Chapter 164: End of the theoretical exam
After applying for the entrance examination, Evangeline and Adrian booked rooms at a fancy inn.
The knights who had accompanied them all left to return to Aevithar. The only ones who remained with them were Adrian’s two personal maids.
One of them even began serving Evangeline. It felt rather good having a maid tending to her needs and constantly asking whether she needed something or not.
Apparently, the written test was going to be held in only a week and a few days later.
Aside from the compulsory subjects, Evangeline and Adrian had to pick history and administrative management-related subjects since they were nobles and would most likely be handling administration-related tasks when they grew up.
Adrian had also picked tactical and military strategy-related subjects. Apparently, that was something his mother had told him to pick.
They both spent the days left before the written exam to memorize as much information as they could. Adrian’s syllabus was larger than Evangeline’s since he had picked more subjects, which was good for her since she wasn’t as good as him when it came to studying.
That was not to say that she was bad at studying. Adrian was simply the abnormal one.
And so, the day of the written exam finally arrived.
They had even met up with Ravian, who had arrived only a few days before the day of the written exam.
And so, the three of them wished each other good luck as they went into the examination hall.
Taking such an examination was a completely new experience for Evangeline. Sitting amidst hundreds of other children her age, all of them sitting quietly and writing on a sheet of paper. Even with so many people present, the large hall was completely silent.
And a few people—the academy staff—were constantly walking around the hall, monitoring everyone.
Sitting there and writing on the paper felt so strange, as though they were doing something extremely serious.
’Well, that’s technically true since this exam will decide the course of their entire life.’
Still, it was hard to get used to.
Hours later, the academy staff finally announced the end of the examination.
Evangeline, Adrian, and Ravian left the examination hall together, leaving alongside the crowd of noisy children.
As they walked along the roads of the academy city, Evangeline turned to Adrian and asked curiously.
"Hey, Adi, how was your exam? Tell me, what score are you expecting?"
Adrian replied flatly while looking ahead.
"I am expecting full marks. I checked my answers after finishing, and I couldn’t really find any mistakes. The rest is up to whoever assigns marks."
She gave him a thumbs-up and smiled.
"Same, I’m also expecting full marks. Though I’m not as confident as you." She looked at Ravian. "What about you, Ravian? What is your expected score?"
Adrian looked at her strangely.
"What do you mean? He is obviously going to get full marks. After all, he doesn’t need to memorize things as we do; his Origin ability can simply allow him to ’remember’ the answer."
Ravian smiled sheepishly. Evangeline, meanwhile, widened her eyes.
"What...? But that’s cheating! He is using his powers to get an unfair advantage over others."
Ravian made a troubled face.
"Um, in my defense, Mnemosyne isn’t something I can turn off. It has become a part of me. If I don’t use it, then I won’t be able to remember even the conversations I had with you two before we entered the examination hall."
’Is that so...?’
She lowered her head slightly.
"Sorry if that came out as mean; I was just a bit shocked."
"Oh! No, not at all." Ravian shook his head. "You don’t have to apologize like that, Miss Evangeline."
Adrian turned to Ravian.
"Did you do what I asked?"
"Of course," Ravian nodded. "I’ve gathered as much information on the applicants as I could. And Adrian, it seems your guess was wrong. There seem to be at least two more applicants who are at Phase Three like you two. Of course, there could be even more."
Adrian suddenly stopped walking, causing them to stop as well. As always, his face was expressionless, but Evangeline had understood enough about him to know that a lot was likely going through his mind at this moment.
Moments later, they began walking once again as Adrian asked.
"Who are those two applicants?"
Ravina looked ahead.
"You must know about the Mythrien ducal family, correct? It’s one of the three ducal families in the empire, just like House Ravenshade. Of course, it can’t compare to House Ravenshade in strength, but it’s a ducal house nonetheless. The first one is apparently the only daughter of the Mythrien ducal family."
He thought for a bit.
"Not much is known about her, though. I wasn’t even able to get her name. Her situation feels similar to yours in many ways, Adrian. Just like how House Ravenshade kept you away from the noble society during your childhood, the Mythrien Household did the same for her. They were just more thorough compared to your family, which is why there weren’t even any rumors about her until now."
Adrian paused, seemingly trying to digest the information.
Evangeline, meanwhile, focused on a different detail.
’So, it’s a girl, huh? I wonder if she and I can be friends.’
Having spent her entire childhood in this new life without having made any friends besides Ravian, Evangeline wanted to at least make friends in the academy. The life of a loner didn’t suit her at all.
’I don’t really need too many of them. I just need a few good friends.’
Adrian seemingly finished digesting the information and turned to Ravian.
"Who is the other one?"
"Well..." Ravian made a troubled face. "I don’t really know. Apparently, it’s some commoner boy."
Adrian’s eyes narrowed slightly as Ravian continued.
"There isn’t much known about him, but from the small bits I was able to gather and piece together, that boy used to live in the border town in a marquis’s territory where the war against the kingdom is the most heated. The boy had apparently even fought in the war as a mercenary and killed a few enemy soldiers."
Adrian became lost in thought as he muttered in a low voice.
"Hmm... so not only has he reached Phase Three, but he also has experience fighting in an actual war?"
Evangeline lightly nudged him, trying to pull him out of his thoughts.
"Adi, hey, why did you become so serious?"
He turned to her.
"Because this is serious. For nobles, reputation is everything. That is the case for both you and me. We carry titles like "Greatest Genius of the Generation" and "The Greatest Genius’s Only Match."
She poked his cheek.
"Did you forget the title "The Girl Who Is Blessed by God himself"?"
Adrian frowned and said flatly.
"You have no such title; don’t make up nonsense."
’Oh come on! Can’t you let a girl daydream in peace?’
In many of the stories she had read in her previous life, the female lead was a girl who was constantly bullied by her evil family and her half-sister, who was either a demoness or an evil witch in disguise.
God would always take pity on the female lead and give her his blessing. And then the story would progress with the female lead trying to expose the true nature of her half-sister.
Evangeline had always found that whole ’blessed by God’ concept rather cool.
’Well, considering that I was lucky enough to be reincarnated in this world as well as awaken four elemental affinities, there is a chance that I really am blessed by God. I should visit a church when I get a chance.’
Adrian sighed.
"Anyways, as I was saying, it’s a problem. With such grand titles, we can’t lose to people with no reputation. It will have an enormous backlash on us. The two of us have to maintain our reputation. I wasn’t too worried in the beginning, but I am not too sure now."
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