Faerchester was not just a school, but a symbol of the elite, the powerful, and the privileged. As the oldest and most prestigious institution of higher learning in the nation, it was renowned for its exceptional faculty and commitment to shaping the future leaders of the aristocracy.
~
"Such utter nonsense," Lady Dylan muttered, her finger tracing the expensive-looking binding of the book. "History is always flawed," she whispered, "it never tells the whole truth."
"Is everything alright, my lady?" her tutor asked, sounding annoyed as he peered over the rim of his glasses. "You're whispering to yourself again. I hope my lecture isn't too dull for you to pay attention."
Your lecture is all just a bunch of elitist propaganda, she thought to herself. It's a history story written by those in power, with their own agendas and biases.
Dylan's lips curled into a forced, polite smile. "Of course," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I couldn't possibly be more captivated by your lecture."
As he heard her response, the tutor let out a weary sigh and shut his copy of the history book with a resounding thud. He paused for a moment, his furrowed brow revealing the inner struggle of deciding whether to voice his thoughts or remain quiet.
"Go on," Lady Dylan egged him on, a small smirk playing at the corner of her lips. "I know there's something you wish to say to me."
"You must know, my lady," the tutor began, his tone measured, "that the school utilizes entrance exam marks to rank its students hierarchically. However, one's level of performance during these exams isn't always enough to guarantee success."
"You're referring to the Coats System, right?" Lady Dylan asked, already familiar with the system that ranked students into three levels based on their academic performance. "Grey is considered the lowest level, Black is the highest, and Red is the—"
"Rarest," her tutor interjected.
If you were born into a wealthy and powerful noble family, you were guaranteed a Black Coat upon entering Faerchester. While receiving a Black Coat was seen as an impressive accomplishment, it was essentially handed to nobles on a silver platter.
However, for commoners, obtaining a Grey Coat was the best they could hope for. Faerchester was rigged to favour nobles, so even if a commoner was exceptionally intelligent, they could only receive a Grey Coat. In fact, a Grey Coat was considered a favourable outcome for commoners, as it allowed them to attend the prestigious institution.
A Red Coat, on the other hand, was reserved for the top 2% of students who scored exceptionally well on the examinations. Achieving a Red Coat was an incredible honour, reserved only for the brightest minds in history.
"Indeed, my lady," the tutor spoke softly. "The hierarchy within Faerchester holds great significance and should be approached with caution. It is not a topic that should be discussed lightly."
Faerchester was created by a previous king of Oberon who recognized the importance of education for the kingdom's advancement and prosperity. However, as time went on, the monarchy introduced the Coats System, which further solidified the existing class divide and oppressed the commoners, leaving them at a disadvantage compared to the nobility. The Coats System was designed to keep the power and privileges of the nobles intact, while limiting the opportunities available to the commoners.
"That'll be all for today's lesson," he sighed, adjusting his glasses on his face. "Are you feeling confident about your upcoming entrance exam?"
"Considering how I live here," she said with a chuckle, her eyes tracing the library's soaring bookshelves and taking in the golden detailing. "I doubt the Duke's daughter has anything to worry about."
What she didn't tell him was that she had no intention of taking the women's entrance exam. Instead, she spent countless hours immersed in books, studying mathematics and sciences, determined to attain the same education as the male students and successors.
Her reasoning was straightforward: if she remained in the Duke's mansion, her life would be in danger. To achieve independence and flee, Dylan required an education that would provide her with the necessary skills for a well-paying job.
Of course, none of this would have been possible if I hadn't fallen that day, she thought.
~
The heavy rain pounded against the ground, and thick grey clouds lined the sky. Dylan remembered shivering, holding her thin dress tightly around her as if it would provide some protection against the scary weather.
It was the day her mother fell ill with a fever, and Dylan was only ten years old, too young to navigate the streets alone. She couldn't wake her mother and ran barefoot into the storm to find help. The floor was muddy and slippery, making it difficult to walk even a short distance, and she slipped and fell, hitting her head on the rain-soaked road.
Memories, emotions, and resentments from another person flooded her mind all at once. The world in those memories was far more advanced both technologically and socially than the one she currently lived in. In that exact moment, she also realized that her fate was sealed, and her mother was not going to make it.
Dylan was the villainous character in a novel from her past life called "Faerchester's Flowers." As the adopted daughter of the Duke, she had indulged in luxurious spending and used her father's influence to satisfy her every whim. However, her jealousy towards the novel's heroine caused her downfall.
She ultimately met her demise at the hands of her own brother. Axil de Beaumon, the heir apparent of the Duke, was deeply infatuated with the novel's heroine and despised Dylan's commoner origins and her entitlement to his father's wealth. Driven by his hatred, Axil ultimately killed Dylan, who was unable to escape her fate as the novel's antagonist.
~
To think that I have to avoid a person whom I have never even met, she thought to herself. And my own brother, no less.
"My lady, tutoring has ended for the day," a maid interrupted, bringing Dylan back to reality. "It's time for you to retire to your chambers and perhaps have supper," she added, her gaze scanning Dylan's slender frame.
Dylan clicked her tongue in frustration at the maid's remark, glancing down at her bony wrists. Despite it being seven years since she had been adopted by the Duke, she still struggled to eat the rich and extravagant dishes served in their household. Her past of going without food for days at a time had left her with a weak stomach for such meals.
"I wish you the best of luck," the tutor said, packing up his belongings to leave. "As my work here is complete, I won't be seeing you again."
Dylan gathered her books with a playful grin. "You'll miss me terribly, won't you? Your most brilliant and engaged student?"
"For what it's worth, you really do have a brilliant mind, my lady," he said as he walked towards the door. He paused for a moment and turned back to look at Dylan before shutting the door behind him. "And I don't say that lightly," he added with a nod before disappearing out of the room.
"Well, I'll take that as the highest praise then," Dylan whispered to herself, her smile growing wider as she finished gathering her belongings.
The maid watched Dylan with a hint of admiration. Despite her slight frame, Dylan possessed a natural beauty that was hard to ignore. Her long, curly golden hair flowed down her back like a waterfall, and her eyes were as warm and inviting as jars of honey in the sun. At just seventeen years old, she was already turning heads with her effortless charm and grace.
The circumstances of Dylan's adoption remained a well-guarded secret, known only to the Duke and a select few. Rumours and speculation about her past continued to circulate, but none were privy to the truth.
As it turned out, Dylan was the result of a passionate affair between her mother and the Marquis Ruenz, a man of high standing who had unfortunately succumbed to a fatal illness. Dylan inherited her father's striking features, with warm brown eyes and curly golden hair. After the Marquis passed away, the Duke, who was a close friend, honoured his dying wish to find and care for his abandoned child, taking Dylan under his wing and into his household.
One of Dylan's childhood friends had once asked her, "Why are you so afraid of loving other people?"
To Dylan, the answer was simple: her father. Marquis Ruenz was the cause of her trauma and problems, the one who had dragged her into the hell she currently lived in and continued to haunt her even after his death. For Dylan, he was the monster in her life, the one who had ruined the idea of love. Forever.
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞:
Dear Readers,
Thank you for joining me on this adventure. I promise to make it worth your while.
Throughout Dylan's quest to escape a life of misery, you will find yourself shedding tears, breaking into smiles, and feeling the excitement of each twist and turn in her story.
Thank you once again for your interest in my work, and I look forward to sharing this unforgettable experience with you.
Warmly,
The Author