There was a heavy atmosphere as everyone waited for the names to be called out from the list. The names of the candidates on that list are said to be exemplary candidates who will get a shot at joining the prestigious mage royal academies.
Unlike the mage schools, the prestigious royal mage academies are one of the best schools to learn about mana arts. There is a vast amount of knowledge about mana arts tending from elemental, psychic, and even mutation mana arts techniques recorded in a very detailed manner. They even have powerful incantations, secret training methods, and even the ancient relics and equipment used by the most powerful mages to walk the world stored in these academies.
If you perform well, there is a high chance the royal academy will hand you down those things as a reward.
Also, there is a top variety of world-class mages working as instructors who teach young mages in person. They can easily help you learn and unlock the hidden mystery of mana arts in no time and you will be guaranteed to be a great mage under their guidance. Some instructors sometimes take a liking to a student and make them their personal pupils imparting their special skills and secret arts as their successors.
Even if you fail to become a special pupil, there are still bountiful resources from precious potions, medicinal herbs, mana-replenishing pills, mana equipment, magic grimoires, magic-rich training environments, and many more!
Apart from individual benefits, your family also gets a lot of benefits.
Once you join the royal academy, you and your family would be elevated to high-class citizenships directly giving you more perks. You and your family members could roam anywhere and make a home in any part of the kingdom without any restrictions. On top of that, you get the insurance that would cover any damage to your home or your belongings by the government's insurance company. They even lower the taxes and give a discount on medical expenses to all your family members. Gaining access to participate in meetings regarding the development and welfare of your city. You and your family members are also eligible to vote for the governor of your town or even participate by getting elected yourself to be the governor.
Most of the candidates here aimed to rise to a high-class society.
These kids were brainwashed by their parents to at least achieve this much as their parent's hopes were riding on these. They might be having bad circumstances like poverty, or illness or even debt collectors could be after them. We can't say which is which.
Thankfully my parents didn't really care about the status.
But if I join the royal mage academy, it will certainly lower my family's burden quite significantly.
But it's not easy entering the royal mage academies.
Normally, these academies are filled to brim with students from high-class society, aristocrats, nobles, and even some students affiliated with the royal family.
The royal mage academy is the euphoria of all rising mages.
There are 9 such royal academies in our kingdom accepting only the best and very promising mages only. They allow the lowborn if they show promise with their ability and skills, giving them scholarships.
Although most of these students are here because of their noble house backing them or their noble blood. So basically aristocrats and nobles have it quite easy.
Meanwhile, the high-class students really have to work their backs to stay inside the royal academy. These high-class bunches are found in abundance even in mage schools as well.
Meanwhile candidates like us, the purple bracelet holders won't even get a chance to meet with a noble, let alone be given an opportunity to attend school alongside them like equals which are just ludicrous.
But fate has been kind now we have an opportunity to perform well in the ascension ceremony and grab the attention of grandmasters of the royal mage academies. If we somehow did well we might win their hearts and be directly invited to these royal academies.
The scholarship will lessen my parent's burden for paying the fees of mage schools.
My mom and dad will directly be elevated to the high-class society members which will definitely make their heads rise in pride. My dad can finally get a permit to easily set up a shop in the big city and avoid unnecessary taxation and restriction for setting up a new shop. The two can also fulfill their dream of going on a trip to see the country without any restraints.
Suddenly my eyes twitched in sudden realization.
Wait for a second, when did I turn into such a soft-hearted guy.
'How did I, once a Demon Overlord, thinking of my next plans to conquer nations lowered myself thinking about petty privileges like tax evasion and mobility privileges.'
I never realized this change until now.
I suddenly placed a hand on my chest,
'Is this filial piety coming from this beating human heart of mine?'
There was a warm sensation as I thought about how proud and happy my parents will be.
I am now used to this warm feeling, like some kind of addiction.
Am I even the same Demon Overlord that I was back then?
Tracker was right all along, I've been a breaking character for too long now that I don't even know what the real me, I am.
I inhaled a deep breath and exhaled trying to calm my nerves.
I did everything I could, now I just have to wait for the list name announcement.
A red cape mage ran towards the central stage.
In his hand, he carried a tabloid stone as if it was very important.
He handed that tabloid to Sigurd before leaving the stage carefully.
Now that the old fart grasped the tabloid and started dusting off the dust collected on the tabloid carefully. He did it carefully so as to not damage the engravings on the tabloids. After cleaning it he finally blew air from his mouth to remove the last of the specks of dust.
Everyone here stood silently watching the old fart.
I could tell everyone was on edge.
Sigurd then put his hand in his pocket and started rummaging through his pocket as if he was looking for something important. He squirmed his hand ferociously as if he was scratching an annoying itch in his thigh very hard to reach. There was a tense expression on Sigurd's face.
Every candidate was watching his pocket eagerly.
Is he about to unveil something big from his pocket?
Suddenly a smile appeared on Sigurd's face,
"There you are."
He then carefully took out a pair of round-rimmed spectacles wearing it with a bright smile.
That old fart was looking for glasses for this long.
I let out a sigh, finally, we can hear the names on the list.
But suddenly the old fart frowned.
He then removed his glasses and looked through the lenses against the light.
Clicking his tongue he then took the edge of his cloak sleeve and started wiping his glasses.
'Fucking old fart, get on with the names already!' I scolded the old fart in my head.
I am so eager here and want my name to announce first thing. I needed to get rid of this uneasiness of mine.
All the candidates were standing silently in anticipation.
The atmosphere is so tense, that you can cut it with a knife.
As Sigurd was amidst cleaning his glasses, no one was speaking a word. The only thing that we could hear was the racing of the hearts echoed like the drums of the candidates waiting for the results. They were breathing heavily as they stared at that tabloid list in Sigurd's grasp like it was a tasty piece of freshly cooked meat.
After finally wiping clean his glasses Sigurd finally wore them with a satisfied smile.
He finally went through the contents of the tabloid.
"Finally! We can get to the good part" I muttered to myself.
But as Sigurd's read through the tabloid his face twisted in agony,
"What! What is the meaning of this?!"
Every candidate looked at Sigurd with surprise.
What was so shocking written in the Tabloid?
Did everyone pass? Or did everyone fail? Is the result postponed?
I could hear the candidates gulping down their own saliva in anticipation.
Sigurd then stared at the tabloid for a few more seconds as if trying to decipher what he had just read. He stood there glaring at the tabloid for a minute.
All of a sudden Sigurd rotated the tabloid,
"Oh, It was upside down, my bad," said Sigurd with a smile.
I gnashed my teeth in anger as I tried to suppress the urge to curse out loud at the old fart.
'What the hell! Is it some gag novel?! This old fart clearly needs retirement.'
I wasn't the only displeased candidate, everyone was getting annoyed after this point.
Even the 1st tier-stage candidates that praised the old fart not long ago started to rethink their praises.
"Alright, I am ready to announce the candidates. Once your name has been called out, step on the stage here."
Finally, for real this time.
Announce my name already!
"The first name is Trisha Valencia."
As soon as the name was announced, all the heads turned around toward a single girl standing on the edge of the seats.
She possessed long blonde curly hair and blue turquoise eyes. Her face had this serious expression like a 'no bullshit attitude'. Wearing a white jacket and a white pair of pants along with polished shoes. It seemed to be a proper uniform rather than a normal outfit, as expected of a knight apprentice, always the uptight one.
Trisha walked down the aisle between the seats heading towards the stage. Her demeanor was uptight like a soldier being awarded an honor badge or something.
"Isn't that the girl that was struck by lightning? The lightning elemental mage?"
"Yes, apparently she's a knight apprentice."
"Really? What is she doing here, shouldn't she be up with the inner district candidates?"
"How would I know!"
She was suddenly the topic of gossip among the candidates.
Trisha Valencia is a lightning elemental mage, that is crystal clear when she was struck by lightning and was unharmed during the blessing ritual. Instead of charring her skin, lightning suddenly ran around her body like a barrier.
This was clearly an indication she was blessed by the lightning element and destined to be a great elemental mage.
Even among the elements, the lightning attribute is a powerful element and much rare compared to other attributes. Trisha already reached tier stage 2 lightning mage at such a young age. Not only her achievement as a 2nd tier mage but she also possesses leadership skills like the time when she quite easily managed to bring the girls to her side, back on the corridor incident in the ceremony train.
If she keeps on growing like this, she will definitely become a powerful mage and a prominent figure in the near future.
She's a knight apprentice so she should be well-versed in a sword fight and even close hand-to-hand combat. Now that she has also been promoted to 2nd tier mage with the lightning attribute, I could hardly be her opponent.
To be honest I made a big miscalculation.