"Seems you guys can't get yourselves away from weirdos," the man said with a grin, flashing an easy smile at Silva and the group.
Silva exhaled heavily, rubbing the back of his neck. "Is this common when the exams happen?"
"Well, yeah, basically," the man replied, tone casual. "Every time the exams are held, some people end up in despair. They can come back for the next round, sure, but by then, they've already lost a year of progress they could've made if they'd passed this time."
"I see," Silva said simply.
Without wasting another moment, he turned and walked toward the exit, leaving the others to linger behind. The man followed close behind, his boots clicking against the marble floor.
"So," he asked, curiosity lacing his voice, "what did you end up getting?"
Silva stopped. Lily and Drake did too, exchanging a glance before turning back to him.
