Chapter 35 — Results
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Kael Grenfort:
The next morning. The inn.
I opened my eyes.
"Ahhh..." — I sighed, staring at the ceiling. I covered my face with my fingers.
Yesterday's situation. How does she remember me? Interesting. Well, I'll find out later. Doesn't matter.
I got up, tidied my bed, washed my face and hands, and headed to the dining area of the inn.
Ahh... no one here.
I looked around, then walked to Sedrik's room.
Knock. Knock. Knock. I tapped on the door.
At that moment, the door opened.
"Ah, you're awake, Kael. Sedrik is waiting downstairs. Everyone overslept today. Shall we go without tea?"
"No, Father, no rush. It's crowded now. We can go later. First, let's have breakfast somewhere. The results will be displayed on the large magic board until 12:00. At 12:30, there will be the first training sessions and dormitory assignments for those who passed. I asked some people there yesterday."
"Oh, good boy," Sedrik said, patting my head. I was still in my pajamas. I returned to my room and changed.
I went downstairs.
"Ah, you're out, Kael?"
"Yes, Father, I'm out. Don't rush so much."
"I know, but I'm curious about your results."
"Alright, Father. Let's try to get there quickly then."
And we set off.
---
To our right, a river flowed through the city. The carriage flew like the wind. We headed toward the city center. Everywhere, there were people.
The morning sun reflected off the river's surface, creating shimmering patterns of gold and silver. The water moved gently, carrying the light along its current. On the banks, trees swayed, their leaves catching the soft breeze.
As we entered the city center, the sounds and smells of the market enveloped us. The aroma of spices — cumin, cinnamon, paprika — mixed with the scent of fresh bread and roasted meats. Merchants called out their wares, their voices blending into a lively hum. Bright fabrics hung from stalls, colorful fruits piled high on wooden tables, and the chatter of buyers and sellers filled the air.
We got off the carriage. Silvan parked it and followed us.
"Father, how high do you think my chances are of getting in?"
"Well, I'd say one hundred percent," he said with a smile.
"What about you, Silvan?"
He looked at me, then down at the ground.
"It's hard to say. Fifty percent, perhaps. You have great talent, but I know about the family prob—"
"Silvan," Sedrik said, looking back.
"Oh, forgive me, sir. I overstepped. I apologize."
"Father, it's fine. Silvan is a pragmatic person. There's no point trying to change someone," I said.
"Oh, is that so?" Sedrik said, scrunching his face at me mockingly.
"Of course, Father," I said, looking at his face, and we continued on our way.
---
We wandered through the market for a while. We bought various new clothes, had something to eat, and were about to leave when I noticed Silvan looking at a piece of clothing.
"Hey, Silvan. You haven't bought anything, have you?"
"I don't need anything, young master. I can get something later," he said.
"Hey, don't be so stiff. Come on," I said, grabbing his arm and pulling him toward the shop he'd been looking at. Sedrik lingered a bit behind but caught up as we reached the counter.
"Ah, Kael. Wanting something else?"
"No, I was thinking we should get something for Silvan."
"Oh, good idea," he said, stepping forward. "Which one do you like?"
I picked up the shirt Silvan had been eyeing and hurried over to the shopkeeper. "Excuse me, do you have this in his size?" I asked, pointing.
"Hmm, this shirt... who is Silvan?" she asked, hesitating.
"Here," I said, stepping aside. Silvan was behind me.
"Ah, it wasn't necessary, young master," he said.
"Don't even think about saying no," I said, not even looking at his face.
He smiled slightly.
"Here you go," the shopkeeper said, pulling the garment from a box below and handing it to me.
"Here, Silvan," I said, turning around. He took it. I looked at the shopkeeper. "How much?"
"Hurry up, Kael. It's already eleven," Sedrik said from behind.
"Yes, Father."
The shopkeeper hesitated, thinking.
I felt my irritation rise. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a gold coin. "Here. Keep the change," I said, tossing it onto the counter.
"Let's go, Silvan."
We walked a bit, then stopped by the carriage — but as we looked, one of the horses was missing. There were noticeably fewer people around too.
"Damn it! Where did the horse go? Seriously?" Sedrik fumed.
"This is my fault. My luck hasn't been good today for some reason," he said, slumping slightly.
"Hey, don't blame yourself. This isn't your fault," Sedrik said.
"I'll go find it," Silvan said, and started to run.
"Wait! If you can't find it..." Sedrik said, handing him two coins. "Buy another one. We have no choice," Sedrik said.
Silvan nodded, stomped the ground, and shot up into the air.
---
Silvan:
Argh! Damn it. Someone clearly stole it.
When I catch them, I'll break their legs.
I followed the horse's hoofprints. Thanks to my enhanced senses — sharper than an ordinary person's — tracking was easier.
At an intersection, the trail split in three directions. I landed on the ground, scanned the area, and sniffed the air.
There. That's the scent. The person who took it passed by about thirty minutes ago. If I hurry, I can catch up.
"Hey, sir! Flying is prohibited here!" someone shouted behind me.
I turned. A city guard stood there.
"Hello, officer. Is there a problem?"
"Yes. Flying is prohibited in the city. I just need to verify your identity," he said.
I pulled out my identification papers and showed them.
He looked them over, then tossed something upward. It shot off like a stone arrow toward the city center.
"Please wait a moment," he said.
"I'm in a hurry. Can you make it quick?"
"It won't take long."
The item flew back down — chew — and he caught it. He glanced at it, then returned my documents.
"You have no prior offenses. Since this is your first violation, we'll let it slide with a warning. Take care," he said and left.
By the time this was over, everything would get jammed up. Damn it.
I activated a body-enhancement spell and sprinted through the crowd, weaving left onto a side street.
Ahh. Found it. Time to crush these bastards.
Just as I approached, I paused.
Wait. Let me check first. What happened?
"Hello," I said.
"Hello, sir. What do you need?" asked a man wearing a turban.
"Where did you get this horse?"
I took a better sniff. The man didn't carry the thief's scent. The thief had gone straight ahead — probably sold it and ran.
"Yes, a man came by about fifteen minutes ago and sold it. He seemed in a hurry — sold it for much less than it was worth. If you're interested, it'll cost two gold coins. Quite a bargain for a horse like this — a fine breed, if you look closely."
"Yes, I know," I said, pulling two coins from my pocket and handing them over.
"Deal. Now, I'm leaving."
I led the horse away.
If I weren't in such a rush, I'd have gone after that man's mind... I thought, glancing back.
---
Twenty minutes later.
Kael Grenfort:
"Ohh, finally, Silvan!"
"You found the horse?" Sedrik asked.
"Yes, sir. One man had stolen it," Silvan said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out two coins, offering them back to Sedrik. "Here, your two gold coins."
"Haha, I'll have to pay you your monthly salary soon. Keep it," Sedrik said, pushing them back into Silvan's hand.
"Alright, let's go. School starts for Kael in an hour. I still need to speak with Director Dzao before the orientation begins."
"You're right."
"Let's go, Silvan," I said.
Silvan hitched the horse to the carriage and began to drive. With fewer people on the streets, we made it to the school in just a few minutes.
"Here we are, sir. I'll wait here," Silvan said.
"Alright," Sedrik said, stepping out. "Let's go, Kael."
---
Inside, the crowd was thick.
"Uhhh... looks like everyone showed up at the last minute."
The inside was noisy as a marketplace.
"Hehe, no worries."
I looked around.
Good. Lilith isn't here. Everything's fine.
"What are you waiting for? Go check the results," Sedrik said.
I nodded and walked forward.
---
Five minutes later.
Ahhhhh! This old bastard! What did he do? He could have just written one line. His work is so unprofessional, even if he is powerful.
Result Board:
Top Ten
Rank Name
1st Criss Griffith
2nd Nolan
3rd Lilith Grimjaw
4th Elven Smith
5th Grey Obram
6th Semya Obram
7th Andrew Obram
8th Vincent Leon
9th Kael Grenfort
10th Raphael Sebastian
Remaining:
11th — Lucius Dorian
12th — ...
13th — ...
14th — ...
...
104th — Magnus Sylas
I stared at the board, my eyes scanning the list again and again.
Wait... Criss Griffith? 1st?
That means... I took first place.
But then... why is my name — Kael Grenfort — also there... at 9th?
My mouth fell open slightly. My fingers twitched at my sides.
This old man... he put both of my names on the list.
What kind of game is he playing?
I heard murmuring behind me.
"Who is this Criss Griffith? I've never heard of him."
"And there's a Kael Grenfort in 9th place too."
"Maybe they're related?"
I swallowed hard. My palms were sweating.
I looked up at the board again, forcing my expression to stay neutral. I scanned the list one more time. My eyes stopped on a familiar name — just below mine, at 9th.
Kael Grenfort.
His name was up there too. Why? Had he discovered something?
I took a slow breath and calmed my nerves. I had no time to waste. The ceremony would start soon, and I needed to act fast. I scanned the room, looking for any familiar faces.
"Ah, there he is," I muttered, spotting Dzao near the entrance, his calm expression betraying nothing. No doubt he'd seen the list and chosen to play dumb.
I walked up to him with a casual stride, trying my best to hide the anxiety gnawing at my chest. "Nice list," I said, keeping my tone light. "Criss Griffith in first place—bold move. But my other name up there? Care to explain?"
Dzao raised an eyebrow, then a faint smile appeared on his lips.
"A single identity is a chain. I merely gave you another key."
I frowned.
"What does that even mean?"
"You'll understand when the day comes that someone tries to kill Kael Grenfort... while Criss Griffith quietly walks past them."
He smirked, leaning back against the wall. "Trust me, you'll thank me later. Now go, you've got a ceremony to attend."
I opened my mouth to say something else, but he waved me off. I gritted my teeth and turned away.
Alright, Dzao—you win this round. But I'm keeping my eyes open.
I rejoined Sedrik and motioned toward the hall where everyone was gathering. "Let's go, Father. Orientation starts soon, and I don't want to miss it."
"One thing, Kael—"
"Not now. I'll tell you after the ceremony," I said, cutting him off gently but firmly. We made our way toward the main hall, the weight of the crowd pressing in from all sides. The excitement in the air was palpable—everyone was eager to begin.
Students and parents flooded the area, their voices blending into a messy hum. I caught whispers about the "mysterious top scorer" and the surprising presence of two names linked to Grenfort.
My jaw tightened.
I'll handle it. One step at a time.
As we made our way toward the hall, I looked back one last time at the results board. My hands were trembling slightly. I shoved them into my pockets.
Criss Griffith — 1st place.
Kael Grenfort — 9th place.
What a mess.
But... I got in. That's all that matters.
For now.
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