk to me? What is so special about me?" Aaron asked, honestly confused now. She was unlike anyone he had met. "You are the first person to try your hardest to reach me," Alice answered softly. "I believe one day... you will be able to touch me. And I will not have to spend the rest of my life only touching inanimate things." A pained smile touched her face. And in that moment, Aaron understood something deeper. A girl whose domain rendered all life untouchable—since the age of five. A blessing that felt like a curse. Isolation disguised as power. Aaron stared at her, his eyes softening. "I promise," he said, voice full of quiet strength. "One day, I will break through your domain. I will get to you. Just hold on a bit longer, alright?" "Thank you," Alice replied, and this time, her smile was not just calm—it was genuine. Radiant. A rare glimpse of warmth from a girl who had been alone too long. Aaron was entranced. Her smile—it felt like the perfect work of art, sculpted by the universe itself.