Chapter 18: Mingyang Academy

Finally, the day of the results announcement arrived. Some gritted their teeth, some cried, some stomped their feet, and some managed to maintain a semblance of calm. Many people came to the list, closed their eyes, and prayed to heaven, earth, and the spirits before daring to open their eyes to look.

Four huge lists were posted outside each faculty building, and not only that, nearby shops also put up the lists of admitted students. Countless people gathered in groups, carefully searching for their names on the lists. However, the first thing they saw were the two largest names on each list: 'Christine Bimoye and Celeste Bingzhe'! With a total score of 1200 points, they scored 211 points more than the third place, Dolores K. Selt, a significant gap that left everyone in awe.

"Kaneruya!" Irena pointed to the list, her voice trembling with shock.

Kaneruya finally managed to squeeze through the crowd and see Bingzhe's name, and she was stunned: "1200 points, no... it can't be!"

Vain had already squeezed into the crowd. He usually didn't care about the top scorer and focused on finding his own name. Hearing Irena's shout, he looked up and saw the two names at the top: "1200 points, is it that kid?"

"I never thought he was so amazing," Irena sighed.

Kaneruya looked gloomy: "So he didn't want to talk to us because he looked down on us."

Vain gritted his teeth: "Hmph, that kid, I even wanted to be friends with him, but he's just like those who think they're high and mighty. Kaneruya, you don't need to be upset over this. If he doesn't care about us, we don't care about him either."

Irena also comforted her: "Don't be sad, there's no need to be sad. You're the mayor's daughter and a well-known noble in the empire. That kid can't compare to you. Let's quickly find our names."

Kaneruya put aside her thoughts and hurried to find her name on the list.

Some people were happy, some were worried. Most people couldn't find their names and, unwilling to give up, started searching from the beginning again, determined to find their names on the list.

"Ah, I found it!" Irena pointed to her name, jumping with joy.

Kaneruya also found her name and hugged Irena in delight, then looked at Vain.

Vain was sweating profusely, carefully searching through the names row by row. Once, he saw a name similar to his own and was overjoyed, but when he checked the exam number, it was wrong, which made him even more anxious.

Kaneruya and Irena were also worried for him. They had almost finished the third list and still hadn't seen his name.

36251, 36252... Irena said, "Maybe the college wrote the exam number of that Kaito Vain wrong?"

Kaneruya shook her head anxiously.

Just as they were about to reach the end, Vain suddenly shouted: "Here! Ha ha, I found it, Mom, I found my name!"

Kaneruya and Irena looked over and indeed saw Kaito Vain's name, with the correct exam number. The three of them hugged and jumped with joy, completely ignoring the gazes of the people around them.

"We finally got into Kulantin together, yeah!" The three of them high-fived.

Vain, excited, said, "Quick, quick, let's write a letter home and tell our families so they can share in the good news."

"Don't get too excited," Irena pressed his shoulder, trying to calm him down. "Let's quickly go to the school to register and pay the admission fee. If we go early, we can get a good dorm room."

"Right, there's the orientation tomorrow, let's go quickly." Vain, being the type to act immediately, pulled the two of them out of the crowd.

The number of people at the student card issuance counters gradually increased. With their admission tickets and identity cards, they paid 550 gold for tuition and received their Kulantin College student cards. The 550 gold was not for tuition but for living expenses and other miscellaneous fees for the year. Although it was a lot for ordinary people, it wasn't actually very expensive. For those who were financially struggling and couldn't pay the tuition immediately, the college provided some appropriate work to help them pay the fees, and they even received a small salary. People like Big Luo and Oraura Dor, who sold ice cream, were examples of this.

Bingzhe also had his own identity card. Due to the frequent wars on the continent, many people lost their parents, so the identity card did not list family members' names but only personal information, including birthplace and nationality. These cards were issued by the International Union, which would accept even a destitute child who applied.

They recorded the detailed information of the applicants, as the amount of each element in a person's body was different. After testing, these amounts became the numbers on the identity card. Thus, based on a person's identity card number, one could determine which type of magic they were more suited to practice. There were eight elements in nature: fire, water, wind, wood, earth, lightning, light, and darkness. Of course, magic studies were not limited to these eight categories.

The people in front of him eagerly paid the tuition and received their student cards. Finally, it was Bingzhe's turn, who was neither anxious nor excited.

"Hello, please give me your admission ticket and identity card," the young female intern teacher said with a friendly smile.

Bingzhe was about to hand over the two items when his arm was suddenly grabbed by someone else.

"Finally found you," Sophie pushed up her glasses and pulled him to the side.

Bingzhe recognized her; she was the female teacher who had received his application.

"Remember me?" Sophie smiled warmly at him.

"Um," Bingzhe nodded, blinking his large eyes like a child.

Sophie touched his white hair: "So cute, why aren't you wearing your magic hat today?"

"I got the top score, I want to buy a new hat as a reward," Bingzhe's smile was so innocent, like a naive child, but he was lying. He knew how important that hat was, even though it looked like an old magic hat.

Sophie laughed: "How about I give you one?"

"Sure," Bingzhe said, "Teacher, can you not talk to me like I'm a child? I'm already 14 years old." Although he said this, his childish expression made him look like a child.

Sophie chuckled and took his hand: "You're the top scorer, the dean wants to meet you. Come with me."

Bingzhe obediently followed her, but a cold glint flashed in his eyes. He already knew that the old man he had fought in the Magic Crystal Tower was the dean of Kulantin, Edith Chiram, whose portraits were displayed in many places in Dibaris.

They entered a large, square, orange-red building on the northwest side of the campus. The 22nd floor was where the dean and vice-dean met important guests, and he was brought there now.

As soon as Bingzhe entered the room, the atmosphere changed. The first thing he saw was Bimoye sitting on the left sofa, with blood-red eyes.

Bimoye noticed him, glanced at him, and then turned away.

Next, Bingzhe saw a pair of aged hands. The kind-looking Dean Chiram pulled his small shoulders and led him to a single sofa next to Bimoye.

Dean Chiram smiled: "Child, don't be nervous. I just wanted to meet you, this little genius."

Bingzhe pointed to the cake on the crystal table: "Can I eat it?"

"Ah, sure," Chiram said, "It's prepared for you, and there's fruit too."

Indeed, it was prepared for them. The table had two pieces of cake and many fruits, but Bimoye hadn't touched his, while Bingzhe was devouring his cake, saying with a smile, "It's delicious."

Bimoye glanced at him again, still sitting coldly without moving.

Bingzhe noticed this but pretended not to, continuing to eat.

The dean and vice-deans were present. Both vice-deans were women, one in her seventies and the other in her forties. Such a grand arrangement was not exaggerated, as it was the first time in the college's thousands of years of history.

The forty-something vice-dean sat arrogantly reading a book, while the seventy-something one came over to ask if Bingzhe had eaten breakfast. Bingzhe, of course, smiled and said yes, and soon received another piece of cake.

Not long after, another person entered the room, the examiner Jilgil, who had been knocked out of the arena by Bimoye and Bingzhe during the physical test.

Jilgil immediately recognized the two children who had left a deep impression on him and said to the dean, "They are the ones who... defeated me."

Dean Chiram chuckled, seeing that Bingzhe was still eating, and didn't say anything.

Bingzhe finished his cake and started eating the fruit, acting as if he had been hungry for a long time. After he finished, Sophie handed him a tissue.

Dean Chiram, standing, smiled: "You two are both remarkable. You both achieved the highest scores in the college's history. If you don't mind, can I ask you a few questions? You can answer if you want to."

"Sure," Bingzhe nodded affirmatively.

Bimoye, more politely, said, "Dean, please ask," but his expression was cold.

Dean Chiram said, "You are both remarkable children. Not only did you score 600 points in the written test, but you also earned full marks in the physical test, which left the teachers and me no choice but to give you full marks. I want to know where you studied before coming here." Although he was asking both, he was mainly asking Bingzhe, as Bimoye's learning place and teachers were obvious.

Bimoye answered, "I studied with my grandfather, father, and other elders in my family."

Bingzhe smiled, "I studied with Grandpa Dain, Abigail Dain."

Everyone was stunned, remembering the dean's disciple, the teacher Abigail Dain in the college, as there were many people with the same name.

Chiram was also surprised but quickly realized it couldn't be his disciple and asked, "Who is he, is he your grandfather?"

Bingzhe shook his head, "No."

"Then what is he to you?"

Bingzhe's answer surprised them, "I don't know him."

Sophie also remembered this name. She recalled that Bingzhe had written it on the application form: "Are you talking about the strange grandfather who died, as written on the application form?"

"Um," Bingzhe nodded with a smile, "Sister, you have a good memory."

Dust Sophie, 27 years old, was happy to be called sister.

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(End of Chapter 18)