She saw a crowd of people jostling next to her, fighting for a spot in front of the announcement board. Their expressions were mixed—some shocked, confused, and some even looked like they were about to faint.

"I have to see too!" Rose determined in her heart. With jerky robot-like movements, she also pushed her way to the front.

But once there, her forehead wrinkled deeply. Her eyes narrowed, trying to focus. "Huh? Why does everyone seem obsessed with the two hundredth order?" she asked, confusion clearly depicted on her expressive face.

Suddenly, a hand tapped her shoulder. "Eek!" Rose jumped in surprise, almost tumbling backward.

"Whoops, sorry!" exclaimed the tapper—a girl with short hair and star-shaped hair clips. "No, it's not the two hundredth number order that's causing the uproar. Try to look at the announcement below those two hundred," she explained in a mysterious tone, her index finger pointing towards the board.

Rose tilted her head, her eyes squinting trying to see more clearly. "Ugh, why is the writing so small?" she complained, her hand scratching her head in frustration.

Suddenly, an idea popped up. Her face brightened instantly, her eyes sparkling. "Aha! I know!"

With ninja-like lightning movements, Rose began to overtake the crowd. "Excuse me, excuse me~" she hummed cheerfully, her body slipping nimbly between people.

"Hey, watch it!" protested a big-bodied guy when Rose accidentally stepped on his foot.

"Excuse me, Excuse me!" Rose replied without looking back, too focused on her mission.

Finally, with panting breath and messy hair, Rose managed to reach the front row. "Alright! Now, let's see what's making everyone so excited!"

Rose's eyes widened, focused on the writing at the bottom edge of the board. Instantly, her expression changed drastically—her mouth gaped, her eyebrows raised high, and her face turned pale.

"Huh?" she mumbled softly, her hand slightly trembling as she touched the announcement board.

With bated breath, Rose reread the announcement:
"A student named Rosetta Oleander with number seven hundred seven is officially accepted into Smafios school. This is a special recommendation from Director Denaro Severino as the Principal of Smafios, and this cannot be contested."

Rose stood silent for a moment, processing the information she had just read. Suddenly, her eyes widened and she shouted, "WHAT?!"

Her shout was loud enough to draw attention from those around her, but not enough to shake the entire field. A few people nearby turned, looking at her with confused and curious glances.

The Smafios field became quieter, many eyes now focused on Rose. Some people whispered while looking in her direction.

Rose suddenly laughed loudly, her voice high-pitched, almost hysterical. "No way! This has to be a joke." She shook her head dramatically. "What special recommendation?"

With a face that turned fierce, Rose was still laughing. "Hallucination! There's no such thing."

However, her laughter slowly faded as she saw the shocked expressions on the faces of those around her. Rose swallowed hard, a clear 'gulp' sound was heard. Her eyes widened, resembling a manga character who had just seen a ghost.

With jerky movements, Rose checked the announcement board again. "E-excuse me," her voice trembled, "is this a mistake? Is it possible I've suddenly become illiterate? I'm sure it says Rosetta Oleander there."

The people around her shook their heads in unison. "That writing is correct. It says Rosetta Oleander there," they answered firmly.

Rose scratched her head in confusion, eyebrows furrowed. "Impossible, why should it be me?"

Instantly, the crowd around her froze. Their eyes widened, mouths gaping wide. The background effect changed to dark with dramatic vertical lines.

"WHAT?!" they shouted together, their voices merging into one cry of disbelief.

All eyes were on Rose, observing her from head to toe. Rose, feeling uncomfortable being watched, could only smile awkwardly.

Whispers immediately spread in the crowd:
"Look! She looks like an elementary school kid!"
"How could such a small girl get a special recommendation?"
"Does she have some hidden special connection?"

In a corner of the field, two senior students were discussing seriously:
"Hey, you know Director Denaro Severino's reputation, right?" asked one, his eyes not leaving Rose.

His friend nodded, "Ah, the 'Talent Hunter'? The one who supposedly can sniff out special mafia talent?"

"Exactly. And he's never been wrong. All his picks become top mafia."

They both looked at Rose with scrutinizing gazes.

"But this girl... she looks ordinary. We don't even know who she is or where she's from."

"Exactly! That's what's making everyone go crazy. What did the Director see in that girl?"

Meanwhile, Rose was still standing stiffly in the middle of the crowd, her face pale. Her mind was in turmoil, "What's really happening? How could I be chosen?"

***

A bright morning welcomed Smafios, the most prestigious mafia school. The blue sky with slowly drifting white clouds framed the towering school building.

Rose stood in front of Smafios' grand gate, her eyes widening in awe. The school building resembling a gothic castle loomed before her, with the name "SMAFIOS" carved large on the front using shiny gray metallic letters glinting in the sunlight. Rose let out a long sigh, her shoulders slumping a little.

"Alright, Rose! You can do this!" she encouraged herself, patting her cheeks with both hands.

Rose glanced at her new uniform doubtfully. A crisp white shirt with an elegant black jacket that fit her body perfectly. A red tie with black stripes neatly tied at her collar. Long black pants that touched her ankles, and shiny black boots with high heels that made her a few centimeters taller.

"Whoa, I look like an action movie character who walked into the wrong setting," she muttered while scratching her head.

Her fingers touched the Smafios emblem on her jacket pocket. The shiny white emblem looked luxurious, with intricate carvings and the word "SMAFIOS" supposedly made of real diamonds.

"Huh? Really diamonds?" Rose examined the emblem closely, her eyes narrowing curiously.

Suddenly, a low rumble was heard from behind her. Rose turned to see a group of male students walking past her. Their uniforms were no less elegant—neat white shirts, jet black jackets that fit their bodies perfectly, long pants, and men's jungle boots that looked sturdy and intimidating.

"Whoa, those shoes look like they could demolish walls," Rose muttered to herself, her eyes widening in awe.