16 November 2975

The principal was sitting on the large royal wooden chair in front of his desk.

Ayesha, Noah, and Bruno were standing near the desk, facing the ground.

The principal took off his glasses

"I am sorry, Ayesha. Your team's loss was already bad enough when Musa's body became unstabilized.

Now even Ron..."

The principal couldn't finish his words.

Ayesha's eyes were red. Everyone felt down.

The Principal continued

"And I don't know if I should inform you of this situation. But I am not left with any other choice."

Ayesha now looked up

"What, sir?"

"Ah, you know having 5 active members in a squad is compulsory. You have to make sure 2 new members in your team."

"How..how may we do that?"

"Well you know the other ways to become a Nightingale, don't you? You have to convince a nightingale to join you or you can choose someone from the academia

for the coming Nightingale exams and if your chosen student passes it, he will be assigned as the new member."

Ayesha pondered and replied

"Okay, sir. I'll check if I can convince a nightingale or not. If I can't I'll try to find an Academia student."

The principal nodded.

Ayesha, Noah, and Bruno got out of the principal's office.

They were walking back to their 1st Year Nightingale Room through the veranda

Bruno asked

"Uh, wouldn't it be easier for us to find a student than to find a nightingale"

Still walking ,Ayesha said almost in an emotionless tone

"Yes. There are too many eager students in the academy. Too many good-for-nothing students."

"Uh don't be mean."

Noah now replied

"Well, She's not being mean. The Nightingale exam is way tougher than the bounty hunt. You have to work alone. And score high on at least one criterion.

The chance of passing through the exam is really slim"

That evening Ayesha went to the Troy Council Sector again. This time she felt less nervous. She directly went to the reception.

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"Well, I want to ask for a nightingale for my squad. Any tier will work."

"Ma'am I am appointing you with chairman sir."

"Is it really necessary?"

"Yes ma'am. For crucial matters like this, it is mandatory."

Ayesha sighed

"Okay, make it quick."

"Ma'am, should I place your appointment next week?"

"No. I want it now."

"But chairman sir is busy ....."

Ayesha's tone turned cold

"TELL HIM. AYESHA CAME."

The receptionist's expression said she got afraid. But she managed to suppress it.

"O..Okay, ma'am. Wait for a while."

Ayesha waited for a while. After Ron's death, her mind was full of grief, hate, and anger. Her persona and aura became different.

After a while, the receptionist came back

"Okay, ma'am. You can meet sir."

This time Ayesha didn't wait for anyone to show her the way.

She directly walked in

Her father was signing some paper and gave a skeptical expression seeing her enter

She reclined over the desk with her hands

"I have a favor to ask. Thanks to the council's lousy supervision my friend died in Rad-city. And now I need 2 more members for my squad."

The chairman laughed. He didn't like her teasing but he laughed.

"Oh. That's it? But should you really be calling the council lousy?"

"What else? Like you people aren't even excavating the rad-city pit and not letting others do that. So, what should I call it?"

"It's for political reasons. Rad-city holds a lot of secrets and we can't let that be exposed."

"Okay, cut this crap and give me what I'm asking for."

"You know it's impossible to assign a nightingale for new squads without the exams?"

"Isn't my one a special case? My squad members are literally injured or dead."

"Well, rules are rules. But as you can't get anyone from exams , I am ready to make an exception..."

Ayesha's eyes glittered.

"...but I have a condition."

Ayesha asked with a heavy tone

"What?"

"Get back to your father."

Ayesha laughed

"Okay, I don't need nightingales. I will get one from those exams."

Her face turned cold. She started to walk away.

"Okay..okay you don't need to say that.."

"I DON'T NEED YOUR PITY. I WILL MAKE SOMEONE PASS THE EXAMS."

Getting outside of the council, she glanced back at the large black building with metallic designs.

She was feeling a little guilty.

"TODAY EGO WON"