"The grand white marble colonnades of the National Certification Hall stretch across the entire northern perimeter of the civic plaza," Ava observed, standing beside Sir Owen at the base of the monumental stone staircase.
"For thirty years, the High Guild Examination Board charged ten thousand gold coins just to sit for the Level One hunter licensing trial," Senior Instructor Gary reported, bowing respectfully to Ava.
"Any child from an orphan ward or working-class family was immediately disqualified by the bursar at the iron gates," Gary added, his fists clenching in remembered shame.
"The Directorate turned education into an aristocratic monopoly where mediocre nobles bought licenses while true prodigies starved in the slums," Sir Owen growled, resting his hand on the pommel of his silver longsword.
"That corrupt paywall ends today," Ava declared, her sniper rifle slung gracefully over her shoulder as her emerald archer aura flared.
