Two days later, early in the morning.
Royal Academy of Music, Great Hall.
The auditorium where the grand banquet was held a few days ago has been reorganized.
The place used to be brightly lit late at night, filled with the aroma of wine and the sweet laughter of girls, where future musicians got to know each other. The walls and stone pillars are decorated with complex patterns, and the crystal chandeliers reflect the light, dazzling people, and even the future becomes gorgeous.
There are ninety-three paintings on the finest Persian carpets, forming a vast narrative poem, recording the magnificent deeds of King Arthur and his twelve phantom beasts. Even the silver candle holders are decorated with delicate floral patterns.
But now those intoxicating luxurious decorations have been removed, and the carpets have been rolled up, revealing the original glorious marble floor. The candle in the silver candlestick went out.
The fifteen windows were closed, and heavy curtains covered them, blocking out the light from the outside world.
The smell of wine, the laughter of the girls, and the gorgeous lights all disappeared.
Only the harsh sunlight fell through the glass dome, bringing a beam of light to the dark auditorium. The light fell on the ground and scattered, vaguely illuminating the portraits of the masters. Their eyes were sharp and cold. , his pupils were like lightning brewing in thunderclouds.
The final test is about to begin.
Behind a row of long tables, six examiners were wearing red robes, with serious faces and harsh and gloomy expressions.
When flipping through the candidate materials in hand, it is like looking at the merchandise, trying to find even the smallest flaws on the porcelain, and then smash them into pieces with the hammer in hand.
Among them, there was a young woman with a bored look on her face. She wore a headscarf, a veil on her face, and a scarlet flower on her forehead. She was full of exotic style, out of place, and absent-minded.
That was just a representative sent by the musician faction to make up the numbers, a symbol to make this exam more fair. No one paid attention to her, and everyone knew that the principal had given in to her own misbehavior.
The examination room here today is the home ground of the noble faction!
The side door opened, and footsteps came in, low and determined, full of confidence. All the examiners stood up and bowed to Sidney, who was in charge of the examination:
"Good day, sir."
"Good day, gentlemen."
Sidney nodded and sat down in the middle of the long table.
When he looked around, his harsh eyes showed a trace of satisfaction: "It seems that this year is a good harvest year. Gentlemen, this is the last moment, don't relax."
"Sir, we are always vigilant." Bain lowered his head respectfully.
"Very good." Sidney smiled: "You are shouldering the honor of the Royal Conservatory of Music and the Anglo-American musicians, you know? An excellent teacher should take on the responsibility of being his own guide, instead of taking away those rotten fruits. Put them in their own baskets with distinction.”
"Everything is in order."
Bain whispered: "Starting from this year, the spirit of the Noble Blood will be resurrected in the academy."
"As it should be."
…
Before the final test began, Sidney looked at the examiner again.
"Representatives from the Transformation School, the Summoning School, the Revelation School, and the Royal School are all here, which is good..." At this point, he frowned slightly: "Why is there still an empty seat? Who is late?"
"The teacher in charge of the Department of Music History, I remember his name is..." Bain thought about it carefully, unable to remember the old man who had no sense of existence: "It seems to be called Abraham."
"Maybe the iron hand was broken, so you ran to the blacksmith shop?"
Someone whispered softly next to him, causing tacit laughter.
In the academy, few people know that the half-assed musician with an iron arm is actually the teacher in the academy. And he teaches in the Music History Department, a place like this that no one would know about if you don’t check the list...
If he hadn't suddenly occupied a vacant seat in this enrollment, no one would have noticed this old man who has always had no presence in the college.
Amidst the laughter, the gray-haired man quietly slipped in from the side door. After realizing that he was late, a look of embarrassment appeared on his dull face.
Sensing that someone was looking at him, he subconsciously retracted his iron hand behind his back to avoid ridicule. Sidney glanced at him, suddenly a little bored, and just waved his hand, motioning for him to sit down.
So, everyone arrived.
Then, with the crisp sound of the gavel, the door of the auditorium opened a crack.
In the examination room, all the examiners' faces instantly became serious.
The final exam that determines the fate of the seventy-one candidates has finally begun.
…
…
"Who was the first person?"
"Edmund Rossi." Bain looked at the name and thought for a while: "The second son of the Rossi family has good talent. He became an apprentice three years ago. The Revelation School is very optimistic about him."
Sidney nodded: "It seems that he is very good at understanding patterns."
"He is also quite talented spiritually." The examiner from the Revelation School admired in a low voice: "It seems that he is a younger generation that the family has deliberately cultivated."
"Let's take a look first," Sidney said softly.
While they were talking quietly, a red-haired boy walked into the examination room.
In the empty and dim auditorium, being stared at by the examiners from a distance, the young man was vaguely nervous, but he could tell that he had a good upbringing and still maintained his aristocratic demeanor. He bowed slightly and saluted the examiners, waiting for instructions.
"Don't be nervous, Edmund."
Bain pointed to the center of the examination room: "Just stand up and relax."
Edmund turned his head and looked behind him. Only then did he notice the towering stone monument that he had always ignored.
…
In the silence, a heavy stone tablet as tall as a person stood silently in the center of the examination room, with sharp edges and corners. After modification and polishing, the surface of the stone tablet is as smooth as a mirror, which can reflect people's reflections.
The sun shone on it from the dome, but it didn't leave any shadow on the ground, as if the light was swallowed up by the dark stone monument.
The black stone tablet reflected the person's face, and the face became pale and unfamiliar.
Those mirrored figures seemed to have some human qualities stripped away, making them look terrifying.
In front of the stone monument stood a heavy iron chair. The iron chair was as heavy and clumsy as the equipment used to restrain patients in a mental hospital. A silver cable extends from the back of the chair and connects to the base of the monument.
They are one.
This is the instrument used in this actual measurement. Although it looks like a stone monument, it is actually made by man. Ignoring the appearance, in principle, it is more like an ether ball that is thousands of times more complicated.
This is a professional-grade measuring equipment produced by the "Kingdom Geographical Exploration Association". It should be installed in a silent stone chamber four hundred meters underground to measure changes in the movement of the earth's crust. It is now placed here just to rigorously collect all the data of the candidates. All shown.
It is more terrifying than any torture or judge.
Because no one can lie in front of it.
…
As Edmund sat on the chair uneasily, the flat surface of the stone tablet slowly lit up. It was blurry at first, but in the end, the silver light spots formed a concrete changing pattern.
It looks like random graffiti, but it attracts the attentive attention of all the examiners.
"Structurally enough, but average. It's a bit weak in terms of change."
"The Revelation School does not focus on pre-emptive strikes, but more on correct responses." Someone nodded: "He is very good at 'inspiration'."
"It's rare that the first one is good."
…
After a few low-pitched discussions at the end, the examiner of the Revelation School nodded: "Edmond Rossi, you have been admitted to the Revelation School. After exiting the corridor, go left and look for the person in charge of the Revelation School. He will lead you You go through the formalities.”
He paused and said with a hint of humor: "I hope you are ready for the tuition. The School of Revelation is a place that can drain the king's treasure house."
The red-haired boy was stunned for a moment, as if he was surprised, he clenched his fists excitedly, and ran out without even saying hello. He turned back halfway and bowed to say goodbye. The examiner laughed softly.
"He's still a kid after all."
Bain sighed: "Next! Ron Fournier..."
…
When the second boy walked into the examination room, the relaxed atmosphere in the examination room quickly dissipated.
The boy, wearing clothes that had been washed to white, looked at the examiners uneasily. But the examiner just looked at the young man's chest. When he found that there was no noble crest, he looked away coldly and stopped looking.
The young man seemed to be facing such a battle for the first time. He opened his mouth to speak, but was too nervous to speak.
Sidney frowned: He didn't even understand etiquette.
"Sit there and we will assess your qualifications."
Bain smiled and pointed at the stone tablet.
After the trembling young man finished it on the chair, the stone tablet was naturally dim, and no image appeared. The examiners just nodded understandingly, looked at each other, and crossed out the name on their lists.
Civilians who have no resonance with the ether have never received any training. This actual test is a preparation to get rid of these fools.
Bain smiled and nodded: "Ron Fournier, you can go out."
The young man was stunned for a moment, not knowing what happened. He had no idea what this exam was going to do, and he naively thought that the exam had not started yet.
"I regret to inform you that you have no talent as a musician. You can leave." Bain announced softly, still with a sarcastic smile on his face.
"B-but sir."
Ron was almost speechless: "I haven't..."
"I said, get out."
Bain's smile faded, and that cold expression blocked Ron's words, making him unable to say anything. Bain stopped looking at him and just knocked the gavel:
"Next!"
Ron looked at the examiners blankly, murmuring something he wanted to say. After a long time, he lowered his head and walked out of the examination room.
Outside the door, faint sobs could be heard.
This is Avalon, where nobles live in the clouds and enjoy the sun. The civilians could not see the stars in the thick fog in the lower city.
In the past, when the principal was still there, he might have been lenient, but this time the exam will be controlled by the nobles, and no vulgar rotten blood will want to appear in this academy.
This is a place to cultivate glorious descendants, not a rotten vegetable market.