"Your Majesty, it is time."
Lady Carmen Ross sat with her lace glove clad fingers grasping each other. Back straight and bouncy blonde curls as lively as ever; the coils bobbing along with every minute head movement.
"Already?"
Matteus stiffened slightly, golden eyes narrowed in concentration.
Azra looked between the two, oblivious to the tense atmosphere.
"Time for what exactly?"
Carmen cleared her throat, despite having taught Azra for a while and speaking to the King regularly, being in their presence still made her as nervous as the first day she met him.
"The Institute of Mana and Magic Yelrine is unlike any other school. They hold entrance exams only once a year during a specific day when outsiders can access school grounds. Unfortunately I don't know much about it. I did try to apply but failed the preliminary exams and didn't even make it to the actual exam grounds…"
Azra quickly tried to move the topic along at the obvious look of sadness on the usually bubbly woman's face. Her curls all but wilting in her sudden moment of depression.
"D-Do you think I can pass?"
Carmen instantly perked up. Giving the prince two thumbs up and a beaming smile.
"Of course you can! If his Highness tells them about his special abilities I doubt you'll even have to take the entrance-"
"I won't."
"What?"
"I will not be poked and prodded like some sort of new magical phenomenon. I am going to that school to learn and introduce myself to the next generation of the Alfonsi nation."
Carmen whipped her head around to glance at the King but he blinked back at her steadily. Perhaps the two had already discussed this in private.
"But your Highness, people are bound to find out about it if you plan to attend a school of magic."
"I have no intention of hiding it forever, but when I do present it to Alfonsi it will be because I am in full control of my own abilities and ready to use it to better off the nation, not to get out of taking exams."
Honestly he wasn't sure about any of this, Yelrine, his own ability, none of it. Somewhere along the lines it just became easier to say things that sounded right.
"Well, his Majesty seems to be content with that decision. I'm sure everything will work out smoothly?"
Matteus let out a contemplative hum.
"At the very least, he won't be taking the exams alone."
The doors burst open as if on cue and the pink haired culprit walked in, or tried to. His father was behind him in an instant pulling his ear as if trying to rip it from his head.
"What did I say about just walking into rooms? How many times do I need to tell you to wait for the knights to address you and announce it before entering?"
"But the knights know who-"
"That's not the point Cal! This isn't your house you little bastard. I swear you haven't changed since-"
"Scott…"
The two were instantly ramrod straight at the stern voice of the King.
Azra turned toward his teacher with a slightly embarrassed face.
"Sorry you had to see that Carmen."
The woman shook her head.
"No, Young Sir Callum is quite famous among the group of professors and tutors I know. They had… interesting things to say about him. I'm happy to have finally met him properly."
Escaping from his father's scolding Callum scoffed, ruffling his hair to cover his now red inflamed ear.
"Interesting huh, not my fault they couldn't fully comprehend my genius."
"You'd think a genius would know how to get to an important event on time."
Azra gave his friend a slight glare, only to have Callum give him big gray eyes round with innocence.
"Az it wasn't my fault. I was stuck with that brute because I knew you would want him there too. Doesn't that make me the best? Doesn't it?"
"Quentin?"
"Yeah, that dumbass went and got himself punishment but we did get there in time to see you dance with the redhead."
Azra blinked trying to look back in his memories to see if he ever remembered Quentin lurking in the dark corners during the dance. He wasn't sure.
All he could remember was Isabelle and her flaming red locks. Her green eyes locked on him as if he held the answers to the secrets in the world. A slight blush heated his cheeks at the thought. It was his first time being around someone of the opposite sex his age.
"Oh, does our little Azra have a crush already?"
Callum grinned at the blushing prince.
"No, I was just thinking about the entrance exams is all."
"Sure~. If you say so Azra. Come to think of it how exactly are you planning to pass a practical magic exam when we don't even know what magic you specialize in?"
There was an awkward silence at the question, after all Callum was the only one in the room who didn't know of Azra's… situation.
The boy himself turned away. Callum was his first friend and he hated that he had to keep such an important part of himself a secret. It wasn't that Cal couldn't be trusted, it was more so that Azra didn't trust himself.
He refused to expose anyone else to his mana manipulation ability until he had more of an understanding of it. Azra would sooner die than allow himself to hurt Callum.
"Don't worry about that Cal, I'll think of something. Worry about yourself."
"Worry is not in my vocabulary my friend. How do you think I was able to go see that big oaf on school grounds despite their insistence on not letting outsiders in?"
Scott scratched his brown hair and sighed at his son who now had his chest puffed with pride.
"As much as it pains me to say, Cal got accepted into Yelrine on recommendation."
As much as he tried to sound disappointed Scott's proud smile was clear to see from a mile away.
Azra smiled, he had always known Callum was exceptional when it came to magic. He was years ahead of those in his age range and if it weren't for his eccentric personality he would have garnered much more respect from the noble community. Callum getting accepted to the most prestigious magic school in the nation was only natural. He was just that good.
"That's great Cal… but I guess that means I'm taking the exams on my own then."
"Fear not my friend. Just getting in on recommendation doesn't exempt me from the entrance exams. They mentioned something about measuring talent. The pompous asses, I'll give them something to measure all right."
His gray eyes twinkled with determination. Callum was never one to turn down a challenge in any shape or form.
Speaking of challenges.
"I guess if I pass it means that we'll be able to hang out with Quentin again."
"You talk like you won't get in."
"There's no guarantee that I will."
"Please Az, Yelrine might not be tied to royalty but they'd have to be crazy to reject the Prince of Alfonsi."
- - -
Yelrine Institute of Mana and Magics
Staff Meeting Room
The large conference table was unusually quiet. When many geniuses and experts in their craft with clashing personalities gather; there was bound to be heated discussion but today all seemed to be in silent agreement and distress.
"You'd think with how long we've been overseeing annual entrance exams we would have gotten used to it by now."
Murmurs and soft sighs filtered their way through the group until the eldest at the head of the table had to step in and move the meeting along.
"Complaining will do us no good. I know the work load has increased for some since we had to let go of one of our professors due to... delicate circumstances. Nevertheless, we must pick a coordinator to oversee the test takers and exam to make sure all runs smoothly."
Dead silence.
"Don't all volunteer at once."
Staff members gazed at one another, none of them willing to volunteer themselves for the job.
The school prided itself on authenticity so each year a different test was created to gauge each student's level and decide if they were worthy of entering. Apart from that monstrous task there was something even worse. It was every educator's most dreaded nightmare.
Parents.
Within the school walls children were closely monitored away from any outside influence but during entrance exams all were welcome to come. This included obnoxious noble parents who insisted their child was a genius and would do anything to make sure they were granted enrollment.
Truly it was all a pain in the ass.
The headmaster drummed his fingers against the smooth surface of the table in deep thought.
"Professor Nile, You've long been teaching the seniors. Why not try shaping the young minds battling to enter this great institution?"
The man with a messy mop of shocking orange curls looked up from where his tired eyes were trained on his mangled fingers.
"Do I get to refuse?"
"No."
"What if I just decide to fail them all?"
"Then you would be abandoning your duty as an educator sworn to protect and nurture the minds of students. I'd have to issue out punishment befitting of such."
The man in question clicked his teeth in annoyance but the Headmaster was long used to his less than sunshiny mannerisms.
"I'll take that as confirmation. I look forward to the kind of practical exam you will present to the young ones."