Just as I expected, we only had to wait for about two hours before the hall was full of all the examinees.
The door where everyone came from vanished the moment the final student came out of it, stunning everyone.
We all sat on our respective seats, though no one neared where I, Maria, and Stefan sat. Since there were plenty of other seats to choose from, they didn’t mind taking up other positions.
WHOOOOOSSSHHHH
A sudden gust of wind enveloped the area in front of all seats, the central podium. The moment everyone felt the string atmosphere building up, they ceased their prattle and directed their faces to the front.
The wind swirled around a single spot on the stage for a few seconds, and seeming to materialize from within the small hurricane was a person clad in a luxurious suit.
He was different from anyone we had seen previously which disappointed me a little. I was sort of hoping to see Legris Damien again.
Fortunately, I didn’t remain disappointed for long. As though popping out of thin air in a puff of smoke, three more figures appeared on the podium.
Two men and a woman! They were stationed behind the first man who appeared and had somehow changed from their varying attire into full suits as well.
‘Our examiners!’ My mind rang as I beamed, seeing Legris among the people on stage. It was a large hall, but there was no one in the massive room who couldn’t see the distinguished people who had arrived. Since the platform was elevated, we all had to raise our heads slightly, but without a doubt, we could all see them.
“A-ahem…” The man who appeared first and seemed to be in charge of this session coughed slightly.
His voice echoed across the large room, enough so that everyone could hear him clearly.
Following the sound of his voice was silence. Absolute silence that seemed to stretch for miles without end.
Finally, the very same man who caused the silence broke it by gracing us with his words.
“My name is Desmond Lawcroft. I am the head of the examination board for this year. In other words, I am the one who determines those who are worthy of this Academy for this examination!”
His voice carried such power and vigor that I wondered just what kind of position this man held other than the head of an examination committee. The man, Desmond, must have been a general who commanded troops due to the confidence and authority he exhibited with each word he spoke.
“I welcome you all to Ainzlark Academy. However, as you all know, none of you can be admitted into the true academic grounds until you are deemed worthy of passing with satisfactory results.”
My eyes subtly glanced across the hall as I noticed several of the examinees sweating and gulping. They were already anxious after hearing what he said. Just moments ago, these people were chatting energetically.
However, it was now dawning on them that most of them weren’t going to even make it to the true Academy and be admitted. About a hundred alone were going to be chosen from four thousand. That was beyond harsh!
‘How certain am I that even I will…’ My thoughts trailed, slowly giving in to the disparity of the situation.
However, I quickly snapped myself out of the dangerous thoughts I was having. There was no way I could lose after coming this far!
“Before announcing the results, there are a few things I would like to explain. It could also be useful for those who will not pass this time around…” Desmond Lawcroft began.
“Firstly, Ainzlark Academy is a prestigious institute deeply rooted in Magic. However, many seem to have the misconception that Magic is all there is to this Institute.”
This generated quite the confused expression from people as they stared at one another, trying to decipher the words of the man who spoke. What else would a magic academy be known for?
“There are three major departments within Ainzlark Academy. The Magic Arts Department, an obvious existence. There are also the Martial Arts Department and Scholar Departments.”
I grinned the moment he said this. Of course, I knew this much. Alphonse wanted me to register in Ainzlark as a Scholar. However, I found that unacceptable since it was the oath I had followed in my previous life.
“You have all applied for the Magic Art Department, and out of over 5,000 examinees, only 1,350 individuals applied for the other departments. 4,000 of you all chose the Magic Arts Department, no, even more than that number. However, the cap for examination for every department is 4,000, and so the others who applied late had to choose other departments to gain admission rights.”
As I listened, I could already guess what our dear speaker was trying to tell us.
“Only a hundred of you will be chosen today. The rest will be sent home. Many of you here have attempted this exam more than once, a good number have done this a couple of times, and yet will still fail. At this point, you should all face the harsh truth. Not everyone has what it takes to study and practice Magic!”
His words were harsh and straight to the point, but he was right. It was better for those who kept trying in hopes of one day achieving success to stop while they could. Even if by some miracle they made their way into the Academy, the school was another hell on its own where the talentless were left behind and those with superior abilities rose to the top.
Instead of unnecessarily trying to reach what was beyond them, their energy could be better used elsewhere.
“However, do not despair. I am of the firm opinion that no one is born talentless! Everyone has a specialty in one thing or the other. Even if your affinity with magic is low, there are still two other departments to enter within Ainzlark. We will welcome you to the Martial Arts Department or the Scholar Department, both of which are respectable fields of study!” Desmond Lawcroft declared.
His words may have been too much for others, but it was easy enough for me to understand.
Instead of staying stuck in a game you couldn’t win, it was better to switch lanes and achieve greater heights in a race that better suits you.
‘Smart words… now, then, let’s see what awaits us as examinees for the Magic Arts Department!’