The Magic Assessment - Part 2

It didn't take long for me to find Seraphine. The moment I stepped foot inside the forest, I could already sense her. There was a faint but unmistakable aura of magic energy in the air, a clear indication someone was casting a spell.

Seraphine is using magic, but why?

I followed the magic's trail and soon spotted her standing in a small clearing. I kept myself hidden, I wanted to know what she's up to before approaching her.

She was standing still, concentrating on her magic. Around her, small sparks of energy flared up, building up power. Seraphine lifted her hand, then suddenly the magic in the air converged to the center of her hand and formed into a sphere. She released it, the ball of energy shot through the air until it collided with a tree, blowing the trunk apart and shattering it into splinters.

She’s practicing? But why out here?

I decided to step forward and remind her of the assessment. "Lady Mireidyne."

Seraphine was startled by my appearance, and immediately took a defensive stance. But she quickly relaxed again when she saw a fellow student. She fixed her posture, standing tall, and answered: "Lord Draivelle."

She's cold, but at least she remembers my name.

I stepped into the clearing, getting closer to Seraphine, and spoke. "The assessments are starting, everyone's gathering in the courtyard. I have come to get you."

Her gaze was stern and calculating, but her face betrayed a hint of suspicion.

"How did you find me?"

Right on the mark. She's sharp as always. I need to be careful with my answer and maybe direct the conversation somewhere more favorable.

"A student saw you leaving, I thought you should know the assessment is starting soon. But I am curious as to what exactly it is you are doing out here? Practicing?"

Seraphine spent a moment carefully weighing my words. Then she seemed to relax a little. "Indeed. It's rather important to me to perform well at the assessment." Her eyes went distant, she looked as though her thoughts were far away.

"Your house is expecting much from you. You must meet the high expectations that are put on you. To prove to them that you are worth their attention. To show you can rise up and become something." I tried to connect to her. When I saw her puzzled look I quickly added "I understand, because my house is much like yours. They expect much of me as well."

Seraphine was quiet for a moment. I thought I might have pushed her away again, but then she responded: "No. That is not why."

She looked back at the shattered trunk, then continued. "Valastra Academy for Young Nobles and Gifted Students. The name implies a divided student body. There are those who belong here because they possess great magic potential, and those who only got in due to their lineage. You may not have noticed it, they try their hardest to keep their facade in front of us, but us 'lineage' students are seen as inferior. Even some of the teachers believe that. That's why I have to prove I am more than just my blood. That's why..." Seraphine trailed off as she realized how much she had said.

"...that's why you spent countless nights and days practicing, until even a commoner could not compare." I completed her thought.

Seraphine stared at me until I realized what I said. "How did you...?"

Crap! That's knowledge from the game!

"I mean, I've been able surmise as much from everything I saw and heard. What I don't understand is why out here?" I was hoping Seraphine would not dwell too much on how exactly I arrived at the conclusion I did.

She hesitated for a moment, then she replied: "Because if they knew how much work I had to put into this, just to reach their natural ability... It's getting late, let us go to the assessment." She was trying to end this conversation. I had hoped she would be willing to talk more, but I can't risk her getting more suspicious.

She's starting to open up to me. I think this went well, all things considered.

As I was declaring this a victory in my mind, Seraphine turned to leave the forest, but she stopped for a moment and spoke in her usual regal tone: "Thank you for telling me about the assessment, Lord Draivelle. I'll remember that you have my gratitude. Oh, and before I forget, you'll need to be more careful with your lies. I made quite certain no other student saw me leave campus. Don't expect to trick me so easily."

She knows I didn't find her through a random student! Was everything she said after that a calculated play to mess with me?

Seraphine left me speechless and returned by herself to the school.

I returned to the academy just as they were about to begin the assessment. The other students had already entered the arena and I was about to enter it myself when I heard a muffled voice from behind me accompanied by rapid footsteps.

"Ouph oo pha hay!"

I turned around and sighed. It was Lily, she ran towards me as fast as she could while still talking through the piece of bread in her mouth.

Really? You're gonna do the bread scene? Can you be more cliché?

Desperate to avoid the part where we'd run into each other, I gracefully sidestepped out of Lily's way.

However, she recognized me and skid to a halt just past me. Then she turned around and spoke.

"Lowb Dwaeeve!"

"Take out that piece of bread from your mouth before you talk!" I ordered her. "And for god's sake, chew!"

She did as told. After swallowing the bread she started over.

"Lord Draivelle. Good morning! It's been a while since we had a chance to talk like this."

"We don't really have time-" I started to say but Lily was not listening.

"You're always so busy in class and when class is over you're gone before I even get to talk to you. And then I can't find you anywhere-"

No wonder, I've been avoiding you since you wrecked my plan last time.

"Anyway, I wanted to apologize for what happened on your first day. I kinda got carried away there, but it wasn't on purpose and I'm not a bad person! So anyway, I hope we can start over and-"

"Lily." I said with an icy tone, hoping to shut her up. "The assessments."

I didn't need to say more. The bell rang to announce the start of the assessment. Lily and I hurried inside.

After a boring introduction speech from the headmaster and some explanations from a professor, the actual assessment began with an announcement for the randomly chosen pairings for the combat exercise. Each student would have to participate in three battles against randomly chosen opponents.

I wasn't too concerned about my opponents. After all, my results here hardly affect my plans and with my powers it should be easy to get whatever result I want.

I still looked at the opponents I would be facing out of curiosity. The first and third were unfamiliar names, they never appeared in the game so they probably weren't very important.

My second opponent was a name I recognized however. In the game he would score highest out of all male students.

Prince Alaric Montclair.