Derek’s mind was in disarray.
He desperately sought a viable option in his tumultuous mind, but nothing effective came up no matter how hard he tried.
’Even if I hurry back to the Estate, I won’t make it back for the exams. The most I can do is send a Mystic Transmission home, but they’d have to somehow mail the slip to me, something that will take a few days at least.’
Of course, this was even assuming that his family would cooperate with him.
’Damnit... damn it all!’
Derek gritted his teeth as he stood before the Academy gate, frustrated by the development and also humiliated because of his family’s scheme.
He looked like a clueless fool!
[Host, are you certain that you weren’t given the Entrance Slip? Something is strange about this situation.]
"Yeah, I’m sure!" Derek gritted his teeth. "I wouldn’t have forgotten about such an important detail."
[You are right. After scanning your memories, I have also found no reference at all to something like that. Still... it makes no sense that your older sister didn’t give you the slip.]
"It makes perfect sense..." Derek shook his head while covering his face with an open palm.
"She doesn’t want me to succeed."
[Host—]
"Excuse me, but you’re in my way..." A loud voice suddenly ripped through the tension, interrupting Derek’s conversation with the Magus Codex.
"Huh?"
Derek turned towards the sound and found a boy standing behind him.
This person was about his age, with dark brown hair and ebony skin. His eyes were extremely sharp, and his emerald irises gleamed under the evening sun.
He wore a loose sleeveless white shirt that matched the white draped cloth secured at his waist. His outfit was further accentuated by a metallic gold belt with a circular central clasp and tassel detailing. It had the same color and material as his two arm cuffs and the pristine usekh collar that circled his neck.
On his two hands were long black gloves that had inlaid gold linings to accentuate their already pristine beauty.
Although he had a fierce expression, his attire was regal.
It gave him a polished appearance.
He stamped his sandal-clad feet on the ground while staring intensely at Derek, who was still wrestling with his rage amidst this new situation.
’Who is this person...?’ Derek was still pondering the question when the young man spoke up.
"I want to enter the Academy. You’re in my way."
"Ah..."
"Did you bring your Entrance Slip?" One of the guards asked with a skeptical gaze.
"What? You mean this?" The mysterious young man brought out a small white and gold note that had the crest of the Academy printed boldly at its center.
"Yes..." The guard nodded before looking at Derek with a meaningful gaze.
Derek frowned a little once he was reminded of his circumstances. He clenched his fist and found his face contorting uncontrollably.
"You trying to start something?"
He approached Derek without fear, which caused his two escorts to step forward and face him.
"Oh?" His smile immediately broadened. "So that’s how it is? Using your guards as a way to overwhelm me. You think I’m so easy to bully?"
Derek snapped out of his trance at this moment and quickly realized the misunderstanding.
’Bully you? Why would I do that?’
He was simply upset by his own circumstances. The stranger was jumping to conclusions.
In fact, he was already clenching his fist as though ready for a fight.
"It’s quite alright..."
Derek’s loud sigh broke the tense silence.
He slowly walked away from the front of the gate, allowing the ebony boy to have his turn.
"You can go..." Derek hid his sadness as he watched the stranger relax his muscles before walking towards the guards.
After they confirmed the authenticity of his Entrance Slip, the guards allowed him entry.
The ebony boy gave Derek one final glance before letting out a scoff mixed with a proud smirk.
Derek’s mind was too afflicted to even notice this.
He felt his blurry eyes burning with held-back tears.
Since he was unable to produce the slip and it was too late to get it from the Lewis Estate, his only choice was to accept his loss and return to the manor.
Yet... for some reason...
... Derek remained next to the gate.
He was unable to leave, even when his shame and sadness kept rising as he watched the other examinees gain entry.
It was painful.
He didn’t even know why he continued to stand there.
Nothing was going to change.
Still... he was unable to leave when he was already so close to fulfilling his dream.
The guards had long grown used to his presence, and while some had initially thought of sending him off, they decided against it.
It wasn’t strange that some of them felt bad for him.
But what could they do?
They were mere guards in the end, and they couldn’t make a special exception just because of one kid.
Nightfall arrived, and Derek remained in front of the gate.
The darkness that spread through the night sky reflected the feeling within his aching heart.
Although the mystic lights around and beyond the Academy gate dispelled any surrounding darkness, Derek could see how pitch-black his returning path had become. Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
He had no idea how long he had been standing there. He had watched dozens of different people walk in after showing their Entrance Slips.
His escorts had also tried to nudge him to leave many times.
But he did not go anywhere.
’The Entrance Exams start tomorrow. I really have no hope, huh?’
Derek’s crestfallen face reflected this thought once he moved for the first time in several hours.
It seemed like he had finally accepted his fate.
He had to give up now.
[Host, I am sorry. This is a rather unfortunate and unforeseen development.]
"Yeah..." Derek muttered.
His head remained lowered as he was about to leave the gate.
Then, he heard laughter.
It was so unmistakably loud that he had to raise his head to see who was making such a sound.
A short distance from the Academy gate were two people.
One of them was a man with rough black hair. His messy bangs were so long that they covered his eyes.
He was also dressed strangely, donning a heavily traditional robe with a predominantly black and deep navy-blue color scheme.
The layered upper garment had wide, flowing sleeves and a long cloak-like outer layer. He also had loose white hakama-style trousers, a dark sash around his waist, dark shoes, and most importantly, a sheathed sword hung at his side.
’A swordsman?’ Was the first thought that came to Derek’s mind when he saw the laughing man.
He was clearly in his late twenties, but his immature laugh made him seem far younger. In contrast, the man beside him seemed to look his age and had a far more gentlemanly bearing.
His well-combed yellow blond hair matched his elegant, scholarly aristocratic outfit.
He wore a long cream-white overcoat over a brown three-piece suit and white dress shirt. A dark plaid scarf hung around his neck, and a pair of glasses rested on his mustached face, adding a refined touch to his appearance.
The outfit was completed with brown trousers, polished leather dress shoes, and a decorative brooch on his coat.
The blond man seemed to be in his late thirties or early forties, considerably older than the man beside him.
They both casually walked towards the gate while the guards hurriedly opened the entrance while bowing respectfully at them.
Seeing this, Derek quickly realized that these men had to be esteemed staff of the Academy, likely even instructors.
They had almost passed through the gate when the blond man glanced at Derek.
His bright blue eyes caught the pale boy standing dejectedly beside the gate, and his expression changed slightly.
He stopped walking at that moment, causing the man with black hair to also pause not too long after. It was only then that he also noticed Derek standing there.
Gently adjusting his glasses, the older gentleman parted his lips and asked:
"Is there a problem, young man?"