14 Truth or dare (1/2)
Part 1
”I can't believe you convinced me to do this...”
”You said that i could try the exam if i became fully healed. Well, i am fully healed now!”
”You say that but... ”
Dalla and Evlin were entering the building where one would go to take the exam in order to receive a piece of the channeling tree from the royal family. Along the way many citizens were constantly giving the two confused looks due to the way they arranged themselves while walking. They finally reached the place and went to the receptionist to state their purpose.
”Excuse me... I would like to try taking the test to show my qualifications to be a mage!”
Said Evlin to the lady in the reception. The lady gave the two a look similar to that of the people on the street and started to show a little bit of concern.
”Huh... Are you ok... ?”
Asked the woman. She was probably worried by the fact that Dalla was carrying Evlin behind her back with both arms extended and waving in the air as if Evlin was a backpack.
”I'm completely fine!”
”Is... There a reason you are not walking by yourself...?”
”I want to save my strength for the self-defense exam!”
”... I see... ”
That wasn't a lie. Evlin realized that the reason some of her boosted strength started to fade last night was due to her burning some of that energy by moving. In order to save up as much power as possible Evlin had spent the whole day staying as still as possible to be ready for the second exam. The problem was that it made her look like a baby constantly going ”Carry me! Carry me!” towards Dalla. Naturally she had a hard time convincing her that she had indeed fully healed and was fine to take the exam, but Dalla finally gave up after noticing that her wounds were gone. Dalla at first didn't know how Evlin managed to heal so fast in one night but she thought that people from higher classes had probably stronger bodies, after all, Evlin did say she survived a fall from a window.
”You sure you are ok to take the exam little miss... ? Our guild doesn't take responsibility for any possible injury.”
Oh so this was a guild? I always wondered what one of those looked like, is what Evlin was thinking.
”I'm positive! Today i feel like i could take on anyone!!”
”If you say so... May the gods have mercy on you... ”
The concerned lady signed a few documents and proceeded to ask Evlin to sign with her name. Sge froze for a second. Would the prince find out about her if she put her real name? But then she realized that the prince never actually bothered to ask her name in the first place. ”That little brat!! He kept talking nonsense about love, marriage, and passionate nights but never even asked what my bloody name was...” is what she was thinking.
Evlin was carried by Dalla towards the first exam room, at least she started to be carried until the receptionist warned Dalla that Evlin would need to go by herself.
”Ah! Sorry! It's ok Dalla, i can walk from here on!”
”Evlin is not to late to go back you know...”
”It will be fine! I will just go in there grabe my wand and then leave! Easy peasy!”
”Peasy... ? But Evlin-”
”See you later! Love ya!”
”Ah... Be careful!”
The first room was just a squared table and a couple of chairs with two people inside of it. One to make the questions to check on the morality of the subject and the other to take notes of the process. On top of the table was a small object. It looked like some kind chalice filled with water made out of wood. Evlin came closer to the table and sited on the chair opposite to the examiner.
”Young miss do you know what this is?”
Evlin looked at the wood chalice and tried to think about her answer.
”Is that... A piece of the channeling tree sculpted as a chalice... Filled with melted absorbing crystals...?”
”Correct! You will hold this cup and answer all of our questions. The crystal in this cup is the crystal of truth, it will change it's color depending on the nature of your answer. If you lie, the water will change to the color red. If you don't it will change to the color blue. Simple right?”
”Yeah!”
”Well then, let's begin, please hold the cup.”
Evlin did as she was told and started to grab the wooden chalice. In the process she realized she could see her reflection for the first time since she got there and almost had a heart attack for she could barely recognize herself.
”Oh my God!!”
”Young miss? What's wrong?”
”Ah... Nothing...!”
As she said that, the chalice absorbed her answer and started to turn the water red. The examiner gave her a suspicious look.
”I mean... Sorry, it has been a long time since i last saw my own face... So i got a little startled...”
The examiner noticed the water changing to blue and dropped a little of his suspicious look.
”... Do try your best not to lie during this exam young miss.”
”Yes sir... Sorry... ”
Evlin had calmed down a bit. She had just realized how this test was going to work. As long as she didn't tell any lie she should be ok.
”First question. Why do you want to be a mage?”
”I am currently making use of the kindness of the nice lady out there and thought i could find a way to repay her by learning how to use magic. Plus, i thought it could help me earn some money to go traveling to different places.”
”Why do you want to travel?”
”I want to find out if there is a way to go back to my home. I kinda came here by accident and don't know how to get back. I was hoping the answer could be out there somewhere...”
”I see. Where are you from?”
”I come from the east, but unfortunately i have no idea how i got here.”
”The east huh? Not many people from the east around here.”
”Which is why it's so hard for me to find my way back, i don't think anyone here knows how to help me return so i need to travel to see if i can find someone who does.”
Evlin was starting to get nervous. She was trying her hardest to be as vague as possible with her answers while also trying to be careful not to tell a lie. If they found out she was from another world she would be in a huge problem but luckily she has managed to keep the water blue up until now.
”Very well. Next, have you ever or do you plan to ever steal or harm someone?”