When Kaios woke up to the darkness, he sensed that something was off. His head did feel cushioned, resting on a pillow, but he felt that everything else was splayed out in an unfamiliar way. As his mind processed the sensation, his heart began to race. Was he still dreaming? Or was he… trapped somewhere!? His mind spiraled into a panicked haze.
But then, realization sparked through the fog of his panic—he didn’t remember falling asleep. His body jerked upright, but he froze, his eyes adjusting to the dark, and the quietude slowly began to make sense.
The couch. Of course. His mind slowly caught up to his senses, and he sheepishly sighed. He must’ve fallen asleep while sitting there, exhausted from the day’s events. The panic in his chest faded, replaced by a wave of embarrassment.
“It’s just the living room…” he muttered to himself, rubbing his face. “Kaios, you dunce…”
After Meteos came visiting and gave him yet another present like it was nothing, he remembered fiddling with that thing after dinner before falling asleep, and his roommates had not woken him up for some reason…
Shedding his blanket and stretching, the blonde Parpaldian proceeded to fumble in the dark, reaching for the table where he remembered leaving his belongings last night. His fingers grazed an empty small box made of heavy paper, an empty glass, and then something metallic and familiar which is the cool band of his wristwatch.
The gadget came to life as he pressed a button, its face glowing faintly in the living room previously almost devoid of light. The digital display read 05:17 on the first day of the eleventh month in the Central Calendar. He blinked at it, his mind piecing together the information. The Holy Milishial Empire’s capital city of Runepolis, perched at a higher altitude than his hometown in the Parpaldia Empire, wouldn’t see daylight until nearly seven this time of the year. For now, the world outside remained wrapped in darkness until around one and a half hours later.
It’s still brightly lit on the streets with magic lighting, though.
With a groan, Kaios stood, deciding whether to shake off the last vestiges of sleep to continue to probe the secrets of that thing or proceed with other essential priorities, or surrender to them again.
…Eventually, he decided to start his day properly. Washing his face would help clear his lingering grogginess.
Stepping into the small hallway, he noticed a faint glow spilling out from the kitchen’s direction. Someone was awake and active. The sound of something sizzling confirmed it. Curious, he walked closer. As he approached the entrance, he found that someone was indeed there. His voice escaped him in reflex.
“Oh…”
The figure at the counter turned, and Kaios found himself blinking at a young man with striking features—sharp blue eyes and short blonde hair that seemed to catch the light. Despite the early hour, his expression was serene, as if he were perfectly at home in the quiet of the morning. A faint aroma of spices filled the air, mingling with the sizzle of something cooking in a pot, enveloping the room in a comforting warmth.
“Ah, Kaios, you’re awake. Good morning,” the cook replied with a warm smile, his voice calm but pleasant.
“Uh… yes, Gab—Gabi? Wait—Hark? …Louria? Your Highness?” The still-groggy Kaios was clearly unsure which alias to use.
The cook—the foreign prince going by the name Gabriel van Helsing, more commonly called “Gabi” by those close to him—let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head.
“Oh, my. You’re still asleep. Why don’t you go wash your face first?”
Kaios muttered something under his breath before excusing himself to the bathroom. The cool water helped shake off the last remnants of sleep, though he still felt the weight of yesterday’s trials lingering in his muscles. Once refreshed, he returned to the kitchen, pulling out a chair to sit near Gabi.
“…Okay, why didn’t anyone tell me to move from the couch? You all just let me sleep there?” Kaios pouted.
While he was chopping potatoes on the counter, Gabi glanced over his shoulder at Kaios with an apologetic smile.
“I’m sorry. But we did—twice, actually. You muttered something unintelligible and went right back to sleep each time. In the end, we figured you must’ve been completely exhausted and decided to let you rest.”
“Oh…”
Kaios rubbed the back of his neck, a sheepish grin spreading across his face.
“I must’ve been out like a rock. Guess the exam yesterday really took it out of me, I barely even remember falling asleep…” he sighed, glancing toward the open door leading to the hallway. Turning back to his roommate, he tilted his head. “…So, what’s cooking?”
“Goulash.”
Kaios blinked, recognition lighting up his features. “Ah, from Louria,” he murmured, leaning forward slightly to catch a better glimpse of the ingredients.
The aroma of beef beginning to brown was unmistakable now. It was a dish Kaios had come to associate with Gabi as a staple of his homeland, the Kingdom of Louria. While Kaios himself hadn’t traveled much beyond Parpaldia, Altaras, and now the Holy Milishial Empire, he’d learned bits and pieces about Louria from Gabi during their time as roommates. That includes cuisine, of course.
Goulash, as Gabi had explained during one of their late-night conversations, was a stew of meat, potato, and vegetables seasoned with paprika and other spices. Kaios had tasted it before, cooked by Gabi’s own hand during his turn at chores, and had been blown away by its rich and satisfying flavor. Momentarily forgetting the dynamic between their respective countries, living with the scion of a noble and a prince in the same apartment where they will take turns doing chores like this always amused him, who was born a commoner.
He was aware, of course, that Gabi wasn’t just an ordinary boy—he was Hark, the younger prince of Louria, sent to study in the Holy Milishial Empire on a diplomatic arrangement of sorts just like him with the Parpaldia Empire in what could be described as the Holy Empire’s outreach program. Now, for someone from a country considered one of the “peripheral barbarians” of the Far East, Gabi certainly didn’t fit the mold of what most people expected.
The Kingdom of Louria of the Rodenius Continent, after all, was a land notorious for its outdated beliefs, where human supremacism was deeply rooted and feudalism still prevailed. The people of Louria were seen as less refined and even more primitive than the Altarans, to put it lightly. However, efforts to at least curb the former are currently underway, particularly as the society of Louria’s current benefactor, the ever-imposing world’s most powerful superpower of the Holy Milishial Empire, views the very concept as HERESY with capital ‘H,’ and with growing intensity as of late.
Kaios believed that for Louria to be so tone-deaf of that would probably lead to particularly nasty repercussions, wouldn’t it?
From the first day they met, Gabi was nothing like the stereotype. In fact, he seemed to absorb the finer habits of his environment almost effortlessly. Whether it was adjusting to the way the Milishian nobles carried themselves or picking up on local customs, Gabi fit in here without much effort. His sensibilities, studious nature, his calm and affable demeanor, and the way he carried himself with confidence and grace made it almost impossible to see him as someone from a primitive country where everyone there is thought to be as clumsy as they are arrogant and stupid. Was it that Gabi himself wasn’t representative of his homeland, or was Louria not as bad as everyone thought? Or perhaps—Kaios mused with a wry smile—Gabi was simply an exceptional young man.
That train of thought lingered in his mind as the three of them, including the now-awake Irmiya, sat at the dining table to have breakfast before carrying on with their day.
❖⟐❖⟐❖
November 1, 1616 Central Calendar, Sunrise
After seeing off his friends as they headed off to school, Kaios returned to the now-quiet apartment and sank onto the couch with a heavy sigh. He wasn’t unwell or anything that would prevent him from attending the Academy, but his unexpected string of luck in passing the Qualification Phase of the Imperial Board Magical Exam—after his mentor enrolled the entire circle—had earned him a government-mandated dispensation during the exam period. In other words, as long as he’s still in the competition, Kaios is exempted from attending classes so that he can focus on preparing for the next round.
Now left alone, assuming it would be a sluggish Tuesday with nothing planned, Kaios pondered what to do next. He leaned back, stretching out on the couch, and let out another long, exaggerated sigh. With the Academy out of the picture for the time being, and his friends off poring over their books and spellcrafting techniques, his day seemed destined to dissolve into boredom as he was recommended to dedicate this day to rest and doing nothing else.
‘But that’s so boring…’
Maybe he should try to write a thesis about dichotomies.
That’s when he felt it—a faint rectangular bulge in the pocket of his jacket. Humming in realization, he reached inside and pulled out that thing, a device that had been fascinating to him since yesterday.
It was his grimoire—no, not the tome of magic. This one had no pages to turn or ink to smudge. Apparently in this country, the term had been appropriated to describe a highly advanced manacom, for lack of a better word. What the conservative magic society calls ‘lack of respect,’ the Milishians call it ‘skill issue.’
He’d owned a grimoire since arriving in Runepolis, of course, given by his sponsor. But last night, Meteos had come along, informed that his old one is functional but outdated, and traded it with this newer version. ‘Outdated already, Meteos? …Really? I mean—well…’
Still, he couldn’t deny how much of an upgrade this new model was. The unchanged part, the touchscreen, resembled a polished black mirror, dotted with faint smudges from his earlier attempts to figure out more of it, encased in a sleek red frame. And that’s not all: somehow, whoever created this if not Meteos himself even managed to insert a high-quality camera into this grimoire, with a lens nestled in the upper-right corner of the frame. He had taken some photos with it, actually.
A press of one of the side buttons brought it to life, the surface glowing softly with a bluish hue and revealing an intricate grid of tiny, colorful symbols that the device’s manual referred to as applications. The already familiar functions of voice and text messages were still there, and the contacts list populated with the names of his friends, mentor, and a few other acquaintances as carried over from his old grimoire. But surrounding them was a dizzying array of new icons.
The one called Clock opened an interface showing the current time; a ‘world clock’ with different time zones from some random land in the easternmost part of Rodenius to all the way to Leifor; a ‘stopwatch’ to measure the amount of time that elapses between its activation and deactivation; and an alarm clock. Next, there’s the Calendar app, but he found nothing interesting in there other than the obvious.
“That’s neat,” Kaios chuckled, swiping back to the main grid.
The Music app offered a collection of recorded songs across various genres. If he wanted more, he could visit the Roguerider Foundation’s headquarters and ask the staff there to add them. The Gallery revealed several photos of him and his friends, one of them an unflattering candid of him yawning while cocooned in his blanket, probably taken by Meteos during the grimoire’s setup. Kaios rolled his eyes at that, but he was unsure whether to delete it or not.
Other apps included a Data Manager, which seemed to organize files and information; Settings, for customizing the grimoire’s functionality; a Calculator, surprisingly powerful with features for complex equations; Notes and Recorder, perfect for jotting down or vocalizing his thoughts; a Compass; and even a Channel app tuned into local news and entertainment frequencies.
The craftsmanship was remarkable, far beyond what he thought possible for a manacom. Seeing all this, one question surfaced in his mind.
“…Where in the world did Meteos get his hands on this kind of technology?”
His sponsor was talented, no doubt, but this level of sophistication? It felt downright otherworldly. Not even the mainstream Holy Milishial Empire’s magic technology is this good. Therefore, this must be his conglomerate’s latest product… or a prototype. That boy’s attitude is also notable, casually handing out devices like this as if it’s no big deal to his group of foreigners. Is the Foundation being careless?
Swiping through the apps again, his attention caught on a particular icon: Domain. The symbol was abstract—a circle intersected by faint glowing lines. Curiosity piqued once more, he tapped it… for the same result as last night.
The screen turned completely white. No text, no symbols, no apparent functionality. Just an empty void staring back at him. He frowned, tapping the screen. Nothing happened. He swiped, pressed the buttons, and even shook the device lightly. Still nothing. Furthermore, it was the only one not covered in the manual for some reason, which suggests that this feature must be a last-minute addition in making this grimoire.
“Hm… what’s the point of this?” he asked aloud. At least he can exit the strange app into the main grid. Well, he could always ask Meteos or someone relevant about it later, but for now, the strangeness that seemed to beckon him to uncover its mystery, piqued Kaios’ curiosity. Should he spend the day contemplating what this ‘Domain’ really is, judging by its name, before he gives up?
In the end, he was deep in thought after putting the grimoire aside and lying down on the couch. The more he pondered, the more confused he became, until he was lost in a spiral of tangent that seemed impossible to answer alone. Just then, a sudden vibration and beeping from his grimoire snapped Kaios out of his trance. He blinked, realizing the device had buzzed with a message.
Upon unlocking the screen, what he saw was a text: “I’m outside bringing you something. Open up.”
It was from his mentor’s contact. Wait, something!?
“…!? C-coming, coming!!”
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Eyes widened, the young Parpaldian jumped up from the couch. So engrossed Kaios was in his thoughts that he hadn’t even heard knocking on the door. Quickly setting the grimoire down on the table, he rushed to the door and flung it open. Standing there was a tall, slender man with silver hair, his facial features similar to Meteos’ but older, draped in a beige long coat. Just like the text said, in his hand was a rather large paper bag.
Adonis Roguerider, 20 years old. Meteos’ oldest sibling and the one who took Kaios and his friends under his wing as apprentices, he is a research and development leader at the Roguerider Foundation. He is the man responsible for Kaios’ current situation—not meant in a bad way, of course.
Kaios, still catching his breath from his hurried dash to the door, cleared his throat and bowed awkwardly. “Master…! G-Good morning. I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you knocking.”
Quirking an eyebrow at his apprentice’s flustered state, Adonis looked at him intently in the eyes.
“‘Good morning,’ hm?” he said. “What do you mean? Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or it is a morning to be good on?”
“A-all of them at once? I suppose…”
Kaios let out a baffled stammer at the end of Adonis’ barrage, earning him a lifted corner of the mentor’s mouth.
“You should really try to improve your self-confidence, young one,” he commented.
Kaios blinked a couple of times, trying to regain his bearings. He opened his mouth, then hesitated. Finally, he couldn’t resist a polite protest.
“Master, I—uh, I’ve never heard anyone start a conversation like that.”
“There you go,” Adonis said with a widening smile.
‘Is he testing me? He’s testing me, isn’t he?’
Adonis watched the boy for a moment, clearly amused by the fact that this apprentice of his clearly likes to overthink things, looking underneath the underneath, as some people like to say.
After Kaios stepped aside and gestured toward the door, his earlier fluster slowly gave way to a more composed demeanor.
“Please, come in, Master.”
Stepping into the apartment after handing over the paper bag, Adonis settled on the sofa in the living room. Kaios followed suit, taking a seat across from him and checked the gift to find it was mostly food and beverage.
“So, how are you doing?”
“I’m fine, Master. I only need rest after all that happened yesterday, it seems.”
“I see,” Adonis nodded, noting the reassurance in Kaios’ tone.
As part of the regulations, apprenticeship team leaders weren’t allowed to contact their students who participated in the Imperial Board’s Exam immediately after the test session. So, while Adonis could have easily checked in on him the day before, he had respected the rule, even though it meant waiting until today to bring him food and offer his support.
Then, after a beat of silence, Adonis spoke again.
“By the way, your examiner Shizuna asked me to pass something along to you.”
Kaios, who had been inspecting the contents of the paper bag, paused and looked up. The mention of the incredibly attractive but unhinged examiner immediately caught his attention.
“The Examiner?”
“Yes. Well, as you know, she’s not allowed to contact participants directly during the exam period outside the test unless you want to be disqualified for collusion,” Adonis stated, prompting Kaios to take a sharp breath at the mention of such a harsh penalty. “But she asked me to pass along her apology for what happened during your test.”
Kaios blinked and let out a rueful laugh. “Well, let bygones be bygones—as long as it wasn’t out of malice.”
What he left unspoken was his desire to forget the dread he felt when he nearly drowned in that cold lake, only surviving thanks to the Manadriver’s power to grant his wish. Well, if the skilled Miss Shizuna is practical and keen to avoid losing her license over an accidental death, she’s bound to step in and save him. Now, Kaios could only hope that his move—making it out of the lake on his own—would earn him enough favor to pass this stage.
“Are you sure?” Adonis asked.
“Yes, sir.”
Kaios nodded with a smile, setting the paper bag aside. Studying him for a moment, Adonis shrugged lightly.
“Very well. But after the exam ends, you might want to meet her for a talk to conclude things. This is serious business, if not for the regulations, she would be here right now.”
“Hm…”
Somewhat familiar with what this country’s people consider ‘serious business,’ Kaios tilted his head at the suggestion and decided to act on it when the chance presented itself.
“Master, since you’re here… can I ask you about something?”
Adonis leaned back on the couch, crossing his legs with a relaxed air. “Sure. What’s on your mind?”
“Um…”
“You will not get exam-related answers from me,” the mentor added.
“Right… then… there’s something about this new grimoire.”
“Go on.”
“It’s this application called ‘Domain.’ I tried opening it, but… it just shows a blank white screen. There’s nothing in the manual about it either. Is it supposed to do something?”
Adonis hummed.
“Well, it doesn’t do anything right now. But when it’s active, it’s a tool that provides access to a vast repository of information about things you’d want to know once we establish a network of interconnected knowledge bases. When the time comes, I’m sure you’ll know what to do with it.”
The concept sounded lofty and complex, like something out of a scholar’s fanciful musings rather than practical magick or technology. But at the same time as Kaios tried to understand it based on what he had learned so far, it didn’t actually seem that ultra-complicated to comprehend.
“Then, it’s like having a library in my hand. Instead of walking all the way there, I can just grab my device and find what I need. But, it’s not really the device doing all that—it’s just a way to get to the library. Something they call a conduit? The library itself is more like something from a story, where this super powerful being leaves behind its physical form when it ascends…”
Adonis could see the young man piecing together the pieces of the puzzle in his mind, even though the final understanding still eluded him. Having guided him in broad directions and letting him explore on his own, Adonis took pleasure in observing Kaios, who stumbled over his thoughts and muttered to himself—a byproduct of gears in his mind turning. It was clear that in only a year, this young man had reached a level that those who had brought him from Parpaldia had hoped for.
Eventually, Kaios’ mumblings became too unintelligible for the general audience to understand.
“…Are you done?”
“Huh?” the boy perked up in confusion.
“I’m asking if you’re done with your mutterings.”
“Oh, um… yes. Yes, Master.”
Realizing he’d drifted into his own world, Kaios cleared his throat. An awkward silence hung in the air as Adonis regarded him in amusement.
“So, uh… how’s Meteos doing?”
“It’s the same as always. He’s back in the workshops, tinkering.”
“Really? …Does he ever rest?”
Seriously, it’s like his brain never switches off.
“My young apprentice, that brother of mine seduced eastern beauties by talking philosophy. It’s best to not question it,” Adonis lightly waved his concern off. However, he quickly added in the same offhanded tone, “Though, Legiel did comment on it, and I quote him, ‘Through passion, he gains strength, and through strength, he gains power.’”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It’s Legiel.”
“Y-yes.”
Best to not question it either.
Kaios absentmindedly glanced back at the grimoire.
“He is.”
“…I’m sorry?”
Adonis gestured to the device with a tilt of his head. “Meteos designed that, yes.”
“I-I see…”
Figured as much…? Somehow, it seemed more natural to believe that he did create this advanced grimoire, building upon his own mentor Robin Calvello’s research, which would eventually lead to the creation of Manadrivers, than to think otherwise.
“Is that why he easily gave away such things? I don’t think that’s how it works,” the boy wondered. However, it still seems a bit of a reach to link the two occasions and draw that conclusion.
“The Foundation supports you, is it not?”
“Are you insinuating that…”
With a face that looked like he was recalling a fond memory, Adonis shifted in his seat and brought a leg to rest on the other’s knee before replying.
“Once, I said to Meteos that if he’s so driven to advance, at least he should take the others with him… Whether he took those words to heart or not, this is what happened.”
“Meteos’ drive…?” Kaios started carefully, glancing up at Adonis. “Does he ever wonder if it’s… wise to trust foreigners so easily?”
“It seems you’ve been thinking about this, haven’t you?”
Kaios nodded slowly.
“I’m not ungrateful, I just… I wonder if there could have been more trustworthy people to be entrusted with it at this point. We’re not exactly locals, you know?”
Adonis regarded him with a small, cryptic smile.
“This is the Way.”
More questions lingered in his mind, but there would seem to be no easy answers today.
The visit ended shortly after that, with Adonis making his way to the door and Kaios still mulling over the conversation. His mentor’s casual way of handling this kind of state of affairs had only added to his mysterious air. Once the door shut, Kaios slumped back onto the couch, his gaze returning to the grimoire.
----------------------------------------
November 9, 1616 Central Calendar, 09:00
Imperial Board of Magical Arts Supervision Headquarters, Runepolis, Holy Milishial Empire
Kaios continued to look for the underneath the underneath until the end.
Entering the ninth day of the month, it marked the conclusion of the Exam Phase 2 group tests. The results from each group were submitted and evaluated, after which the organizers revealed the participants who were eligible to advance to the eliminations starting next week. For that purpose, the 256 participants were called to the Imperial Board’s Headquarters for another conference. The hall was laid out similarly to the previous session, with rows of seats facing a large semicircular podium beneath a large magic transmission monitor. However, this time, the lectern was positioned to the side, and at the center stood a box.
“Since the next phase is a competition format, it’s probably there for drawing lots,” casually elaborated Meteos, who was sitting beside him. Well, it made sense, given the context.
As for Kaios, although he believed he was no closer to discovering the ‘real test’ of Phase 2—if such a thing even existed, his hope of seeing his name on the list of 128 grew stronger each day. And now, as he sat down in the same hall used for the pre-Phase 2 technical meeting surrounded by the participants from his circle, he couldn’t shake the feeling that hope was at its peak, despite his conscious repeatedly telling himself to keep his expectations low to avoid disappointment, no matter the outcome.
To be fair, he had come this far, well beyond the initial expectations. If he’s being pretentious, he could say he’s one of the underdogs of this entire exam.
In truth, Kaios doesn’t even come with the baggage of carrying the Parpaldia Empire’s name with him. Emperor Leonius might be difficult, tough, and all sorts of unpleasant (with good intentions… MOST of the time), but even he knows where to draw the line when it comes to placing unrealistic expectations on (Parpaldian) children.
And so, the same Imperial Board official from before entered the hall to begin the conference. The loudspeaker crackled to life, cutting through the clamor of the hall.
“Attention, please! …Thank you. Don’t worry, we still value brevity while keeping the message across. Let’s get this over with so you can go home and get a good rest quickly, shall we?” the official stated. Whether it was intended as a joke or not, it earned a few hearty chuckles from his young audiences before the official raised his hand to quiet them down.
“Now, without further ado, we shall begin announcing the names of the participants who will advance to the elimination phase. When your name is called, come up to the podium and draw a lot from the box, and after that please remain on the podium. Your number will determine your match and placement in the bracket.”
A wave of tension rippled through the room as the participants collectively held their breath, their gazes fixed on the official.
“The judges have determined that the following participants have demonstrated exceptional skill and determination, earning their place in the next phase.”
The official began, pausing for a moment as the first name appeared on the monitor behind him.
“Nadia Smirnova.”
“!!!”
There was a bristle, and there was a loud cheer and applause. Kaios himself couldn’t help but smile as the first name called was one he recognized.
Sitting just two seats away was a girl named Nadia Smirnova, a 16-years-old girl whose eyes widened before softening into a smile of disbelief with the subtle flush on her cheeks that conveyed her elation. She tucked a strand of her golden, cascading hair—glimmering like sunlight—behind her ear and stood up.
The loudest cheer came from the seats around her, and of course, it came from her partner, Meteos. Ushering her to get up, the two of them gave each other a quick kiss on the cheek, followed by the other friends congratulating her before Nadia straightened and made her way to the podium.
Once there, she gingerly reached into the box, drawing out a numbered ball. The official glanced at it and announced.
“#20. Bout 10.”
Wow, Kaios mouthed. According to the schedule, Nadia’s match would take place on the opening day of the elimination stage’s Round of 128.
Her name and placement in the bracket appeared on the monitor, and a smattering of polite applause followed as she bowed slightly and scooted closer to the official to remain there.
“Next. Langris Vaude.”
Another round of applause as a boy with a small build and thick, brown wavy hair stood up. He’s #70, Bout 35.
After several more names were called and the pattern was repeated, Kaios began to seriously wonder if they were going to keep applauding for ALL 128 names. The lighthearted banter helped ease his nerves, but he couldn’t help glancing up at the monitor every time a new name appeared. And then, another name from their circle was called out.
“Annette Pendragon.”
“Oh, my,” gasped a silver-haired girl sitting next to the empty seat that Nadia occupied before. Standing up, she turned at them with a defiant grin. “Well then, if you’ll excuse me, gentlemen. I’ll be going on ahead.”
“No, no, it’s alright! By all means, Milady,” Meteos chortled, motioning with his hand.
The lady was Annette Pendragon, 16 years old—the second daughter of Duke Lucius Pendragon “the Good,” the Lord Mayor of the Holy Empire’s capital city. Though their families came from different social backgrounds (not that it has any significant meaning other than titles considering centuries of conditioning by the sovereign in this country, hence Milishian nobles are weirdos), Annette and Meteos shared a close bond since they were newborns. The Pendragons even entrusted her to the care of the Rogueriders on occasion, or whenever baby Anna wanted to see her friend Met. They even shared a bed when they were younger!
Despite their closeness, Annette always considered her relationship with Meteos to be platonic, believing that not only were they silver-haired, they were also too similar in personality. And then, when Nadia entered the picture, Annette was quick to support their relationship out of their shared fondness for the girl.
Anyway.
After Annette and more unfamiliar names, Meteos was called to join the group on the podium, to the surprise of nobody.
After him came Walman Falkenhausen, a 16-years-old brunette and another of Meteos’ childhood friends. He’s notable among the circle due to his shared aspirations in magical engineering, which led him and Meteos to reach for this country’s elite ministry. Annette, meanwhile, was on a different path, pursuing her own interests and advancing rapidly in her field. Initially. Only time would reveal whether their paths would converge again in the future.
At this point, the only Parpaldian in this entire room had quietly resigned to himself, concluding that the odds of passing were far too abysmal to overcome.
“Crow Armstrong.”
Kaios perked up at the name. Crow, his groupmate and the only one willing to humor his over-thoughts during the test, was among those moving forward. Kaios couldn’t help but smile faintly. But since apparently there will be two participants from each group, who will be next from Group 58—
“Kaios Ashmeyer van Deventer.”
Eh.
“Eh…?”
Kaios wondered if he misheard. The noise around him faded as the blood rushed to his ears. It couldn’t be. But there it was, bold and clear on the monitor, displayed for everyone to see. The applause echoed as before, while those from the circle currently standing on the podium directed pointed looks toward his seat in the crowd.
‘EEEEEEEEEEEEHH!?’