Ember's Struggles

Chirp— Chirp

The sound of birds chirping filled the air on the floating island of Starlight Academy on this cold winter morning.

The Academy was vast and self-sufficient, providing everything students needed for the entire semester, including facilities, technology, and world-class education.

It was the premier hero training institution that had produced countless heroes and overshadowed even other renowned schools like the Academy of the Emerald Flame and the University of Arcane Arts, which specialized in wizardry.

This Starlight academy was also the primary setting for the popular game "Twilight Chronicles."

{Good morning, students! Your classes for today will begin in the next 10 minutes. Please make your way to your respective classrooms promptly. We kindly remind you that tardiness will not be tolerated and may result in disciplinary action. Thank you.}

As the announcement echoed through the halls, students hurried to make their way to their respective classrooms. Some were still munching on their breakfast, while others looked groggy from oversleeping.

Meanwhile ignoring the Hustle and bustle outside, in Room 3 of the Elite Dorm Building, Ember, one of the prominent female leads, knelt in front of a crystal-clear communication device. On the other end, a woman with striking red hair and features similar to Ember's was visible.

"So, you're saying you ranked third?" the woman shouted, her voice echoing through the room from the crystal.

Ember bit her lower lip and bowed her head without saying a word. Just hearing her mother's voice made her shudder in fear.

She struggled to come up with any excuses as she could hear her mother's unwavering voice ringing in her head, "In this world, everything is competitive, and you must work hard to achieve anything, regardless of whether you are a princess or a commoner."

Her mother had always pushed her to be the best and reminded her constantly that her beauty alone would not be enough to succeed in life.

Ember couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the weight of her mother's expectations. It seemed as though her entire future had been predetermined for her before she was even born. She couldn't shake the feeling that no matter how much she achieved, it would never be enough.

Despite being praised as a perfectionist, Ember knew that perfection was just an illusion, and every achievement came with its own set of flaws. While people admired her talent, they failed to acknowledge the effort she put in to match it.

"You are a disgrace! Lift your head," Ember's mother ordered.

As Ember lifted her head, the woman questioned, "Who were the ones who ranked above you?"

"T-The ranked first was Caius Valerian, and as for the second place, it's some commoner girl named Aria," Ember responded stutteringly.

"What?!" her mother exclaimed.

"Caius Valerian, the same commoner adopted by Marquis Valerian, and the one ranked second is also a commoner?" her mother said in disbelief.

Ember remained silent, bowing her head once again, feeling her heart sink with each word her mother spoke.

"Do you understand, Ember? If you can't even surpass those commoners, you're no better than an insect. You need to redo the entire exam and strive harder. In this world, only the strongest survive, and I won't have a weak daughter." her mother continued, her voice dripping with contempt.

Ember stared at her mother, stunned by her words. "B-But Mother, I studied hard and did my best," she protested.

Her mother's expression turned icy. "Your best wasn't good enough. If you can't even outshine those commoners, what good are you as a princess? You must work harder than anyone else to prove your worth," she scolded.

Ember felt a knot form in her stomach. She couldn't believe her own mother was belittling her like this. But she knew better than to argue. Her mother had always been like this, pushing her to be the best, to outdo her siblings, and prove her superiority.

Taking a deep breath, Ember nodded. "I understand, Mother. I will work harder and do better next time," she said, trying to keep the tremble out of her voice.

She looked back at the examination paper with blank eyes, feeling the weight of her mother's expectations and her own insecurities pressing down on her.

The exam that tested creativity, reasoning, and thinking ability was full of complex questions that required proper comprehension to answer.

Ember sighed in frustration, 'How am I supposed to solve these problems without any practical experience? I've answered them to the best of my abilities, based on what I have learned, but still ranked third. How did the top two students manage to answer them so well?' she thought.

Her mother interrupted her thoughts, "Do you think that I'm being too strict with you? I only want what's best for you. I don't want you to suffer the same fate as me - being ignored and belittled by others," she said.

Ember's mother was the third wife of the King of the Kingdom of Kaelthas. Though she was a commoner, the King was captivated by her beauty and took her as his wife.

However, her mother was not satisfied with that as she desired something more - to become a Queen.

But that was impossible for her as one cannot become a queen based on beauty alone. A queen must be strong and talented enough to lead her people, and Ember's mother had nothing but her looks. She couldn't compare to the other wives of the king in terms of talent and strength.

As her talent for magic was average at best, but Ember was different. She had royal blood in her veins, and her talent was something that could only be seen in a few in every generation.

So, Ember's mother had always strictly taken care of her, hoping that one day her daughter would be able to fulfill the dreams that she could not.

"I'm doing this for you, Ember," she said.

"You have to be better than your other siblings. You don't know how much it pains me to see you struggling." Ember didn't know how to respond to her mother's deep emotions, so she simply nodded.

"Yes, Mother," Ember said, even though she couldn't help but wonder if all of this pressure was truly necessary.

Tic—

Even after her mother ended the communication line, she was left with a nagging feeling of uncertainty.

She couldn't comprehend how she could have answered the exam questions any better than she already had.

The thought lingered in her mind, making her wonder how both Aria and Caius had managed to solve the problems that she, with her years of magical training, had failed to answer properly.

Were they more experienced in practical magic than she was? Was that the secret to their success?... If so, why should she be punished for it?

Ember felt a bitter grudge growing inside her, but she buried it deep within herself. She grabbed her test paper and left her dark and lonely dorm room as today was the first day of class.

***