Artist's commentary
Knowing her Gift, no one was surprised when Reina quickly surpassed her classmates in every academic subject. They promoted her from second grade to sixth within three months at the Academy, then sent her directly into high school a year after that. Nothing seemed to challenge the sharp little girl, who burned through every exam with masterful finesse.
Soon, Reina found herself studying on her own, taken out of the other girls' classes entirely. This was in part to spare them the pain of being so thoroughly bested, but that was not the only reason.
The teachers had noticed that tears, fights, and chaos followed wherever Reina went. For everyone's sake, it was better to keep her alone.