Imperial Scholars

Within Eden Academy's already rarefied student body, the Imperial Scholars stand at the summit. The title goes only to students whose academic results, unusual talents, or contributions to society mark them as exceptional, and it functions as a living emblem of the school's centuries of tradition. Graduates who earned the honor are remembered in portrait form inside Eden's gallery of distinguished alumni.

Admission runs through the school's award system: a student must collect eight Stella Stars, granted for brilliance in the classroom, standout ability in fields like athletics or the arts, or meaningful public service. The bar sits high enough that only a handful of students qualify in any given year, and none in the lower grades has ever been shown reaching it. Those who succeed gain entry to elite social circles, a private lounge and dining hall, the Imperial Room, and the Imperial Scholars mixer, with permission to bring their parents to select gatherings. Visually they are set apart by a dark red-lined black cape, held closed by a gold cord across the chest and worn over the normal uniform for their grade.

Student folklore ties the rank to Eden's "Seven Wonders," the school's body of collected legends. One story concerns Pierre Pommier, a mysterious pâtissier said to appear in the cafeteria without warning and bake a limited run of sweets; because several students who ate his creations later earned the cape, the treats got nicknamed the Pastry of Knowledge and are fiercely sought after. Another tale claims a group of students once tried summoning a devil in the abandoned old schoolhouse, hoping the bargain would elevate them to Imperial Scholar rank, only to be eaten alive; their spirits supposedly haunt the building, and some versions say the ghosts stalk clever students out of resentment.

Demetrius Desmond, eldest son of Donovan Desmond, holds the rank among current students, joined by several unnamed classmates. The alumni list carries even more weight: Donovan Desmond himself, housemaster Henry Henderson, Martha Marriott, and Donna Schlag all wore the cape during their school years. Anya Forger famously mangles the group's name, pronouncing it "Umperial Skollers."