ThE DAY WENT on as planned for the two friends. The moment Hades and Rufus entered the main building, they were guided to a specific hall, to where all the knight department examinees are to take their examination. Upon entering that said hall, they saw it filled with mostly men, and less than a hundred women. Some of them turned to their direction, the white haired man caught their attention, but what made them curious and confused is why the Heir of Count Lefort would stand next to such a man.
The Lefort County. An independent and influential county that has one of the most powerful and strongest knighthoods in the Grimes Empire, Lefort Knights. Even though they are a mid-rank family, their wealth can rival a duke's, and their prominence is off the roof. It would not have happened if not for the current Count, Garnet Lefort. In his academy days, he entered the knight department and was one of the very few rivals of the famous Grand Duke Novak.
Their generation was the golden age of the knight department.
As they walked to vacant seats, Hades wondered his eyes around. One glance is all it takes to recognize everyone, and he couldn't help but grin in a split second after spotting a few familiar faces, including 'him'. Black hair, white skin, golden eyes that prove he's of imperial blood, and a diagonal scar on his left eye. It was him, the youngest Imperial Prince, Silver Grimes. Like Hades and Rufus, he was the center of attention.
Though it seems that he was more like someone who doesn't care about that attention whatsoever.
"It seems that everyone is here and ready." A gentle yet powerful voice of a man was heard from the door. All attention turned to the man. By his attitude and the stack of papers he's holding, it seems that he's a professor here in the academy that came to see through their academic examination. He placed the papers by the teacher's desk up front and faced the lot he was tasked to observed.
"I am Professor Yahto, and I will be your observer until the end of the examination. There are a total of a hundred and forty seven examinees for the knight department, and the ones who can pass both the academic and the practical exam will be included in the 1586th batch. Are you prepared?" The professor asked with a friendly and gentle smile, it was contrast to his actual appearance. He has a tall and lean body, there were visible scars on his neck and forearms, and he has golden brown hair and hazel eyes.
Although, honestly speaking, he looked as if he was an ex-convict.
"Yes, sir!"
Professor Yahto smiles at the loud voices. "We'll be starting with the science exam, and after half an hour, you'll be taking language. After a thirty minute break, you'll be taking math, then language and etiquette. Now, take out your pens and I'll give you your papers." He stated as he takes certain exam papers from the stack he had with him. But before he could give it out, he glared at the examinees.
Some froze, some gulped while some were unbothered but silent. His hazel eyes contained a suffocating killing intent, it was hard to breathe.
"Golden Crown Academy accepts only raw talents regardless of rank, background and gender. We do not tolerate cheating. Keep that in mind, understood?" It was a simple question but there was no answer, only silence filled the hall. No one dared to speak, because they fear that they might get punished if they do. That gaze is keeping them from doing so, but…
"Yes, sir."
"Roger that~"
"Understood."
Three different voices of men were heard clearly. One from the middle and two from the very back of the hall. They were the Imperial Prince, Silver Grimes, the Heir of Lefort County, Rufus Lefort, and finally the mysterious white haired commoner, Hades. There are a hundred and half of examinees here but only the three answered the professor, unbothered and even casual.
The professor found himself smiling in amusement. 'The imperial prince and the young master of Lefort are understandable, but that commoner is something else', he thought to himself and let out a chuckle.
"Good. Then let's start." Before the clock strikes eight, he had already given their exam papers. and at the same time, they started answering.
The clock ticked as time passed, every examinee in the main building were contemplating and focusing solely on the papers in front of them. The hour passed after another, the mood thickens as well, although some were silent, quick, and unbothered while taking each examination. They were utterly confident, even when the examination's difficulty was raised. It makes one wonder just how great a kind of student they will be if they had passed.
"Alright, time's up. Pens down and pass your papers up front. It's break time. You lot are permitted to leave this hall and head to the academy's dining hall before the bell rings." Many groaned just after hearing that, some were unsure of their answers, and some left a few blanks. Only a few were relieved that that suffocating mood has somehow died, while a handful of examinees didn't have much reaction.
"You were calmer than I expected, I thought even a smart guy like you would at least be fazed." Rufus asked, placing his hands behind his head and glancing over to his side. Hades was busy playing with his pen while holding the pocket book he's reading with his other hand, it was too much multitasking. A few minutes have passed since their break started and the two decided to stay here in the hall.
"Well, if you study well, you'll be calm in front of an exam paper. And I could say the same to you, I'm surprised you didn't leave any blanks in our science exam." Hades said, not taking his eyes of his book, and Rufus sighed at that.
"About that, I'm not confident in an answer or two. The difficulty is insane, and limited time only adds in the weight of pressure."
Hades came to a pause, and his fingers stopped playing with his pen. He glanced back to Rufus and gave him a questionable look. "Just how many hours will it take you to finish one examination if not one-half? The time limit isn't that unfair." He says, and Rufus gave him a blank look before rolling his eyes. 'Oh my fucking gods, I give up, I get it.'
"I know, you're just not an ordinary commoner, Hades. But I beg of you, don't shove your normal into my face." Rufus stated. Hades only stared at him, becoming more confused.
"Aren't you the famous heir of Lefort? Why are you overreacting over something like a time limited examination?" He asked the lad.
Rufus narrowed his eyes at him. 'I should be the one asking; why are you not even reacting when you're just a commoner? Ugh', he thought to himself and decided not to say it.
"Look, you're misunderstanding something. I'm not overreacting,. This is a normal reaction even for someone with a high education such as myself. You're my friend, and you should've at least noticed that I'm nothing like you." Rufus said, taking his hands off the back of his head, and crossing his arms.
"But we only met yesterday."
Rufus can feel his patience running thin, he hasn't felt this frustrated for years. He exhales to calm himself down, but it wasn't working. 'Ah, fuck', he cursed inside his head. He was so close to committing violence against this low life of a friend, but he can't do that. 'If you can't calm down, you'll lose against this bastard', Rufus thought to himself and remained silent as if meditating. To him, talking to Hades is a matter of patience. If he bursts, he loses.
But as it wasn't enough, he soon slammed his head on the table, startling a few examinees and the professor left in the hall. Hades, unbothered by what his friend just did, glanced back at his book, and begun to read and play with his pen again.
"You alright?" He asked his friend.
"… Wake me up two minutes before the next test."
"Sure."
The professor and the remaining examinees who heard that ridiculous exchange couldn't help but feel disbelief and confusion. 'What is going on with these two?'