Chapter 6: Outsider Dealings
The room went quiet from shame in all those except Mime. It was essentially a case of coercion of a royal prince, but the prince merely laughed. This kind of bargaining was all too common in the royal court. Give and take are the rules of the game of politics at all levels.
"As long as the conditions aren't too absurd."
Riné stepped toward Mime of course not as defense but rather on their orders. Stand close to him as a bargaining chip.
'I don't particularly feel upset. Still, he's treating me like a prized goose as a gift toward the prince.'
Mime's strategy and behavior were odd to Riné but with each interaction he had with them they seemed to fit a certain image. A cunning boss who manages to extort the highest amount of value from others while attempting to be friendly when they assign grueling work.
'As a friend, he's been nice but a business relationship would turn quickly sour. What he plans to do here however must only be for his benefit.'
As Mime gave a thumbs up his sneaky expression vanished becoming blank.
"First let me have command of a small unit with Riné and Holless."
The Prince rolled his eyes. A clear highball to lower his ask to his desired level. The Prince would play to his game then either way he'll rule the exam which was a game to him.
"Request accepted however you can only choose one of the two."
Mime placed his hands locking them together before nodding with a sigh.
"Alright then I'll take Riné then. Second, hold off from participating to allow the others to demonstrate their worth to the judges. I feel bad for hogging the light but that's just how the strong play."
Riné watched as Mime feigned a gloomy expression as he faked a teardrop rolling down his cheek before wiping it off.
'Yep, I was completely right. Let others show off is a complete lie he just wants to end it himself. At least he selected me though the thought is heartwarming... right?"
Niccoló however wasn't fooled as he simply looked past this transgression. Mime being willing to act this way showed either he was confidently incompetent or complicitly capable. Holless on the contrary was a bit dejected over being the trade in the conversation as he kicked a pebble.
"I can't give too long. Give me an estimate."
Gesturing a quick answer, Mime froze for a moment as he calculated, unable to come up with a quick response.
'I'll help him out.'
Riné hid his right hand behind Mimes back tapping the center of his back twice with all five fingertips. Mime quickly got the message before answering with a wavering expression.
"Ten minutes at the most."
Niccoló lulled over it for a moment before relenting. If they failed to take out the leader in time it was their opportunity to stand out while if they succeeded he still received credit.
"I can do that. I wait for your return here."
Mime bowed his head before quickly dragging Riné out of the tent. Holless was sent out as well by the Prince given a role leaving Niccoló and the older examinee. Niccoló leaned back in his chair before bursting into laughter.
"Ah, how long has it been? The nerve to speak against me like that this place is truly interesting! What do you think- Special Admission?"
Shifting a bit the informal royal guard released a breath of relief. Their expression was tense as they moved their fingers in the air using them with mana to write words.
'Can you please stop calling me that. I'm just a normal kid who doesn't want to get involved with this stuff.'
The Prince shook his head refusing their request.
"Super rejected! Someone like you receiving a special admission means there's more to you especially since you're possibly the oddest and maybe oldest examinee in Sophis history to get in kekeke!"
Shaking their head rapidly in denial they waved their fingers writing in the air an angry retort.
'I'm not old!'
——
Slamming his hand on the ground Mime was on all fours in front of Riné. Riné however grabbed his side Keth hiding behind him only taking small peeks toward the begging Mime.
"Don't drag me into this!"
Keth shouted at Riné for being a block against Mimes' pleading while Kairi rolled his eyes.
"We all need to be on the field so I'll need you guys with me..!"
Kairi looked down at Mime with a glare.
"For what reason exactly? At this rate, we all have enough of a chance to get into Sophis."
Riné calculated his chances as already assured and agreed heavily with this sentiment while Keth lingered on it a bit on Mimes side.
"Honors."
Turning his head toward them with a red forehead from it scraping against the ground he wore a certain grin.
"If we excel and get placed into the honor program the amount of perks will not only be insanely helpful but most importantly…"
Riné and the others felt curious about his main motivation as they felt compelled by the idea of an honors placement. Mages all needed resources and special opportunities if they truly wished to excel in their path to escape from mediocrity.
'Yes…?'
"I want to have a lot of fun!"
Kairi facepalmed, Keth cursed at him, while Riné was baffled. To most aspiring mages with half the talent the opportunity to attend the top institutions of the Daelk meant great things. The ability to network into higher positions and have access to greater magic knowledge and tools was the reason why getting into institutions such as these was sought.
"Mime."
"Hm?"
Riné's sudden address of Mime caused a bit of worry in Mime before he finished his thought.
"Model students get into the honors program right?"
Although Mime was confused at this question Riné's straightforwardness rubbed off on him as he simply nodded. Riné drew his saber once more as the Notus entered eyesight. Among the Notus however, this time were human beings.
"Instructors!"
The examinees among those not a part of the princes' faction gawked as some grew fearful. Facing the Notus who were basic in their attacks were different from the experienced mages who were the instructors.
"You think you can handle this in ten minutes?"
Keth drew his blade as Kairi manipulated water into orbs from magic circles. Keth turned his head meeting Riné's eyes.
"I've handled plenty alone so far what's here won't stop me now."
"Always a one-liner with this weirdo."
"Jeez, can you quit it with the moaning!"
The two each looked toward each other as their tension rose before Mime cut in.
"Let's put that energy y'all to use! Forward to take out the instructors and beat the hell out of them!"
In coordination, both Kairi and Keth yelled at Mime before sprinting all together toward the Notus army.
"Shut up!"
The three began to charge a great amount of mana as each activated their individual magic.
"Lightning Magic: Spectre Charge"
"Dash Magic: Rapid Succession"
"Water Magic: Stream Burst"
Riné and Keth moved forward making contact with the Notus as the two cleaved the foot soldiers in their path.
An elite stepped forward wielding a makeshift blade as the sound of its ticking was accompanied by the other foot soldiers and a magician Notus nearby, who were in the path of the three.
"Kairi handles the magician."
"Water-boy get the magician!"
Compared to Mime's order Keth's insulting nickname and behavior around the others set off Kairi as water streams moved toward the direction of the magician similar to a snake.
"Don't order me around city boy."
The magician reacting to the streams began to cast a reaction spell before the streams exploded into water pellets leaving it full of holes and it collapsed lifeless to the ground.
"Now you're free to work your magic vanguard."
Riné began to arc his mana through his body and saber as he moved toward the elite Notus in quick fashion the twos blades clashed in the air as a lesser force met Riné's saber being redirected toward the sky. Keth spotting an opening dashed forward in an instant as he moved his sword past the elite's midsection taking it along with his dash. As the foot soldiers moved toward the two magic bolts barraged and destroyed the approaching Notus. Mime was actively inputting orders to his controlled army and the other examinees behind his group.
"If we hold out here then the sharks will smell blood in the water and appear."
Continuing to swipe orders Riné nodded before jamming his saber into the ground and shutting his eyes.
Lightning traveled through the ground as static into the surroundings Rine began to send his mana into the surroundings to create a makeshift magic circle in the ground.
"Lightning Magic: Arc Field"
As Notus foot soldiers stepped near the group from all directions an overwhelming voltage of lightning flowed past their gears causing a chain reaction of implosions preventing approach.
"Careful with your step as long as my saber is grounded anyone who steps more than a couple of meters from it will receive the effect of the field."
Riné sat back on the hilt of the saber and relaxed for a second as sweat beaded down his forehead and his breathing became shallower. A large portion of his mana was being used. The only reason he'd be able to use a spell like this is that, as a seeker his ability to have a greater pool of mana along with the ability to send out mana in a greater capability than sentinels.
"I'll keep it up for a minute, and after that we'll have to hold out on our own."
"I wouldn't worry about holding on that long."
Riné and the others turned their heads as a familiar face greeted them wielding a sword outside the field among the Notus. A beret and a green suit marked the appearance of Instructor Kenn who was feared amongst students for his military and rigid demeanor.
"Bomb Magic: Carpet Clear"
Kenn threw out red mana projectiles toward Riné's group alerting the group further as they fluctuated from yellow to orange to red making a humming noise.
"Keth!"
Riné attempted to pull out his saber as he called out Keth to react he already was on it as he used his long sword to deflect the projectiles out of the field. A few of the projectiles exploded onto Keth's blade while the rest exploded toward the Notus nearby.
Riné looked toward Keth before his eyes opened in shock.
'This bastard.'
Keth's arm was singed from the explosion that bounced off the blade. The sudden attack wasn't fully blocked by his reinforced mana as Keth winced greatly from the burns. If he were a sentinel it wouldn't have left more than a couple of small burns but since he was a seeker his durability was lesser especially on short notice. Riné however was upset at this situation. His friend getting hurt, the instructor not holding back properly, and the situation as a whole.
'Isn't he going too far on examinees at a non-combat school?'
"Don't you think that was overdoing it?"
Riné's eyes went dark as he pointed the saber toward the instructor and moved in front of Keth who was being treated begrudgingly by Kairi as the water cleaned his burns causing great pain.
"If he can't handle that much then perhaps he shouldn't be going to these kinds of schools. Kids these days are built soft compared to the world back then."
"Mine, I don't even think we need ten minutes. I'll end this in one."