D-Day

The day of the test, when the boot camp program had culminated and their futures were hanging in the balance, Unbeknownst to everyone else, Alvin had been present that gloomy morning as an eyewitness. He made an early descent to the kitchen, enticed by the tantalizing sensation of hunger.

To his surprise, he tracked down a person who had vanished the night before. Seated in a relaxed manner in the living room is Mr. Pope. It was as if his piercing gaze reached deep into Alvin's own being.

He smiled mischievously and said, "Good morning, boy," to Mr. Pope.

Not expecting to see Mr. Pope there, Alvin was taken aback. "Sir, good morning." Alvin attempted to conceal his bewilderment as he said, "What brings you to this place?"

"Calm down, boy. You all better get ready for the exam that's about to start," Mr. Pope said, his eyes darting to the clock on his wrist. "In 30 minutes."

Even though he was often upbeat, Alvin was suddenly consumed by anxiety. Everyone else was still sound asleep, oblivious to the fact that his exam was about to start, he realized. Without a doubt, he strode quickly to the second floor and approached their rooms.

Anger and resolve welled up in Alvin as he pounded on the door, desperately hoping to rouse his dreaming pals. "Get up! The exam starts in 30 minutes!!!" he yelled out as he pounded on every door frantically.

In the girl's room, the loud noise startled her. Erika approached the door with a sour face. "Alvin, what's all the noise?" she asked in a voice that was still miserable.

"The test! According to Pope, the test will begin in thirty minutes. Let's rise and shine, guys!" Although he was worried, Alvin couldn't help but exclaim.

Just a second after that, the rooms that had been dead quiet were resonating with gasps, sighs, and surprised exclamations. Everyone in the woodcarving engineering class started to feel like time was running out. Do not put off studying for the exam any longer than necessary.

The generally peaceful villa became increasingly chaotic as time went on, with people rushing about, doors slamming, and the sounds of both joy and panic permeating the air.

The thirty minutes flew by, and the students, albeit hurried, eventually congregated in the living room. Mr. Pope was already waiting with his intense stare, as if the test that was about to be taken was anything other than a standard academic exam.

Even though it usually was a place of joy and laughter, the living room suddenly had an undeniably somber vibe due to the tension in the air. Among the crowd, Alvin looked around, seeing the faces of all his friends who seemed to still be under the influence of morning sleep.

He saw that Maya appeared to have just woken up from a nap since her normally perfectly arranged hair was suddenly disheveled. Zane, with a confused expression, looked like he was trying to compose the fact that the real exam was about to begin. Alvin even saw Juan who was still rubbing his eyes, a sign that morning was not his best friend.

However, Alvin's gaze stopped when he saw Mike. Mike, the class leader who was always strict and neat, now looked exhausted with his eyes still half closed. Alvin wondered if this was the effect of the long night or just the feeling of everyone still trying to digest the fact that this was not their world.

All of a sudden, the room was filled with the sound of Mr. Pope's heavy footsteps. The figure of their guide, who departed without divulging any significant details on this game, was the center of attention. Mr. Pope confidently took center stage and started outlining the test regulations.

"Alright, kids, here we go," he exclaimed with a voice that reverberated across the room. "First rule: no gimmicks. Although we may be in an unbelievable setting, what is happening here is a genuine test."

world beyond the estate continued to float in his thoughts. This was the examination that would prepare them for the national exam later on, but why had he developed such a profound interest in the country they would be going to rule later?

After he finished explaining, Mr. Pope grinned widely, giving Alvin a look he didn't understand. With a clap of his hands, he said, "Here we go!!!"

After a brief period of inattention, Alvin's perspective shifted when he opened his eyes. As always, they were seated in a well-organized classroom. But it was all extremely strange. As he tried to process the idea that our class's performance on this exam will determine whether or not we met or surpassed expectations, Alvin wondered.