The Unwanted Genius Escapes Her Dark Fate

"Empathy, Seraphina! You lack even a single ounce of it!"

Professor Alden's voice bounced off the mahogany walls of his office. He slammed his hand flat against his desk. The impact rattled the inkwells and sent three pieces of parchment fluttering to the floor.

Seraphina stood perfectly still. Her spine was rigid. Her jaw locked so tight her teeth ached.

A few feet away, Elara stood with her shoulders hunched. Her fingers dug into the fabric of her uniform skirt, twisting the material into tight knots. A single, perfect tear welled in her wide eyes and tracked slowly down her cheek. It was a calculated display of vulnerability.

"She broke my beginner's wand, Professor," Elara whispered. Her voice trembled. It sounded like glass cracking under pressure. "I know I'm not as gifted as her, but she didn't have to destroy it."

Seraphina opened her mouth to speak. She had logic on her side. She had proof.

But before the words could leave her throat, her brain split open.

A blinding, tearing pain ripped through the center of her skull. It felt like a physical blade carving into her gray matter. Her breath hitched. Her vision went completely black.

Images violently shoved their way into her mind. They weren't just pictures; they were memories of a future she hadn't lived yet. She saw herself screaming. She saw her magic being ripped from her veins, leaving her hollow and bleeding on a cold stone floor. She saw Elara standing over her, smiling a cold, dead smile while everyone Seraphina had ever trusted turned their backs.

The pain vanished as quickly as it hit.

Seraphina gasped, her lungs burning as she sucked in the stale office air. She blinked hard. The room came back into focus, but something was different.

In Seraphina's vision, a glowing, translucent blue screen materialized above Elara's head. It wasn't a physical object, but an overlay in her mind's eye, a lingering phantom from the prophecy that only she could perceive.

Target: Seraphina Vanguard. Jealousy Level: 85%. Anticipating outburst. Reward: 500 System Points.

Seraphina's stomach dropped to her shoes. The blood drained from her face, leaving her skin icy and numb. It wasn't a hallucination. The prophecy was real. The system was real. If she maintained her pride, if she fought back, she would die.

"Your silence speaks volumes," Alden said. He rubbed his jaw, a habit he leaned on when he was stressed. "I am cutting your mana stone quota for the month. Perhaps that will teach you humility."

Elara's eyes gleamed. The blue screen above her head flashed. Anticipating target's rage.

Seraphina looked at the screen. She looked at Elara's fake tears. Then, she made a choice.

If pride meant death, she would become the most pathetic creature in this academy.

Seraphina let her knees buckle.

She didn't brace herself. She let her full weight crash onto the thick carpet. The dull thud echoed in the quiet room.

Alden's mouth snapped shut. The lecture died in his throat. He stared at his top student, the untouchable prodigy, now crumpled on the floor.

Elara's fake tear stopped mid-track. The blue screen above her head flickered. Error. Target behavior anomalous.

Seraphina buried her face in her hands. She forced her breathing to turn ragged. She hiked her shoulders up and let them shake violently. She didn't have real tears, so she pressed the heels of her palms hard against her eyes until she saw stars, making her voice thick and wet.

"You're right," Seraphina sobbed. The sound was loud, ugly, and entirely pathetic. "You're so right, Professor. I'm a monster."

Alden stumbled backward. His knee clipped his heavy leather chair. "Seraphina? What are you-"

"I did it because I'm jealous!" Seraphina wailed, peeking through her fingers to gauge their reactions. "I look at Elara, and she's so pure. So innocent. The pressure of being the best... it's crushing my chest. I can't breathe! I ruin everything because I'm so terrified of failing!"

Elara's jaw dropped. Her fingers released her skirt. Those were her lines. Seraphina was stealing her exact script.

Alden's anger evaporated. His face paled with sudden, heavy guilt. He stepped around the desk, his hand reaching out. "Seraphina, please. Breathe. I didn't realize you were under such immense strain."

Seraphina slapped his hand away. She shrank back, curling into a tight ball.

"No! Don't touch me! I don't deserve your forgiveness!" She reached into her pocket with trembling fingers. She pulled out the heavy gold key-the symbol of her status as the Chief Apprentice.

She held it out with shaking hands.

"Take it," she choked out. "I resign. I need to be punished. I can't handle the high-level rooms anymore. I'm too weak."

Alden stared at the gold key. "Seraphina, this is an overreaction. We can get you counseling. You don't have to give up your status."

"Take it!" she screamed, her voice cracking perfectly.

Above Elara, the blue screen turned a violent red. CRITICAL ERROR. Target has surrendered status. Plunder logic failed.

Seraphina saw Elara's face twist into genuine panic. It took every ounce of Seraphina's willpower not to smile.

She dropped the gold key. It hit the floor with a sharp, metallic clink.

Before Alden could speak, Seraphina scrambled to her feet. She swayed heavily, acting as if the gravity in the room had doubled. She dragged her feet toward the heavy oak door, her head hung low.

"Seraphina..." Alden whispered. He slumped back into his chair, rubbing his jaw furiously, his eyes wide with shock.

Elara reached for the key, but a sharp, stabbing pain shot through her head, forcing her to recoil. A system penalty. She hissed in pain, cradling her temples as if struck by a sudden, violent migraine, and left the key untouched on the carpet.

Seraphina pushed the door open. The cool draft of the hallway hit her face.

The moment the door clicked shut behind her, Seraphina dropped her hands. Her shoulders straightened. The fake sobs vanished instantly. A slow, easy smile spread across her lips.

A group of first-year students walking past stopped dead in their tracks. They stared at Seraphina's red-rimmed eyes and messy hair, their mouths hanging open in shock.

Seraphina ignored them. She rolled her neck, feeling the tension bleed out of her muscles.

If being trash kept her alive, she was going to be the absolute worst student this academy had ever seen.