After a few more hours, everyone who had come for the Aptitude was finished, and the three who had achieved Rank 2, along with Mira as Rank 1, were called into a room.
They followed the white robe figure leading the way to their destination.
Melvin walked silently, feeling embarrassed to face Mira.
He was proud of achieving Rank 2, believing he could overpower Mira and show her that she could rely on him.
However, after Mira received her mark, he felt intimidated because the girl he admired always seemed stronger than him in many ways.
The three arrived in a small room. It was about the size of a badminton court and exuded a sacred ambiance.
They sat down on chairs, facing a black screen that blocked their view of whoever they would be speaking to.
"Please wait here; the High Priest will be here shortly," the white robed guide instructed.
Minutes passed, and while they waited in silence, one of the Rank 2s broke the silence.
"Uhm, hello! By the way, I'm Lance. I think we need to introduce ourselves." said the other Rank 2.
He stood about 165 centimeters tall, with dark, messy, yellow hair and a friendly demeanor.
"I'm Mira," she responded.
When Melvin didn't introduce himself, the two turned to him, indicating that he should say his name.
Even though Mira knew his name, it was still his responsibility to introduce himself.
"Melvin," he said quickly and reluctantly.
"Melvin, you need to be friendly to others since we will be knights soon," Mira said.
"I don't need to introduce myself to people I don't know," he replied.
"Don't worry, brother; we'll get to know each other since we'll be a team," Lance said with a smile.
They heard the door open in front of them, but they couldn't see who had entered.
They felt the person's presence and heard them sit down.
The small room amplified every sound.
However, five minutes passed, then ten, and the person remained silent, observing them.
Mira and Lance exchanged looks, wondering what they should do or if they should speak.
Lance cleared his throat and was about to say something.
But just as he was about to speak, the high priest stood up.
The chair moved, the door opened, and the high priest spoke.
"I've finished checking them. Bring them to the palace and give this report to the King. He is waiting for them," the high priest instructed someone.
The three could hear the voice before the door totally closed, but they couldn't clearly see who it was.
The situation puzzled the three.
"What was that about?" Melvin asked.
"Hehe… He said he's done checking us. Maybe he was just testing our patience," Lance suggested.
Moments later, the door behind them—the one they had entered through—opened.
"Thank you for waiting. We will now take you to the palace to meet the king," said the white-robed figure.
As they stepped outside, Melvin noticed that many people were wearing white robes outside their door and walked with them.
"What about our other companions from earlier?" Mira asked.
"They are still in the checking and dividing process, we will let you know when they are in the base camp."
"Base camp?" Mira inquired.
"It's a place where the new Elite Knights will live and train together, improving their aptitude, physical strength, and intelligence."
"Won't we meet the king with them?" Mira asked.
"I don't know since I'm from the church, not the palace. But you'll join them when you reach the palace soon."
While they were on their way, Mira asked, "Is the high priest always like that? He didn't speak to us at all earlier."
"The high priest? Yes, because the high priest checks your future for the kingdom. That's his Aptitude, and you all passed."
The high priest could foresee a person's future by looking into their eyes. He took his time to scrutinize the future of the three, ensuring there were no betrayals planned against the kingdom.
He saw that they were loyal and had no malicious intentions.
'So if we have bad intentions toward them, we're done for! Right here in the church! That is why we saw a lot of those in white robes,' Melvin concluded as he rubbed his chin.
***
Back in the high priest's chambers, the aged priest held his bleeding nose.
"Are you all right, your Excellency?" his companion asked, his voice tinged with worry.
The High Priest has [Prophetic Skill] that can foresee someone's future. It has limitations and can only see a few years ahead.
He can also see only at least ten people at a time because concentration gives him a severe headache.
Seeing the three new aspirants in the highest ranks pressured him, making his head ache and his nose bleed.
"Is her name Mira?" the High Priest mused aloud. "She is different from Crixus. The god is directly guiding her, unlike Crixus. This means our god has truly sent us our savior and true hero."
"So, there is hope for the people against the calamities to come?" asked his companion.
"Yes, but Crixus needs to train that girl properly for our future. The trials ahead will be severe, and only with proper guidance can she fulfill her destiny."
The high priest's companion nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation.