"So, now you all have the general idea of the rankings and the potential reward each of them offer. Now onto the conditions for using the Golden ticket is simple.
1-Using the golden ticket will make ineligible to participate in the special ranking.
2-You are only allowed to use 1 ticket meaning 1 wish. 1 wish per person throughout the whole exam doesn't necessarily mean a person should only have 1 ticket.
3- You can make any wish, but his highness can change or modify it if he finds it simply too absurd. E.g. a wish like wanting to instantly become number 1 and staying that way throughout the whole exam, is considered too absurd. However, making a wish like skipping to the last phase of the exam isn't, depending on his highness' mood.
That is all the rules and condition for using a ticket. But let me warn you again, using a ticket means not being able to participate in the special ranking." Archer gave a final warning to everyone.
Many students were thinking of a wish that they would make if they had received one, while at the same time contemplating whether to use the ticket or not.
"All right, as I promised I will choose random people amongst you to be the lucky holders of the golden ticket. The first id number is ..." Many students held their breath hoping it was their number.
"1489!" Suddenly the hall was quiet as the students realised it was none of them. They all waited for the person to come up to collect the ticket.
"Yes!" A tomboyish girl stood up and yelled as she walked forward clearly excited, while clearly showing off her badge. She knew having a golden ticket meant no chance to be in the special ranking, but she wanted to keep the ticket safe as a backup if anything happened during the other stages of the exam.
Archer proceeded to call the 2nd person after passing her ticket. "9287!"
Few students started to moan and grumble realising it wasn't them. They waited for the person to come up but realised he/she wasn't coming up.
"Oh, it seems our chosen person is one of the disqualified students." Suddenly everyone stopped moaning as they realised that there would be another retake of the ticket.
"Oh well, I will give it to them when I meet him/her." Archer said nonchalantly as he pocketed the ticket, while the students were dumbfounded at what he just said.
"3rd person, id number..." Although Archer did an intentional dramatic pause no one was bothered by it. Everyone was trying to comprehend Archer's words just now.
'Doesn't what Mr A just said imply that a disqualified person can still enter the exam, as long as he/she made a wish?' Everyone thought in union, while many of the nobles and the disqualified students released a sigh of relief knowing there was still a chance to be in the game.
They finally understood why they still had to stay in the exam premises as they could still have a chance to participate in the exam.
Time passed as Archer called out another random unique number. Suddenly the 18th number of the student being called out caught Law's attention as he saw her.
'There is no mistaking it. It's that same jade-like eyes of that woman that tried to enslave me, but something is different about her.' Feeling the gaze of Law on her as she walked forward, she looked at him and gave him a wink.
Seeing the mesmerising beauty winking at someone, those who fell for her frantically looked around to see who the wink was directed at, albeit her wink being lost in the sea of students.
'She is much shorter than before.' Law finally noticed the changed physical appearance of the women who looked more of a stunning youthful teenager, while he broke the eye contact and hoping she doesn't get any weird ideas with him.
After the green-eyed women collected her ticket and walked back to her seat Archer proceeded to call out more numbers.
The roll call ended after the 27th student, meaning 27 students have access to the golden ticket with 2 of the tickets belonging to students that were disqualified.
"You are all free to leave and remember don't leave the exam premises or to meet with anyone from outside the exam. Your results will be posted outside tomorrow." Archer ordered as he walked out followed by the invigilators through the front door.
Just before Archer completely disappeared through the doorway he stopped to say "Oh I forgot to tell you. If you want to use to the golden ticket just tear it. Good Luck!" Saying that he completely disappeared through the door.
The students waited in the hall for a few minutes, before they realised they could leave whenever they wanted to, and no one was going to guide them out, like the usual exams.
One by one they slowly walked out, while Law waited back in the hall along with his friends till the crowded exit became more visible.
As the students made their way towards the exit, Law's group made their way towards him. Seeing Rondell's grinning face Law knew just what to expect now.
"Let me just say this first. BEST THEORETICAL EXAM EVER!" Rondell shouted excitedly, with a victory pose, while the others just sighed at the fighting maniacs antics in their group.
"Not only was the question not too hard, but I had also received helped from the others in my grid for the harder parts while the fog covered the grid." Rondell boasted.
"For you, but for me it was a nightmare, having all the people in my grid assuming I was the target and attacking me and the real target, just because I was a noble." Ian replied as he sat down on one of the chairs beside Law while massaging his wrists.
"Hehe, it wasn't too bad for me, because I just showed them my screen with the questions to prove I had an easy paper and I was on their side. Still, both sides didn't get along with me, as I refused to help both sides due to my dad's business relations with the other nobles' family and me not wanting to fight against 98 angry students. Due to this, I had to sit inside a restriction circle during the fog waves and had to dodge the occasional spells coming towards me." Maisy joined in.
"Why didn't I think of that? It turned out the invigilator in my grid was helping out the heir to the Rumble Steels. It took me some time to convince them it wasn't me and even more time to convince them for my help." Natasha berated herself for not thinking of Maisy's strategy.
"It wasn't that bad in my side, other than it being the occasionally bloody battle. It seemed like the invigilator were forbidden from mortally wounding anyone or outright killing them. Otherwise, this would have been much harder." Lewies joined in after picking his seat.
"I don't think that really stopped the invigilator in my grid from making a bloody mess of anyone who stood before her." Ruby said as she pushed her glasses while dragging a chair to sit in the circle we were slowly making.
As Ruby finished everyone stared at me. I sighed knowing it would come to this.
"It went well for me. My invigilator was surprised at the fact that I was a rank 2 magi and I used it against him in the first wave. The second wave was just holding the defence desperately until the time was up. So, was that drawing any of you?" Law asked them back, only to receive their surprised and confused expression back.
"Wait, are you serious? That map wasn't your plan? I was like 100% sure it was you." Rondel asked back.
Law shook his head. "It wasn't me. I am a high capacity magi user, how am I supposed to have that kind of control over my magi to draw a map?"
"Are you kidding me? You are a 2 timer. Not only do you have a high capacity, but you have insane control over most of your spells." Lewies chimed in. Everyone tried to restrain their smile at his lame joke.
They knew that despite being a high capacity user Law was strange due to being able to control his spells with enough practise, albeit it being not as good as a proper low capacity magi.
Only Law knew it was all thanks to his system that he was able to achieve the similar control level as a low capacity magi.
"If it wasn't you then who was it?" Ruby brought everyone back to the main topic.
Everyone was silent for a while thinking about who it could be?
"Could it be his highness, in order to help them against the nobles?" Law guessed.
"No." Natasha quickly responded.
Seeing that everyone was looking at her, she took a moment before explaining. "Trust me it wasn't him. He would not bully all the high standing families left and right without any rhyme or reason." Before Ruby could propose her question Natasha carried on.
"It may seem like he was favouring the normal students here and supporting them. What he did could be explained as it being part of the exam along with giving all of them a chance, thus appeasing majority of the angered noble families.
Not only that the golden ticket itself is going to be a boon for all the students who are disqualified. This first test was a warning given to all of them to not mess or interfere in his exam to those nobles. So, he wouldn't unnecessarily poke the hornets' nest continuously, once they had received his message.
So that concludes it was someone else, a student among us."
Silent weaved through the group again.
"But who amongst us is rank 2 and not a noble that is willing to help us?" Rondell tried to guess.
"Who the hell knows? Due to a certain princess participating this time who knows how many of them here is a rank 2 magi?" Lewies smiled knowingly towards Natasha.
Natasha furrowed her brows while everyone laughed at the comment.