Chapter 323 - Snacks and Airships

“Mhmm… Ou’ shhould try tis.” Flynn used a saffron flatbread to gesture at a tray of velvet-root tarts, his cheeks full. A plate balanced on his elbow to let him hold a glass of spiced wine and use his free hand on a fork. “Add ‘ne of thesh too, pleeashe.”

“Yes… sir. Just one moment…” The server angled the tart with a pair of silver tongs, struggling to find a spot that wouldn’t ruin the precarious pyramid of fancy foods.

Kai gave the woman a sympathetic look. Her face lit in relief when Flynn forked a slice of meat pie, freeing precious space.

How is he still not full?

Hungry teens wandered the tables laid with delicacies and icy drinks served by waiters in spotless suits. All dishes used pseudo-mana ingredients or higher—Raelion had spared no expenses. The feast spread across three halls, offering way more food than the remaining applicants could eat.

His group counted about a hundred and fifty candidates after merging with four others—a third of the original participants, with the tests far from over.

“I’ll have one of those.” Rain offered his silver plate, pointing to a tray of pickled moon plums and smoked silver ox livers. Since eating his fill, he had switched to smelling and collecting curious-looking treats.

“Uh. I’m good, thank you," Kai reassured the waiting server, sipping a glass of cold mint tea. He had a slice of braised lamb on the plate and couldn’t imagine taking another bite. “I think we’ve had enough.”

Flynn vehemently shook his head, beating his chest to swallow. “I’m still peckish. And it’s free. C’mon, we haven’t checked the last hall. I must try one of everything.” Working hard to clear his plate, he led the charge toward the last side of the banquet.

A pudgy patrician sneered at the pile of food as they passed the double doors separating the spaces. “Stuffing his mouth like a beast.” The whisper to his companion begged to be heard. “He must never have had food in his life.”

The red-haired teen listening elbowed him. “Don’t be a jerk, Jev.”

“Why? It’s true. He has no manners.”

“Oink!” Flynn grunted as he walked by them, too concerned with the food on his plate to care.

“Hey!” The pudgy boy stepped forward to say more, but reeled back when Rain glanced his way.

Probably not a friendly look… I should ask him to teach me.

Kai trailed after his friends into the last vaulted hall. Avoiding patricians at Raelion was going to be harder than anticipated; thankfully, only a minority went out of their way to share unrequired opinions.

Can’t be worse than the last examiner.

Recalling the old professor with bushy eyebrows, Kai raised his forearm to stifle a laugh and not splutter his tea. Had he ever met a man so drunk on his self-delusions? The face he made upon seeing his list of affinity had been worth all the nonsense.

That might have scarred him.

Minor Elemental Attunement had improved the kinship with all his elements, though the increase depended on their starting value. The lowest, like Fire, had gone up by seven, while Water only gained one.

They said it’d get harder to raise them.

Either way, Kai was satisfied with the boon. Any boost to his elemental magic was invaluable, and his minor affinities became much easier to use. He wouldn’t suffer freezing temperatures again.

I scored higher than Rain…

Even repeating himself that comparison was futile, the results filled him with more pride than he wished to admit.

He had been bummed by the gap in their status score, and the points he could have gained from Yellow ★★—just a few thousand XP away. Ultimately, the longer he could avoid the spotlight, the better. His affinities attracted enough attention on their own.

I should have enough points to pass. Or close to it…

A pity he couldn’t study the enchantments in the testing rooms. Such exquisite runework. He hadn’t seen anything similar since Edgar kicked him out of his workshop in Higharbor.

“Wait up.” Kai strode to catch up to Flynn and Rain. They had stopped at one of the farthest tables, debating the virtues of a pumpkin cake with bright red stripes. “Don’t stuff yourself. You know we have more tests to go.”

“It’s fine.” Flynn cleaned his hands on a napkin and patted his flat stomach. “I’ve still got plenty of space.”

How can he… It must be a skill.

Could a stomach develop a spatial subspace?

Probably not… but you might be able to accelerate digestion.

“Excuse me.” Flynn smiled at the waiter, pointing his fork at the pumpkin cake. “Could you give me a slice of—”

“Brunch time is over!” A voice thundered across the hall, causing the crystal chandeliers above them to quiver. The chewing and chattering of teens ceased. “All remaining candidates gather in the main hall.”

“Wait—”

“You have thirty seconds or your application will be considered forfeit.”

“I’m afraid the banquet is closed, sir.” The waiter gave an apologetic bow. “We aren’t allowed to serve food outside the set limits. May I put away your plate?”

Such a pity.

“You heard the man. Time to go.” Kai patted Flynn’s slumping shoulders. “C’mon, put down the plate. We’re on the clock.”

From what he observed, the Head Evaluator was perfectly capable of failing an applicant over a one-second delay.

“Do we really have to…?” Flynn gazed at the pumpkin cake as if considering grabbing it and making a run for it. Before he could make up his mind, Kai dragged him away by the collar of his shirt.

Flynn let himself get pulled with only a token resistance, free arm grasping toward the disappearing prize. “I only wanted a slice…”

“It smelled like bitter seaweed,” Rain wrinkled his nose, leaving his plate to a waiter. “It probably wasn’t very good.”

“Yeah. Definitely tasted terrible.” Kai let go of his friend as they joined the stream of candidates funneling through the double doors.

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“But my tummy’s hungry.” Flynn sulked and massaged his stomach. “And it was free.” He weakly fought a server who wanted to take his plate before conceding.

“I’m sure you won’t starve. There’ll be more food at Raelion.”

In the main hall, waiters carried away the last banquet tables. The door shut on their back after entering. Kai couldn’t see the Head Evaluator behind the heads of the other applicants, though that didn’t hinder hearing his speech.

“Quiet.” The old man blanketed the crowd with his presence. Climbing an invisible dais, he offered a curt grunt of approval. “I must congratulate you on passing the first selection. Whether it was the tutors whipping you, talent at birth, or your own determination, you must not have entirely wasted your childhood years.”

Thanks, I guess…?

That sounded close to praise. Kai fell back onto his heels; they exchanged a better view for breathing space at the back of the hall. The Head Evaluator swept his gaze over the applicants. His attention seemed to linger in their direction, though it was too brief to say.

Using him for cover, Flynn was quietly munching a chocolate cookie he smuggled inside, while Rain poked his cheeks to make him laugh.

And they say I don’t take things seriously enough.

“Now.” The man’s voice soared to quiet the rising murmurs. “We’ll proceed with the course-specific tests for the three academic divisions. Talent and skills alone aren’t enough to enter Raelion, if you don’t know how to apply them…”

Three examiners joined him on the dais as the speech continued—all three sported two stripes on their uniform, signaling their rank. Kai recognized the terse woman from his status evaluation, auburn hair tied in an elaborate chignon and lips pressed in an unenthusiastic line.

Despite her stoic demeanor, he got the distinct impression her presence there wasn’t in her plans.

Did someone pull out?

“…now, follow your course representatives to your place of evaluation.” The Head Evaluator gestured to the trio. “The mandatory tests for Mana and Martial studies will conclude tonight. However, all of you can take the voluntary tests until noon tomorrow.

“For those uninformed, I’ll remind you that every applicant needs at least 120 points to enroll. Lower scores won’t be considered, regardless of the spots available or path of study. If the successful applicants exceed the number of available openings, the highest scores will take precedence and course-specific exams will decide any tie,” he said. “Are there any questions?”

His frigid gaze surveyed the hall, daring anyone to speak. Kai half-raised his arm before letting the hand fall—too many people were packed around him for his taste. It was still nice knowing he had enough points to pass the threshold.

Hmm… it would be funny if I ask—

“Good.” The Head Evaluator thundered before Kai could reconsider. “I’ll leave it to your course representatives to explain the details and hope to see you at Raelion. Do your best.” His aura pulse again. “Any less won’t be tolerated.”

The man marched off the stage, letting the second female examiner take the dais. Kai recognized her from the same pink pillbox hat and bright smile she had worn that morning.

“Hello, candidates! Nice to see you all again. I know many of you worked hard for this opportunity.” Her bubbly voice lightened the mood, contrasting with the dry instructions that followed.

The tests’ structure wasn’t much different from what Valela told him. All meals and accommodations would be provided until the end of the trials, although candidates could lodge in Nerethi if they wished.

Given his lack of an estate in the city. Kai would take advantage of Raelion’s lavish services that he had already paid for.

“As the Head Evaluator said, do your best!” The cheerful examiner concluded with a clap, her smile never wavering. “All applicants looking to enroll in Artisan Studies, please follow me. For everyone else, be ready to move within five minutes. You’ll be with Professor Thornwyn and Professor Beltram. I look forward to seeing your faces at Raelion.”

With her speech concluded, the applicants’ chatter soon filled the vaulted space. About thirty teens left with the woman; the aspiring crafters made up the smallest but most diverse group, in terms of age and profession.

It must be a nightmare to test them all.

Kai kept to the edge of the hall to avoid the press of the mob.

Could he have enrolled in the Artisan Studies with his Alchemy and Enchanting?

His current identity was that of an alchemist's son, though brewing potions was a secondary hobby for him. Hopefully, the lack of information on his upbringing and the journey on the mainland would justify his combat magic.

“So…” Flynn rested his back on the wall between him and Rain. “Looks like we have to split.”

“Yeaaah,” Kai said, stretching his arms. “Best of Luck.”

“Try to hold back the tears.” Flynn dryly chuckled. “Also, don’t get into trouble. I know it must be hard, but no shady conspiracies or deadly fights till I’m back.”

“Uh… And when do I ever do that?” Kai made an indignant huff.

For an answer, Flynn spun to stare at him with a raised eyebrow.

“Okay, fair,” he sighed. “That might have happened on rare occasions. We’ll be fine this time. You know I’m not the one still missing points…”

“Yes. I know that’s how it should be. It’s why they still have tests.” Flynn looked at him and Rain, shaking his head. “Only monsters like you two have already hit the threshold. Honestly, you should thank me for hanging around.”

“I only hear envy.” Kai laughed. “After all, mighty mages don’t mingle with trained brutes.” He parroted the conversations he had overheard around the hall.

“Yeah. And mages would get shanked in a back alley if someone didn’t watch over them.” Flynn responded in kind. “Don’t miss me too much.”

“Same for you.” Kai waved him off with a grin. Two groups were gathering around the professors. Since Flynn passed the static checks with decent points, why worry about the practical tests?

“Are you really going to be okay?” Rain asked with a frown. “You still need a lot of points. And you haven’t had much time in Yellow. Some of these candidates are quite strong for… you know…”

Flynn staggered back, dramatically grasping at his heart, before smiling again. “It’s gonna be alright. The competition has nothing on me.”

Despite the smug reassurance, Rain chewed his lip. “I don’t want to join Raelion without you.”

“Then, it’s good I’ll also be getting in.” Flynn leaned in to give each a one-armed hug and a squeeze. “Okay. Gotta go. The trained brutes are about to leave.” He gestured to the applicants trailing Professor Beltram out of two double doors. “I’ll see you after my triumph. Look for the candidate who carries the heads of his enemies.”

“Of course.” Kai rolled his eyes. “Just play it safe. And don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“Right… you know that’s not as helpful as you think,” Flynn said and ran to join his group with a cheery wave.

Mana Studies had the privilege of being the last to leave the hall.

Left alone, Kai glanced at Rain. “Stop worrying. He’ll be fine.”

“How can you be sure? Even if you’re prepared, something can always go wrong.”

“Trust him. For one, he’s annoyingly resourceful. And also, half the people there look like they’ve never been in a real fight.”

Rain begrudgingly nodded to that.

“C’mon, we gotta go too.” Kai headed to join the sixty or so applicants around Professor Thorwyn, making sure Rain was following.

“…stay close. Any questions?” Professor Thornwyn gazed at the crowd of silent teens, cutting the pause short when she crossed his gaze. "If everything is clear, let’s proceed. We’ve got a tight schedule. I won’t wait for stragglers.”

Is it my imagination or did that feel strangely targeted?

Kai followed the tail of the group, noticing with mild exasperation Mana Studies had the highest percentage of patricians—over half.

They climbed several ramps of stairs and slowed before an arched doorway on the fifth floor. Outside, wind whipped an open balcony with a low buzzing in the background.

What—

A zeppelin hovered beside the building, linked with two sets of chains and a metal ladder to the terrace. The applicants were already boarding as if it were nothing special.

I should have listened more closely.

When they said they’d take the test in another location, he hadn’t expected they’d take an airship to get there. Who used a zeppelin to travel within a city?

“Where are we going?” Kai reached the boarding ladder, not realizing he had spoken out loud.

“As I explained earlier, the test quarters are in the north-central district,” Professor Thornwyn said. She stood by the hanging bridge to count the passing applicants. The wind somehow didn’t buffet her auburn hair.

Kai hurried to board to escape her disapproving gaze.

They sure like to make everything grand.