Chapter 2042 Her Options
Shinta was back in Utopia City as the morning brought with it a reminder.
[You have 5 days left to finalize your inner hall selection.]
The message flashed through her mind, serving as a stark reminder of the decisions looming ahead. Simultaneously, she was overflowed with notifications to check.
[Invitation received - 23]Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com
However, as she sifted through them, disappointment gnawed at her. Among the invitations, 18 came from the middle halls, while only 5 originated from the higher halls. Not a single one came from the coveted top halls, eliciting a frown from Shinta.
"Huh! They must be blind not to see talent like me!" she muttered under her breath.
Annara joined her to analyze the influx of invitations. Assessing the situation, she offered her insight.
"Most top and high halls wouldn't extend invitations without a clear identity or endorsement from their respective factions," she explained, her tone pragmatic. "Considering your status as half-bloods and the unfavorable reputation of the Serpent within the alliance, receiving this number of invitations is actually quite descent."
Though Annara's words provided a semblance of reassurance, Shinta couldn't shake off the lingering sense of disappointment.
Annara has actually been tirelessly strategizing, attempting to find a way to make inroads with any of the esteemed instructors from the top 10 halls. However, the barriers proved formidable. Despite Annara's efforts, these grand magus held considerable status and influence, making it challenging as they couldn't use the Ouroboros influence with Shura's lowborn identity.
"Let's not lose hope, we still have 5 days," Annara encouraged, her voice laced with determination and optimism.
Annara couldn't help but release a heavy sigh, a mixture of frustration and concern weighing heavily upon her. Having firsthand knowledge of the notorious Lucius Corvin and the infamous Corvin family, she understood the gravity of the situation.
Renowned as wolf royalty, the Corvins were known for their ruthless nature and their unyielding pursuit of power. Lucius himself was a heartless person who turned his friends and family into slaves and serve his own ambitions.
However, Annara's concerns extended beyond mere personality or reputation. The crux of the matter lay in Corvin's own bloodline—a fact that could spell disaster for Shinta.
As a grand magus wolf bloodline, Corvin possessed a keen instinct for identifying others' lineages. Annara shuddered to think of the consequences if Corvin were to uncover Shinta's mixed heritage. Given Corvin's volatile personality and penchant for dominance, she feared the repercussions for Shinta could be dire.
Shinta might find herself subjected to manipulation, coercion, or worse, becoming a pawn in the Corvin schemes. The thought of subjecting Shinta to such dangers filled Annara with dread. In her eyes, the potential dangers of exposing Shinta to Corvin's scrutiny far outweighed any benefits that top Hall might offer.
"I see... So Hall 7 is a no?" Shinta asked, seeking clarification.
"Yes," Annara affirmed with a firm nod. "Not that one."
"I see... so no wolf instructor..." There was a certain tone and deep sigh in Shinta's words that quickly created Annara concerned. "Yes, no wolf instructor... You are not planning to enter Hall 120, are you?"
"No... no, of course not... that lowest ranking hall! Huh! No way!! It's not worthy for a genius like me!"
Hearing this, Annara could only remind her once again to make wise decisions, and although Shinta said she understood, as soon as she arrived at the Zodiac City outpost where the examination was held, she once again grew anxious. Especially when she finally saw a certain man being summoned to the front, sitting among the other instructors.
With just one glance at his face, Shinta's heart quickened its pace, her breath catching in her throat.
"That's... him.... That's my father."