Chapter 176

The main hall soon fell into chaos, the best students being fought over like they were cattle . It didn’t take much for the situation to devolve into an auction where people would attempt to bribe or blackmail their targets .

Friya sneered at all those that had previously acted all high and mighty, drowning her daily with their venomous words, now fighting among themselves without a shred of dignity, like hungry wolves over a slab of meat .

When Kippa, a girl that had been particularly obnoxious to Friya in the last month, had the gall to ask for her help, Friya gently smiled to her and politely refused . Friya even gave her a small bow, right before punching Kippa in the face, smiling the whole time .

“Our group may be quite unbalanced but I trust your skills, and more importantly I trust all of you as persons . In a life or death situation, I couldn’t ask for better teammates . “

Phloria said extending her arm with the open hand in the middle of the group .

“Indeed . ” Yurial was the first to place his hand above hers .

“If there is no supervision, trust and teamwork are of paramount importance to survival . That’s what we learned from the mock exam . Knowing the Headmaster, I doubt firepower will be essential . It’s probably another learning experience more than a test of pure strength . “

The girls as always, remained flabbergasted . It was like there were two Yurials . One was a lady-killer, sometimes even a bit lecherous, that always appeared in the safety of their rooms or when flirting with girls .

The other was very similar to Lith, calm and calculating .

“Yeah, but I will still miss Lith’s hunter skills and battle experience . ” Quylla sighed . During the last month her feelings for him had waned quite a bit . After the caring attentions Lith had given to the crying Friya, she had expected him at least to ask her out .

Instead nothing had changed . Wherever Lith’s heart was, it was clearly devoid of everything but brotherly feelings, for all of them .

***

Linjos watched the events unfolding in the main hall with a big smile .

“This will teach those snotty brats that commoners or not, in life talent and hard work are much more important than a piece of paper attesting their nobility . ” He said .

“And also, that they cannot expect to receive help or cooperation by those they treated like inferior beings, right?” Lith asked .

Linjos nodded, while Lith curled up his upper lip in disgust, seeing how quickly things were escalating .

“That will not prevent them from coercing others, though . A leopard cannot change its spots . ” Linjos dismissed that observation with a wave of the hand .

“You are underestimating me . Besides, I didn’t bring you here because I want your opinion on my plans, but to talk about your future . “

Lith furrowed his browns . He did not like being taken by surprise .

“As you have surely noticed, after your return you have received special treatment . That’s because I have received several calls, from Professor Marth and the Crown . “

“The Crown?” Lith echoed, swallowing a lump of saliva .

“Sometimes from the Queen, sometimes from the King, others from both . Bottom line, all the three of them told me how splendidly you performed under a nightmarish situation, fighting against the odds like a professional .

At this point, you could sit on your hands until the end of the year and still get promoted . Normally, I’d just let you skip the second exam, since it’s useless to you . After how easily Captain Velagros was found and killed, though, I’m certain we have one or more traitors within the academy . Hence I’m short of people I can trust .

And since I know you wouldn’t like anything bad happening to your friends, here is my proposal…”

***

The announcement of the second exam had been sudden, but its execution was delayed for a few hours . First the students had to form a group, appoint a team leader, and then the leaders would bring their list to one of the Professors .

Unlike the past test, the members of each team were summoned one by one in a special room where they would be questioned to find out if they had been the victim of blackmail or coercion during the selection process .

Unbeknownst to everyone, the main hall had been constantly monitored the whole time . Everything that happened after Linjos had left was recorded and had been examined for future disciplinary measures .

Those who denounced their aggressors were once again asked if they wanted to take part in the test . In case of affirmative answer, they would be grouped together, forming new teams .

Those who didn’t were automatically excluded from the test and sent back into the dorms . Linjos had decreed that those who weren’t able to stand up for themselves even when offered help and protection, couldn’t be evaluated above Rank B .

Strength of character was universally considered a prequisite for first class mages . A meek mage, no matter how talented, was bound to not get far in life .

While waiting for their turn, Phloria’s group received an unexpected surprise . Orion Ernas, her father, had come to pay them a visit .

“My little Flower, come to papa!” Before Phloria could even react, Orion lifted her from the ground like she was a doll, spinning her around the room . He was over 1 . 96 metres (6’5″) high, he had to bend a little to walk through the door .

“Dad, what the heck…” Her protests were muffled by a hug as sudden as it was tight .

“I’m so sorry little Flower . I was away dealing with the traitors; I had no idea your mother would do something like that . When I learned what had happened, it was too late . “

Phloria was red from embarrassment, but Orion didn’t seem to notice, patting her head like she was still a small child .

“So you two must be my two new daughters . ” He finally let Phloria go . She really wanted to give her father a piece of her mind, for treating her like that in front of her friends, but she was too embarrassed for that .

Friya and Quylla gave him a small curtsy, not knowing how to react to the sudden intrusion .

“I’m really sorry for what my wife did . I know you will find it hard to believe, but she is actually a good woman . ” He gave them a deep bow . Orion had black hair and brown eyes like Phloria . His physique was lean but muscular, his perfectly shaven face showed only honest regret .

He had some wrinkles around the eyes and temples, but every movement of his was full of vigour .

“Don’t worry about all her marriage talks, the Ernas household is mine, my opinion matters as much as Jirni’s . At least when I’m home . ” He sighed .

“Dad, what are you doing here? How did you manage to enter into the academy?”

“I have my connections . ” Orion winked . “And I couldn’t let my daughters go empty handed . ” A rapier and a long knife materialized from his dimensional amulet . Both had the Ernas household crest engraved on the handle, the blade and the scabbard .

“I made them myself, using a secret family crafting technique . ” He gave the rapier to Friya, who only needed a few swings to appreciate its prowess . It was light as a feather, cutting the air without emitting a sound .

“And this is for you . ” Orion handed the knife to Quylla, who looked at it as at an angry snake .

“I never used a blade . ” She said in embarrassment .

“That’s the easy part . Remember, the pointy end goes in the other guy . ” He laughed ruffling her hair .

“Little Flower?” Yurial asked, breaking the following embarrassed silence .

“Yes, it’s my little baby’s moniker . We named her after an ancient goddess of fertility . “

“Dad please, stop!” Phloria was so red no one would have been surprised if she suddenly caught fire .

“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about, little Flower . As I was saying, my little Jirni hoped that it would make Phloria grow delicate and graceful . Instead, she resembles me a lot . “

Orion had just started telling what was likely to be an embarrassing anecdote about Phloria, when one by one their names were called, transporting them into Linjos’ office . Phloria had never been so happy seeing the Headmaster’s long face before .

“Your task is simple . ” Linjos explained . “I will send you in the dungeon below the academy . All you have to do is come out alive . The test has no time limit . Whenever you feel you can’t go on anymore, just tell your supervisor and he will take you back .

In such event, the exam will be considered as failed . “

“Since when does the White Griffon have a dungeon?”

“What kind of creatures will we face?”

“Where is our supervisor?”

Linjos ignored all their questions, opening a Warp Steps with a wave of the hand .

One after the other, they walked through the dimensional gate, finding themselves in a closed and humid space, devoid of any source of light except for two glowing red eyes staring at them in the dark .

“You took your sweet time . ” Lith’s voice echoed along the walls, making them jump .

Yurial used first magic, lighting the small cave they were in .

Lith squinted his eyes for a moment, but his eyes remained red . The group could see him holding a wooden staff which ended in a half moon shape, with a red gemstone floating in its middle .

He also wore several bracelets and rings they had never seen before . They were all presents the Crown had sent to him as a special thank you for his services during the plague and the exam .

– “Between all these alchemical and enchanted items, I can freely use true magic . Not even a Professor would be able to notice . ” He thought . –

“Lith? Are you really our supervisor?” Phloria asked .

“Yes . Your task is to get out of here alive, mine is to not let you die . I don’t know how exactly the grading system works, but I guess that every time you force me to action, your score will be lowered . ” He shrugged .

“No, I mean you are a fourth year just like us . How is this possible?”

“Sorry, can’t answer that . “

Linjos’ story about no supervision was all a lie . The so called fifth year students were actually elite alumni, young enough to pass for students, but with their loyalty already proven .

Phloria’s group didn’t need control, only support in case of need . Linjos had estimated that because of the nature of the test, and with his new equipment, Lith was skilled enough to cover for the role .

“Why the red eyes?” Quylla asked .

“A personal spell to see in the dark without becoming a beacon like you lot . ” Years had passed since the last time Lith had activated his Fire Vision spell . It granted him an improved version of thermal goggles, allowing him to see in the dark in a scale of colours according to the temperature of his surroundings .

Lucky for him, light magic didn’t emit heat, otherwise he would have been blinded .

Meanwhile Yurial was racking his brain, trying to understand the purpose of the test . The group started moving in a single line, with Phloria on point, followed by Yurial, then Quylla and Friya in the rear .

The stone corridor was large enough to allow two people to walk side by side, but they were mages . They needed enough space to move without messing with each other .

– “Think Yurial, think . ” He thought . “Linjos’ tests are all actually simple once you understand what he is trying to teach you . I already have all the pieces of the puzzle . Something that doesn’t need a balanced team, something that a mage must learn .

“But more importantly, something that Lith already knows . That’s the only possible explanation for his role . What separates him from the rest of us? There lies the answer . ” –

They kept walking for several minutes, the only sound beside their steps was the water dripping from the ceiling into small pools . The humidity of the place made it a perfect environment for mushrooms and mosses of every kind .

Suddenly, a small head appeared behind a corner . It looked like a deformed child, with skin made pale, almost translucent, by having spent its whole life underground . It had huge eyes, a bumpy button nose and pointy ears .

“Goblins!” Phloria yelled while unsheathing her sword .

The creature rushed forward fearlessly, holding a club between its hands, quickly followed by a dozen more creatures, all armed with rudimentary weapons .

The goblins screamed in a frenzy; they hadn’t had meat in months .

“Oh f*ck me sideways!” Yurial screamed, finally solving the riddle .

“None of us has ever killed a human being!”