Alex moved through the hallway. Through the windows, he saw other examinees still scribbling on their papers; some were already turning to the next page.
Were they really writing more than one page of answers?
He had been more than satisfied with his answers so far, but watching the others write so voraciously made his stomach churn. Dread swept through his chest, tightening it. He dreaded failing the written exam; only a few would be selected for the next round, and the remaining would have to return home.
Alex noticed that some examinees were leaving their classrooms, and he sighed in relief, realizing he wasn't the only one finishing early.
He wasn't the only one to exit so soon, after all.
Alex supposed some might have finished before him, since the hallway stretched so far and blurred into the horizon that he couldn't possibly see everyone. He didn't like being the first to leave; it made him feel as though he could have written more.
Alex stopped in his tracks, and the examinees behind him stared at him as they passed by him. Alex shook his head and slapped his cheeks.
'I'll surely pass the written exam. Did I forget that I promised myself to enjoy life in all its glory and in all its lowliness equally?' Alex thought to himself. He dashed ahead. A smile spread across his face as the air fluttered his hair back.
Alex breezed through the hallway; there weren't many examinees walking through the hallway.
***
Alex finally made it outside the academy. It had taken him nearly half an hour to exit the building and reach the gate.
The sun was setting below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of red and orange.
The huge, rune-filled gate loomed ahead, with two smaller gates on each side standing open. Alex saw examinees exiting through the small gates, their faces showing a myriad of emotions. Some had indeed finished before him—or perhaps their classrooms were closer to the exit, like class A, and made to the gate before him.
Alex turned back to look at the examinees behind him. His gaze traveled past them, lingering on the marvelous building looming wide and towering towards the sky; its sheer size overwhelmed him. It was multiple times larger than his own palace. He still couldn't believe he was outside Drakethorne Palace; everything felt surreal.
Just some days back, he was holed up in his home, and now he was outside.
Alex turned ahead, a huge smile plastered on his face. He had forgotten the mockery of others. He followed the others and exited through the gate, greeted by a sight to behold. There were so many people standing outside, their faces filled with hope for a better future, concern for their children, and the wish that they succeed.
They were the parents and guardians of the examinees, all hoping their children would pass the exam.
Alex looked around for his parents, and it didn't take long to spot them. They stood apart from the others; everyone seemed to keep a respectful two-meter distance from them.
Alex froze. Thalia Veilcaster was standing there with her father, Cassian Veilcaster, and uncle, Malrec Veilcaster. She bore no expression on her face; she had a poker face, but with no warmth.
Alex's sister, Ariana, ran to him as soon as she saw him. He also started moving ahead, and he found people's gazes were turned towards him. By now, he was sick of the attention that he constantly received.
His sister nearly tripped on her way, clumsily avoiding bumping into others. The crowd made sure to give her space—either out of respect for nobility or fear of hurting a child.
Soon, Alex was engulfed in a hug from his sister. Alex bent on one knee, resting his knee on the ground, and returned the hug.
Alex froze as he heard a muffled sound from his sister; her tears had already soaked his coat.
She's crying? Why?
"A-Ariana, what happened? Why are you crying?" Alex asked, his words stumbling in his throat. He could feel his sister tightly clutching his coat, her small hands gripping the fabric, not wanting to let go.
All the attention was shifted to them; the people were looking at them, not daring to speak anything as they all gazed at them.
Alex's parents hurried over, their quick steps betraying their worry as they kept their eyes fixed on their children.
Thalia and her family followed behind Alex's parents, though they moved at a slower pace.
"Y-You don't have to take their w-words seriously, brother. I can't stand seeing you h-humiliated," Ariana stammered, choking on her words as her tears continued to fall.
Alex slowly released the hug, though Ariana was reluctant to let go. Her cheeks were flushed, tears streaming down her face, and her nose was running.
Alex placed both hands on her cheeks and gently wiped away her tears. "You don't have to worry about that. People like to talk, and we can't do anything about it. But we can control ourselves and how we respond to them," he said, his voice soothing yet resolute. His father had already taught him that people will talk about them no matter where they go or what they do. So, it was better for them to grow thick skin and not care at all.
"Also, I can deal with this by myself. Don't worry too much," Alex added, flicking his sister's forehead as she finally stopped crying.
Ariana made a grumpy face at being hit on her forehead, but before she could react, Alex patted her head and stood up.
Their mother, Sera, quickly took out a handkerchief and cleaned Ariana's face. There were simply too many onlookers.
"We should go back to the estate. Alex needs to rest," Shane Drakethorne said, glancing around at the people, hinting it was better to hurry home.
Cassian stood there with his family; his face was impassive, but Alex could feel that the man was worried for him, though he tried to mask it and did so splendidly. Alex felt the grand duke Cassian wanted to say something, but his lips didn't part to say anything. The Grand Duke seemed torn, caught in an internal struggle as he kept looking at Alex and Thalia.
***
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