She clicked “Start.”

Not excellent. Not failing. Proficient. The word felt like a lukewarm cup of tea.

When she hit “Submit,” the screen didn’t cheer. It simply said: “Sample test complete. Your results: 74/90. Estimated AEAS level: Proficient.”

Elara smiled. Question 17 had been the one about tectonic plates. She’d gotten it wrong. But she’d written down the professor’s pronunciation of “dah-tah” in her notebook for next time.

She typed back: “I described the tone as reverent. Got it right.”