James looked at Merlin in confusion, seeing this Merlin asked, "Your highness do you know what the percentage of commoners is compared to the rich and nobles are in the magi academies throughout the empire?"
James shook his head wondering how this was related to what Jack just asked.
"Its 80%. The rest 20% forms the nobles, rich etc. During these exams, 95% of those high standing students pass with their families help or rarely with their own talent.
The pass rate of commoners is another thing, being at 78%. This was and is through their own sheer hard work or talent and rarely ever been through cheating.
Most of these commoners once graduated gets offer to work for some businessmen, nobles, or to join the army." Merlin explained in detail.
"So what?" James asked still not understanding the situation.
"You idiot, do you think of those people who could pass the graduation exam are useless people!?" Jack shouted back in annoyance seeing how stupid he was.
Not waiting for him to reply Jack carried on. "They are talented people.
Due to the problem we had a few months ago inside the royal court the magi and merchant association not only started fearing him but the repercussions they will face from the emperor if they were to be found in league with him." Jack slumped back tiredly seeing the clueless look on his brothers face. He gave up at trying to explain everything step by step to his half-brother while looking at his stupid face, wondering how he even became his opponent.
James was about to respond harshly to Jack but was suddenly interrupted.
"James although Jack was harsh he is right. Majority of the low-ranking roles in army, mercenaries, guards, police etc are taken by the commoners. And these roles are what's keeping the empire economy and security together.
Imagine what would happen if John were to raise a coup. Due to him being their saviour and having a high reputation among the public, combined with his notoriously powerful mind, we would have faced a severe defeat economically, thus having to enthrone him as the new emperor." Albert explained to James calmly, while James' eyes bulged in shock at how the throne nearly went away from him.
"So, to avoid all this along with to appease and show our loyalty to his highness, the associations' upper echelon slowly started their brainwashing programme to make sure no one was to ally with him. We did this by providing false rumour along with many other things in places people gathered a lot. This is what caused the current split in the empire of some people favouring him and some not." Merlin began where Albert left off, while James sighed in relief knowing that there was no way for John to ever make a comeback.
"This exam was set up to screw him up big time by the magi association and your faction. He would have either done terribly or done averagely in such a short notice and lack of preparation. Either way, he would have lost his reputation among the magis of the lower ranks." Jack began.
"Now do you see what he has done. Not only has the exam preparations so far been good, but he has gathered the trust of all the future magis from here.
Once the exam is over, word will spread of the compassionate Prince John, who fights for the poor and those who are suppressed. All of the association's effort at subduing him or painting a bad image on him has vanished just like that." Terror began to creep on to James as he realised the seriousness of what was really happening inside the exam hall.
But suddenly he calmed down as he suddenly remembered something "I don't see what the big deal is. That guy screwed up big time annoying those nobles. A single bee can be easy to deal with, but that doesn't mean it's alright to go and poke their hive." James replied arrogantly, feeling pleased with himself that he said something smart.
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Jack threw his glass to the floor in anger and hopelessness, seeing James' smug grin. "Seriously are you pretending to be dumb or are you really an idiot?" He shouted in anger.
"Your highness it is not possible. They won't complain, neither will their family allow them to." Merlin quickly explained to James before he got in a fight with Jack.
"Why?" James asked back in rage.
"The nobles along with others in the V.I.P hall must have realised by now the opportunity to steal the exam papers was a trap. John probably must have all the evidence ready by now of their attempt to leak the questions.
If any of them as much as raise an objection then John will release those evidence to the public and thereby screwing them up.
Not only that by trying to steal and leak the papers of a magi academy graduation exam they will have to face serious punishment. Banning their children from ever graduating is one of the least punishment that they can face, not to mention the disgrace they have to carry." Merlin replied in a serious voice.
As James was about to ask another question Albert interrupted "The magi association can't and won't ignore the case. If John were to reveal to the public that the magi association did nothing to the cheaters then the magi association will take the full brunt of the public outrage. So, they will do a fair trial to appease the public."
Seeing that Albert answered his question, James finally realised despite being so weak why his brother was considered so scary and powerful by everyone especially Smith and his dad.
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The administrator was sorting out all the registration paper and finally closing up the stall.
Suddenly a boy came running towards the desk in a hurry.
"I want to participate in the exam!" The boy declared while trying to get his breathing back to normal.
"Sorry, you are too late. The time now is 12:10 pm, you were supposed to be here at least before 12 pm if you had wanted to enrol in the exam." The administrating women said in a plain face while wondering how laid back the boy was forgetting his own exam time.
"Please, I don't mind graduating from the exam, but please just let me take the exam." The boy started pleading to the women.
The women became confused at why someone wanted to take the exam and didn't want to graduate.
"I am sorry, but his highness Prince John has strict orders that anyone who is had not filled out the pre-registration application along with the declaration form before the registration process, will not be allowed inside the exam centre." The women explained thinking the boy just wanted to take the exam as a trial run before his proper exam next year.
The boy became dejected and turned back walking away. Suddenly he remembered what his master said to him a week ago 'You can change your mind till right before the start of the exam.'.
"What time does the exam start?" The boy's abrupt turn to question surprised the women, who nearly attacked him thinking he was about to retaliate for his lost opportunity.
"Uhh..12:30pm." The women answered wondering what the boy was up to, seeing that his dejected face was replaced by a face of victory.
"I was told I can enter the exam as long as it hadn't started. So, let me enter, please." The boy begged finally seeing there was hope.
"Boy, I don't know who you think you are, but I was told not to even let the heir of a commandment into the exam centre if they hadn't registered." The women started getting angry at him.
"But can you please check the list. I might be on there." Finally, the women relented wanting to get rid of the harasser from here.
"What is your full name?" she asked him.
"Ellis Wright." The boy gave his reply very quickly in order to not waste any time.
The women went through the files looking through the files of all the people with 'W' as their surname.
"You said Ellis Wright right?" The women asked him as she looked at him suspiciously.
"Yes." Ellis answered.
"Ok let me see there is Eliot Wing ..." The women swiped her fingers through each name looking for Ellis' name.
Unknown to Ellis however was that the women had already pressed a switch under a table, requesting assistance from the security to get rid of a potential disruptor to the exam.
"Can you hurry up please the exam will start soon? Do you want my help?" The boy started getting impatient, feeling that the lady was taking too long. If this lady took too long then his highness might not allow him into the exam hall. He tried reaching for the files in the ladies hand to help her, only to find she moved back very quickly with the files.
"Don't move from your position!" The lady ordered as she suddenly threw the files down and started preparing a restriction spell and threw it at Ellis.
"What are you doing?" The boy quickly dodged the spell and prepared his defences.
"He is fighting back. Possible rank 2 magi, Amber alert stage 2. Requesting immediate back up to successfully capture target." The lady started spewing word that common people could make no sense of.
Suddenly the boy quickly realised what the lady was doing as he was occasionally trained and informed of these thing as his master was target of high protection value.
"Stop! I am not a threat. I will stay here. I thought you were attacking and preparing my defence." He shouted to the lady while looking around to find an adequate place to run if things go south.