16 Before the Exam

Just like meeting a close friend in a foreign country, Professor Keal's eyes lit up when he heard the compliment.

"You find it interesting too, right?" He looked at Astr excitedly and said, "Oh my god - we must be destined to meet!"

"I can't wait to teach you, Mr. Serene. We must have many common topics to talk about, I think."

"It is my pleasure, Professor Keal." Astr smiled wryly and said, "But I will have to pass the entrance exam."

"Of course, of course!" Keal nodded vigorously; he looks like a 200-pound child who got more candy to eat.

Astr carefully put away the improved healing potion. There is a rubber cover to close and keep the potion safe on the top of the glass tube.

It is used for keeping things inside the tube safe, so you don't have to worry about accidentally spilling it or letting the potion inside expire.

After registration, Astr body could no longer hold on any longer, so Astr said goodbye to the silly professor of herbal medicine and left the Wizard department.

At this time, it was noon. The high sun has dispelled the chill of early autumn and shines warmly on the earth.

Astr took a deep breath and felt the cool and fresh air filling his lungs, feeling very comfortable.

"Push me around the campus."

"Okay master." The maid replied, pushing Astr and walking slowly along the spacious avenue of the academy, with the guard silently guarding them from behind.

The shadows of the trees were dancing. Astr relaxed his body, leaned on his wheelchair, and looked at the young men and women who were resting on the lawn not far away.

Laughter came from time to time, and everyone's face was filled with confident happiness. They were students of Astral and had the right to laugh loudly.

This is the worry-free smile that can only be possessed by those who have never experienced a nightmare. Astral is not a place that cultivates talents that can solve nightmares; it only teaches how to use your powers.

Even for wizards who graduate from here, most of their future employment directions are to serve the Empire or engage in academic research like Professor Keal.

Only the top few who can be promoted to official wizards from Wizard Apprentice will be recommended to study at the Wizard Tower, an organisation that specialises in fighting nightmares.

By then, empire boundaries, race, gender...all the barriers will disappear. The only enemy is the dark place that swallows reality, called Nightmare.

Astr withdrew his gaze, closed his eyes, and enjoyed the peace and comfort of this moment.

　.....

A month later.

The Serene Family Mansion

Noye is carefully tying his son's bow tie for the twelfth time.

"That's okay, father. It looks good." Astr said helplessly, "And I'm really perfect."

"Of course, my son, you are the most perfect." Noye straightened up and rubbed his hands nervously.

Today is the day when Astral's entrance exam begins. His lovely son is going to take the written examination. So how can he not be nervous?

Before awakening the talent of the wizard, Noye didn't even dare to think about it. His son Astr can now not only go out, but he is also going to take the entrance exam for Astral Academy.

To this end, Noye deliberately pushed aside all his busy work and spared a morning to take Astr for the exam.

Astr thought he was making a fuss out of a molehill.

"If you feel uncomfortable in the examination room, don't hold on! Leave the exam and come out; it's fine. I will handle the professor there." Noye reminded and warned Astr for the fifteenth time before they left the mansion.

"I really can't believe this; it's like a dream." After getting off the carriage, Noye sighed for the twenty-fourth time.

"Remember, your health is more important than the exam! If in the exam room -" 

"I know, Father." Astr finally couldn't help it, interrupted his old father's earnest instructions, and comforted him softly, "I won't show off; don't worry. I will take all precautions."

The maid suppressed a smile at the side.'I really don't know who is going to take the exam. Father is more nervous than son'

The unified written examination is held in the auditorium. To prevent cheating, paper and pens are provided in the examination room. Candidates don't need to bring any identification or anything with them; they can enter by swiping their face on the Alchemy product.

Astr was also empty-handed, and he waved to his old father, who was even more nervous than him: "Then I'm going in. You also go and work hard."

"Don't force it."

"I know, Father!"

The always patient Astr had enough.

He quickly took two steps, trying his best to ignore the burning gaze from behind.

'Oh, what a worried old father! This care and love is too much.'

Astr shook his head in a funny and heartwarming way, and he walked slowly to the examination room, as relaxed as if he were going to walk in the courtyard of his home.

Just then, a gust of wind blew by. He picked up a few bright red rose petals that flew towards Astr.

Astr subconsciously turned his head to avoid some rose petals that were coming after picking up some of them, and a tall figure taller than him flashed across his sight.

Her long black hair flowed behind her, as smooth as silk. Although it was just a quick glance, the girl's face left a deep impression on my mind.

Against the background of her black hair, her skin was so white that it glowed. A pair of purple eyes stared straight ahead, as calm as the windless sea, and turned a blind eye to the stunning gazes around her, with a touch of alienation.

A straight nose, thin and small lips, and a slender chin.

There is no doubt that this tall and slender black-haired girl is a beauty.

'Well, she is as good-looking as me, no little bit less beautiful than me, but she was taller than me.' Astr comforted himself and looked at the back of the girl, who was walking towards the examination room.

In his ears, Astr heard other candidates whispering.

"Black hair..." "Unknown..." "Curse..."

Black hair, which is very rare in the Leonis Empire or even the entire continent.

Under the concept dominated by the Church of the Eternal Burning Sun, darkness, which corresponds to light, is black, an ominous colour, and the colour of nightmares.

'It's pure shit. This is obviously the colour of the nobles .'

Aste rolled his eyes slightly, ignored these sh*t gossips, and walked into the auditorium that served as the examination room.

The auditorium is spacious and magnificent, with a height of tens of metres in a semicircle and many lifelike paintings on the dome. In front of Astr was a wooden podium, and a tall and thin professor was standing there.

He is about fifty or sixty years old, with a downward-curved aquiline nose, and his eyes scanned the audience like an eagle, extremely sharp.

Felix Radar is the head of the Department of Alchemy.

True to his name, he has been an examiner for decades, and he will not let go of any cheating. People can't even move in front of his eyes.

Under the podium, there are rows of scarlet seats, with people sitting in every two seats.

There is a small bag on the seat with ink bottles and quills for exams.

Astr randomly found a seat, sat down, pulled out a small wooden table from the armrest, placed the examination bag on it, and waited with boredom.

Coincidentally, the beautiful black-haired girl sat next to him.

Suddenly, envious and jealous eyes shot towards Astr.

However, when they saw Astr's appearance, these eyes became even hotter.

Astr glanced at the black-haired girl. After she sat down, she stared at the small wooden table without saying a word, like an exquisite ice sculpture.

'Quite aloof and quite, but why the heck are all these beautiful girls ice sculptures?'

Astr thought to himself and looked away without much care.

Not long after, the examiner's gloomy and hoarse voice sounded on the podium.

"I am the examiner for this exam. My name is not important. What is important is that once you cheat, this will be the last time you step into Astral, and something more can also happen."

"..."

The candidates remained silent.

"Very good." Felix Radar nodded with satisfaction. "Now I will start handing exam papers to you."

"The exam will start in five minutes."