Chapter 748: To Want To Survive
The reaction that followed Charlotte Raven’s name was not loud enough to become disorderly, but it was far more noticeable than the one Ariana had received.
A low murmur spread through the Eastern Grand Hall as several students turned toward her, some with surprise, others with curiosity, and a few with expressions that made it clear they were still processing what the ranking meant.
Charlotte had not merely remained in the top five. She had climbed above Chris Rature, a prince of Tempest, a Lightning Magic prodigy, and someone many had once assumed would remain among the highest-ranked students by default.
Whether anyone liked Chris or not, his power was undeniable, which made Charlotte’s placement above him impossible to ignore. It told everyone that the academy had valued more than direct combat dominance, and it also told them that Charlotte had performed far better than many had assumed.
Charlotte herself stood beside Liam with a look that was far too pleased for someone who claimed not to care about rankings. In truth, she did not care about the list the same way some of her classmates did.
She had no desperate attachment to being praised by the academy, no aching need to prove herself to instructors, and certainly no interest in shaping her entire identity around a number.
However, knowing that she was not below the stinky, arrogant, not-so-husband material prince who so often made himself a problem for her "bae" was a different matter entirely. That was not about ambition. That was simply satisfying.
Her golden eyes slid toward Chris within the crowd, and her lips curved into a cheeky smile.
"Well, would you look at that," she said lightly, loud enough for those nearby to hear but not quite enough to be called openly disrespectful. "Seems even Nalim agrees that some people are better off staying beneath me."
Dylan, standing nearby, almost laughed but seemed to remember halfway through that his body did not have enough strength for that kind of reaction. The result was a weak choking sound that made him cough into his fist.