232.

"He's definitely a pure berserker type." Professor Clemson commented. "He's using spirit force and have very good form, most likely some military training. It will be good to add him on the combat team."

"I'll add him on the list," said Professor Quin.

Nico felt satisfied with the results and prepared to leave. Nico didn't stay to watch the remaining test, it looked boring. He had little interest in watching children seven to eight years old flail at the boulders. He will hear about it later from everyone else if it was of any interest.

On the fifth day of the test, Nico entered the courtyard, and gazed in awe at the rows and columns of tables and chairs evenly stretched throughout the courtyard. Once everyone was seated, a clear voice bellowed out the instructions to everyone. The students were given 7 hours to finish as many questions as possible.

Nico wondered if the voice was created from a sound spell. It was interesting that such magic existed.

Nico stared at a 4 cm thick stack of papers neatly centered on his desk. There must have been 100-sheets of parchment paper. If one multiple the amount of paper by 3,000 applicants, the Academy had to spend 30,000 gold pieces just on paper.

Everyone scrambled as a bell signaled the start of the test. A giant hourglass rotated on top of the 77-steps and began trickled down sand. Within a minute, Nico could hear nothing but the scribbling of quill pens. Nico flipped open the first page of the test.

"Who is the first Emperor of the Kelseran Empire?"

Crap, history section was first.

Out of 60 questions, he only knew one.

"What was the name of the Empire that united the continent?"

He scribbled in Kinbarl Empire. Everything else was left blank.

The next sections were math, botany, anatomy, geology and physics. He was decent in college, but he was lost in between all the strange Kelseran symbols.

By the time the hourglass emptied its sand, the proctors instructed everyone to stand up and leave. Nico felt mentally exhausted, and dragged himself up from his seat. He wasn't the only one. Very few people could walk away from the paper exam feeling well.

The last day was just as bad, maybe even worse. It was another paper exam. There were questions on spritology, venefitology, herbology, mineralogy, sigillogy, elementology, and beastology. He had never heard of any of these terms except for herbology.

****

Inside a large meeting room, Vice Dean Araba presided over the student selection process with the department heads. There were a total of 21 department heads, seven from the three branches of the Academy; Academic, Cultivation, and Magic Branch. However, only eleven attended.

Attendance was not required, so most Academic Branch department heads declined to attend. Academic Branch could accept 100 students, but they were usually the last to make their selection. Selection meetings were useless to them. Only Department Head Ren from the Academic Branch was present as he was assigned to the Examination Division as a liaison.

Five department heads from the cultivation branch and five department heads from the magic branch submitted their list of the selected applicants and alternates to the Vice Dean Araba. The selections were mostly based on the Spirit Orb test. There were very few chances for overlapping students. If there was an overlap, it was the student choice to select their branch of study. The alternate would take the place of the branch that was not selected. The two branches were allowed to accept 500 students.

Vice Dean Araba reviewed the names on top of both their list. Fortunately, there weren't too much overlap.

Magic Branch

1. 7th Princess Reina Kelsera 6 3 4

2. Vincent of Renfield 5 3 3

3. Lord Sergo Reese 4 2 4

4. Lady Alina Pallen 4 1 4

5. Erik Vanhauser 4 2 3

Cultivation Branch

1. Vincent of Renfield 6 3 3

2. 7th Princess Reina Kelsera 6 3 4

3. Theo Deraon 3 4 1

4. Maylin Anbio 4 3 1

5. 2nd Prince Taishen 5 2 2

Vice Dean Araba wondered about the secret deals the Branches were making to lure the top two students.

The following day, the list was published on a large public bulletin in the front Windel Plaza.

Any applicants whose name appeared on one of the three lists were ecstatic. Applicants on the alternate list were hopeful. Applicants, especially the parents, who couldn't see their names were disappointed and angry. They protested loudly at the gated entrance, but to no avail. Others would either give up or try again next year. Every successive year was a reduced chance for admission. The applicants on both list were given three days to pick a branch of study.

For Nico, it didn't matter as he was only on the list for the cultivation Branch. Orientation began in seven days, so he had some time before he had to pack up. Nico returned to the Killo Restaurant Inn.

"Hey Nico, how did you do!?" asked Busho, sauteing onions behind the counter.

Innes, with pile-high dishes on both hands, paused mid way to hear Nico's response. Lulu stopped wiping the table and also stared curiously at Nico. Nico looked dejected. The family of three frowned.

"It's all right, you can always come work for us," said Busho. "Everyone loves your chicken steak dish."

"It's unfortunate. I'm just sad because I have to move into the Academy dorm room next week," Nico responded.

"Yeah, that's too bad," Busho automatically responded, but he rewound Nico's statement in his head. "Hey! Does that mean you've made it!?"

He gave Busho two thumbs up and a big open smile.

Busho laughed. "Rotten kid, you're going to give me ulcers one of these days."

Innes nodded proudly and carried on with work.

"Congratulation Nico!" said Lulu. "Remember to stop by again when you're famous."

Nico laughed. "I thought I was already famous."

Nico did cause a ruckus on the first day in Launtel, but he was hardly considered famous.

"Okay, since this is going to be my last week, let me prepare something special for everyone," said Nico.

"Ooh, Nico's going to showcase another steak?!" Lulu clapped with excitement.

Nico walked into the kitchen and unpacked some items from his leather bag. Nico had ordered a few items from the Jantilo Grocery Store. Nico placed the manabeef steak, managarlic, manabutter, manalemon, and salt on the counter. Nico shot the Blue Crimson Talisman into the logs. The bluish and brightly hued flame emerged from the earthen stove. Nico placed his hand inside to gauge the heat. When the temperature felt right, Nico added the butter. Then he melted butter, added the garlic and the two cuts of steak.

Following the scent, Mumu charged and hobbled into the restaurant like a madman.

"Busho! Busho! That kid is cooking again!" Mumu rushed to the counter with fork and knife on both hands. "I'm waiting!"

Nico let the steaks sat for two minutes on one side, two minutes on the other side. For the finishing touch, he drizzled the steaks with the manalemon and salt. The sous chef gave Nico two plates with steamed green beans and freshly mashed potatoes. Nico flipped both steaks onto the plates.

Congratulation, Firehouse Steak Grade C Created.

Unlock Beef Pastry variation.

The first two plates were for Busho and Innes, but Innes willingly concede to let Mumu have her plate.

Busho and Mumu both sliced into the steak. The knife easily glided through the flesh, which was crisped around the perimeter and pink in the center.

Mumu drooled as the juices dripped out and seeped into the mash potatoes. The aroma quickly filled the entire room. If it was nighttime, Nico could probably see the shadow symbols spreading like smoke. Mumu slowly gathered the steak close to his mouth. As soon as the steak touched his lips, it was like a kiss from an angel above, delicious and beautiful.

"Wow, that is amazing!" Busho pointed two thumbs up. "You outdid yourself Nico!

"This is MORE than AMAZING!" Mumu were offended by Busho. "A gift from heaven like this is only received once in centuries!" Mumu turned back to look at Nico. "Tell-me-the-recipes!"

"It's only manabeef steak, managarlic, manabutter, manalemon and salt, that's it." Nico stated flatly as he prepared another pan for Lulu and Innes.

Mumu was speechless, he was eating a 10-gold pieces of steak, not including the cost of a level 2 talisman Nico had just used.

"As expected of a future Academy student," Mumu nodded as though he knew what he was talking about. "But how are you going to cook for me in that DREADED place!?"

"I can still stop by once a week," said Nico.

"Not enough!"

"Not that it should matter to you. You always eat and run. Why should I even cook for you!?" Nico had only cooked the chicken variety of the Firehouse Steak once for Mumu, but the elderly man didn't even pay him for the manachicken.

"Because no one can appreciate food as much as me," Mumu prettily sprang up from his seat. "It is an honor for food everywhere to see the light of my stomach."

Mumu cleared his plate and ran off.

Everyone shrugged it off, it was just another day of eat and run.

****

On the first day of orientation, Nico gathered all of his belongings and walked toward the student entry, a ten-foot maroon gate on the southeastern corner of campus. The area outside were packed with students and their parents. Beyond the gates, only students and professors were permitted. The family said their goodbyes and the students entered the gateway.

Once inside, Nico lined up to receive a new student identification badge, a blue uniform, a code of conduct booklet, a map of campus, and a school schedule.

Nico walked out of the registration building and into the campus main courtyard. It was a breathtaking view of the main campus. Nico was going to be living here for the next semester. Like any incoming freshman student, there was a mixture of excitement and dread.

Nico walked further east to the Nuccen intermediate dorm, the first starred location on his map. The Nuccen intermediate dorm housed all the 13-18 years old students and split in half by a courtyard between the two genders. In the male quarter, there were 200 rooms of quad, 100 doubles and 25 singles. Only top 10 rankers or royalties were allowed to have singles. The top 100 rankers were allowed doubles and everyone else had to share quads. Most of the Nuccen dorms ranking were decided by last year final exam ranking.

On the first floor of the Nuccen dorm was the common area and cafeteria. After walking up the stairs, Nico approached a room located on the second floor. The dark blue door guarding the room had no key or knob. Instead, as Nico stood before the door, his student badge glowed.

"Open," he said.

The door opened.

This is so cool, he gaped.

The room was more spacious than he thought. The front vestibule was formed by two bathrooms. Beyond the small vestibule was a square room with four sets of bed, standing closet, and table on each corner.

Nico walked inside and saw a boy with sandy brown hair unpacking on the left.

"Ah, Jack!"

Jack looked up. He was glad to see Nico, but he had a confused expression on his face.

"Uh, ah… What's your name again?" asked Jack.

"Nico!" he replied.

"Oh! Hey!"

Nico scooped Snowy and Junior out from his front strap and introduced them to Jack.

Jack also had a golden retriever, but he was in the balcony. Polar was a bit older than Snowy and Junior, but they treated Polar as an elder. The two lowered their heads to bow when they greeted Polar. Polar was a bit annoyed, he was only three years young!

"Can't believe we are sharing the same room!" Jack cried.

"Did you just arrive? Who's the other person?" Nico noticed that the bed on the near right was already occupied.

"I got here a few minutes before you. Didn't see the other person, was like that when I got here."

Nico took the bed on the far right corner located next to the balcony. Nico placed his bag on the bed and began to unpack. Afterward, he checked out the bathroom.

Plumbing existed in this world, but it was very expensive. Nico had seen wooden toilet seats before, but the wooden toilet from the Academy was different. The wood was nicely sanded and coated with white lacquer. They even have a wooden tub and a working shower.

It almost felt like home.

Once Nico finished his business, he saw a new face in the room. The young boy had light blond hair, blue eyes and facial features that were commonly seen in commercial ads. Although he was tall for his age, he wasn't as tall as Jack and Nico. He wasn't skinny, but he probably needed a sandwich, Nico thought.

"Hi," the boy said curtly.

"Oh, hi!" Nico responded. "My name is Nico." Nico saw Snowy already attaching herself to the pretty boy. "I see you have already met Snowy. The other one is Junior."

"Ashe Hartlet," he responded.

A clan member? Nico wondered. Clan members and royalties usually have last names.

"You're a Magic Branch student?" asked Nico.

Ashe nodded.

A moment later, the fourth roommate arrived.

"Hello," a young handsome boy passed through the magical door.

"Vincent!?"

No one was expecting Vincent since he was ranked high in the exam and was eligible for the singles.

"The dorm master said all the singles are taken," said Vincent.

"Why didn't to take the double?" asked Nico.

Vincent scratched his cheeks in thought. "It's a bit awkward with two people?"

Nico and Jack glanced at each other, he was the awkward one. Vincent took the last bed, the one on the far left.

Later that afternoon, they changed into their robe uniforms.

Windel Academy robes were special in that they were imbued with magical properties. Nico and Vincent both had two stripes on their sleeves, which indicated mid-tier gathering stage. Jack had one stripe which indicated low-tier gathering stage. Ashe was the only one wearing a green robe with one stripe, indicating a low-tier condensation stage.

Jack stared at the green robe with envy. The overall differences in quality between a blue robe and a green robe was glaring.

"Is it glowing?" asked Jack.

Vincent and Nico stared at the green robe, it was shimmery.

Ashe glared at his new roommates. "Hurry up, we're going to be late for the opening ceremony."

Nico wished they had skipped it all together. It was long and tedious ceremony that was basically an oral presentation of the code of conduct. The following day, they went to their assigned instructors for a tour.

Nico and Jack reported to Instructor Lingo of the Cultivation Branch.

The tour began in the east wing by their dorm.

Nico recognized most of the students from the exam week.

Instructor Lingo, a sturdy man in his 20s, was in charge of the campus tour during Orientation week for the new incoming Cultivation Branch students. There were 31 students, age ranging from 10 to 15, all dressed in blue robe.

"Everyone, get ready for some fun today!" Instructor Lingo hyped and flipped his red robe with some flair.

Instructor Lingo took out a square stone and activated the stone. A beat of rhythm sounded out from the stone.

"The east wing campus! Known as Nuccen!" Instructor Lingo bellowed out some tunes. "House the Elementary, Immediate, and High dorms!"

Nico and the students stared at each other in bewilderment.

"Seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, live in the Nuccen Elementary Dorm. Known as Ned.

Thirteen to eighteen years old, in Nuccen Immediate Dorm. Known as the Nid.

Nineteen and older in the Nuccen High Dorm. Nuhi-hi."

While singing out the song, Instructor Lingo ran off to the next destination. The students quickly followed. They ran to the registration hall, which faced the main courtyard. It was the point of entry and exit for all the students and professors. Around the main courtyard was also the General Library, Student Hall, Contribution Hall, Magic Hall, Cultivation Hall, and Academic Hall. There were connected by series of colonnades.

The Contribution Hall was in the center, opposite of the ceremonial entry. It was where the Clock Tower was located.

"Contribution Hall! Request missions. Exchange APs. Academy Point-ss to you."

Running to the back of the Contribution Hall was a minor courtyard surrounded by the Administration Hall, Professor Hall, and Pendin Hall. Pendin Hall had a tower called the Testing Tower. They passed the front area of Professor's Hall, in the background they could see the towering wilderness in the northwest.

"Professor Hall. Grisham Rang-age. Ban for you!" Instructor Lingo continued his jingle.

The last stop of the tour was back in the campus main courtyard where there were sign-up stations for the different clubs. There were various students wearing different colored robes walking around. The blue and green robes made up the majority of the population. Very few students wore red robes.

"Snap back to reality, oh there check club-n-leave." Instructor Lingo ended his song for the tour.

The students were running out of breathe from following Instructor Lingo around, and didn't know how to react.