She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 734

Inside the auditorium, the house lights had dimmed, leaving only the stage and the judges' panel bathed in a soft, bright glow. The audience seats were packed with chattering students.

At the judges' panel, Chancellor Dennis, Vice Chancellor Eirene, and a row of highly esteemed professors were already seated, conversing in low tones as they waited to begin.

The commotion at the entrance drew a wave of eyes toward Loyce the moment she stepped inside.

Staring straight ahead, Loyce walked down the side aisle without missing a beat. Her target was clear: the elevated judges' platform.

"What is she doing?" whispered the S-Tier students who had just taken their seats.

"Is she insane? That's the judges' panel!" one of Jethro's friends gasped, looking horrified. "She's permanently blacklisted from the music world now."

Trembling with rage, Hallie abandoned all decorum. Pointing at Loyce's back, she shrieked at the nearest staff members and two approaching security guards, "That's her! She's trespassing on the assessment! She's harassing the judges! Grab her! Throw her out!"

Jethro piled on, yelling, "Yeah! Kick her out! She doesn't even go here! She's just here to cause trouble!"

Their shouts echoed harshly in the cavernous hall. Every single pair of eyes—including those of the powerful figures on the panel—locked onto the scene.

By now, Loyce had nearly reached the judges' table.

"Stop! Get down from there!" Seeing this, Jethro lost his mind. He lunged forward, actually trying to grab Loyce's arm. "You don't belong up there! Know your place!"

Before his hand even grazed her sleeve, an elderly, authoritative voice boomed like thunder across the hall.

"Insolence!!"

It was Professor Henry.

He surged to his feet, his face livid, his sharp eyes blazing behind his thick glasses as he glared at Jethro. "Who gave you permission to scream like a madman in this hall, let alone lay a hand on one of the adjudicating professors?! Where are your manners?!"

Adjudicating professors?!

"So you're allowed to be a young genius, but no one else is?" Dennis sneered. "You think having a modicum of talent gives you the right to look down on everyone else? I created the S-Tier to foster brilliance, not to breed arrogant snobs!"

That statement hit hard, essentially dragging every S-Tier student in the room.

Many of these geniuses were inherently arrogant, and being lumped in with Jethro left quite a few looking distinctly displeased.

"No one in this academy could decode the score I posted on that board," Dennis continued. "Loyce did. And what did you say, Jethro?"

"...I... I was just offering a differing artistic interpretation!" Under the burning gaze of hundreds, Jethro's face flushed crimson. He stuck his neck out stubbornly. "Music is open and inclusive! I have the right to express my opinion!"

"Open and inclusive?" Dennis laughed bitterly. "Does 'open and inclusive' mean completely ignoring someone's academic background, entirely failing to comprehend their core argument, and using your own pathetic superiority complex to dismiss their professional analysis? You accused her of 'memorizing buzzwords' and 'disrespecting academia'! Is that your 'artistic interpretation'?"

He turned his gaze to the rest of the S-Tier candidates, his voice heavy. "I know many of you carry the title of genius. You're proud. You think you're better than everyone else. But let me tell you this right now—a true genius must first learn reverence! Reverence for knowledge, reverence for those who came before you, and reverence for depths you cannot yet fathom! You don't act like certain people," his piercing gaze snapped back to Jethro, "who use arrogance to mask their own shallow ignorance!"

At that moment, Professor William, who had been silent, spoke up icily. "Loyce is the sole, personal apprentice of Mr. X. Tell me, Jethro, do you not know who Mr. X is? Or do you genuinely believe your level is so high that you're qualified to judge whether Mr. X's apprentice deserves to sit in that chair?"