chapter 37 state situation 1
Saint Veera hurried down the long corridors of the UCA, her pace sharp and purposeful. As she passed, those in her path bowed their heads in silent respect—some were fellow Story Bearers, but many were regular humans in sterile white lab coats. She could have crossed the distance in a heartbeat using her Script, but the activation of such power within the UCA's living sectors was strictly prohibited.
The UCA was an institute for Story Bearers, yet it relied on the labor of thousands of ordinary humans who researched day and night. To them, an individual like Veera was a walking disaster. Under normal circumstances, if she failed to suppress her presence, a regular human looking directly at her would struggle for breath and collapse under the sheer weight of her existence.
However, the staff here were seasoned. They were used to the suffocating pressure of a Chapter 4: Mate.
Veera's mind was elsewhere, calculating the risks of the current term. 'This year will be hectic. More than five SSR-level talents already, and the Chancellor has gone out personally to scout two more. Meanwhile, the core members and nearly all the third-year students have been deployed to the Northern Sea or recalled to their territories. We will be shorthanded for at least six months.'
"Senior! Senior Veera!"
A voice echoed through the hallway, frantic and seeking attention. Veera glanced back to see a young woman running toward her. She recognized the girl—a newly ascended Chapter 3: Famous. She was a recent UCA graduate who had transitioned immediately into a junior professorship.
Veera stopped, her expression frosty.
Veera: "Why are you calling for me?"
Veera maintained no personal ties with the faculty. To her, social politics was a waste of time, making this sudden approach unexpected and unwelcome.
Young Professor: "Senior... I am new to the staff. It would be an immense honor if you could offer me some guidance as your junior."
Veera: "You have come to the wrong place. There are many others better suited to hold your hand. Aren't you from a Blood Family? You should seek your Elders for guidance. I am a simple instructor; I have nothing to teach you."
Veera turned away, her tone dismissing the girl entirely as she continued toward the meeting room. But the young professor persisted, trailing behind her.
Young Professor: "Senior, how can you say that? You have reached the peak of the Mate rank—a herculean task. One more step and you become a Chapter 5: Hero, the very ceiling of humanity! How can you call yourself a 'small professor'?"
Veera didn't bother responding. The flattery felt shallow, almost insulting. 'The ceiling of humanity?' she thought bitterly. 'If Hero was the limit, we would have been reduced to breeding stock for the Empire long ago. Coming from a Blood Family, you should know better than anyone that the ladder goes much higher.'
Veera reached the heavy doors of the meeting room and came to a halt.