Many projections are displayed, each showing a figure.
They are potential students going through the test that the academy set for admitting them at their academy. After all, an academy is not a charity and resources is limited.
Oriel and Asra academy, both have 100 seats available while Evigheden have 200 seats available, after all, it was a well known fact that students who enroll in Evigheden academy, more than half of the student always drop out.
The appointed teacher of Oriel and Asra academy responsible to choose and enroll students carefully scrutinize each frame of the figure in the hologram. The device that project the figures of children are of higher level artifact with complicated and descriptive runes, the device is capable of screening people who are performing well and those who are performing poorly.
The teacher of Evigheden on the other hand sit leisurely, not particularly paying attention to anything.
The size of such children who perform exceptionally, their projection became larger, highlighting the figure for the teacher to see.
And as expected, the crown prince and the Arryn siblings are clearly highlighted, the teacher who are watching the projection was not surprised. After all, they are children considered as genius in their generation and are strictly trained since they awakened their abilities.
Most students who get a highlight are those children of noble lineage, children who get early strict education. Children who are of middle class falls in the mid highlight, better than children of the slums but worst than the nobles.
However, there is always an exception. A person who is extraordinary and stood out whichever class they were— Like the child with golden hair and blue eyes.
The teacher of Oriel academy eyes has fixated on the child, hardly moving his gaze away.
…..The child is perfect in every aspect except his origin, but his humble origin can also be taken advantage of and used as a means to leverage his standing among the common masses. After all, people are easy to get swayed by their own peers, a person who have the same social standing as them.
The child is a perfect image for a Holy Knight.
Golden hair and blue eyes as if being blessed and chosen by the Sun God.
Those with golden hair and blue eyes that resemble the Sun god are scarce in their world.
The child although of humble origin is on par with the geniuses like the crown prince and the Arryn sibling. They must get the child and be guided under their tutelage. The oriel Academy teacher came up with such conclusion, he will not allow the other teachers to snatch the perfect child away.
He quickly thought of an offer he should provide for the child to willingly come under them. He don't believe that children like them will be able to refuse the offer he will provide him.
The Oriel teacher have his eyes fixated on the child with golden hair and completely ignore the girl the 'perfect child' devotedly protect and take care of, the child with black hair and eyes. After all, she has not display anything extraordinary and completely dependent on the child with golden hair. The black hair child at most can be seen that she is an apothecary but the temple have never lack an apothecary.
There is no value in the eyes of the Oriel academy teacher such that he treats her as non-existent. Those who is deem as not having any value are nothing more than air to them.
One wonders whether such mindset is right to have for the follower of the benevolent Light God.
...….
A figure ruthlessly slash a beast , her eyes menacing.
Even if she were a child from the slums, she was not inferior to those noble children who were trained professionally their whole life. After all, she has to survive, survive and protect her siblings, survive in a place not meant for human to settle in and live.
Her means of fighting may be rough and coarse, her technique clumsy but...she manage to survive and inflict heavy injury to her enemies. That is enough for children like them.
"Sis, lets rest, at this rate you will run of energy soon"
Scilla look at her younger brother who was looking at her worriedly but completely ignore the sweat that rolled down his cheeks and the sweat soaking his cothes. He was carrying their youngest at his back; their youngest who is crippled.
He looks exhausted carrying her younger brother but he does not complain throughout it all, Scilla bit her lips, her eyes overshadowed with gloom but tried her best to not show it towards her younger brothers.
"Lets' rest for ten minute and continue" They cannot rest for too long, they have to grasp every opportunity and time. It was not safe inside this dense and thick forest where danger lurks everywhere. Every increasing time they stay inside the exam ground, the level of danger increase and their survivability decrease.
She is not interested in the prize of gaining more points—after all, they have to live to enjoy the award.
The only strong fighting force between the three off them is her, understanding her own capability, Scilla knew that she cannot ascertain the safety of her sibling the longer they stay inside the exam ground.
Frine has to carry their youngest and cannot assist much when they encounter monsters and beast.
Resting for a short while Scilla and her two younger brothers continues to walk forward.
One vigilantly looking around and one taking the responsibility of carrying their crippled youngest,
They have not yet encounter a higher level monster, but it seems their luck have finally run out. There in front of them, a higher level monster has appeared. Scilla face turn pale as she caught sight of the higher level monster.
She has uses her high intuition to avoid danger, enemies that are of higher level, a level she can defeat albeit with serious injury by herself but cannot defeat with having to protect her younger brothers.
Cold sweat drips down her forehead, Scilla swallow hard while gripping her worn out sword tightly.
The beast does not give her much time to react as it leap at them, fierce and ruthless.
Scilla face is filled with despair. She don't want to press the button declaring her giving up on the competition. In such way, the teacher will save her and her brothers. If they don't, then they have to face the beast head on.
Going back to the slums and live a life worst than a dog or being injured and possibly on dead bed by the beast, Scilla don't know which decision is better
But...Scilla look at her brother who was trembling but does not want to burden her and stand beside her, not hiding behind her.
Biting he lips, her hand descend on the button, a button on the wrist to declare their withdrawal.
SWISH—
It was the sound of a sword slashing an object.
Scilla hand pause, she look at the person who kills the beast with ease. His striking appearance and his golden hair that was reflecting the sun sways gently along the wind
"Hello"
A voice abruptly disrupts her thought that was captured by the boy who kills the beast that was aiming for their life.
Scilla turn her head and her eyes met an obsidian eyes.