Chapter 15 - The Challenging Tests

The tests has started. Students are being called one by one in five different rooms. Names of students that will be called next is displayed on a large illusionary screen. I saw both mine and Jack's name listed above, so I went ahead and talked to him.

『Oh, I'll pass alright! Just... Not that test of knowledge. I'm a bit of a dumbo, so I may have trouble passing that, but I'll make it up by making it at least top three in the other two!』

『Break a leg out there, Jack and Lake!』 Ciel shouted from his seat with both his thumbs up when we were nearing the stage.

『Do your best, brother and Lake!』 Elizabeth cheered on us from her seat, making heads turn because of her sweet and melodic voice.

Jack waved back at them and gave a smile. I did the same thing. I bumped fists with Jack and went to the room with my name on it.

『Lake Thawst? We won't make this easier for you becauss you are a king's son, but we will give you our blessing of good luck.』 A professor that looked like the headmaster greeted me when I came in. I was in an act of bowing when a strange force stopped me from doing it.

『No need. I'm the headmaster's twin, so a bow is not needed. Just go on and do the tests. Remember. On the second test where you are transported in an illusionary world, don't get reckless. Just because it is an illusion, it does not nullify pain for you and may cause serious problem on your mentality.』

I kept note at his words and thanked him. I entered the room, but before I did, I received a telepathic note from the headmaster's twin.

『There seems to be someone that wants to make your tests hard. Be extra careful. Do not disappoint us.』

I nodded towards his direction and entered the door. What greeted me was a familiar world of nothingness. A white void. I waited for ten long minutes until a thing popped up from the ground.

A voice entered my head.

『Who was the great hero that ended The Great War?』

After the question, A platform appeared followed by keys of letters. I carefully used Winnd Magic to lighten my weight and fly on top of the keys. I entered the Words 〈Fredrick Heilburg」 and a bell's chime sounded on the white void. The Great War is just what its name describes. A war so great that almost half of the world's population was killed and some races were wiped out of the world's face. A war so great that it literally changed the world's geography.

『Correct. Next question. Of all the gods and goddesses of the world, who is considered the most beautiful?』

Heh. That's an easy question. It's Rose of course. She's the God of Love and Affection, and also my worrywart mother, so I'm confident in this one.

『Correct. Last question. During The Apostolic War, there was a cleric who gave his life in exchange for the world's freedom. Who is this cleric?』

That's a hard question... I've read about it once. The Apostolic War, huh. An inner war between the gods. Though not as chaotic as The Great War, it is the war that caused the trust of the people on their gods. Sephanis, God of the Undead, was the one who caused the war and was also thrown out of the God's Realm. The very first to become a 「Fallen」

I spent the whole minute rummaging through my memories and finally found the answer. I carefully stepped on the keys and entered the words 〈Triner Aeous〉.

『Correct. You have answered all the questions correctly. You are now going to be transported to the second test, the test of aptitude and strength.』

The whole world around me changed. Meadows and Mountains appeared along with a gushing river. I could see the ocean up on the mountain I was on. It looked like I was transported to a different place, but this is all just an illusion, I think.

I saw a colorful gem sitting on top of the table on this mountain. Beside it is a letter. I read the letter and it instructed me to touch the gem and pour my mana into it. I did as the letter asked and the gem shone in five different colors.

I hid my affinity to the lightning and wind magic using my skill [Fool's Deception], also made my level appear lower than it was with its hidden function, hid my classes, titles, and, my Unique Skills. It was an act of precaution.

Leaking my identity is a bad thing. There are followers of the 「Gods」, so of course there are folloer of the 「Fallens」too. I only feel safe if my identiry is leaked when I'm atleast strong enough to flee unharmed and untraceable.

A voice rang inside my head.

『You have passed the aptitude test with flying colors. You may now proceed to step two.』

A path formed on the ground leading down the mountain. It was a long path. It made me cross thick forests and raging rivers, but in the end, I reached the destination. It was a large building.

The building is giving off a dangerous aura, so I prepared and casted a spell to protect myself from any surprise attack. I scanned the ground to feel if something is moving and I felt one set of footprints on the building's basement. It sounds familiar, but I couldn't grasp what it was.

I carefully entered the house, making sure not to make much noise as possible. I searched for the stairs leading down to the basement and found it. I wonder how they make this feel so real, but it really gives me the creeps.

I descended down the creaking stairs and reached the floor. It was dark here, so I lit up a little ball of flame away from my current location and let it scout ahead.

My heart started to beat faster. The flame disappeared and I saw a familiar creature. It was a Fanged Crawler. Not a unique one, but it's still a Fanged Crawler.