Etched Beneath the Ruins ─ LingOrm

Chapter 1

"So, N'Lingling? How are you finding this new position?" A hand covered in the traces of time landed on the young lady's slender shoulders.

Dressed in a beige cropped t-shirt, khaki shorts, shiny Dr. Martens and with her dark straight brunette hair half up in a bun, this smart casual look accentuated the young lady's prominent facial features. She leaned back, her attention leaving the exhibit she had been staring at and turned around with smiley eyes and lips curling into a slight grin.

"Great! A little bit different but nothing too overwhelming. Ajarn-kha, thank you for trusting me and giving me this valuable opportunity. I'd honestly never thought I could reach this milestone so soon, thank you khop khun mak kha."

"You know there were a few candidates at first, but none of them were really able to stand out to me as much as you did..." *Long sigh*

"Time flies, I've been here since the day you stepped into our campus and your youthful steps are still as vivid as ever. Look now 11 years later, as the chief curator of this museum, our young girl...I'm so proud of you. It seems like it's also the perfect timing for me to take a break and retire from all of these dusty old bones and unfinished scones in my office. However, don't forget what I've always told y-"

"With great power comes great responsibility! I will always remember that and do everything to the best of my ability!" She enthusiastically replied. The conversation ended as the sounds of their joyful laughter echoed across the noiseless main hall.

-

Meanwhile

"Hey N'Orm, who you got?"

The girl turned around. Casual pyjamas, barely combed ash grey hair, messy bun, soft features, round glasses resting on her cute little button nose and her very fair, nearly perfect skin.

"How about you, P'Engfa? Mines...meh, like in a bad way. These men publish in world renowned journals but for real, when's the last time they spent a night without the AC in the rurals and villages? Let alone whatever 'touching peoples' hearts' *Tsk* I bet they're just bullshytting." She muttered as she skimmed through the abstract of her instructions handout. "Who's this anyways?" Word by word, she typed in the name from the supervisor column of her brief into the search bar.

⌕ 'Sirilak Kwong'

────────────────────────────────

On there it reads:

> Faculty of Arts and Humanities
> Department of History and Archaeology
> Notable Alumni
> Class of 2017
> Outstanding Graduates (Updated 2024)

1. XXXXX XXXXXXXXXX
2. XXXXX XXXXXXXXXX
3. XXXXX XXXXXXXXXX
4. XXXXX XXXXXXXXXX
5. Sirilak Kwong ⬇

Sirilak Kwong — Archaeologist, FHKAH [HK], FBA [UK], FRHistS [UK]

Chancellor's Award (Distinction); Ph.D., MPhil Archaeology and Ancient History (First-Class Honours)

Email: s.kwong11@nmbedu.ac.th
Telephone: +66 2 751 1955

Background ⬇
Qualifications:
- BA History and Archaeology (Dean's List) -- Department of History, University of Hong Kong
- MA History and Language (First-Class Honours) -- Department of History & School of History, Religions and Philosophies, SOAS University of London
- MSc Archaeology (First-Class Honours) -- School of History, Classics and Archaeology, University of Edinburgh
- Ph.D., MPhil Archaeology and Ancient History (First-Class Honours) -- Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University