13 Chapter 13: Did I Pass? (2/2)
The other examiners rushed over to look.”Your right!” a teacher exclaimed as she picked up the high-grade pill, examining it with her internal energy.She suddenly gasped.”This pill has a quality of 68%!”
”This was forged by one of the examinees?” another teacher asked in confusion.”Who has such precision among the examinees?I thought I knew their capabilities, but to be able to accomplish this before even entering the academy?This person is incredible!So, who made this?”
At the same time, Nadran was standing awkwardly outside the room, not sure what to do.[What is he doing?] Nadran wondered as he stared at the closed door.Most of the other examinees had been judged on the spot, and this was the first time Nadran had seen an examiner rush into the back room upon seeing a pill.[Is my pill so bad that he needed to bring it over to the other instructors so that they could all laugh at it?I wasn't happy with how it turned out, but I didn't think it was THAT bad.I guess I still have a lot to learn about alchemy.]
At this point, several instructors walked out of the back room and looked over at him.After a few seconds of silence, Nadran asked shyly, ”Uh, so, did I pass?”
The instructors' gazes immediately became strange at this question.They looked at the young man standing before them, incredulity clear in their expressions.
”I understand,” Nadran sighed, misunderstanding the cause of their expressions and looking visibly deflated.”I guess I'll see myself out then.”He then began walking toward the exit.
This action sent one of the instructors into an uncontrollable coughing fit, and the others looked on, unsure whether they should laugh or cry at this preposterous situation.Why did this incredibly talented boy automatically assume he had failed?Was he just messing with them?They stood there like stone statues, unsure how to deal with what had just occurred, when one of them regained their wits and spoke up.”Please wait, Mr. Drasnor.”
Nadran turned around, surprised.”Yes?”he asked, unsure of what the instructor's intent was.
”Um, there is no need to leave like that.Actually, you passed,” the teacher explained with an awkward expression.
”Oh, really?” Nadran asked, growing excited.
”Yes, really,” the instructor replied with a wry expression.”If you couldn't even pass with a high-grade pill at 68% quality, who could pass this test?”
Nadran tilted his head with a thoughtful expression.”Huh, I guess so.”[Now that I think about it, wasn't Zosal bragging about refining a mid-tier pill or something?I was mostly ignoring him, so I almost forgot, but I'm pretty sure he said something like that.I guess I'm still tired from using up almost all of my internal energy on that pill refinement.I jumped to conclusions too quickly.]
”So, take this jade slip,” the instructor said.”Bind your internal energy to it, and this will allow you to enter Mirror Dragon Academy tomorrow.The entrance ceremony and orientation will take place at noon tomorrow, and I encourage you to be there.It will help you understand the inner workings and structure of the academy.”
”Alright, got it.I'll be going, then.”Nadran nodded and turned around, then quickly stopped and turned back around before running over and placing the book he had been reading on a table.”Thanks for letting me read this, by the way,” he said, smiling, then walked out of the building.
Curious, one of the instructors walked over, wondering what book he had borrowed.The instructor's eyes widened once more upon reading the title, 'Basic Alchemy Herbs, Volume 1.'He then looked at Nadran's departing back, a complicated expression on his face.He could not understand this strange young man, who seemed to be a walking pile of contradictions.
Meanwhile, Zosal was watching Nadran's departing figure, even more confused than the instructor.[Did he really pass?And he even made a high-tier pill with a quality of almost 70%?I can't believe it…]Upon remembering the condescending words he had thrown at Nadran earlier and his boasting about his own results, he lowered his head, cheeks flushed red in embarrassment, and wanted to find a hole to bury his head in to avoid the mocking gazes of his peers.Unfortunately, he could not escape their gazes until he rushed out of the building, wishing he had never provoked that young, poor-looking man.