A Butterfly Through the Mist - Chapter 64

At long last, after a seemingly endless wait, it was finally Team 32’s turn.

The few remaining individuals in the large waiting room, now down to just five, followed the coordinator’s guidance to the preparation room. There, they drew balls to determine their position for or against the topic before receiving the sheet outlining the debate topic.

Tilia, who drew a blue ball indicating the affirmative side, felt a shiver run through her as soon as she saw the topic.

It was the very subject written on the page Ilex Davenport had folded for her the day before the semester began. It was also the topic they had spent considerable time debating early on in their study sessions.

Although she had argued from the opposition’s perspective back then, that had given her clear insight into the counterarguments they would face now, making it an advantage rather than a hindrance.

‘Calm down, Tilia.’

Taking the preparation sheet, Tilia gripped her pen tightly, trying to steady her trembling hand. But in the next moment, as if receiving divine inspiration, she swiftly began drafting her outline.

Her handwriting grew slightly messy as her hand struggled to keep up with her thoughts, but that didn’t matter. The grading criteria were based on the validity of her arguments and the logical structure of her presentation, not the neatness of her handwriting.

The preparation time passed in the blink of an eye. Shaking out her hand, sore from gripping the pen too tightly, Tilia approached the other members of the affirmative side, who were discussing their outlines and exchanging opinions.

Cecilia Clayton, who had also drawn a blue ball, was notably absent. Feeling her determination surge, Tilia fervently explained her arguments to the teammates who were hurriedly copying her logic.

“Team 32, please proceed to Debate Room 2.”

After a brief team discussion, the actual debate began. The student who had drawn a black ball and been assigned the role of moderator took their place and explained the topic.

Meanwhile, Tilia silently observed Cecilia, seated with the opposition. Cecilia, unable to hide her hostility over their previous encounter by the lake, glared daggers at her. Feeling a surge of confidence, Tilia gave her a cheerful smile, causing Cecilia’s face to contort even further.

When the opposition began their opening statement, it was nearly identical to the argument Tilia had outlined in their study sessions long ago. The explanation of the topic’s social context, the definitions of key concepts, and the presentation of essential issues were all delivered as if stamped from the same mold.

Well prepared, I see. Tilia listened to the opposition’s opening with ease before slowly rising from her seat. The tedious groundwork was over. Now, it was time for the real game to begin.

When they had practiced debating this topic, Tilia had taken the opposing stance against Ilex Davenport. Remembering how he had utterly dismantled her carefully prepared arguments back then made this questioning phase feel effortless. Just as she had experienced before, a single question that exposed a flaw in their logic caused the opposition’s case to crumble instantly.

As expected, the opposition floundered, unable to respond properly to the pointed questions. When Tilia challenged the reliability of their evidence, the holes in their arguments widened even further. Cecilia’s face grew increasingly strained.

“Despite the evidence presented, does the affirmative side truly believe this ordinance is an effective law?”

When it was the opposition’s turn again, Cecilia’s tone became more aggressive as the debate neared its final stage.

“Answer me. Do you?”

“It’s a situational model that has already shown some degree of success.”

With a composed expression, Tilia responded smoothly to Cecilia’s ineffectual attempt at pressure.

“Just answer the question!”

Unlike Tilia, Cecilia was gradually losing her composure, exactly as Tilia had predicted. After all, the grading criteria for the second exam’s debates didn’t only include analytical and argumentative skills. The attitude one displayed towards their opponents was just as critical.

“So, the affirmative side…”

But in her focus on winning, Cecilia overlooked something important.

This debate wasn’t real. It was merely a performance for the evaluators.

Here, the outcome of winning or losing wasn’t the only thing that mattered. Just as significant was how they appeared to the judges, who sat watching with tired expressions.

“However, during the previous argument, the affirmative side failed to point out this fact. Is that correct?”

Cecilia’s rebuttal, though somewhat reasonable, was overly emotional. Her voice, laced with her strong desire to win, was uncomfortably high, and her gaze was combative, as if picking a fight.

Even the moderators, who had so far quietly observed the scoring sheets, could hardly miss her disruptive behavior when she even tried to override them.

“Ha, so that’s what you’re saying!”

When Cecilia finally shouted in frustration, the harsh scratch of a pen tearing across paper pierced the silence.

The sound was so loud in the quiet room that Cecilia’s expression momentarily faltered, but that was all.

“The opposition’s cross-examination time has ended. The affirmative representative may now begin their questioning.”

The turn had already passed to the affirmative side.

Tilia rose calmly from her seat and began her line of questioning with short, direct queries. Unlike Cecilia, who hadn’t hidden her aggressive attitude, Tilia maintained the facade of respect towards her opponent, making sure to display minimal courtesy.

***

‘It’s done.’

All the way down the stairs of the building where the test had been held, Tilia struggled to suppress the hum rising in her chest.

Outside, darkness had already blanketed the surroundings, leaving everything pitch black. Yet all Tilia could see was the bright moon, shining as if it lit up the entire world.

‘It’s done. I’ve passed.’

As she gazed at the hopeful full moon, a strong sense of success surged within her chest.

The debate had ended in an overwhelming victory for the affirmative side. All three evaluators were visibly inclined to support the affirmative team even before the debate concluded.

While it wasn’t unheard of for candidates on the losing side to pass, it was evident to anyone who witnessed the debate that Cecilia Clayton wouldn’t be among them.

Unable to contain her joy, Tilia found herself humming softly as she reached the ground. Fidgeting with the worn strap of her bag, she realized a large part of her happiness stemmed from Cecilia’s likely failure.

Though she found her annoying and irksome, she hadn’t thought herself capable of taking delight in someone else’s misfortune.

Recalling the wide smile she had given Cecilia’s crumpled face after the debate, Tilia made a slightly odd expression.

Am I really such a spiteful person?

While questioning herself, a group of exhausted graduating seniors trudged past her. They seemed to have drawn slots near the end of the order, just as she had.

Watching their dejected backs reminded her of Judy.

Just as Tilia had drawn the same number as Cecilia, Judy and Ilex Davenport had also drawn identical numbers.

The moment Judy learned she’d have to debate against Ilex, her face turned so pale that even Tilia, just watching her, grew worried. She had ended up massaging Judy’s hands until it was time for the debate.

‘I wonder if Judy did well…’

Concerned about her friend, Tilia wandered near the entrance of the main building.

If Judy anticipated failing, she likely wouldn’t have returned to the dormitory and would instead be wandering around this cold campus.

If that were the case, she couldn’t have gone far. After all, Judy’s number was also near the end of the order.

‘Before going back to the dorm, I’ll look around for a bit.’

Having decided, Tilia headed towards the back gate, another exit from the building where the test had been held.

She wasn’t worried about Ilex Davenport, who had debated alongside Judy. If he failed the second exam, it would undoubtedly be by choice.

After four years at the academy and six months spent closely together for study sessions and Ontaroan lessons, Tilia knew him well.

The man was a genius who could easily achieve anything he wanted. If Ilex had decided to pass, failure wasn’t even a possibility.

Yet strangely, unlike before, it no longer irritated her.

‘It’s not his fault he was born a genius, is it?’

Though his attitude could be insufferable, he also had a way of quietly helping others.

Feeling an odd tickling in her feet, Tilia kicked a pebble along the path as she walked.