Chapter 5 Claude was a chill teacher . He'd clocked the bad vibes between the two but wasn't about to play referee . Kids squabbling ? To an old - timer like him , it was just goofy and kind of adorable . 5 vouchers He didn't hold out much hope for Lorrayne on this question . It was a tough one for these kids , and flubbing it was par for the course . " Lorrayne , wanna give it a shot ? " he asked , half - expecting her to pass . Lorrayne , who'd already crunched the numbers in her head , stood up with a shrug . " It's the square root of three minus one , times the square root of six . Comes out to about 1.8 inches . " " Hold up , say that again ? " Claude's eyes practically popped out of his head . " What's your answer ? " Veyna had to bite her lip to keep from cackling . ' Square root of three ? What kind of garbage answer is that ? She's totally bombing this , and Professor Myke's gonna flip , ' she thought , smirking at Lorrayne with mock pity . Lorrayne didn't even glance Veyna's way . She repeated , cool as ice , " Square root of three minus one , times the square root of six . Roughly 1.8 inches . " Truth be told , she was winging it a bit . She had no idea how advanced math was in this world . But in medieval Eldoria , square roots were a thing , even though folks called them different names depending on where they were from . " Square root of a number " was the go - to phrase , so she stuck with that instead of saying " root three . " Claude's face lit up like a kid on Solstice morning . " You're telling me you can handle square roots and triangular numbers ? " Relieved she'd nailed it , Lorrayne gave a modest smile . " I've dabbled a bit . Haven't forgotten it yet . " " Dabbled ? Kid , you're selling yourself short ! " Claude chuckled . " I've taught a ton of students , and most of ' em just draw grids like it's paint - by - numbers ." Lorrayne wasn't sure what to say , so she just kept smiling . Claude looked at her like she'd hung the moon . " Great job , kid . Take a seat . " Then he turned to the class . " Lorrayne's got it right . Anyone else crack it ? " Veyna's jaw hit the floor . How the hell does Lorrayne know this ? She hasn't even picked up her stylus ! ' Not ready to let it go , she piped up , " Uh , Professor ? Shouldn't you ask Lorrayne how she got the answer ? I didn't see her touch her sandboard That got everyone's attention . The whole class leaned over to sneak a peek at Lorrayne's sandboard . " Who it's totally blank ! Did she do it in her head ? That's nuts ! " Lorrayne's gotta be some kind of brainiac ! " " No shock there - she's highborn , after all Veyna's teeth ground together so hard they could've sparked . She wanted them to call Lorrayne out , not fawn over her . Calude shot Veyra a disappointed glance before turning back to Lorrayne . " Hey , mind breaking down how you worked it out for the class Lorrayne nodded , calm as ever . " To fit a six - pointed star inside a square and find the longest segment , you're really just looking for the biggest equilateral hexagon that fits . Tane up one of the star's longest diagonals with the square's diagonal That makes one of the star's sides hit the square's edge at a 15- degree angle Use triangular number ratios to find the bexagon's side length - that's the distance from the star's center to its six points . " Then , take halt that distance , divide it by the square root of three , and multiply by two - or just divide by the square root of three - to P Chapter 5 get the scaled - down segment length . " 0 The classroom erupted in a frenzy of scratching as students scribbled furiously on their sandboards . " Ohhh , that's how you do it ! " one said . Half the class looked like they'd just seen the light , while the other half yanked at their hair in despair . Sure , they got the method , but they didn't know how to figure out the distance from the star's center to its points . Claude grinned like a fox . " Lost , huh ? Good . You're supposed to be . " 5 vouchers " This question wasn't meant for you to solve . I tossed it out there to lead into what we're covering next : triangular numbers and square roots . " The students groaned in unison . " Professor , that's just evil ! " . Claude let out a belly laugh . " Hey , I'm a riot ! Alright , kids , park it . Time to get to the real lesson . " The students sat up straight , grabbing their styluses and eyeing their boards like they meant business . Weyna slouched back in her seat , her face stormy . ' Lorrayne's just a lowborn - how's she pulling this off ? Could she actually be highborn ? ' After class , Lorrayne stepped out of the classroom , a small shadow hot on her heels . After a bit , she sighed and spun around . " Veyna , what's your problem ? " Veyna's eyes glinted with a mix of suspicion and curiosity . " Are you really highborn ? Where're you from ? What's your family's title ? " Lorrayne's face turned icy . " Veyna , that's rude as hell." " Zip it ! " Veyna snapped , her expression twisting with resentment , clearly still stinging from Lorrayne's words the day before . Lorrayne didn't bother with a comeback and headed for the cafeteria . The midday sun was brutal , but the tree - lined path was alive with teens joking and laughing as they strolled toward the academy's dining hall . Clink , clatter ! A handful of copper coins spilled across the ground , some rolling into the grass along the sloped path . " Oh no ! " A girl dropped her knees , scrambling to gather them as people walked by . " Sorry , can you step aside ? My coins ... Oh , someone's standing on one - could you move your foot ? Thanks , I'm so sorry ... " SOTy ... One coin rolled to Lorrayne's feet . She stopped it with her shoe , glanced at the gin , and picked it up . " Hey , this yours ? " " Oh , I'm so sorry , am I blocking you ? " The girl jumped up , stepping aside when she saw Lorrayne's fancy skirt hem . " I didn't mean to get in your way ! " Lorrayne pressed her lips together and held out the coin . " Relax , I'm just giving you your coin . " The girl's head shot up . her eyes wide with surprise Lorrayne froze when she recognized her . In the original Lorrayne's memories of the next seven days , this girl - Winnie - was the only one who tried to sneak her water when she was strung up on the city wall for public shaming . Meanwhile , the other lowborns , her so - called equals , had been baying for her blood . Her eyes darkened for a second before she snapped out of it and nudged the coin closer . " You taking this or what ? " Winnie hurriedly wiped her hands on her skirt and took the coin with both hands , bowing slightly . " Thank you so much ! " " No sweat Lorrayne said , kneeling to help pick up the scattered coins . " Let me help . " No way you'll ruin your skin ! Winnie , waving her hands like she was shooing a cat . " I've got this . " " It's just a skirt , chill " Lorrayne grabbed a few coms from the grass , noticing the girl staring . She turned . " What's the deal ? " 2/3 Chapter 5 0 Winnie blushed and shook her head . " N - nothing ! I just ... I've never met someone so fancy and nice before . " Lorrayne paused , then handed over the coins with a small grin . " What's your name ? " She straightened up , nervous as a mouse . " I'm Winnie . Winnie Charly . " " I'm Lorrayne . " She stuck out her hand . " Winnie , wanna be friends ? " " For real ? " Winnie grabbed her hand , pulling her up with starry eyes . " I mean , if you're okay with it ! " Lorrayne blinked . She'd meant a handshake , not a full - on assist , but apparently handshakes weren't big among lowborns . " Alright , count your coins . You get ' em all ? " Lorrayne asked . Winnie tallied them up , her face lighting up with relief . " Thank you ! I wouldn't have enough to rent a horse without you ." " Rent a horse ? " Lorrayne's ears perked up . 5 vouchers Winnie nodded . " I'm an Intermediate Apprentice Mage . Got an entrance exam for Equestrian Arts in two days . Can't afford my own horse , so I'm renting one . " " The academy doesn't give you free horses for that class ? " Lorrayne's heart sank . She was broke as a joke and hadn't even thought about horses . " They do , but they're ancient ," Winnie said . " Highborn kids bring their own horses , and those things fly . If I tank the exam , I could lose my tuition waiver . " Tuition waiver ? ' Lorrayne's interest spiked . She was scraping by , with no clue how she'd cover next semester's fees . " Is it tough to get one ? " she asked , playing it cool . 13.3 Title: ReelTalk EP 40 - Contract Lovers & Heartbreak CrushReel's ongoing romance series, Miss You After Goodbye, continues to captivate on the latest ReelTalk episode. Haley Lohrli dives into her daring new character, while Ben and Josh share insights into their own memorable roles, promising a blend of laughter and heartwarming moments. Exploring themes of love, loss, and unexpected connections, this episode delves deep into the intricate relationships that drive the narrative forward. As the stars reveal their on-screen chemistry and off-screen camaraderie, viewers are in for a treat with each unfolding scene. What sets this episode apart is its ability to balance humor with poignant storytelling, offering a refreshing take on modern romance dynamics. Dive into the world of Contract Lovers & Heartbreak, available to read at CrushReel for a journey that promises both entertainment and emotional resonance.