Those who passed stayed at the hotel provided by Nex Academia. Inside one of the rooms, Asher Eli just lay on the fluffy bed and read the pamphlet.
'knock, knock'
"....Coming....." Eli opened the door and saw the female officer who tested them, now wearing a striped black T-shirt dress.
"How long are you going to stare?" she said with a slight smirk.
"O-Ohh..I am sorry, This is my first time seeing this kind of dress..hah..hah" Eli apologized with an awkward laugh.
"So, you just stared at my dress..ahh" she said as she walked into his room.
Eli didn't know what to do as she barged in and he left the door a little open 'just to be safe' he thought. She sat on the bed as she looked at the door and Eli who was now walking towards her.
With a smile, she introduced herself, " I am Nova, a 3rd-year student"
"As-Eli" he said.
"hmmm that's all?, anything else" Nova asked with the same smile.
"well, that's what I am worth now" he said
"Is that so?.." as squinted her eyes and crossed her arms under her bosom.
With an uneasy feeling, Eli asked "Is there anything you want from me? Madam"
"There is....I am hungry, why don't we eat? Ok, let's go" she mumbled and pulled Eli's hand as she walked.
Eli just doesn't know what to do, she was a student and also a testing officer. They walked through the crowd and enter the high-class restaurant. Eli thought 'We are going to eat, right? then why are we infornt this large building that has a name /ROYAL/' he wanted to say something but just sealed his mouth.
As they entered, the receptionist asked "What can we do, Madam, Sir?
"Floor-72" Nova said as walked without baiting an eye on the receptionist.
"Yes" the receptionist replied and walked along with them and called the server.
After Settling down on the 72nd Floor, " I will prepare the food" as the server left after noting the list.
Eli just sat and looked around, they were in a single room with a dining table and surrounded by transparent glass. He stared outside and let her choose the food.
"Now you staring at the scenery" Nova pouted a little.
As he turned and looked at her 'Cute.. if that's the real' he thought and said, "No Madam, outside is beautiful".
"Is that so? I guess new people can find it attractive" She also looked outside. Outside was full of tall buildings, a river on the left side and mountains; forest on the right side.
Silence remained in the room until the order food arrived and they started to eat.
Nova ate the food with a spoon and fork, which showed elegance while Eli ate the food with his hands. Nova didn't say anything.
"Now, tell me what you want from me?" after finishing his meals, Eli questioned.
"Can't wait.ah...well then, I just want to know more about you" Nova said seductively.
Eli stared blankly at her and she cleared her throat, "ahem...I want to know who thought you that technique?" said curiously.
"Is this part of a test? Madam" Eli question her.
"No, I just want to know and you can call me Nova"
"....but Nova already knows, though" he squinted his eyes.
"Whhaatt, what you mean I know already? If I know why would I come to you?" she said with ignorant.
"sighs...then, let me explain it to you. You scanned my room as you entered, for what? maybe to check whether I am alone or not. You pulled my hand, for what? maybe to check whether I am really soulless or not. You ordered some high-rank monster meats to hide the drug smell, for what? maybe to check whether I am telling the truth or not" he said nothing but with a blank expression.
~clap~clap~
Her expression changed from cute to stern as she said sarcastically,
"If you know everything, then why bother?"
"Well I am also hungry, so..." Eli said with an awkward smile.
She looked into his eyes with a deep sigh, " I want to check"
"I understand, A man with a soulless crystal using one of the fundamentals" he said while nodding his head as he felt he had done something big.
"wait..what? no, not for that" Nova cleared his misunderstanding.
"Then?" Eli was confused.
"I'm here to check, whether you have stolen the technique and token or you are just subordinate to demons; monsters are poison to demons and that drug is just a truth serum" Nova explained.
"Also, you are not the only one who uses the fundamentals, it is just a rare technique" she added.
Eli's eyes widened and his jaw dropped and he started to curse, "that fucking bastard....he said that was the fucking fate shit and the one and only ancient technique...that fucker...."
She looked at the cursing man who was now totally different and she started to laugh "hahah...ahaha"
Seeing her laugh, he calmed himself and said, "ahem...Sorry I lost my cool now"
"So you always act cool" she asked with amusement.
Veins bulged on his forehead and said without knowing, "yes, so what brownie?" as he closed his mouth.
"Brownie...ahh" she repeated the word with a dangerous smile.
"It's okay, truth serum is working...So it's fine, I guess"
He felt a chill in his spine. 'I-I guess?....ahh, I should be careful with answers from now on' he thought, took out the token and started to tell some truth with twisted answers without letting her question.
"This token and technique was given to me by a person and he covered with a hood and mask"
"why.."
without letting her, he continued, "Because I saved his ass..ahem..I helped him to defeat a demon and I threaten...I mean he was impressed and gave me those things"
She looked at him weirdly but he just shrugged off.
"Even so giving that fundamental technique may be right but why token?" she asked with doubt.
"Maybe he was an idiot...I mean maybe he felt grateful" Eli said with a grateful smile.
She looked at him few seconds and then, "Sighs, So you are not anyone's disciple, right?"
"Nope, I had a Master" he said with nostalgia.