The thirty minutes went by quickly. Most people passed the test by comprehending and using their spell with 30 minutes, some people didn't.

Emil was among those some people.

Well, he didn't fail the test strictly speaking. The test wasn't even a test to him, but that's beside the point.

Now that the the comprehension test was over, the special admission tests were officially finished.

If you chose so, you could enter the third stage to showcase any special talent you might possess, but Emil didn't have such thing, so he chose to leave for his inn instead.

As he was leaving though, a hand was placed on his shoulder.

"Emil Ashdown right?"

It was Arne, the short and ridiculously muscular teacher with red eyes and spiky hair.

Emil had a good impression of him since he stood up for him both times the other short and burly teacher, Osric, tried to discourage him.

"Yes, can I help you sir?"

Emil replied, as politely as possible.

"Oh drop the sir already, just call me Uncle Arne."

Emil, confused, started combing through his memories. At which point in his life did this person whom he never met become his uncle?

"Well now that I think about it, just call me sir when others are around. But Uncle's just fine when we're alone haha."

Arne burst into a hearty laughter for a while before his expression settled into a serious one.

He put his hand on Emil's shoulder and looked him in the eye.

"Listen Emil, don't let what those privileged noble children, or that Pashmak, Osric said get to you.

You did great today. No matter how bad your talents may be, you can always make up for it with hard work.

You're not inferior to anyone here so don't let others walk over you.

Can you promise me that?"

Emil kept quiet for a while.

He didn't expect such words from a total stranger, but they hit deep nevertheless. It him right in his heart, he needed to hear them right now.

"Alright, i promise. Thank you Mister Arne."

Emil gathered himself and responded, he couldn't afford to look like a crybaby here.

"Great, that's what I wanted to hear.

Now go on, I'll see you at the academy tomorrow."

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Arne patted Emil's back and gave an approving smile.

"Oh, before you leave.

Your father's name, it's Hamlin Ashdown isn't it?"

Emil was rendered speechless.

"Yes, how come?"

"Uhh nothing. Just um. Just making sure."

Arne said, looking a bit absent-minded. He stared at Emil for a good few seconds before shooting a glance towards Piers, who was looking at them from not too faraway.

They exchanged glances for a short while, as if confirming the doubts in each other's eyes.

Arne didn't elaborate much and sent Emil on his way.

All Emil could do was leave the testing grounds with more question on his mind.

Who was Arne and how did he know his father? Was his show of kindness just from a teacher to a student or was there something more behind it?

Furthermore, why did he make that look after confirming his father's identity and what was the strange exchange between him and mister Piers afterwards?

Yet again, too many questions and no answers.

At this point the sky was already dark and Emil's head felt like exploding from all the thinking, not to mention his exhaustion from the test.

He decided to have dinner and hit the bed immediately after reaching his inn.

And as scheduled, he woke up to intense pain at exactly 12Am all the way until 6Am.

Emil hadn't been able to sleep properly for a long, long time.

At night he was tortured by his condition, at day he had to work as a servant.

After he was finished getting tortured, he decided to follow his usual routine and prepare for work after getting only a few hours of sleep.

But then he remembered he wasn't within the Burton mansion anymore, and it was okay to sleep a little longer.

Giving into temptation, he decided to rest just for a couple more hours. He was still exhausted from yesterday and the orientation wasn't happening until noon.

Placing his head on the soft and cool pillow, he drifted into sleep immediately.

...

"Oh god oh god oh Lord have mercy I'm fucked!"

It was about 3 in the afternoon when Emil woke up, checking the time, he started panicking and immediately headed out.

"Have any packages been delivered to me?"

He asked the Inn clerk.

"Yes, this morning."

The clerk said as she took out a package.

"But you didn't answer no matter how many times we knocked on your door so..."

Emil didn't let her finish.

He snatched the package out of her hands and donned the uniform right there and then before running towards the teleportation matrix.

The academy wasn't situated within the capital, only the testing grounds were.

To get to the academy, you had to get to the teleportation matrix within a designated date, which was this morning.

But Emil had slept through the entire time and didn't know if there was still anyone waiting for him there.

The capital was massive, ridiculously so.

It could take an entire day for him to get to the teleportation matrix if his inn was faraway, but thankfully it was close so he was able to make it there on foot in twenty minutes.

As soon as he stepped within the building, a man in blue grabbed his ear and dragged him across the floor.

"I can't fucking believe you, do you know what time it is? How could you screw up so bad on your first day?

I'd have left eons ago if it wasn't for Mr Piers specifically asking me to wait for you.

Do you have any idea how much it costs to activate the teleportation matrix? Any idea at all? Mr Piers will be paying this out of his own pocket since a student can't be held accountable.

By definition you'll have already been expelled for failing to show up on your first day but he's going out of his way and taking you there with his own responsibility.

If you're this irresponsible you're gonna live as a bottom feeder in the academy.

It's not a place for kids I'll have you know that.

I'm gonna assume it's your first time teleporting so hold your damn breath and close your eyes, or not, i don't care."

The man, or more speicifaclly the boy who seemed like a teenager, just a few years older than Emil, dragged him across the hall all the way to the teleportation matrix and never stopped venting even as he wrote the coordinates and activated the device.

He seemed like a third year. Either way he was furious for having to wait so long.

It made sense, anyone would be angry. Emil knew that so he just took his insults and stayed quiet like a good boy.

He'd already screwed up big time and he was damn lucky Mr Piers was looking out for him otherwise, at least according to this senior, he'd have already been expelled.

Like the guy instructed, Emil closed his eyes and held his breath.

In a few seconds, the scenery before him completely changed.

"BLEEEEGGHHHH"