novelraw Chapter 136 - 135 : Results
Chapter 136 - 135 : Results
All the candidates who had come for the entrance exam were now sitting inside the massive garden of Celestias Academy after finishing their written test.
The tension that had been building inside the examination hall slowly melted away as they rested on the soft grass and stone benches scattered around.
Just like them, many other candidates were also sitting quietly in the garden, forming small groups here and there.
Above them, cherry blossom trees bloomed, their branches stretched wide as pale petals swayed gently in the breeze and fell to the ground.
The scenery was simple but amazing. After the pressure of the exam, the sight of the blossoming trees and the calm garden made the students feel a rare sense of peace and absolute relaxation.
The weather inside the garden was special. The air was cool and light, carrying away the heaviness in their chests and making their minds clear and less stressed.
Celestias Academy had technology that allowed them to change the weather inside the barrier covering the academy garden whenever they wanted.
This garden was specifically designed so the students and teachers would have a place where they could relax and ease their minds.
Among the many candidates, seven candidates were also sitting on the soft grass, enjoying the environment just like everybody else.
They were Arthur, Elizabeth, Aiden, Evangeline, Julia, Aaron, and Isabella.
Arthur was lying on his back on the ground with his legs stretched out, using his hands as a pillow behind his head. Elizabeth sat near his feet, massaging his legs with a face full of rage and barely hidden murderous intent.
Aaron kept hovering around Arthur’s upper body, unable to stay still.
"Arthur, should I massage your arms if they’re hurting?" Aaron asked quickly. "It’s been a really long time since we’ve seen each other, hasn’t it? Tell me, what should I do for you? Do you want something to drink? Something to eat? Just tell me."
On the other side, Julia, Aiden, and Isabella simply enjoyed the relaxing feeling in silence. Aiden leaned back on his hands, Julia sat comfortably with her legs folded, and Isabella closed her eyes for a moment, taking in the calm atmosphere.
Evangeline stretched her arms lazily, then lay down beside Arthur, turning her head to look at him.
"So, I hope you’ve prepared yourself mentally to dance naked in the street," she said in a light tone.
She smiled.
"I even have a camera ready, you know. I’ll treasure that moment properly so you can happily see it whenever you want."
Julia, Aiden, and Isabella all smirked at Arthur when they heard that.
Julia tilted her head slightly and spoke.
"If you want to, I can talk to Diana for you," she said. "We’re both from the same kingdom, and I know her too. Maybe she’ll go easy on you. But you’ll have to do something for me too—teach me how to do that."
Arthur turned his eyes toward her.
"No thanks," he replied calmly. "I don’t need anyone’s help."
He looked around at all of them and added,
"I can already tell you guys are excited to see me dance naked."
All of them immediately looked away from Arthur, avoiding his gaze.
"Except for this guy," Arthur said, patting Aaron’s head.
Aaron, who was sitting right beside him, happily leaned into his touch, clearly enjoying it.
"Just because I finished early does not mean I lost, okay?" Arthur said after a moment. "That’s all you guys need to know."
Aiden, Julia, and Isabella, including Elizabeth, burst into laughter at his words.
Arthur narrowed his eyes slightly.
"You guys think this is funny, huh..." he said.
"Then let’s make a bet. If I lose to that girl, I’ll give you guys two times more than what you each bet, and I’ll also pay your bills for the next six months of the academy."
He paused for a second, looking at each of them.
"But if I win, you will give me twice the amount you bet, including handling my expenses in the academy."
He raised his chin slightly.
"What do you say? Wanna bet?"
At Arthur’s words, the laughter around him cut off as if someone had sliced it in half. The garden, which had been echoing with their voices a moment ago, suddenly felt quieter.
Arthur smirked, eyes sweeping over their faces.
"What’s wrong? You guys don’t seem confident anymore," he said.
Aiden, Julia, Aaron, and Isabella stared at him, their mouths slightly open in shock.
Then Julia, Isabella, and Aiden glanced at each other and gave small nods, as if they had silently agreed.
"I bet five million," Isabella said first, her tone calm and confident.
"I bet three million," Julia added, eyes gleaming with interest.
Hearing those amounts, Aiden’s mouth twitched. He was a noble, but not nearly as wealthy as them. He lowered his head slightly and spoke in a small voice.
"I... bet fifty thousand dollars," he said.
Arthur turned to look at him, his smile stretching wider.
"I bet fifty thousand dollars," Arthur repeated, almost as if savoring every word.
Then he burst out laughing.
"I knew it. This poor bastard," Arthur said between laughs.
Aiden gritted his teeth, his face dark.
Evangeline, who had been listening with a faint smile, pushed herself up and crossed her arms.
"Betting, huh? Seems kind of fun," she said. "Then I bet five million on Arthur."
Julia blinked in surprise and turned to her.
"Evangeline, you do know who Diana Stormborn is, right?" she said. "It’s not about combat skill this time, but intellect."
"For some reason, I believe in him," Evangeline replied, her voice firm. "After all, I’ve seen this guy survive in the Null Realm alone, even with the odds against him. So how can you say he’s not intelligent?"
Silence fell over the group. Aiden, Isabella, and Julia didn’t say anything this time. None of them could easily argue with that.
"I bet two million on Arthur too," Aaron’s cheerful voice came from beside them. He was smiling without a hint of doubt.
Then Elizabeth’s voice followed, clear and steady.
"I bet five million on my master."
Everyone turned to stare at her in surprise.
Arthur looked at her, eyebrows lifting.
"You have money?" he asked.
Elizabeth only smiled—a sharp, knowing smile—and didn’t say anything.
Arthur’s mouth twitched. He opened his mouth, about to say something more, when a loud shout rang across the garden.
"The results are up! Everyone, let’s go!"
The moment those words echoed, the calm atmosphere shattered. Students who had been lying down or sitting comfortably jumped to their feet, nervousness and excitement spreading through them all at once.
Voices overlapped, footsteps rustled against the grass, and people started running toward the hall where the results were posted.
Evangeline stood up, dusting off her clothes with a few quick pats. She glanced down at Arthur with a teasing smile.
"Looks like the time has come," she said. "To see if we’ll get to watch you dance naked."
The others also got to their feet—some grinning, some anxious—and together they started making their way toward the hall.
At the same time, another group was heading in the same direction.
Diana, Jasmine, Liana, and Arina walked side by side, the noise of the crowd growing louder as they neared the hall. Jasmine, Arina, and Liana were talking about the difficulty of the exam, comparing which questions had troubled them.
Diana, however, looked dazed. She kept biting one of her fingernails, her eyes unfocused.
"Is everything alright, Diana?" Arina asked, turning to her. "Where is Damian?"
"He’s gone to the washroom," Diana answered.
Arina nodded and watched her closely.
"Are you thinking about something? Was the exam that difficult... like it was for me?"
Diana let out a small chuckle and shook her head.
"No, it’s not that," she said quietly. "It’s just a feeling I can’t shake. I solved every single question... but there was one that didn’t come from any of the study materials I’d read."
She frowned slightly, her brows knitting together.
"I just can’t stop thinking about that one question... even if I did manage to solve it in the end."
Arina, Liana, and Jasmine burst out laughing.
"Worried about just one question?" Jasmine said. "I left out more than five."
"Same for me," Liana added.
"Same for me too," Arina agreed.
Liana gave Diana a confident look.
"It’s going to be alright. I can already tell the top spot is yours," she said. "I just want to see that arrogant guy naked in the streets."
All of them laughed loudly at that, the image clearly amusing them.
Soon, they reached the hall where the rankings were posted.
A huge holographic screen floated in the air above the crowd, displaying lines of text that showed the results. Candidates filled the hall, pushing closer, craning their necks to see.
-----------
On the screen, the words were clear:
『 THEORY EXAMINATION RESULTS 』
~ RANK #1
Arthur Celestian
[ Problem-Solving Accuracy & Intellectual Aptitude: 100% ]
[ Points: 100 ]
~ RANK #2
Diana Stormborn
[ Problem-Solving Accuracy & Intellectual Aptitude: 99.8% ]
[ Points: 100 ]
~ RANK #3
Jasmine Cael Ashford
[ Problem-Solving Accuracy & Intellectual Aptitude: 95.8% ]
[ Points: 96 ]
~ RANK #4
Evangeline Cael Ashford
[ Problem-Solving Accuracy & Intellectual Aptitude: 95.5% ]
[ Points: 96 ]
~ RANK #5
Arina Evan Imperius
[ Problem-Solving Accuracy & Intellectual Aptitude: 94.8% ]
[ Points: 96 ]
~ RANK #6
Victor Blackthorn
[ Problem-Solving Accuracy & Intellectual Aptitude: 80.8% ]
[ Points: 82 ]
~ RANK #7
Damian Stormborn
[ Problem-Solving Accuracy & Intellectual Aptitude: 79% ]
[ Points: 82 ]
~ RANK #8
Aiden Nexaris
[ Problem-Solving Accuracy & Intellectual Aptitude: 78% ]
[ Points: 82 ]
~ RANK #9
Aaron Vale Valmont
[ Problem-Solving Accuracy & Intellectual Aptitude: 75.8% ]
[ Points: 75 ]
~ RANK #10
Isabella Crown
[ Problem-Solving Accuracy & Intellectual Aptitude: 73.8% ]
[ Points: 73 ]
~ RANK #11
Julia Vale Valmont
[ Problem-Solving Accuracy & Intellectual Aptitude: 72.8% ]
[ Points: 72 ]
~ RANK #12 .....
~ RANK #13 .....
-----------
For a moment, the hall fell completely silent.
Every student’s gaze locked onto the very top of the list. None of them could believe what they were seeing.
Diana stared at the name in first place. Her throat felt dry, and no sound came out when she tried to speak. Her face had turned as white as a sheet.
"It can’t be... impossible," she whispered at last.
Arina, Jasmine, and Liana were just as shocked. They read the ranking again and again, as if the letters might change if they stared long enough.
Then, from behind them, a familiar voice spoke.
"There you are. I was looking everywhere for you."
A chill ran down Diana’s spine. She froze in place.
She did not want to turn around. She already knew exactly who that voice belonged to.