"Over here!" Hei called out to Seila and Colt.
They had already found a place to sit.
Since their maids weren't with them, most nobles chose to stand around rather than sit on the grass without a cloth beneath them.
But Hei and Myrin didn't seem to mind. They even looked like they were on a picnic, having bought a variety of food from the stalls.
"Colt, you passed? Great!" Hei said, and Myrin nodded with a smile.
"Thank you. It was a hard exam," Colt replied, though his face didn't match his words.
"Give me a second," he added, then pulled a large, blanket-like cloth from his inner pocket and spread it over the ground.
Of course, it had come from his inventory, but he didn't want to show that.
The others stared, surprised that something that big had come from a pocket, giving him odd looks.
Why would anyone carry something like that in their pocket? they wondered. Still, it worked out well for them.
Colt laid the cloth down, then helped Seila sit before offering a hand to Myrin, helping her up from the grass and onto the blanket.
Then he looked at Hei, who was still sitting on the ground. They stared at each other for a long moment before Colt sighed in defeat and reached out his hand.
"I'm not helping you sit back down, though, young lord."
Hei didn't mind. He was the winner this time, so he just smirked and took his place on the cloth.
At least Colt felt like they were getting closer.
Hei must have felt the same, because he decided to help him—just a little.
"Sei, since Colt passed the exam, shouldn't you let him call you by your name?"
Huh? Colt didn't expect help that quickly. He looked at Hei with eyes that said, I'll also help you sit next time.
"What? What does that— The exams aren't over. He just didn't get eliminated in the physical portion."
"Lady Seila, does that mean if I pass the whole exam, you'll let me?"
"What does that have to do with anything? You're doing this exam for yourself. Also, if you pass, we will be equals in the academy."
"Ah, you're right. But that is not how I want it to be. Then how about a bet?"
That caught her interest. She turned to Colt with fiery eyes. "What kind of bet?"
"I'll take the top spot in this exam."
Hei looked at him like he'd just wasted a perfectly good assist.
But Seila didn't back down. "And if you lose?"
"I'll be your cook for the rest of my life."
"My name's not important enough for that. One day will be enough."
"There's no way Lady Seila's name is that insignificant—but I'll compromise. Until the academy is over."
Seila paused, then finally said, "Deal."
"What if you both lose?" came the voice of the second prince.
Is this guy going to pop up behind us every time we talk?
Sure enough, he was standing behind them again.
Since they were in a crowded area, Colt hadn't checked every presence within his detection radius.
He could tell someone was there, but didn't think much of it—just assumed it was someone passing by, like everyone else around.
Antoine looked at Colt and continued, "So you passed. What a surprise."
He genuinely was surprised. Antoine wasn't the type to provoke people with lies, and he wasn't stupid enough to say something he'd regret.
He really hadn't thought Colt could pass the physical exams.
What he didn't know was that Colt had been suppressing his power the entire time.
It wasn't just his level he was sealing—he was also holding back his aura. Unlike Antoine, who was pushing out more aura than he could actually handle.
Colt glanced around and confirmed that the prince's guards were still there, about a hundred meters away, silently watching.
He was the only one who had come with guards. The other nobles hadn't brought anyone.
It was forbidden for anyone but the royal family, after all. And while this academy was nearly as safe as the capital, the royal family couldn't afford to take chances.
"I greet the second prince," Colt said, standing and bowing respectfully.
As long as the prince didn't push things too far, Colt was content to live like any other citizen of Ostines.
Not that the second prince would be able to keep this up for long.
Antoine looked him over. "Raise your head."
He was not allowing him to raise his head, but ordering him to.
Colt lifted his head as ordered, wearing a smirk.
"Well, it doesn't matter. You won't take first place anyway, so you should start thinking of the result of a tie. Otherwise, calling Miss Seila by her name will be a crime."
"I thank the second prince for his concern. You're right, I am in no way equal to Lady Seila—yet."
Yet? both the second prince and the others thought, though they didn't dwell on it for long.
"So, I have a suggestion... What about I join your bet?" he said.
Bot Seila and Colt were surprised by that. But they couldn't reject in any way.
"Ah, don't worry. I won't change anything. If I win, I will call Miss Seila by her name, and this boy will be my cook. If I lose, I will give the winner a royal promise."
A royal promise?
It was what it sounded like.
The winner could request anything from the second prince, and he had to do it as long as it didn't hurt the country, the royal family, or the people, and as long as it was within the royal family's capacity.
Seila, realizing she had to answer, said, "We accept the challenge, Prince Antoine."
"Great! It seems I interrupted your meal," he said, glancing at the three young nobles who had stood with Colt. "Please, continue."
Then he turned to leave—but not before resting his hand on the sword at his waist.
It was an overly aggressive gesture. And one only the royal family could get away with.
There were no rules against bringing weapons to the academy. In fact, it was encouraged.
But on exam day, there was an unspoken rule.
Examinees didn't bring weapons, just like they didn't bring guards. It was a quiet way of saying, We're not here to fight. We're here to learn.
The academy provided training weapons when needed, like wooden swords for the warrior exams.
The royal family, however, was the exception—because they were considered the protectors of Ostines.
So, they didn't carry weapons to fight, but to defend.
And that was complete bullshit.
If there was any need for protection, the teachers—many of whom were far stronger than a level-71 kid—would have handled it.
No, this was about status. A show of power. A reminder that the royal family stood at the top.
Of course, that wasn't so strange. Colt normally supported that kind of thinking.
If the royal family stayed silent all the time, they'd get pushed around.
But power only meant something in the hands of the right people—not in the hands of tyrants like the second prince.
That gesture—touching the sword—was nothing more than a message. A reminder of who held the power.
Should I just punish him? Colt thought. No. Not yet.