The boys chatted casually for more than a couple of hour before finally calling it a night.
The next day, Alan and Williams rose before sunrise, which had became a part of their routine now. They quietly left the room, practicing combat skills within the dormitory compound to avoid being perceived as peculiar at the training ground.
When they came back after their training to the dormitory, they found the other boys waking up one by one. Greeted with bleary eyes and yawns, the boys were puzzled to see Alan and Williams already sweating.
"What happened, Al, Wil?" Dave asked.
"Ah, nothing, just our daily routine of practicing combat basics, that's all," Williams shrugged.
Impressed by this, all four boys acknowledged their dedication. "You both get up early and practice every day?" Ben enquired with a bit of surprise in his tone.
"Yes, this is our daily routine." Alan smiled. "Well, let's get ready and go to our classes. You guys have to take us with you today," he added, rising from his sitting position.
All of them headed to the dining hall after sometime. The two boys with black colored uniform drew attention of several students.
After taking their plates, they stood in line, engaging in conversation. They found a table after filling their plates.
"Woah, Wil, Al, you've got one big appetite there," Bob teased, everyone laughed. The two boys smiled.
Following that, Dave went to his Arts section, Chris to his Healing section, while Ben and Bob accompanied Alan and Williams. They proceeded to their first theory class, ready for the day ahead.
Upon entering the class, everyone was surprised to see two new faces clad in black uniforms. Even more surprising was the unexpected entrance of the headmaster, who took a seat at the last bench, signaling the students to pay no mind to him.
An elegantly dressed middle-aged lady, the master responsible for their history lesson, entered the room. She too was surprised to find two new faces in black uniforms and, was taken aback by the presence of the headmaster.
Stan stood up, approached the front of the class, and smiled. "Good morning everyone. We have two new students attending the class today. They joined our academy just a day before. This marks the first time in the history of this academy that someone has joined mid-academic year and the first time admitted without the entrance test."
Whispers erupted throughout the room, even the theory class teacher raised her eyebrow in surprise and felt curious about these newcomers.
Stan continued, "Let me clear everyone's doubts about their entranceand the altered rule by the academy for them. They weren't admitted due to influence or paying a donation. Their admission is purely based on their talent, witnessed both by Master Zain and myself."
A hush fell over the room, making it seem as if it were empty. Stan emphasized, "You'll learn more about them in this class today. Madam Evelyn, I'll be here as an observer. Please continue the class. After that, we'll have a theory exam for the new students—a consolidation of the entire first year's syllabus." Stan's statement stunned the entire class, including Madam Evelyn.
Ben and Bod had a worried look at this statement.
"Alan, Williams, is it okay?" Stan asked the two.
"We will try to do our best, Headmaster," said Alan, Williams nodding his agreement as well and both of them bowed .
"Please, Madam Evelyn," Stan gestured and took a seat at the back of the room.
The lesson was enlightening. Both boys felt that Madam Evelyn was an exceptional teacher, employing simple yet effective teaching methods. She reserved the final 15 minutes of her class for interactive discussions.
Once the class concluded, Evelyn looked at the headmaster, who nodded encouragingly.
"Okay, I shall start the test with Williams now," Evelyn announced.
"Williams, please stand up," she instructed. Williams stood in his place. Stan approached Evelyn and whispered something in her ear, prompting her to gasp. "But, Headmaster..." Before Evelyn could continue, Stan cut her off. "Trust me, Madam Evelyn, you will be surprised." Stan smiled.
Evelyn let out a deep sigh and commenced asking questions...
This back-and-forth of questions and answers persisted for an hour. The students were astounded by Williams' knowledge. He responded as if he were a master in the subject. Evelyn found herself enjoying the exchange, and it continued for almost two hours before she finally halted, saying, "You may take your seat back, Williams."
"Now, Alan, it's your turn," Stan prompted.
As Alan stood up, the exchange resumed. After an hour, Evelyn found it challenging to come up with new questions, having already asked many to Williams. At this point, the headmaster stepped in, initiating a casual discussion with Alan that evolved into a friendly debate. They expanded their conversation beyond history to include geography, mathematics, economics, trading, combat skills, and weapon knowledge. Stan even included Williams in many debates, where he actively participated and demonstrated his indepth knowledgematching Alan.