"What a day." Rai sighed, it hasn't been that long since he got transmigrated and so much had already happened in a short amount of time. Given the circumstances, he was left with no other choice but to cooperate with how this new life played out.
After all, there was so much he had no knowledge about and that was something that could potentially cost him his life.
"Leave her alone!"
"Huh?" Rai centered his attention towards the voice that cried out from afar.
"What could it possibly be this time?" Rai pondered in his thoughts. He speculated that the source of the drama that was about to unfold was as a result of a noble, most likely the son of Count Deskus who tried harassing him earlier.
Rai approached the scene, a crowd was already present as a result of the noise. At the middle of the crowd was a girl ranging from the age of 16-19 sitted on the ground. Judging by the dust and strangle marks around her right shoulder, it became clear she wasn't sitted on the ground on her own accord.
In front of her were three men who all belonged to a noble family and were also around the same age as the girl. They had circular tags on their chest with the numbers "401", "402"and "403" written on it respectively. Those tags were examination numbers, these three nobles were participants in the Essenmages exams.
"Leave her alone!" A man from within the crowd bellowed. The crowd made up of mostly commoners voiced out in support to the man that cried out for justice.
"Oh shut up you minors." One of the three boys spoke, poking his right pinky finger in his ear and rotating it.
"What was it you said? Huh!? Your going to enter the Essenmages exams?" He turned his attention back to the girl who was almost in tears.
His friends who also belonged to a noble family laughed out loud. Theoretically it was impossible for commoners to pass the Essenmages exams and here's why, Essence as foretold is a pollution to the human realm.
Those that survived were referred to as the awakened. However most commoners were unable to survive in this pollution because they were simply poor. Their body didn't possess the necessary strength as a result of improper diet due to lack of money thereby causing their immune system to be weakened. That was why most Essenmages belonged to either royalty or the nobles.
This drove a wedge between these three divisions, noble and royalty against the commoners. In a situation whereby a commoner managed to awaken, they are considered weak because their body could barely tolerate the essence that bonded with them therefore they are unable to fully tap into it's true capabilities.
"Don't mock us kid, a commoner such as yourself cannot pass the Essenmages exams. Even if you were lucky enough to awaken, your power is a joke to the history of the iconic exams that transforms a noble and royalty into a Essenknight." The young man spoke, his name being Edward and his two friends Ryuji and Kaito.
"That's not true..." The girl spoke in a low voice.
"Huh?" Edward uttered.
"That's not true!" Finding the courage to stand up to the three boys, she roared out getting to her feet.
"There's no evidence that says people like us cannot pass the exams because no one has had the courage to take it! All this time, people like me have been afraid to partake in the exams because of the fear of having our pride trampled upon, because of the intimidation we have suffered in your hands!" The crowd consisting of commoners shouted in support to the girl.
"Not anymore, I'll pass the Essenmages exams and I'll show you all that people like us do have a chance, no matter the obstacle I will overcome it. And I will prove you wrong.." She concluded as the crowd cheered out loud, even Rai smiled at words of the young girl. She had displayed true courage.
The three boys continued laughing out loud, even her speech was nothing but a joke to them. After a brief moment of laughing, Edward became mute. Seconds past his expression changed from laughing to anger.
"Don't make me laugh, you sorry excuse for a creature!" He extended his right hand swiftly towards her attempting to slap her.
SWOOSH!
A slight breeze blew through the hairs of both the crowd and the people causing the scene. Rai appeared out of nowhere in front of the girl and caught the right hand of Edward.
"What!?" Edward and his friends exclaimed as Rai completely slipped past their sensory abilities, his cloak dancing graciously in the wind as he turned his neck to face the young girl.
"Are you alright?" He asked.
"Y-yes.." She stammered attempting to answer his question.
"Who the hell are you!?" Edward squealed.
"Someone who has a thing or two against hot-headed imbeciles who lays their filthy hands on women." Rai uttered tightening his grip on the right hand of Edward, as a result of Rai's current strength surpassing that of Edward's durability. He began screaming in pain.
"You should know by now, any man that puts his hands on a woman is a weakling. Simply because he is too weak to face his fellow men so he tries preying on someone else." He added forcefully and pushed the hand of Edward which caused him to fall to the ground.
"Edward!" Ryuji and Kaito exclaimed simultaneously as they rushed to help him up.
"You bastard! Who the hell do you think you are!?" Edward shrugged rejecting the help of his friends as he got to his feet.
"A commoner that will pass the Essenmages exams." Rai replied softly.
The girls eyes widened in shock as she realized she wasn't the only commoner building up the courage to stand up to these nobles.
"Don't get full of yourselves you inferior creatures! You'll never pass the Essenmages exams!" Edward bellowed in anger.
"Try me, I'll stomp the Essenmages exams and I'll stomp you. Now get out of here." Rai's eyebrows were lowered like he was enraged and his eyes which reflected his shady underground background stared into the eyes of the three boys who became severely intimidated. "Before I make you leave." He added.
"Tch..." Feeling totally outclassed, Edward took a step backwards and eventually turned the other way as he had been disgraced enough. "This isn't over.." He spoke as both him and his friends walked away from the crowd.
The crowd cheered the two individuals who had successfully driven out the ever prideful nobles that polluted their community.
Rai not interested in any of their applauses or gratitude walked away to commence his preparations for the exams.
"Excuse me.." The young girl called to Rai who halted his movements as he heard her voice.
"What?" He asked.
"You said you are participating in the Essenmages exams?" She inquired.
"Yeah, what of it?" Rai turned around and crossed his arms in curiosity.
The young girl swiftly bowed her head in front of a heavily confused Rai. "Please I need your help!" She exclaimed.
"Oh shii." Rai uttered in his thoughts as he realized he was stuck in a tough situation.