"No problem, Professor McGonagall." Lynn nodded without expression.
"First of all, I come from another world."
Lynn began her explanation mechanically, step by step. Professor McGonagall froze at the words, and Hermione—who had been holding her—turned to stare in shock.
Maranhao's mouth fell open; Marietta was dumbstruck; Penelope's brow twitched violently; Madam Pomfrey's face brimmed with bewilderment.
"Another world—what does that mean?"
Hermione voiced the question everyone in the room was thinking.
"Exactly what it sounds like: a different world, not the one you know." Lynn answered with textbook precision.
"Then why did you come to this world?"
Hermione's arms around her tightened; her voice trembled. She had a premonition the answer would hurt.
"Because I died in that world—was terminated."
Lynn's tone was flat, as though she spoke of someone else's life and death, not her own.
"But… but you're alive now, perfectly alive, aren't you?"
Penelope stared, unable to believe it. This vibrant girl—how could she have died?
"Because this world's world consciousness helped me."
Lynn spoke without hesitation. The Young Wizards didn't understand the term; they looked to Professor McGonagall.
Pale-faced, the Professor offered, "She must mean the awareness born of our own world."
That her student had once died—she was holding together remarkably well.
The Little Lions nodded, willing to set the mystery aside; right now nothing mattered more than Lynn herself.
Seeing no further questions, Lynn continued.
"In our world, apart from elite families, every household's quality of life and social standing hinge on their children's academic performance."
"A child's grades decide how many resources the family receives."
Grades determine resource allocation? Hermione's brows knitted tight.
"You mean… your marks decided your parents' living standards, the money they got?"
She turned to Lynn, almost certain of the answer.
It was the only conclusion that fit.
"Yes." Lynn nodded without hesitation.
"Damn it!" Hermione swore.
She'd assumed Lynn's parents supported her; in truth Lynn had been supporting them!
"Twisted world!" Professor McGonagall's chest heaved like a lioness on the rampage.
"How dare they demand their children provide for them when they should be care-free students!"
Lynn fell silent; she couldn't grasp their outrage.
To her, that was simply how things worked.
The other three Little Lions and Madam Pomfrey looked equally grim.
"Go on, Lynn."
Hermione breathed deeply until her voice steadied.
"Each year's final exam ranks every student; those rankings decide next year's resource share."
"And every year the bottom third are terminated."
"Terminated means killed?" Maranhao's voice was icy, her eyes venomous.
"Yes." Lynn admitted again.
Both glasses on the night-stands beside Maranhao and Marietta shattered.
Madam Pomfrey, furious herself, still soothed the four Young Wizards.
"Calm down, girls; no magical outbursts."
"We'll try, Madam Pomfrey," Marietta answered, though she looked anything but calm.
"But why were you terminated? With your diligence, memory, and logic, you couldn't be in the bottom third."
Penelope steepled her fingers, gaze fixed on Lynn.
"No." Lynn shook her head briskly. "I'm a stupid child, a fool, a blockhead…"
"Stop! You're not!" Hermione clapped a hand over her mouth.
Her eyes were blood-shot, filled with violence; the gentle Little Lion wanted blood for the first time.
She remembered the hospital scan: Lynn's emotional and sleep centers looked newly grown—and self-suppressed.
She loosened her hand, voice hoarse. "They tampered with your brain, didn't they? They did!"
The last words were a roar.
Lynn blinked, unable to fathom the sudden shout.
"Yes. I underwent surgery; my emotional and sleep centers were removed to cut rest time and boost rational thought."
"I'll kill them—I swear I will!"
Hermione's hair whipped in a wind of rage; the others agreed wholeheartedly.
Lynn's parents deserved death—nothing less.
"They call themselves parents?" Professor McGonagall panted, barely restraining herself before her students.
She knew Muggle surgery; how could anyone carve up their own child's brain?
---------------------------------
If you'd like to read the next 70 chapters in advance, you can support me on Patreon.
I regularly post chapter previews there, so you'll always be up-to-date and won't have to wait too long.
patreon.com/SolyuraMT
And if you enjoy the story, don't forget to give me a Power Stone. Your support really motivates me to continue translating!