Paedyn takes her seat beside Tealah in the Bowl and finally looks up at the royal box, where the king, queen, and Kitt are watching. Tealah begins the interview by asking about Paedyn’s encounter with Prince Kai, and Paedyn impulsively jokes that Kai is embarrassed a girl from the slums had to save him. The crowd laughs instead of turning on her, so Paedyn keeps leaning into that boldness. She reinforces her lie about being a Psychic, claiming that her mental ability lets her resist Silencers and even keeps Kai from sensing or using her power.

When Tealah asks about Paedyn’s life in Ilya, Paedyn rejects the softened wording and openly calls it life in the slums. Instead of pretending her past was acceptable, Paedyn describes years of hunger, cold, and desperate survival, then turns that hardship into an advantage by saying it has prepared her for the Trials better than anyone else. Tealah quickly shifts back to lighter questions, and Paedyn continues entertaining the audience by teasing Kai again. But when asked what she hopes to gain from the Trials, Paedyn abandons the expected patriotic answer and blurts out the truth: she expects to survive.

That answer creates a tense pause, and Tealah immediately asks Paedyn to demonstrate her ability. With no real power to show, Paedyn improvises and asks Tealah to pick random people from the audience for her to “read.” Paedyn studies the first girl’s appearance and jewelry, notices clues of mourning, and correctly guesses that the girl lost her father years earlier. The accuracy stuns both the volunteer and the crowd, making Paedyn’s false Psychic identity seem real.

Paedyn repeats the trick with more audience members, combining sharp observation with confident delivery. She reveals a pregnancy, identifies someone’s father as a blacksmith, and accuses another person of wearing stolen shoes. Finally, she tells a happy young man that he has just gotten engaged, and he confirms it excitedly, sending the crowd into another uproar. By the time Tealah presents all the contestants together, Paedyn has won the audience’s fascination and approval.

Even as the stadium cheers, Paedyn feels sick and used. She understands that the Trials are entertainment for the crowd and that she is being treated like a piece in their game. Still, Paedyn decides that public favor may help keep her alive. She resolves to play along, manipulate the spectators’ perception, and survive without becoming anyone’s pawn.