The much-anticipated ascension ceremony had finally begun, and the stage for the trials had been set. The first candidate to be called upon was none other than Mathew Hal, the candidate who could grow a total of eight arms. With his heart racing, he walked through the narrow passage between the stands of the grandmasters.
The nearby seated retainers looked at him with condescending eyes, judging him by his appearance and the way he walked.
Unlike a typical arena, where the audience is thrilled and cheerful, the nobility retainers were serious and muttering in whispers. All the retainers and the grandmaster were a bunch of uptight nobles who maintained their proud appearance. It felt more like a courthouse than an arena, to be honest, thanks to those serious vibes.
However, there was one stand that stood out from the rest- the stand where Grandmaster Ajax of the Ivory Tower was located.
The atmosphere in their stand was completely different from the rest of the other eight stands. The Ivory Tower guys were having a blast like they were some party beasts who were here to watch a show. The retainers were engaging in boisterous conversations, sharing drinks, and indulging in food, creating a mess at their stand. Even Grandmaster Ajax, the leader of the Ivory Tower, joined in with his fellow retainers, being the loudest of them all.
For some reason, the other stands didn't bother to stop them. All they could do was just look at them with scorn and disdain.
The presence of the Ivory Tower was a breath of fresh air in the gathering of all the uptight pious nobles in other stands.
Finally, Mathew walked upon the stage and stood before the masked phantom mage. The phantom mage handed him a card, and though we couldn't hear what she said, the way Mathew held the card tightly indicated its importance.
Meanwhile, the other phantom mages distributed stone tabloids, which were then passed down to the nine grandmasters.
The grandmasters read the tabloids thoroughly, and their expressions shifted slightly. Some had disappointed looks, while others nodded their heads in acceptance. However, Grandmaster Ajax, with his giant body, had trouble reading the tabloid, as it was the size of a pebble. He had to hold it close to his eyeball, between his index finger and thumb, to read it.
The stone tabloids seemed to be the same ones used by the red cape mages during the blessing ritual, and they likely contained personal information about each candidate. Right now Mathew Hal's thorough report written by the red cape mages is being read by the grandmasters.
I am glad my assessment was right to show off as I did to score some points in the blessing ritual. Otherwise, I might not be standing here with everyone else.
An eerie silence filled the arena as the grandmasters read through the contents of the tabloids. Even the Ivory Tower retainers toned down when Grandmaster Ajax was reading the tabloid.
All we could do was wait for the grandmaster to begin their judgment.
Suddenly, a voice shattered the silence: "Greetings, grandmasters," said Mathew, bowing respectfully. "I am Mathew Hal from the southern Nimmer district. It's a pleasure to meet-"
"Keep quiet," muttered an agitated Grandmaster Hamanthra, "I don't remember giving you permission to talk, did I?"
Her stern eyes filled with dread, causing Mathew to freeze in his tracks. His face turned white as soon as he opened his mouth.
I don't get why Mathew suddenly decided to open his big mouth. Anyone in the right mind can tell that the grandmasters were busy but Mathew being an idiot really made quite a bad impression from the get-go.
At least from his mistake, we candidates learned that we shouldn't open our mouths until we are instructed to do so.
"Lady Hamanthra, please cut the poor lad some slack," Grandmaster Biswaq interjected. "Mathew is the first candidate, and of course he's nervous. As adults, we must mend the ways of the young ones. Let me first explain the rules so that we can begin the ascension ceremony."
"Tch, Well I'll overlook this one time." Hamanthra finally turned her head away.
Mathew could finally take a breath of relief.
Grandmaster Biswaq then proceeded to explain the ground rules for the ascension trial. He revealed that there were three trials set up by the head mage Sigurd on the stage, each designed to showcase the candidates' potential and compatibility with mana. Depending on the results of the trials, each grandmaster would extend an invitation to the candidates.
Mathew took a closer look at the card-like object that had been handed to him earlier. It was a dial card, with the insignia of the nine academies imprinted on it. If a candidate received an invitation, the insignia of the corresponding academy would light up on the card.
After the trials, the candidates would be given the opportunity to choose their academy from the invitations they had received. If a candidate wanted to join a specific academy, they just had to turn the dial pointer towards that academy.
However, it was important to note that they could not turn the dial to an academy whose insignia had not lit up, as that would mean forsaking the opportunity. Once all the candidates had made their decision, they would need to submit their cards back to the phantom mages, and the ascension ceremony would be completed.
After that, they could return home and wait for the official invitation, where they would complete the necessary paperwork and prepare to move into the academy.
Grandmaster Biswaq also reminded the candidates that once they joined the royal academy, they would be required to move into the academy dormitory. It was best to bid farewell to their families until they graduated, as they would be fully immersed in their studies and training.
The candidates' excitement was palpable as Grandmaster Biswaq concluded his explanation of the ascension trial rules. The hall buzzed with anticipation, and Mathew could feel the energy in the air. He looked down at the dial card in his hand, his heart racing with excitement. This was finally happening - his chance to join an esteemed mage academy and embark on his magical journey.
As Grandmaster Biswaq's words sank in, the candidates couldn't contain their enthusiasm. They began chattering among themselves, their eyes shining with eagerness. It seemed like everyone had their eyes set on a particular academy.
"I can't wait to join the Radiant Sanctum Academy," exclaimed one candidate, his voice filled with excitement.
"The Starlight Nexus is my top choice," chimed in another, a determined expression on her face.
"Bloodfire is the best academy! We have to join that," declared a third candidate, his enthusiasm contagious.
The candidates forgot for a moment that they were still in the presence of the grandmasters, who were observing the commotion with bemused smiles. Lady Hamanthra raised an eyebrow, but Grandmaster Biswaq simply chuckled and raised his hand, signaling for the candidates to quiet down.
"Let us not get ahead of ourselves, young ones," he said in a booming voice that commanded attention. "The trials are yet to begin, and you must focus on preparing for the trials. The choice of academy comes after you have earned your invitations. Now, let us proceed with the first trial."
The phantom mage pointed in a direction, "Stand right there."
"Alright," responded Mathew as he paced away to the location.