Chapter 29: (XXIX) Entrance Exam (Part Two)
"Absolutely." Leon penned with certainty in the provided space, responding to the query, "King A should indeed bear the responsibility for his people's actions. A king's duty is to govern his subjects, and their actions mirror his leadership."
He continued through the rest of the written test quickly, as he had access to the Information Cafe for any questions he needed help remembering.
Leon was one of the first to finish the test, standing from the table and delivering it to the table in front of the stage where the instructors sat, placing it before exiting the auditorium.
He leaned against a pillar in the courtyard with his arms crossed over his chest, waiting for the next test of the exam to start; a familiar face approached, "Hey!"
He swiveled to find Callum advancing, his two lackeys from the previous day in tow, "Why tarnish your family's honor by partaking in the Entrance Exam?"
"Why does it bother you?" Leon asked, not turning to face the trio standing at his side.
"You are besmirching all of the nobles present by participating with these lowly commoners!" He countered, stepping in front of the young man.
"If that's how you view people, then I pity the people living in Kroscester." He replied flatly, glaring back at him.
"Lord Callum, there's no point in speaking with this bastard! He's hardly a noble!" One of his goons said.
"That's right, Lord Callum!" The other chimed in, "He's nothing but a waste of time!"
"Are you two dense or just plain stupid?" Callum asked, turning to his lackeys, "Not only does this affect the royal family, but all nobles everywhere!"
Before Leon could reply, the rest of the noble children had approached, standing behind Callum and his goons, the crowd agreeing with their words in opposition to him.
Leon sighed and shook his head, "Look, I don't need to coast on my family name in order to achieve my goals. I'm here to prove that through my own talent and abilities, I will reach higher than any of you can even imagine."
Before Callum or his goons could protest, he walked away when he noticed a few professors approaching the crowd as they intervened to prevent the situation from escalating further.
"Count Leon." Earl Dromund said, stepping out from behind a pillar and into Leon's path, "What game are you playing?"
'Like father, like son...' He thought as he shook his head, "I'm not playing any games. I simply wish to receive admission based on my own merit."
"The headmistress and instructors have already heard of your merits from your brother and me. You have nothing to prove." Dromund explained, brushing his hair behind his ear before crossing his arms over his chest, "You do yourself no favors by alienating yourself from the other nobles; they're your peers, not your rivals."
"And what favors are they doing by discriminating against the commoners?" Leon asked, staring up at them, "They hold a deep-seated hatred for the nobles that keeps them boot to heel."
"There is a clear distinction between a noble and a commoner." Dromund replied, tilting his head as he stared down at the young man, "You should know this better than anyone, even among the nobles; you're a clear-cut above the rest purely because of the blood within your veins."
"You would do well not to dismiss the capabilities of the commoners; I have four under my charge who can become stronger than most of the people here." Leon countered, "I do not plan to repeat the mistakes of the past; they are people just like we are."
"Gather round!" An instructor shouted, interrupting their conversation as the first exam had been completed. Leon approached with the rest of the participants.
He turned his body slowly, the movement almost hypnotic, as he pointed his palm behind him and began to conjure a portal. The air around him seemed to shimmer with an otherworldly energy as the portal slowly materialized, its edges dancing with a faint blue light.
He gestured towards it, explaining the intricacies of its workings, and as he did so, the portal grew broader and brighter, illuminating it with a soft, pulsing glow as he delved into the details of the second exam; his voice was calm and measured, each word carefully chosen to convey its meaning.
"All participants will enter the portal and find themselves in a magical forest. Do not think it safe. It is dangerous, and if you are lax with your safety, you will die. Your task is to collect enough medals to reach 150 points.
They are scattered throughout the forest. Some are easy to find, just waiting out in the open, and others are guarded by strong and powerful beasts. Not all are equal; they are colored differently, with each representing a different number of points.
Once you have reached the prerequisite points, you must take your medals to the pedestal in the center of the forest and place them atop it to create the return portal out of the forest. Do you have any questions?"
"Are we able to take medals from one another?" A boy asked. He stood a head taller than the rest, with a body far more defined than it should have been.
"Of course!" The instructor huffed as if annoyed by the question, "We request you do not kill one another, but accidents happen, and it will not be held against you."
The boy smirked as he looked around, scanning around the crowd for easy prey when he locked eyes with Leon and narrowed his gaze, snarling at him before returning to the instructor.
"Can the nobles participate, just for fun?" Callum asked, stepping forward with a malicious smirk on his face.
"Eh?" The instructor exclaimed, turning to face him before thinking for a moment as he stroked his beard before shaking his head. Having received a word from the headmistress telepathically, "No. I'm afraid not. We cannot guarantee your safety within the forest or allow you to enter."
"What about Prince Leon?!" He clamored, pointing at the young man standing amongst the crowd.
"He is a participant in the examination; you are not. Now silence!" Earl Dromund hissed to his son, forcefully grabbing the nape of his neck. He smiled at the instructor, "Dismiss the ramblings of my son and continue with the examination, Zigeor."
"Thank you, Earl." Zigeor bowed as he turned to the portal and extended his hand, "Now enter, children. May the Goddess watch over you."
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone