The boys finished their registrations and stepped aside, overlooking the large crowd of examinees gathered in the square. The tension in the air was palpable. Some students stood stiffly with nervous expressions, others appeared confident, but most bore the weight of what this exam meant—not just a chance to become a Luminary, but an opportunity to secure their family’s future. For many, this was their one and only shot.
“Well, that’s that. What now?” Abell asked, glancing at Gaius.
Gaius scanned the crowd, his sharp eyes narrowing as if studying each person carefully. “I’m pretty sure we’re supposed to stay here and wait for instructions.”
“I think they’re assigning us places to stay,” Abell added, his voice quieter than usual as he glanced around. He kept his head low, avoiding eye contact with the others. “So… I guess we’ll wait, then.”
Gaius noticed the awkwardness in Abell’s posture and smirked. “Don’t tell me you’re nervous. What, never seen this many people our age before?” he scoffed.
“It’s… not that,” Abell replied, though his tone betrayed him. “Why would I be nervous? Soon, I’ll be number one in this whole academy.” He chuckled, but the nervous edge lingered in his voice.
“Tch. Whatever you say.” Gaius turned back to the crowd, his expression calculating as if taking mental notes on their potential competition.
Before they could continue, a curious voice cut through the hum of the square. “You two,” a girl called out, her tone sharp and demanding. Heads turned as she approached, a small group of girls trailing behind her. Her golden hair fell in soft waves to her shoulders, catching the light as she strode forward with an air of authority. Her almond-shaped eyes, glinting with striking clarity, locked onto them with the precision of a hawk.
“I noticed you arrived with Hugo Creed and received the personal crest of the headmaster,” she said, her tone carrying the weight of an accusation. “Who are you? I demand you tell me now.”
Both boys blinked in shock at her sudden boldness. Abell, already overwhelmed by the crowd, barely managed to stammer out a word. Gaius, on the other hand, exhaled sharply and crossed his arms, clearly annoyed.
“Listen,” Gaius said, his voice cold. “I don’t care about your questions. You probably won’t be around long enough for that information to matter to you.”
“Excuse you?” she snapped, her voice rising an octave in indignation.
“I am Nona Ebruiss, ninth daughter of the great Luminary Gladius Ebruiss. You will not speak to me in such a manner,” she declared, her words dripping with entitlement.
Abell watched the exchange, his nervousness melting into confusion and intrigue. So this is what a noble is really like, he thought to himself.
“And you,” Nona continued, turning her sharp gaze to Abell. “You have a mouth, don’t you? Speak now, ruffian!”
Abell felt his nerves replaced by irritation, his fist clenching slightly. He opened his mouth to respond when another voice interrupted.
“Now, now,” the voice said, calm and smooth, “let’s all be friends. This exam is stressful enough, don’t you think?”
A boy stepped into the circle, his ash-blond hair slightly tousled and framing his sharp, angular features. His piercing green eyes carried a calm intensity, but something about him felt calculated. He placed a light hand on Nona’s shoulder.
“Who are you? And get your hands off me this instant!” Nona exclaimed, brushing his hand away with an exaggerated motion. “Mother was right—boys today have no manners!”
The boy chuckled, unfazed. “I apologize for the intrusion. My name is Lance Advans. I just wanted to calm things down. After all, we’re all in the same boat here, aren’t we?” His tone was playful, but his words held an edge that wasn’t lost on Gaius.
Gaius narrowed his eyes at Lance, a chill running down his spine. Something’s off about him, he thought, but he kept his observations to himself for now.
The surrounding crowd began murmuring, their attention caught by the scene.
“Man, some of these kids look so confident,” a boy whispered to his friend. “I’m not sure if I’ll pass.”
“Yeah,” the friend replied, his voice low. “Did you see how that guy just spoke to her? What’s with that? I thought only the best-mannered kids got in.”
“Let’s just keep our heads up,” another examinee muttered. “We have no idea what tomorrow will bring.”
As the conversations swirled around them, Abell’s eyes drifted across the crowd, landing on a familiar figure. The same young woman from before—the one with the dark hair tied back in a simple ribbon—stood quietly near the edge of the square. She didn’t seem interested in the commotion, her calm presence setting her apart from the others.
“It’s that girl again,” Abell thought, his curiosity piqued.
Interested in her, huh?” a voice crept out from behind Abell.
Abell jolted, spinning around. “What the—?” He scanned the area, confused, until the voice spoke again.
“Down here,” it said with a hint of amusement.
Abell’s gaze dropped, and he blinked in surprise. Standing before him was a short boy with a broad grin, his hands stuffed into his oversized pockets. “I’m a little short, but don’t underestimate me, okay? Name’s Tank Shyss,” the boy said, his voice casual but confident.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
“People this short exist?” Abell thought to himself, caught off guard. “How did he even get selected?” Despite the initial surprise, there was something disarming about the boy—he carried himself like someone used to being underestimated, and it felt oddly familiar.
“I’m Abell,” he replied after a moment, his tone relaxing. “Nice to meet you, I guess.”
Tank grinned wider. “Same here. I noticed you were staring at that girl over there,” he said, jerking his thumb toward the dark-haired girl in the crowd. “I’ve got info on everyone here, you know. Want to know about her?”
“Uh…” Abell hesitated. “Sure, why not?”
Tank’s grin turned sly. “First time’s free, but next time you’ll have to pay.” He leaned closer, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “Her name’s Masako Wisteria. Yep, from that Wisteria family.”
Abell tilted his head. “Wisteria? What’s that?”
Tank’s jaw dropped, his expression caught somewhere between shock and pity. “Are you kidding me? The Wisteria family is one of the Four Families, dude. They basically run Eastern Eudora.”
Abell frowned, crossing his arms. “Well, I’m from Iridius. We don’t exactly get lessons in noble family trees.”
“Clearly,” Tank said, shaking his head with exaggerated disappointment. “But seriously, she’s a big deal. Word is, her family’s crazy strict. Rumor has it her ability’s kinda weak, though.
Abell glanced back at Masako, watching her quietly as she stood near the edge of the square. “Interesting,” he muttered under his breath, a spark of curiosity flickering in his chest.
Tank smirked, clapping him on the back. “Stick with me, Abell. I’ve got the dirt on everyone here. Just come to me for anything okay.” He said while walking away.
“There are some interesting people here.” Abell thought to himself.
Ahem, attention all students!” a commanding voice echoed through the square, drawing the crowd’s attention. Standing on a raised platform was a tall, stern-looking man with neatly combed gray hair and sharp glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. Beside him stood a younger woman with auburn hair tied into a neat bun, her calm demeanor radiating professionalism.
“As the sun winds down, I would like to thank you all once again for being here today,” the man continued, his deep voice cutting through the low murmurs of the crowd. “My name is Professor Mach, and standing next to me is Professor Erina. Together, we will be escorting you to the inn we’ve arranged for all examinees to rest tonight.”
Professor Erina offered a polite nod to the crowd but remained silent as Mach took control of the announcement.
“Please note,” he said, adjusting his glasses as he spoke, “we’ve divided the accommodations into separate wings—one for boys and one for girls. All boys will follow me, and all girls will follow Professor Erina. No exceptions.”
The students began murmuring amongst themselves, some nodding in understanding while others exchanged uncertain glances. Professor Mach clapped his hands sharply, silencing the chatter.
“Stay in your groups, and don’t wander off. We expect you all to be well-rested for tomorrow’s exam,” he said, his tone brooking no argument. “Now, let’s move.”
Professor Erina gestured for the girls to follow her, offering a warm smile to ease some of the nervous tension. Meanwhile, Professor Mach turned on his heel, motioning for the boys to fall in line behind him.
As the crowd began to separate, Abell and Gaius exchanged a glance.
“Well, here we go,” Abell muttered, adjusting his bag.
“Let’s just hope the inn’s better than the marsh,” Gaius replied dryly, following the group.
The students shuffled into their respective groups, the weight of the upcoming exam settling over them like a thick blanket. The professors led the way, their steady strides a stark contrast to the nervous energy of the examinees trailing behind.
The procession of boys followed Professor Mach through the cobblestone streets of Britoria. The sun had dipped below the horizon, casting a faint golden glow over the rooftops. The town square, which had buzzed with energy earlier, was now quieter, the faint hum of lanterns flickering to life adding to the serene atmosphere.
Abell glanced around as they walked, taking in the sturdy stone buildings and the soft chatter of other boys. Some looked nervous, their eyes darting between the crowd, while others appeared calm and focused, already sizing up potential competition.
Professor Mach stopped in front of a large stone building with wooden beams and a slate roof. Its design was simple yet inviting, with warm light spilling from the windows. A wooden sign above the door read “The Hearthstead Inn.”
“This will be your lodging for the night,” Professor Mach announced, turning to face the group. “Each of you will be assigned a room. Be respectful of the space and your fellow examinees. And most importantly, rest well. Tomorrow is a long day.”
He gestured toward a Luminary standing by the entrance, a clipboard in hand. “Provide your name, and you’ll be given your room key. Dismissed.”
The boys shuffled forward in a loose line. Abell and Gaius stood near the back, watching as keys were handed out one by one.
“So,” Gaius said, breaking the silence, “whoever we room with is going to make or break the night.”
Abell smirked nervously. “Let’s hope it’s not someone annoying.”
“Or that weird guy Lance,” Gaius added with a grimace. “Though knowing our luck, they’ll stick us with someone who snores.”
When their turn came, they stepped up to the Luminary. “Names?” the man asked without looking up from his clipboard.
“Gaius Gray.”
“Abell Vespera.”
The Luminary scanned his list, then handed them two identical keys. “Room 204,” he said briskly.
Abell took the key and turned to Gaius. “Wait, we’re in the same room?”
Gaius raised an eyebrow and took his own key. “Looks like it. Guess we don’t have to deal with strangers after all.”
“Could be worse,” Abell said with a shrug. “At least I know you don’t snore.”
“I hope the same about you,” Gaius replied dryly, leading the way inside.
The interior of the inn was cozy, with wooden floors and walls lined with simple tapestries. The smell of fresh bread and faintly burning wood lingered in the air, giving the space a homely feel. Other boys were already milling about, finding their rooms or chatting in hushed tones.
Abell and Gaius climbed the narrow staircase to the second floor, their boots creaking softly against the steps. Room 204 was at the far end of the hall. Gaius unlocked the door and pushed it open.
The room was modest but clean, with two small beds, a wooden dresser, and a single window overlooking the quiet street below. A simple lamp on the nightstand cast a warm glow over the space.
“Not bad,” Gaius said, tossing his bag onto one of the beds.
Abell nodded, setting his things on the other bed. “Definitely better than the marsh.”
They unpacked in silence for a moment before Abell spoke up. “Thanks for not making this weird.”
Gaius raised an eyebrow. “Weird? What do you mean?”
“I don’t know,” Abell said with a small laugh. “You could’ve made a big deal about rooming with me or something.”
“You’re overthinking,” Gaius replied. “If anything, it’s better this way. I already know are you stupid and reckless. Plus, I won’t have to deal with anyone else’s bad habits.”
“Fair enough,” Abell said, stretching his arms. He looked out the window, his gaze lingering on the faint glow of the town square. “You ready for tomorrow?”
Gaius leaned against the dresser, crossing his arms. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”
Abell stomached growled intently. “Guess we should get some food huh.”
As they headed out for dinner, the weight of tomorrow lingered in the back of their minds. The next step of their journey was about to begin.