Chapter 125 - Athena Decides to Take the Exam

  We were guided into a giganti that almost looked like another auditorium. Each level of the room had rows e desks, each with a chair arranged in a semicircle, with a board in the ter where the professor would presumably give lessons.

  “We’ve randomly assigned seats for all of you, please find the oh your name,” said an elf.

  I said goodbye to Chloe and began searg for my seat.

  “I’m feeling a little tense,” Athena said, ughio me.

  I gnced over and saw the goddess dressed in a school uniform.

  How did she get that? That shouldn’t be possible.

  “You’re seeing a dead goddess, and you’re worried about her clothes?”

  I decided to ignore her and focused on finding my pce.

  “Nathan Evenhart…” I read the e and sat down.

  Now she’s really makiehis crazy woman somehow mao sit o me. Where did she get that chair?

  “I want to take the test with you too,” Athena said.

  Ign the apparition, I focused on the elf who ping to get everyone’s attention.

  “We’ll now be colleg any magical items you may have, including ste bracelets,” the elf announced.

  The elf monitors moved along the rows of desks, holding a bck metallic object that resembled a pen.

  “That’s a magic item detector,” said the elf, pointing the bck pen-like object at me, and I quickly handed over my ste bracelet.

  I took a closer look at the bck pen.

  Is this to prevent cheating oest?

  Although higher nobles were guaranteed spots, there was still a grading system that evaluated both academid magical performaher nobles also peted for a pce, meaning they needed good grades. The oners had a special quota, allowing them a ce to enter without directly peting against someone who had been educated from a young age.

  The elf stopped and looked at me for a moment.

  “That’s strange… you’re a bit different from other humans,” he said, then tinued walking down the row.

  everyone se? I’ve only ever been around people who’ve seen me grow up. It’s not a problem that my skin is pale, but these higher elves are more ‘elegant’ or ‘beautiful’ than regur people. Maybe that’s what makes me stand out? It looks like I'll really have to dye my hair...

  “Pay close attention to what I’m about to say. Part of this test will ask questions about your personality. Don’t lie when answering, uood? You’ll be evaluated based on your responses, and we’ll know if you try to fake anything. Always tell the truth,” the elf expined, and we were given permission to begin.

  I flipped the page, and the first part asked questions to learn about our personalities.

  ‘Do you sider yourself a good person?’ was the first question.

  I think so. As long as no one harms me, I’ll always try to be good.

  I answered the question and moved on to the .

  ‘What do you hope to achieve at the Apsalon Magic Academy?’

  I paused for a moment to think. Holy, I’d never really thought about it deeply. Ever since I received these eyes from Sisika, a part of me has been worried about the future, and what I wanted most was the power to protect the people I care about.

  The Academy ’t teach me how to master the 6 Celestial Aspects... but it help me further develop my elemental powers.

  That questiht back memories of Sisika and the moment I discovered she was Cyl.

  Whatever pce she came from... I won’t find those answers here. But here, we set aside those mysteries and just be normal people.

  I looked at the question again.

  To live the normal life of a student at the academy.

  I answered sincerely. Above all else, what I wanted most was to be fully human and live a peaceful life.

  I g the question.

  ‘What do you like the most? If there’s more thahing, you write them all.’

  I smiled.

  That’s an easy one! My family, and only them.

  Chloe Evenhart:

  I had said goodbye to Nate ao find my seat. A part of me was nervous, but I had calmed down after seeing Professor Adrihna. During this time, I had exged letters with Kinue, and she told me that the exam was manageable, as long as you studied the materials they provided.

  "Chloe Evenhart," I read the e and sat down.

  I was seated in a higher se of the amphitheater, but I could still spot Nathan in his seat, a little ways away.

  "Who is that handsome boy?" a girl nearby whispered.

  "I don't know... he doesn't dress like a oner, so he must be a oo."

  Handsome boy? Haha, there's only one handsome boy in my world, and I couldn’t care less about the others.

  " you see the name on the back of his chair? I 't see from this distahe girl murmured.

  "Nathan Evenhart..." whispered the other.

  "WHAT!?" I blurted out in surprise, realizing who they were talking about.

  The girls g me, and I felt my face flush with embarrassment.

  "We’ll now be colleg any magical items you may be carrying, including ste bracelets," annouhe voice of the elven monitor.

  I ighe girls and refocused on the monitor standing at the ter of the room.

  I'm doomed... if Nathan’s already drawing attention, imagine what it'll be like over the five years at the academy.

  I always knew he was good-looking... but to me, he’s always been good-looking, so I hought others saw him the way I do.

  I took a deep breath to calm myself.

  I o take a... if I wait for this oblivious idiot to notice my feelings, I'm in trouble. I have to overy shyness and fess my feelings... even though I’ve let it slip a few times already.

  I decided to push my flicted emotions aside for now. I had to focus on the exam.

  "This is a device that detects magical items," an elf said, pointing a bck pen-like object at me. I handed over my bracelet.

  It made sehat he expi. Pointing something at a hout expnation would be quite rude.

  Afterward, he tinued on his way.

  "Pay close attention. The test will include questions about your personality. Don’t lie in your answers, uood? You’ll be evaluated based on how you respond, so if you try to fake anything, we’ll know. Always speak the truth," the elven monitor expined, and we were given the go-ahead to begin.

  I took a moment to focus and flipped the page. I was surprised to see that the personality se came first.

  I think they’re starting with these questions because if they left them for the end, our minds would be too exhausted.

  I read the first question.

  ‘Do you sider yourself a good person?’

  I paused for a moment.

  Definitely yes, that one was easy.

  I answered and moved on to the sed question.

  ‘What do you hope to achieve at the Apsalon Magic Academy?’

  I stopped to think for a bit. My goals had ged over the years, but my passion fic remaihe same. When I discovered I could summon ice element creatures, I was overjoyed, so this was another easy one for me.

  Bee an excellent ice mage!

  I answered fidently and moved on to the question, but I froze when I saw it.

  ‘What do you like the most? If there’s more thahing, you write them all.’

  I reread it, then gnced in a certain dire.

  This ’t be real, right? Do I actually have to ahis?

  I looked over to where Nathan was sitting.

  Do I write Nathan? Should I just put ‘family’?

  I tried to write, but my hand stopped as soon as the pen touched the paper.

  What do I do? They said not to lie. I love my family, and Nathan is part of my family, but the first thing I thought of was him... What do I write? I ’t lie.

  I took another deep breath.

  I ’t believe this test is already hard ohird question… I’m doomed.