Favian sneered as he stepped out of the pillars.
"If you're going to take the test, take the test. Stop dilly-dallying here by the entrance!"
Raghnall raised an eyebrow at Favian's animosity.
'Jealous much?'
He told him telepathically as he smirked.
Favian just shot him a look before looking at Inna. He then pointed at Raghnall with a sour look on his face.
"If you're really curious how he did it, this blockhead just tele-mmph!"
Raghnall grabbed Favian's mouth at near supersonic speed.
"Haha, don't spoil the secret, little buddy!"
Raghnall laughed but his eyes were shooting murderous daggers at Favian.
'You've changed.'
Favian glared as he tried to wrench Raghnall's hand away.
'What happened to 'brothers before all others'?'
Favian couldn't believe that Raghnall, the most unsocial and unapproachable out of the three of them, will be the one to break their oath that they just recently renewed a week ago!
But for Raghnall, after recalling that 'stupid' oath, he simply rolled his eyes as he released the squirming Favian.
'I didn't change that much. I just found something more interesting to do than be with you guys.'
Then, Raghnall didn't give Favian enough time to react as he faced Inna.
"Ninny, just go on ahead. Participants of the test has to wait by a certain area. So, if you see lots of people gathered around in one spot, then that'll probably be it. Just go with them."
"You're not going with me?"
Inna croaked out as she withheld her emotions.
For some reason, she had a bad feeling. And Raghnall not going with her felt like her security blanket was being forcibly taken away from her.
And she doesn't like it one bit.
Raghnall felt touched at her saddened tone that he actually felt bad for putting her up through this.
But then, he deemed her too interesting for her not to go through with the test.
Besides, his father told him to always be suspicious of strange people so maybe he'll finally learn something about her eccentricity and her background.
And it's totally not about the fact that he feels disturbed not knowing anything about her at all.
Raghnall patted Inna's head gently as he smiled.
"I can't. Only those who'll take the test should go. I'm merely going to watch so I'll be somewhere in the crowd."
In a sudden burst of anxiety, Inna was about to say, 'take the test with me.' But it sounded too needy that she cringed at herself.
What's happening with her?
She isn't scared!
Hah, she's just lost in a new world! No big deal!
She gets lost all of the time!
And now, she's going to take a test alone and fail! No big deal!
She fails tests most of the time!
Then, when she fails, people will most likely bully her! But whatever!
She can take it!
"I am a strong independent whamen that need no man!"
She erased any traces of hesitation in her face as she strongly said it. Then, feeling empowered by her words, she marched off into unknown territory.
Raghnall raised an eyebrow at the sudden outburst before looking at Favian.
"What was that about?"
Favian shot him a clueless look as he shrugged.
"You tell me."
Raghnall looked back towards the disappearing back of Inna as she stiffly marched forward. Then, he let out a short amused laugh.
"She really doesn't fail to surprise me."
Seeing Raghnall's expression soften, Favian's face darkened as he leaned on the pillar.
"Save me the love talk for later, brother. Just go on ahead towards the seats."
Raghnall snickered at the darkened face of Favian.
"Come now, innocent one. Don't be jealous. I still love both of you guys more."
He grabbed Favian and began to make kissy faces which disgusted him to the core.
"Can you just stop the jokes and go on ahead?! I swear if I wasn't asked to be the Keeper then I would've smashed that face of yours!"
Raghnall stopped his kissy faces as he realized something.
"Keeper? Why do they need a Keeper? I thought that old man NarNar already has barriers around to filter out those who're taking and watching the test and those who're trying to sneak inside?"
"From what I heard, he's tired today. He only made the outer barriers and just completely abandoned the task of making a barrier for the entrance gate. Because of that, I was assigned as a Keeper of this gate to help out and guide the people entering. And Rira is out there on the side to hand out proper punishments to those who do try to sneak in."
Raghnall ignored half of what Favian said because he focused only on one thing.
"That old man? Tired?"
Well, that's definitely rare.
Favian nodded as though he knew what Raghnall was thinking.
"Apparently, according to Rira, he barely had any sleep last night because he had to make some herbal non-magical potions for a certain someone."
"Hmm? For who?
Favian looked at him like he was stupid.
"Who do you think?! Who do you think got punished because a certain tattletale told his dear Master which made that said Master to talk to his best friend and made that said best friend angry as hell?"
Favian waited for Raghnall to connect the dots but to no avail.
Raghnall was still as confused as ever.
"But, why would Elder Gnarly need to make some herbal non-magical potions? Isn't he an Elder? Why couldn't he just heal it?"
Favian gritted his teeth in frustration.
"You obviously know why! That's because a certain 'someone' decided to punish him by using a Magic Dispersion Seal after breaking Elder Fang's hand. You do know of that seal, don't you?"
Favian rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms in irritation.
He was never this stupid before.
I knew it.
Being love-struck really makes a person become an idiot.
Hearing the name 'Elder Fang,' Raghnall's eyes widened in realization as he let out a small amused laugh.
"Haha! So that's why he was late and was sweating heavily back in the visit to the Sacred Grounds! And if i recall correctly, that kind of seal doesn't let you gather magic nor let any mana get near anything that seal is attached on. Good choice!"
Raghnall snickered in delight.
Looking at his sadistic brother's grin, Favian just shook his head.
"You're beginning to resemble your father, y'now?"
Raghnall's joy immediately plummeted as he glared at Favian.
"Hah! Your eyes must've been bitten by a Grass-lice! I'm nowhere near similar to that old man!"
Looking at Raghnall's overly annoyed expression, Favian couldn't help but further see their resemblance.