The room was relatively quiet after Emma had left.
I sat next to Liam and Nira as we chatted about the academies.
"I'm going to Aethon," I said.
"Damn, I'm going to attend Aethon as well," Nira spoke with a teasing smile. "Don't tell me you're only going because you want to see me."
"And why would I want to see you, princess?" I answered in a flat tone.
"Hmm... I don't know, you tell me." She stared directly into my eyes.
"..." I met her gaze with a blank look masking my actual thoughts.
'...Calm down, Cassian, she's just teasing you.' I tried calming my heartbeat.
"I'll also be attending Aethon." A deep raspy voice came from another side of the room.
There I saw a tall, muscly figure with a face that resembled a bodybuilder except he had...
"A man bun?" Nira said it aloud.
I resisted the urge to facepalm.
'Does she have no filter?'
"Yeah, isn't it quite cool?" He replied, seeming unbothered by Nira's audacity, and began showing off his black hair tied neatly in a bun. "It ensensuates my muscles."
He began striking poses to emphasize his muscles.
'Oh, my god.' I cringed.
Looking to my side, I saw Nira's face.
She looked at him with utter unfiltered disgust.
-Bram Holt, 8th Place, please come to the stage
"Looks like it's my turn." Bram stopped his ridiculous poses and headed out of the room.
And just as he was about to leave, he stopped and looked at us.
"I hope to see you all in the academy. I heard Aethon's gym is incredible."
He then left without another word, adjusting his manbun slightly as he walked.
"He seems cool," I said.
"He is a weirdo," Nira spoke.
"Look who's talking," I mumbled.
"Excuse me." Nira glared at me.
"You're excused." I smiled.
Just as Nira was about to say something, the sound of a door opening interrupted her.
Liam's head snapped in the direction of the door.
Elise walked through wearing a grey trench coat and a fedora.
'Does she think she's a detective?'
She walked in our direction.
"Hey, guys." She greeted us
"Yo," I greeted her.
"Oh, hiii." Liam smiled and waved.
'Fucking simp.'
Elise turned to Nira, and they made eye contact for a moment.
"Greetings, princess," Elise bowed slightly.
"Long time no see, Lady Rendal," Nira replied, her tone somewhat cold.
I was then reminded of something.
'Oh, right, she hates nobles.'
And it wasn't just a dislike toward them, it was pure hatred toward anyone of noble blood, regardless of who they were. There's only one thing she hated more than nobles.
Royalty.
I frowned.
-Lucien Farre, 7th Place, please come to the stage
"..."
"..."
Nothing.
No one moved then...
-step
A single step came from another side of the room as a young man got up from the only shadow in the room and walked past without a word, leaving the room.
He was wearing matte black clothing that helped him blend with the shadows, making him unnoticeable.
At least... that's what he thought.
In reality everyone in the room had long noticed him smiling in a dark corner by himself.
When I first saw him, I held myself back from laughing in his face.
He looked like an idiot.
"Was he wearing eyeshadow?" Nira spoke, dumbfounded.
"Looks like it," Liam replied.
"Yeah, it was, that's the eye shadow that my family sells," Elise spoke.
It's true, not only does the Rendal family host the entrance exam annually, but they also have a massive trade of cosmetics that spreads all across the continent.
'Talk about a diamond spoon.'
-Lena Caldren, 6th Place, please come to the stage
"Wow, that was fast," I spoke, slightly surprised.
"He probably didn't give a speech," Liam said.
"Or, maybe he pissed himself on stage," Nira laughed.
"..."
"..."
"Excuse me." A flat, feminine voice came.
There stood a girl wearing what seemed to be a lab coat. Her brown hair was a mess, and her glasses were crooked. She had a device in her hand that looked like a tablet of some sort.
Somehow, even under that messy hair and dirty lab coat, one could clearly tell. She was beautiful. Her violet eyes seemed to grab my attention instantly.
"Which way do I go?" She asked in a flat tone as if she didn't care about anything.
Elise pointed to the door that led to the stage. "That way, Miss Caldren."
"Thanks." She thanked Elise and walked past, clearly bored with the situation.
She left without another word.
I gazed at her figure as she left.
'I need to get her help.'
She was going to help with a problem of mine that I couldn't fix myself.
I turned around only to see the entire group staring at me.
"What?"
"...Do you think she's pretty?" Nira asked in a cold tone.
"Ye-wait what?" The question caught me off guard.
"So you do."
"I-I never said that! Don't take it the wrong way." I desperately tried to explain myself.
"Oh, what way would I take it?"
Looking at Nira, I saw a wide, teasing smile plastered on her face, and not just her, but Liam and Elise.
"Y-you." It dawned on me.
"Hmm? Me what?" Nira's smile only widened.
'This bitch.'
"Haa..." I let out a long sigh, composing myself. "Your childish jokes have no effect on me."
"What joke? I don't remember telling a joke."
My lips twitched.
'Fuckin-'
-Felix Harven, 5th Place, please come to the stage
The intercom called again this time for...
"Huaahhh..." A long yawn came from a bench where a young man wrapped in a blanket and resting on a pillow finally woke up.
He blinked a couple of times, then got up and stretched his arms out.
He was around my height and had short orange hair. He seemed somewhat noble despite being wrapped in a blanket.
He turned to us. "Did they call me?"
"Is your name Felix Harven?" I asked.
"Hmm." He nodded slowly, still tired from his nap.
"Then yes, they called you."
"...Okay." He reluctantly pushed himself toward the door and exited the room with a solemn expression as if they had stolen something precious from him.
His naptime.
"Guess it's just us now," I spoke to the rest.
"Yeah, I wonder who's up next," Liam said.
"I'm more interested in who came first between you two." Nira pointed at Liam and me.
"I'm wondering the same," Elise spoke.
"Guys, isn't it obvious it's me?" I spoke with confidence.
"And why would it be you?" Liam raised a brow.
"I defeated the lava creature."
"Hey, WE defeated it," Liam said, "And it's called a magmarilla by the way.."
"Who the fuck is we?" I asked, flabbergasted. "And the name is horrible. Who came up with that?"
"The name is pretty stupid-sounding." Nira agreed.
Liam nodded, and Elise seemed to be lost in her own thoughts.
"The Veranis vice headmaster came up with it." Elise finally spoke.
"No wonder," Nira replied. "She's one crazy ass bitch."
Now I can't read minds, but I'm pretty sure we all had the same thought looking at Nira.
'Look who's talking.'