Nile skimmed over the nervous crowd of applicants, now waiting for the results of the written exam. He still had the paper written by June in his hand.
It had the details of a long extinct magic spell. The only reason Nile knew of it was because he was also a magic researcher and had access to archives that had been painstakingly collected from all over the nation, some even coming from the Asteri palace.
Who was June and how did they get their hands on this information? Despite having extensive knowledge on ancient spells, Nile had never seen this one before. He just knew enough to recognize that it was a legitimate spell, not something someone wrote to stand out.
Ancient spells are priceless in Yelrine, it is the root of all magic today. They were used as reference and inspiration to create new extensions of what already existed. June had to be a person of high standing to write something so valuable.
Nile intended to find out.
"I will call out the names of the people who have passed the written exam. When I have finished I will ask the ones who have failed to leave the Yelrine grounds. This is where their journey ends."
It didn't take long, out of the droves of applicants, only thirty-two had written something that represented intuitive thinking and creativity.
Azra remained in a state of shock as Professor Nile said June. He glanced around noticing that some people were crying and the parents and guardians who had joined to hear the results had various faces full of anger and disbelief. Some of them even bold enough to stomp up to the orange haired man and argue, though Nile gave them the cold shoulder.
He barely even registered Callum shaking his shoulders in joy. Blabbing about how he was halfway there. So lost in his shock Azra hadn't noticed another familiar name being called.
Azra smiled but it was quickly wiped away as he remembered what came next.
After the commotion subsided and all that was left was the small group of people who passed, Nile beckoned them forward until they stood before him.
"Congratulations on passing the written exam, we'll now move on to the practical. As I stated before you will perform one spell and it will be decided then and there if you have passed or failed. We begin in fifteen minutes."
The disguised Prince smiled thinly as some of the other test takers came up to Callum and proceeded to try to befriend him. It was no secret that the Terrowins were among the high nobles with Scott Terrowin being the Head of the Court of Mages.
Taking a better look at the small group his smile fades as he catches the glimpse of familiar red hair. Isabelle stood away from the others speaking to a woman who seemed to be in her late thirties. Instantly he turned his back to her, praying that she wouldn't recognize his face and eyes.
Lucky for him, she was a bit preoccupied with her very angry mother. After all, how was Elena supposed to monitor her every move if she was outside of her grasp? She spoke in a harsh whisper, her eyes wild with anger and perfectly red colored lips pursed.
"I forbid you from taking this exam. Have you already forgotten what your goal is? The Prince is not here which means you needn't be here either. You exist for the sole purpose of becoming the Princess of Alfonsi."
"But mother I-"
"Mother nothing, now go over to that Professor and tell him you no longer want to apply. We should get away from those… things."
Her gaze sharpened on some of the applicants who were most obviously not nobles. Elena sneered at a purple haired boy, eyeing him as if the dirt beneath her bejeweled shoe was worth more.
"…Yes mother."
With tears in her eyes and a sinking feeling of regret and hopelessness in her heart she approached Nile and Clara as they spoke to each other. They turned to her and Clara's eyes immediately widened in concern at her less than pleased look.
Speaking around the sob in her throat Isabelle managed to choke out the words that felt like venom on her tongue.
"I… um, sorry for the inconvenience but I'd like to pull out of the entrance exams."
Clara's eyebrows furrowed in frustration and it seemed like she was about to say something but Nile cut her off quickly. Not even bothering to look up from the paper he was studying he spoke in a bored tone.
"Do you want to quit or is it what your mother wants?"
"W-what?"
"I could be deaf and one look at her face would tell me everything I needed to know."
Isabelle tried not to slump her shoulders and curl in on herself. She loved her mother, truly she did but sometimes… Elena Ashton was her grandest source of embarrassment.
Isabelle would rather be beaten black and blue by her mother in private than have anyone witness the abuse. Being weak in front of her mother was all she had ever known but for someone else to see her like that? It made her want to crawl into the deepest darkest hole.
Preparing herself to see pity and guilt on Nile's face she looked up. Only to be surprised at the blank stare he gave. Some might consider his disinterest an injustice, especially with his position as an educator. It was his job to help his students.
Isabelle thought the exact opposite. A wave of relief washed over her, she didn't need anyone's judgment or pity.
Nile couldn't be bothered, he had been working as a professor for years. While Yerine did separate students from their overbearing parents, many of them still carried the shadow of their expectations with them. He had long decided that it was something they needed to overcome themselves.
She is not the first, nor will she be the last.
"A chance like this will not come again. Next year's entrance exams will be different, you might not even make it to the practical exam if you take it then."
"My mother insists-"
"Do whatever will ensure you have no regrets in the future."
Isabelle shut her mouth at that. If she turned away now, would she really look back on this moment in the future and say she had never wondered what lay beyond the written exam?
Taking a shaky breath, she turned away from the conversation and marched back to her mother.
Now.
She had to do it now while foolish confidence was still pumping through her veins. If she waited she may overthink and crawl back into her shell, letting her mother take the reins on her life again.
Elena smiled happily as her daughter approached. Assuming she had done as was asked of her. Her hand reached out to pet the fiery red hair Isabelle got from her father.
"Good girl, now let's go and once we get home we can-"
"Mother."
Elena blinked, never before had her child interrupted her when she was speaking. Momentarily stunned, she stood silently.
Taking this as her chance Isabelle opened her mouth and said something she would never have dreamed of saying just a few hours ago.
"I- I want to do this. I want to take the practical exam. Not because of the Prince nor do I want to do it to make you angry. I just want to try to do something I want. For once."
A vein throbbing at her temple, Elena stopped short just as she was about to yell at her daughter. Remembering that there were others around she kept a smile on her face though the anger still burned brightly behind her eyes.
"Isabelle I know there are things you want to do but not all dreams come true. You are meant for better and as your mother I cannot allow you to waste your life away at a school you aren't even qualified to attend."
Isabelle was destined to be broken down by her mother over and over. Despite what she put her through Isabelle still loved her mother. It hurt to know she didn't even believe in her. Isabelle set her jaw to keep her lips from trembling. Her mind was set.
"I am going to do this mother. I wasn't asking."
Before Elena could lose her barely restrained emotions Nile's voice cut through their tension like a sharp knife.
"Fifteen minutes are over. We will commence with the practical exams."
Deciding to end the conversation with her mother, Isabelle made her way back towards where the majority of the crowd stood at attention.
Isabelle felt weak, as if this one altercation with Elena had sapped all the strength from her very bones. She could only hope her mother didn't notice her knees shaking.
She did.