Weldphal (2)

Valan found himself inside a vast hall of Weldphal Arcane Academy.

Stone columns reached toward the high ceilings, while photos depicting the academy's founders were hung in the wall. Many applicants formed queues in front of rows of registration desks. The air filled with murmur of conversations and the sounds of stamps.

"Well, this is it," Celica said, bouncing on her toes as she surveyed the scene. "Look at all these people! I wonder how many they'll actually accept."

"The acceptance rate is around ten to twenty percent average," Arline said. "So, not many."

"Queue three looks shortest," Arline noted, pointing toward a desk where a middle-aged female clerk had just processed an applicant.

They joined the line, Celica was in front, Arline in the middle spot, and Valan at the rear. The queue moved at a steady pace as the clerks did their work.

"Next," called the clerk when they reached the front.

"I'm Celica Celeste."

The clerk, a woman with short, brown hair, looked up from her ledger. Her nameplate read 'Ms. Narves.' "Miss Celeste. Can you show your middle-school's diploma please?"

"I have a letter of recommendation." Celica gave her a cream-colored envelope, sealed with blue wax bearing a dolphin's crest.

Ms. Narves examined the letter, running her fingers along the seal before breaking it open. Her eyes scanned the contents. "From the headmaster herself? Interesting."

Celica beamed with smile as she looked at Arline and Valan.

Ms. Narves made a note in her ledger. "Your age, Ms. Celeste?"

"Sixteen, ma'am."

"Place of origin?"

"Nemada, Duchy of Waldea, Kingdom of Lusigalia."

"Previous education?"

"1st Nemada Arcane Middle-School."

"A good school—no wonder the headmaster give you the letter," Ms. Narves stamped a form and handed Celica a bronze token. "Proceed to examination hall C at ten o'clock sharp."

"I'll see you later! Good luck!" Celica waved as she left Arline and Valan at the queue.

"Next."

Arline stepped forward.

"Arline Pherasvel."

"Can you show your middle-school's diploma please, Ms. Pherasvel?"

Arline presented her own envelope. The clerk's eyebrows rose slightly as she examined the seal. "From the headmaster again?"

"The person you talked before, she's my friend from the same school."

"I see." Ms. Narves murmured, her voice curious. She broke the seal and read the letter's contents. "Your age?"

"Sixteen."

"Origin?"

"Nemada."

"So you're from 1st Nemada as well?"

"Only the 3rd year, ma'am. For the first two, I studied at Royal Lorrenfeld Arcane Middle-School."

Ms. Narves raised an eyebrow as she stared at her. But then she stamped her form and gave Arline a bronze token. "Examination hall B at ten o'clock."

"Do your best." Arline said.

"You too."

She then left the queue, leaving Valan alone.

"Next."

Valan approached the desk.

"Name?"

"Valan Ferndall."

"Can you show me your diploma or letter of recommendation?"

Valan withdrew the envelope Master had given him months ago. It was identical to what Celica and Arline gave to her.

Ms. Narves accepted the letter, she broke the seal and studied the letter carefully. Valan watched as he waited.

"From the headmaster too?"

Valan held his breath. His mouth hung in the open, but he managed to let out some words. "Yes."

"You're friends with those girls before?"

"Actually, I just met them several days ago."

She held his gaze before shrugged. "Well, birds of a feather flock together."

Dammit, he thought.

Master made the letter, and she said it was authentic. He never read it, nor he made the effort to check it—he didn't care. However, Valan knew her master was never a teacher or a scholar—let alone teaching at Weldphal. Although he doubt the letter's authenticity, everything always went well if he trusted what Master said.

Except he ow know it was fake.

She made him stood on a thin ice. Valan was worried if somehow the headmaster would take a notice out of this—because she would knew she never gave that letter to Valan.

But for now, he decided to play along.

"Your age, Mr. Ferndall?" Ms. Narves' question pulled him back to reality.

"Sixteen."

"Origin?"

"Isvania, Province of Isvania, Kingdom of Darvern."

"From across the ocean? That's so far away."

"Previous education?"

"None."

Ms. Narves looked up at him. She then made several notations in her ledger. She stamped his form and gave him a token.

"Examination hall E at two o'clock."

"Thank you."

After going to examination hall E and gave his form and token, Valan was led into what looked like a small classroom with around other fifteen applicants.

The written examination tests had began. Three hours, one hundred multiple choice and fifty essay questions from varying disciplines—mathematics, theoretical arcane, science, philosophy, history—all subjects Master had drilled into him.

He glanced around the room. Most students chewed their quills or stared blankly at the ceiling. A few scribbled frantically with sweat beading on their foreheads.

Valan looked at his own exam sheet. Some of the questions were indeed complex, but looking at the others' faces, maybe the questions were too hard than usual—he assumed.

The theoretical arcane section asked about mana flow dynamics and its formula—not something you can recall easily and write your answer in minutes. Then there were alchemy questions covering many basic transmutation principles—too many. That was before mentioning what other subject had in store.

But still, Valan could manage all of those. He was supposed to be a nerd, afterall.

He deliberately slowed his pace, filling reasonable answers. For the technology section, which is heavily related to steam and heat, he drew on physics knowledge from his previous life, which helped him a lot when he studied this world's technology.

Valan wasn't exactly an A student back in Japan, but he wasn't entirely dumb.

Valan found himself happened to be in the same room as Benar Lamwel, who sat three rows ahead. He looked relaxed, lazily filling in the answers. He looked like he'd rather be anywhere else. He finished each section with minutes to spare, then spent the remaining time staring out the window.

When time was called, Valan had completed roughly eighty percent of the exam—enough for a solid score, but nothing that would draw unwanted attention.

"Time's up!" The proctor's voice echoed through the hall. "No more writing! And wait until your paper is taken before you can move to the next examination room, thank you!"

Valan leaned back in his chair. Around him, other students frantically scribbled until the very last second, some still writing even as the proctor approached their desks.

The proctor began collecting papers row by row. She checked each student's name against her roster before taking their sheets.

When she reached Valan's desk, he handed over his paper without comment. She glanced at his name and moved on.

"Those who have submitted their papers may proceed to the practical examination room," she announced. "Follow the signs marked 'Practical Wing' and report to your assigned instructor."

Valan stood and stretched. Benar had already left, probably among the first to finish. He followed the flow of applicants down a corridor until the next examination room lay ahead.

Arcane calibration test—to analyze mana level and elemental affinity.

Inside there were four small chambers which looked like a telephone box—transparent from all sides. Each of them had two or three people with what looked like a clipboard each.

"Next!" called an examiner near the closest booth.

A nervous girl with braided hair stepped forward. The examiner gestured toward the open chamber door.

"Just step inside and stand there. We'll handle the rest."

The girl entered the booth. The door closed with a soft click. Immediately, the panels began to glow—first a pale blue, then shifting through various colors.

After thirty seconds, the glow faded.

"You can come out."

The girl then stepped out of the chamber.

"Name?"

"Renia Armel."

"Thank you, Miss Armel. You may proceed to the next examination room."

The girl nodded and hurried away.

"Next!"

Before stepping forward, Valan muttered in a very small voice, almost silent.

"By the Creator, hearken to me..."

Acting as if nothing happened, he went to the front of a chamber. The same examiner who had handled the previous student looked him over briefly.

"Right then, in you go."

Valan entered the chamber. The space was cramped, barely wide enough for his shoulders. The panels surrounded him on four sides. Their surfaces were cold to the touch.

The door sealed shut. Darkness enveloped him for a moment before the panels began their work.

With his spell, Valan carefully moderated the output of his mana level to match an average student's level. He also manipulated his elemental affinities, making sure that the chamber would only register water and wind as his elements.

The examiners started writing their findings, and after some time, Valan finally stepped out from the chamber, ready to move to the next examination.

More tests awaited him, but Valan felt satisfied with his what he had done so far.

There was no doubt he'd secure his admission to Weldphal Academy.

He was sure of it, but he never thought it would be this easy.

Not the examination, but how he managed to deceive everyone so far.