"Have you all ever heard the saying 'there's always a bigger fish'?" she asked rhetorically, her eyes sweeping across the room. "That's what I feel right now. If we want to stay ahead, we must always think about the next step."

The judges still looked skeptical, but Rose, undeterred, continued with her vision. "When I'm able to walk, I want to elevate this school's name throughout Europe. And when I can still take steps, I dream of making this school number one in the world." She paused, a small smile playing on her lips. "But I will never be satisfied."

The judges' looks of disbelief intensified, but Rose remained calm. "We're all ordinary humans, and dissatisfaction is our natural trait. I think the concept of 'number one' needs to be rethought. We might never truly be grateful if we're obsessed with that label."

Rose straightened her back, her eyes flashing with enthusiasm. "For me, what's more important is how we can keep growing and improving ourselves. Isn't the process of becoming better far more interesting than just chasing the top position?" She ended with a challenging question, "Isn't that right, honorable judges?"

A tense silence enveloped the room. Rose's words had struck the judges' consciousness, leaving them stunned. Shame and introspection radiated from their faces that had previously been dismissive. This little girl had managed to turn the situation around, making them reconsider their attitudes and views.

However, the silence was broken by the deep and authoritative voice of Director Denaro. His sharp eyes stared directly at Rose, as if wanting to test the girl's resolve further.

"However," he began, his tone full of calculation, "if you want to become a mafia, do you really have the 'capital' to do it?" He paused, letting his question hang in the air. "Or, at least right now, can you convince us? Prove to me and everyone here that we won't regret admitting a Rosetta Oleander to Smafios."

The room's atmosphere was filled with tension and anticipation. All eyes were on Rose, waiting to see how this young girl would respond to this final test.

The tense silence enveloping the room was suddenly broken by Rose's smile. Her eyes, sparkling with confidence, met Director Severino's sharp gaze directly.

"My capital is..." Rose began, her voice calm yet firm, "My... Bre... Ath..."

"Your breath?" Director Severino gasped, his eyebrows raised high. The same bewilderment was reflected on the faces of the other judges. Once again, this girl had thrown out an unexpected answer.

Rose, still wearing her meaningful smile, continued her explanation. "Yes, my main capital is, of course, my own life. Without life, we're nothing and can't do anything anymore. As long as I still have breath, that will always be my main capital."

Her words shook the room, creating an invisible shockwave. All twelve judges stared at her intently, as if trying to understand the depth of meaning behind that simple yet profound answer.

The room suddenly fell silent. The air seemed to thicken with tension. The moment seemed frozen in time.

The oppressive silence was suddenly broken by Director Severino's applause. All heads turned to him, surprised by the sudden change in atmosphere.

"Alright, Miss Rosetta Oleander," Director Severino said in an unexpectedly friendly tone, "the exam time is over. You'll have seven days to wait for the results announcement. Thank you for participating in this exam. Annyeong gaseo."

Rose blinked, confusion clearly visible on her face. "Huh, just like that? So there's no written test?" she asked, her voice full of disbelief.

One of the more senior judges tilted his head, the wrinkles on his forehead showing curiosity. "Of course, this test is just an interview. Didn't your parents tell you?"

Rose shook her head slowly, her expression innocent and honest. "My grandparents just asked me to do whatever I wanted. They didn't tell me anything. So, I came here only preparing myself by studying all the middle school subjects."

Genuine shock was evident on the judges' faces. They exchanged looks of disbelief, as if they had just heard something impossible. Their minds were filled with the same question: "So, in this interview test, this girl didn't prepare at all and just answered spontaneously?"

Suddenly, Director Severino's loud laughter broke the tension. "You're dead wrong!" he exclaimed between laughs, which was then followed by the laughter of the other judges. Only Rose stood there, confused by the suddenly changing situation.

Director Severino, still with a wide smile on his face, explained, "In this school, the written test is just a formality and only a small part of the school procedure. Actually, the written test has been abolished starting this year, although it hasn't been officially announced. However, it seems not many people thought about it because indeed no one prepared to study like you did."

"Huh?" Rose's face turned sour hearing that explanation. A realization seemed to cross her eyes. "What Luci said was indeed true," she muttered softly, as if talking to herself.

Director Severino, still with a smile on his face, ended the meeting. "Well, Miss Rosetta Oleander..., that's enough. You may leave."

Rose nodded weakly, her previously burning spirit now instantly extinguished. She walked out of the room sluggishly, her mind in turmoil.

"Why isn't there a written test?" she thought angrily. She felt like, as soon as she got out of that room, she wanted to scream as loud as she could and dance wildly to vent her frustration!

Meanwhile, inside the room, the atmosphere changed to an uproar as soon as Rose disappeared from view. Director Severino carefully studied Rose's form. Suddenly, a loud laugh burst from his mouth, startling the other judges.

"Look at this!" he exclaimed, showing Rose's photo on the registration form.

The judges leaned in, and soon after, their laughter erupted too. There, printed was Rose's photo, so formal, exactly like a student ID photo. Her face was expressionless without a smile, in contrast to her cute outfit.

"So unique!" commented one of the judges between laughs. "We even allow fierce, dashing, or even gothic-style photos to attract attention."