Exam (3)
The plan was to pass the exam. Topping the exam was out of the question. It would be too risky to be put in the spotlight.

But when Lia saw the questions, her spirit was lifted, her enthusiasm soared. She could answer this. She could actually pass this exam. She could achieve her first step.

She was no genius, but she enjoyed her classes back in her original world. She loved learning. It was just a matter of when the energy and motivation to visit her.

Getting to this world did not tamper that desire to learn. To her surprise, her laziness did not kick in. She was always eager to study. Learning how this world functions, its history, its inhabitants, and everything and anything related to this new place was interesting. Lia was like a sponge, absorbing all the things thrown at her. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

“Charge it to experience,” her birth mother used to say and something she etched in her heart. All of the things that happened to her were a lesson to learn.

As she stared down at the questions, the corner of her mouth twitched. She managed to not rubbed her hands together as she picked up her pen and scribbled away her answers.

Time passed by without her realizing, and it would have continued like that if not for the shift in the air around her. The murmurs heightened just as she finished her last question. Narrowing her eyes, she scanned the hall and found some of the examinees were frozen stiff in their seats, facing the front.

Lia followed their line of sight and saw, perhaps, the most beautiful and elegant person in the entire palace.

The proctor made a gesture for the examinees to stand and greet, but the Queen raised a hand, palms up.

“Don’t bother. Focus on your exam. I was only dropping by as I have been in the area,” she said, regarding everyone who was listening. That commanding air surrounding her made it hard for other people to ignore her. Not like anyone would dare do that. “I heard, there’s quite a lot of participants this year.” She turned to the old man, but her eyes continued to roam the hall.

A tingly feeling ran through Lia’s spine. She hunched her back, returned her gaze to the questionnaire, and tried to make herself as small as possible. It might have been her imagination that the queen glanced at her direction.

Lia pretended to have been reviewing her answers while surreptitiously casting a peek at the queen. Her Majesty continued to talk to the quivering old man, who was not hiding his inclination to impress, along with a few other people who Lia thought to be the ministers.

Queen Rosalind was beautiful in an icy kind of way. The chilly weather seemed like summer compared to her beauty. Her skin was like snow which reminded Lia of harsh winters with nothing but blizzard. Her eyes, while regal and elegant, had a permanent look of scrutiny as though she was calculating every move of the person opposite her. If they were going to be useful to her or if they had any worth at all. Beneath her gracefulness were rows of icicles, threatening to stab anyone with their sharp points.

“The first to third rows are the cream of the crop. All from the distinguished families loyal to the Que– to the land.” Lia heard the quivering old man said to the queen, voice full of pride despite his hushed tone.

The queen gave a sideways glance, almost a bored look, but her eyes betrayed her with that gleam. “Is that so?” The ghost of a smile passed on those perfectly curved red lips.

She left soon after, behind her were the ministers, but the cold and dark feeling remained on Lia.