Accepted vs. Rejected

"We didn't get in!"

"We didn't get in!"

"We didn't get in!"

After reading the results, Twilight, Yor, and Anya said those words in turn. Only Richie looked utterly incredulous. He clutched his head, tilted his face toward the sky, and howled, "Impossible! Impossible! Absolutely impossible-"

Richie's howl drew countless strange looks. He instantly regretted his behavior. Everyone was staring at him, their gazes seemingly sharp enough to turn him into a porcupine.

Richie squirmed, his little face turning so red it looked ready to bleed.

He made a show of clearing his throat to hide his embarrassment.

Pretending not to care, he glanced around. When he realized everyone was still watching him, embarrassment overwhelmed him, and he buried himself in Twilight's arms, mumbling, "Father."

Twilight gently patted Richie's back and said in a warm, indulgent voice, "It's all right. Let's... let's go home!"

After saying that, Twilight looked at Yor.

Yor looked utterly crestfallen. It took her a long while to register Twilight's voice before she forced a smile and replied:

"All right. Let's go home and have some tea." Smiling, Yor took Anya's little hand.

The mood was bleak. Richie wanted to cry, but no tears came. What exactly had happened?

Had they refused to let him into Eden Academy simply because he wasn't the protagonist? Richie refused to accept it.

His father and mother had dealt with Swan, the biggest obstacle. What other hidden danger had he failed to notice that could have led to this result?

Richie clenched Twilight's suit in his little hands, gritting his teeth as he pondered.

"Forger family, please wait."

Beneath the shade of a tree stood Henry, still the same sprightly, elegant little old man.

Richie remembered that Anya was on the waiting list. Did that mean he was on it too?

Henry led the family of four into a corner. It was rather dark there, and Richie thought it was indeed the perfect place to plot something big.

Once Henry had brought them there, he handed Twilight a list.

"Look at the two names at the top." Henry stood with his back to the four of them, not out of rudeness, but because he felt somewhat embarrassed about giving them this backdoor assistance.

"Richie Forger, Anya Forger." Twilight slowly read the two names at the top.

Henry still did not turn around. He said calmly, "This is the waiting list. It's kept confidential."

"This is the academy's waiting list?" Twilight asked, sounding puzzled.

Mr. Elegant said elegantly, "That's right!

Based on their overall scores, Richie Forger and Anya Forger were fortunate enough to secure the position of First Alternate. As long as two accepted applicants decline their places, the two of them can take those spots."

Yor and Twilight listened in bewilderment. Twilight still had questions. "Mr. Henry, I can understand my daughter being placed on the waiting list, but my son being on it too-is that-"

Henry lifted his eyes slightly, casting a piercing glance at Richie. "Richie Forger is indeed outstanding, but because of the series of incidents that occurred during Anya Forger's interview,

the academy ultimately decided to place both Richie Forger and Anya Forger in the First Alternate position."

Twilight stammered, so anxious that he could barely get the words out. "B-but, but after what I did, I thought Anya would be rejected and Richie would be accepted."

Holding his cane, Henry asked with a perfectly straight face, "Do you know which creature harms humans the most in this world?"

"Mosquitoes!" Henry declared solemnly.

Mosquito: Do you want to know what I'm saying?

"Yes. You protected Mr. Swan from the jaws of that dangerous creature, and that earned you a substantial number of extra points."

Henry looked utterly serious, without the slightest hint that he was joking.

Twilight said helplessly, "That actually counts?"

Twilight hunched his shoulders, his head drooping slightly.

"Hold your head high, Forger. Your family is clearly worthy of our school." Henry greatly admired Twilight, finding him especially outstanding and elegant.

Richie thought, So this was absurdity beyond absurdity. Absurdity's mother had opened the door for absurdity-it had officially come home.

Yor asked with innocent bewilderment, "So if two students voluntarily withdraw, Anya and Richie will be accepted?"

Then the guileless Yor began to think. "But what if nobody gives up their place?"

Henry hesitated. "About that-"

Richie and Anya read Yor's mind at the same time and saw an entire murder drama unfolding in her head.

After thinking through the murder, Yor hurriedly hugged herself and shook her head. "No! Yor, you absolutely mustn't do that."

Twilight gave her a concerned look. "What's wrong, Yor?"

Yor shook her head and said it was nothing, silently apologizing to the person she had just been planning to kill.

Richie and Anya's little mouths fell open. They had stumbled upon another juicy revelation.

Sure enough, nobody could beat their mother. Mom was the greatest of all time.

Finally, Henry reassured the Forger family. "All right, don't worry. Every year, a few students are bound to decline admission. Just relax and wait for the good news!"

Twilight and his family were overjoyed. As Henry was about to leave, Twilight remembered to offer a polite farewell. "Thank you so much, sir."

"However, by the time your children enroll, I may no longer be at this academy." Henry's words left Twilight stunned.

Henry continued, "Because I knocked that little swine to the ground..."

Twilight frowned. "Wasn't that teacher dismissed because of his improper private conduct and other behavior that provoked public outrage, and then killed under mysterious circumstances?"

Henry looked up at the ceiling. "Even so, Mr. Swan's father still holds considerable influence at our academy. Elegant though I may be, I still cannot escape..."

Twilight's mouth parted slightly. So that was how it was. Although he did not know whether this teacher could be useful to his mission, Swan had already affected its progress. Operation Strix had to be absolutely foolproof.

Twilight said earnestly, "If there's anything I can do to help, please let me know."

Henry finally turned around. "Even if you're only being polite, thank you, elegant young man."

"In any case, wait at home for your acceptance notice!"

After the elegant old Henry finished speaking, three days passed.

"Anya wants to get in, Anya wants to get in, Anya wants to get in..." Anya muttered, gripping the Chimera with both hands as she performed an Indian Ritual Dance.

Seeing Anya working so hard, Richie refused to fall behind. "Demons and monsters, go away! Demons and monsters, go away! Demons and monsters, go away..."

"What on earth are those two doing?" From a short distance away, Twilight watched Anya and Richie bouncing around with bizarre expressions and movements.

Yor smiled knowingly. "They're praying to be accepted and performing a ritual dance for admission."

"Oh, so that's it!" Before Twilight had finished speaking, the telephone rang.

Twilight appeared beside the telephone in a flash, his expression grave.