"So, how do we through the appraisal process?" Julian asked with an upset face.
"I don't know that the school has used the appraisal system to do the application process." Karo seemed conflicted as she wondered.
"Last time before I went to a short hibernation and made Julian my Master, even the greatest adventure guild has not used the appraisal system due to the rare source of energy." Karo tilted her head to side with an innocent look as she mumbled the explanation in a cute child-like voice.
Julian furrowed his left eyebrow, "And when was that 'last time'?"
"Em… around two thousand years ago…?" said Karo with hesitance as she could not estimate the exact time.
Julian stunned a bit. "Are you… for real… oi, you!"
"Yes?" Karo tilted her head to side. "What is it?"
"You hav—"
"What are you two doing here?"
Karo and Julian quickly turned to their back.
"You want to apply to the school or what?" About two meters far from them, there was a young girl with a short black hair, similar to a boy hairstyle. She was biting a big red apple while her other hand throwing up and down a wrapped bowl. Seemed like the bowl contained something steamy.
While still biting her apple, the girl asked, "So? What's the occasion you guys be here? Spying on something?"
"Miss, it is not polite to eat while talking." Another girl with a pair of white wolf ears came from behind the black haired girl. The wolf-eared girl bowed in a slight respect as she spoke politely.
"Yes, yes, Tiana…" The black haired girl stop biting on the apple. She threw it to her back as a little black panel appeared, the half-eaten apple was sucked into the black panel. The bowl was also thrown and was sucked into the black panel immediately.
"Now…" The black haired girl approached and stopped in front of Julian, held her waist with her left arm with a questioning face. "What are you doing here?" Her eyes that have different colors stared in question and suspicion.
Julian bated his eyes to Karo's, as if they were using mind-contact or telepathy. Karo shook her head as she was unsure on how to answer.
"Well, well… aren't you a rare kind? Demon lord, huh?" said the black haired girl as she looked into thin air, talking and nodding understand as if there was some kind of panel in front of her.
The black haired girl bated her eyes to Julian, "Now then, Maou-sama… may I offer you some help?" She smiled mischievously.
Karo got panicked, just how could this girl in front of them knew? Julian already hidden his horns and be sure to suppress his aura. How on earth this girl know? Descendant of God who see and knew everything?
"For your information, I'm not a descendant of any god."
"!"
The black haired girl rolled her eyes lazily, "In short, my ability is to 'edit' your status. Know what I mean?" said her lightly as if it was not something to make a fuss about.
"Hold up." Karo stopped the black haired girl from uttering more 'unknown' things. "First, who are you?"
The black haired girl stunned, then smiled, "Aha… sorry that I forgot tehee…"
"I am Rafa, I think you don't need to have my family name, right? The real me is 'Rafa', family name is for formality and I don't like those formalities. Well, then, although I know your names through you guys' status panel, you shall introduce yours too. Oh, plus, please mention your motive here as I don't know what will you do to the school."
Karo and Julian was squatting behind the bushes and trees near the registration field. As it was an inappropriate position, Karo stood up, "My name is Karo and this is my Master, Julian-sama. We want to apply for the three years academic program." Julian nodded as his name was mentioned.
"This girl here is Tiana," Rafa said as she pointed at the wolf-eared girl, the girl bowed a little with her unchanging poker face. "we three are roommates!"
"Three?" Karo repeated with her right eyebrow furrowed.
Well, beside Rafa and Tiana, there were none. So, who is the other?
"Ah, my sister have gone to the academy dorm first. She used to tidy and arrange the room as exact as the one in our home. Well, she likes to clean and tidy up stuffs, so, she asked tobe sent first last week." Rafa explained.
"Well, then, what can I help you? I could not 'edit' your 'demon lord' status that far except being a 'demon'. Maybe I could help hide the real number of your health and mana point. You really have a bunch of it." Rafa chuckled as she moved her hand on the thin air as if she was scrolling something.
"Do as you please. As long as they don't know I am a demon lord." Julian said after he clicked his tongue in dissatisfied.
"Okie-dokie~!" Rafa winked her left eye and used her hand to make an 'OK' sign.
Ting!
A loud noise startled them, along with Rafa saying, "Okay, done~"
"Shall we go tobe appraised, then?" said Tiana after for so long she be silent.
Everyone nodded as an agree. Tiana went first and got appraised, along got applied to the academy smoothly. Then, Rafa, following by Karo, all good. Julian was next, others were waiting for him not too far from the appraisal field.
Julian walked to the front of a giant crystal ball, the appraisal crystal. The crystal immediately radiated in a few colors. Red, blue, green, and black.
Ding!
After that loud 'ding' noise, two person with a white mask covering half of their face and wearing a white imperial guard uniform appeared from nowhere and approached Julian. A woman and a man with a short blonde hair.
"Sir Julian, would you mind be appraised once again? It would only take fifteen seconds." The blonde haired woman said as she bent her knee. Julian shook his head as he was not mind being appraised once more.
The woman smiled gently. She put her right hand on Julian's head as her mouth began to spell some words, although it was not clear enough to hear. A black fog began to appear on Julian's head, but the woman immediately ended her appraisal. Then, she distanced herself to talk to her partner, the other masked guy who standing about two meters in front of Julian, seemed like discussing a matter regarding Julian. The woman shook her head after the man said a few words at last. None could hear what they were discussing about as they put on a sound-proof magic.
The woman approached Julian and bent her knee once again. She smiled gently, "Now, Sir Julian, I am Athena, you could call me Nana for short. I will be the one responsible for you during your academy years from now on."
Julian stared the pair of green eyes of Athena, folded his arms, "So, you thought that a demon would make trouble if not monitored?" Julian seemed wronged. Was it a criminal for being a 'demon'?
Athena shook her head, "No, it was not the demon cause the problem, but the fact that you are a demon would make that problem came by. Thus, you need a supervisor to accompany you." Athena said with a concerned smile.
Julian sighed a little, "Alright, I'm up with that."
Athena smiled widely, then stroked Julian's hair. "Good boy, now then, you should get going. Your friends are waiting for you there." Athena pointed at Tiana, Rafa, and Karo that stood not too far from the field.
"Don't treat me like a little child." Julian pulled away Athena's hand that stroking his hair. Julian seemed upset, although he was using an appearance of a thirteen years old kid, he was still a big man inside. His real age on the status panel was said tobe hidden or 'edited' by Rafa just now.
Athena chuckled as seeing Julian puffed face, "Yes, yes, young man. Now, go."
Julian went to them, Tiana bowed a bit, Rafa smiled and looked victorious, and Karo who smiled gently and talked to Julian. Athena looking at all of that with a smile on her face until the groups of that youngsters passed through the door to the main hall. Athena sighed slowly as felt like had seen them enough today, she looked satisfied.
"You sure you won't mix up your past feeling to that boy?" asked the man with eyes of hesitance.
"Na-ah. Please, Marshall, my late husband and that boy are not the same person." Athena giggled.
The man, Marshall, sighed as he looked at Athena. "You might not know just what will happen if you fell once again with demon race." Marshall spoke, the 'again' and 'demon race' words heard as if Marshall wanted to warn Athena.
Athena shook her head, "My son was my all and I was… I just wanted to help that Julian as I could not do anything for my son."
Marshall tapped Athena's shoulder lightly, "Well, let's go back to the base and get some rest, shall we?" said him as to not saddened Athena furthermore.
Athena nodded. Her mouth begin to move fast, spelling words that's not clear enough tobe heard. A light circle appeared below their feet, seemed like a magic rune. Then, Athena snapped her fingers.
Snap!
They disappeared without a trace.
Info :
What Athena used juat now was called a low-teleport magic. Teleport magic was divided by four level, low, mid, high, unique. The differences were the range of the destination place, mana consumed, and the duration for arrival. The higher the level, the farther it could get, the more mana it would consumed, the faster it would be. For unique level, it need a medium such as church dimensional room to do teleportation, the range area could be controlled, a single magic stone from the magic tower, and was designed to teleport people in no time.
…
"So, then, Rafa, what exactly are you?" asked Karo as they were walking side by side through the main hall.
Rafa giggled, "I am a human, of course."
Karo shook her head, then whispered, very close to Rafa's ear as to not let others eavesdrop. "What's with your secret skill? Status Hack?"
Rafa smirked, "Aha… I see, you have an Appraisal skill, huh? Such a good one to get that deep information."
Karo stared at Rafa, "Care for a story behind them later, Miss Rafa?" whispered Karo.
Rafa chuckled, "Please, call me Rafa, and sure, it would be my pleasure."
°Secret Skill : Status Hack
Allow you to edit the status panel as much as you want within a certain time limit. Allow you to interfere and edit others status within a certain time limit and a certain number of edit. Allow you to access others achievement bar and storage. Stealing is not allowed, except for a 'no master' storage and bar.
+5 point on CRP (charisma point) when used
+8 point on KLP (knowledge point) when encountered new information
+12 point on EXP (experience point) when used
+15 point on MP (mana point) when used (per edit section) — to prevent a massive mana loss
+15 point on HP (health point) automatically if HP got under 40%
Next level up | 569/780 EXP