“This is the last stop… From here, we teleport to the main city.”

“Teleport?” Momentarily flabbergasted, Max remembered the conversations on the train. In recent years, teleportation had become available to everyone around the world, albeit with some restrictions. Max was still having trouble wrapping his head around the concept. “Wait... Isn’t that super expensive? Can we afford it?”

“Under normal circumstances… probably not. But there's a teleportation matrix some distance away reserved for the applicants.” Liliana answered with an eye roll. Lucky that you’re an amnesiac otherwise I would have no reason to be so patient with you.

The hackneyed street had no new sights to offer and in some places bore resemblance to a growing flea market. Minutes of silently walking eventually brought the duo before a flamboyantly designed fifteen storey building. The giant construct stood out like a sore thumb and looked down arrogantly upon the rest of the surrounding structures. Combined with the enormous steel gate manned by uniformed guards, it exuded an imposing aura that would deter most from approaching it.

On noticing the duo, one of the guards immediately sprung into action. “Halt! What's your purpose here?”

“We intend to go to the testing grounds for the general academy exams later today.” Liliana replied and handed her papers. “Here's my admission pass.”

“Everything seems to be in order, you may proceed. Go to the top floor.” Satisfied, the guard gave a nod as he opened a path for the two. Watching Liliana and Max disappear into the building, he gave Max an odd look. A human for a familiar! I wonder how far they'll get.

“The standard fee for applicants is two hundred silver coins. Please pay the amount and stand there with the others. This year the tests will be held at the Royal Magic School.”  A stout man greeted the duo with indifference as they arrived at the highest floor. A few feet behind him were a number of teenagers with mild expressions of excitement. Huddled in a corner, they spoke in hushed tones as they waited for the remaining candidates.

“Tw - Two hundred? Wasn't it one-fifty?”

The man furrowed his brows and glanced at Liliana in annoyance. “Two hundred silver. Non-negotiable. If you can't pay up then come back when you have gathered the money or find your own means of transportation.”

Liliana reluctantly nodded as she pulled out four silver coloured notes.

“Alright, go wait with the rest.”

Liliana's heart bled when she saw the man casually handle all that money as if it were pocket change. She silently pulled Max along and stood quietly at one end of the crowd.

To most, four hundred silver was a large amount. Seeing Liliana’s pitiful expression, Max snickered and quietly took out two silver notes.

“Wha - What's this? Where did you get this from?”

“I wonder where?” Max smiled, but immediately faltered when he noticed Liliana eyeing him suspiciously. “What’s with that look? This is honest money, I didn't steal it.”

The notes were from a small bundle he had received from Isabel.

With the number of candidates having reached the requirement, the man announced, “Attention candidates! I will now be activating the teleportation matrix. You will find small circles engraved on the ground to your right. Please pick one and stand inside it.”

Instantly, a bustle of excitement spread across the floor as the applicants hurriedly stepped forward. The man casually walked to the side and carefully placed three blood red stones into slots on the ground.

Almost instantly, the circles began to glow dimly. The youngsters froze and momentarily blacked out before finding themselves inside a large closed space with an impatient man towering over them.

“The numbing sensation will pass.” The man indifferently said and glanced at his watch. “Five minutes is all you get. After that, you’ll get escorted to the examination hall.”

While the other candidates cluttered in enthusiastic discussions, Max noticed Liliana walk up to him in an unsteady manner. He immediately stepped forward to support her and took her to a corner where the two huddled together.

“Are you alright?”

“I - I'm fine.” Liliana carelessly responded as she hid her face between her knees. She was trembling.

A year ago, Bryan had offered to get her into Taurus academy. Unlike before, the stakes were higher. The humiliation of a failure would be devastating. Liliana had believed that her confidence wouldn’t waver, but with the exam just moments away… she wasn't sure anymore.

Liliana looked up to find her face inches away from Max's. Frowning, she squirmed and pulled her head back.

Max reassuringly smiled, attempting to hide his awkwardness by putting strength into his words. “You've been practicing harder than anyone in these past few weeks. All that hard work culminates to this point. I promise... You won't fail. After all, someone who contracted me for a familiar can't be weak.”

Liliana felt her nervousness disappear. She stared at Max as surprise flickered past her face. Giggling, she stood up and spiritedly replied, “What's with that haughty tone at the end? Just you wait. I'll show you how great I am. You'll be begging to stay as my familiar.”

Max fought the urge to laugh. Feeling amused, he couldn’t help but tease her. “Well then, ‘master’! I'll be looking forward to a great show.”

“Candidates! Form a line and follow me.” The faculty member confirmed the time and began to explain the rules in a rehearsed manner. “I will lead you all to the examination hall. The rules are simple. Do not cause trouble for the other candidates. Perform the strongest spell you can and the judges will give you their verdict. If you aren’t selected, any form of argument in such a case will result in a permanent disqualification. Am I clear?”

The applicants gulped. Their throats felt dry. They nervously nodded and followed the man through a dimly lit corridor.

Stepping out into an open space, Max was taken aback. Instead of a plethora of benches inside small rooms, he stood facing four large tables. They were inside a coliseum.

Behind each table was a group of three judges, each representing one of the three hegemons of education in the Empire. One belonged to the local branch of Asterisk Academy. Another was a member of the Royal Academy. The third had come from the Ancient Rune Academy.

In a bid to compete with the former, the Empire’s royal family had established a prestigious school that could stand on equal footing with the world renowned academy. The Royal Academy was an attempt to reduce the Empire’s dependence on the neutral power.

On the other hand, unlike the other two, Ancient Rune Academy focused less on combat magic and more on research. It was directly responsible for a majority of the latest advances in magic and technology.

As the candidates spread out, Max joined Liliana as the last member of a disciplined line of prospective students. The queue moved at a snail's pace. From among the four lines, approximately a hundred had already been tested, with only a handful having received invitations.

Unlike the rest of the anxious students, Max was bored. He noticed a small group of people in the stands. They were a part of the Empire’s minor nobility and had gathered to quietly spectate the proceedings in the hopes of recruitment.

“This batch of students can barely be considered average.” A woman with blue eyes and graying hair sighed. “And there has only been one who showed an interest in research.”

Sitting beside her, a young woman chortled. “Heh! Mages with interest and aptitude in research have always been in the minority. Besides, amongst these plebeians…there is rarely a gem worth polishing.” Adorned in a dark blue dress, she was in her early twenties and observed the line of candidates with slight contempt. Her long black hair was tied in a ponytail. Diana Alcatraz was a member of the royal family and was the fourth in line for the throne.

“Diana, to reach the level of High Mage at your age is indeed worthy of praise. There is no denying that you are a genius, but it is not wise to drown in your ego.”

“Of course I know that Lydia. I am not looking down on them, but isn't what I said the truth?” Diana retorted, “Among the candidates so far, just how many have made the cut? Besides… if you just consider the ones we've personally judged, wouldn't the number be zero?”

Lydia had no words to refute. She forced a smile as she shook her head and glanced at the third examiner sharing the table. With a head full of white hair, an old man sporting a long beard sat with his eyes closed. He was peacefully snoring away and paid no heed to his status as the representative of Asterisk Academy. His complete lack of decorum was unfair to the candidates, but no one dared to voice any complaints. To Diana and Lydia, this behavior was well within their expectations.

The three academies conducted their examination in two separate batches. The first batch was reserved solely for the younger generation of the various aristocratic families while the second tested the remaining citizens of the Empire.

The old man, however, had been equally lacking in energy when testing the young heirs of the noble households. The rare occasions that saw him spring into action involved offering students admission or shooing them away in annoyance.

“Get this damn runt out of my sight! Idiots who disturb my sleep have no place in this hall.” The man had said as he had flicked his palm to conjure a tiny tornado. A rejected minor noble, who had been busy ranting, had been carried off by the spell and thrown out of the coliseum. The atrocious sight had left the blue bloods and examiners alike bitterly smiling.

Julius Barnes was a Grand Master Mage who had lived for more than two hundred years. Not only was the man highly favoured by the Principal of Asterisk Academy, but was also famous for his eccentric personality. Coupled with his relations with the upper echelons of nobility, his status commanded enough respect to sew everyone's mouth shut.

Almost every participant had learnt of his temperament by now and knew better than to voice any discontent.

Finally at the head of the line, Liliana clenched her fist and boldly stepped forward. She silently observed the examiners after handing in her application form.

Despite her uneasiness, Liliana couldn’t help but feel annoyed after noticing Grand Master Barnes’s somnolent behavior. She snuck a glance at Max who responded with an encouraging smile. Taking a deep breath, Liliana calmed her agitated nerves as she waited for a signal to mark the beginning of her exam.

Looking straight into Liliana’s eyes, Diana asked with a hint of indifference, “You will be sixteen this year?”

“Yes, in about a month.”

“Your familiar... Have you brought him with you?”

“Yes.” Liliana turned to Max. She gritted her teeth as she noted her examiner’s reaction.

Diana furrowed her brows as she continued to stare at Max. Why do I get the feeling I’ve seen him before?

Lydia curiously studied Max. She felt startled by his bearing. The young man was rather relaxed despite being under the watchful eyes of several examiners. Such confidence was uncommon among students of the second batch.

The candidates behind Liliana and Max suddenly quietened down. Some of the other tables couldn’t help but send queer looks of curiosity at the sight of a human familiar. The crowds whispered and secretly jeered at the duo while those in the audience watched in amusement. The observing members of the nobility had already dismissed the girl under scrutiny.

“Why did you choose a human familiar?”

“I’m sorry. Why is that relevant?” Max smiled and counter questioned.

“Excuse me?” Diana was rather displeased with Max’s tone. “As an examiner, I have every right to ask questions which can help me assess a candidate… especially ones who take on human familiars.”

“A familiar's job is to protect the mage. As long as I loyally fulfill that task, does it matter if I am human or beast?”

“You think –”

“You are right! It doesn’t really matter.” Lydia cut across Diana. Feeling that they were digressing, she turned to Liliana and continued, “For this exam, your familiar is a secondary matter. As long as your aptitude and skill satisfy us, we will offer you admission.”

Diana withheld the rest of her thoughts. She clicked her tongue and said, “You may begin.”

Liliana had been staring at Max in a daze, worried by his actions. Diana’s voice reminded her of the importance of the occasion, snapping her back to reality. She brushed past Max who gently whispered, “Remember what I said.”

Focusing solely on the task at hand, Liliana stretched out her hand. The sudden movement seemed to signal the start of a spell as the temperature around her instantly began to rise. Moments after, small fireballs materialized and began to spin above her palm.

Diana took one look at this display and scoffed. You call that a spell? That's nothing but a parlor trick.

On the other hand, Lydia’s reaction was more subtle. Considering Liliana’s age and the amount of time used to cast the elementary spell, Lydia had already come to a disappointing conclusion. However, her eyes soon flashed with interest as she noticed the fire gain a shade of azure. “Enough -” Thwarting Diana’s attempt to stop the exam, she silently urged the former to take a closer look.

Under the crowd’s watchful eye, the fireballs suddenly exploded with power and heat as they merged to create a miniature azure sun. With Liliana still in control, she allowed the spell to display its full potential before sending it towards the sky like a blazing meteor. Clenching her fists, Liliana turned to her examiners and said, “This is currently the strongest spell in my arsenal, though I still can’t control it perfectly.”

Lydia excitedly asked, “Who taught you this spell?”

“I – I didn’t have a teacher. Everything I know is self taught.”

“Nonsense!” Diana indignantly quipped, “Do you take us for fools? Meteor’s blaze is an intermediate class spell. It’s impossible to learn it without special access to a licensed tutor or a school library.”

Diana’s mistrust wasn’t entirely unfounded. As a High Mage, she understood the intricacies of the spell. It was more than difficult to learn so complex a spell without any outside intervention.

“No. That wasn’t Meteor’s Blaze.” Lydia interjected and glanced at Liliana. “Right?”

Liliana nodded, surprised by the fuss. She said, “This was something I accidentally created when I was experimenting with wind and fire magic.”

“Dual casting…” Lydia muttered. Looks like we were too quick to judge… This girl’s potential definitely doesn’t lose out to the candidates who have emerged from the noble families.

For the first time, Diana set aside her bias and observed Liliana with utmost seriousness. Though she had written off Max, she had to admit that his master did have some potential. However, after some thought, she decided to reject Liliana. You’re not bad for a plebeian, but I’ve seen better!

Unlike the examiners, most of the spectators hadn’t realized what Liliana had accomplished, but they continued to curiously observe the table while the few who had detected the synergistic combination of spells had already begun to re-evaluate the plainly dressed girl’s worth.

Having made up her mind, Lydia stood up with a smile. “Miss Liliana Lockwood… I think you’re a perfect fit for the Ancient Rune Academy. We would love to have you with us.”

As she finished extending her invitation, Julius woke up with a start. He immediately waved his sleeve like he was brushing aside an annoying fly. The abrupt action instantly summoned a strong burst of wind which slammed into Max with the force of a gale.

Shocked by the sudden turn of events, everyone stared at Max as he flew across the arena. While the spectators were puzzled by the Grand Master’s actions, Lydia fretted over losing a good seedling. She began to cast a spell in an attempt to reduce the extent of Max’s injuries.

Furious, Max immediately willed the air in the hopes of cushioning his imminent collision against the coliseum walls. He quickly adjusted his posture and slammed feet first against the concrete boundary, producing a cobweb of cracks.

Max inwardly cursed as he stood up and tried to suppress the trembling in his legs. Wincing, he shot a glare towards his attacker.

Witnessing Julius’s outlandish behaviour, the next in line applicants were frightened out of their wits. They warily glanced at the old examiner, afraid of becoming the next targets.

On the other hand, the spectators were more focused on Max. For the longest time, they were left gobsmacked and unable to determine how Max had survived unscathed. Dripping sweat, they secretly imagined facing such a sudden strike. Most of them lacked the confidence and the ability to take the same blow head on.

Along with a handful of others, Diana noticed Lydia’s posture and the slight fluctuations in mana. She heaved a sigh of relief as she glanced at Max. The Royal Academy’s reputation would have been left tarnished if Max had received a fatal injury. As a member of the Royal family, Diana was deeply concerned about the school. She couldn’t help but glower at the senescent man next to her, but ultimately couldn’t muster the courage to admonish him. She gently nudged Lydia and whispered, “You’re a lifesaver granny Lydia. If you were late by even half a second, that guy would be toast.”

Lydia bitterly smiled as she shook her head and sat down. She pensively looked at Max. What if I told you it wasn’t me and all him?

“Are you alright? Are you hurt? Damn it! We need a doctor!” Liliana hurriedly went forward to support Max as she examined him from head to toe in panic.

Max laughed at the sight of her overreacting and said, “Calm down. I’m fine.”

While Liliana remained unconvinced, Max ignored the hushed commotion and clicked his tongue in displeasure. He knew how much this meant to Liliana and realized that he couldn’t afford to lash out and risk her admission. Feeling helpless, he settled for an endless string of silent curses.

The eccentric culprit’s eyes lacked animosity and instead sparkled with excitement as he noted Max’s every action with interest. Julius began to laugh. His unrestrained guffaw echoed throughout the arena and silenced everyone present.

“Child… Tell me your name.”

“Max.” Max calmly answered as he walked back alongside Liliana who was staring at Julius with apprehension.

 “Max, eh? Well, don’t think too badly of me Max. After all, this was nothing but a test.”

“A test?” Max scowled. You call almost killing me a test?

“The three academies only accept the best.” Julius serenely explained. “Miss Lockwood might be the applicant, but did you believe you could just enter any of our academies based on her merits alone? You are a human familiar and above all a budding knight. Surely, you won’t laze around whilst in school?”

Max bitterly laughed as he realized that the Grand Master’s words seemed reasonable.“So? Did I pass?”

Julius beamed happily and produced a neatly rolled parchment from his sleeve. “Asterisk Academy welcomes both mage and familiar. We also offer a full paid scholarship to her familiar to join as a student.”

The invitation instantly produced a clamor as the spectators and candidates alike sank into rampant discussions.

“He said, he's offering them a scholarship!”

“This is huge! Each examiner is only allowed to offer scholarship once and that kid wasn't even an applicant.”

“What the hell? He’s only unscathed because Master Mayer saved him. Why would Grand Master Barnes offer him scholarship? Look at him… I bet he’s only an Esquire.”

While some disagreed with this decision, they didn’t dare to openly voice their opinions. No one wanted to question Julius Barnes and risk angering the madman.

Among the examiners, only Lydia seemed to understand the reason behind Julius’s offer. On the other hand, Diana still held a low opinion of Max. As she considered talking some sense into this old man, she suddenly paled. Diana trembled and stared wide-eyed at the mage-familiar duo. She slowly stood up, stammering, “The - The Royal Academy also offers admission to Liliana Lockwood and her familiar. We – We are ready to… to offer a complete scholarship to both Miss Liliana and Max.”

The nature of the Royal Academy’s invitation sent another ripple of shock through the crowd. Even among the prominent nobles of the Empire, it was rare for all three of the prestigious schools to offer them admission.

“This – This is bullshit. The examination is rigged. Rigged I say! There is nothing great about those two!” A minor noble seated among the spectators yelled with discontent and envy. How can these plebeians receive such an honor when my own family hasn’t? They don’t deserve it!

Julius glanced at the man, easily pinpointing him among the members of the audience. The young blue-blood immediately felt a chill down his spine as he felt the Grand Master’s cold gaze on him. He saw Julius quietly mouth, “Watch your tongue.”

Liliana was knocked silly by these turn of events. What's going on?! What in the world is happening?! Unlike her confident portrayal, she had never truly believed that she could sweep the judges off their feet. She had been beyond ecstatic when the Ancient Rune Academy had offered her admission. But when the other two went so far as to offer scholarship, she didn’t know what to make of the event.

“Quiet down!” Julius roared at the crowd. Under his orders, everyone immediately held their breath. He smiled at Liliana and said, “Well, little miss… The decision now lies with you. Which academy do you pick?”

Liliana looked back and forth between the three examiners. Hesitating, she snuck a glance at Max. She was still upset at Grand Master Barnes for nearly injuring the young man she had come to cherish as her close friend. She remembered the fury in Max’s eyes and secretly wondered, “If I were Max, would I want anything to do with this old man?”

Having come to a decision, Liliana took a deep breath and steeled herself as she began to say, “I -”

Max helplessly shook his head when he noticed the strange glimmer in Liliana’s eyes. Smiling, he covered her cherry red lips and ignored her protests. Max sighed and answered on her behalf, “We accept Asterisk Academy’s invitation.”