Upon the teams return, Cain and Euryale were shown immediately to a place they could shower with robes waiting for them. It separated Cain from Euryale who naturally went to a location befitting a noble lady away from men to observe propriety.

Sorin was unable to sneak onto the skiff so he was running back to the academy using the map he had.

It wasn't long before they were in another room, Cain and Linx standing at attention with Euryale sitting before a table legs crossed with her hands in her lap.

"Lady Aegis, we would like to congratulate you on a job well done. We will now go over the results of your examination.

For completing the minimum defense time successfully earns you a passing score of 60%. For complete annihilation of all beasts sent to you you recieve another 15%. Lastly as a whole the final defense did not fall which gives you a perfect 100%.

With that the proctor pulled a small wooden box from a case next to him and presented it to Euryale.

"As the headmaster was impressed by your team's victory over the siege turtle which is a B rank beast and not usually defeated by a single team in the examination he has awarded you the academy badge of merit."

She opened the box and saw a purple serpent coiled up with fangs exposed.

"Please wear this proudly so others can recognize superior achievement."

The proctor said.

"Now to other business. The next phase of your exam depends solely on your conscripts. This is the test of loyalty to yourself, your house, and/or the Empire. During this test they will be cohersted through different methods to abandon you. They all do, you will fail. If even one conscript makes it to the end loyal, you pass. Do you understand Lady Aegis?"

She looked briefly at her two conscripts still standing at attention. In her mind, she had confidence in them remaining loyal. She had taken Sorin's advice in leading through obtaining buy in and getting them to accomplish her will of their own free will, but would it be enough in the face of what the academy could offer or threaten?

"Understood Proctor." Euryale said.

The proctor got to his feet, grabbing his bag.

"You have approximately one solar cycle until the next phase begins. I recommend taking this time to make sure your conscripts remain loyal. Good if there is nothing else my lady, I will take my leave?" He said.

"No proctor, that will be all. You have my thanks." Euryale said.

With a bow he turned and left, leaving the door open. Euryale got up.

"Come, we will head to the estate and discuss plans moving forward."

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

- meanwhile -

"What do you mean I failed?!" Aeon screamed at the proctor.

"My lord, your position was completely overrun and you have to be extracted to preserve your life. You can't even partake of the next phase of the exam." The smaller proctor said sitting before him nervously.

"You understand who I am and what can happen to you for displeasing my family?!" He continued.

"My lord I do not have a choice as this was not my decision. It is the decision of the academy. I am but one proctor who helped tally scores without knowing who did what. This handwriting isn't mine so I didn't even tally your score. This grade is given and signed off by the Academic Board of Elders. I advise you speak to their office for an appeal." The proctor said trying to maintain an air of professionalism.

Displeasing noble houses even what it had nothing to do with you could lead to death of himself and those he loved. It was the way of the Serpent Empire. The strong did as they liked within the rules of the empire. Small families like his were routinely crushed by the noble houses.

"Fine! Give me that damn report and get out of my sight!" Aeon snapped.

"Bring me a long range communication array." Aeon ordered after briefly looking at the report.

The man got up, bowed, and rushed out the door. A few minutes later he came back with a large case. He set it down before Aeon, opened it, bowed, and left.

Taking a silver sliver of inscribed metal he plugged it into the center of the case causing a projection to appear before him with his house symbol of a gold shield with a sword behind it standing straight up.

A man appeared in the image a moment later smiling imperious.

"Good news i assume?" Aeons father said. Aeons face continued to sour. "No father, it would seem the academy is failing me."

"What!!" He shouted smiling falling quickly from his face. "How could you fail?! We set you up from the inside with easy beasts, a good route and ensured the final beast didn't come your way, but to the Aegis bitch!"

"The conscripts I was assigned fled like the traitorous cowards they were taking the supplies and leaving me to face the hordes on my own which with the numbers of even c rank beasts was too much for me at peak tier 3. I brought this up to the Senior Proctor that it wasn't my fault, but that of the academy for giving me I'll trained cretins, they ignored me and failed me for this exam and also for the next phase as it requires conscripts." He explained.

"You had two jobs! Two! Ensure you pass and the Aegis welp failed. Tell me that she at least failed." Belloraphon said furiously.

Aeon winced and shifted uncomfortably at what he knew he would have to tell his father.

"No father. She passed somehow. I had thought to have crippled her first conscript at the social, but it seems that he recovered enough to fight on. I was successful in having the human I told you about that gave me pause. In spite of those set backs she not only passed, but killed the B rank siege turtle we ensured went her way and achieved a perfect score."

He braced for the verbal impact he knew was coming, but what came scared him even more.

"You...failed at both tasks. Thousands upon thousands of C and B cores were spent to make sure those two small tasks were done. It was a forgone conclusion, yet somehow you snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. You get one final chance....one. if you fail us again I will personally see you executed for incompetence."

Aeon swallowed as a cold sweat broke out all over.

Belloraphon continued

"The next part of the exam has the highest failure rate. If any of her team passes it, she will have less defenses and allow for more flexibility in any plans you make. The final part of the exam is the duel of the commanders. Euryale will face another cadet and must win at least 2 out of 3 contests to graduate. You will find a way to ensure she fails or has a fatal accident."

"Yes father, I will not fail the family again." Aeon said quickly.

"It's unfortunate that you have failed as even I can't overturn it with you not even having conscripts. There are never any in reserve."

Belloraphon growled angrily.

"See it done. End state is the Aegis bitch is dead or fails." He said then hung up.

Aeon put his head on the desk in front of him. After a second he centered himself then rose to his feet. There was work to be done.