As they entered the dining area, Nicholas turned to the group of 47 children and singled out all those who failed to reach the lecture hall in time.
"Those of you who were on time, find a table and sit. Your food will be ready within an hour so consider what we spoke about in the lecture hall and discuss what each of you know of Metas.
If I hear even one of you speaking lies or exaggerations your whole table will be punished, understood?"
A few of the children gulped, and not due to the prospect of food. Quickly the two thirds that made it to the hall on time began finding tables.
"As for the rest of you, follow me."
Nicholas led the group through another door within the dining hall that seemed connected to a large and spacious kitchen. Within the kitchen, two adults, one man and one woman awaited them.
As Thirteen was coming to the realization of the punishment for tardiness, Nicholas gave another order.
"Those above the age of eight will follow the instructions of Amice here and do the more technical tasks required in the preparation of dinner." Nicholas gestured to a beautiful but stern looking woman in her thirties.
"Those below the age of eight, you're with Boris. You'll be performing all the tedious work. If you cut yourselves there will be no dinner for you."
With a short nod to Boris & Amice, Nicholas left the group of children to their punishment.
The tasks required of Thirteen were simple enough, peeling vegetables or cutting meats.
Thirteen was surprised but not amazed at the quantity of meat, after all, anyone who could own a home like this could surely afford meat, at least so he assumed. What did amaze him just a moment later was the realization that the other children would be eating this meat!
'Will we get some as well? Surely we will, right?'
And so, in hopes that this would indeed find its way to his plate, he was very prudent in his work and very careful not to cut himself and miss out on dinner. That was.. For the first ten or so minutes, before he got bored and his thoughts wandered back to the lecture from earlier.
Thirteen kept wondering what his attribute would be. He had one idea, but it didn't really fit his idea of a powerful meta striking fear into the hearts of all.
He couldn't help but think of Four and his strength attribute. Now that was cool. Then he thought about Nine's attribute, his ability to predict things. Even that's pretty amazing. He could be an amazing strategist or puppet master to the masses.
Then he thought about Ten. He hadn't had much contact with girls back home. The orphanage only had boys and they tended to stick together as a group on their own, not playing with kids outside the orphanage. He wondered what kind of attribute she would have. He couldn't imagine a girl smaller than him with a strength attribute. But according to Nicholas' lecture it was possible.
'Please Ten, not strength. I really couldn't handle you also having a strength one.'
As his thoughts ended and he returned to reality he had just finished peeling a vegetable when his eyes became locked on on his left arm, where he had been cut a few days ago. There wasn't even a scab anymore, just a white line. For a moment, Thirteen's eyes shifted between his cut and the knife in his right hand. Shortly after he shook the idea from his head and got back to work.
Boris was quite strict and patrolled the kitchen like a prison guard. Whenever he noticed something not to his liking he reprimanded and made the target of his displeasure adjust their method. Twice this had happened to Thirteen, and worse, he had even noticed a marked improvement in the result of his work so he couldn't even justify being mad.
After just under an hour dinner was done and the children who prepared it were required to place it on the tables for those who waited.
Thankfully, Nicholas did indeed have some mercy in his heart as he allowed even those tardy children to join the meal. He gave a strict warning however.
"I allow it this once as you are all still adapting. Do not think we will be lenient in the days to come. If you are late again you will not eat. If because of that you cannot focus on your studies you will lose your chance to work for the crown. Your future is what you make of it so i suggest you give it your all in these years to come."
And with that, he left.
During the meal, Thirteen couldn't hide his excitement as he asked Ten what she thought her attribute might be.
"Hmmm.... I'm not sure. The only thing I was particularly good at back home was the bow, but not to the point that I could beat the hunter's son. And I'm fairly certain he wasn't a meta or anything."
As she finished her sentence, Ten quickly realized something was wrong. All three of her friends were staring at her weirdly.
"What?"
"Weren't you an orphan?" Nine asked.
"Yeah?, I think everyone here was, what's that got to do with it?"
This time it was Four's turn to ask.
"So how did you learn to shoot? How did you even get a bow?"
Realization dawned on Ten at that moment and she ceased worrying over whether she said something wrong. "Oooh, right. One of our village's hunters taught me. He was teaching his own son anyway and I managed to convince him with some effort. And I didn't own the bow, he just let me use it. Unfortunately he didn't have another suited for a child so i had to make do with one of his own"
"...One of his? An adult bow?" Thirteen clarified.
"Yep?"
...
'And how did you draw that bow Ten?!?!' Thirteen cried in his heart.
Ten let out a yelp as Thirteen's forehead hit the table, followed shortly after by Nine doing the same, and Four bursting out in laughter.
"A strength meta! Welcome to the club Ten!" He bellowed between laughs.
Ten, realizing what happened, begun grinning and giggling too.
And so the meal continued with half their group in high spirits, while the other silently wept.
--
Following dinner, the children were each ordered to return to their dorms and stay there for the night.
The next day, the 47 children were split into two groups. One group went to the theory hall while another group went to the cultivation hall in which they had sat yesterday.
Unfortunately for Thirteen, he got stuck with the theory hall group. Thankfully though, his three friends were as unlucky as he.
Mind you, Thirteen didn't actually know what the theory hall was for, but he assumed the cultivation hall was for meta-related things and that's what he was interested in.
As the theory group found their way to the hall under the direction of an instructor who deemed not to introduce himself, a few were surprised to find Instructor Piers waiting for them in the hall. Apparently it would be he and not the man who led them here that would give the lecture.
The hall itself was designed strangely, there were a great deal of low tables with books and those glass bottles of black liquid upon them.
"Everyone pick a seat quickly." Piers ordered in a rather mild tone. As the children began bickering over seating however, Piers called out again, dropping the mild tone as he shouted "Silence! Pick the seat closest to you and sit!".
This time there was no bickering. Thirteen and Nine ended up next to each other, but Four and Ten were each in different rows and positions by themselves.
"As I'm sure the Head Instructor has already informed you, we are training you to be of service to the crown, not raising you to be peasants. I will not tolerate disobedience nor chaos. The longer you stay here the clearer image you will have of what we expect from you. Come the end of each year if you do not shape up we will no longer have use for you."
Speaking with a calm tone once more, the Instructor continued.
Now then. My name is Piers Shepherd, you may call me Instructor Piers or Instructor Shepherd. I will be in charge of your general education and will supervise your specialist knowledge education when the time comes. I will also be explaining to you the rules of this institute.
As you know, your eighth generation has been split into two today. You will attend a cultivation lecture after lunch and then undergo physical training after that. The blank books and ink in front of you are now yours. Use them and learn."
'Ink! That's what it was called.'
Thirteen opened the large book and began listening closely. No one in his village knew how to read or write aside from the village head and Helga. The headmistress had taught him a little about reading but she herself didn't know much and more importantly, had very little spare time to do so.
After two hours passed, Instructor Piers called for an intermission, followed by another two hours of study. Thirteen really felt he couldn't sit still for a moment longer when the Instructor called an end to the lecture.
Yet even still, he demanded people stand by the row they sat in and leave in a slow, orderly manner.
'I swear to all the spirits above I will never sit in the back row again.' Thirteen prayed as he waited for his row's turn.
Finally, a while later he left the theory hall with the large book in hand. Within, he had written the alphabet and a few learning tools as instructed by Piers.
Regrouping with his friends, they made their way to the kitchen, both eager to learn of cultivation and also wary at the thought of sitting for another few hours.