The test revealed
"All hail the Emperor!"
"Greetings, your majesty! "
It was Bindusara Maurya, who appeared abruptly in the training ground with the Royal escorts.
Everyone who faced the Emperor Bindusara Maurya knelt.
'Why is he here?'
"The emperor?"
"Your majesty!"
Chandra and Hema also knelt and bowed.
{So, he was the owner of the power I felt from afar?? To think a weak human could exclude power like that..…}
Draco spoke with admiration for the first time since waking up.
It seemed like Bindusara's prowess was impressive, even for him.
{His power is on a whole different level. He broke through the extremity and transcendence. But.....}
'But? What? '
{There is someone more powerful than him here}
'More powerful? Who are you talking about?'
…
Without responding, Draco stared behind the emperor, where there was nothing.
"Hmm."
Ashoka turned his eyes to the emperor once more ignoring Draco.
After slowly looking around at the children and their parents, Bindusara walked up on the platform and sat on the chair Alberad usually sat on.
"Eek?"
Alberad, who was entering over the wall, opened his mouth wide upon seeing him.
"Why is my lord here…?"
Bindusara glared at Alberad, unsatisfied about something.
"This is an event selecting the emperor's future. Why shouldn't I be here?"
"Well… I guess you're welcome here."
Alberad jumped over the wall while smiling awkwardly. Bowing to the emperor, he trotted up on the platform.
Bindusara didn't seem to mind his actions as he just stared at him.
"I wanted to take my time. Since your majesty is here, I can't do that anymore. Let's start the trainee selection test immediately."
Scratching the back of his head, Alberad instructed the parents to move back. The parents told their children to do their best and moved away.
"Ashoka, Sudhatta"
Ashoka turned back at Chandra calling him.
"Don't get hurt."
"Young master, please don't strain yourself."
Instead of telling them to do his best, Chandra and Hema worried about him and left.
{They are so weak, not suitable for you.}
Ashoka nodded. They've never wanted him to be excellent, and all they wanted was for him to stay healthy.
'I still can't get used to it.'
The love and care he received from his family was unfamiliar to him.
On his past life he didn't even know how the warmth of family would feel.
His mother died when he was still an infant and his father was a drunkaf bastarf who didn't even care about him.
For his father, he was just a burden that came with his one night pleasure.
He always harrassed him.
Beat him up with no particular reason.
Ashoka always wondered Whether it would have been different if his mother was still alive.
Whenever he saw a family having a good time together, he felt jealous.
But now that he was experiencing it, he felt weird.
The stark difference between them made it difficult for him to get used to.
Some times he thought if it is okay for him to enjoy this.
The motherly love that Chandra showed towards him.
The care of his doting grandfather.
He felt like he was tricking them.
The fear that one day they may realise that the one inside the body of a 7 year child was a 20+ year adult and that he may have taken over their child's body gave him nightmare.
But he knew now it wasn't the time to think about all that.
Ashoka turned his head back after staring at the two of them walking away.
It was only after Alberad started talking that his thoughts came to a halt.
"Then everyone, the details of the trainee selection test that everyone has been curious about will be revealed."
Alberad shook his hand from the platform. His expression was as light as always, but the small pressure emanating from him expanded its colossal wings.
Wham!
Albeit weaker than Bindusara's, the powerful pressure surrounding the entire training ground made the parents frown, and the children shrink down.
Tap!
With light yet majestic steps, Alberad walked towards the center of the training ground.
"Pierce through my pressure."
Looking down on the children in front of him, a chill light radiated from his eyes.
"That is my test."
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