Chapter 64: The Exam Day
It couldn’t be any busier during the next morning.
Students are waking up way earlier than usual and packing up the necessities they gathered during the three-day free time that was granted to them by the academy, all while some of them are already in the dedicated gathering location that the academy had determined, the main auditorium, capable of holding all students of the academy at any given time.
Of course, there are also some other students who are already in the main auditorium but are returning to their dormitory rooms as well, perhaps they forgot something that they had to bring or forgot something that they had to do before taking the exam, no one knows the exact reason.
However, each of them is well aware of the fact that the cause for their returning all points back towards one and one reason only, that is, the nervousness from this exam that just came out of nowhere made them unable to think properly.
While most freshmen, and to some extent, even some upperclassmen, feel nervous about the upcoming exam, some other people who most students thought should be even more nervous than the others don’t even seem to feel bothered by the upcoming exam at all.
"This should be enough for the exams, right?" staring at the semi-transparent floating screen in front of him, Novus mutters to himself as he reads its content, his meditation right after his spar with Medea the night before giving him yet another small boost to his own strength.
[Novus Helion van Argenta]
[Combat Rating: E Tier Mage (Assessment Ongoing)]
[Talent: True Immortal Blood (EX-Rank Growth-type Innate Talent)]
[Current Evolution Domain Location: Verdant Expanse: Verdant Forest (1.5-star danger level)]
[Immortal Energy: 1025/1025]
[Strength: 625]
[Agility: 625]
[Vitality: 625]
[Arcane: 625]
[Harmony: 625]
[True Immortal Blood (EX-Rank Growth-type Innate Talent)]
[Growth Progress: 1.53% (98.47% before Talent Rank Up)]
[Mastery: Entry-level (68.32%)]
’Well, even if it’s not enough, it’s not like I won’t be able to absorb Evolution Crystal once the exams started’ he thought to himself as yet another flow of Evolution Energy circulates all across his entire body, a faint smile appearing on his face as he was met with the notification of the tiniest bit of increase in stats, Immortal Energy and growth progress of his talent that appears every now and then.
[You absorbed Evolution Energy. Refinement of the body will continue until the source of the energy runs out.]
[Your talent: True Immortal Blood is being refined. +0.0005% progress, +0.5 maximum Immortal Energy.]
[Your physique has grown. +1 strength, +1 agility, +1 vitality.]
[You sense all sorts of energy clearer than before. +1 arcane.]
[Your body and soul seem to grow closer. +1 harmony.]
"Hm? What are you muttering about?"
Snapping him out of his thinking daze, Novus’ gaze was met with Medea’s as the two of them met right at the crossroad between the male and female dormitory, all of the few students who were going back to their respective rooms to pick up things that they forgot, taking their time to look at this weird combination with nothing but confusion in their eyes.
"What? You having trouble dealing with the envious gazes?" seeing Novus’ attention being pulled towards the gazes around the two of them every now and then, Medea couldn’t stop herself from teasing, a light, mischievous smile on her face as she did so, which served as all the more fuel for the passerby to watch them all the more.
"If they know what kind of lady you are, then I don’t think they will even feel... well, envious of this, Senior Medea."
He replies as he goes on to ignore the gazes around them as soon as he realizes that she doesn’t really care all too much about it as well, walking side by side towards the main auditorium, they act just like how they usually interact with each other, as if there’s not a closely approaching important exam at all.
"Wow, fresh, it feels really fresh~~" hearing his words, Medea retorted, but not sarcastically, but rather genuinely quite surprised, moving her fair hands towards her mouth as she hid the smile sprouting on her face, that charming look appearing ephemeral under the rising rays of the morning sun.
"What is?" wondering why she suddenly started talking like that, Novus asked as he stared at her as well, that smile on her face not leaving as she pointed out with her next words.
"This lady would’ve really defended her honor from your words, but the fact that you finally acknowledged me as a lady will do as an apology, this lady will let it slide~~" she said with a gleeful tone to her voice as she pointed out the nuance of his previous words, amidst her giggling, he was just standing there, smiling faintly as he starts walking towards the auditorium once again.
"Do I now, Senior Medea? You must’ve been imagining things." he pointed out as the main auditorium finally entered their sights, making the two of them pause as they stared at each other just for a moment as if to confirm whether they really wanted to show up there with each other.
"Humph!! Someone I know is not only a cheater, but a damn liar as well!" she said, cursing without any care for her image as the eldest daughter of a prestigious family.
Normally, anyone who heard her say things like that would feel awkward given the kind of standing she has, which her act is completely unbefitting of; however, in front of the young man, there was nothing she received but an amused smile, coupled with his usual dry humor that is certainly the most annoying to her.
"Must’ve been a real terrible person, Senior Medea." The young man shrugs, acting like he isn’t the one that Medea is talking about.
This just made the lady all the more frustrated, as given how well she knows this junior right now, she can clearly tell that he is aware that she is talking about him as well, and only feigning ignorance as a snap back to his words.
’Fuuh~~ I won’t win an argument about him like this...’ she thought to herself as she opened her lips once more, a smile on her face as she remarked.
"You know, Junior Novus, you have a certain way of talking that just makes people tick~" she pointed out, not with malice but rather with the intent of annoying him as well.
"I know, thanks for the compliment." but every single attack she had thrown was just useless, or rather, just flew past this young man’s defenses, and realizing this just made veins pop out of her temple.
This forces her to just roam her eyes around as she tries to calm herself down, an amused, little smile still on her face, as admittedly, despite the annoying banter between the two of them, she still couldn’t help but feel like this is such a nice, peaceful way to live her academic life.
’Come to think of it, aren’t there way too many staff all around?’ and as she lets her gaze roam around, she couldn’t help but notice a little thought appearing on her head after she noticed.
’Tsk, looks like the academy has more funding than the previous years, look at the effort for our dear juniors’ she told herself as she recalled that despite the preparations from the academy’s side during their first time taking this exam is already more than enough, it still pales in comparison to how prepared they appear right now.
