The written assessments were finished for Kael’s group. The instructor called several names including Kael and Yulian. Kael was worried after hearing his name, but the instructor soon revealed that the mentioned candidates passed the written assessments. Those that weren’t called left downhearted.

After a moment, the instructor led the remaining candidates to their next test. It was time for the spoken assessment.

Kael’s group arrived near the room where the test was conducted. There, they could only enter one at a time, tested one by one about what they know about their faith, of the teachings of the Divine Emperor. Kael was the third person to be called.

Kael entered the room. He introduced himself to the instructor, and the instructor asked him multiple questions about the Rezelus faith. Lucky for him, he remembered what Earl Gideon taught in his time inside the Earl’s castle. He passed the spoken assessment as well.

After all of the candidates finished the test, the instructor announced the names of the passers. Five people remained. It was evident that the academy became stricter, as they couldn’t handle teaching so many students. Such decision will cause some commotion just before the tests were finished, but that’s not one of Kael’s problems.

There’s only one last thing left to do. The candidates were to partake in a performance assessment, which tests their magical capability.

Some of the more gifted candidates already left before they could get a chance to prove their strength. It gave an opportunity to the other candidates. They will not be overshadowed, and become students of the academy.

The performance assessment has two components. The first is a mock battle between the aspirants, to test their physical fitness, and to establish starting lines to each individual candidates. The academy decided to include this test, as requested by Lord Lucius in his letter.

The second was a simple demonstration of magic, the traditional method used by the academy to accept students. With these two tests, the academy will drastically reduce the accepted candidates.

But before the mock battles even began, there was already an uproar of nobles, as their sons and daughters return to them, failed at their attempt to study at the academy. The commotion forced the instructors to pause the assessment for a while, which gave the remaining candidates some needed rest.

Kael was invited by Yulian to see what’s going on. Kael was reluctant at first, but several minutes passed and the instructors still didn’t return. His curiosity overwhelmed him, and he accepted Yulian’s invitation.

In the reception room for the nobles, Kael and Yulian witnessed fathers criticizing the decision of the academy about their children. Some were shouting at the instructors, others called for a reassessment. Still others implied their desire to destroy the academy’s reputation, which embarrassed their children even more. Needless to say, there’s chaos all over the place.

Kael wanted to do something about it, seeing that at any moment, the chaos will turn dangerous, but then, a loud voice interrupted everyone.

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“Listen!”

The voice stopped the chaos at once. It was a miracle that everyone heard it while the volume of everyone’s voices were increasing rapidly.

The voice seemed familiar to Kael, but he couldn’t pinpoint where or when he heard it. He looked at where it came from, and saw a man which seemed to be an instructor of the academy.

“I’m Zahe, an instructor of this academy”

The nobles looked at Zahe intrigued. They were eager to hear what the instructor wanted to say. The sudden shift of the nobles’ attitudes didn’t feel right to Kael.

“That’s weird”, Yulian uttered. Even he was confused seeing what just happened.

Zahe explained the academy’s desire to let all the candidates get in. However, he reasoned out that the academy didn’t have the capacity to accommodate all the candidates that took the assessment that day. He finished his statement with an apology aimed towards the nobles’ children.

Kael didn’t like that the nobles accepted what Zahe said to them. Zahe’s words were the same as what the other instructors said, but somehow, Zahe managed to quell the commotion. There’s only one explanation that he thought of. Zahe used magic.

The previously enraged nobles left the academy in peace. Seeing this, Kael didn’t feel the need to hold suspicion towards Zahe, as the instructor seemed to be doing what was needed in that situation.

With that, the instructors praised Zahe’s efforts and returned to the assessment rooms. Kael and Yulian returned in haste, fearing that they might get punished if they were caught.

The mock battle started. Kael was against someone with a large muscular body. Yulian was watching them, anxious for Kael. However, Kael finished the fight in an instant.

The muscular man lunged towards Kael.

Kael dodged his slow opponent’s attack. He punched the man in the stomach. The man dropped on the floor, in agony and shock.

The instructor overseeing the fight scolded Kael, reminding him that the fight was a mock battle. As he was the first to perform, he wasn’t able to determine how much strength to put in his punch. He returned to his peers who were shocked and a little terrified of him.

Yulian looked at Kael in amazement. He praised Kael for the fight, but then, it was his turn to do the mock battle. He felt like going home that time.

Fortunately, both of them passed the first performance assessment. They proceeded on the next and final assessment. Yulian was first tested.

[Water]

Yulian formed a little water ball on his hand which secured his place as a student of the academy. The instructor congratulated him, and then Kael was called.

Kael was thankful inside, as he got a good picture to control his magic output. Being at the level of grade C mages, he could easily conjure hundreds of flames in a single instance.

[Flame]

Kael’s flame guaranteed his place in the academy. Yulian was relieved that he was able to fulfill the last test. He smiled at Yulian. He was looking forward on learning more about the current world.