Prejudice

I could tell just by how they look at me and how they behave. As if they're plotting on something and it was more than enough for me to be vigilant around them and my surroundings.

"Care to explain this?"

"I was simply doing what I was told, Sir."

"Which is?"

"To guide participants to their exam."

"Do you seriously think that lower class people like him are fit to take the entrance exam in this prestigious academy? For you to assist that lower class?"

"There's no rule that was implied by the founder or the higher ups that lower class people aren't allowed to take exams here. Everyone who has received this invitation letter means they have been selected to take the entrance exam."

"Huh?! Don't tell me that peasant-"

As the proctor was about to finish his sentence, the assistant showed the letter in front of him. The proctor was shocked and in disbelief when he saw the letter.

"No way… There's no way someone like that lowly class-"

"Now, now, why won't you just give him his badge number to begin the entrance exam immediately instead of wasting your time yapping that vulgar mouth of yours? You're wasting time, you know?"

The proctor was shocked as the assistant said so in a polite manner, this made the proctor infuriated.

"Say what? You should know your place, you damn assistant."

The proctor grabbed the assistant's collar in an attempt of intimidating and asserting dominance towards the servant. This caused a scene among everyone. However, the assistant wasn't fazed at all.

"My my, scary aren't we? But, I wouldn't display such behavior if I were you whose position is in danger."

"W-what?"

The proctor was speechless when he heard that his position as a proctor is in danger.

"What are you on about? Trying to pull out a futile trick?"

The proctor intimidates the servant out of disbelief by clutching to the servant's collar.

"I see, looks like this won't do it."

The assistant decided to murmur something to the proctor that made the proctor shocked and anxious.

"If you want the higher-ups to reconsider this decision, then I suggest you prove yourself worthy of this position right now."

"Tsk"

The proctor was irritated as he was left with no option. He lets go of the assistant and takes the letter from the assistant. He then took the stamp from the letter for a quick examination. The proctor was shocked when he recognized the stamp.

"Royal stamp…? This has to be a joke… The color…why is it purple?"

"My, it's the reason why I gave you that. After he poured some of his magic power into the letter like I instructed him, the color of the stamp turned into that color. Since I've never seen such a color reaction before, it's your job as a proctor to identify it since you seem to have knowledge about it. That way, we can confirm if he meets your standards or not."

The proctor was annoyed by the assistant's reply, but he ignored it and continued examining the stamp while pondering about something.

The color of the stamps changes depending on how much magic power or mana was poured into it and reacts similarly to flames that change color depending on the heat. Red being the weakest while blue being the strongest. But there's no purple stamp that was ever recorded. In other words, this brat's feat is basically an anomaly to this academy's magic power system. That being said, the blue color is only the strongest in the academy's magic power system due to the fact that it's the highest recorded. In other words, there's another flame that's stronger than the blue flame making it the actual strongest.

"What the hell is this all about?"

Both the assistant and the proctor were suddenly interrupted by one of the noble participants.

"The entrance exam is supposed to begin at exactly 12 and yet we're a minute behind now. I want to know what you two are yapping about but it seems that nobody over there seemed to have caused all of this."

Markus felt offended and disrespected as he was the one that the young nobleman pointed out.

"You there, peasant. How will you repent with your worthless life now that you've caused a slight commotion here and we're over one minute late thanks to you?"

I knew it, just like what that guy said. These shitty nobles will attack people like me in any way to crush the likes of us. Thanks to that guy's warnings, I'm able to see this coming. But I didn't expect them to make my blood boil so bad.

Markus clenches his fist as his anger surges throughout his whole body. The noble then approaches Markus and confronts him.

"I might reconsider my thoughts if you kneel and put your head down to the ground and beg for forgiveness. Your head.. Is raised far too high don't you think? I don't like being looked down on by someone beneath me, you know?"

Before everyone knew it, the young nobleman had drawn his sword out of nowhere and attempted to hit Markus at high speed.

*Clang*

To everyone including the young nobleman's surprise, Markus easily intercepted the sword with his trident's handle created from his own magic.

"Impossible… It was a high speed attack. How could a lowly-"

"Alright then bud. Since you want a fight so badly, I'll give you one."

Without hesitation, Markus shatters the young nobleman's blade in a single swing of his trident. The nobleman was shocked as he couldn't see it since it happened too fast. But before the two of them could even make another move, they were immediately intervened by the proctor and the assistant.

"My my, Sir Markus. I would appreciate it if you don't waste your power and save it instead for the entrance exam."

"I will not tolerate any further violence, now return."

"Tsk. Now that I got a closer look on your face, I must say how awful your face is with that ugly mark on your face. You might be the ugliest peasant I've met so far."

The young nobleman taunted Markus for his looks. Markus however, couldn't care less about the young noble's insults and ignores him. The young noble who's distraught for being ignored by him, walks away as the broken sword in his hand disappears. Markus's trident disappears as well and walks away.

"Hold it, brat."

Markus shifts his attention to the proctor as the proctor stops him. He suddenly changed his stance as if he's preparing for an attack when he saw the proctor aimed his right hand at him with an open palm. A badge number suddenly appears on his left chest and it's already intact to his clothes, this made him stunned.

"You'll be participant 146."

Markus was so stunned about it that he couldn't pay attention or hear what the proctor was saying.

"Hey brat, are you gonna stand there forever?!"

The distracted Markus suddenly snaps back and turns back his attention to the proctor as the proctor raises his voice.

"Yes, I mean no."

"How long are you going to stand there brat? Go to the last row, next to participant 145."

"Yes…"

Without hesitation, Markus obeyed the proctor and went to the last row. He searched for the person with number 145 and as he saw that person with the badge he's searching, he immediately stood next to that person. When he glanced at the person, it also had its appearance concealed with a cloak. Seeing this reminded him of the same person that extorted most of his money, making him annoyed for some reason. But he decided to brush it off instead.

"Welcome to Novaria Royal Magic Academy Entrance Exam. I am Montero Vorurteil and I'll be your proctor for this Exam. I sincerely apologize for the delay of the entrance exam due to the inconvenience just now."

Markus was irritated as he realized that the proctor was referring to him about the inconvenience the proctor mentioned.

This bastard… He really hates people like us doesn't he? Great..now I can sense some hostility from these people towards me. I bet this person beside me probably has the same intention. Right-?

As he glances at the person next to him, he's shocked to realize that this person doesn't share the same intention as the others.

What…