14 Truth or dare (2/2)
”There were times where i would take my sister's stuff without her permission. I'm sure i really hurted her feelings... Does that count?”
”... ”
”I... Had to steal the staff from a mage who was had kidnapped me and used it against him to escape from harm... I didn't want to hurt anyone but some scary men were trying to grab me and i reacted in a panic to get away from them. I'm pretty sure i hurt some of them in the process... But i only did it because they were trying to hurt me first.”
The water remained blue. The examiner showed a stiff expression. He probably started to think he was forcing a young girl to re-live a memory where she had been stolen by bandits or something.
”As for if i plan to ever harm someone in the future, i would rather not, but if i found myself endangered and feel i have no choice to fight back i will not hesitate to do it. But overall, i would rather live a calm life not causing trouble to anyone.”
The examiner kept looking at the water that remained blue.
”In regards to anything i would want to steal nothing comes to mind. I just want to get a piece of the tree and go on my merry way.”
”Very well... Final question, do you hold any sort of ill feeling towards the royal family or any of the noble houses?”
”...”
”Young miss?”
”I... I think the prince is a little too spoiled and should probably get a lecture from his parents... I feel like the king and queen give the boy way too much freedom and should be a little harsher on him... And i think the knights of the royal family are a little scary... ”
”...”
Evlin felt like she was a dead person walking. She just insulted the royal family in front of the examiner. If word got out they would to the king he would probably hang her, or worse, have her marry his son. Should she use her boosted legs to run away from that place right now? With her speed she could escape, but what about Dalla? Should she carry her in her arms in a princess style and just get as far away as possible?
”Yeah i get that... ”
To her shock, the man taking notes behind the examiner was the one to break the silence.
”I've been asked to serve the prince once and he can indeed act very spoiled from time to time...”
Next the examiner himself was the one to talk.
”Agreed... I'm really worried about the future of our country if that is to be our next king...”
Seems like Evlin wasn't the only one that didn't like the prince. She tried to keep the ball rolling.
”It must have been hard on you two... ”
”You have no idea... You look like you are about his age but sound way more mature than he could ever be... I wish you could be next princess...”
Evlin realized that the examiner was touching the cup by accident and noticed that the water was blue. She was flattered that this man respected her so much but the idea of becoming a princess had become a traumatic memory for her right now.
”Thank you... But i have no intention of becoming a princess... I just want to teach.”
”... I thought you wanted to become a mage...”
”I need to be a mage so i can become a teacher.”
”Ah so you want to tech magic! Such a nice girl, with such a bold dream!”
”Huh!? Well...”
”I think we are done here! You can go to the... Next exam... ”
The examiner stuttered when he spilled the words ”next exam”. Looking at Evlin he probably thought she would be eaten alive. But she still had her boosted strength so she wasn't worried.
”Thank you for everything, wish me luck!”
Evlin left the room with an angelic smile and proceeded to the next exam. The examiner and his assistant stayed in the room and started to mumble with each other.
”I she going to be ok... ?”
”... Maye we should call for some extra mage healers, just in case... ”
Part 2
”This way young lady.”
Evlin was being guided by a nice lady to another room. The moment she was most worried about had finally arrived. She managed to pass the morality exam and now just needed to pass the self-defense exam. She was nervous in the same way she would be whenever she had to do an important exam at school. It was a mixed feeling of wanting to get this over with before she could mess it up and kinda not wanting to do it in case she would mess it up. She started to breath slowly and cheer herself up.
”I can do this... I can do this... I can do this... Just like the geography test from 3rd grade. You prepared yourself the best you could... Now you just need to do it!!”
”Young miss... ?”
”But what if i'm not preapared enough... What if i should have waited... ? What if there was more i could do...? I should have looked for more pieces before coming... I should have taken some combat classes... No wait i have no money to pay for classes... I should have got a job to get money to pay for classes... No wait, getting money is why i am here... Argh!! I'm panicking.”
”Young miss...? Would you like to withdraw?”
”Ah!? No!! It's fine! I will be fine!!”
”Very well... Here hold this.”
The woman gave Evlin a small stick.
”This is... ?”
”Pretend that this is your wand. Behind this door one of our members will try to steal it from you. All you have to do is reach the other side of the room and deliver this stick to one of my colleagues. Do this and you can proceed to the final exam!”
”... Oh! That's it?”
”That's it.”
Evlin had calmed down quite a lot. With her boosted speed, all she had to do was run past a fake thief as fast as she could and reach the other side of a room while keeping the stick safe. She wouldn't have to fight anyone, nobody could catch her right now.
”Oh thank heavens! I feel much better now!”
”Glad to hear! Good luck!”
Evlin opened the door to the next room and was hit with a surprise. The room was no room at all, it was some kind of jungle inside of the building. No matter where she looked there was nothing but tress and tress and more trees. Worse even, no sign of the other exit anywhere.
”Oh... Joy... ”