The Scholarship Candidates - I

There was an awkward silence following my concealed gossip between the candidates. The candidates were staring at Sebastian followed with mixed reaction. Some were surprised, some were agitated while some of them were disgusted.

"Pardon my intrusion" saying so Sebastian lowered his head and quietly walked in the room. He kept his gaze on the ground and didn't dare to look the other candidates in the eye.

'Calm down Sebastian. The plan to make an impression while making friends was a bust. So if I get any more nervous, then I won't be able to stop my smile from resurfacing.' thinking so Sebastian quietly tiptoed his way to the corner.

'If I heard correct the candidates here are nobles. No wonder they got the luxurious couches all around the room. Although, I should just sit on a floor in the corner. Either way, the floor tiles are also so pretty that I am even afraid that if sitting on it won't sully it anyway.' muttered Sebastian to himself in the head.

Just when a candidate stood up,

"Hey, you! Peasant. Stop right there." he shouted with an agitated tone.

Although, Sebastian kept walking towards the corner while busy in his own thoughts.

The angry candidate gritted his teeth,

"I told you to stop, you filthy peasant!"

Sebastian finally snapped out of it and turned around looking for the owner of that voice. He saw a boy with grey hair wearing a silver armor set from neck to bottom. He also had a long blue fabric cape hanging behind on his back of the armor. Although, he's stature was quite short.

There were more candidates standing behind at his side, glaring at Sebastian with pure animosity.

"Peasant?! Uh… yes, sir?" mumbled Sebastian quickly, 'It almost slipped my mind that I was a peasant. It's been a long time since anyone called me that. I guess I must get used to it from now on.'

The grey hair dude glared at Sebastian with a furious expression,

"What the hell are you doing here?! This place on this floor is meant to be only used for candidates those of noble heritage. Lowly filthy like you are meant to go to the upper level. Now hurry up and get away from my sight, this instant."

Sebastian but was a bit puzzled,

"But sir, the receptionist lady told me to go the third-"

"Didn't I just told you to go upstairs? Get out of here now, the last thing I want his to spread your filth around us. Go mingle with your scholarship maggots over there. Hehe." said the grey hair dude with a chuckle.

Sebastian lowers his head,

"Ok, sir. I'll get moving right away." saying so Sebastian quickly dashed towards the doorway.

'So this was the wrong waiting room. Gotta find the waiting room for the peasant. I must hurry, I can't hold my facial expression any longer.' mumbled Sebastian to himself as he lowered his eye while walking toward the door. Sebastian was forcefully trying to suppress his smile from resurfacing while concentrating on the muscle on his face. Although, this exercise was risky as it would sometimes give him facial muscle spasm which results in him smiling for about an hour or so without stopping.

It's a double-edged sword, hence Sebastian tends to do this only as a last resort option.

Sebastian quickly evaded eye contact and almost reached halfway to the doorway, just when-

"Where do you think you're going?" asked the grey hair dude once again.

Sebastian stopped in his track and looked back,

"Um.... you said to go to the upper floor. So that's what I am trying to-"

"You moron. Go upstairs from that staircase over there, to the upper balcony." replied the grey hair dude as he pointed towards a staircase at the corner of the room.

Sebastian glanced at the staircase which led him to the upper balcony. The hall was quite big to house even a big balcony just above. Sebastian didn't notice, but there were more candidates standing at the balcony's railing watching the entire drama from above.

'Wow. What is this building? They have different floors even in a room. How big is this mansion anyway?' thought Sebastian.

Sebastian once again genuinely bowed his head,

"Thank you and sorry for interrupting your precious time." and left on to climb the stairs.

"Tch. Scram." replied the annoyed grey hair dude.

Sebastian finally climbed upstairs to the upper balcony.

Here there were more candidates than on the floor below. Although, the equipment worn by the candidates on this floor was not as quirky and elegant as the noble candidates below.

These were candidates who came from rich families and had a higher status in society. Although the furniture on this floor consisted of wooden tables followed with wooden chairs. There were various kinds of fruits and drinks placed on the table.

The luxury was a little less compared to the one provided to the nobles below.

Sebastian reached on the floor admiring the people around him as he thought,

'So this must be the people who are fellow rivals who I am going to befriend. I am surely able to make at least one or two friends for sure.'

Sebastian took a deep breath,

"Hello, I am-"

"Get out of here." said one of the candidates with a big muscular physique with a mohawk.

Sebastian, however, was caught off guard,

"Pardon?"

"Go to the corner and join your fellow peasant maggots at that corner. Don't even dare to even think to sit here along with us higher status candidates." said the mohawk dude with threatening aura.

Sebastian while nodded his head,

"Oh sorry to interrupt you guys. My bad" saying so Sebastian dashed toward where the mohawk dude pointed.

'What is going on here? I managed to suppress my smiling habit but still, people are just outright hating me for some reason. Is it because of my attire? Does my clothes stink or what?' reflected Sebastian as he dashed towards the corner.

Just when a girl at the corner waving at him,

"Hey! Over here."

Sebastian glanced over the voice owner to see a girl dressed in moderate armor around the corner. She looked like an average girl with pigtails waving her hands at Sebastian.

He spotted a group of 6 candidates in a secluded place, away from the rest of the candidates sitting on the floor. They looked like any normal candidate judging from the equipment they were wearing a light set of armor of cheap quality.

Everyone looked quite serious and just sitting and waiting patiently.